Student Services

Health Insurance and Immunization Policy

All full-time students must be in compliance with NYU Shanghai’s health insurance and immunization requirements. For pre registration immunization requirements, please see https://www.nyu.edu/students/health-and-wellness/next-stop-health-requirements/shanghai.html. If a student fails to comply, the student will not be allowed to register for classes until he or she is in full compliance. If the student does not receive clearance to register before the registration deadline for the semester, he or she will not be able to register and take classes until the next semester that they are in compliance. This policy includes first semester freshmen entering NYU Shanghai. The health insurance and immunization requirements of some study away sites and portal campuses may vary from those at NYU Shanghai. Students must be in compliance with those requirements during their semester abroad in order to be eligible for studying away at that site or campus.

The Academic Resource Center

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) provides tutoring services to students looking to reach their highest academic potential. Students can schedule a meeting through WCOnline, or drop by the ARC, for the following:

  • Individual and small-group tutoring in over 30 Math, Computer Science, Sciences, Business, Economics, Interactive Media Arts, and Chinese Language courses
  • Individual writing, speaking, reading, and listening consultations at any stage of the learning process
  • Academic coaching in areas such as critical reading, note-taking strategies, goals setting and time management
  • Workshops on writing, close reading, presentation, time management, etc.

Students are also welcome to study on their own in the comfortable, supportive atmosphere of the Academic Resource Center.

Career Development Center

The NYU Shanghai Career Development Center (CDC) aims to provide comprehensive career guidance to the entire student body. The CDC collaborates with employers, alumni, faculty, other departments, and external organizations to provide a range of resources and opportunities for students to achieve personal and professional success.

Students may sign up for individualized appointments with a career coach throughout the year on Handshake. An appointment with a career coach can help students with any of the following topics:

  • Identifying and exploring career interests;
  • Setting professional goals and developing an individual timeline;
  • Effectively searching for internships and jobs in a particular field;
  • Editing resumes and cover letters;
  • Participating in a mock interview;
  • Performing assessments to identify strengths, skills and interests;
  • Exploring pre-professional and graduate school options.

Besides coaching appointments, students may find many other ways to gain professional skills and build connections to expand their network. The CDC offers robust career-related programming during the academic year including; career speakers, industry panels, skills workshops, alumni mentor matching, internship grants, and much more. Some of the highlighted programmings include: Career Fairs, Career Kick Start Workshops, Distinguished Industry Speaker Series, NYU Executive Alumni Mentor Program, I AM LIMITLESS Conference, Industry Interest Groups, Global Governance and Chinese Culture Bootcamp, Social Impact Internship Grant. Students have access to a series of career online courses, a variety of useful digital platforms and resources in the CareerLab, which support their career development at different stages.

Experiential Learning

One defining characteristic of the NYU educational experience is the opportunity students have to apply their classroom learning to real-life experiences in a variety of professional and community service settings. Shanghai provides such opportunities in abundance, and NYU Shanghai takes full advantage of its location in one of the financial, cultural, scientific, and media capitals of the world.

Many different types of opportunities are available to students; some involve volunteerism on the part of a student and some may be paid positions. Depending on their professional goals, students may choose to pursue off-campus internships, community service positions, research projects, competitions, conferences, and many other opportunities. For the purpose of securing and making the most of such opportunities, students should consider the following guidance.

Voluntary or Community Service

Certain organizations encourage students to work on a volunteer basis to gain experience and to provide needed assistance to the organization. This type of arrangement is common, for example, in government and not-for-profit organizations. Such internships are valued, sometimes even required, for admission to some professional schools, but NYU Shanghai awards no credit for them.

Community Engagement

NYU Shanghai supports community-engaged learning components in academic courses and facilitates academic service learning experiences. We encourage students to seek out opportunities during their college career to apply their academic learning to understanding real world needs and interacting with local communities in the city of Shanghai and beyond. These include faculty-led immersive learning trips and experiential learning opportunities that enhance academic study and research.

Preprofessional, Accelerated & Specialized Programs

Pre-Medical and Health Studies Program

It is important to understand that health-related pre-professional training does not require students to major in science or math. Students may elect to major in any discipline and complete the courses needed to apply for health-related professional schools in parallel. They should choose a disciplinary major that they will enjoy and in which they will excel. If they enjoy the sciences, choosing a major in those areas may be the right decision for them. If, however, they have other interests or talents, they will demonstrate their versatility and increase their chances of excelling by pursuing a major in their area of interest along with completing the pre-medical and health curriculum.

NYU Shanghai, like many American colleges and universities, does not offer pre-medical, pre-dental, or other pre-health majors. In fact, the best professional schools want, above all, students with a broad education who can think clearly, read critically, and write well.

Academic advisors and faculty mentors help students to explore their options, advise them about programs and appropriate course selection, and help them to present the best possible application to professional schools. Students should be aware that it is extremely difficult for applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents to gain admission to medical school in the U.S. Other health professional schools in the U.S. have more hospitable admissions policies, such as schools of dentistry and M.D./Ph.D. programs.

The following NYU courses are equivalent to the basic set of requirements most medical schools in the U.S. request. In general, most medical schools will expect applicants to have completed one year of biology, one year of  physics, and two years of chemistry (through organic chemistry). However, specific medical schools may have additional requirements or modifications to those listed here. Students should carefully research the schools they are interested in for more information.

