Columbia College was established in Manassas, Virginia October 17, 1999, to meet the growing needs of industry and businesses locally, nationally and internationally. The College was approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to offer certificates in Computer Basic, Culinary Arts, Dental Laboratory Technology, and English as a Second Language (ESL), and Massage Therapy programs.
The Institution moved to Fairfax, Virginia in 2004 and was approved to offer associate degree programs in Business Administration, Computer Science, Cosmetology, Dental Laboratory Technology, Early Childhood Education, and Technical and Business English in 2005 by SCHEV. Columbia College received its national accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education (COE) for the Certificate programs in February 2007 and Associate degree programs in September 2008, with the addition of Cosmetology and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). This enhances the abilities of the College to meet the ever-changing needs of a diverse global population.
Additional Extension Sites were opened, one in Silver Spring, Maryland in February 2006 and the other in Centreville, Virginia April 2008 to accommodate individuals who reside in those areas. ESL and Massage Therapy certificate programs at these Extensions were certified to operate by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and SCHEV, respectively and later accredited by COE as well.
In May 2009, the College was approved to participate in the Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (Title IV), which aimed to assist students with financing their education.
The College was also approved for the training of Veterans by the State Department of Veterans Affairs in 2010. This provides members who served in our armed forces access to a quality education and resources to assist with their transition into the global marketplace.
In 2010, J-1 Visa program for visiting international students and scholars was approved by U.S. Department of State.
Columbia College moved to its current location in Vienna, Virginia in September 2016, near the Spring Hill Metro station. This enhanced accessibility to the main campus and convenience for current and prospective students.
Over the years, Columbia College has developed and expanded its program offering to a diverse population of students and curriculum revisions along with, the addition of new facilities and equipment to better serve our students.
Today, Columbia College offers seven Associate degrees, five certificates including VESL/Online VESL and ESL programs to students from over 40 countries globally with an overall graduation rate of 65% from the period of July 2022-June 2023.
