Admissions

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Requirements and Criteria

Candidates for admission to the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study are evaluated on the basis of their academic records, professional backgrounds, and their potential to succeed in an individualized program of study.

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited undergraduate institution or the equivalent international credential is required for admission to the program.

Additionally, all candidates for admission must submit the following:

  • Completed online application
  • Transcripts (from all institutions attended)
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Two Letters of Recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Writing Sample (optional)
  • For Dean's Graduate Scholarship applicants only:
    • Writing sample required
  • For NYU Peace Corps Coverdell Fellowship Program Applicants only: 
    • Description of Service (DOS)          
  • For Graduate Assistantship applicants only:
    • Letter of motivation
    • Curriculum Vitae
  • For those intending to undertake an artistic thesis: 
    • Portfolio, Artist's Statement, Professional CV
  • For international students only:

All credentials and application materials must be submitted by the application deadline for which you are applying. 

The Gallatin School does not require standardized test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), but applicants who have taken such examinations may submit their scores.

If you have questions about supplemental materials please contact gallatin.gradadmissions@nyu.edu  

Please note: Applications received after the final deadline will be considered at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.

Gallatin Information Sessions

Gallatin regularly holds MA Information Sessions throughout the year.

Spring and Summer Admissions

On a few rare occasions, we are able to accommodate spring or summer admission for students who apply as (and will remain) part-time students for the entire length of their time in the program, but it is very exceptional. Because of the way the curriculum is designed, if a student starts in the spring as a full-time student, or starts as a part-time student in the spring but intends to become full-time at some point, the sequential rhythm of the core requirements will be thrown off. To optimize student success and outcomes, it is important to ensure that everyone stays on track with the core requirements and is able to complete them in the right sequence. A fall only admissions cycle helps ensure a smoother experience for our student body.

For more information about admissions to the Gallatin MA Program, please visit the Applying to Gallatin website.

Readmission

Students who have been out of attendance and who need further course work and/or to defend their thesis in order to complete the MA degree, may apply for readmission. Requests for readmission should be received by the following deadlines: August 1 for the fall term, December 1 for the spring term, and April 1 for the summer term. Students should apply for readmission for the semester in which they are able to attend in-person classes and/or defend the thesis. 

Please note that readmission is contingent on a number of factors which include but are not limited to: customary time limit to complete the degree as specified in the policies of NYU Gallatin (six years from initial start date); review of course work and its relevance to the current requirements of the degree and applicant’s intended concentration; the availability of space in the program; willingness of the student to enroll in and complete all necessary coursework and requirements, including additional classes, projects and assignments as defined by the current degree requirements; availability of advisers to supervise the student’s thesis work. Students who have been absent for more than three years from the last term of enrollment are advised to contact gallatin.ma@nyu.edu before applying for readmission

Applications for readmission to the Gallatin MA Program will be reviewed by a faculty committee. Students’ prior coursework will be evaluated to determine relevance to the current requirements of the degree and applicant’s proposed concentration and thesis. Graduate coursework completed more than six years prior may be excluded from counting toward the MA degree. 

Readmitted students will receive a letter that will:

  • confirm their semester of readmission
  • articulate the remaining degree requirements that must be fulfilled 
  • stipulate a deadline for completing all requirements
  • provide instructions for registration in the semester of readmission
Students who are readmitted must fulfill the degree requirements that are in effect when they are readmitted, unless their offer of readmission states otherwise.