Columbia？University announced on Wednesday that it has reached a deal with the Trump administration to resolve several federal probes into allegations that it had violated anti-discrimination laws, following months of negotiation to restore federal funding to the school.

       Under the terms of the deal, Columbia did not admit to wrongdoing but agreed to pay the government a $200 million settlement over three years and an additional $21 million to settle US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission investigations.

       In exchange, the university said in its statement, “a vast majority of the federal grants which were terminated or paused in March 2025—will be reinstated and Columbia’s access to billions of dollars in current and future grants will be restored.”

       Columbia said the agreement also codifies policy changes it announced earlier in the year following the revocation of $400 million in federal funding over campus protests, including restrictions on demonstrations, new disciplinary procedures and immediately reviewing its Middle East curriculum.

       “While Columbia does not admit to wrongdoing with this resolution agreement, the institution’s leaders have recognized, repeatedly, that Jewish students and faculty have experienced painful, unacceptable incidents, and that reform was and is needed,” the university said.

       CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.

       The Trump administration believes that the deal could serve as a blueprint for other schools, a source familiar with the matter said.

       Elite？schools？like？Columbia？and Harvard University, among others, have faced intense pressure from the Trump administration？to crack down on？antisemitism on？their campuses？– or face the possible loss of significant federal funding. The effort is part of a broad administration push for policy changes at universities – including over Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and other initiatives – that President Donald Trump sees as a winning political issue. But it is one that raises major questions about academic freedom and the role of the federal government on college campuses.

       CNN reported last month that the administration was nearing an agreement？with Columbia, and the school’s board met in early July to review the terms of the deal, according to a source familiar with the process.

       The university, which was facing？an？investigation into its handling of antisemitism on campus,？had？taken a less confrontational approach than Harvard while it sought to reach a deal,？and a？source familiar with the matter told CNN that the administration was more amenable to？Columbia’s？proposed？terms？in behind-the-scenes negotiations. In June, the Trump administration threatened to pull the university’s accreditation over policies it said violated discrimination laws, the source said.

       Asked about the state of talks, Trump told CNN earlier this month, “I think we’re going to probably settle with Harvard. We’re going to probably settle with？Columbia. They want to settle very badly. There’s no rush.”

       Asked how much money the settlement would entail, Trump said, “A lot of money.”

       A source involved in universities’ response to the administration told CNN？last month that the White House has been looking to strike a deal with a high-profile school.

       “They want a name-brand university to make a deal like the law firms made a deal that covers not just antisemitism and protests, but DEI and intellectual diversity,” this person said at the time.

       Asked if any of the schools are inclined to make such a deal, the source said, “Nobody wants to be the first, but the financial pressures are getting real.”

       Last month,？Columbia’s？acting president, Claire Shipman, described？the？financial pressures？that university was facing because of the administration’s campaign？as “increasingly acute.”

       “Columbia’s top scientists are facing the decimation of decades of research. Graduate students, postdocs, mid-career researchers, and established, celebrated scientists, have all had their breakthroughs lauded by the world one minute and defunded the next. We’re in danger of reaching a tipping point in terms of preserving our research excellence and the work we do for humanity,” Shipman？said in a letter？to the？Columbia？community.

       She indicated it was “essential” to restore the university’s partnership with the federal government, but took aim at criticism that a resolution would amount to “capitulation.”

       Shipman said that？Columbia？has “engaged in conversations” with the administration about what she described as an “unacceptable” surge in antisemitic incidents on campus.

       “We’ve committed to change, we’ve made progress, but we have more to do,” she said prior to the settlement.

       This story has been updated with additional details.