Deferred Enrollment Program

The Deferred Enrollment Program (DEP) at Columbia Business School allows students to lock in their MBA admission before finishing their degree. This structure gives you the freedom to take calculated risks early in your career, knowing your seat at Columbia Business School is ready when you are.

Learn More About the Deferred Enrollment Program

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Discover Your Path to the MBA

Review our application requirements and explore the current class profile to see how your undergraduate background and early-career goals align with our deferred student cohort.

Program Benefits

Through the Deferred Enrollment Program, you can lock in your Columbia MBA acceptance before finishing your current degree. Securing your MBA admission before graduating allows you to gain two to five years of professional experience before starting classes. With your future seat locked in, you have the flexibility to take calculated risks early in your career.

Time for Career Exploration

Build your professional experience, knowing your MBA at Columbia Business School is waiting for you.

17 Curriculum Pathways

Tailored academic pathways that provide a guide for selecting electives based on your unique career interests.

720+ Alumni Startups

Launched by our alumni over the past decade and backed by dedicated Columbia entrepreneurship resources and mentorship.

AI is Intentionally Built-In

At Columbia Business School, artificial intelligence is integrated into each degree program’s curriculum to ensure that every student graduates with exceptional AI proficiency and technical fluency. Through advanced coursework spanning foundational business analytics, machine learning, and generative AI applications, you will learn to leverage these transformative tools to solve complex real-world challenges.

These are some of the cutting-edge AI and analytics electives available to you in this program:

  • Intro to Databases for Business Analytics
  • Foundations of AI for Business
  • Machine Learning
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Generative AI for Business
  • Retail Analytics

Alumni in Action

I chose Columbia Business School because of its reputation as a top-tier MBA program with renowned professors and alumni… The professors have an incredible track record in the industry and the employment opportunities here are unparalleled.

Hayley Mason, MBA ‘24

I placed a high emphasis on location and school culture while narrowing down my list of schools. Columbia Business School was top of the list for a multitude of reasons – New York City location, access to the city’s startup ecosystem, and renowned adjunct faculty that took time out of their jobs to teach at Columbia Business School.

Vishaka Sriniwasan, MBA ‘23

I felt the impact of the CBS program before I even got to campus. Once I was accepted, current students reached out to me to welcome me to the Columbia community. I was able to leverage the Columbia brand immediately.

Zachary Lopez, MBA ‘20

Business is evolving fast.
Be on the cutting edge in NYC.

As business evolves, you can experience it firsthand here in New York City. Studying at Columbia University is your best advantage to observing changes and trends up close. You will also meet current executives and industry leaders in person, whether when they come to campus as a guest lecturer or distinguished speaker, or when you take a short subway ride to meet them right here in New York City.

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