Getting Started
The first few days on campus, you should make sure these basics are taken care of in order to help you transition to being part of the Columbia community. Please be sure to check in with your Department Administrator in case they have an existing checklist of forms, authorizations and orientations.
Getting
a Columbia University ID Card and Your UNI
Social
Security Administration/Number
Individual
Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN)
Credit
Cards
Orientation
Getting a Columbia University ID Card
and Your UNI
Your Columbia ID and UNI are your gateway to the University. In addition to being your official University identification, the Columbia Card is necessary to gain access to the numerous libraries, campus buildings, and gym facilities. Outside the University, your Columbia Card can help you take advantage of all the excitement New York City has to offer through certain programs and discounts.
The key to accessing computer services and electronic resources at Columbia is your University Network ID (UNI). Every student, faculty member, and permanent staff member is assigned one of these unique identifiers, consisting of your initials plus an arbitrary number. You will also need your UNI to gain access, for example, to restricted library information on the Web, Human Resources and other University systems.
Your UNI and its associated password are generally the basis for gaining access to your university email account. Note that it is against University policy to share your password. Someone who knows your password can gain access to personal information about you, such as your benefits or certain employment records.
To activate your UNI and manage your account visit: http://www.columbia.edu/acis/tools.
Additional information on the University’s Computer Usage policies may be obtained online at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/policy/.
Social Security Administration/Numbers
You must have a social security number (SSN) in order to lawfully work in the United States and receive a salary. To get a SSN or a replacement card, you must prove your U.S. citizenship or immigration status, age, identity and employment eligibility. Only certain documents are accepted as proof of U.S. citizenship. These include your U.S. birth certificate, a U.S. passport, a Certificate of Naturalization or a Certificate of Citizenship. If you are not a U.S. citizen, different rules apply for proving your immigration status.
Under the current law, only certain documents can be accepted as proof of identity. If you do not have a SSN, the Social Security Administration’s website provides detailed information about the application process and acceptable proofs of identity.
Once you have applied for a SSN you will be given a receipt. Bring this receipt to your departmental administrator for his/her use in preparing the paperwork for your appointment. Once you receive your official card from the Social Security Administration, give your department administrator a copy so that your records can be updated properly and the appropriate paperwork filed.
The nearest Social Security Office to Columbia’s Morningside Campus is:
Cav Bldg, 6th Floor
55 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027
800/772-1213
VIEW MAP
The nearest Social Security Office to the Columbia’s Medical Center Campus is:
4292 Broadway (182nd Street)
New York, NY 10033
800/772-1213
VIEW MAP
Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN)
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS issues ITINs to foreign nationals and others who are required to have a United States taxpayer identification number for United States tax return and payment responsibilities under the Internal Revenue Code (i.e., those who are to receive stipends only), but who are not eligible for a SSN.
ITINs are for federal tax reporting only, and are not intended to serve any other purpose. An ITIN does not authorize you to work in the United States or provide eligibility for Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Examples of individuals who need ITINs include:
- Non-resident alien filing a U.S. tax return and not eligible for an SSN
- U.S. resident alien (based on days present in the United States) filing a U.S. tax return and not eligible for SSN
- Dependent or spouse of a U.S. citizen/resident alien
- Dependent or spouse of a non-resident alien visa holder.
Credit Cards
Citibank offers a Citi-Secured MasterCard (secured by an 18-month Certificate of Deposit) developed to meet the needs of individuals with no established credit or with little credit history, with or without either SSNs or ITINs. For additional information, contact: Earl Allen, Citibank on Campus (located behind Café 212, Alfred Lerner Hall; (212-663-2179) or visit the Citibank branch located at Broadway and 111th Street. At CUMC, contact Ray Dyal at the Citibank branch in the Black Building. If you have a Citibank credit card in your home country, you may also qualify for a Citibank card in the United States. Please contact the above individuals for additional information.
Orientation
OPA hosts orientations every month for all postdocs. Orientations will rotate between the Morningside and Medical Center campuses, and are announced on the Events Calendar on the website.
The New Employee Orientation program hosted by both campuses are a convenient way to find out about the University's structure, and resources and will give you a sense of where your area fits into the bigger Columbia picture. It is strongly recommended that postdoctoral research scientists/scholars attend one of these sessions within 30 days of their start date.