Columbia Central

Loan Applications

• Parent PLUS Loan Application

  This online electronic application is for parents of dependent undergraduate students who wish to borrow additional funds to assist in financing their student's education. 

  This application must be completed electronically within 60 days of being awarded, or by the priority dates listed on the application. 

• Graduate PLUS Loan Application

  This online electronic application is for graduate professional students who wish to borrow additional funds to assist in financing their student's education. 

  This application must be completed electronically within 60 days of being awarded, or by the priority dates listed on the application. 

Aid Adjustments/Notifications

• Student Aid Adjustment Request

  This online form should be completed by the student borrower wanting to reduce or cancel a federal or private loan; or by a student borrower wanting to reinstate a previously cancelled Direct Loan.

  Deadline: within 30 days of disbursement to reduce or cancel a loan. To reinstate a Direct Loan, please see the dates on the form. 

  2024-25 form

• Cost of Attendance (COA) Change Request

  This form should be completed by students wanting to change their annual cost of attendance budget. This form is available in the MyColumbia student portal under the Online forms section on the MyFinancials tab.

  Deadline: Before the last day of the student's enrollment period

• Award Letter Reprint

  This online form is request for a reprint of the Financial Aid Award Letter. This form is available in the MyColumbia student portal under the Online forms section on the MyFinancials tab.

• Federal Work Study Cancellation Form

  This form should be completed by the student requesting to cancel Federal Work Study.

   2024-25 Form

• Parent Loan Adjustment Request

  This form should be completed by the parent borrower wanting to reduce or cancel a federal or PLUS loan.

  Deadline: within 30 days of disbursement

  2024-25 form

• Grade Progression Loan Increase Request

  This form should be completed by undergraduate students who have progressed to the next grade level during the middle of an award year and would like to request an increase to their Federal Direct Loan(s).  This form is available in the MyColumbia student portal under the Online forms section on the MyFinancials tab.

  Deadline: before the last day of the student's enrollment period

Loan Borrower Requirements

• Direct Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling

  This mandatory counseling session must be completed by first-time undergraduate Stafford Loan borrowers and first-time graduate Stafford and Grad PLUS Loan borrowers.

  Deadline: before the last day of the student's enrollment period

• Direct Stafford Loan Exit Counseling

  This mandatory counseling session must be completed by undergraduate and graduate Stafford Loan borrowers after ceasing enrollment at Columbia or while being enrolled for less than 6 credit hours during a term immediately following enrollment at half-time status or greater.

  Deadline: before the last day of the student's enrollment period

• Master Promissory Note (MPN)

  This online form should be completed by first-time Direct Stafford Loan undergraduate or graduate borrowers, or by undergraduate or graduate borrowers with an expired master promissory note.

  Deadline: before the last day of the student's enrollment period

Processing Agreements

• Parent PLUS Refund Release Form

  This form should be completed by the parent borrower of a Federal PLUS Loan wanting to change to whom a refund is issued as a result of a PLUS Loan disbursement and subsequent credit balance on the student’s account.

  2024-25 form

• Summer Financial Aid Application

  This form, is available on the first day of summer registration and should be completed by both undergraduate and graduate students interested in federal student aid for the summer term. Students are required to be registered for summer, have a 2023-24 FAFSA on file at the college and have completed the verification process if required prior to submitting this application.

  The summer aid application is available in the MyColumbia student portal under Online forms section on the MyFinancials Tab.

  Deadlines:

  • 2023-24 FAFSA-June 30, 2024
  • Summer Financial Aid Application-prior to the last day of the student summer enrollment period
• Private Educational Loan Processing Agreement Form

  This form is for all students who do not have a Student Aid Report (SAR) on file with Columbia College Chicago and have applied for a Private Educational Loan. This form is available in the MyColumbia student portal under the Online forms section on the MyFinancials tab.

  Deadline: within 21 days of applying for a private loan

• Third Party Benefit Release Form

  This form is for all students who will be receiving any Third Party Benefit towards their Student Account Balance that requires Columbia College Chicago to certify their enrollment or provide a billing statement.

  Deadline: prior to billing (only needs to be submitted once per academic year)

  2024-25 form

Enrollment Forms

• Pass/Fail Declaration Form (Undergraduate Students)

  Students should use this form to declare pass/fail grading in one or more courses. Our regular policy is back in place for the spring 2024 semester.

  • Students may not declare pass/fail in any major or minor courses. A P (pass) grade does not fulfill major, minor, or pre-requisite requirements where a “C or better” grade is required.
  • The deadline to declare a Pass/Fail is determined by the session and subsession of the course. Please see our Semester Dates and Deadlines page for all dates. Students are encouraged to discuss the Pass/Fail option with their instructor and advisors; however, permission from the instructor is not required.
• Duplicate Diploma Request Form

  This form should be completed to request a duplicate diploma (credit card required).

