What Is iGrad?

Having a clear handle on your money matters can vastly improve your well-being. That's why Columbia has partnered with iGrad — a web-based financial literacy platform that provides personalized financial wellness education and loan management resources to users at hundreds of colleges and universities nationwide. 

iGrad is now available to all non-affiliate Columbia students and alumni at no-cost (staff and faculty can create an account, too!) and is available to eligible students both now and after parting with the university.

With interactive financial education and wellness tools, scholarship information, student loan management resources, plus webinars, videos and more, iGrad can help you get on the path to financial wellness!

Create or log in to your complimentary iGrad account by clicking the button below!

How It Works

After receiving access to your university email address, simply visit the iGrad website and click the "create your account" button to get started. Answer a few questions about your financial habits, then iGrad will recommend personalized resources for your needs. 

You can use iGrad to create a plan for your financial goals, learn about savings, investments and responsible credit card use, and how to navigate other major life money matters, such as buying a car or a house.  iGrad adds new content, tools and resources regularly to give you information on the financial topics that matter to you most: today, tomorrow and beyond. 

The first page you'll see each time you login to iGrad (after initially setting up your account) will be "Your Dashboard", also referred to as "Your Home", which is your primary point of navigation in iGrad.  If you're not sure what you want to learn first, you'll have Monthly and Daily Task recommendations based on the information you shared during the account creation process. 

You'll earn experience points for the Monthly and Daily Tasks you complete and can monitor your progress using the left-pane navigation options available. 

If you're looking for specific tools or resources or are interested in learning more about a specific topic, you can hover over the menu options in the header at the top of the page to find the topic, tool, course or other resource you're looking for.

Navigating iGrad

After completing the account creation process for your no-cost iGrad account, there are several ways to find what you need; even if you're not sure what that is!

The first page you'll see each time you login to iGrad (after setting up your account) will be Your Dashboard, also referred to as Your Home.  This is the primary location for navigating to most iGrad content and can even offer recommendations if you're not sure where you'd like to go! 

Your Dashboard includes additional navigation options within a panel on the left-hand side of the page.  The panel includes a link to an overview of your most recent Financial Checkup, which drives how your iGrad experience is personalized.  This panel also has links to your financial Outlook, ProgressRecommendations and any Favorites you save while in iGrad.

You should complete an updated check up every few weeks so that iGrad can continuing personalizing recommendations based on your most current circumstances. 

If you're not sure where to start first, the Monthly and Daily Task options on Your Dashboard can offer recommendations for what to do based on the information you shared during the account creation process. You'll earn experience points for the Monthly and Daily Tasks you complete and can monitor your progress by selecting Progress from the left-pane navigation options available. 

If you're looking for specific tools or resources or are interested in learning more about a specific topic, you can hover over the menu options in the header at the top of most pages within iGrad to find the Topic, Tool, Course or other resource you're looking for.  By hovering over the Topics menu item in the header, you can connect with the information and resources you need for specific interests.  You can choose from one of the Popular Topics or Ways to Learn listed, or you can select Select All Topics or Explore All to find what you are looking for.  iGrad's Courses and Start Here Guides are a great way to get started learning more about your particular area of interest, or you can check out iGrad's Tools that support better understanding and reaching your financial goals.

Having a clear handle on your money matters can vastly improve your well-being and limit the risk of feeling stressed or overwhelmed as a result of your finances.  iGrad's Money Mindfulness tools, found in the header menu options of Your Dashboard can help you think about your finances differently.  You can monitor your Financial Stress Score, better understand the why behind your financial decision making with iGrad's Your Money Personality assessment and practice Financial Meditations and Journaling in support of your holistic well-being.

Your iGrad credentials are the same as the credentials you use to login to University Network systems; your University Network ID (or UNI).  If you need assistance with your UNI, visit Columbia University Information Technology's (or CUIT's) Manage My UNI support page for assistance. 

You can create your no-cost iGrad account after your UNI has been activated.

We’re sorry you’re having trouble! Please email the Financial Wellness Initiative at [email protected] to report the issue and we’ll respond to you within 24 to 48 business hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

iGrad offers an array of interactive tools, video tutorials, webinars, courses, articles and other resources to help you:

  • Manage your money, including your credit, savings and investments
  • Create a budget or a financial plan
  • Learn about personal finances, such as mortgages, car loans and credit cards
  • Track your student loans and understanding student loan repayment
  • Search for scholarships (filter results by study or interest area, requirements, etc.)
  • Understand the types of financial aid available to undergraduates and graduate students
  • Plan for retirement
  • Take steps toward achieving your personal state of financial wellness

Columbia teamed up with iGrad because we know that understanding and managing your finances is an important part of your overall well-being. The resources available through iGrad can help you learn to better manage your personal finances and student loans so you can more confidently plan your financial future.

All non-affiliate Columbia students (staff and faculty, too) are eligible to create a no-cost iGrad account, including both international and domestic students as well as all grade-level's across the university.  You can create your account after activating your University Network ID (or UNI).  

Need help with your UNI?  Visit Columbia University Information Technology's (or CUIT's) Manage My UNI support page for assistance.

iGrad collects certain user data for legitimate business purposes, including to send emails, enable community-related features and request feedback. 
Read iGrad's full privacy policy here.

iGrad does extensive research to create content that undergoes several levels of review by an internal editorial team and external subject matter and compliance experts.