How to Get Into NYU: Acceptance Rate and Strategies

August 4, 2025

nyu acceptance rate

NYU has a reputation for world-class academics with an international flair. In fact, the 29,000+ undergraduates situated in Greenwich Village include the highest number of international students of any school in the U.S. as well as the greatest number of students who elect to study abroad as part of the college experience. It鈥檚 no wonder that between 1991 and 2000, applications to NYU rose 300% and the acceptance rate declined from 65% to 29%. The Class of 2028 acceptance rate hit an all-time low — 9.2%. NYU’s acceptance rate makes it one of the nation鈥檚 most selective institutions. Given that the process of gaining acceptance into NYU becomes increasingly challenging with each passing year, this blog is designed to deepen your understanding of the following topics:

  • NYU鈥檚 acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
  • NYU ED acceptance rate
  • SAT, ACT, GPA, and class rank of accepted NYU applicants
  • Admissions trends
  • The demographics of current NYU undergraduates
  • Yield rate
  • How NYU鈥檚 admissions officers evaluate candidates
  • Tips for applying to NYU
  • How to approach the NYU supplemental essay
  • How to assess whether applying to NYU is even worth the $80 application fee (for you)
  • Whether NYU is transfer-friendly

NYU – College Admissions Calculator

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NYU Acceptance Rate 鈥 Class of 2029

The school received over 120,000 applications for the Class of 2029 — a new record. Though the official figures haven’t been released, this year’s acceptance rate is projected to be lower than 8%, another record low for the university.

Historical NYU acceptance rates reveal a steady decline in recent years:

Applicants Admits Acceptance Rate
Class of 2028 110,807 10,232 9.2%
Class of 2027 113,578 10,693 9.4%
Class of 2026 100,662 12,539 12.5%
Class of 2025 95,517 12,380 13%

For further perspective, in 2015, the acceptance rate was 31%.

NYU Acceptance Rate by School/College

According to a recent press release regarding the incoming Class of 2029, three of NYU’s undergraduate schools accepted less than 5% of applicants. They were:

  • College of Arts and Sciences
  • Leonard N. Stern School of Business
  • Rory Meyers College of Nursing

NYU Tisch Acceptance Rate:

NYU does not publish an official Tisch acceptance rate. However, it is understood to be fairly consistent with the overall acceptance rate at NYU.

NYU Stern Acceptance Rate:

According to the most recent official statistics, the NYU Stern acceptance rate is about 3%. Based on statements made by the University, we believe that this will hold true for the Class of 2029 as well.

NYU ED Acceptance Rate

While the university is rather secretive about ED I and ED II acceptance rates, the most recent available data suggests that those who apply ED have approximately 2-3 times the acceptance rate of those who apply in the regular round.

Notably, this past cycle, NYU received the largest number of ED applications ever: over 25,000. Moreover, there has been a 56% increase in ED applications over the past five years.

What GPA do you need to get into NYU?

Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, the average GPA was 3.81.

18% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above, while 54% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. Moreover, 22% of students had a GPA between 3.5 and 3.74.

While you’ll want to aim for as high a GPA as possible, you’ll fare best if your GPA is at least 3.5.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to NYU?

In a recent year, “most” students (university’s phrasing) placed in the top 10% of their graduating classes.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for NYU?

According to the most recent statistics available, the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1480-1550, and the mid-50% ACT range was 34-35.

Admissions Trends & Notes 鈥 Class of 2028

  • 60% of applications were from students who attended public high schools.
  • NYU received 9,000 applications from students who worked with college access nonprofits like OppNet and Bottom Line.
  • 21% of those invited to join the 2024-25 freshman class were first-generation students.
  • Students from 49 U.S. states (all but North Dakota) and 103 countries were offered a place in the Class of 2028.
  • 1,000 students are from NYC public schools.

Demographics

Let鈥檚 look at the demographics of current undergraduates:

Geographically, current students include the following:

  • 50 U.S. states were represented.
  • Freshmen hailed from 86 countries around the globe.

