CLS Policies
Columbia Law School (CLS) adheres to the following policies and guidelines:
Non-Reimbursable Expenses
Covid Tests: the University does not reimburse for the purchase of covid tests.
Gift Cards: cash or cash equivalents (gift cards or certificates) of any amount are always considered taxable by the IRS. Gift cards (including for Grubhub and UberEats) are not eligible for reimbursement.
Commuting/Parking: parking or commuting to and from a place where you live and where you work is considered taxable by the IRS. The University does not reimburse for these costs.
Reference the Transit/Parking Reimbursement Program for alternative options.
Guidance for Gatherings
Events and gatherings are subject to the Law School Policy on Events, Space, and Visitors
Per University guidance, academic, research, administrative, social gatherings are allowed with no capacity restrictions. Eating and drinking onsite (indoors or outdoors) is allowed. Indoor masking is optional.
For purposes of academic enrichment, full-time faculty are encouraged to take students to lunch during the course of the semester or, as an alternative, may choose to host a semester-end gathering. These meals or events should not exceed $35 per person (excluding tips and tax) and should be limited to no more than 25 persons this semester. For more information related to meals or event planning, please email the Business Office at events@law.columbia.edu.
If you have any questions regarding the eligibility of expenses or requests for reimbursement, please contact the Law School Business Office at concur@law.columbia.edu.
Cancellation & Refund Policies
Columbia Law School adheres to the following cancellation and refund policies for all CLS events, except as otherwise noted:
Cancellation with 30-days notice: registration fees are fully refundable, less a $100 processing fee, for cancellations with at least 30-days notice.
Cancellation with less than 30-days notice: no refund will be allowed for any reason for cancellations made within 30 days prior to the scheduled event.
Cancellation by Columbia Law School: the Law School reserves the right to cancel any event at any time. Should this take place, a full refund will be offered.
The Office of Admissions at Columbia Law School adheres to the following Cancellation and Refund Policies for all JD Applicants:
Application Fee: all application fees are non-refundable.
Tuition Deposit: Students accepting the Law School’s offer of admission are required to submit a deposit of $600. Except as otherwise noted, $150 of this deposit is refundable if the accepting student notifies the Office of Admissions of the decision to relinquish her/his place in Columbia’s entering class, in writing, by July 1 of the year the student was admitted entry to the Law School.
The Office of Graduate Legal Studies at Columbia Law School adheres to the following Cancellation and Refund Policies for all LLM and JSD applicants:
Application Fees: all application fees are non-refundable.
Tuition Deposit: all tuition deposits are non-refundable.
Columbia Law School (CLS) adheres to the following Cancellation and Refund Policies for all CLS events, except as otherwise noted:
Cancellation with 30-days notice: registration fees are fully refundable, less a $100 processing fee, for cancellations with at least 30-days notice.
Cancellation with less than 30-days notice: no refund will be allowed for any reason for cancellations made within 30 days prior to the scheduled event.
Cancellation by Columbia Law School: CLS reserves the right to cancel any event at any time. Should this take place, a full refund will be offered.
The Office of Career Services at Columbia Law School adheres to the following Cancellation and Refund Policy for Interview Programs:
Interview Program Deposits: all interview program deposits are non-refundable.
Interview Program Fees: all interview program fees are invoiced within 30 days of the end of each program and are non-refundable.
Event Fees: all fees paid for participation in events organized through the office are invoiced within 30 days of the end of the event and are non-refundable.
The Office of International Programs at Columbia Law School adheres to the following Cancellation and Refund Policies for all Visiting Scholar Applicants:
Application Fee: all application fees are non-refundable.
Program Fee: individuals accepting the Office of International Program’s offer of Visiting Scholar status are required to pay a program fee, which is non-refundable.
The Office of International Programs at Columbia Law School adheres to the following Cancellation and Refund Policies for all U.S. Business Law Academy applicants:
Application fee: all Application fees are non-refundable.
Program Fee: individuals accepting the Office of International Program’s offer of admission are required to submit a deposit and program fee, both of which are non-refundable.