A: CUNY is a collection of public colleges that are mainly funded by the City of New York. It is comprised of 25 different campuses- 11 senior colleges, 7 community colleges, 14 graduate colleges, one Honors College, and one Law school.
A: CUNY is widely regarded for its excellent education at a much lower cost. Private colleges are far more expensive and CUNY students graduate with the same degrees as their private school counterparts.
A: We offer a total of 700 graduate programs. Programs that range from education, technology, psychology, art, media, engineering, and much more. You can find information on our many programs by searching our academic programs page and/or our brochure.
A: Attend an information session (if available) to learn more about each program. We also recommend that you speak with current students, alumni, and faculty in your areas of interest so feel free to reach out to the department.
A: Yes, feel free to browse our Academic Programs Page or Graduate School Brochure for all programs.
A: Applications can be accessed via the college’s graduate admissions page. Applicants should review the program’s admissions requirements, gather all of their documents, and then apply before the deadline. For an overview of the admissions process visit us here. Feel free to use this link to find the application page of each graduate-level CUNY school.
A: Although this usually depends on the semester you plan on applying for, it is always recommended that you start your application as soon as possible. Graduate schools, in general, require you to take several exams as well as send in several documents which, can take up to a month, if not more. You will want to give yourself as much breathing room as possible before the application deadline. Rushing an application close to a deadline is not recommended.
A: Just as the admissions requirements are different when applying for undergraduate and graduate admissions, the process itself is also different. Unlike undergraduate admissions, when applying for a CUNY Graduate program applicants must submit an application to the college directly. Whereas the CUNY undergraduate application allows students to apply to multiple colleges with one application and fee. The CUNY graduate admissions process requires that students apply to each college and program individually and pay a separate application fee for each.
A: Usually, you would have to fill out a readmission form at your previous school. Each school has a page for this, it can be usually found within their admissions page. You can also reach out to them for information on where to find it.
A: Although full requirements depend on the program you are applying to, requirements for our graduate programs usually include:
More information on general requirements can be found on our Applying to Graduate School page.
A: Yes, the application fee is $75 for each college, except for The CUNY School of Law ($60) and the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy ($140).
A: Veterans and their spouses are entitled to an application fee waiver at all CUNY colleges. Additionally, some CUNY colleges waive application fees for certain groups, such as current undergraduate students, therefore, please confirm with the CUNY college(s) of interest before applying. Applicants may also request a waiver based on financial hardship, though a waiver is not guaranteed.
A: Acceptable recommendation letters are usually from those with whom you have a professional relationship. The person should be able to vouch for your character and academic ability. So, individuals such as former or current professors, employers, and/or supervisors are preferred.
A: We suggest at least two months in advance of when you plan on submitting your application. Follow up with your recommenders to ensure that the letters get sent in a timely manner.
A: The admissions committee is looking to understand why you would be the best fit for the program, how you plan to use the knowledge you gain once you have finished graduate school, why you think that particular program would be the best fit for you, and how you think that it will help you achieve your life goals in the long run. It is also always a good idea to reach out to your CUNY graduate school of interest for extra pointers.
A: A Curriculum vitae or CV for short is an extensive document that records not only your educational history but also your certifications, research experience, professional affiliations, and memberships in academia as well as through your professional career.
A: A Resume is mainly competency-based, it’s a document stating your skills, merits, and experience. A CV is more credential-based, explaining your education, career, research experience, research experiences, publications, etc. It is usually much longer than a resume spanning about 3 pages. A resume usually spans around 1 page.
A: Depending on how far below the 3.0 average your current GPA is, you still have a chance of being admitted to your CUNY graduate school of choice. Our colleges review applications holistically which means that they will judge your application as a whole so, we recommend that you make sure that the other aspects of your application (such as your references and personal statement) are strong. It is also helpful to reach out to the campus’s graduate admissions office to speak with an advisor about your application and how you can increase your chances of being accepted.
A: Always reach out to your school of interest for advice on which path you are allowed to take and is best for you.
Typically there are two ways that students can fulfill prerequisites after having graduated with a bachelor’s degree:
Option One: You can apply as a non-degree student at the CUNY school of your choice. This allows you to be an official student without having to be affiliated with a certain program or degree. Restrictions may apply based on college and the prerequisites needed.
Option two: You can take these required courses at the beginning of your master’s degree. This option depends on the college and program to which you are admitted.
A: This status allows you to be an official student of your CUNY school of choice without the aim of obtaining a degree. This way, you will be able to enroll in a select number of courses without having to fully commit to a degree. Feel free to reach out to your CUNY school of interest for more information on their particular non-degree/non-matriculated application process.
A: The Graduate Record Examination Exam (GRE), is used by colleges to test how well you will potentially perform at the graduate level. It tests your reasoning (verbal and quantitative) along with your analytical writing skills. For a more comparative explanation, the role of the SAT in undergraduate school is relatively the same as the role of the GRE to graduate school. Information on how to take it can be found here.
A: The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), replaces the GRE when it comes to business/management-oriented programs. It still serves the same purpose as the GRE; however, the questions will be a bit different. This exam is comprised of 4 sections that will test you on analytical writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning. More information can be found here.
