Columbia Dental School Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists
Columbia University College of Dental Medicine runs a 30-month Advanced Standing Program for Internationally Trained Dentists that ends in the DDS degree. You apply through ADEA CAAPID by August 1, pay Columbia a $100 supplemental fee, and you must already have passed the INBDE (or NBDE Parts I and II) and scored at least 100 on the TOEFL iBT.
There is no bench test. Selected applicants record a Kira video, and interviews are by invitation.
Columbia will not look at your file until the INBDE is passed
That is where The Study Boards starts: our INBDE course gives you faculty-created Modules for every subject, 35,000+ focused questions, daily tasks, the Master and Grand Test Series, and a live test every night at 9 PM New York time. The course is extremely personalised: red lines and assignments are given to you on the go, it learns from the way you are studying, and faculty are there to assist you. After the INBDE, our TOEFL course, CAAPID application program and Kira prep with Dr. T cover the rest of Columbia’s checklist. See the INBDE blueprint.
Columbia Advanced Standing at a glance
Every line below comes from Columbia’s program page, Columbia’s financial aid office, or Columbia’s ADEA CAAPID listing, checked in October 2026.
Columbia dental school requirements in detail
Columbia’s list is short, but each item has a rule about how it reaches the school. Most incomplete files fail on delivery, not on scores.
Pass it before you applyColumbia requires a pass on the INBDE, or on NBDE Parts I and II, “to be considered for admission”. Ask the ADA to send an official score report to Columbia Admissions at [email protected]. Candidate copies are not accepted. As an internationally trained dentist you pay $890 plus a $435 processing fee, $1,325 in total. Our INBDE plan gets you there.
TOEFL iBT, 100 or higherColumbia takes the internet-based TOEFL only and wants at least 100. The report goes from ETS to Columbia (code 2094), not to CAAPID. Since January 21, 2026, TOEFL reports use a 1 to 6 scale, but ETS also prints a comparable 0 to 120 score for a two-year transition. Compare that number with Columbia’s 100. Our TOEFL course helps you clear it.
Detailed ECE evaluationColumbia asks for a detailed evaluation by ECE of every foreign document, sent to ADEA CAAPID. CAAPID requires the ECE Course by Course report, which costs $199. Order it from inside your CAAPID application so it links to your file.
Letters of evaluationOne letter from a faculty member and one from the academic dean of your dental school. Add a postdoctoral reference if you have done postgraduate work. All letters go directly to ADEA CAAPID.
Citizenship: a preference, not a ruleA green card is not required (ADEA listing), but Columbia gives preference to US citizens and permanent residents. If you are neither, your file must be strong everywhere else.
New York licence: 6 years of educationNot an admissions rule, but Columbia notes that a New York licence needs 6 years of education before Advanced Standing: 1 pre-professional and 5 professional years. Check your degree with the NYS Education Department.
Am I ready to apply to Columbia?
Tick each item you already have. If any box is empty in July, your file will not be complete by August 1.
Selection steps and the application timeline
No bench test. Your scores, your written file and your Kira video carry you to the interview.
The cycle, month by month
Where are you now?
Make the INBDE your only goal for now. Columbia will not consider you without a pass, so nothing else moves until it is done. Our INBDE Premium Boards course is built to get you exam-ready in 3 to 4 months of steady work.
Book the TOEFL and aim above 100. Columbia accepts the iBT only. Give yourself time for a second attempt before CAAPID opens. Our 45-day TOEFL course is built on the 2026 test format.
Build a file that stands out. Order your ECE report through CAAPID, request your two letters, and get your personal statement and CV reviewed. Our Master the CAAPID Application program covers all of it.
Practise Kira and interview answers now. Kira answers are timed and recorded on your own, so rehearse on camera. Book KIRA prep with Dr. T, then the 3-session interview program for the live round.
How much Columbia Advanced Standing costs
Columbia publishes an estimated budget for Advanced Standing students. The 2026-27 version splits the program into three periods. Here are its numbers for a single student.
| Period (2026-27 rates) | Tuition | Tuition and fees | Total with living costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 6 months | $74,394 | $83,470 | $104,207 |
| Next 12 months | $148,788 | $165,033 | $200,917 |
| Final 10.5 months | $148,788 | $165,033 | $199,240 |
| All 30 months | $371,970 | $413,536 | $504,364 |
Fees cover technology, instruments and lab, student health and medical insurance. Living costs assume rent of $1,475 a month. Students on a visa also pay a $175 International Services Charge each term. These are estimates, and tuition is set each year, so later years may cost more.
