Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Visa Uncertainty Weighs on Columbia Journalism Program Admissions
Columbia’s journalism school is stopping new admissions to one of its graduate programs for a year.
The school says it wants time to rethink the program, which began in 2005.
Its dean said visa rules were one part of the decision.
People familiar with admissions said fewer students from other countries applied as U.S. visa policies became uncertain.
About half of the M.A. students are international students.
The school’s separate M.S. program will continue accepting students.
Columbia also announced a new online, part-time M.S. program.
The dean said that new program did not cause the admissions pause.
Columbia Journalism School will pause admissions to its Master of Arts program for one year while it reviews and reworks the degree.
Dean Jelani Cobb said visa dynamics were among the considerations behind the pause, alongside the need to rethink a program created in 2005.
Four people familiar with admissions said uncertainty over U.S. visa policies contributed to a sharp drop in international applications; they did not specify the size of the decline.
International students make up roughly half of the M.A. program’s enrollment, and the school is not pausing admissions to its separate Master of Science program.
The school also announced a two-year, part-time online M.S. program; Cobb said it was unrelated to the M.A. admissions pause.
- Who
- Columbia Journalism School and its dean, Jelani Cobb; international applicants are also affected.
- What
- The school is pausing admissions to its Master of Arts program for one year to evaluate and rework the degree.
- When
- The pause was announced Thursday and will last one year.
- Where
- Columbia University in the United States.
- Why
- The school wants to reconsider a degree created in 2005, and its dean said visa dynamics were among the considerations; people familiar with admissions said visa uncertainty contributed to fewer international applications.
- Admissions pause
- One year for the Master of Arts program
- Program established
- 2005
- International enrollment
- Roughly half of the M.A. program
- Other admissions
- The separate M.S. program is not pausing admissions
- New offering
- A two-year, part-time online M.S. program
- Financial aid
- About 80% of students receive financial aid, according to the school’s website
- M.A. attendance cost
- Columbia estimates $120,000 before financial aid