Everything you need to know about the selection process for a New York University (NYU) undergraduate and graduate degree as an international applicant.
Located right in the heart of one of the most famous cities in the world, New York University , or NYU for short, is groundbreaking. Your learning experience is immersive, with a truly global perspective and outstanding academic results. No wonder it was voted the 26th best university in the world in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings .
The very location of its campuses is an attraction in itself. In New York, they meet in Greenwich Village, in Manhattan, and in downtown Brooklyn. Its proximity to the dynamic energy of these two communities has resulted in what the institution calls “Campus Without Borders”. Unlike universities with huge campuses far from the city, at NYU, the campus is all of New York. Students learn for the city and with the city.
Sounds like a dream, right? Maybe it’s a possible dream. In addition to offering different scholarships, New York University is the most international institution in the world. Not only because it also has a campus in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and one in Shanghai, China, but also because it receives more than 500,000 students from 138 different countries.
Wondering how to apply to New York University as an international student? We explain everything below!
How to study at New York University?
New York University (NYU) has more than 270 subject areas taught by Colleges and Schools of Arts and Sciences; Dentistry; Mathematical Sciences; Medicine; Fine Arts; Study of Ancient Age; Business; Public service; Nursing; Global Public Health; Professional Studies; Right; Social service; Culture, Education and Human Development; Engineering; and Arts.
One of the most famous schools at NYU is the Tisch School of the Arts, offering undergraduate and master’s degrees in the areas of performing arts, design, performance studies, film and television, music, photography, screenwriting, interactive telecommunications, among other creative areas. .
Before we start specifying the requirements to study at New York University, it is important to know that the institution also offers a series of virtual courses. Through NYU Online , you can complete a degree and certificate, undergraduate courses, or a complete graduate degree without leaving your home. There are even options for online and free short-term courses .
Ready. Now let’s go: how to study at New York University?
The application process, handled by Common App, the US’s one-stop university application service, varies if you are an international student interested in admission to the first year of an undergraduate degree; an international transfer student; or an international student enrolling in a postgraduate degree.
First, there are ten initial considerations that the University of New York puts together on its official website for those who intend to apply:
1. Selection process
NYU does not have a fixed or rigid formula for how it evaluates its candidates, nor a maximum number of admissions per year. It seeks to select people with varied interests, talents and objectives.
2. Your registration email
New York University recommends using a personal email address during your application process, as this is where you will receive all important information about your admission. (And you don’t want to miss anything, do you?)
3. Your admission status
Starting from the application deadline date, NYU has three weeks to confirm receipt of your application. In the same email, you will provide information on how to track the status of your application (how to follow up on the university’s decision on whether or not you are admitted; or if you need to send additional information, for example).
4. Documents
New York University advises that you only send documents or copies of documents that you can replace because, once sent, NYU will not return them. For processes that require an audition or portfolio, only provide supplementary materials such as DVDs, photos and articles (not the original, unique material).
5. Transfer students
New York University does not currently offer scholarships to transfer students .
6. Scholarships for International Students at NYU
International students applying to NYU as their primary university choice and seeking financial aid should be aware that their financial need as indicated on the application form will be taken into account in the admissions decision.
7. Equal opportunities
NYU prohibits any form of discrimination during its admissions process. If you are interested in learning more about this, you can read the non-discrimination and affirmative action policies on the university’s official website.
8. Authenticity of registration
It is the responsibility of each applicant to ensure that their application information and all supporting documents submitted are true and correct.
9. Interview
New York University does not conduct interviews with applicants as part of the undergraduate selection process. As for selection in postgraduate courses, the interview may be part of the process.
How to get into a New York University degree?
No matter where they are applying from, all native and international applicants pass the same admissions standards and generally follow the same NYU application steps.
However, if you are not a US citizen, there are certain additional criteria you will need to meet in order to be selected for a degree at New York University .
International applicants from any country need to provide information and documents regarding:
- School and academic record;
- Candidate’s choice standardized tests;
- Result in an official English language proficiency test.
Transcript requirements for Brazilian applicants
In the academic history portion of your application, NYU’s own international qualifications equivalency tool indicates that international applicants from Brazil will need to submit academic transcripts from all three years of high school, including the third if you are still completing it.
