Admissions

Applicants

Applicants are selected by the Admissions Committee each year. The Admissions Committee offers admission to only a select group of first-year applicants. Most begin their NYU studies at the campus in New York City, but a smaller group of candidates may receive the opportunity to begin their studies at one of NYU’s global academic centers in Florence, London, Madrid, or Washington, DC. Transfer applicants are not eligible for admission to the Liberal Studies Core; Global Liberal Studies does admit a select number of internal and external transfer students each year.

The Admissions Committee carefully considers each candidate’s application and gives weight to a number of factors: academic record, standardized test scores, recommendations from counselors and teachers, and essays. The Admissions Committee will only consider test scores if an applicant chooses to submit them. The committee seeks a class that is diverse in all respects and carefully considers the applicant’s special talents, geographic location, and more. The committee is also interested in applicants who have an active and sustained level of involvement in school and/or community activities and who have taken on the responsibility of leadership.

Applicants must file their application by the stated deadlines in order to be given full consideration.

Admissions Process

Admission to Liberal Studies is based on the quality of the applicant’s secondary school record. Sound preparation, however, should include English, with a heavy emphasis on writing; social studies; foreign language; mathematics; and laboratory sciences. The Admissions Committee pays particular attention to the number of honors, college-level, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses the applicant has completed in high school (if offered). An interview is neither required nor offered for admission.

For details regarding the NYU admissions process, please visit the Undergraduate Admissions website, which contains more information for first-year applicants and international applicants. In addition, the Global Liberal Studies major welcomes applications from students transferring from colleges and universities for admission as first-year or sophomore transfers. For more details regarding the NYU admissions process for transfer students please visit the page for transfer applicants on the Undergraduate Admissions website.

Advanced Standing for First-Year Students

Students admitted as first-years who have taken college courses while enrolled in high school should visit the Undergraduate Admissions website for details about advanced credits. College courses taken while the student was enrolled in high school will be evaluated and posted to the student's record after consultation with the student's advisor. Please note: The maximum number of credits allowed toward the degree requirements of the school are a result of any possible combination of nonresident special examination programs and courses taken at another college or a university while the applicant is in high school shall not exceed 32.

Credit by Examination

The Advanced Placement Program (AP) (College Entrance Examination Board), the International Baccalaureate Program (IB) and the results of some foreign maturity certificate examinations enable undergraduate students to receive credit toward the bachelor’s degree on the basis of performance in college-level examinations or proficiency examinations related to the School’s degree requirements, subject to the approval of the School. For details, please visit the page for advanced credits on the Undergraduate Admissions website. Please note: The maximum number of credits allowed toward the degree requirements of the school that are a result of any possible combination of nonresident special examination programs and courses taken at another college or a university while the applicant is in high school shall not exceed 32. Course equivalencies for AP Exams are available on the College of Arts and Science Admissions website.

Maturity Certificate Examinations

The results of certain foreign maturity certificate examinations, i.e., British "A" Levels, French Baccalauréat, German Abitur, Italian Maturità or the Federal Swiss Maturity Certificate, will be considered for advanced standing credit. For details, please visit the page for advanced credits on the Undergraduate Admissions website. Credit for maturity certificate examinations will be evaluated and posted to the student’s record after consultation with the student’s advisor.

Academic English Placement Assessment

If an admitted student’s application suggests that the student might benefit from additional English-language support, they may be required to complete an in-person written assessment and interview through the Academic English for Liberal Studies (AELS) program after arriving on campus at the start of their first semester. Based on the results from this placement questionnaire, the admitted student may be expected to take an English-language support course during their first semester at NYU. For more information, see the “Academic English for Liberal Studies” information in the Student Services section of the LS Bulletin or visit the International Students page of the Liberal Studies website. All international students, regardless of placement, are encouraged to take advantage of weekly LS writing support (scheduled appointments or drop-in hours) as well as reading discussions and events hosted throughout the semester.

Early Decision

Students for whom NYU is their first- choice college are encouraged to apply under the Early Decision Plan. Early Decision candidates should submit the application and all supporting credentials by November 1 for Early Decision I or by January 1 for Early Decision II. NYU’s obligation under this arrangement is to provide applicants with an admission decision beginning in mid-December for Early Decision I or in mid-February for Early Decision II. The applicant’s obligation would be to enroll at NYU if admitted and offered a financial aid package that enabled them to attend. Please refer to the Early Decision page on the Undergraduate Admissions website for more information.

Spring Admissions

The Liberal Studies Core admits first year students in both the fall and spring semesters. Spring admits are selected from the fall applicant pool by the NYU Office of Admissions and begin their studies in New York City in the spring semester. Spring admits have a gap semester in the fall immediately preceding their matriculation at NYU, during which time students might pursue an internship or employment, participate in a service project, travel abroad, or take courses at a local college, among other options. For both the spring and summer semesters of their first year, spring admits attend NYU full-time to complete the first-year core requirements for Liberal Studies. As such, they begin their sophomore year the following fall semester on track for their original graduation date. To learn more about spring admissions, including the academic structure and gap semester opportunities, please visit the program website for NYU Spring Admissions.

Applicants Without U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency

Financial documentation is not required when filing an admissions application. If the student is accepted, instructions for completing the Application for Certificate of Eligibility (AFCOE) online will be included in the acceptance packet. Appropriate evidence of financial ability must be submitted with the AFCOE to the Office of Global Services in order for the appropriate visa document to be issued. If the applicant’s studies are being financed by means of his or her own savings, parental support, outside private or government scholarships, or any combination of these, he or she must arrange to send official letters or similar certification as proof of such support. Additional information may be consulted on the page for Admitted Students on the Undergraduate Admissions website.

First Year Global

Matters pertaining to student visas, pre-departure preparation, and orientation programs at the Liberal Studies sites in New York City, Florence, London, Madrid, and Washington, D.C. will be provided to admitted First Year Global (FYG) students upon receipt of the tuition deposit.

Readmission of Former Students

Any former student who has been out of attendance for more than two consecutive terms and who wishes to return to Liberal Studies must apply for readmission. More information about the process is available at the Returning to NYU page on the Undergraduate Admissions website.

Students who have attended another college or university since their last attendance at New York University must complete a transfer application for undergraduate admission, submit an official transcript, and pay the USD $80 application fee. As transfer admission is not offered into the LS Core, students who previously attended the LS Core but matriculated at another institution during their time away should apply for direct transfer into an NYU bachelor’s degree program. Global Liberal Studies does allow for transfer admission.

Additional Information

Current data on full-time undergraduate retention and graduation rates is available through the NYU Factbook, maintained by the NYU Office of Institutional Research.

For more information about admission to Liberal Studies, please consult the NYU Office of Undergraduate Admissions website, or contact the Admissions Office directly at 212-998-4500.