Registration Policies

NYU Steinhardt’s Registration Services Team assists students and faculty in all areas of registration and provides information regarding registration procedures and policy, tuition payment and billing deadlines, refunding, dropping, adding, and withdrawal. Registration Services acts as the liaison between NYU Steinhardt and the University Registrar and Bursar in matters regarding registration, licensing, grading, and graduation. It is the final signature on registration forms and change of grade forms.

General Registration Policies

Term Withdrawals and Leaves of Absence

If a student is dropping all of their courses in a given term, they must complete a term withdrawal via Albert.

Students can only declare a Leave of Absence for the current term prior to the end of the add/drop period. Once the add/drop period has ended, students must complete a term withdrawal and if desired, declare a Leave of Absence for the following term(s).

Full-Time or Half-Time Equivalency for Graduate Students

Effective Fall 2019, the University defines administrative full-time course work to be a minimum of 9 credits for graduate students (note that your graduate program may have a different threshold for academic full time status-please consult with your advisor.)

To qualify for full-time equivalency, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 units or engaged in 30 hours per week on a combination of course work and/or appropriate activity required by the program. Students who request full-time equivalency cannot be employed full-time.

To qualify for half-time equivalency, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 4.5 units or engaged in 15 hours per week on a combination of course work and/or appropriate activity required by the program. Equivalency may be granted only for the purposes of visas, student loans, student loan deferral, TAP and Veterans’ Benefits requirements.

Equivalency credits can be granted only to students who are working on:

• Fulfilling a required master's or doctoral internship/clinical practice
• Writing a master's thesis or preparing a final experience
• Preparing for a doctoral candidacy examination
• A doctoral dissertation proposal
• Doctoral dissertation research

Doctoral students should visit Forms and Checklist or the doctoral version of the equivalency form.

With the exception of doctoral students who may be granted equivalency while registered for Maintenance of Matriculation, no student's application for equivalency status will be considered unless that student is registered for credit-bearing course work. Therefore, a student registered for a leave of absence, maintenance of matriculation, or only zero credit courses cannot be granted equivalency.

Equivalency applies only to state (TAP), federal (Stafford), veteran's benefits and visa status. Scholarships are based on the actual number of enrolled credits, and equivalency credits do not apply. Steinhardt students must be registered for 12 units to receive any Steinhardt scholarship(s). If students have a non-Steinhardt scholarship, they should confirm with the scholarship/sponsor for their eligibility requirements. The NYU Office of Financial Aid reserves the right to adjust any financial aid package.

International students with F-1 and J-1 visas must maintain full-time (12 credit) programs during the fall and spring semesters, and are eligible for equivalency if they fulfill any of the requirements listed above. International students who wish to pursue part-time study for any other reason must do so through the Office of Global Services.

Signatures: The advisor’s signature is required at all times on the Full- or Half-Time Equivalency Form. Final approval by Steinhardt Advisement and  Registration Services is required.

Download a Full- or Half-Time Equivalency form.

Maintenance of Matriculation and Time to Degree Completion

Students must maintain continuous matriculation every academic year until graduation. Typically, this is achieved by enrolling in courses in the fall and spring semesters. If a student is not registering for coursework in a given term, they should register for Maintenance of Matriculation (MAINT-UE 4747 or MAINT-GE 4747).

Undergraduate students must complete their degree within ten years. Graduate students (Masters, Advanced Certificate, Artist Diploma or professional doctoral (OTD or DPT) candidates) must complete their degree within six years. Doctoral candidates (other than ODT or DPT) should refer to Steinhardt’s doctoral advisement webpage for additional information.

Off-Campus Study

Students enrolled in degree programs at New York University are expected to take their courses, including those taken during the summer sessions and J-Term, at New York University. Permission to study at an institution outside of New York University is possible for certain programs and requirements, by exception only. Students should speak with their academic advisor regarding these requests. Off-Campus Study requests must be supported by a student’s academic department and are then formally reviewed for approval by Steinhardt’s Registration Services team. Unless written approval is granted from the Registration Services Team in advance of registration at another institution, students will not receive transfer credit for these courses. Students cannot request off-campus study during a term in which they are enrolled at NYU.

