New York University

New York, USA | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Shanghai, China · New York University is one of the largest private universities in the US and the only American university with three full-fledged campuses across three continents: New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai. NYU welcomes students from 133 countries, receives over 120,000 applications annually—more than any other private university in the world—and ranks among the top 35 national universities in the US. Admission to NYU is more challenging than it might seem: the acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 was just 7.7%, a historic low. However, with the right strategy, it is an achievable goal.

  • Bachelor's degree: $65,622 per year
  • Master's degree: $39,352 to $109,050 per year, depending on the program and faculty
  • Doctoral studies: the majority of PhD programs are fully funded through departmental fellowships and assistantships
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About the university

New York University was founded in 1831 and was originally established as a university for those who did not have a privileged background. This principle — openness and diversity — remains a key tenet of NYU to this day. Today, the university comprises 18 faculties and schools, more than 29,000 undergraduate students, and 61,000 students overall, including graduate students.

NYU’s main campus is located in the Greenwich Village area of Manhattan — around the famous Washington Square Park. No fences or gates: the campus is seamlessly integrated into the urban fabric of New York. This defines the university’s academic culture — students here don’t study in an isolated student town, but in the very heart of one of the world’s main cultural and financial centres.

NYU is associated with 36 Nobel laureates — among its faculty and alumni. Among the most famous alumni are directors Angelina Jolie, Woody Allen, and Ang Lee (Tisch School of the Arts), actress Denzel Washington (CAS), entrepreneur Alan Greenspan (Stern), and writer Norman Mailer.

A unique feature of NYU is its three full‑fledged campuses:

  • NYU New York — the flagship campus in Manhattan
  • NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) — a campus in the UAE, one of the most generous in the world in terms of financial aid for international students
  • NYU Shanghai is a joint campus with China.
Level of education
Bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctoral studies, professional programs
Percentage of admitted students
7.7% (Class of 2029 — over 120,000 applications, a record for private universities in the USA)
Median salary after graduation
approximately $76,000 per year after 6 years (NYU official website)
Scholarships
NYU Promise: free tuition for families with an income of up to $100,000; NYU Abu Dhabi: need‑blind admission for all.
Key areas of study
art and film (Tisch), business (Stern), engineering (Tandon), law (NYU Law), humanities (CAS), medicine
Type
private research university
Student campus size
More than 61,000 students (of which about 29,000 are bachelor’s degree holders).
% of international students
students from 133 countries
Campuses
Manhattan (New York), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Shanghai (China) + 11 academic centers around the world

Tuition at NYU

New York University is one of the most expensive private universities in the United States in terms of list price. However, the actual expenses for students with financial support are significantly lower.

Bachelor’s program (NYU New York, 2026–2027):
Tuition + fees: $65,622 per year
Total estimated cost of attendance (COA, on‑campus): about $100,998 per year (tuition + fees $65,622 + room and board $26,438 + transportation, study materials, personal expenses about $8,938)
Master’s degree: from $39,352 to $109,050 per year, depending on the program and faculty
Doctoral studies: Most PhD programs are fully funded through departmental fellowships and assistantships

NYU Abu Dhabi (2026–2027)
Tuition: $68,576 per year; full COA: approximately $90,328 per year (before receiving financial aid, which may cover the entire amount for students with financial need).

Variety of educational programs

Bachelor’s degree

  • STEM and Exact Sciences
  • Business and Management
  • Natural sciences and Biomedicine
  • Engineering
  • Computer Science and IT
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Journalism and Media
  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Psychology
  • Social Sciences and Public Policy
  • Pedagogy
  • Creative direction
  • Advertising and marketing
  • Musical education
  • Economics, finance and management
  • Ecology and Geosciences

Master’s degree

  • STEM and Exact Sciences
  • Business and Management
  • Natural sciences and Biomedicine
  • Engineering
  • Computer Science and IT
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Journalism and Media
  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Medicine
  • Psychology
  • Law and Legal Research
  • Jurisprudence
  • Social Sciences and Public Policy
  • Pedagogy
  • Creative direction
  • Advertising and marketing
  • Musical education
  • Economics, finance and management
  • Ecology and Geosciences

Doctoral studies

  • STEM and Exact Sciences
  • Business and Management
  • Natural sciences and Biomedicine
  • Engineering
  • Computer Science and IT
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Journalism and Media
  • International Relations and Diplomacy
  • Medicine
  • Psychology
  • Law and Legal Research
  • Jurisprudence
  • Social Sciences and Public Policy
  • Pedagogy
  • Musical education
  • Economics, finance and management
  • Ecology and Geosciences

Faculties

NYU comprises 18 schools and faculties. The most popular among international students are:

Tisch School of the Arts

One of the most prestigious creative schools in the world. Film, theatre, television, musical theatre, photography, game design. Among its graduates are Angelina Jolie, Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese. Acceptance rate is about 4% — the lowest at NYU. An application requires a portfolio or an audition.

