How to Apply

Applicants are required to apply online. You must complete all required fields and upload materials prior to submission. Most materials can be submitted electronically via the online application. Any additional supporting documents that need to be sent electronically or by mail must include an Application Materials Cover Sheet. All supporting materials must be received before your application can be reviewed.

If you're planning to apply using a school email address, please confirm you can receive our email first. Some schools block email from outside their domains.  

Effective November 7, 2025, The New School is not requiring an application fee to apply for any 2026 term.  

Advanced Certificate in Gender and Sexualities Studies
Please describe your interest in the Advanced Certificate in Gender and Sexualities Studies and explain why you wish to enroll in this program. (500–750 words)

Creative Writing MFA
In approximately 500 words, explain your interest in and readiness to pursue graduate study in creative writing. Discuss your relationship to contemporary literature and how your graduate work will help you attain your academic and/or professional goals. 

All Other Master's and Certificate Programs
Describe the academic and intellectual interests, progress, and achievements that have contributed to your decision to apply for graduate study. You should include a thoughtful description of your tentative plan of study or area of inquiry at The New School for Social Research as you now envision it, the kind of research questions you intend to pursue, the faculty of interest to you, and what you hope or expect to do after you've completed the degree. (500–750 words)  

All PhD Programs
Please describe the academic and intellectual interests, progress, and achievements that have contributed to your decision to apply for graduate study. You should include a thoughtful description of your tentative plan of study or area of inquiry at The New School for Social Research as you now envision it, the kind of research questions you intend to pursue, the faculty of interest to you, and what you hope or expect to do after you've completed the degree. (500–750 words)

Submit a one to two-page résumé/curriculum vitae summarizing your academic qualifications, relevant work experience, published writing, volunteer/community work, professional networking, public speaking, and/or any other relevant experiences that may relate to your field of study, including dates and positions held. Please also note any special language or computer skills that you have.

At least two letters of recommendation from professional and/or academic references are required. Recommendations must be submitted by recommenders directly via the online application portal. Instructions are included in the online application.

Applicants must upload an unofficial transcript, mark sheet, or academic record for each institution (even if you didn’t receive a degree) in the Academic History section of the online application.

All uploaded transcripts must be accompanied by a key, a legend, or the back copy of the transcript. Non-English transcripts must be accompanied by an English translation. Records from non-U.S. institutions must have grades or marks and contain a copy of diploma if the degree has been conferred. Make sure your name appears on the transcript/record. Scanned documents must be clear and legible.

If you experience trouble uploading your transcript, email [email protected] and give a detailed description of the issue and attach the document in question.

The New School reserves the right to require official transcripts or an official NACES course-by-course evaluation at any time during the admission process. Any fraudulent activity or discrepancies found between uploaded and official transcripts will result in the immediate revocation of admission and/or dismissal from The New School. Transcripts uploaded with the online application are considered unofficial.

Applicants offered admission will be required to submit official transcripts with proof of their degree conferral(s) prior to enrollment. Admitted applicants must submit all official transcripts pertaining to their entire academic career. Transcripts uploaded with the online application are considered unofficial, and do not satisfy this requirement.

How to Submit Official Electronic Transcripts

The New School accepts electronic transcripts from our approved vendors and directly from universities. Our approved vendors:

• National Student Clearinghouse
• Parchment Exchange
  
• TrueCopy Credentials

Electronic transcripts sent directly by a student are considered unofficial.

Students with International Credentials Seeking Transfer Credit

Graduate and postgraduate applicants who are seeking transfer credit and attended postsecondary institutions outside of the United States are required to submit official transcripts and translation (if transcript is not in English). Please note, the Creative Writing MFA does not accept transfer credit.

While not required, students may have their transcript(s) evaluated by World Education Services (WES), by Education Credential Evaluators (ECE), or by another member of the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES).  Follow all document requirements as outlined on the evaluation service providers’ websites. Evaluations completed by WES or ECE will be sent directly to us electronically by the vendor.  All other NACES provider evaluations should be mailed directly by the vendor to the address for Supplemental Materials.

Whenever possible, please send all official communication electronically, including transcripts and letters of recommendation. 

Our Mailing Address:

The New School
Office of Admission
55 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011

All materials and documents submitted in association with a New School application become the property of the New School and cannot be returned to you or transmitted to a third party.

All advanced certificate, master’s, and PhD applicants must submit an academic or analytic writing sample. The sample must be in English and demonstrate that the applicant asks important questions, responds to them methodically and scientifically, and is familiar with the conventions of academic or analytic writing (citation, attribution, bibliography, etc.). Information applicable to specific programs is noted below.

The sample may be a term paper submitted for a previous course, an undergraduate or graduate thesis, or a published journal article. Applicants who do not have suitable examples of previous work can write an academic paper expressly for the purpose of the application. The sample must be solely the work of the applicant; co-authored works will not be accepted.

Applicants for admission to master's advanced certificate study submit a sample of 10 to 20 pages. Applicants for direct admission to PhD study should submit samples more substantial in length and sophistication. A maximum of 48 pages can be uploaded into the online system. Please consider that the time available to the Admission Committee for reading each application is limited.

Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism MA
Applicants interested in the Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism MA program may submit an academic writing sample or a substantive article(s) or blog(s) instead of a research paper.

All Other Master’s and Certificate Programs
Applicants must submit an academic writing sample of 10 to 20 pages. The sample must be in English and demonstrate that the applicant asks important questions, responds to them methodically and scientifically, and is familiar with the conventions of academic writing (citation, attribution, bibliography, etc.).

The sample may be a term paper submitted for a previous course, an undergraduate or graduate thesis, or a published journal article. Applicants who do not have suitable examples of previous work can write an academic paper expressly for the purpose of the application. The sample must be solely the work of the applicant; co-authored works will not be accepted.

Public and Urban Policy PhD 
Applicants must submit a sample of scholarly work of 30 to 48 pages in length in English. The submission should be written by the applicant. Co-authored writing samples may be accepted, provided the applicant’s contributions to the work are clearly noted. Note: This program will not be admitting new students starting in fall 2026.

All Other PhD Programs
Applicants for direct admission to PhD study should submit samples more substantial in length and sophistication. A sample of scholarly work of 30 to 48 pages can be uploaded into the online system. Please consider that the time available to the Admission Committee for reading each application is limited. Note: Only the PhD program in Clinical Psychology will be admitting new students starting in fall 2026.

Applicants to the MFA in Creative Writing must submit an appropriate writing portfolio for their concentration. Your writing portfolio should demonstrate your skills and a body of work of a quality sufficient to allow you to advance to graduate-level study.

• Arts Writing: Arts Writing focuses on the intersection of creative writing and criticism, including connections with visual, literary, media, and digital arts along with other forms of writing and media. Submit materials that showcase both your critical and creative work. This sample must include 10-12 pages of writing about any kind of culture or the equivalent of 10 pages of a text/image or hybrid work, such as text/audio, or text/moving image with media embedded in the document. Additionally, you may choose to provide other samples of creative work through the portfolio upload.
• Poetry: Submit 10 pages of poetry.
• Fiction or Nonfiction: Submit 12 to 20 pages of prose
• Writing for Children and Young Adults: Submit 12 to 20 pages of prose or a draft of a book for children or young adults.
  

Portfolio manuscripts must be set in type (or printed-letter quality) and double-spaced (for prose). If the submitted materials have been published, please provide a brief statement with the materials that includes publication history, as well as any major editorial assistance (such as paid editorial or use of AI). Applicants with substantial accomplishments in more than one area of concentration may request that their application be considered for a dual concentration. In those cases, applicants should provide a writing sample appropriate for the second concentration and declare primary and secondary fields of study. 

All applicants who are native speakers of languages other than English must submit valid results for an English language proficiency test taken within the past two years. 

We permit applicants to submit results from one of the following tests: TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, Duolingo English Test, and Cambridge English C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency.

Minimum required scores are:

• TOEFL iBT—100
• IELTS—7.5
• PTE—68
• Duolingo English Test—120
• Cambridge English—191

Our TOEFL institution code is 2521. 

The New School does not require English language proficiency scores for applicants who have earned a four-year degree from a U.S. college or university or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction (minimum of three years' attendance). Completion of a master’s degree at a university where English is the primary language of instruction does not satisfy the English language proficiency requirement. 