Students requesting permission to enroll in off-campus courses must submit an Off-Campus Petition form, approved by their academic advisor, to Steinhardt Registration Services at steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu. Please refer to the form for detailed requirements regarding off-campus course requests.

Auditing Classes

A student may audit classes with the permission of the instructor and their advisor. Auditors follow regular registration procedures, including payment of tuition. Regulations governing the auditing of courses are:

• Only matriculated students may audit courses
• Audited courses do not count in determining a student’s maximum course load
• No more than two courses may be audited per term
• Audited courses do not count toward full-time status
• Full tuition and fees apply to audited courses
• Tuition remission may not be applied
• No units are earned nor are letter grades recorded.
• An audited class cannot be taken again at a later date for a credit and a grade
• No withdrawals or refunds are granted
• Auditor status cannot be revoked once it has been requested.
• Audit Request forms should be submitted to: Registration Services steinhardt-registration-and-advisement-group@nyu.edu
• Deadlines: All auditing requests must be submitted within the first week of the term regardless of the start date of the course. There is no appeal for late submission.
• Signatures: The adviser and instructor’s signatures are required at all times

Maximum Credits Per Term

For undergraduate and graduate students, the maximum number of credits permitted for enrollment per term (Fall and Spring) is 18 credits. Undergraduate students may, by exception, petition their department to permit them to register for up to 20 credits. Students who wish to seek this exception should be in direct contact with their academic advisor and should complete the Credit Enrollment Limit Increase Request Form.

For J-term, the maximum number of credits permitted for enrollment for Undergraduate and Graduate students is 4 credits. There is no exception to this policy.

Summer session enrollment is dictated by a student’s academic program. Students should be in direct contact with their academic advisor.

Course Registration

Adding Classes after the Add/Drop Deadline

After the Add/Drop deadline in a given term, students should consult their academic advisors regarding enrollment in additional courses. Students must have the permission of the instructor to add any courses after the add/drop deadline.

Withdrawing from Classes after the Add/Drop Deadline

A student, who for any reason finds it impossible to complete a course for which they have registered, should consult their advisor and submit a class withdrawal request via Albert. 

Courses dropped within the add/drop period will not appear on the transcript. After the Add/Drop deadline in a given term, students should submit a class withdrawal request via Albert and speak with their advisor regarding these requests. Any course(s) selected for withdrawal after the Add/Drop deadline will result in students receiving a W (withdrawal) on their transcript.

Students may not withdraw from a course after the withdrawal deadline, which is published in the Academic Calendar. 

Students may only withdraw from a course by taking action via Albert. Ceasing to attend, notifying this instructor of intent to drop or any other method, does not officially drop a student from a course. 

Students should consult with the Office of Financial Aid immediately if they change the number of units for which they are registered. Any change in total course load may affect a student’s financial aid package.

Career/Restriction Override Request 

This form is intended for students seeking approval to override the career level or restriction associated with a specific course. Prior approval from both the course instructor (or the academic department offering the course) and your academic advisor is required. Once permission is received, please complete the Career/Restriction Override Form. Steinhardt's Registration Services Team will enroll you in the course once the form is completed and all the necessary signatures have been obtained.

Please note: Undergraduate students should use this form to request to register for a graduate-level course, and vice versa for Graduate students requesting to enroll in an undergraduate course. This form should also be used to request to override a particular restriction associated with a course, such as prerequisites or departmental permissions.

Closed Course Override Request

To register for a course that is closed, prior authorization from the course instructor and academic advisor is necessary. Once you obtain permission, please complete the Closed Course Override Request Form. Steinhardt Registration Services Team will enroll you in the course once the form is completed. 

Cross-School Registration

You may take courses in other schools at NYU if you are a matriculated student and you meet the necessary prerequisites. Courses you take in the professional schools (Dentistry, Law, and Medicine) are generally not applicable towards your degree; however, exceptions may be made to this policy.

Students should make sure to select the appropriate course level (graduate or undergraduate level) when registering for courses to make sure that courses can apply toward your degree. Note that undergraduate courses cannot count toward graduate program requirements.

You may not be matriculated simultaneously in more than one school or program at New York University.