A: The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is an exam used by law schools to gauge your ability to perform during your first year of law school. This exam will test you on logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, reading comprehension, and writing. More information on the exam and how to take it can be found here.
A: 5 years
A: There are two ways you can go about doing this. You can either confirm through your program’s webpage or contact your school’s graduate admissions office. Additionally, certain subject areas usually require exams such as programs that are within education, accounting and, even business.
A: This largely depends on your program of interest, however, Fall application cycles usually open in December/January and Spring applications usually open in August/September.
A: This means that the program in question does not have a specific cut-off date for applications. Any application that is submitted after their stated deadline date will be reviewed as normal. The school will stop reviewing applications once all of the seats have been filled.
A: Usually, it takes around 4-8 weeks after the application deadline to get a decision from the college.
A: This largely depends on the CUNY school you are applying to. Certain schools will allow you to defer for a semester or up to a year while others do not allow it at all.
A: Tuition and financial aid information can be found here: https://www.cuny.edu/admissions/graduate-studies/tuition/
A: Yes, there are. NYS residents have a different rate than those who reside outside of the state. More information on tuition can be found here.
A: There most certainly are. It is always highly suggested that you reach out to your school’s Bursars office to arrange a payment plan for your degree.
A: 90% of our doctoral-level programs are fully funded. “Fully funded” programs include fellowships, tuition awards, and assistantships that serve to support the student financially through their doctoral study.
A: Unfortunately, we do not offer fully funded master’s degree programs (only fully funded doctoral degrees). Students typically fund their master’s level education through internal or external scholarships or grants and through federal loans. Students also have the option of setting up a payment plan through their college’s Bursars office. This allows students to pay in installments throughout the semester, rather than having to pay the entire tuition before classes start. For more information, feel free to give our graduate student financial aid page a look.
A: Tuition rates for online programs usually fall under the NYS state tuition bracket. More tuition-related information can be found here. Feel free to also reach out to your school of interest directly for more information.
A: There are many kinds of financial aid that you can go for at the graduate level, each school has its own set of financial aid programs in place to assist students with attendance costs. Because of this, the application process for these programs varies by school. More information can be found within each school’s graduate student financial aid page. Feel free to reach out to them should you want a 1 on 1 overview of them. Federal financial aid can be applied for through FAFSA.
A: Yes, there are a few federal aid programs that apply to graduate students. These can be usually applied for through FAFSA.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan: The Direct Stafford Loan program allows full-time and part-time students to borrow money directly from the federal government. These loans must be paid back 6 months after graduation. You will also have to pay it if you drop below half-time enrollment
PLUS Loans: Students are eligible to borrow under the PLUS Loan Program up to their cost of attendance minus other estimated financial assistance in the Direct Loan Program. The terms and conditions applicable to Parent PLUS Loans also apply to Graduate/Professional PLUS loans. Part of the requirements for this program is that the applicant does not have an adverse credit history.
Work-Study: Federal Work-Study is a program offered by the federal government which lets students earn money through part-time jobs. These jobs include community service, degree-related work, etc. More information can be found here
More information on such federal aid can be found here.
A: This means that the interest you will have to pay on this loan will start as soon as you obtain it. Students usually apply for unsubsidized loans after all financial aid avenues have been exhausted.
A: By logging in to your FAFSA account and doing it there, however, keep in mind that there are only certain portions of your FAFSA that can be changed after submission. Use this page for the full rundown on what can and cannot be changed within an already submitted FAFSA form.
A: No, all students who are applying for financial aid at the graduate level will be considered independent students. It’s because of this that parent information will not be necessary when filling out your FAFSA form.
A: Unfortunately, TAP and PELL are not available for graduate study, only for undergraduate study.
A: Yes. To start, here are a few universal grant programs that you may be able to apply for at the graduate level:
The Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Education (TEACH Grant): This grant is mainly for individuals who intend on teaching in a public/private elementary school or, a secondary school in low-income/underserved communities. This program will cover up to $4000 per year. This program will cover up to a maximum of $8,000.
NYS Masters-in-Education Teacher Incentive Scholarship Program: The Masters-in-Education Teacher Incentive Scholarship Program provides eligible students with a full-tuition scholarship for a master’s degree at The City University of New York (CUNY).
Information on other scholarships and grants can be found here.
A: There are many other forms of financial aid that each school will offer. For example:
Assistantships: Aid such as this is usually for those who are willing to do work within their major. Assistantships are usually geared towards students who are enrolled in a teaching or research-based degree.
Fellowships: Fellowships are merit-based awards that are given to those who have the potential of massively contributing to their discipline.
More information on possible Assistantships and Fellowships can be found here.
A: Yes, the CUNY Counseling Assistantship Program (CUNYCAP) is a program for CUNY graduates who want to move onto a graduate program within CUNY. Students who do this assistantship will be able to work part-time in a CUNY office and will be eligible for a CUNY Tuition Fee waiver. More information on CUNYCAP can be found here.
Q: Are there scholarship & grant programs that are offered outside of CUNY?
A: Yes. Many organizations outside of CUNY can help relieve the cost of attendance, so it is a good idea to explore the options available. A few resources that we recommend are scholarship & grant search engines such as brokescholar.com, Scholarships.com, and Niche.com, for example.