After reviewing your application, the Office of Admission may require you to submit an English Language Proficiency test score to evaluate your candidacy.

We accept test scores taken within the past two years. If your scores are older, you must retake the test.

Prospective students with disabilities or health-related needs may consider asking their testing agency directly for reasonable testing accommodations for their English language proficiency test. Students are encouraged to make these requests to their testing agency as early as possible to meet admission deadlines.

Applicants also have the option of enrolling in The New School's English as a Second Language (ESL) program before applying to a graduate program. Students must pass Level 6 in order to waive the English language test requirement. Visit the ESL website for more information.

All admitted students are considered for competitive merit scholarships awarded in the form of a tuition discount. These awards are determined by their application’s strength. Full tuition waivers and fellowships for doctoral study are highly competitive and are offered for fall admission only.

If you are a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to be considered for need-based financial aid. The FAFSA is available each year on October 1. The New School’s federal school code is 002780. You don’t need to wait for an admission decision to apply for federal aid. Our Financial Aid staff are available to guide you through the process of applying for financial aid.

Applications become complete and ready for review once all required items have been received by the Office of Admission. You can check your application status in the Admission Hub.

Allow at least 14 days from the date you submitted your application for items to be marked as received in your Admission Hub. Applicants are responsible for following up with schools and recommenders to confirm that transcripts and recommendations have been sent.

The Office of Admission will periodically notify applicants by email if their file is missing any documents and again when their file is complete for review. These notifications are sent to the email address provided in the online application.

If you need to change your email address, mailing address, or other contact information, email the Office of Admission.

Spring admission decisions are released on a rolling basis starting in November.

Fall admission decisions are released on a rolling basis starting in mid-March.

In any given academic year, a student can apply to only one department or program within The New School. Applicants who file more than one application in an academic year will be required to withdraw one of the applications, and application fees will not be refunded.

All materials and documents submitted in association with The New School application become the property of The New School and cannot be returned to you or transmitted to a third party.

Students who wish to return to a graduate degree program after an absence of four semesters must reapply via the graduate application. They must first confirm that their program is still accepting applications and that they are meeting time limit requirements (if applicable), before completing the application.

Readmission applications will not be processed for former students with holds on their student record, including but not limited to a Bursar, Student Support, or Registrar hold, until holds are resolved.

The international student community at NSSR is strong. Please review specific instructions on our page International Students.

Applicants who have completed graduate work in a field that is related to the department to which they seek admission may be eligible for transfer of credit to their New School for Social Research degree program.

Credits earned more than ten years previous to the date of the student's entry into the master's or doctoral program are not transferable. All transfer of credit is at the discretion of the program or academic department in consultation with the Office of Academic Affairs.

The MFA in Creative Writing program does not accept transfer credit.

Students Admitted to MA or MS Study

Applicants admitted to the following programs may transfer a maximum of 3 credits (equivalent to one course) from previous graduate study: Anthropology, Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism, Economics, Global Political Economy and Finance, Historical Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Psychology and Sociology. Students whose previous graduate education includes more than three transferable credits may transfer the additional credits only if they are permitted to advance to PhD study.

Applicants admitted to the the MA International Affairs or Public and MS Urban Policy program may transfer a maximum of 9 credits (equivalent to three courses) from previous graduate study. To be transferable, credit must have been earned in a course that would fulfill the department's master's degree requirements at The New School for Social Research. 

Students Admitted to PhD Study

Students admitted directly to PhD study will be awarded between 21 and 30 transfer credits on the basis of previous graduate course work. To be transferable, credit must have been earned in courses that fulfill the department's master's degree requirements at The New School for Social Research. Students admitted to the PhD Public and Urban Policy program who earned an MS in Public and Urban Policy or an MA in International Affairs at The New School may transfer up to 36 credits.

Each year, The New School for Social Research accepts as visiting students a small number of highly qualified applicants enrolled in universities outside of and within the United States. Please review specific information on our Visiting Students page.

The New School welcomes undocumented students and students who hold DACA status to apply. Undocumented status does not affect the admissions process or your final admission decision. For questions about financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at [email protected].

Learn more about how we support undocumented students.