Historically, the following states send the most undergraduates to the University:

  1. New York
  2. California
  3. New Jersey
  4. Florida
  5. Massachusetts
  6. Pennsylvania
  7. Texas
  8. Illinois
  9. Maryland
  10. Connecticut

As with all selective colleges, those from lower-populated, more remote areas of the country (e.g. Wyoming, South Dakota, Idaho) enjoy a boost to their admissions prospects.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the Class of 2028 is as follows:

  • Asian American: 27%
  • Hispanic: 9.7%
  • African American: 4.2%
  • International: 25%
  • White: 23%

A look at the breakdown by gender of all current undergraduate students reveals an equal percentage of men and women:

  • Male: 50%
  • Female: 50%

Yield Rate

NYU鈥檚 yield rate was 55% last year, five points higher than the previous year. For comparison, schools like Stanford and Harvard are typically over 80%, and the University of Chicago, MIT, and Yale all sport 70%+ yield rates. NYU usually finishes in the company of schools like Vanderbilt, Rice, and Carnegie Mellon.

How NYU Rates Applicants

There are five factors that NYU ranks as being 鈥渧ery important鈥 to their admissions process: 1) rigor of secondary school record, 2) GPA, 3) recommendations, 4) essays, and 5) character/personal qualities. The sole factor rated as 鈥渋mportant鈥 is standardized test scores. NYU merely 鈥渃onsiders鈥: extracurricular activities, talent/ability, first-generation status, geographical residence, volunteer experience, work experience, and the level of an applicant鈥檚 interest.

As for what NYU is looking for in its future students, the admissions office states that 鈥淣YU students are future Oscar winners, budding entrepreneurs, and ground-breaking scientists.鈥 If you aren鈥檛 destined for worldwide fame, fear not鈥擭YU is looking to put together a genuinely diverse class with a wide array of skills and experiences. In their own words: 鈥淭here are no formulas to making admissions decisions; NYU seeks a mix of students who have a variety of interests, talents, and goals.鈥

Tips for Applying

If you plan on joining the 120,000+ NYU hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

  • NYU will remain test-optional for the 2025-26 admissions cycle.
  • NYU only offers interviews for applicants to the . These interviews are held in person, in New York. For advice on what types of questions you should be prepared to answer/ask, visit our blog鈥College Interview Tips.
  • NYU does consider 鈥demonstrated interest鈥 so it is important to make contact with the admissions office, connect through social media, and visit campus or meet NYU reps at college fairs near you.
  • Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essay required by NYU. In the 2025-26 cycle, there was only one (revised) prompt, but it鈥檚 an important one!

We are looking for students who want to be bridge builders鈥攕tudents who can connect people, groups, and ideas to span divides, foster understanding, and promote collaboration within a dynamic, interconnected, and vibrant global academic community. We are eager for you to tell us how your experiences have helped you understand what qualities and efforts are needed to bridge divides so that people can better learn and work together.听(250 words)

Please consider one or more of the following questions in your essay:

  • Tell us about a time you encountered a perspective different from your own. What did you learn鈥攁bout yourself, the other person, or the world?
  • Tell us about an experience you’ve had working with others who have different backgrounds or perspectives. What challenges did your group face? Did you overcome them, and if so, how? What role did you try to play in helping people to work together, and what did you learn from your efforts?
  • Tell us about someone you’ve observed who does a particularly good job helping people think or work together. How does this person set the stage for common exploration or work? How do they react when difficulties or dissensions arise?

For a detailed look at how to tackle this essay, visit our blog entitled:NYU Supplemental Essay Prompt and Tips.

Should I Apply to NYU?

While the university grows more competitive each year, it continues to seek a highly diverse student body with a healthy percentage of first-generation, underrepresented minority, and low-income students. If none of these categories apply to you, you will likely need to possess SAT scores and grades closer to the 75th percentile of all enrolled students. Applying early decision (ED I or ED II) can definitely give you an edge if you find yourself 鈥渙n the cusp鈥 from an admissions standpoint. Due to a lower yield rate than the Ivy League and many other elite schools, NYU is happy to lock down stellar applicants in the early rounds.

Do I have a better chance of acceptance as a transfer student?

You do. The NYU acceptance rate for transfers is much higher than it is for freshmen. For students entering the university in 2024-25, 2,243 students were accepted out of 10,155 applicants, meaning that the transfer acceptance rate is a solid 22%. That said, the transfer acceptance rate does fluctuate a great deal. Here is a sampling of the past few years:

Year Acceptance Rate
2023-24 37%
2022-23 20.4%
2021-22 25.8%
2020-21 41%

Read more about the NYU transfer rate and requirements here.

NYU Acceptance Rate 鈥 Final Thoughts

All college-bound teens need to make sure that they formulate an听appropriate college list, containing a complement of 鈥渢arget鈥 and 鈥渟afety鈥 schools. You鈥檒l definitely want to do this in conjunction with an admissions professional (including your own high school counselor).

Looking for additional resources? Try starting with the following: