General Info

From its beginnings as a schoolhouse in lower Manhattan, Columbia University has grown to encompass two principal campuses: the historic, neoclassical campus in the Morningside Heights neighborhood and the modern Medical Center further uptown, in Washington Heights. Columbia is among the top academic and research institutions in the world, conducting research in medicine, science, the arts, and the humanities. The university includes three undergraduate schools, 13 graduate and professional schools, and a school of continuing education. Columbia is one of the eight institutions that comprise the Ivy League. The university was founded in 1754 as King's College by royal charter of King George II of England. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York and the fifth oldest in the United States. Columbia ranks second among the 2,700 US colleges and universities reporting international enrollments. The university has 29 intercollegiate teams that compete in the Ivy League in NCAA Division I and I-AA for football.