world map in a cafe

Note regarding COVID-19 Protocols: NYU will require students studying on campus to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Please review the vaccination requirements for international students.

In most cases, international students who want to enroll at NYU as a visiting student need to obtain a F-1/J-1 student visa. In order to allow plenty of time between admission and the start of the semester, international students should submit the application, including all required supplemental materials, by the following deadlines: 

  • Fall Semester - May 15 if applying to take in person courses; Aug 20 if applying to take only online courses and not entering US
  • January Term - October 21
  • Spring Semester - November 18
  • Summer Semester - March 17

Permanent residents and individuals in the U.S. pursuant to certain non-immigrant visa categories are not required to submit visa documentation to enroll in courses.

Do I need to take an English proficiency exam?

If English is not your native language, you may be asked to show your proficiency by taking one of the following tests (results must be from the last two years):

Who is exempt from English language proficiency testing?

Exemption will be given in the following circumstances:

  • If English is your first/primary language
  • If you already completed (at the time of application submission) three or more consecutive academic years in a curriculum where the only language of instruction was English

Do you have a minimum score requirement?

We do not have any minimum test score requirements, but competitive applicants will receive:

  • 100 and above on the TOEFL iBT
  • 7.5 and above on the IELTS Academic
  • 70 and above on the PTE Academic
  • 191 and above on the Cambridge English Scale
  • 4.5 and above on the iTEP
  • 125 and above on the Duolingo English Test

How do I submit my results to NYU?

For the TOEFL iBT, use NYU's code 2562.

For the IELTS Academic, search for "New York University" and release results to Undergraduate Admissions as opposed to one of our school or colleges. Similarly, for the PTE Academic, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, select "New York University" as opposed to one of our specific NYU schools or colleges. Searching for "NYU" will not return any results; you must search using our official name.

For the Duolingo English Test, please follow the instructions outlined in Duolingo's "How do I send my Duolingo English Test results to institutions?" documentation to send your score to NYU for free.

Only official test results will be accepted and must be sent from the testing agency to NYU. Test results submitted by applicants will not be accepted.

What kind of visa do I need?

Please note that NYU advises against a B-1/B-2 visa or Visa Waiver (ESTA) for visiting students. If you require NYU sponsorship for a visa, only F-1 or J-1 is advised. If you are offered admissions, we will assist you in the next steps, including instructions for obtaining an I-20, after you have officially accepted your spot.

The recommendation for your I-20/DS-2019 application is to complete this as soon as possible after receiving instructions. While OGS will still process your application when it is received, waiting to submit your application may result in you not having sufficient time to obtain a visa with the US Consulate or Embassy prior to the start of the semester.

Please contact the NYU Office of Global Services (OGS) with specific visa related questions at newinternationalstudents@nyu.edu.

Are there any special requirements I should know about?

As an F-1 or J-1 student you are required to pursue a "full course of study" to achieve a specific educational objective at an academic institution in the United States.

  • For Fall and Spring semester a full course of study can be defined as 12 - 18 credits. 
  • For Summer and January Term a full course of study can be defined as one credit per week or at least 18 hours of class time for a non-credit course.

What happens after I arrive?

All international students MUST check in with the NYU Office of Global Services (OGS) upon arrival in order to be in compliance. Visit the OGS website for a list of dates and times for visiting student check in.