Academic Center for Tutoring

You can walk in for an immediate appointment (sessions are not guaranteed on a walk-in basis), or stop by to make an appointment with the front desk staff for a future session.

You can call us at 312-369-8130 to set up an appointment.

You can also easily set up an appointment based on your availability through MyColumbia. First, after you log in, select the "My Bookings" tab. Then, select the "Academic Center for Tutoring" link. Choose the service you are seeking (writing, math, etc.), and select and date and time.

The limit for a one-on-one tutoring session is 50 minutes. All sessions start at the beginning of the hour.

You may see a tutor once per day, with a maximum of three sessions per week, per subject. Special circumstances and/or requests should be made to the front desk staff at the Academic Center for Tutoring if you require more than three sessions in a week or more than one session in a day.

Tutors come with a wide variety of specialties. The majority of our tutors are undergraduate students from many of Columbia's majors. We also have several working professionals and specialists (English as an Additional Language and Enhanced Learning) who tutor in writing skills. The front desk staff can help you select a tutor who best meets your needs for a given project.

The general subject areas we offer tutoring in include Writing, Science, Math, Audio Arts, Music Theory, Programming, Fashion, Illustration, Software Applications, Accounting, Finance, Spanish, and French.

We recommend that you make an appointment in advance to secure a tutorial. You can make an appointment online through your MyC account, call us, or stop by to book. Weekly recurring appointments are strongly encouraged, which can be arranged through our front desk staff over the phone or in person.

You may stop in at the top of each hour to see a tutor; however, walk-ins are not always guaranteed if tutors are fully booked.

If you are going to miss your appointment it is important that you cancel it as soon as possible. You can do this directly from your MyColumbia account, by calling the Academic Center of Tutoring at 312-369-8130, or by stopping in. If you do not cancel your appointment(s) ahead of time it may inhibit your ability to make future appointments and/or you may be removed from other advanced appointments you have made. See our Tutoring Rights and Responsibilities policy for details.

Students should come fully prepared for their sessions with assignment prompts, texts, any instructor feedback they might have, and the homework itself.

Find our full list of Tutoring Rights and Responsibilities here.

Printing is only available for students during a tutoring appointment.

No, you can bring in all kinds of writing. These include essays from any classes or scholarships, artist's statements, poetry, scripts, and so forth. We will have someone who can help you no matter what your project is.

Tutors can help at ALL stages of your writing project. If you are unsure what to write, visit a writing tutor for brainstorming and outline help. If you are near the end of your writing project and find yourself stuck, a writing tutor will help you get unstuck. Please note that tutors do not simply "fix" or proofread/edit papers, however. Students and tutors engage in the process collaboratively.

The ACT has tutors available for all 100-level and 200-level Math courses.

For science, we have tutors available for subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, and Physics.

A full breakdown of the courses we offer can be viewed here.

We currently have tutors on staff for Spanish and French tutoring.

No, you can use the Academic Center for Tutoring for up to six months after you graduate. Faculty and staff can also use our tutoring services.

Our academic support services are free to Columbia students, faculty, and staff.