Inter-University Doctoral Consortium (IUDC)

PhD students in good academic standing, in registration years two through seven in eligible Arts and Sciences doctoral programs, are able to participate in the IUDC. Eligible students may take up to two courses per semester through the consortium.

First-year PhD students are not eligible to participate in the consortium.

Master’s students are not eligible to participate in the consortium.

Spring 2020 IUDC registration for all students will begin on December 2, 2019.

All students must submit Columbia’s online IUDC application by Friday, February 7, 2020 to be registered for the spring semester.

Students wishing to drop Columbia classes must do so by February 25.

IUDC courses must be taken for a letter grade or Pass/Fail. Courses may not be taken for Audit or R credit.

Note: IUDC is limited to the fall and spring semesters. Summer session and intersession courses are not eligible for the IUDC.

Please complete the following steps in order.

1. Complete all sections of the IUDC Registration Form, including the “Host School” section. After obtaining your advisor’s signature, email your form to s.jackman [at] columbia.edu or bring it to the front desk in 107 Low Library. The GSAS coordinator will sign the IUDC form within one business day after certifying that you are an eligible Columbia PhD student in an Arts and Sciences program and that any courses you wish to take at the host school are IUDC-eligible.
2. Obtain the signatures of the host instructor and host school IUDC coordinator. If you receive permission from the host instructor via email, this electronic approval is acceptable in place of a formal signature. Send the host school IUDC coordinator a PDF of the instructor’s email with your paper registration form.
3. Submit Columbia’s online IUDC application by the registration deadline (February 7). Upload to this online application the paper form containing all four signatures (i.e., Columbia advisor, Columbia IUDC coordinator, host school instructor, and host school IUDC coordinator), as well as a PDF of the instructor’s permission email, if applicable.
4. Register with the host school. For instructions, contact the host school IUDC coordinator, listed on the second page of the IUDC registration form.
5. Obtain an ID card at the host school. You will need to bring either a passport or a state-issued ID. Confirm with the host school whether you will also need to obtain a semester sticker.
6. Set up an email account at the host school to ensure that you receive information regarding your course(s) there. 

Next Steps:

The Columbia IUDC coordinator will have the Columbia Registrar’s Office add the respective course(s) to your roster of classes on SSOL once you have submitted the online application with the completed IUDC registration form.

The host school will send GSAS your grade(s) after they have been posted, in February for the fall semester, and June for the spring semester. The GSAS IUDC coordinator will submit the grade(s) to the Registrar’s Office to be updated in SSOL. Retain the original IUDC registration form until a grade appears on your transcript.

If you receive an “Incomplete,” or if your grade remains blank or incorrectly listed in SSOL, contact the host school IUDC coordinator and request that a copy of your transcript be sent to the attention of the GSAS coordinator. Be advised that it is your responsibility to ensure any grade changes at the host school are communicated to GSAS.

Please complete the following steps in order.

1. Confirm here that the course(s) you intend to register for are offered by an eligible Arts and Sciences program. Next, check the specific course in Columbia’s Directory of Classes for any additional eligibility requirements noted by the instructor of the course. All IUDC coordinators will confirm at the time of application approval that students are registering for eligible courses.

   Note: If the course you wish to take is not offered by an Arts and Sciences program, you may not register for the class, despite having received instructor approval.
    

2. Complete Columbia’s two-step application process by the registration deadline (as noted above in “Registration Deadlines”). 
    
   1. First, fill out the paper IUDC Registration Form and obtain the signatures of your home school advisor, home IUDC coordinator, and the instructor of any Columbia course you wish to take. If the course’s instructor grants permission to take the course via email, a PDF of the email is acceptable in place of a formal signature.
       
   2. Second, submit Columbia’s online IUDC application. Upload a PDF of the signed paper IUDC form, as well as a PDF of the instructor’s approval email, if applicable, into the online application. You do not need the signature of the Columbia IUDC coordinator before uploading the paper registration form or submitting the online application.

      Note: The paper IUDC form must be submitted through the online application. Do not submit it via email or in person. 
       

3. Allow five business days for processing. You will receive email notification of the status of your registration, including instructions to activate your UNI (University Network ID) and Columbia email address (also found on the CUIT website); and to obtain an ID card.
    
4. Review your registration for the approved courses listed on your online application. After activating your UNI, you may do so through Student Services Online (SSOL). 

5. Obtain a Columbia ID card, which confers access to the Columbia library system and other services.

   Once you have been registered for your course(s), you must submit a photo online to be used for your Columbia ID card. You will receive information via email about where to pick up your ID card.

   If you already have a Columbia ID card, you should obtain a semester sticker for that card. Stickers are available at the ID Center in 204 Kent Hall.
    

6. Follow relevant Columbia policies and deadlines (e.g., for dropping a course, or submitting required course materials to replace an Incomplete with a letter grade).

   Note: Visiting students are responsible for paying all class or material fees associated with the class in which they are registered.  

   If you decide to drop your course(s), you must email the Columbia IUDC coordinator by the drop deadline listed above.
    

7. The Columbia IUDC coordinator will inform your home school of your grade(s) after the end of the semester. Grades are sent in February after the fall semester, and in June for the spring semester. If your grade is incorrectly listed or is blank at your home school, log in to Student Services Online (SSOL) using your UNI and password to request an updated copy of your transcript be sent to your home school IUDC coordinator. Be advised that it is your responsibility to ensure any grade changes at Columbia are communicated to your home school IUDC coordinator. You should retain the original registration form until a grade appears on your home school transcript.

IUDC Registration Form

Columbia’s online IUDC application