UndergraduateFully Funded

Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS)

Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) is a fully funded undergraduate award for refugees and displaced students — including African refugees — covering full tuition, housing, food and travel at Columbia in New York.

Provider: Aga Khan Foundation
Host country: United States
Deadline: Varies by program

Official source Track this application

Applying from your country? See your edition: Kenya · Nigeria · Ghana · Ethiopia · Uganda · Tanzania · Rwanda · Angola · Mozambique · São Tomé & Príncipe · Senegal · Cameroon · Ivory Coast · Benin · Togo · DR Congo

Eligibility & requirements at a glance

Review the recorded eligibility, funding and deadline information below. Confirm the current award conditions on the provider's official source.

Who can apply: Applicants must be displaced individuals (e.g., refugees, asylum seekers) from any country and meet the admissions requirements for their chosen Columbia University program.
Funding: Fully Funded
Study level: Undergraduate
Deadline: Varies by program

Key eligibility criteria

Applicants must be displaced individuals (e.g., refugees, asylum seekers) from any country and meet the admissions requirements for their chosen Columbia University program.

Recorded funding information

Fully Funded

About the Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) (2026)

The Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) is a need-based, fully funded undergraduate scholarship for refugees and other displaced students who want to pursue a bachelor's degree at Columbia University in New York. It is one of very few US Ivy League awards explicitly designed for displaced applicants, including African refugees in protracted situations. ## Why this scholarship matters for African applicants African applicants who have refugee status (UNHCR-recognised), asylum-seeker status, internally displaced person status, or who cannot return to their home country for protection reasons are eligible. Past cohorts have included students from Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, DRC, Burundi, Cameroon and Sudan. ## What the award covers Full tuition at Columbia University, full room and board, mandatory fees, health insurance, books and supplies, personal expenses, and one round-trip international flight per year for the full duration of the four-year undergraduate degree. ## How the selection process works Apply through the standard Columbia first-year undergraduate application (Common App or Coalition App) and complete the CSS Profile for need-based aid. Indicate displaced status and submit supporting documentation. Columbia Admissions reviews academic credentials; the financial aid office reviews displaced status documentation. ## Application tips that move the needle Document your displacement status clearly and early — UNHCR letters, country-of-origin information, or third-country residence permits. SAT/ACT is test-optional but a strong score helps; English proficiency through TOEFL or IELTS is required if your prior schooling was not in English. Reach out to Columbia's Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid directly with questions. ## Deadlines and intake windows Regular Decision deadline is January 1 for September entry. Early Decision is November 1. Financial aid documentation deadline mirrors the application deadline — submit everything together. ## Useful internal reading - Browse open scholarships: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/scholarships - How to write a winning scholarship essay: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/blog/how-to-write-winning-scholarship-essay - Scholarship interview questions for African students: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/blog/scholarship-interview-questions-african-students Always confirm the live intake on the sponsor's official site before you build a timeline around it.

Funding information

The funding information below is recorded in this listing; it does not establish additional covered components. Check amounts, caps, exclusions and conditions on the official source.

Fully Funded

Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) eligibility

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

Applicants must be displaced individuals (e.g., refugees, asylum seekers) from any country and meet the admissions requirements for their chosen Columbia University program.

Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) document information

No explicit document checklist is recorded here. If an application is required, prepare only the materials the provider requests.

How to apply for the Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) 2026

Follow the provider's stated process. The checks below are guidance, not additional application requirements. Any original editorial instructions remain in the description above.

1
Check the provider's process
Consult https://globalcenters.columbia.edu/CUSDS to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there.
2
Check eligibility and any requested materials
Listed eligibility: Applicants must be displaced individuals (e.g., refugees, asylum seekers) from any country and meet the admissions requirements for their chosen Columbia University program.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist.
3
Check dates and next steps
Listed deadline information: Varies by program. Confirm any cutoff, time zone and follow-up process with the provider.

Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) deadline & application timeline

Provider deadline information: Varies by program. This text cannot be safely converted to a countdown; check the official source for its meaning. The earlier milestones are optional planning suggestions only.

Planning suggestion: 12 months out
Check the current call and decide whether this opportunity fits your plans.
Planning suggestion: 6 months out
If the provider requires tests or documents that take time, plan for them using its published instructions.
Planning suggestion: 3 months out
If an application is required, review the provider's process and prepare only the materials it requests.
Planning suggestion: 1 month out
If submission is required, allow time to check your materials and any stated cutoff.
Provider deadline
Varies by program
Provider deadline information: Varies by program. Confirm the current instructions and any cutoff or time zone on the official source; no additional time is assumed here.

Ready to apply?

Cross-check the latest eligibility rules and deadline on the sponsor's official portal before you start your application.

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Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for the Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS)?+

Applicants must be displaced individuals (e.g., refugees, asylum seekers) from any country and meet the admissions requirements for their chosen Columbia University program.

What funding does the Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) offer?+

Listed funding: Fully Funded. Confirm amounts, exclusions and conditions on the official source. This label does not establish any additional benefit components.

When is the application deadline?+

Provider deadline information: Varies by program. Confirm the current cutoff and any time zone on the official source; no additional cutoff or late-submission policy is assumed here.

What documents do I need to apply?+

No explicit document checklist is recorded here. If an application is required, prepare only the documents requested by the provider; requirements may differ from admission requirements.

How do I check the application process?+

Consult https://globalcenters.columbia.edu/CUSDS to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there. Listed eligibility: Applicants must be displaced individuals (e.g., refugees, asylum seekers) from any country and meet the admissions requirements for their chosen Columbia University program.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist. Listed deadline information: Varies by program. Confirm any cutoff, time zone and follow-up process with the provider.

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