| To-Do Tuesday: Issue 9 |
June 30, 2026 |
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| Hello [FIRST_NAME],
Now that June is nearly over, catch up on any deadlines you may have missed!
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TODAY June 30—The Human Rights Institute 1L Advocates Program (1LAP)
All incoming 1L students are invited to apply for Columbia Law’s unique Human Rights Institute 1L Advocates Program (1LAP). This program is for students with a strong commitment to and interest in human rights. Students selected for the program participate in specialized seminars, real human rights work with NGOs and the UN, community-building programming, and receive tailored mentoring from students and faculty.
Applications are due TODAY. Please contact Waleed Alhariri, Managing Director of the Human Rights Institute, with any questions.
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TODAY—Final Day for Housing Approvals
The housing approval season ends on June 30. If you do not receive an official housing approval by this date, you will be eligible to participate in Open Housing Selection, beginning July 15.
Open Housing Selection gives Law School students who weren’t approved earlier an opportunity to view and select from available units. Please note: This process is highly competitive, and inventory is expected to be limited.
Starting July 15, available units will be listed in Columbia Residential’s Housing Portal under the “Assignments” then “Housing Selection” tab.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact housing@law.columbia.edu.
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Due July 1—Dual Degree Advising
If you are pursuing a dual or joint degree, please fill out this form and send it to the appropriate advisor.
- For all J.D./MBA students, please email Jill Casal (jm2850@columbia.edu), Director of Admissions and the J.D./MBA program.
- For all other domestic dual/joint degrees, please email Jordan Carr (jc5136@columbia.edu), Director for Academic Counseling and Student Support.
Please contact them by July 1 so they can ensure you are properly registered as a dual degree student.
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July 15—Open Housing Selection Begins
Open Selection offers eligible students another opportunity to secure housing in units that remain available after the standard selection process.
Columbia Residential will notify applicants who have not yet been officially approved of their eligibility for Open Selection. This notification—along with the Open Selection start time—will be sent at least one week before July 15. Students are encouraged to review the Open Housing Selection information in advance.
Tips for Success
- Plan ahead: Consider your preferred location, budget, and desired amenities before this selection window opens.
- Use filters strategically: Narrow your search to find the best-fit units quickly.
- Stay persistent: Inventory may decrease as selection progresses, but new units can occasionally become available—check frequently, including during off-peak hours (early mornings, late nights, and weekends).
Important Notes
- Technical issues: If you experience difficulties accessing the Open Selection page on July 15, contact residential@columbia.edu.
- Declining an offer: Choosing “Decline” will deactivate your application. To reenter Open Selection, you must submit a new application, which may take 2–3 days to process.
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Past Due June 15—Dean’s Certification(s)
To matriculate at Columbia Law School, you must submit a completed Dean’s Certification Form from each school at which you matriculated toward a degree, including graduate programs and any school from which you may have transferred.
The Dean’s Certification Form should be given to a dean or other administrator who has access to your complete school records. Note: It is not required that the dean or other administrator know you personally; the certification is often a report based on an examination of your school records.
Upon completion, instruct the dean or other administrator to send the certification(s) directly to the Columbia Law School Office of Admissions no later than June 15, 2025.
- Via email (strongly preferred): to deanscerts@law.columbia.edu (email must come from an official university account).
- Via post (in a signed and sealed envelope): to Columbia Law School, Office of Admissions, 435 West 116th Street, MC 4004, New York, NY 10027-7297.
Please note that Dean’s Certification Forms submitted as part of your initial application are sufficient as long as they were signed after the degree conferral date. Those completing their undergraduate studies in 2025 should wait until their degree is conferred to submit the Dean’s Certification Form, to avoid having to resubmit it.
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Past Due June 15—Immunization Requirements
There are two immunization requirements that all students—regardless of credit load—must meet.
MMR: New York State public health law and university policy requires that all students born on or after January 1, 1957 document immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella. This requirement applies before students are permitted to register for their first term at Columbia.
Meningitis Decision: New York State public health law and university policy requires that students must also document that they either have received the meningococcal meningitis vaccine (MenACWY) or have declined to receive it. This requirement applies before a student is permitted to register for their first term at Columbia.
While not required, it is also strongly recommended that students submit COVID-19 and flu vaccination records.
Submitting Documentation
Submit documentation to the Columbia Health Immunization Compliance Office. PLEASE SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION ONLY ONCE using one method and allow at least 15 business days for processing. Submitting via multiple methods will result in delays. The office will reach out via your Columbia email if your records do not demonstrate the required compliance.
Preferred Methods:
Online: Secure digital upload via the Columbia Health Patient Portal (Immunization Record under the Medical Clearances section)
See step-by-step instructions for:
Fax: 212-854-5078
Email: immunizationcompliance@columbia.edu with the subject line Immunization Compliance Records - [Your UNI and Academic School/College]
Please note, although email is a preferred method, communications sent via email are not necessarily secure. Columbia University cannot guarantee that the information and records submitted via unencrypted email will not be intercepted and read by other parties besides the university.
Alternate Method:
Mail: Immunization Compliance Office, John Jay Hall 3rd Floor, MC 3601, 519 W. 114th St., New York, NY 10027
There is no in-person option to submit documentation. Please use only the methods described above.
Be sure to keep a copy of your fax or delivery confirmation as we cannot verify receipt of individual documents. For questions or concerns regarding your immunization documentation, please email immunizationcompliance@columbia.edu.
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The deadline to submit your immunization records was June 15 so that we can register you for classes this summer. You cannot be registered for classes or receive your financial aid disbursement if you have an immunization hold.
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Office of Student Services—July Hours of Operation
Monday–Friday: 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. EDT
Early Closure: 7/2, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, and 7/31 - Office Closes at 1:00 p.m.
*Please note we will be closed on Friday, July 3.
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 Tina Serrano is the Special Populations Manager of Registration Services, where she supports academic registration and student record management. She works closely with CLS special populations, cross registration, and visiting students.
Fun Fact: Tina is from the Bronx and loves being a New Yorker. She looks forward to her annual trip to Honolulu, Hawaii to visit family. Prior to joining the Registration Services Office at Columbia Law School, she worked at Columbia College's Berick Center for Student Advising.
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You can access past To-Do Tuesdays in our archive. If you need assistance or have any questions, please reach out to the respective offices, below:
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|  | This section will be updated with dates for deadlines that we share throughout the weeks in our newsletters. As new tasks are added, this section will expand.
May
June
July
August
- Transcripts (questions: admit@law.columbia.edu)
- Connecting Columbia: A Friday of Firsts (August 21)
- JD Orientation 2026 (August 24-26)
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