Frequently Asked Questions

All applicants who apply online are able to view their admission status using our online system. The Office of Admissions sends an e-mail acknowledgment to all applicants upon receipt of an application. Instructions for checking your admission status are included in this acknowledgment e-mail.

Applicants who applied using a paper application can check their application status by calling the Office of Admissions at (212) 998-7100.

Yes. In order to conduct a review of an application, the Office of Admissions needs to evaluate transcripts from all institutions previously attended.

Official transcripts must be submitted to the Office of Admissions at the address below in a sealed envelope. The envelope(s) may be mailed directly by the institution(s) at which you studied or they may be delivered by you to the Office of Admissions.

The Office of Admissions will review applications accompanied by unofficial copies of transcripts. You may submit unofficial copies to our office in the mail or by uploading them to your online application. If you are admitted, we must receive official transcripts within your first semester of study.

NYU-SCPS Office of Admissions
7 East 12th Street, Suite 921
New York, NY 10003

Official letters of recommendation can be mailed to the Office of Admissions at the address below in a sealed envelope. Additionally, if the applicant applies online, the recommendation provider has the option of uploading their recommendation using the online application system. We do not accept official letters of recommendation via e-mail or fax.

NYU-SCPS Office of Admissions
7 East 12th Street, Suite 921
New York, NY 10003

Applicants who did not complete an undergraduate degree in the United States or in a country where the only primary language is English, are required to submit TOEFL scores. The Office of Admissions will not accept scores that are older than two years, and will not accept the IELTS in place of the TOEFL.

The Office of Admissions requires all applicants who have not earned their entire four-year undergraduate degree in the United States or in a country where English is the only primary language to submit TOEFL scores. If you would like exemption from this policy, please submit your request in writing, detailing why the waiver should be granted. Typically, the Admissions Committee must have all other components of your applications to make a determination on a TOEFL waiver.

No, the cost of attendance is the same for all students.

If you are eligible to file the FAFSA (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only) and you are registered for at least six credits each semester, then you are eligible for financial aid. If you drop below six credits, you are not eligible for federal aid or NYU-SCPS scholarships. Students planning to take less than six credits who require financial assistance should consider private or alternative loans.

Yes. The NYU Off-Campus Housing Office provides assistance to current and newly admitted NYU students, faculty and staff members who are not eligible for, or who are not interested in, NYU student housing, including those with families or nonstudent roommates who are seeking private off-campus apartment rentals. More information is available through the NYU Off-Campus Housing Guide. You must be an admitted student to log into the off-campus housing search portal.

The U.S. Embassy or Consulate in a foreign country issues a student (F-1) visa for the purpose of entering the United States for full-time study. Before you can apply for this visa, you must be admitted to a full-time program at NYU-SCPS. Once you have been admitted to a program, you will receive a document (I-20 Form) to present to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for your student (F-1) visa. Only the NYU Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) is authorized to issue the I-20 form.

Under the new regulations, visitors are not permitted to pursue a full course of study or to attend classes prior to receiving approval of the change of status request from the Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (BUSCIS). To facilitate the change of status process, the prospective student should notify the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (BCBP) upon arrival in the US, of their intent to begin a full course of study in the United States. Students who fail to inform the INS official at the port of entry will not receive approval of a change of status request and must return to their home country to apply for a student (F-1) visa before starting their program.

Since the change of status application may require a three-to-four month processing period, students are strongly encouraged to return to their home country to apply for a student visa. Visitors who enter the United States on a 90-day visa waiver cannot apply for a change of status in the US and must return to their home country to apply for a student visa.

Only full-time degree students who enter the U.S. on a student (F-1) visa have the opportunity to work part-time during the academic year and full-time for one year after the completion of a degree program. Part-time employment is limited to the NYU campus and must not exceed 20 hours per week. Prior to the commencement of any employment, F-1 students must obtain permission to work from the NYU Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS).

As a full-time or part-time NYU-SCPS student, you can use the NYU Student Health Center, located at 726 Broadway, 3rd and 4th Floors. Depending upon your insurance coverage, fee collection for the visit may vary. NYU requires all full-time students to enroll in a health insurance plan, either through the University or through another insurance company.

Full-time students who enter on a student (F-1) visa are eligible to enroll in the NYU Health Insurance Plan. If you are entering the United States as a tourist (B-2) or on another type of visa, you should purchase health insurance coverage before you travel to the United States.

An F-1 or J-1 international student on a personal leave of absence may not remain in the United States. When approving a leave of absence, the appropriate department or school official should notify the NYU Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) and the student must depart the United States immediately.

International students requiring a leave of absence or permission to take less than a full course load for medical reasons are eligible to stay in the United States, subject to conditions set forth by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in accordance with information provided by a physician.

Students out of attendance who did not apply for a leave and who wish to return to NYU-SCPS must apply for readmission.

