In addition to fulfilling the general application requirements, international students must address the requirements listed below. Please read the instructions for each item carefully. If you have questions, contact International Student Services or the Office of Admission (see contact information listed on the right side of this page).
Applicants who are not native English speakers are required to submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) results. International students should register to take the exam on the earliest date possible.
Exemptions: TOEFL or IELTS results are not required of native English speakers who are citizens of any of the following countries: England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa. Applicants who have earned a four-year degree from a U.S. college or university can also waive this requirement.
The minimum TOEFL and IELTS score requirements for degree programs at Parsons are as follows:
Applicants who meet Parsons' undergraduate academic and portfolio requirements but do not meet English language proficiency requirements can receive conditional admittance. Students who have been conditionally admitted must either submit a new TOEFL or IELTS score meeting the minimum requirement within two years or complete the required level of ESL certification at The New School (Level 5 for associate's degrees and Level 6 for bachelor's and master's degrees).
Parsons and The New School for Public Engagement together offer an ESL + Design certificate program that enables students to gain English language proficiency while taking courses in art and design. For more information, visit the ESL + Design program page. Other ESL learning options at The New School can be found at www.newschool.edu/esl.
All undergraduate (bachelor's and associate's degrees) and graduate (master's degree) applicants must submit an original transcript from each institution attended outside the United States. In addition, they must provide a certified English language translation of all official international transcripts not written in English.
Applicants who are required to provide transcript evaluations should have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES), which is Parsons' preferred provider, or by another member of the National Association of Credit Evaluation Services (NACES). Transcript requirements differ for each type of application.
Instruct the provider to send the transcript evaluation report to
Parsons The New School for Design
Office of Admission
72 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
If your provider is unable to send the report directly to Parsons, please obtain a copy and send it to the Parsons Office of Admission along with the appropriate Materials Cover Sheet.
If applying online, search for "New School Parsons" when requesting our institution.
International students who need the I-20 or DS-2019 form to obtain a visa will receive a link to the online International Student Application Packet in their acceptance letters; they can also access the link through the Accepted Student tab in MyNewSchool. This Web page includes information about applying for the I-20 or DS-2019, guidelines for providing financial documents, instructions and procedures for F-1 transfer students, and other important forms and information.
For more information, visit the International Student Services website.
All new Parsons students who are not native English speakers must take the English course placement test before they begin classes. If English is not your first language, you must take the test regardless of your fluency in English, previous English courses, degrees or diplomas from U.S. institutions, TOEFL score, or SAT score. There are no exceptions. The English placement test is administered before each semester during Orientation Week. Your scores will determine whether you will be required to take English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at The New School and whether any English course transfer credits can be applied to Parsons' first-year writing course requirement. The test is composed of the following sections: listening comprehension (recorded speech followed by multiple-choice questions), grammar questions (multiple choice), reading comprehension questions (multiple choice), one 30-minute essay (choice of two topics), and a brief oral interview.
Tuition is the same for international and domestic applicants. Visit the Tuition and Fees page to learn more about the cost of attendance.
Merit-based scholarship consideration is the same for all students and occurs automatically at the time of application, provided that students have applied by the priority scholarship deadline.
