Are there scholarships for Columbia MSBA? I’m an Indian applicant planning to apply for Columbia University’s MS in Business Analytics for Fall 2026.?

Question

Since the tuition is high, I’m trying to find out if there are any scholarships or financial aid options available for international students ?

Divakshi Arora · Accepted Answer

Most Columbia MSBA students fund their degree through a mix of partial scholarships and external sources.
&bull; Columbia Engineering awards a few merit scholarships each year &mdash; some Indian students have received $10K&ndash;$15K based on strong academics and quant-heavy profiles. &bull; A small number of research assistantships are available; these can cover part of tuition in exchange for 10&ndash;15 hours/week of work with faculty. &bull; External scholarships open to Indians include KC Mahindra Education Trust, Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation, and Prodigy Finance loans with no US co-signer. &bull; Example: One Indian admit with an 8.7/10 GPA in computer science, GRE 327, and two data analytics internships received a $12K merit award plus a research assistantship in their first semester. &bull; A few grads have also used employer sponsorship after securing deferred admission. &bull; Planning ahead is key &mdash; many external awards close applications 8&ndash;12 months before the program starts, so syncing timelines is essential.
For more details you can read this blog on "Columbia MSBA Scholarships"

Hema A · Answer

Columbia University&rsquo;s MSBA does offer scholarships for international students, including Indian applicants, but they&rsquo;re limited and highly competitive. The most common are merit-based awards from the School of Engineering, where the program is housed. These are automatically considered during admission &mdash; no separate application needed &mdash; and typically range from $5,000 to $15,000.
The program also offers a few named awards, such as the Dean&rsquo;s Scholarship for Academic Excellence, given to high-achieving admits with strong quantitative and leadership backgrounds. Some students receive departmental fellowships or industry-sponsored awards tied to research or teaching assistance. While need-based aid is rare for non-US citizens, external options like the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation, JN Tata Endowment, and Fulbright-Nehru Master&rsquo;s Fellowship are popular among Indian applicants. Applying early can improve chances, as internal funds are often allocated on a rolling basis.

Jayant M · Answer

Yes, Columbia MSBA does offer scholarships for international students, but they are limited and usually partial. Most funding comes through merit-based awards decided at the time of admission, so there&rsquo;s no separate application. Strong GRE/GMAT scores, academic excellence, and professional achievements increase the odds of receiving one.
For Indian applicants, Columbia also allows access to external fellowships and need-based loans. Some students combine partial Columbia MSBA scholarships with funding from organizations like Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation, JN Tata Endowment, or Prodigy Finance loans. Since the tuition is high, international students often plan a mix of small merit awards, external scholarships, and education loans. It&rsquo;s rare to get full tuition coverage, but partial aid can reduce costs significantly if the profile stands out.

V Ritik · Answer

Many applicants don&rsquo;t realize Columbia MSBA scholarships are not the only option&mdash;there are several ways to reduce costs.
&bull; Columbia provides a limited number of merit-based awards that are automatically considered during admission. These usually cover only part of the tuition. &bull; Need-based funding isn&rsquo;t common for international students, but education loan partnerships like Prodigy Finance or MPOWER Financing are widely used. &bull; External scholarships from India&mdash;like KC Mahindra, Narotam Sekhsaria, and Aga Khan Foundation&mdash;have supported Columbia MSBA students in past years. &bull; A unique feature at Columbia is access to on-campus assistantships and research projects, which don&rsquo;t waive tuition but can offset living expenses in New York. &bull; Early applications sometimes have a slightly higher chance of being considered for institutional funding, as budgets are larger in initial rounds.
So yes, scholarships exist, but most students build a funding plan that mixes partial awards, loans, and external fellowships.