Admission Requirements
Source: Graduate Center Bulletin, 2007-09

Scholastic Requirements
Depending upon the intended doctoral program, an applicant must have earned a bachelor’s from an accredited institution whose requirements for the degree are substantially equivalent to those of the City University. In addition, the applicant must complete the prerequisites specified by the program, submit evidence that he or she shows promise of ability to carry out research, and be approved by the admissions committee of the program in which he or she intends to specialize.


Requirements for International Students
Graduates of foreign colleges and universities who meet the standards of admission equivalent to those described above may be considered for admission to the City University’s doctoral programs. The applicant must present authoritative evidence of sufficient competence in the English language to pursue a regular course of study at the City University. An applicant who has not studied in an English-speaking country must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered internationally by Educational Testing Service, and request ETS to report examination results directly to the Admissions Office, the City University Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Inquiries concerning this examination may be made to: Test of English as a Foreign Language, Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08540, U.S.A. or to most American embassies and consulates.

A student residing alone in New York City should have about $30,000 for the year to cover tuition, books, room, board, and personal expenses.

University assistance for which international students are eligible to compete is extremely limited and may not be adequate to fund the student’s total expenses. Before receiving a visa for entrance into the United States, students must certify (documentary evidence is required) that they are financially able to support themselves for the entire period of their stay in the United States while pursuing a full course of study.

Transfer of Credit
A maximum of 30 acceptable graduate credits taken prior to admission to the doctoral program at the City University may be applied toward the degree provided the courses were completed with a grade of B or higher within an appropriate period preceding the time of application and are equivalent to comparable courses at the City University. In the case of master’s programs, a total of 12 credits may be approved for transfer. Exceptions to the above regulations may be considered under special circumstances. An evaluation of previously earned credits may be made before the end of the student’s first year in residence by the student’s program.

Application Process
The City University of New York Graduate Center application process is self-managed. Responsibility for gathering required documents such as official transcripts and letters of recommendation rests with the applicant. The applicant (this includes students who are attending or have attended a college of the City University) then must submit these supporting items as a package to the Office of Admissions, including official documents in their original sealed envelopes.

The applicant must submit the following material to the Office of Admissions, City University Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016:

1. Application form, which is available online, as a downloadable pdf.
2. Two letters of recommendation from faculty members personally acquainted with the applicant’s academic achievement.
3. An official transcript from each college or university attended, bearing the seal and/or signature of the appropriately authorized college official.
   All documents, except those foreign certificates considered irreplaceable, become the property of the Graduate Center and cannot be returned. No original foreign documents can be returned unless accompanied at the time of filing by photostatic copies that have been verified by admissions personnel. All foreign documents must be accompanied by official English translations.
4. Scores for the Graduate Record Examination General Test and, where applicable, for the subject test in the area of intended study, except in the Ph.D. Program in Business, where the Graduate Management Admissions Test is required in lieu of the GRE.

Arrangements should be made to register for the tests well before the administration dates. For information, call 1.800.GRE.CALL. Official GRE scores must be reported to the CUNY Graduate Center — ETS College Code-2113.

Application Deadlines

Consult the current program deadlines.

Denial of Admission

The college reserves the right to deny admission to any student if in its judgment, the presence of that student on campus poses an undue risk to the safety or security of the college or the college community. That judgment will be based on an individualized determination taking into account any information the college has about a student's criminal record and the particular circumstances of the college, including the presence of a child care center, a public school or public school students on the campus.

Financial Assistance

A student wishing to apply for financial assistance should refer to the listing of awards in the 2007-09 Graduate Center Bulletin as well as our website for application dates and other pertinent information. An admissions applicant seeking financial assistance must submit both the admissions and financial forms and supporting documents by the award deadline date.