851-900 in the world · QS 2027

The New School

A Greenwich Village university of design, liberal arts and performing arts, home to Parsons and a campus in Paris.

New York City, New York, United States Private research university Founded 1919 Official website

See my chances at The New School Admissions office

Acceptance rate: 63%; Undergraduate admission, fall 2024 (IPEDS College Navigator)
Students: 9,068; 6,591 undergraduates
International: 34%; of students
Student–faculty: 9:1; ratio
Tuition: $42,616; From · 2026-27

About The New School

The New School was founded in 1919 as The New School for Social Research by a group of intellectuals including John Dewey, Charles Beard and Thorstein Veblen, as a place for free inquiry and progressive education. In 1933 it created the University in Exile for scholars fleeing Nazi Germany. Today it is a private university centred just south of Union Square in Greenwich Village, with a second campus, Parsons Paris, and students from 116 countries.

Its undergraduate colleges are Parsons School of Design, Parsons Paris, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Performing Arts, made up of the Mannes School of Music, the School of Drama and the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music. Lang has a student-directed curriculum with no general education requirements, and five-year BA/BFA dual degrees link Lang with Parsons or Jazz. Most classes are taught seminar-style.

Admission is holistic and test-blind: SAT and ACT scores play no part in review, while Parsons BFA applicants submit a portfolio and performing arts applicants audition. About 63% of applicants were admitted in fall 2024. It suits self-directed creative and critical thinkers who want to study design, the arts or social thought in the middle of New York City.

To the Living Spirit

University motto

Why students choose The New School

Parsons School of Design, whose students have included Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan and Tom Ford, with the option to study at Parsons Paris.

Eugene Lang College's student-directed liberal arts curriculum, with no general education requirements.

Test-blind admission: SAT and ACT scores do not play a part in the review, and every admitted student is considered for merit scholarships.

A Financial Aid Guarantee: New School scholarships and grants stay the same for the length of your degree, with no GPA renewal criteria.

Admissions

Undergraduate admission, fall 2024 (IPEDS College Navigator)

About 1 in 2 applicants is admitted

College Navigator reports 9,828 applicants for fall 2024, 63% admitted and 21% of admitted students enrolling; the College Scorecard gives an admission rate of 63.5%. Rates differ by college, and Parsons BFA, Mannes, Drama and Jazz applicants are also judged on portfolios or auditions.

Testing Test-blind: The New School does not require SAT or ACT scores and they do not play a part in the review process (SAT code 2521, ACT code 2828 if you choose to send them).

Grades No SAT, ACT or GPA profile is published because tests are not used and the university does not publish a Common Data Set.

Typical entry requirements

Parsons School of Design and Parsons Paris (BFA)	Common App, one 300-400 word New School essay, counselor and teacher recommendations, transcripts and a required visual portfolio (optional for the BBA in Strategic Design and Management)
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts	Common App, one 300-400 word New School essay (the Common App essay is not required), one counselor and one teacher recommendation, transcripts
College of Performing Arts (Mannes, Drama, Jazz)	Common App plus an audition or program-specific requirements
English language	IELTS 7 · TOEFL iBT 92 Parsons minimums: TOEFL iBT 92 (5.0 on the new scale, with 5.0 in writing and speaking), IELTS 7.0, PTE 63, Duolingo 115 writing and 110 speaking, Cambridge 185. Eugene Lang asks for more: TOEFL iBT 100, IELTS 7.5, PTE 68, Duolingo 120 writing and 115 speaking, Cambridge 191. Results must be under two years old; four years of English-medium secondary school can exempt you.

Deadlines

Early Decision Binding Next deadline · In 26 days

November 1, 2026

Binding. Parsons, Parsons Paris and Eugene Lang only; portfolios due by November 1; decisions mid- to late December and enrollment confirmed by January 15.
Early Action Non-binding In 26 days

November 1, 2026

Non-binding. Parsons, Parsons Paris, Eugene Lang and the School of Drama; decisions between mid-December and late January, reply by May 1.
Mannes School of Music (fall) Non-binding In 56 days

December 1, 2026

Mannes is not eligible for Early Action or Early Decision.
Regular Decision (priority deadline) Non-binding In ~3 months

January 15, 2027

Parsons, Parsons Paris, Eugene Lang, School of Drama and School of Jazz. Later applications are reviewed on a rolling basis if space remains. FAFSA due February 1 for U.S. applicants.

The New School's deadlines page gives month-and-day dates without a year (Early Action/Early Decision November 1, Mannes December 1, Regular Decision January 15). They are taken here as the fall 2027 dates because the page was revised after the fall 2026 cycle: an archived copy from January 2026 showed that cycle's deadlines extended to November 10 and February 1, and the current page again lists November 1 and January 15. Some how-to-apply pages still carried an 'Apply for Fall 2026' banner in September 2026, so confirm your dates in the Admission Hub.

How to apply

Common App for all bachelor's programs; $50 application fee ($75 for first-year international applicants, waivers available); one New School essay of 300-400 words on why you chose your college and program; one counselor and one teacher recommendation plus the School Report; official transcripts; a visual portfolio for Parsons BFA programs or an audition for Mannes, Drama and Jazz. SAT and ACT are not used.

What admissions looks for

A clear fit with your chosen college and program, shown in the 300-400 word essay on what drew you to The New School.
For Parsons BFA applicants, a visual portfolio judged on technical and conceptual ability.
For Mannes, Drama and Jazz, the audition.
Recommendations from a counselor and a teacher, or someone who can speak to you as an artist, scholar or student.

Tips for applying to The New School

1 Make the New School essay specific to your college and program; the Common App personal essay is not required.
2 If you apply to Parsons, submit your portfolio as soon as you get the link rather than waiting for the deadline.
3 Only apply Early Decision (Parsons, Parsons Paris or Lang) if you are sure: it is binding and you must confirm by January 15.
4 Check the English test minimum for your college: Lang asks for TOEFL 100 or IELTS 7.5, higher than Parsons.
5 Don't spend effort on the SAT or ACT for this application: The New School does not use them.

What are your chances?

Costs & financial aid

2026-27 · figures in USD

Full-time bachelor's tuition converted from per-semester rates: Parsons Paris $21,308 x 2 = $42,616 (tuition only); Parsons, Lang and College of Performing Arts $31,174 x 2 = $62,348 plus University Services ($720) and Student Senate ($9) fees each semester = $63,806 Tuition $42,616 – $63,806

+ 2026-27 housing rate for a double room in kerrey hall, stuyvesant park or 301 residence hall, charged for the academic year (fall and spring). the fee page gives no period for housing, but last year's double was $20,374 and ipeds reports about $25,337 a year for on-campus food and housing (2024-25), which only fits an annual room rate. residents are also enrolled in the two plan meal plan ($3,160 as listed). $20,985 ≈ from $63,601 per year

Tuition 2026-27 housing rate for a double room in Kerrey Hall, Stuyvesant Park or 301 Residence Hall, charged for the academic year (fall and spring). The fee page gives no period for housing, but last year's double was $20,374 and IPEDS reports about $25,337 a year for on-campus food and housing (2024-25), which only fits an annual room rate. Residents are also enrolled in the Two Plan meal plan ($3,160 as listed).

Financial aid

All admitted students, including international students, are automatically considered for partial merit scholarships based on the whole application, portfolio or audition. Need-based aid is for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens via the FAFSA (due February 1). Under the Financial Aid Guarantee, New School scholarships and grants are locked in for the length of your degree program, with no GPA renewal criteria.

Automatic consideration for all admitted students; no separate application
Merit scholarships: Institutional grants and scholarships fixed for the duration of the program
Financial Aid Guarantee: Eligible for merit scholarships; most are not eligible for need-based aid
International students

Academics

Academic calendar: Semesters

Parsons School of Design (BFA and BBA)

Portfolio-based design programs in New York, with alumni such as Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan and Jason Wu.

Parsons Paris

Parsons BFA and BBA programs in Paris, with lower tuition than New York ($21,308 per semester in 2026-27).

Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts

A student-directed curriculum with no general education requirements and seminar-style classes.

