Students committing to the J-School are required to submit a non-refundable $250 deposit by the enrollment deadline to secure their seat. The deposit is credited towards your tuition and fees during the first semester. Please refer to your status page to submit your deposit.

IMPORTANT: The deposit is waived for full tuition and fees scholarship recipients. If you are a full tuition and fees scholarship recipient and are ready to commit to the J-School, please email and we will waive your deposit.

Admitted Student Open House (In-person)

We warmly invite you to our Admitted Student Open House on Saturday, April 11, 2026. This in-person event offers the opportunity to meet faculty, current students, and future classmates, explore our facilities, and experience what it’s like to be part of the Newmark J-School community.

REGISTER

Virtual Admitted Student Open House

For those unable to attend in person, we will host a Virtual Admitted Student Open House on Monday, April 13, 2026. This online event will provide valuable insights into our program, with opportunities to connect with faculty, staff, and students from anywhere.

REGISTER

New Student Orientation offers incoming students the opportunity to become familiar with campus resources and to connect with fellow students, faculty, and staff before the start of classes. Students will also participate in a mandatory intensive training. We will cover essential material not addressed elsewhere in the curriculum and ensure that students are equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to successfully begin the program on day one.

All newly admitted students are required to attend all orientation and Intensive Training Academy sessions. Failure to attend the required sessions and workshops may result in the rescission of your offer of admission.

The purpose of this unique one-week intensive is to refresh (or learn) the essential skill of writing to think. For five days, working in small classes, students will write in reaction to assigned readings, all of them focused on journalism. There will be a fair amount of reading aloud. Instructors — a group of outstanding journalists including National Book Award winner M. Gessen, Pulitzer finalist Linda Villarosa, and others — will write alongside students. The purpose of this class is to enable students to find their feet in writing, particularly journalistic writing that synthesizes ideas and observations, and to start writing in their own voice, before heading into the fast pace and the short form of Craft.

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

We want to ensure that all incoming students can participate and get the most from New Student Orientation. If you have questions and/or concerns about the method(s) of delivering content or campus navigation concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Matthew Brown, Associate Director of Student Affairs, at .

Students will not be able to register until all official transcripts from all previous institutions are submitted, including any transfer credits you have earned. Degree confer date must show on the transcript where you have completed your degree. Please note, only transcripts sent directly from the previous institution’s Registrar’s Office are official. Any transcripts uploaded by the applicant is unofficial. Please send official transcripts electronically to .

If your previous college cannot provide us with an official electronic transcript, you may send the official transcripts via postal mail to:

Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Attention:  Office of Admissions
219 W 40th Street
New York, NY 10018

All new incoming students are required to provide proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) and a response to the status of Meningococcal Meningitis vaccination.

If you previously attended a CUNY college, your immunization records should be in CUNYfirst. To confirm that you are in compliance, please contact the Graduate Center’s Wellness Center at and include your 8-digit EMPL ID.

When and How to Submit Immunization Records

Please wait to submit your immunization records until after your student account (CUNYfirst) is created. You will receive an email after submitting your enrollment decision with instructions on activating your student account. Once your CUNYfirst account is activated, you will have access to your 8-digit EMPL ID number, which you will need to successfully submit your immunization records. Sending your immunization records prior to your CUNYfirst account being created will cause delays.

In the meantime, please refer to the Immunization Requirements page to learn more about the policies and procedures.

Determination for New York State Residency is based on the information provided on your application. Students who have lived in New York State for two years or less at the time of submitting their application, must prove New York State residency to pay the in-state tuition rate.

In general, to qualify for the resident tuition rate at a senior college based on residence in the State of New York, a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or in a qualifying immigration status; AND
• Have continuously maintained his/her principal place of abode in the State of New York for a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately preceding the first day of classes; AND
• Have a bona fide intention of living in New York permanently

Students may also qualify for the in-state tuition rate on other grounds, including having attended/graduated from a high school or having obtained a GED in the State of New York, including undocumented and out-of status students, and veterans and service members .

Please refer to the Residency Requirements page to access the required forms and learn more about the requirements and deadlines.

If you are interested in federal loans or work-study eligibility, be sure to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. Visit our Scholarship and Financial Aid page to learn more about school code and important federal loan changes.

Upon admission, international students must contact the Office of International Students to apply for their I-20 or DS-2019 which they will use to apply for their F-1 or J-1 visa at the US Embassy or Consulate. Please send all emails to .

As a student at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, you are required to own a variety of essential tools. Please visit the Technical Requirements page to learn more about the essential tools you will need for the first day of orientation and beyond.