If you’re thinking about attending college in the United States, you probably already know that applying to college here can be pretty stressful. There are so many schools, so many requirements, and so many different expectations the colleges and universities want you to balance. It can be very overwhelming, but with some guidance, we can make it manageable, and even potentially enjoyable. In this post, we’ll break down what you need to know to apply to New York University (NYU), one of the most popular colleges in the United States in one of the most famous cities in the world.
If New York City is the epicenter of the world, New York University (or NYU) is the epicenter of the United States for international students. NYU is home to “the highest number of international students in the United States.” There are over 24,000 international students and scholars at NYU from 130 countries, and over 7,800 of those individuals are undergraduates.
The school is incredibly popular with international students because NYU is accessible, with three major international airports; it is approachable, with New York City being home to international and immigrant communities from around the world; and it offers a world-class education. Off-campus, there are many of the best cultural and social opportunities and resources in the world. On campus, there is a whole network of events, communities, and resources to support international students. Over 100,000 students apply each year to be part of this, making NYU one of the most popular universities in the world to apply to. The acceptance rate is a mere 12.5%.
If you’re eyeing NYU and want to know how to write an application that makes a difference, send us an email. We specialize in supporting students in gaining admission to the most competitive colleges in the world.
What is NYU looking for in International Students?
First off, let’s be clear on how NYU defines “international student.” Different schools categorize international students differently, but at NYU an international student is any non-U.S. citizen applying to the New York campus, or a U.S. citizen applying to the New York campus from a high school located outside of the United States.
In this post we’ll be focusing on the New York campus, but if you are considering either the Abu Dhabi or Shanghai campus definitely shoot us a note as they have different requirements and definitions of “international.”
If you fit the definition of an international student for NYU, the next step is confirming that you qualify for admission academically. Below are the guidelines NYU requires students to fall within if they want to apply to attend from abroad:
You will complete your final year of secondary school (equivalent to US 12th grade) before arriving at NYU
You are completing an “internationally-recognized equivalent, such as an IB Diploma.”
OR you are applying from “countries with school-leaving qualifications based on the British educational model, and will have completed the A-level equivalent.”
OR you are enrolled in a foundation year program outside the US and have already completed secondary school graduation requirements.
If you fit within one or more of those buckets, congrats! NYU is an option for you! Now you have to apply, and that’s the real hurdle. Below we break down a few of the key things you must keep in mind if you want to receive a notice of acceptance.
Courses + Grades
NYU requires a comprehensive course distribution for applicants to be considered, let alone prioritized. So, if you don’t like math or are struggling in history — do not drop that subject if you want to go to NYU. Avoiding course areas or subjects that you don’t like won’t help you, and may even mean your application will be determined to be incomplete and unworthy of consideration.
The minimum course distribution NYU requires is four years of English (or literature) and three years of math, science, foreign language, social studies, and history. This is the minimum, of course, and we encourage students to study all of the core subjects every year of secondary school in addition to electives in subjects like music and art.
The average GPA of first-year students admitted to and enrolled at NYU is 3.8, so you need to get the best grades you can (ideally all As) in the hardest classes you have access to. If you feel like your school doesn’t have courses difficult enough to differentiate yourself, it’s worth looking into supplemental opportunities at local community colleges or summer immersion programs.
Extracurriculars & Recommendations
If you have what NYU is looking for in your academics, the next things they’ll be looking at are your recommendations and extracurriculars. NYU is really interested in your innate and earned “talent/ability” — so it matters what you’ve done, but it also matters what you are striving for. They want students who are reaching for something, students who have vision and drive and who want to continue progressing and would truly take advantage of everything NYU has to offer. This is something that you can show in your activities, and it’s something that your recommenders should highlight.
Activities
The NYU admissions team knows that international students often have different activity options than what are standard at U.S. colleges. So, they aren’t looking for any particular list of activities, but they are looking for things that show progress, commitment, leadership, and collaborative work.
To do this, consider starting something — a school club, an initiative in partnership with a local non-profit, or a community group with your peers. It’s important, though, that you don’t let your life be consumed outside of school by any one activity entirely (especially a sport you don’t plan on playing in college). Try to cultivate two or three things that you care about deeply and demonstrate that you are committed to them.
Recommendations
NYU only requires one recommendation from a teacher, counselor, coach, supervisor, or other person in a position of authority in your life, but they allow for up to three and we recommend international students take advantage of that opportunity. Aim to have one school counselor, coach, or supervisor write a recommendation, and then ask two teachers to write recommendations. Approach teachers who you have a relationship with that goes beyond sitting in a classroom — which may mean cultivating a relationship with a teacher you respect before asking.
Ideally, you’ll have one recommendation from a teacher from a subject related to what you want to major in, and one teacher who has had you in class as well as in an extracurricular as a coach, faculty advisor for a club, or as a mentor. If your teachers have not written many recommendations for colleges in the United States, it’s important to have a conversation about what you want to study in college, and what your goals are beyond higher education.
Standardized Tests
Many colleges have chosen to be test-optional, meaning that they don’t require the ACT or SAT, and NYU is among that group. They recommend submitting the SAT or ACT, but don’t make you send your scores in (or even take the test) if you don’t want to. That said, scores are very important to NYU. High scores on the SAT or ACT are especially helpful for international applicants because they back up your grades and reinforce that your English is strong enough to attending college in the United States.
Over the past few years, the number of students submitting SAT and ACT scores to NYU has fallen. Most recently, 37% of accepted and enrolled first-years submitted the SAT or ACT — but that doesn’t properly reflect how much NYU prioritizes them if you do submit them, and how much they can help your application.
If you can score very well on the SAT or ACT (over 1520 on the SAT or 35 on the ACT), it is important to submit those scores.
Final Thoughts
Being an international applicant to a college in the United States of America comes with all the same expectations as a domestic applicant, but there are a few more hurdles to jump over. One of those hurdles is financial aid. At NYU, as at most colleges in the US, financial aid options for international students are limited. However, NYU is able to offer scholarships for international students applying as prospective first-years.
As you work on your applications, you’ll be asked to tell colleges why you want to go there and what about you makes you a perfect fit. That’s not all, though — you also need to show them who you are, and simply being from somewhere else isn’t interesting on its own.
NYU wants the best students in the world to gather on campus, so they’re willing to go out of the way to attract them. Your job, now, is to show them that you’re one of the best.
We help students like you tell your story, showing colleges like NYU why you’re exceptional.