How international students pay for it
Do not let the number stop you. Almost everyone finances an Advanced Standing degree with loans. Here is how it works at Columbia:
On a student visaNo federal, state or Columbia need-based aid. You can use private “alternative” loans from outside lenders. Columbia needs proof of loan approval before it issues your I-20.
With a US cosignerMost private education loans need a creditworthy cosigner who is a US citizen, or for some lenders a permanent resident. Columbia says the cosigner should have at least two years of job history and good credit. Apply by May or early June.
Green card holdersUS citizens and permanent residents in the Advanced Standing program can use external loans, such as federal Direct Unsubsidized loans and private loans. They are not eligible for Columbia’s own school funds.
No US cosigner? A few international lenders offer education loans without one. Ask Columbia’s financial aid office which lenders its students use, and remember Columbia lets you choose any lender. For the long view on cost and earnings, read is becoming a US dentist worth it?
Your plan for a Columbia application
Columbia judges you on four things before it ever meets you: your INBDE, your TOEFL, your written file and your Kira video. Here is how The Study Boards helps with each one. Every question you send us is answered by US-licensed dentists, not AI.
Applying to other schools too? Many of them do use a bench test, even though Columbia does not. Our bench test course with Dr. Kaur covers seven preparations, from Class II amalgam to a bridge, with unlimited evaluations in the practice week.
Other routes if Columbia is not the right fit
Columbia takes about 25 students a year. Apply to it as one school on a balanced list, and know the other paths after the boards.
Advanced Standing at other schoolsTwo to three years to a US DDS or DMD, applied for through ADEA CAAPID. Many programs cost less than Columbia; some use a bench test. Shortlist with our CAAPID directory guide.
AEGD, including Columbia’s ownColumbia’s AEGD accepts internationally trained dentists through ADEA PASS (deadline September 1, TOEFL 100, $125 fee). It gives a certificate, not a DDS. Some states give a limited licence after an AEGD, and the rules vary. Read about AEGD programs.
A residency directly through PASSSpecialty and general practice residencies also accept international dentists through ADEA PASS. It is more competitive than Advanced Standing.
Teaching and academic rolesSome dentists build a US career in dental education and research first, then decide on a licence route later.
Frequently asked questions
Does Columbia dental school accept international dentists?
Does Columbia require a bench test for Advanced Standing?
What TOEFL score does Columbia dental medicine need?
Can I apply to Columbia before I pass the INBDE?
Do I need a green card to apply to Columbia Advanced Standing?
How much does Columbia Advanced Standing cost in total?
Planning for Columbia?
Tell us where you are: INBDE, TOEFL or the application itself. Our Admin Team with Dr. T and Dr. Kaur will contact you over WhatsApp.
- Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. Advanced Standing Program for Internationally Trained Dentists. dental.columbia.edu
- ADEA CAAPID. Columbia University College of Dental Medicine program listing (updated March 2, 2026). programs.adea.org
- Columbia Student Financial Aid and Planning. 2026-27 DDS Advanced Standing Program estimated budget. vagelos.columbia.edu
- Columbia Student Financial Aid and Planning. 2026-27 DDS Program Financial Aid Handbook. vagelos.columbia.edu
- Columbia College of Dental Medicine. AEGD admission information for internationally trained applicants. dental.columbia.edu
- ADEA. ADEA CAAPID applicants: 2026-27 fees. adea.org
- ECE. ADEA CAAPID application instructions: Course by Course report, $199. ece.org
- JCNDE. INBDE Candidate Guide: $890 exam fee plus $435 processing fee for non-CODA candidates. jcnde.ada.org
- ETS. Understanding your TOEFL iBT scores: 1 to 6 scale and comparable 0 to 120 score. ets.org
Current as of October 2026. Program details, fees and costs are from Columbia’s and ADEA’s own pages and change every cycle; confirm them with Columbia Admissions before you apply. 99% refers to The Study Boards students who complete the INBDE Premium Boards course. Educational content, not admissions, immigration or financial advice.