The US Capitol building in Washington DC viewed from the lawn.

the USA Check current round

Columbia World Project Fellowship

Columbia World Projects (CWP) is Columbia University's flagship initiative connecting academic research to real-world policy. Affiliated fellowships fund Master's and doctoral students whose research aligns with one of CWP's active themes — currently including climate adaptation, governance, public health, refugees and migration, and AI policy. Awards typically cover full tuition, a 12-month stipend, plus a dedicated field research budget. Sri Lankan applicants whose work connects to South Asian policy issues are strongly encouraged.

Cycle-specific — most CWP-affiliated fellowships align with the Columbia graduate programme deadline (mid-December to mid-January 2027)

Columbia University

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Coverage

Full Tuition + Stipend + Field Budget

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Duration

1-2 Years (Master's) or 5+ Years (PhD)

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Themes

Climate / Health / Governance / Migration / AI

info How this award actually works

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Who awards it

Columbia University — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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How you are considered

Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.

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What it covers

Full Tuition + Stipend + Field Research Funding. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.

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Where we come in

We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Admitted to a Columbia Programme

You must be admitted to (or hold an offer for) an eligible Columbia Master's or PhD programme — typically at SIPA, Mailman School of Public Health, Earth Institute, GSAS, or the Climate School.

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Research Aligned with a CWP Theme

Your research proposal should clearly engage with one of the active Columbia World Projects themes. Sri Lankan applicants tend to find natural fits in climate-adaptation (coastal), migration, governance, or public-health research streams.

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Open to International Applicants

Sri Lankan and other international applicants are fully eligible. CWP actively values regional expertise — being from the country or region your research addresses is a strength, not a constraint.

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Faculty Sponsor

Identify and engage a Columbia faculty member working in your area before applying. CWP fellowships generally require a faculty sponsor or PI to confirm fit and support your candidacy.

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Identify your CWP theme + faculty sponsor

Browse worldprojects.columbia.edu to identify active projects matching your interests. Email 2-3 affiliated faculty members in October-November with your CV and a 1-2 page research outline.

Apply to your Columbia graduate programme

Submit the standard Columbia Master's or PhD application via the relevant school portal (SIPA, GSAS, Mailman, etc.). In your statement, explicitly reference the CWP theme and faculty sponsor.

Submit fellowship materials

CWP fellowships are administered through the host school. Most require a supplementary research statement (1,000-2,000 words) and a letter of support from the faculty sponsor in addition to standard application materials.

Joint review + outcome

Admission and fellowship decisions are typically issued together in March. Successful candidates are matched with their faculty sponsor and project team for the duration of the award.

Why Columbia?

Columbia is an Ivy League university in New York City, consistently ranked in the world top 20. Columbia World Projects sits at the intersection of academic research and policy impact — recent partner organisations include the UN, the World Bank, USAID, and major philanthropic foundations.

#20

QS World Ranking 2026

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Active Global Themes

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Located in the Heart of New York City

Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?

Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.

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