City College of New York

city college of new york requirements

Diverse CCNY Degrees in Upper Manhattan

The City College of New York appears in our ranking of 50 Great Affordable Colleges for Art and Music.

Ranked the North’s 55th best choice by the U.S. News & World Report, the City College of New York boasts 86 percent average retention across 75 bachelor’s and 71 master’s majors with a 15:1 student-faculty ratio in Hamilton Heights. For example, the 120-credit Pre-Law BA uniquely partners with the premier Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom firm for paid internships and three-week summer institutes. Since 1984, the Advertising & Public Relations BA has enrolled 200+ majors annually in a 120-credit, portfolio-based curriculum with AAF Chapter membership and the One Show College Competition.

Chaired by Prof. Julio Salcedo-Fernandez, the Master of Architecture builds a 108-credit, NAAB-accredited plan with access to the cutting-edge J. Max Bond Center and Digital Fabrication Lab. The 33-credit Master of International Affairs blends Colin Powell school courses like Global Security with Diplomat-in-Residence mentoring, thesis work, and a South Africa exchange.

Other options include the Electrical Engineering BE, Jewish Studies BA, Sonic Arts BM, Biology BS, Environmental Earth Systems BS, Translational Medicine MS, Economics MA, Literacy MED, Physics MS, Dominican Studies MA, History MA, and Clinical Psychology Ph.D.

About the City College of New York

The City College of New York originated on January 21, 1849, when Board of Education President Townsend Harris opened the Free Academy under Dr. Horace Webster for low-income males with merit. In 1866, it became the College of the City of New York. Three decades later, its first fraternity called Phi Sigma Kappa was launched. In 1906, its current 35-acre, Gothic-style Manhattanville campus was designed by George Browne Post. Though women were admitted into master’s in 1930, CCNY didn’t become coeducational until 1951. In 1976, the senior college switched from free schooling to tuition. By 1979, it was overseen by the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York system. In Fall 2010, CCNY welcomed its first cohort of Undergraduate Scholars for the Macaulay Honors College. The Model UN team famously won the Outstanding Delegation Award for four years starting 2003. Budgeting $140 million, the City College of New York now serves 16,544 Beavers from 153 nations with 21 research institutes and 100+ clubs like Teachers of Tomorrow. On Niche, CCNY boasts America’s 85th best art programs, 104th top theatre degrees, and 149th best English majors.

City College of New York Accreditation Details

On June 21, 2018, the City College of New York received an official warning from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) over compliance issues found during a Level III accreditation review in 2016 under its 13th president, Dr. Vincent Boudreau, who received a CSA-NYC Outstanding Educator of the Year Award. Located 105 miles down Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, this superb six-state Northeast accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Education Department and New York State Education Department. The Academic Affairs Office also lists the following accreditations:

  •  Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)
  •  National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)
  •  American Psychological Association (APA)
  •  Council on Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
  •  Accreditation Review Commission on Education for Physician Assistants (ARC-PA)
  • Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA)

City College of New York Application Requirements

Entering the City College of New York is classified “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s since 10,340 of the 25,378 Fall 2017 applicants were victorious for only 41 percent acceptance. First-year Beavers must finish high school curricula of 16+ academic units or exceed a 3250 GED score. Early admission is reserved for juniors ranking in the upper 10th percentile of their class. Achieving a 5.0 or higher on International Baccalaureate courses would transfer three credits. The Class of 2021 had an 89.9 high school average, which equals a B+ or 3.3 GPA. BS/MD Program hopefuls need an 85 or better average. Freshmen present a median 1240 SAT and 26 ACT composite mark. Transfers typically have culminated one to four full-time semesters at regionally accredited colleges with GPAs over 2.5. The Grove School of Engineering mandates a 2.7 GPA with prerequisites like Calculus, Physics, and Chemistry. The Graduate Division seeks ambitious bachelor’s holders meeting 3.0 GPAs. The Physician Assistant Studies MS requires Biology, Microbiology, Statistics, and Genetics courses. School of Education entrants need 30+ teaching credits plus NYS licensure. GRE reports from the last five years are often requested too.

The City College of New York has general undergrad deadlines of February 1st for Fall and September 15th for Spring entrance. However, Bernard & Anne Spitzer School of Architecture entrants only have until January 1st yearly. The BS/MD Program at the Sophie Davis School has a January 8th cutoff. Graduate Division deadlines are even more variable. For instance, the Studio Arts MFA accepts candidates until March 1st and October 1st while Information Systems MIS cohorts must file by May 1st. Check program-specific dates before filing the $75 CUNY Application online. Have registrars send official transcripts to 160 Convent Avenue in New York, NY 10031. Select institutional code 2083 for test score submissions. Compile other items like the 500-word personal statement, two recommendations, AP credit form, residency verification, immunization record, and résumé. Learn more by contacting (212) 650-6977 or [email protected].

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2018-19, the City College of New York has billed full-time NYS undergrads $3,365 per semester or $6,730 annually. Studying part-time incurs $295 per credit. Non-residents pay $600 per credit. Budgets include a $63.50 activity fee, $125 technology fee, and $15 consolidated fee each term. Living on-campus at The Towers adds $15,550 for yearly room and board. CCNY suggests leaving $1,364 for books and $5,430 for miscellaneous needs. Annual bachelor’s attendance equals around $29,284 in-state and $36,674 out-of-state. The Graduate Division generally charges New Yorkers $455 and non-residents $830 per credit. Master of Architecture majors spend $535 to $920 per credit. The MPS in Branding & Integrated Communications raises tuition to $1,045 per credit.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid at the Wille Administration Building presents $69.73 million total for 64 percent of CCNY Beavers to reap median offers of $8,153 each. Collegiate funds include the Edward I. Koch Scholarship, Kaye Scholarship, Colin Powell Scholarship, Partners for Change Fellowship, Isaacs Scholarship, Sophie Davis Scholarship, Community Engagement Fellowship, Barbara Krames Cohen Scholarship, Judge Hubert Delany Scholarship, and Golding-Donaldson Leadership Scholarship. The Guttman Transfer Scholarship gifts $4,000 over two years to incoming CUNY associate graduates. Governor Cuomo implemented free tuition via the Excelsior Scholarship for in-state families making $125,000 or less. New Yorkers also pursue the Regents Award, STEM Incentive, Senator Patricia McGee Scholarship, and State Aid to Native Americans. Filing FAFSA forms coded 002688 determines eligibility for Federal Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Work-Study, and Direct Loan money. The Graduate Division has assistantships paying at least $15/hour plus the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Minority Ph.D. Fellowship.

Search through eight accredited, affordable academic divisions at the City College of New York website.