Graduate Admissions

We are thrilled that you will be joining our distinguished community! Below is an overview of next steps to help you prepare. Please rest assured that you will receive individualized outreach by email as certain dates and deadlines approach, and you will have a one-on-one new student advisement meeting over the summer.

In addition to reviewing this information, feel free to join a live chat or tour, and be sure to keep up with school happenings on Instagram @spitzerschool_ccny, LinkedIn, and through our website. You can email Director of Graduate Affairs Hannah Borgeson with questions at any time.

Fall 2026 Timeline

• ASAP: US students: Submit your FAFSA;
  international students: submit your I-20 Application
• March 23: Come to our Open House for Admitted Grad Students!
• April 15: Suggested deadline to enter your admission decision
• Mid-June-mid-August: New student advisement meetings/enrollment appointments (virtual or in person)
• Late August TBD: Orientation (in person)
• August 27: Deadline for official transcripts and any other required documents
• August 28: Fall 2026 semester starts

FAQ + Instructions

When do you have to decide? Our requested enrollment decision deadline is April 15. When you are ready to accept the offer of admission, log in to your application portal. A non-refundable commitment deposit of $250 may be required. The deposit will be applied toward tuition upon enrollment. The commitment deposit is waived for veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

When do you need to be here? We recommend that you settle in New York by mid-August. The fall semester begins on Friday, August 28, 2026. Orientation activities will take place earlier that week. Individual advisement appointments will begin in mid-June and continue through the summer via Zoom or in person. You will receive more instructions closer to then.

Is financial aid available? If you are a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, we recommend that you file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon as possible in order to be considered for government low-interest loans and eligible for federal work-study positions. CCNY’s Federal School Code is 002688. If you have already filed, you can expect to receive your FAFSA-based financial aid award notification in late March.

What if you need a student visa? Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must have a valid student visa to study at City College. You can obtain an F-1 Student Visa through an I-20 Certificate of Eligibility, which is issued by City College. Complete the I-20 Application and follow the directions in the form for submission to the Office of Student and Scholar Services Office. Certificates are issued to international students who have accepted the offer of admission, meet the English language proficiency requirement, and have verified sufficient financial resources for at least one academic year. Students on visas must maintain continuous, full-time enrollment. Visa holders are subject to U.S. immigration laws, which include restrictions and requirements related to employment (on and off-campus), change of degree or program, transfer of schools, extension of stay.

Where will you live? Most students live off campus. On-campus housing is available in CCNY Towers, a student residence just across the South Campus lawn from the Spitzer School. CCNY Towers is managed by an outside company in cooperation with CCNY.

Do you have to take any prerequisites? The only Spitzer School graduate program with prerequisites is the Master of Architecture program. The other programs do not have prerequisites. The M Arch prerequisites are precalculus and physics (one semester each). Please contact Graduate Affairs to double check whether you need to complete any prerequisites and if you have questions about how to do so. Both classes are available at CCNY over the summer, and Hannah Borgeson can help you enroll after you accept admission. For precalculus, at City College you would take MATH 19500 Precalculus. At any other college, you should take a general 3-credit precalculus course that covers intervals, inequalities, operations on functions, inverse functions, graphing polynomial and rational functions, binomial theorem, exponential and logarithmic functions, trigonometric functions and formulas. For the physics prerequisite, at City College you would take Physics 21900 Physics for Architects. At any other college, you should take a general 4-credit physics with a lab that covers vectors and forces (the most basic course).

How much will it cost? Tuition and fee information is posted on the Bursar’s website; refer to the Masters in Architecture and Engineering rate for M Arch, MLA, and Urban Design. For MS Arch, refer to the baseline graduate rate. In-state residents pay a flat amount each semester for 12 credits and up. Non-New York State residents are charged per credit. U.S citizens and qualifying non-citizens from outside New York State may apply for in-state status after living in New York State for one year with the intention to stay — but not if the residence is temporary housing such as CCNY Towers.

How can you submit official transcripts? Your admission is contingent on verification of the documents submitted in the application. If you have already submitted official documents, no further submissions are required unless your degree completion was not indicated. If you still need to provide official transcripts, digital submission is preferred as follows:

• For higher education outside the City University of New York, order a digital transcript to be sent to archgrad@ccny.cuny.edu directly by the college or its transcript agency. If you are awaiting degree conferral, order the transcript after your completion has been recorded. Check with your school’s Registrar’s Office if you are unsure.
• For higher education at any City University of New York (CUNY) institution, do not order a transcript. The Spitzer School can get your transcript(s) from within CUNYfirst.

Do you need any immunizations? Yes, the university has immunization requirements. Students new to CUNY should visit the Student Health Center website for all guidelines relating to immunization and services.

Additional Information
Graduate Student Resource Guide
Academic Calendar
Graduate Course Bulletin/Catalog