| COSTS BILLED TO COLUMBIA ACCOUNT VIA SSOL | |
| Tuition | See link below |
| The total billed by Columbia | See link below |
Tuition: You will pay Columbia’s home school tuition through SSOL/Vergil. The spring tuition invoice will be sent via e-bill in mid-December 2025 and will be due mid-January 2026. It covers tuition only and does not cover housing, meals, airfare, medical insurance, some course materials, personal travel, and personal expenses.
COST BILLED BY UNDERGRADUATE GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT | |
Housing Fee: | Circus Living: $6,210 The Social Hub: $5,635 Homestay: $3,565 Student Village: $3,335 |
Housing Fee: All students will live in pre-arranged housing. These are the following options you have to choose from:
Circus Living: Private micro apartment in a building with a cafe and co-working space.
The Social Hub, single-occupancy: A room with a private en-suite bathroom and a shared kitchen offers you access to the internet, a free gym, study rooms, a library as well as lounges and access to bicycles
Homestay: Living with a German host. Breakfast and dinner are included.
Student Village, single-occupancy: Student Village offers private rooms with a shared bathroom/kitchen/communal area.
Tuition and fees are subject to approval by The Trustees of Columbia University and may change.
Estimated Out-of-Pocket Expenses are not billed by Columbia. The estimated amounts in this section provide a basis for students to determine their individual budgets for expenses related to their time overseas for the duration of the program. The below estimate is an average of what students say they actually spend. These expenses are NOT paid to the program.
| OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES NOT BILLED TO STUDENTS (ESTIMATED) | |
Meals | $2,100 - $3,000 |
Local Transportation | $100 |
| Visa/Resident Permit | $0 - $110 |
| Books and Course Materials | $0 |
| Cell phone | $262.50 |
| Airfare | $1,200 |
| Personal Expenses | $2,890 |
| Total Estimated Out-of-Pocket Expenses | $5,353 - $6,363 |
Meals: The cost for meals and food will vary widely depending on individual spending habits and housing type. Costs can be kept down by preparing their own meals and only eating out occasionally.
Local Transportation: Students will be responsible for paying for transportation to and from the airport in Berlin at the start and end of the program.
Participants receive a pass for use of the public transportation system throughout Berlin (zones A, B, C) tied to their Freie Universität student ID card (Campus Card).
Visa/Residence Permit: US citizens do not need to apply for visas but must apply for a Residence Permit in Germany. However, students from certain countries may need to apply and pay for visa fees. Please check your BCGS Handbook for details.
Books and course supplies: Students are responsible for purchasing any course materials at the local university.
Cellphone: All students are required to have a working cell phone capable of making and receiving both local and international calls throughout the duration of the program.Airfare: Estimated cost of one round-trip airfare from NYC to Berlin. Students are responsible for making their own travel arrangements from their preferred departure city to the program.
Personal Expenses: Personal expenses are highly variable based on each person's spending habits. They may include entertainment and personal travel.
It is required that you maintain a health insurance policy that will also provide coverage outside the U.S. for routine, urgent and emergent care. This cost is not included in our estimates.