Independent Study

An Independent Study is designed by the student and sponsoring faculty to investigate an area or field of specialization not normally offered in scheduled course offerings. It is an opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty member to complete directed reading, a creative project and/or supervised research. Students must consult with their advisors before undertaking an Independent Study.

• Only matriculated students are eligible to complete an Independent Study. Independent Study carries 1 to 6 units. The number of units will be determined by the work to be completed and should be comparable in rigor to that of a classroom course
• Minimum hours required per unit: 45 hours of work per credits per term
• Maximum credits allowed: As part of specialization: as determined by each department/program
  • Total allowed
    • For undergraduate students, a maximum of 6 units over the course of the undergraduate career
    • For graduate students, the number of units will be specified by the program
  • Cannot be used to satisfy liberal arts requirements
  • Cannot be used to satisfy professional education courses in the teaching professions
• Registering for Independent Study: Students first meet with the academic advisors to determine if the student should undertake an Independent Study; they then meet with the sponsoring faculty to complete the NYU Steinhardt Independent Study form, obtaining the signatures of the sponsoring faculty member, the sponsoring faculty member’s department chair and the student’s advisor. Students should self-enroll in the course via Albert. 
• Independent Study Title and Description: The title of an Independent Study will appear on the student transcript prefaced by the word “Independent Study”. The description of the Independent Study should include its theme which may be stated as a question or issue to be explored or creative technique to be examined; its type and scope, e.g. paper or special project. Students should use the Independent Study Form to have the correct title listed on their academic transcript. These forms should be submitted via email to: steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu. 
• Only full-time faculty may sponsor an Independent Study.

Special/Non-Degree Students

For information on Graduate Special Non-Degree student policies, please review this student advisement page.

Time Conflict Override Request

To register for a course that creates a time conflict, prior authorization from the course instructor with the missed time is necessary. Once you obtain permission, please complete the Time Conflict Override Request Form. Steinhardt's Registration Services Team will enroll you in the course once the form is completed and all the necessary signatures have been obtained.

Students taking courses online across multiple time zones may have perceived time conflicts in Albert due to the time difference. Students should reach out to steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu for support in rectifying these errors

Grading

Incomplete Grade Agreement

Students can request an incomplete grade only:

• If a student is matriculated under exceptional circumstances
• At the discretion of the instructor
• If the student has already completed 50% or more of the coursework required

Note that visiting and/or non-degree students special students may not apply for an incomplete.

The instructor will determine the timeframe the student will have to complete the work, but it cannot be later than the last day of classes in the following term. If the student does not complete the outstanding work by the agreed date, the incomplete grade (I) automatically turns to an F. F grades cannot be changed.

Incomplete grades may result in failure to meet satisfactory academic progress by the Office of Financial Aid.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

Students can choose to opt out of a weighted grade for any course as approved by the student’s program advisor. Note that most major requirements are not eligible for elective pass/fail options. The pass/fail option must be requested by the pass/fail deadline, as outlined in the University's Academic Calendar. The maximum number of courses that can be taken as pass/fail may not exceed 25% of the student’s total program. Students must follow the pass/fail policy of their program and/or department; note that some programs have requirements that are more stringent than the 25% total program rule of Steinhardt overall. This does not include those courses in which pass/fail is the standard grading. Once a pass/fail option is selected, it can only be rescinded prior to the pass/fail deadline. Students can cancel a pass/fail request by emailing Steinhardt Academic Advisement and Registration Services at steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu.

Non-matriculated students are not eligible to select pass/fail as a grading option. 

 The Withdrawal and Pass/Fail Deadline for the first 7-week session courses is Friday, October 11th, 2024.

Complete the Pass/Fail Request Form online.

Repeating Courses

Effective Fall 2015, if a student repeats a course, all grades are calculated in the GPA and appear on the transcript. Prior to Fall 2015, only the highest grade assigned for the course was calculated in the GPA.

Undergraduate Class Standing

A student’s class standing is determined by the cumulative number of credits they have earned:

• Freshman: 0-31 credits earned
• Sophomore: 32-63 credits earned
• Junior: 64-95 credits earned
• Senior: 96 credits credits earned

Refunds

The schedule of tuition refunds is determined by the University. The date on which the refund application is filed, and not the last date of attendance in class, is considered the official date of the student’s withdrawal. Students who withdraw by Albert will automatically be refunded tuition according to the published refund schedule.

Appeals for additional tuition refunds not in alignment with the University’s refund calendar must be submitted via email to the Committee on Student Refunds. These appeals should include any relevant information regarding extenuating circumstances or issues that impacted the ability to withdraw within the approved timeline. 

Please note that Registration and Services Fees are non-refundable.

To request a refund, please complete the Refund Appeal Process.

Graduate Policies on Receiving Transfer Credit

External Transfer Credit

• Transfer units are accepted for a maximum of 30% of a student’s total graduate program.
• You must complete a minimum of 24 units in residence at NYU Steinhardt at the graduate level.
• Transfer units will be accepted only from accredited colleges and universities.
• Course work must not have been applied to another degree and must have been completed within ten years of your expected graduation date with a grade of B or better -- courses taken pass/fail will not be accepted.
• Students with transfer credit must submit an official transcript from their previous institution to the Steinhardt Registration Services team at steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu. Once the transcript is received, students should work with their advising team to make sure the credits are submitted for posting to the students’ academic records.This must be done prior to applying for graduation to ensure that reviewing and posting transfer credits will not delay a student’s degree conferral.

Doctoral Students

Please consult the Doctoral Studies webpage for information.

Undergraduate Change of Major Process

Change of Major/Program of Study

Undergraduate students who are changing their major but remaining in Steinhardt must complete an official undergraduate Change of Major form to be approved by the new major department. Once completed, this form can be submitted to steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu.

Change of Major within Steinhardt

If you are interested in transferring within NYU but outside of Steinhardt, please follow the Undergraduate Admissions Internal Transfer protocols.

Please see below for a summary of Steinhardt undergraduate departmental and program policies around Steinhardt changes of major for student:

Undergraduate Advanced Standing Credit by Examination

Up to 32 credits for new first year students can be awarded by Advanced Standing by Examination credit. Please review the Undergraduate Admissions website for Country-Specific Examination Credit not outlined in our Steinhardt-specific documents below.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Steinhardt participates in the Advanced Placement (AP) Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. In accordance with New York University policy, students may receive college credit toward their degree for test results of 5 or 4, depending on the subject examination. This document identifies Steinhardt's approved transfer credit equivalencies for Advanced Placement Tests.

International Baccalaureate

In accordance with New York University policy, Steinhardt students may receive college credit toward their degree for scores of 6 or 7 in High Level (HL) exams, never for Standard Level (SL). Students cannot earn credit for the same subject matter in any combination of AP, IB, A Level, and/or other international exams.This document identifies Steinhardt's approved transfer credit equivalencies for International Baccalaureate Exams.

Advanced Level (“A Level”) Equivalencies

In accordance with NYU policies, Steinhardt students may receive college credit toward their degree for scores of B or higher for "A Level" credit. No credit is awarded for Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level examinations or for the Seminar and Research courses in the AP/Cambridge Capstone program. Students cannot earn credit for the same subject matter in any combination of AP, IB, A Level, and/or other international exams. This document identifies Steinhardt's approved transfer credit equivalencies for Advanced Level Exams.

Undergraduate Policies on Receiving Transfer Credit

Internal Transfer Policies for Undergraduate Students

Students who are transferring to or from the Steinhardt School to another division in New York University must apply to transfer through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Please refer to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website for policies related to Internal Transfer.

**Please note that if a student is applying to change their major within Steinhardt, this is not considered an Internal Transfer and students should not apply through Undergraduate Admissions. Students should instead consult with the advisors and program directors for their intended major and then complete a Change of Major Form with their current advisor and new advisor. This form should be submitted to the Steinhardt Registration Services Team at steinhardt.advisement.registration@nyu.edu.

External Transfer Credit for Undergraduate Students

Students who are transferring from accredited institutions outside of NYU to NYU Steinhardt are eligible to transfer up to 72 credits.

