Frequently Asked Questions

The application is online. Supporting documents may also be submitted online should the option be available. All students must provide an official transcript from each college or university attended immediately after being accepted. Letters of recommendation, a personal statement and a resume are also required. The GRE's are also required of certain programs. The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam may be required for international students as well. Different programs may have additional requirements.

Here is a link to a video on how to apply

When available, please send official transcripts electronically if the service is offered by your institution. Unofficial transcripts can still be used for the review process and should be uploaded directly to the application. If your document is too large to upload, please break up the document and upload to another section in the transcript area. 

Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded to the online application to be used for evaluation purposes only. Applicants must upload an unofficial transcript, mark sheet, or academic record for each institution of higher education previously attended, even those that did not confer a degree. All transcript uploads must include a key, legend, or back copy of the transcript. Non-English transcripts must be accompanied by an English translation. Scans must be clear and legible, and all transcripts/records should include the student's name.

Official transcripts must arrive in the envelope, sealed and stamped by the Registrar’s office. If the official transcript does not include the conferral date of baccalaureate degree, please request an official copy of the diploma or provisional certificate as well. Transcripts (and diplomas) not in English must be accompanied by a translation.

Any admission offers will be contingent on receiving and verifying all official transcripts, certified translations, and/or credential evaluations pertaining to the applicant's entire post-secondary academic career, prior to the registration deadline. Any fraudulent activity or discrepancies found between unofficial and official transcripts will result in the immediate revocation of the admission offer.

If your transcript is in the original envelope, which has been sealed and stamped (or signed) by the Registrar’s Office, then it is official. If you have opened the envelope, it is no longer official.

Students are responsible for having their academic records translated to English by an official translation agency, their consulate office or the university attended. Notary publics cannot provide official translations. 

Yes, however the College only accepts evaluations from the following credential agencies:

Education Credential Evaluators, Inc.: www.ece.org
Evaluation Service Inc.: www.evaluationservice.net
Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.: www.jsilny.org
Transcript Research: www.transcriptresearch.com

Applications submitted or completed after the deadline are not guaranteed a review. However, applicants should be in contact with the Admissions Office and/or the program advisor concerning individual circumstances. to ensure a smooth notification and review process, applicants should arrange for their application to be submitted well in advance of the deadline.

For the most updated information on all graduate school Programs & Deadlines, please refer to the admissions website.

International students are encouraged to begin the application process six months to one year prior to the deadline to allow for the arrival of their documents and processing of their application.

The TOEFL internet-based score of 61 or a 6.5 on the IELTS, are required minimum scores for admission, however several graduate programs require a higher score. Visit the program page for each program's list of requirements. 

The TOEFL/IELTS is not required of natives from countries where English is the official language, or of students who have a baccalaureate or master’s degree (or a minimum of two full years of non-technical study) from an institution in a country where English is the official language. You are also exempt if you are a permanent resident or citizen of the U.S. If you have received a degree from a foreign institution where English is the medium of instruction, you are still required to take the TOEFL and achieve the required minimum score.

Official TOEFL/IELTS score reports will have to be requested directly from the appropriate testing agency and sent electronically when the service is available.  If you have a digital score report, you can upload directly to your application to be used for reviewing purposes.To be considered official, test score reports must be sent directly from ETS (Educational Testing Service) and are only valid for two years from the test date.

The City College Institutional Code is 2083

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ETS is working to provide a solution for students who have been impacted by the coronavirus to take the TOEFL iBT® test and the GRE® General Test at home until test centers can reopen. TOEFL® testing is scheduled to begin on March 26, and GRE testing will begin on March 27.

Testing will be conducted through the use of live remote proctoring serviced by ProctorU®. This high-touch, real-time human monitoring of test sessions limits the number of seats available. Students can register beginning today. Please visit their site for the most updated information.

Students who have completed graduate work at other institutions may receive up to twelve transfer credits towards the master’s degree. The course(s) must have been taken within a five-year period preceding matriculation at The City College. Twelve credits may be granted for courses taken in one or more of the senior colleges of The City University of New York.

