Apply for Admission

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Deadlines

Before You Apply

Be sure to have the following on hand before you begin your application:

1. School Contact: Contact information for the counselor or other school representative who will complete your Common Application School Report and submit your official secondary school transcript.
2. Letter of Recommendation: Contact information for a teacher, counselor, or any other individual who will complete this letter of recommendation that speaks to your accomplishments and aspirations.
3. Application Fee: Nonrefundable USD 80 application fee. Students who are unable to pay the application fee can request a fee waiver.
4. Campus of Interest: Be prepared to indicate campus of interest: When applying to NYU through the Common Application, you will be asked to choose your primary campus of interest (Abu Dhabi, New York City, or Shanghai). While we assume Abu Dhabi will be your primary campus of interest, you have the option of indicating up to two alternate campuses of interest. Your application will not be disadvantaged in any way if you choose to do so.

Step 1: Complete Your Common Application

Watch this helpful video below to learn about the process and deadlines.

Step 2: Submit Your Supporting Materials

Common Application School Report and Transcripts.

Your counselor or other school representative will complete your Common Application School Report, where they are able to submit your high school transcript(s).

The school report includes everything that comes from your high school or college counselor, including your academic records, predicted testing results, counselor recommendation, school profile, and mid-year report.

Academic records would include transcripts, which are a record of your academic accomplishments, including every course you took, when you took each course, and the grades you received and how to submit them

NYUAD will accept official or unofficial transcripts and test scores for the purposes of the application review process.

Letter of Recommendation

Beginning this year, we will only require one letter of recommendation, and it is not required that it be from a teacher or counselor. We want the letter to be substantive and to speak to your potential in a college setting, and we realize that limiting who can submit the letter of recommendation presents an obstacle to some students. Of course, teacher and counselor recommendations are still welcome, but we wanted to broaden your options in case another person in your life can better speak to your accomplishments and aspirations. Once you have made up your mind, please provide their email address in the Common Application. They will be sent an invite message to fill out the necessary letter online. While digital submission via the Common Application is preferred, they may submit any documents in hard copy by mail.

It’s a good idea to also follow up with the person recommending you and confirm all required materials have been submitted on your behalf.

Self Reported Academic Record

Please read about the SRAR requirement at NYU.

Timing

The school officials you identify do not need to wait for you to submit your application before they submit supporting materials, but universities will not be able to access their forms until you have submitted your application.

Step 3: Standardized Testing

Please note: In light of COVID-19, NYU will remain test-optional for students applying for the 2022-2023 application cycle. All applying students are NOT required to submit standardized testing. Read the full statement from the Assistant Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions.

Students who elect to submit testing as part of their application to NYU Abu Dhabi, should review our Standard Testing Requirements here and submit official score reports or predicted scores.

Note: Test scores must come from an official source to be processed. Use your name exactly as it appears on your passport or birth certificate on your application and supporting documents.

English Language Testing
All NYU students must have a strong command of the English language to be successful in a fast-paced, rigorous academic environment. If English is not your native language, we recommend you submit results from an English language testing exam.

See full list of accepted English language proficiency exams

Step 4: Optional Essay

In this optional essay, we invite you to tell us about your personal identity, and how you will uniquely contribute to our community. A student should answer this question if they think that it adds to their application, whether it be additional context or new information, but we truly mean optional when we make it optional.

Please note that this question replaced the previously required "Why NYU Essay."

Sending Documents

To be considered official, all documents (including academic transcripts) require an original signature of the registrar or other designated school official, or the institution's seal. If a document isn't in English, then a translation should be provided (a school official or a translation agency accredited in your country can issue the translation). All official testing should come from the relevant examination board or testing agency.

Note: Transcripts and test scores must come from an official source to be processed. Use your name exactly as it appears on your passport or birth certificate on your application and supporting documents.

New York University
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
383 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10003
USA

or via email to admissions.docs@nyu.edu