Stern School of Business

One of the leading business schools in the USA, located within easy reach of Wall Street. Undergraduate, MBA, specialized master’s programs (finance, marketing, data analytics). QS Business 2026: top 30 in the world. Acceptance rate is around 5–6 %.

College of Arts and Science (CAS)

The largest faculty at NYU. More than 70 majors: psychology, political science, economics, biology, mathematics, history, philosophy (#1 in the world according to QS 2026), linguistics, journalism, and others.

Tandon School of Engineering

One of the oldest engineering schools in the USA (158 years old). Computer science, biomedical engineering, cybersecurity, data science, AI. Located in Brooklyn, 20 minutes from the Manhattan campus. Acceptance rate is about 12%.

NYU School of Law

It is among the top 10 law schools in the US according to US News. It is particularly strong in international law, human rights, and corporate law.

NYU School of Medicine (Grossman School of Medicine)

One of the leading institutions in the USA; it offers free education to all admitted MD students — a rare solution in the American medical system.

Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development

Education, music pedagogy, art therapy, communication, media research.

Gallatin School of Individualized Study

A unique program for students who want to independently develop an individual study plan at the intersection of different disciplines.

Silver School of Social Work

One of the leading social schools in the country.

Rory Meyers College of Nursing

Nursing; acceptance rate is about 4%.

Arrangement

Campuses

NYU does not have a traditional fenced campus — instead, several dozen buildings are organically integrated into the Greenwich Village, East Village, and Lower Manhattan districts. Washington Square Park is the unofficial heart of student life. Nearby are independent cafes, theaters, galleries, bookstores, and bars that make up the cultural fabric of one of the most vibrant urban neighborhoods in the world.

NYU Abu Dhabi is a separate story: first‑year students are required to live on the Saadiyat Island campus. The campus is self‑sufficient: dormitories, restaurants, a sports complex, and learning spaces — all in one place. Students from more than 120 countries are united by an intensive academic and research environment.

Dormitory

NYU dormitories are concentrated around Washington Square Park and Lower Manhattan. The cost of living on campus ranges from $11,963 to $22,926 per semester, depending on the room type. Freshmen are guaranteed housing on campus; upperclassmen can continue to live in the residences or rent an apartment in the city.

Student Life

The campus has more than 500 student clubs and organizations. NYU students have direct access to internships at Goldman Sachs, Google, Netflix, NBC Universal, the Metropolitan Museum, major law firms, and thousands of other companies and organizations in New York.

The NYU admission process

Admission to New York University is a competitive process: 7.7% of applicants were accepted for the class of 2029, with more than 120,000 applications. Applications are submitted via the Common App or Coalition App.

Choosing a school is a key step.

At NYU, a student does not enroll in the university as a whole, but in a specific school: Tisch, Stern, CAS, Tandon, Gallatin, and others. Each has its own competition, requirements, and academic culture. Changing schools after admission is a separate competitive process.

Academic documents.

Transcript with a high GPA. The average GPA of admitted CAS and Stern students is 3.9+. SAT 1450–1560 (mid-50%), ACT 33–35. NYU remains test-optional for 2026–2027, but competitive applications include high scores.

NYU essays and additional questions.

In addition to the Common App essay, NYU asks questions about the choice of a specific school and program. The admissions committee is looking for specifics: why Tisch or Stern, what opportunities in New York do you plan to take advantage of.

Portfolio

For Tisch and Rory Meyers Nursing, a portfolio or audition materials are required.

Letters of recommendation.

Two from subject teachers, one from the homeroom teacher.

Deadlines.

Early Decision I — by November 1; Early Decision II — by January 1; Regular Decision — by January 1. ED fills more than half of the spots in each class — a strategically important detail. ED acceptance rate is significantly higher than RD.

