New Student Information

All new students will be assigned a New School email account after receipt of their tuition deposit. You can access your New School email account by logging in to MyNewSchool, clicking on the Apps icon (three horizontal lines located in the upper right portion of the screen), and selecting Email. You can also go directly to mail.newschool.edu.

It is important that you check your MyNewSchool announcements and New School email account regularly. Remember that all official university email communications will be sent only to this email address.

Students who are citizens of member states in the Schengen Area do not need a visa to enter France or study at Parsons Paris.

Students who are not European Union (EU) citizens must apply for and obtain a student visa for their program at Parsons Paris before departing for France. The student visa process involves multiple steps and must be started early.

Parsons Paris will provide all students requiring a visa with the appropriate visa support letter and proof-of-medical-insurance letter shortly after their tuition deposits are received. Additional support for students is provided throughout the visa application process.

The entire visa process from start to finish can take three to four months. Please follow visa application instructions carefully.

A student who cannot show either proof of citizenship of a Schengen member state or a valid student visa issued by French immigration authorities before their arrival in France will have a hold placed on their account. This hold will prevent the student from registering for classes and making changes to class schedules.

A tourist visa is not an acceptable type of visa and cannot be accepted as proof.

Before you can be registered for your first semester, there is a mandatory New Student Pre-orientation program that you must attend online. Zoom Invitations to the webinar will be sent out in May.

Parsons Paris is partnering with Academic Programs International (API), our preferred housing provider, to offer housing to students in Paris. Housing options are subject to change.

More information is available on the API website.

Please note that API’s application deadline is June 1.

For students who would like to stay in independent housing, here are some resources that are not officially endorsed by Parsons Paris but may be helpful for your search. 

The New School requires all enrolled students to present a final official transcript and proof of graduation or final exam documents before the start of their first semester of classes. All final official transcripts must indicate the date of graduation.

We strongly recommend that transcripts be sent in time to be received by the Office of Admission by July 1 for students beginning their studies in the fall. If you have special or extenuating circumstances, please contact [email protected].

Failure to submit the required documentation for your degree program will result in a hold on your account. A hold will prevent you from registering for subsequent semesters and could jeopardize any financial aid awards.

We accept electronic transcripts through platforms that include but are not limited to BridgeU, Common Application, Cialfo, Credentials eScrip-Safe, Kuder, MaiaLearning, MEFA Pathway, National Student Clearinghouse, Naviance, OverGrad, Parchment Exchange, UniFrog, SCOIR, SchooLinks, Truecopy Credentials, and Xello.

View our Undergraduate Transcript Policy and Graduate Transcript Policy to learn about transcript requirements and get submission instructions.

Please check your Admission Hub to find out whether your final official transcript and proof of graduation have been received by The New School. Please note that it can take up to ten business days for newly received materials to be uploaded and to be marked as received on your checklist.

Academic advising begins with mandatory –New Student Pre-orientation sessions in late spring and early summer.  Throughout your time at The New School, your academic advisors will be available to help you define your goals, identify learning opportunities aligned with your academic interests, assist you with understanding university policies and requirements, and much more. 

You will receive an email introducing you to your academic advisor and providing you with registration information in late May. Be sure to check your New School email account for this information.

All first-year undergraduate and graduate students will be block-registered in all classes except French after they have attended the New Student Pre-orientation in May/June.

If you would like to take a French class (which would count as a three-credit liberal arts elective) in your first semester, take the French placement test, so that we can correctly assess your level. Please note that the number of students in French classes is limited in order to ensure an optimal learning experience. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students studying in France are required to have health insurance that covers them in France. French Sécurité Sociale (Ameli) is available to all students studying in France but is mandatory only for students who plan on working or holding an internship during their time in France.

International students from the EU/European Economic Area can use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if they are temporarily in France. For extended stays (as for a full degree program), all students (both non-EU and EU) must register with French Sécurité Sociale. 

French Sécurité Sociale covers 60 to 70 percent of healthcare-related costs. Students can also choose to enroll in a secondary insurance plan (called a Mutuelle) to help cover the remaining costs. More information about these plans will be provided during Orientation in Paris and in Student Resources. Alternatively, students can choose to submit any unreimbursed costs to their private insurance plans in their home country.

Mobility students with TNA-AETNA are required to maintain enrollment in their healthcare plan. We recommend that students with private insurance maintain enrollment in their healthcare plans while abroad, even if they have no pre-existing medical conditions. Students who must return home early because of a major illness or injury abroad will want to have access to healthcare coverage in their home country. It is the responsibility of students who have waived their TNA-AETNA insurance to ensure that their private health insurance will cover them abroad. If it does not, they must purchase additional insurance that will.

Additionally, mobility and visiting students have the right to enroll in the French Sécurité Sociale. While all students who have a student visa can enroll in that programi, it is not recommended unless they plan to work or do an internship, as it may take months to be processed and to receive a temporary social security number.

We encourage all students who need to visit a doctor during their stay to speak to the Student Success staff. Local staff members can always recommend English-speaking physicians (the app Doctolib can be useful) or can accompany students to the doctor in locations where English-speaking doctors are not available. Additional information about accessing healthcare in France will be provided during orientation.

