Transfer applicants who will have already completed, at the very least, one full-year of full-time college or university enrollment in liberal arts and science courses, are exempt from having to submit standardized testing to NYU, though international applicants must review our English language testing requirements as these requirements apply to both freshman and transfer candidates applying to our campus in New York. If you have not already completed one full year of full-time college or university enrollment in liberal arts and science courses by the time you submit your application, you must meet our standardized testing requirements below.
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Standardized Tests
NYU seeks talented students from every corner of the globe. Applicants are expected to demonstrate their talents and mastery of subject matter to support their applications and to marshal their best case for admission to NYU. As a result, NYU has one of the most flexible testing policies of any college or university.
To be eligible for admission, applicants are expected to submit results from one of the following testing options:
- The SAT Reasoning Test; or
- The ACT (with Writing Test); or
- Three SAT Subject Test scores; or
- Three AP exam scores; or
- The International Baccalaureate Diploma; or
- Three IB higher-level exam scores (if you are not an IB Diploma candidate); or
- Students may instead elect to submit results from a nationally accredited exam that is considered locally to signify the completion of secondary education and is administered independently of the student’s school.
Note: SAT Subject Test, AP, or IB scores (for students not submitting an IB diploma) must be submitted in the form of: one in literature or the humanities; one in math or science; and one test of the student's choice in any subject. In addition, students who apply to the Stern School of Business need to be aware that in order to satisfy the math/science testing requirement, students who choose not to submit SAT or ACT scores must provide a score from a mathematics examination.
The following country-specific examinations are accepted:
- Australia: Australian Capital Territory Year 12 Certificate, New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC), Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET), Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE), Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), or Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE); in addition to Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) or Overall Position (OP) positioning
- Brazil: Certificado de Conclusao de Ensino Medio + Vestibular (University Entrance Exam) or Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio/Middle Education National Examination (ENEM)
- Bulgaria: Matura
- Caribbean: Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination
- Chile: Prueba De Seleccion Universitaria
- China: Chinese National Higher Education Entrance Examination (Gao Kao)
- Costa Rica: Bachillerato Nacional
- Croatia: Matura
- Estonia: Riigieksamitunnistus
- France: Baccalauréat
- Germany: Abitur
- Greece: Apolytirion
- India: Indian School Certificate (ISC), All India Senior School Certificate Examination (AISSCE) or Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC). Other state examinations may be considered on request.
- Indonesia: National Examination
- Ireland: Irish Leaving Certificate
- Israel: Teudat Bagrut
- Korea: College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)
- Mexico: CENEVAL EXANI II
- New Zealand: National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)
- Puerto Rico: Prueba de Aptitude Academica (PAA)
- Romania: Baccalaureate
- Scotland: Advanced Highers (Highers meet minimum requirements, Advanced Highers is recommended)
- Spain: Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad (Selectividad)
- Switzerland: Swiss Federal Maturity Certificate
- Taiwan: General Scholastic Ability Test (GSAT)
- United Kingdom (British Curriculum): GCE Advanced Level Examinations or equivalent combination of AS-Level and A-Level examinations; Pre U Examinations
- West Africa: West African Senior School Certificate Examination
The list of examinations by country above is not an exhaustive one and will be updated as new examinations are approved. If you have a question as to whether or not an examination offered in your country would meet our testing requirements, please send an email to admissions.ops@nyu.edu and we will confirm. You should not assume that any examinations will meet our testing requirements unless they are listed above.
Submitting scores/examination results:
Test scores or examination results should be submitted by the appropriate application deadline. If final examination results are unavailable at the time of application, predicted results may be sent (except in the case of SAT, SAT Subject, ACT, or AP scores, which must be final when submitted). Predicted results, which may be subject to additional verification, may only be submitted by a school official, via one of the following methods:
- Naviance/Common Application website;
- Mailed on official school letterhead, in a sealed and signed envelope; or
- Emailed from a clearly identifiable school email address.
If predicted results are submitted in place of final results, NYU reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission if final results are not within close range of the predicted results.
Students are welcome to submit evidence of national or international academic accomplishments which they feel may further support their application.
English language testing requirements for non-native English speakers:
Exemption from TOEFL/IELTS will be given:
- If your native language is English;
- If you have been studying in a school or college/university where the language of instruction is English for at least three years AND you submit SAT, ACT, AP, or IB testing; or
- If your education has been completed entirely in schools/colleges/universities where the language of instruction is English.
Even if you are exempt from taking the TOEFL/IELTS, or if you are applying to our campuses in Abu Dhabi and/or Shanghai, you may still submit your TOEFL/IELTS score to demonstrate your English proficiency. You should take the TOEFL regardless of any other test scores you submit to NYU if you do not qualify for an exemption. Your TOEFL/IELTS score will be used in conjunction with, not in lieu of, other required standardized testing. Please also be aware:
- We do not have any minimum test score requirements, but our most competitive applicants score above 100 on the TOEFL Internet-based Test (iBT) and 7.5 or above on the IELTS. Information about the TOEFL may be secured by visiting the TOEFL website and information on the IELTS is available on the IELTS website. The TOEFL code for NYU undergraduate admissions is 2562.
- If you want to improve your English language skills prior to applying to an undergraduate program at NYU, you are welcome to investigate the American Language Institute, housed at NYU.
- All students will be further tested upon arrival at NYU. If your ability to speak and write in English is not deemed to be of a sufficiently high level to register for academic study, you will have to register for noncredit English courses that will entail additional expense and extend the time normally required to complete your degree.