Graduation Honors
If you maintain a record of exceptional achievement during the duration of your degree program, you may be recognized with an honors designation upon graduation.
Whether you meet the criteria to graduate with honors is established by your school.
The graduation honors gathered on this page will be noted on your record and/or diploma if you are eligible.
You may be eligible for other honors and awards through the university or individual school when you graduate. However, those will not be posted on your record or diploma. You can find out more about those awards through the school bulletin.
Learn more about:
University Honors Scholars
If you reach graduation as a top-ranking Baccalaureate candidate or graduate, you will be named a University Honors Scholar and awarded the NYU Founders’ Day Award. You will be notified by email on April 21, Founders’ Day.
Recipients of this honor receive a gold tassel to wear during Commencement and a personalized certificate. You can collect your gold tassel and your personalized certificate along with your Commencement attire.
If you qualify with the minimum GPA based on your spring semester grades, you will be awarded this honor retroactively and will receive your tassel and certificate following Commencement. The items will be mailed in mid-summer to your permanent address listed in NYU Albert.
Please note: The University Honors Scholar and Founders’ Day Award are separate and distinct from Latin Honors with different criteria. Qualifying for one does not mean you will qualify for the other.
Latin Honors
If you have achieved a high cumulative grade point average (GPA) and completed your school’s minimum number of credits you will be awarded latin honors.
For all students except those attending NYU Abu Dhabi, the GPA cutoffs are determined by the combined GPA distribution from the preceding academic year.
For example, if you are graduating during the academic year from September 2021 to May 2022, the GPA cutoff for summa cum laude will be based on the top 5% of GPAs from combined graduates from September 2020, January 2021, and May 2021.
NYU Abu Dhabi students’ Latin honors are determined by a different set of cumulative GPA cutoffs.
Summa cum laude
You will qualify for this honor if your GPA falls within the top 5% of the previous year’s graduating class.
NYU Abu Dhabi students are awarded this honor according to the top 5% of the graduating class in each division.
Magna cum laude
You will qualify for this honor if your GPA falls within the next 10% of the previous year’s graduating class.
NYU Abu Dhabi students are awarded this honor according to the next 10% of the graduating class in each division.
Cum laude
You will qualify for this honor if your GPA falls within the next 15% of the previous year’s graduating class.
NYU Abu Dhabi students are awarded this honor according to the next 15% of the graduating class in each division.
GPA cutoffs: September 2023 to May 2024
|
Summa Cum Laude |
Magna Cum Laude |
Cum Laude |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| CAS | 3.949 | 3.867 | 3.763 |
| Dental | 3.900 | 3.800 | 3.700 |
| Gallatin | 3.966 | 3.932 | 3.860 |
| Liberal Studies | 3.989 | 3.963 | 3.878 |
| Nursing |
4.000 |
3.917 | 3.806 |
| SPS | 3.961 | 3.891 | 3.797 |
| Silver | 3.975 | 3.955 | 3.930 |
| Steinhardt | 3.958 | 3.910 | 3.847 |
| Stern | 3.911 | 3.838 | 3.751 |
| Tandon | 3.928 | 3.837 | 3.720 |
| Tisch | 3.939 | 3.882 | 3.808 |
Please note:
- Only courses applicable to the degree are used in calculating GPA.
- Grades received in courses taken at other institutions are not included.
- Courses taken at other schools and colleges at NYU may be excluded from the GPA calculation per the policy of the program.
Residency Requirements
Each school or college at New York University has its own set of credit requirements for you to be considered for latin honors within their programs.
Reference your school or college to find out what your requirements include.