Key Aspects of NYU Admission for International Students

The educational process

For international applicants, NYU requires proof of English proficiency: TOEFL 100+ iBT or IELTS 7.0+. Graduates of accredited English‑language schools may be exempt from this requirement.

An important nuance regarding financial aid: NYU New York follows a need‑aware policy for international students and does not guarantee coverage of 100% of the confirmed need for everyone — the amount of institutional aid is limited. Only 29% of freshmen receive need‑based aid.

NYU Abu Dhabi is a fundamentally different situation: the campus uses need‑blind admission and strives to cover 100 % of the financial need of every admitted student. For international applicants with high financial need, NYU Abu Dhabi is a strategically more advantageous option, even though they will receive the same NYU diploma.

Want to know what actually fits you?

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NYU Scholarships and Grants

  • NYU Promise is a key financial aid program for NYU New York students. Families with an annual income of up to $100,000 (with typical assets) do not pay tuition. The scholarship is adjusted annually to reflect tuition growth. It is only available to first‑time, full‑time students — transfer students are not eligible.
  • NYU Abu Dhabi Financial Aid is a need‑based program: the student completes the CSS Profile, after which NYU determines the amount of coverage. In cases of high financial need, support may reach the full COA (about $90,228 per year). Additionally: separate merit-based components for outstanding students.
  • Grossman School of Medicine — since 2018, it has provided free tuition for all admitted MD students, regardless of income level. It is one of the few medical schools in the US with this policy.
  • Graduate fellowships and assistantships — most PhD programs offer full funding through research or teaching assistantships.
    It is worth noting separately: NYU is one of the largest sources of financial aid in the country. The university pays out more than $989 million annually in grants and scholarships.

Prospects after graduating from NYU

The median salary of NYU graduates six years after graduation is about $76,000 per year. For graduates of Stern’s MBA programs, the median is $170,000 per year for the class of 2026.

New York as a career platform requires no additional explanation — it is the world’s financial capital, a global center for media, art, technology, and law. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, McKinsey, Condé Nast, Warner Bros., CBS — all of them recruit on the NYU campus.

The NYU alumni network comprises more than 650,000 people in over 170 countries worldwide — one of the largest among private universities in the United States. According to data from 2025, NYU Abu Dhabi students have a 93% employment rate within six months of graduation.

Scientific achievements

NYU is associated with 36 Nobel laureates who worked or studied at the university. NYU is in the top 10 worldwide according to QS in several subject areas, including Philosophy (#1 in the world), Performing Arts, and Law.

NYU’s research activity spans medicine (Langone Health — one of the leading academic medical centers in the USA), mathematics (Courant Institute — one of the best mathematical institutes in the world), neuroscience, law, and the social sciences. The annual funding for NYU research exceeds $600 million.

Interesting facts

Demand

NYU receives more applications for its undergraduate program than any other private university in the world — over 120,000 for the class of 2029.

Rating

NYU’s Department of Philosophy is ranked #1 in the world (QS Subject Rankings 2026) — the best performance in philosophy among all universities worldwide.

Free training

Since 2018, Grossman School of Medicine has been providing free education to all admitted MD students — regardless of income.

Financial assistance

NYU Abu Dhabi is among the most generous universities in the world in terms of financial aid for international students: academically strong applicants can study for free in one of the most international student environments in the world.

Film production

Among the graduates of Tisch School of the Arts are Angelina Jolie, Woody Allen, Ang Lee, and Martin Scorsese; Tisch is one of the few places in the world where students study film production in direct contact with the real Hollywood and independent film industries.

Mission

Founded in 1831 by Albert Gallatin, a former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, with the original mission of opening higher education to people from all walks of life.

How SelfStartGlobal Helps You Get Into NYU

Getting into New York University requires a precise strategy: choosing the right school within NYU — Tisch, Stern, CAS, Tandon, or another — determines the entire subsequent process.

We at SelfStartGlobal help:

  • Choose a school and program that matches your academic profile and career goals
  • Develop an application strategy — Early Decision I, ED II, or Regular Decision
  • Prepare essays and school‑specific questions for NYU
  • Create a portfolio for Tisch or other creative programs
  • Properly submit an application for NYU Promise and CSS Profile
  • Develop a strategy for NYU Abu Dhabi as an alternative with more generous funding
  • Provide support until you receive an offer

Our students have already received scholarships worth more than $35 million.

Want to get into NYU and receive maximum financial support? Come to a free consultation. We’ll tell you how it works in your specific case.

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