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Entry Requirements

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To gain admission into NYU Abu Dhabi, you need to meet the university’s entry requirements. Grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities are all carefully considered and evaluated in our comprehensive review.

 
Entry Requirements

1. Common Application

The Common Application is required for students applying to any or all of NYU's three degree-granting campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, or Shanghai. You'll be able to choose your campus(es) and program(s) of interest on the NYU-specific page of the Common Application.

Application Essays

Required Essay

You are required to submit one written essay with your application: a Personal Statement that will be seen by all schools you apply to through the Common Application.

Optional Essay

You have the option to also answer an NYU-specific question in which we provide a few prompts for you to choose from. This question truly is optional: we welcome you to complete it if you are eager to tell us more about yourself, but you will not be disadvantaged if you leave it blank.

 

2. Required School Forms

Please note: The contacts you identify don’t 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.

Required Forms Important Notes
Common Application School Report Your counselor or school representative will need to submit the Common Application Mid-Year Report with an updated transcript by March 1. This should show your first semester/term grades from your final year. Be sure to have the school representative's contact information available when you complete the Common Application.
Recommendation Letter This letter should be submitted on your behalf from anyone who can speak to your potential in a college setting. This may include your teacher, counselor or another person in your life who can better speak to your accomplishments and aspirations.
 

3. Standardized Tests

Please note: students applying in the 2023-2024 application cycle are not required to submit standardized testing.

Results from standardized testing exams are an important criteria for evaluating our global pool of applicants. With that said, NYU has one of the most flexible testing policies of any college or university. Review our testing policy for all campuses of NYU.

Students who elect to submit testing as part of their application to NYU Abu Dhabi, should submit only one of the following:

Exam scores should be submitted as follows:

  • SAT, SAT Subjects, AP, or TOEFL scores submitted through the testing agency using NYU's school code: 2562
  • ACT scores submitted through the testing agency using NYU's school code: 2838
  • Predicted or final IB, A-level, or national exam results submitted by a school official through the Common Application or sent to admissions.docs@nyu.edu from a school email address (with final results submitted by the examining board when possible)
 

4. English Language Testing

Results from English language testing are required for students whose native language is not English (unless they have been studying in a curriculum where English is the sole language of instruction for three years prior to applying). 

Please review NYU's English Language Testing Requirements for Non-Native English Speakers before applying to ensure that you have completed the required testing by the application deadline.

 

5. Entry Age Requirements

Students must be 17 years old by August 1 of the year they plan to enroll in order to be eligible to attend NYU Abu Dhabi. Applicants who will not meet this criteria are able to resubmit their application for the following class. If you are uncertain about your eligibility, please contact nyuad.admissions@nyu.edu before you submit your Common Application.