As a member of the New School community, you are required to obtain a newcard, the official university ID card.

Your newcard must be presented for building access, library lending, and identification purposes

As a new incoming student, you must—before arriving on campus—submit a high-quality scan of a color photo to be used to create your newcard. Please submit photos using the following form.

The New School seeks to foster an environment that encourages all students to reach the highest level of achievement. The university recognizes and embraces individual student situations and abilities through various student services and programs. 

Students interested in requesting reasonable accommodations for a disability should complete the Disability Self-Identification Form. For more information, visit Student Disability Services.

For information on financial aid at Parsons Paris, visit the Admitted Students page.

Tuition invoices for fall 2024 will be available for viewing by new students in summer 2024. Invoices for visiting, internal transfer, and readmitted students arriving in spring 2024 will be available in December 2023. To learn about payment options, please visit the Accepted Forms of Payment page. 

These are the steps for making a payment online:

1. Log in to MyNewSchool.
2. Click on the Services tab.
3. Click Make Payments Online under Student Account (a new window will open).
4. Click on Make Payment.
5. Enter the amount to be paid.
6. From the drop-down menu, select the payment method: Checking/Savings or Credit Card via PayPath (a 2.85 percent convenience fee applies to any payments made by credit or debit card).
7. Follow the instructions to complete your payment.

Details of New Student Orientation for incoming students will be available six to eight weeks before the start of any semester.

Keep checking your emails for the detailed schedule and sign-up forms for activities during Orientation.  

All new students must provide emergency contact information. To update your emergency contact information, log in to MyNewSchool and visit the Me tab, where you will find a link to Update Emergency Contact Information in the Personal Information channel. The university may use the contact information you provide in case of an emergency. If this information changes, please return to MyNewSchool to update it.

New incoming students should review the First Year Materials List Google Document and have the required materials by the first day of class. Students can purchase these materials before arriving on campus or during Orientation. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

All first-year students will receive a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, which is provided by the university at no additional cost. The subscription gives you access to all the programs you'll need for your courses. You will be required to use the Creative Cloud version of Adobe programs for your coursework, and your instructors will use Creative Cloud software in the classroom. The software subscription will be available when you arrive on campus, so please do not sign up for membership in advance.

All degree-seeking students receive access to the Microsoft Office Suite. We recommend that students have Microsoft Office installed on their laptops. You do not need to have the newest version. If you already have Microsoft Office installed on your laptop, you can continue using the version you have. To download the latest version of Microsoft Office, please log in with your New School email address and password at portal.office365.com.

Laptop Requirements

As an artist or designer, you will be working in an increasingly digital landscape. The Parsons curriculum makes digital literacy a basic part of first-year coursework. Parsons requires all new first-year students to have a laptop for in-class and at-home use for their studies. This requirement ensures that all students have a consistent learning experience as they develop their digital skills. This document provides information about approved laptop models and a detailed list of minimum and recommended specifications.

Macbook Pro

Minimum specifications: 8GB RAM, Core i5 processor, 512GB solid-state drive

Recommended specifications: 16GB RAM, Core i7 processor, 512GB solid-state drive

PC Laptop

Minimum specifications: 16GB RAM, Core i7 processor, 512GB solid-state drive

Other Essentials

1. 500GB backup solid-state drive (recommended model)
2. 32GB SD card (recommended model)
3. 32GB USB key (recommended model)
4. Apple USB-C adapter (for students with post-2017 MacBook Pro) (recommended model)

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]. 

Make digital and hard copies of your visa and passport
It is important to have copies of your visa and passport to ensure that you have copies on hand and can get replacements if necessary if you lose your original documents.

Prepare a copy of your vital records
Make sure to bring a notarized copy of your birth certificate, which you will need when you apply for your French health insurance plan.

This short Canvas course is structured in multiple modules, allowing you to come back and work on it as needed. You need only five to ten 5-10 minutes a day over a two-week period to complete the course.

Non-EU and U.S. students: You can either 1) get an international phone plan from your provider for your first month in Paris until you settle in and get a French phone number or 2) purchase a prepaid SIM card the moment you arrive.

EU students: Your phone plan works in France the way it would in your home country except for calls to French numbers. However, for most bureaucratic procedures, such as opening a bank account and signing up for French Sécurité Sociale you need to provide a French phone number.

You should bring adapters for French outlets for your devices. This recommendation also applies to  EU students, as French outlets differ from outlets in the rest of Europe and most European plugs do not fit in French outlets.

You will arrive in Paris at the end of summer, which can still be very hot here.

But soon after the fall semester begins, fall weather does as well. Make sure to pack transitional clothing and winter clothes.

We recommend that you exchange money for Euros in your home country and keep some cash on hand for your arrival.

Please keep in mind that many places in Paris don’t accept American Express credit cards, so bring a Visa or Mastercard if possible and use it until you open your French bank account.

Parsons Paris Student Resources is your online resource for all things Parsons Paris! Here you can find information on student life in Paris, Parsons Paris academics, career services, and other topics.

Please note that you must be signed in to your New School account to access this page.