While we always encourage every student to learn from various communities and cultures while at Columbia and in New York, we understand the need to connect with others who share a similar background during your transition to campus life. Columbia offers over thirty cultural organizations that create spaces for all students who are interested in and/or share a particular culture, and who are excited to share that culture and experiences with the greater campus community.

If your student group is interested in connecting with international alumni, please contact Chia-Ying Pan, Director of Education, Outreach & International Student Support, with your request. You may be asked to provide further detail.

A great place to start is the Office of the University Chaplain (OUC). The OUC ministers to the individual faiths of Columbia University's diverse community of scholars, students and staff from many different faith traditions while promoting interfaith and intercultural understanding. Toward this goal, the Office of the University Chaplain creates and sponsors programs concerning justice, faith, and spirituality.

Columbia has nearly 350 student organizations and international students are encouraged to join any group(s) of interest. Group categories include academic, activist, advocacy, club sports, competition, cultural, dance, governing boards, humanitarian, community service, Fraternity and Sorority Life, LGBTQA, media, music performance, performance, pre-professional, publications, religious, spiritual, social education, special interest, student councils and theater.