If you have already graduated from high school, you need to send the 2nd Grade Completion Certificate or High School Completion Certificate.
Standardized test requirements for Brazilian candidates
NYU accepts your results on the two standardized Brazilian tests, the Vestibular and the ENEM:
- Certificate of Completion of High School + Entrance Examination , in addition to the transcripts of the three years of high school.
- National High School Examination (ENEM) , in addition to the Secondary School Completion Certificate and school transcripts of the three years of high school.
Other Worldwide Standardized Testing Options
For now, New York University still maintains a test -optional policy due to the pandemic. This means that the entrance test is no longer a mandatory criterion; Candidates only lend one of them if they wish. The result is not essential for selection, but will be considered by the university.
When completing the Common App, you will be able to select whether you want to submit standardized tests and, if so, what form of test it will be. When opting for sending, you can choose only one of the tests. NUY will analyze the form you indicate for your application.
The standardized testing options are as follows:
- SAT
- ACT
- 3 Advanced Placement (AP) exams
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level Exams
- GCE Advanced Level ( A-Level )
Sending and translating documents
Official documents must be sent directly from the examining board or a parent at your school using an official email address in order for New York University to consider them official.
If any official documents are not issued in English, they must be accompanied by a copy with an official English translation, issued by a school official or an accredited translation agency in the country of your high school institution.
English Proficiency Test for Admission to NYU
“All NYU students must have a strong command of the English language to succeed in a rigorous, fast-paced academic environment,” explains the institution on its official website.
If English is not your first language, you will need results from an English proficiency exam taken within the last two years as proof of your adequate fluency.
Although NYU does not have a cutoff score for selection, it does suggest a minimum score to be considered a competitive candidate with a chance of admission:
- TOEFL iBT: 100 or higher (NYU also accepts in-person and iBT Home Edition test scores; NYU code is 2562);
- Duolingo English Test: 130 or more;
- IELTS Academic: 7.5 or above;
- PTE Academic: 70 or more;
- C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (Cambridge English: Advanced or Proficiency): 191 or more;
- iTEP: 4.5 or higher (NYU accepts in-person or online test scores).
Letter of recommendation
New York University requires a letter of recommendation, written and submitted by a professor, tutor, or other person of authority (such as an internship/job supervisor, counselor, clergyman, etc.) who is able to provide an evaluation or endorsement of the candidate. as a student and that allows NYU to get a better idea of who you are in the classroom.
If you cannot submit the Instructor Evaluation through the Common App, the letter must come directly from the person who wrote the reference to admissions@nyu.edu.
When do I apply for a degree from New York University?
In the United States, the school year always begins in the second semester. According to NYU, you can start the application process as early as the August leading up to your high school graduation.
There are some university application deadlines:
- Early Decision I (November 1): If you are applying for Early Decision I, you must apply at the end of your senior year of high school.
- Early Decision II (January 1): For NYU’s Early Decision II deadline, you can apply right after you graduate from high school. However, as your school may be closed for the holidays, you must start the process before you graduate.
- Regular Decision (January 5): The same rules as Early Decision II apply to Regular Decision.
if you apply by the Early Decision I deadline and are admitted by December 15th, that means you will begin your undergraduate degree at New York University in the fall semester of the following year. Decision II and Regular take place in the same year as the beginning of the school year.
How do I apply for an NYU degree?
Enrollment is done via the Common Application . It is during this process that you will select which NYU course and campus you are interested in.
For your application , you will need:
- A personal email checked regularly;
- Contact information for a guidance counselor or representative of your school who will be responsible for completing the Common Application School Report , the section where the transcript and letter of recommendation must be submitted;
- Contact information for the person (or up to three options) who will write the letter of recommendation;
- Non-refundable application fee of $80.00.
Your application, academic records, standardized test results, recommendations, and any supplemental materials must be submitted by the deadlines. If standardized test results are not ready before the application deadlines, your school may submit predicted results on your behalf.
Official results must be submitted to NYU by the high school or the examining board as soon as they are released.
Extra Materials: Audition or Portfolio for NYU
New York University requires an audition or portfolio only from applicants from two specific schools:
- Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development: all Music Department applicants must audition or provide a portfolio and all Studio Art applicants require a portfolio;
- Tisch School of the Arts: Applicants will need an audition or portfolio for any of the school’s courses.