The fall term typically begins in early September, the spring term in mid-January, and the summer term in mid-May. The official academic calendar is available through the NYU Office of the Registrar.

Yes, the program is approved by the American Bar Association.

The program is taught by a faculty of practicing attorneys and legal professionals from the New York metropolitan area.

Students may enter the program in the fall, spring, or summer semesters and may choose to attend classes full-time during the day or part-time in the evening, during the day, or on weekends.

• The part-time evening program is offered every semester (fall, spring, and summer); the part-time day program must be started in the fall and completed in the spring; the weekend program is not available during the summer semester.
• The full-time program meets from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
• Evening classes meet from 6 to 9:45 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings during the fall and springs semesters. Summer classes meet Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
• Day classes meet from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
• Weekend classes meet every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and every Sunday morning from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

All daytime classes, Monday through Saturday, are held at the NYU-SCPS Midtown Center, located at 11 West 42nd Street. Evening and Sunday morning classes are held at the Woolworth Building in lower Manhattan located at 15 Barclay Street, between Broadway and Church Streets.

For more information about these locations, please see Visit Us.

The program may be completed in two semesters, attending part-time, or in one semester, attending full-time. Students must complete the program within four years.

Yes, if it is offered the following semester on that particular schedule.

A very limited number of exceptions are made for applicants who have significant law-related work experience. However, these candidates must also demonstrate a minimum of 18 credits of undergraduate credits completed.

• These applicants must provide two letters of recommendation from their attorney-employers. It is preferable that one of these recommendations comes from a current employer.
• Letters must attest to the applicant’s qualifications and clearly and fully describe the applicant’s work experience.

For full application requirements, please see Admissions Criteria.

Recommendation letters are not necessary for applicants who submit complete and official undergraduate transcripts. For complete application requirements, please see Admissions Criteria.

The course sequence in Paralegal Studies is available to satisfy elective credit only to those Paul McGhee Division students who have completed more than 60 credits. Your advisor must approve these elective credits prior to registration. In addition, all McGhee students must complete a Diploma Program in Paralegal Studies application [PDF] and be accepted to the Paralegal Studies Program before beginning courses. 

An additional course materials fee of $75 will be charged per semester. Students are responsible for acquiring their own textbooks.

Financial Aid is available in the form of a Federal Stafford Loan for those applicants who have previously completed a minimum of an associate’s degree. In addition, up to two students per semester, in either the basic or the advanced program sections, may be granted a $1,000 scholarship each on the basis of need and merit. Students may apply for these scholarships after classes have begun.

Learn more about Financing Your Education.

A deferred payment plan form will be included with your registration information, or will be available at the Bursar’s Office for those making payments in person. Students receiving financial aid loans from the University are not eligible to use this plan.

• During the fall and spring semesters, the deferred payment plan requires students to make three monthly payments: the first payment is equal to 50 percent of total tuition fees, 50 percent of registration fees, and 50 percent of course materials fees; second payment is equal to 50 percent of deferred balance; and the third payment is equal to 50 percent of deferred balance.
• During the summer semester, the deferred payment plan requires students to make two monthly payments: the first payment equals 50 percent of total tuition fees, 50 percent of registration fees, and 50 percent of course materials fees; the second payment equals 100 percent of deferred balance.

To learn more about financing options, please see Financing Your Education.

Should students find it necessary to withdraw from the Diploma in Paralegal Studies, they may be eligible for a tuition refund. Refunds are computed from the day on which written notice of withdrawal is received. A refund of 100% of tuition is granted to students who withdraw during the first week of the course. During the second week, the refund is 70%; during the third week, 55%; during the fourth week, 25%.

On-campus housing is available for Paralegal Studies summer students. Applications for housing must be submitted by April 1 and full payment is due by May. For further information, visit the NYU Office of Summer Housing or call (212) 998-4600. For admitted students living off-campus, the NYU Off-Campus Housing Office can assist you with your NYC living arrangements.

Yes. Applicants should provide an official English translation that shows course and degree equivalencies. Due to the expense involved, it is permissible to submit a copy, but you should be prepared to present the original transcript upon the request of the NYU-SCPS Office of Admissions.

An I-20 visa can be issued only to students enrolled in the full-time, one-semester intensive program. Students should contact the Office of International Students and Scholars at (212) 998-4720 for further information. 

Due to the limited nature of the program, transfer of credit from other schools or universities with advanced standing is not possible. 

The transferability of these credits to a degree program will depend upon the specific requirements of that school. Diploma credits are professional credits and typically do not qualify for graduate credit, but may qualify for undergraduate credit.

If the program already is filled for the term of your choice when your application is received, or if your application is incomplete, an admissions counselor will be in contact with you and will offer to either move your application to the next available term or to withdraw your application from review. An applicant is never denied admission if the application is received late or if the program has filled. If the individual qualifies for admission, he/she will be accommodated during the next semester the program runs.