School of Jazz and Contemporary Music

Where pianist Brad Mehldau studied with Fred Hersch and Junior Mance; also offers a BA/BFA with Lang.

BA/BFA dual degree

A five-year program combining a Lang BA with a BFA from Parsons or the School of Jazz.

Research

Founded the University in Exile in 1933 for scholars escaping Nazi Europe; it became today's New School for Social Research.
Research centres include the Center for New York City Affairs, the Humanities Action Lab and the Healthy Materials Lab.
The College of Performing Arts runs The Stone, an experimental music venue with about 240 concerts a year.

Schools & faculties

Parsons School of Design
Parsons Paris
Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts
College of Performing Arts
Mannes School of Music
School of Drama
School of Jazz and Contemporary Music
The New School for Social Research
Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students

Graduation rate

69%

First-year students who return

85%

College Scorecard: median earnings of $52,901 ten years after entry and $38,210 six years after entry for federally aided students.

Student life

There is no enclosed campus: New School buildings cluster around Fifth Avenue and 13th Street in Greenwich Village, anchored by the 16-storey University Center at 65 Fifth Avenue, which opened in 2014 with classrooms, studios, a library, dining and residences. First-years can live in halls such as Kerrey Hall, Stuyvesant Park and 301, where residents are enrolled in a meal plan. Culture leans creative and activist, in keeping with the school's roots in progressive education. The Narwhals field independent intercollegiate teams outside the NCAA that regularly play Division III schools.

The University Center at 65 Fifth Avenue, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, is the hub for students across all colleges.
The New School Narwhals field basketball, cross country, cycling, soccer, tennis and ultimate teams, independent of the NCAA.
Tishman Auditorium in the Joseph Urban-designed 66 West 12th Street building is a New York City interior landmark.
Students from 116 countries, with roughly a third of undergraduates international.

Housing. University residence halls include Kerrey Hall, Stuyvesant Park and 301 Residence Hall; a double room is listed at $20,985 for the 2026-27 academic year, and residents are automatically enrolled in the Two Plan meal plan.

Location

The New School's buildings are centred just south of Union Square in Greenwich Village, with some residences and offices in Chelsea and Stuyvesant Park and the College of Performing Arts in the West Village. Studying here means living in Manhattan rather than on a self-contained campus, and New York is expensive, so budget carefully for housing. Parsons Paris gives design students a second base in France.

Nearest airport: LaGuardia (LGA), JFK and Newark (EWR)

Notable alumni

MJ
Marc Jacobs

Fashion designer; studied at Parsons, winning its Design Student of the Year award in 1984
DK
Donna Karan

Founder of Donna Karan New York and DKNY; attended Parsons
TF
Tom Ford

Fashion designer and film director; studied interior architecture at Parsons
AS
Anna Sui

Fashion designer; attended Parsons for two years
JW
Jason Wu

Fashion designer; studied fashion design at Parsons (did not graduate)
BM
Brad Mehldau

Jazz pianist and composer; studied jazz and contemporary music
BC
Bradley Cooper

Actor and filmmaker; MFA in acting (2000) from the Actors Studio Drama School at The New School

Frequently asked questions

What is The New School's acceptance rate?

About 63%: College Navigator reports 9,828 undergraduate applicants for fall 2024 with 63% admitted. Portfolio and audition programs are judged on that work too.

Does The New School require the SAT or ACT?

No. The New School does not require SAT or ACT scores and they do not play a part in its review process.

Does The New School have Early Decision?

Yes, binding Early Decision by November 1 for Parsons, Parsons Paris and Eugene Lang, plus non-binding Early Action by November 1 for those colleges and the School of Drama. Mannes and Jazz are not eligible.

How much is tuition at The New School?

For 2026-27, full-time bachelor's tuition is $31,174 per semester in New York (about $62,348 a year before university fees) and $21,308 per semester at Parsons Paris. Housing and meal plans are extra.

Can international students get scholarships at The New School?

Yes. All admitted students are automatically considered for partial merit scholarships, but most international students are not eligible for need-based aid.

Sources & methodology

Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.