Transferability of courses follow the Undergraduate Admissions Protocols for College Courses Taken After High School

College Transfer Credits Taken While in High Schools

Credit may be awarded if:

• You received a grade of “C” or better.
• New York University offers corresponding courses.
• Courses were taken within a 10-year period prior to matriculation, and that are applicable to the degree program requirements.
• In most cases, courses were taken at a college/university, with college/university students, and taught by college/university faculty.

Students should review the University's Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy for a full understanding of transfer credit policies.

Undergraduate Policies on Expository Writing Requirements

All Steinhardt students are required to take two Expository Writing Courses as part of their graduation requirements. These writing courses help students learn and practice critical reading, creative thinking, clear writing, and more. Students can complete the Expository Writing Requirements in a few different ways. This Expository Writing Requirement Document outlines the various ways new first year students, internal transfers, and external transfers can complete this requirement.

Undergraduate Foreign Language Policy

To fulfill the foreign language requirement, Steinhardt students must demonstrate or attain proficiency in a single foreign language through Elementary I or Elementary II, depending on a student’s curriculum requirement. Ordinarily, this is accomplished by the successful completion of one to two semesters of language study at NYU. Some languages are also taught as intensive courses, allowing students to complete the equivalent of two semesters of study in a single semester.

Effective Fall 2024, students may fulfill the foreign language requirement as follows:

Advanced Placement (AP)

AP scores of 4 or 5 in any Foreign Language satisfies the Steinhardt Foreign Language Requirement. Scores will award credit (4) via course equivalency. Depending on the program, the remaining 4 units that a student would ordinarily earn through the Language Requirement will be earned via a Liberal Arts Elective.

International Baccalaureate (HL exam)

An IB language denoted as B, with a score of 6 or 7 will satisfy the Steinhardt Foreign Language Requirement and will award credit via course equivalency. 8 credits will be awarded.

An IB language denoted as A, with a score of 6 or 7 will satisfy the Steinhardt Foreign Language Requirement and will award credit based on test score (no course equivalency exists). 8 credits will be awarded.

Advanced Level (A-Level)

An A-Level score of B or higher satisfies the Foreign Language Requirement; 8 credits will be awarded via course equivalency.

CAS Foreign Language Placement and Exemption process

Students first take the online Placement Exam. If they place above the Elementary I or Elementary II level (depending on program), they follow the process mapped out by CAS to sit for an in-person exemption exam. If approved for an exception, the 4 or 8 credits (depending on program) that a student would ordinarily earn through the Language Requirement will be earned via Liberal Arts Electives.

International Writing Sequence (EXPOS-UA 3, 4, 9 or EXPOS-UA 4, 9): Students who successfully complete either sequence will be exempt from the Steinhardt Foreign Language Requirement. The 8 credits that a student would ordinarily earn through the Language Requirement will be earned via Liberal Arts Electives.

Students who completed secondary schooling taught in a language other than English must request their documents be evaluated by Steinhardt’s Advising & Registration Services Team If this is confirmed, they are exempt from the Steinhardt Foreign Language Requirement. The 4-8 credits that a student would ordinarily earn through the Language Requirement will be earned via Liberal Arts Electives.

Note: Please note that students who study away at a Global Site that requires Foreign Language will not be exempt from that requirement and foreign language courses can be used as liberal arts electives if a student is exempted from their major’s Core Foreign Language requirement.

Non-Primary Major Policy

Steinhardt undergraduate students may choose to pursue a second major in another division of NYU and in some cases within Steinhardt. In particular, combining a second major in the College of Art & Science (CAS) can work well with many Steinhardt majors. Most Steinhardt-CAS non-primary majors can be completed in four years. 

Students must declare a non-primary major in a field of study different from their primary major.

Students must complete the courses in the non-primary major based on the requirements effective during the term in which they declare the non-primary major and are subject to the rules and regulations in the bulletin in effect at the time of this declaration.

To determine eligibility for declaring a non-primary major, students must speak with their primary major advisor as well as the advising team for the non-primary major. Both programs/departments must sign their approval on the Non-Primary Major Declaration Form, located on Steinhardt’s Forms and Publications website, in order for the Steinhardt Advisement & Registration Services Team to process the non-primary major. 

