New York University has a vision for connection and opportunity both internationally and locally. Because of this commitment, NYU is open to students from all backgrounds and walks of life – including transfer students.
Not only does the university welcome transfer students, it also provides many avenues for students to transfer into NYU.
Strong articulation agreements with local universities and community colleges make it so students already in school can have the support and connections to make a smooth transition to NYU.
Even for those students who aren’t attending one of the schools that are directly connected to NYU, with the supports like NYU Transfer Student Ambassadors, students will be able to find what they need to make sure that their application is competitive.
That isn’t to say that NYU isn’t a challenge to get into, but if students can gather all the pertinent information and plan ahead, they have a great chance of getting into one of the top private universities in the world.
Today, we discuss the logistics of transferring to NYU, including its transfer acceptance rate, deadlines, GPA, and more.
NYU Transfer Acceptance Rate
NYU’s average transfer acceptance rate normally hovers around 25%.
This number is a little higher than their first-year acceptance rate of 21%, but not by much.
When compared to schools like Harvard that have less than a 1% transfer acceptance rate, NYU’s odds are great.
One factor that contributes to these higher odds is the fact that NYU has a wide range of articulation agreements with New York and New Jersey community colleges, as well as other local universities like the Yeshiva University.
These articulation agreements with other schools give students a more streamlined process to get into NYU and increase their chances of a successful transfer.
Some of the specific transfer agreements include the NYU College of Arts and Sciences American Honors Program.
This particular agreement gives American Honors students the opportunity to come to NYU and complete their bachelor’s in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Another great opportunity can be found through the Coordinated Engineering Program at Brooklyn College.
Students who are interested in engineering will be able to attend two years at Brooklyn College and then transfer into NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering to complete their degree.
It doesn’t mean all hope is lost for students who don’t fall into one of the articulation agreement categories. Students can certainly transfer to NYU without being in a formal articulation program.
Application Requirements & GPA for NYU Transfers
The GPA requirement for transfer students is not specified for general acceptance, but the main criteria students need to keep in mind is that their previous grades will be considered and any courses that were not passed with a C or higher will not be transferable.
For high school students who took college courses they want to transfer in, they need to have scored a B or higher. The requirements are more ambiguous for NYU applicants because the application process is not one size fits all.
Before a student even considers the actual application documents, they need to determine if they can even be a transfer student.
Transfer students are considered those who have completed a high school education or taken the GED, enrolled in an accredited college or university, and completed at least some college courses for credit.
Once students have established this, they can then move on to the basic application requirements.
First and foremost is the transfer version of the Common Application. The Common Application will be where all demographic information, application fee payment or waiver, SAT and ACT scores, instructor evaluation form, and supplemental material will go.
Once students have the Common Application done, they will need a few other documents, but this is where the general application turns specific.
All students need to send their college and high school transcripts and a letter of recommendation (if not in the Common Application), but there may also be program-specific documentation like portfolios or proof of prerequisite courses.
Students need to look into the requirements for their program of interest to make sure they have all the documents required for acceptance.
Students whose first language isn’t English may be required to submit a Language Proficiency Test like the TOFEL.
Those who fall in this category are students who haven’t attended at least three consecutive years in a learning institution where English is the primary language of instruction.
NYU Transfer Deadline
The transfer deadline for those entering in the Fall is April 1st of each year (no fooling). The transfer deadline for those entering the Spring is November 1st.
That said, students need to keep in mind that not all programs allow students to enroll in Spring and/or Fall.
Some programs, like Global Liberal Studies and the Steinhardt School for Culture, Education, and Human Development, don’t accept Spring transfers.
Other programs, like the Liberal Studies Core Program, don’t accept transfers at all. Students will need to double-check what their program of interest requires and make sure they apply for enrollment during the proper time for that program.
Those who might have several programs of interest in mind need to be aware that transfer students are only allowed to apply to one program at a time.
Because of this, students should take the time to research each program and talk to NYU advisors to determine what would be the best fit for them.
Finally, don’t forget financial aid! The deadline for submitting financial aid applications is also the deadline for admissions.
That said, the FAFSA can be completed after the deadline, but applying early will ensure that any financial aid a student is eligible for will be in place in time for the semester to start. Outside of FAFSA, the school and the state also provide aid opportunities.
Students who qualify for state aid can fill out the TAP (tuition assistance program) when their FAFSA is complete.
Through the school, The Community College Transfer Opportunity program offers a chance at a scholarship.
Financial aid can get lost in the many to-dos that comes with admissions, so students need to make sure it is at the top of their checklist as they double check everything before the deadline.
What is the Decision Date for NYU Transfers?
NYU will let applicants know if they are accepted for the Fall Semester around May or June; for Spring, they will let people know anywhere from November to January.
Students will be able to check on the status of their application through the NYU applicant portal.
Deciding Whether You Should Transfer to NYU
Any education experience should start with a basic question: Why?
There is no doubt as to “why” NYU. The largest private university in the US, with $1 billion dollars worth of research to its name a year, NYU has a long history of excellence.
Since 2000 alone, its faculty has included 5 Nobel Prize winners, 5 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 9 MacArthur Genius Fellows. And if that wasn’t enough, its US campus is located in one of the most exciting cities in the world, NYC.
The “why” students have to ask themselves is why the opportunities NYU offers aligns with their academic goals.
This “why” should be followed with why their credentials are what NYU is looking for. Obviously, this process can be daunting.
So it is important for students to reach out for support and do the necessary research to ensure they are making the best choice for their education.
RECAP: How to Apply As a Transfer Student to NYU
The deadlines for applying are April 1st for Fall and November 1st for Spring, but before picking when to enter, students need to consider the four different phases of applying to NYU.
Phase One: Does it count?
For a student to be eligible to transfer, they have to have graduated from high school or received their GED, attended an accredited college, and completed some college courses for credit.
There is no overall GPA that is required, but students need to keep in mind that their acceptance will be largely based on their academic performance before NYU.
Phase Two: One size fits …most
Regardless of what program they decide to go into, all transfer students have to fill out the transfer student Common Application.
In addition, students will need to send in their transcripts from both high school and college, send a letter of recommendation, and pay the application fee of $80 (or apply for a waiver).
What about the ‘most’…
The SAT and ACT will be required of those students who haven’t at least completed one full-time academic year or 32-credits of part-time schooling.
Phase Three: Build a degree path.
Depending on the program a student wants to transfer into, they might have additional documents that are needed for the application process.
This can include everything from portfolios, proof of prerequisite courses, or auditions. NYU has provided students with a convenient website with a list of the additional requirements for different programs. If in doubt, always reach out to an admissions counselor.
Students whose first language isn’t English, and who haven’t attended at least three years consecutively at an institution that teaches in English, will need to submit a Language Proficiency Test like the TOFEL.
In addition to extra documents, different programs have different time frames they allow students to enter.
Students need to determine if the program they are applying to only allows them to enter in a specific semester or if that program takes transfer students at all.
Phase Four: Love may not “cost a thing”, but college sure does.
Students need to make sure that they have turned in their FAFSA applications and applied for any other aid they are eligible for before the semester deadline they are entering.