  The fee for a duplicate diploma is $20.00. It takes approximately three weeks. The diploma will be mailed via USPS to the address provided on the request form. International shipments can take 6-8 weeks and vary depending upon the country. Tracking may not be available for international orders.

   

• Diploma Mailing Request Form

  This form indicates the mailing address of your diploma, other than your permanent address.

  This form is only to be used for the original copy of the diploma for students that have graduated Summer 2016 and later. Duplicate diplomas, or original diplomas from Spring 2016 and earlier, need to be ordered via the Duplicate Diploma Order Form.

   

• Directed Study Cover Sheet

  This form is to be used for undergraduate and graduate study proposals. 

  Directed Studies are learning activities involving student independence within the context of regular guidance and direction from a faculty advisor. Directed Studies are appropriate for students who wish to explore a subject beyond what is possible in regular courses, or for students who wish to engage in a subject or activity not otherwise offered that semester by the college. Directed Studies involve close collaboration with a faculty advisor who assists in development and design of the project, oversees its progress, evaluates the final results, and submits a grade.

   

• Disclosure Refusal Form

  This form should be used to block the release of any information regarding your enrollment status or educational history.

   

• Enrollment Verification Request

  This form should be used to request verification of attendance at Columbia College Chicago.

   

• Independent Project Cover Sheet

  This form is to be used for undergraduate and graduate project proposals. 

  Independent Projects are advanced, student-driven learning experiences involving substantial student independence in project design and project execution. Independent Projects are appropriate for students who wish to explore a subject on their own beyond what is possible in regular courses offered by the College. An independent project must not be equivalent in content to courses offered by the College and should not be used to replace an existing or canceled course. Independent Projects must be approved by a faculty advisor who also evaluates the final results and awards a grade. 

   

• Legal Name or Birthdate Update Form

  This form should be used to change or correct your legal name and/or date of birth.

   

• First Name Change Request Form

  The form to change your first name in college systems is now on the MyColumbia portal. Click on the "Change My First Name" link under the Profile section on the MyColumbia tab. 

• Social Security Number Update Form

  Use this form to update your Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer ID Number.

   

• Student-Faculty Agreement for Incomplete Grade Form

  This form is used for undergraduate and graduate students.

  The instructor must agree to evaluate the student’s work and replace the Incomplete grade before the end of the following semester. Student-Faculty Agreement for Incomplete Grade specifying work to be completed, and a due date must be signed by both instructor and student and approved by the Department Chair.

• Undergraduate Research Mentorship Initiative (URMI) Form

  This form is required for inclusion with a completed proposal for an URMI project.

  The URMI gives Columbia's undergraduate students the opportunity to gain real-world experience and learn research and scholarly techniques from practitioners in academic and integrative disciplines. The URMI is open to students who have reached junior standing.

   

Transfer Student Forms

• Transfer Request Forms

  Use the Transfer Request Forms to:

  • Pre-Approval for Future Transfer Courses
  • Review of Possible Errors
  • Course Re-Evaluation Request
  • Submit Syllabus Requested
  • Other Transfer Credit Evaluation Questions

  Note: these forms are behind our single sign-on system and require Office 365 credentials.

• Transient Student Form
  This form may be required by other institutions when enrolling as a nondegree-seeking student in order to transfer courses back to Columbia. Some schools have their own form for this purpose. Please contact the other institution to see if this is needed before submitting.
• Life Experience Credit Form

  Under special circumstances, a student may be granted up to 16 credit hours in their major for life and work experience.

  In addition to completing the application form, you must pay a non-refundable fee of $100. You can make this payment at the Columbia Central office or you may pay online.

Miscellaneous

• Higher Education Tax Benefits
  For a summary of Higher Education Tax Benefits for which you may be eligible, visit the IRS Tax Benefit Information Center. 
  
  Some of the Higher Education Tax Benefits include but are not limited to:

  • American Opportunity Credit
  • Hope Credit
  • Lifetime Learning Credit
  • Tuition and Fees Deduction
  • Coverdell Education Savings Account
• Tax Breaks

  Consult a tax advisor to determine your eligibility for tax incentives.

  Columbia College Chicago will issue an annual 1098-T to assist with reporting the American Opportunity/Hope Credit and Lifetime Learning tax credits on your tax return. Call 877-467-3821 or visit www.1098t.com for more information.

• Authorization to Release Information Form

  This form allows the release of your academic/financial information to parents or other individuals you designate.

   

• Authorization to Revoke Release of Information Form

  This form revokes a previously submitted release form.

   

• Race and Ethnicity Submission Form
  Colleges and universities are asked by many groups, including the federal government, accrediting associations, college guides, and newspapers, to describe the racial/ethnic backgrounds of their students and employees. Students originally provide this information to us as part of your admissions application. To update this information click here.
• Mailing Address Update Form
  Use this form to update your current U.S. mailing address with the college during the MyColumbia portal outage.