Programs can deny non-primary major requests if it is not feasible for students to complete the primary and non-primary major in a reasonable amount of time or for other reasons as specified below: 

• Students must be able to complete all requirements for primary and non-primary majors within 6 years of their first term of undergraduate study at NYU. 

• Students in specialized programs such as HEOP/CSTEP must check with those programs regarding eligibility and possible restrictions based on program regulations. 

• International students must check with the Office of Global Services regarding time to degree completion/extensions, and non-primary majors. 

• Students who are receiving financial aid and are considering extending their enrollment beyond 4 years should contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine what impacts this may have on their financial aid eligibility. 

Deadline to Declare a Non-Primary Major 

Students must declare non-primary majors prior to having 80 earned credits (including test/transfer credits), typically no later than the end of the first semester of Junior year. 

If a non-primary major requires 5 semesters or more of sequenced coursework (that is, courses that are required to be taken in a specific order over multiple semesters), students must declare that non-primary major prior to having 50 earned credits (including test/transfer credits) and must have already taken coursework that applies to that intended non-primary major prior to declaring. 

Please note that students who are pursuing a non-primary major may need to earn credits in excess of 128 credits required for primary degree requirements.  

Core Requirements & Elective Rules 

Students must follow the CORE requirements for their primary major. If a non-primary major has major requirements that are specific within their core or liberal arts requirements, those requirements must be completed in addition to the core requirements for the primary major. 

Liberal arts electives can be used for both the primary and non-primary major at the discretion of the non-primary major department. The minimum number of credits required for the baccalaureate degree is 128 credits.

Diplomas & Transcript Rules for Non-Primary Majors 

Please note that adding a non-primary major does not mean that a student will receive two diplomas. Students will receive only one diploma printed with the school name and the academic department name of the primary major, not the name of the major itself or the non-primary major or non-primary home school (if those differ).

Primary or non-primary majors in Steinhardt or the College of Arts and Science will only appear on the diploma if the student receives departmental honors in that major.

The titles of primary majors, non-primary majors and minors appear on the student’s transcript.

Double Counting Rules for Non-Primary Majors (and minors)

In some cases, courses may be applicable to both majors if the academic departments consider this appropriate. Students must then obtain written approval for the shared course(s) from the Program Director and/or Advisor of both programs. Courses can be used for both your primary and non-primary major at the discretion of both academic departments. Some departments and programs have set more restrictive sharing rules (a limit of one shared course, or none at all). The more restrictive sharing rules must be followed in those cases. 

NOTE: Students in a co-major with Global Public Health (Global Public Health/Applied Psychology,  Global Public Health/Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Global Public Health/Media, Culture, and Communication, Global Public Health/Food Studies, or Global Public Health/Nutrition & Dietetics) are not eligible to declare a non-primary major. 

Minor Declaration Policy

Steinhardt undergraduate students may choose to pursue one or more minors or cross-school minors  in another division of NYU and in some cases within Steinhardt.

Students must declare a minor in a field of study different from their primary major.

Students must complete the courses in the minor based on the requirements effective during the term in which they declare the minor and are subject to the rules and regulations in the bulletin in effect at the time of this declaration.

Steinhardt Deadline to Declare a Minor

Students must declare any minor prior to having 80 earned credits (including test/transfer credits), typically no later than the end of the first semester of Junior year. 

If a minor requires 4 semesters or more of sequenced coursework (that is, courses that are required to be taken in a specific order over multiple semesters), students must declare that minor prior to having 64 earned credits (including test/transfer credits) and must have already taken coursework that applies to that intended minor prior to declaring. 

Please note that students who are pursuing one or more minors may need to earn credits in excess of 128 credits required for primary degree requirements.  

Steinhardt Double Counting Rules for Minors

In some cases, courses may be applicable to both a primary or non-primary major and a minor if the academic departments consider this appropriate. Students must then obtain written approval for the shared course(s) from the Program Director and/or Advisor of both programs. Courses can be used for both your primary major and minor at the discretion of both academic departments. Some departments and programs have set more restrictive sharing rules (a limit of one shared course, or none at all). The more restrictive sharing rules must be followed in those cases.