Every year, NYU receives over 100,000 applications from high school students. Unfortunately, they only accept 12% of freshman applicants and the median SAT of admitted freshmen is 1550. The good news is that the university admits thousands of transfer applicants every year. Even better, acceptance rates for transfers at NYU are roughly double the rate for freshman applicants. The following blog will reveal the NYU transfer acceptance rate as well other essential pieces of information like the NYU transfer deadline, the NYU transfer requirements, NYU transfer GPA and much more.

NYU Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available NYU transfer acceptance rate as well as historical data.

In the fall of 2021, there were 9,042 transfer applicants and 2,337 individuals were accepted. This means that the NYU transfer acceptance rate is 25.8%.

When trying to get the complete picture on how difficult it is to transfer into NYU, it is important to also look at historical data. Many schools have wild fluctuations in transfer acceptance rate from year to year. As you can see, NYU’s rates have indeed been somewhat variable in recent years.

Historical NYU transfer rates are as follows:

Year NYU Transfer Acceptance Rate
2020 41%
2019 22%
2018 25%
2017 26%

NYU Transfer Deadline

NYU offers both a fall and spring transfer admission cycle. The NYU transfer deadline for fall applicants is April 1. The NYU transfer deadline for spring applicants is November 1.

However, not all programs allow spring transfers. For example, the following programs within the Tisch School of the Arts only accept applications for a fall transfer:

  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Dramatic Writing
  • Film and Television
  • Game Design
  • Interactive Media Arts
  • Photography and Imaging
  • Recorded Music

NYU Transfer Requirements

All students must submit to the following items as part of their NYU application:

  • A Common App for Transfer
  • Official college transcripts
  • Final high school transcripts (with graduation date)
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Portfolios (for some majors)
  • NYU may ask for a midterm report, but it is not required for all applicants.

Students who have the best chance to gain admissions to NYU have done the following:

  • Completed at least 32 credits of college coursework.
  • Earned exceptional grades in their first year at a community college or 4-year university.
  • Completed lower-level coursework within their intended major.

NYU has a Community College Transfer Opportunity Program (CCTOP) that helps community college students enter the university.

NYU Transfer GPA

This school does not reveal their average GPA for successful transfer students. However, in our experience working with NYU transfers, you will have the best chance with a 3.7 or better. This is not to say that your chances are nonexistent with a GPA below that mark, but a 3.7-4.0 NYU transfer GPA will undoubtedly put you on the firmest ground.

NYU Transfer Application Essays

New York University requires the following essays to be completed by all transfer applicants:

1) We would like to know more about your interest in NYU. We are particularly interested in knowing what motivated you to apply to NYU and more specifically, why you have applied or expressed interest in a particular school, college, program, and/or area of study? We would like to understand why NYU? (2,500 character maximum)

2) Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. (3,000 character maximum)

When Do NYU Transfer Decisions Come Out?

Fall NYU transfer decisions come out by May 15. Spring applicants will receive a decision by December 15.

Final Thoughts – NYU Transfer Acceptance Rate

For a highly-selective university, NYU continues to be relatively “transfer-friendly”. Unlike many other elite institutions, the transfer acceptance rate at this school is not in the single-digits. Around 3-4% of the NYU student body are transfers. Some colleges/schools within the university are more competitive than others. For example, the Stern School of Business only takes transfers in the fall semester and gives preference to current NYU students seeking internal transfers. On the other end of the spectrum, The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development takes in hundreds of external transfers each year. In short, if you meet the NYU transfer requirements, you have a legitimate shot at achieving a positive outcome.

If you are looking for information on how to apply to NYU as a first year student, you may find the following blogs to be of interest:

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages: