Students | Columbia Law School

After Graduation

Housing

Vacating Your University Housing

All University Apartment Housing (UAH) leases and contracts terminate on May 31, 2013; graduating students must vacate by this time unless you are currently living in Law-only buildings on 115th Street, Lenfest Hall, or the Arbor and are participating in the Bar Housing Program.

Please remember: Regardless of your final vacancy date, it is your responsibility to follow all UAH vacancy procedures.  If you are unfamiliar with the vacancy procedures, you can find them on the UAH website. 

UAH will contact you in the coming weeks to request your approximate vacancy date, along with other pertinent information.  You must confirm your vacancy information directly with UAH.  If you have any questions regarding vacating University housing, please contact UAH directly.  Failure to submit requested vacancy information to UAH can result in a substantial delay of any possible deposit refund.

Options for Bar Study

If you are interested in staying in the area of the University during the month(s) of June and July, you may do the following:

• Apply to sublet a University Apartment Housing (UAH) unit.
• Use the Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA) Office. For help finding an off-campus apartment, or short-term accommodations, OCHA has a wide range of services available.
• If you live in the Arbor, Lenfest Hall or Law-only housing on 115th Street, you are eligible to apply for the Bar Housing Program.

Subletting a UAH unit

Many continuing students who are going away for the summer list their apartments for sublet online, at the Law School’s housing forum and the OCHA database.  The Law School Housing Forum is available to law students via LawNet.  It will be available starting in early April. Information will be distributed via email to all students.

Additional postings for sublets are available on the OCHA subletting website. OCHA postings are from students throughout the Columbia University community and local area.

For information and regulations regarding the subletting process, please go to the UAH website (www.columbia.edu/uah) and click on Subletting. All University-owned apartments (including those in Law-only buildings like Lenfest) are subject to UAH’s sublet policies, and students subletting these apartments must complete the UAH sublet application, and follow all sublet guidelines.

Most apartments are listed in late March and April, with sublets commencing in May. The tenant and subtenant determine the length of the sublet; the rent charged can be no more than the UAH rent + 10%. Keep in mind that if you sublet from a University tenant, the University tenant must file the Columbia University sublet application before beginning the sublet. Applications for sublet are available at the OCHA office and at the following link: http://facilities.columbia.edu/housing, in the Subletting section.

If you stay in another student’s University housing while he/she is not there, it is imperative that the prime tenant formally sublet the apartment to you, even if you are friends; otherwise, you both jeopardize your eligibility for future housing. Please take a few minutes to complete the sublet application; you will save yourself and your fellow student a great deal of inconvenience and potential hardship.

Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA)

The Off-Campus Housing Assistance (OCHA) office provides counseling assistance to Columbia students and affiliates in their search for rental housing in non-Columbia-owned properties in the metropolitan area. OCHA maintains an online database called the Housing Registry, which contains listings of non-Columbia-owned rooms and apartments for lease, sublet, or share, long or short term, throughout the metropolitan New York City area. Visit OCHA’ s website to search the Housing Registry, view a video on apartment hunting in New York City, get answers to frequently asked questions, and find online links to housing resources. The OCHA office also provides printed information such as lists of realtors and temporary housing, maps and more.

Although OCHA’s services are provided free of charge, some listers and all real estate agents and brokers charge fees.
OCHA is located at 401 West 119th Street, between Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Drive (on the NW corner of Morningside Drive). They may be reached at 212-854-2773; their fax number is 212-854-5333.

Bar Housing Extensions: Arbor, Lenfest Hall and 115th street

If you live in an eligible unit in the Arbor, Lenfest Hall or on 115th Street, you will be contacted by mid February via email regarding the Bar Housing Program.  If your address makes you eligible, and you do not believe you have been contacted but are interested in this program, please email housing@law.columbia.edu as soon as possible, as application deadlines are strictly enforced.

Please note: Not all housing units are eligible for this program. Space is limited. Requirements to this program include, but are not limited to the following:

• Students must currently live in the Arbor, Lenfest Hall, or in a Law-only building on 115th Street
• Students must commit to move out by a firm deadline of August 1, 2013.  Failure to meet this deadline will result in serious penalties.
• Students must be registered for the July bar exam.

Health Insurance Options for Graduating Students

Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan Continuation

For May graduates currently enrolled in the Columbia Student Medical Insurance Plan, health insurance coverage continues through Aug. 31 at no extra cost. Information for coverage beyond Aug. 31 is expected to be available Summer 2013. Please visit the Columbia Health website at www.health.columbia.edu. Please note that students who are not currently covered by the Columbia plan are considered for enrollment only if they lose other coverage and provide documentation of coverage termination.

Please call the University Health Insurance Office directly at 212-854-3286, or email hs-enrollment@columbia.edu with questions.

The ABA Law Student Division

The ABA Student Division offers health insurance for graduating students. Information may be found at https://www.uhcsr.com/ABA. Please note that all programs are offered to ABA Law Student Division members only. If not currently enrolled in the ABA, students may join by calling 800-285-2221 and following the prompts for membership, or visiting http://www.abanet.org/join/. Membership must be applied for at least 30 days prior to graduation. Additional deadlines for full benefit eligibility may apply.

For more information regarding health benefits premium amounts, students may call UnitedHealthcare Student Resources (UHCSR) at 800-810-1891 if you are a New York state resident, and 800-505-5450 for all other states.

If you are a current member of the ABA Law Student Division and you are currently enrolled in the Division’s health plan, you may apply for a continuation of that insurance, but for no longer than a 12-month period.

American Bar Association

If you miss the ABA Student Division deadlines, but plan to enroll in the ABA as a professional, the ABA offers several health insurance options and discounts for members. You must be a licensed practitioner in any of the states, territories, or possessions and a current ABA dues paying member to take advantage of ABA insurance and discount offers. ABA membership information is found at http://www.abanet.org/join/

New York State Bar Association

Similar to the ABA, the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) offers various health plan options. You must be a member of the NYSBA to be eligible for these benefits. Membership information can be found at http://www.nysba.org/ under the Membership tab. Information on the NYSBA Insurance Program and a toll free number for a free quote are provided at www.mybarinsurance.com/nysba.

New York City Bar Association

The NYCBA makes insurance benefits available to members of the City Bar. Further information can be found at www.nycbamemberinsurance.com.

Other Options

eHealthInsurance: An online resource that offers the ability to compare and buy health insurance.

New York State insurance information: Resources through the New York State Department of Health

Financial Aid (Loans Programs and Repayment Plans)

For useful information as you prepare for the repayment of your educational loans, please consult your Graduation Handbook and/or the Financial Aid website.

Please note that there is no penalty for prepayment of most educational loans; check your promissory note.

For more information, please consult the Graduation Handbook or contact Registration Services at registrar@law.columbia.edu.