The precise number of credits will be determined in each case by the appropriate graduate committee and by the divisional Dean’s office after the student has satisfactorily completed at least twelve credits of Graduate work at the College.

A student may apply as non-matriculated during Fall, Spring or Summer registration, as space permits. Some programs, however do not accept non-degree applications. More information on non-matriculation is also available in the Graduate Bulletin. Students who wish to take courses as a non-degree student must submit a "Non-Degree Application" along with proof of a bachelor's degree and the non refundable $75 application fee. 

Student visas are not issued for students applying as a non-degree. Non-degree applicants may still be required to submit proof of English proficiency.

If you are currently employed in a profession related to the area for which you seek admission, you may provide one recommendation from your supervisor. If you enroll in a class as a non-matriculated student, you can seek a recommendation from that instructor.  

Upon acceptance to the college, the “Application for the Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20)” will be included with the acceptance letter. The form must be completed and returned, along with the required financial certification documents requested. If the form is correctly completed and the proper supporting documents provided are deemed satisfactory, an I-20 will be issued to take to your consulate for a student visa.

Students that have been accepted as matriculated with conditions are those that have applied and submitted all official documents to the graduate admissions office and have received a formal letter from the divisional dean accepting them as matriculated with conditions. Matriculate conditional students must fulfill requirements as specified by the academic department. Students may achieve matriculation by meeting college and university requirements.

Due to USCIS rules, international students with conditional admission must complete their pre-requisite courses successfully before starting at CCNY, as SEVP regulation prohibits the issuance of a I-20 based on conditional admission.   

Students are assigned residency status when admitted to the College. Since residency determines tuition rates, students should know their classifications. You must be able to prove that you have resided in New York State for the past twelve months and, if necessary, verify your status as a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, as only citizens, permanent residents and certain Visa holders are eligible for in-state tuition. If there is a question about a student’s status, s/he is responsible for proving residency. An Application for Proof of Bona Fide Residency is available in the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Admissions. New students must apply through the Office of Admissions; continuing students must apply through the Office of the Registrar.

The Academic Program, Divisional Dean and the Office of Graduate Admissions admit graduate students. A student’s informal admission is not official until these three parties approve it and an official acceptance letter is issued from the Office of Graduate Admissions.

*Tuition and fees are subject to change. Please refer to our website for the most updated information.

The City College priority deadline for filing a FAFSA is March 15 each year*. Early FAFSA filers are more likely to receive the earliest Federal Work-Study and Federal loan award options. If you apply early, your financial aid award can be posted onto your student account before classes begin. Refer to the Financial Aid page on options for graduate students.

Sallie Mae Tuition Pay provides a service to assist students in paying tuition by installments. Additional information on tuition payment options is available on the Bursar's Office website.

You have two options for making payments. You can pay by credit card or echeck via your application portal or you can mail a money order payable to The City College of New York, however please note that there will likely be a delay in processing for items mailed to us. Please include your Applicant Full Name (as written in the application), and your Applyyourself ID and mail payments to: 

The Office of Admissions will send you an email acknowledging that your application has been received and informing you of any material(s) that may be missing. Once your application is complete, the appropriate Admissions Committee will review it, the Divisional Dean’s Office will finalize the admission decision and the Office of Graduate Admissions will then notify applicants of their decision. Each program varies in response time. We expect decisions 6-8 weeks following the deadline. However, as soon as the Admissions office receives decisions, notice is sent out immediately after. 

The online application process is designed for online processing. When the option to send official documents electronically is available, we recommend that applicants utilize those services.

If items must be mailed, please refer to the information below:

The City College of New York
Office of Graduate Admissions
Marshak Science Building, Office 24
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

The Office of Graduate Admissions is currently working remotely. Email will be the best form of communication until further notice. 

School of Education:  edgradadm@ccny.cuny.edu
The Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture: archgrad@ccny.cuny.edu  
All Others:  graduateadmissions@ccny.cuny.edu

No, you can only be term activated for one program per term at the same school. Although you may be able to enroll at another CUNY college in the same term, you may want to clarify federal and other types of funding for covering multiple programs.