Suggested Courses for Application to Medical School:

  • Foundations of Physics I & II Honors/General Physics I & II
  • Foundations of Physics Lab I & Physics Lab II
  • Foundations of Chemistry I & II
  • Foundations of Chemistry I Lab & Chemistry II Lab
  • Foundations of Biology I & II
  • Foundations of Biology Lab
  • Organic Chemistry I & II
  • Biochemistry I

In addition, many schools expect students to have taken the following courses:

  • Calculus
  • One Statistics Course (e.g., Probability and Statistics, Biostatistics)
  • Introduction to Psychology
  • Introductory sociology course (e.g., Introduction to Sociology, Sociology of Medicine, Health & Society in a Global Context)
  • Two writing courses. These courses cannot include Creative Writing and need to focus on writing or interpreting advanced texts. They may be a combination of one or two Humanities or Global China Studies courses focused on writing.

Pre-law Program

Prospective law students are free to choose from the wide variety of courses offered at NYU Shanghai. NYU endorses the position of the Association of American Law Schools that a single “best” preparation for law school cannot be recommended. As a result, there is no prescribed pre-law curriculum.

Purpose of Pre-law Study: While NYU Shanghai considers the prescription of particular courses unwise, it does advise taking courses that require extensive reading, research, and writing. The Core Curriculum is an excellent beginning for pre-law students as it offers a rigorous and multidisciplinary foundation for advanced study in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. No matter what one majors in, law schools value a well-rounded liberal arts education, so students should choose their electives wisely. For example, the precision of methodology and thought required of students in mathematics, computer science, logic, and the natural sciences will aid in the development of analytic skills, while a background in the behavioral sciences and the humanities (such as politics, economics, history, literature, philosophy, anthropology, and sociology) will offer a deeper understanding of human institutions and values, as well as opportunities for critical thinking and writing.

3+2 Dual Bachelor’s Program

(CS & Engineering/IMA & Engineering)
Students will apply for admission to this program in their second year (spring semester) and complete their first three years at NYU Shanghai, pursuing a Computer Science (CS) or Interactive Media Arts (IMA) major. Coursework at NYU Shanghai will focus on CS or IMA major, core curriculum, and STEM requirements. The final two years are spent at NYU Tandon in Brooklyn, focusing on advanced engineering coursework. Students who complete this program will earn the following degrees: NYU Shanghai, NYU, Chinese degrees, and B.S. in Computer Engineering from NYU Tandon. The fifth year of study will require an additional year of tuition; the NYU Shanghai financial aid package will be extended to cover the fifth year of study. Interested students should work with their advisors to plan degree progress. Students may contact Dean Keith Ross (keithross@nyu.edu) for more information.

Counseling

Student Health Center

The Student Health Center is available for all students and no appointment is necessary. Counseling services are free on a voluntary basis for any student enrolled in NYU Shanghai. When necessary, medication and outside referrals are available. All conversations are kept strictly confidential. The Student Health Center wellness counselors provide health-related advice and assistance in workshops, as well as in group and individual counseling.

The social and emotional conflicts that occur in a person’s life occasionally prevents an individual from functioning optimally. Concerns about interpersonal relationships, poor grades or other academic problems, feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, loneliness, sexual problems, eating disorders, substance abuse, and family and/or marriage conflicts are difficulties any individual might encounter. Wellness counselors provide an atmosphere where personal concerns can be examined and discussed freely and confidentially.

The Student Health Center at NYU Shanghai is committed to promoting a safe, informed, healthy and happy university community, by providing an array of professional services tailored to support our student’s needs during their university life at NYU Shanghai. The Student Health Center is located on the 6th floor of the academic building and is open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. The Center is staffed by highly trained professionals who are focused on supporting the needs of students.

The Student Health Center’s programs address the issues impacting students from a physical, emotional and health knowledge perspective and provide activities and resources that empower the students to achieve their academic potential.

The transition to adulthood and the navigation of college life presents wonderful opportunities, but can sometimes cause stress and varying emotions. We are also mindful of the great opportunities and added challenges of being a student in a mega city like Shanghai.
 
The Student Health Center provides medical and counseling support and promotes health knowledge through skills focused training and learning workshops in a warm and welcoming environment. All health services are confidential and offered to students free of charge. Walking-in hours and professional counseling appointments are offered to all students.

The Wellness Exchange is a 24 hour counseling hotline - all students can call for support. Tel: 021 2059 9999

Students with Disabilities

NYU is committed to providing equal educational opportunity and participation for students with disabilities. It is NYU Shanghai’s policy that no qualified student with a qualified disability be excluded from participating in any NYU Shanghai program or activity, denied the benefits of any NYU Shanghai program or activity, or otherwise subjected to discrimination with regard to any NYU Shanghai program or activity.

The Moses Center for Student Accessibility in New York determines qualified disability status and assists students in obtaining appropriate accommodations and services. The Moses Center operates according to an Independent Living Philosophy and strives in its policies and practices to empower each student to become as independent as possible. Their services are designed to encourage independence, backed by a strong system of support.

Students who need a reasonable accommodation based on a qualified disability are required to register with the Moses Center for assistance. They should contact shanghai.academicaccommodations@nyu.edu with any questions about registering.

Additional Information