Applicants for the BFA in Musical Theatre must be graduates of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) Integrated* Program. The New School for Public Engagement (NSPE) will assign 60 transfer credits for the AMDA Integrated Program. Accepted students may be able to transfer an additional 24 credits for courses completed at other colleges or universities.

*AMDA Studio graduates should apply for admission to the NSPE BS in Liberal Arts program.

Note: It is possible to earn up to 12 undergraduate credits at NSPE without applying for formal admission. Go to Continuing Education to see the range of courses available. If a student is subsequently admitted to a degree program, credits earned in continuing education courses at The New School can usually be applied to the degree program.

Former students seeking readmission must contact the Office of Admission for application instructions.

Priority Deadlines for NSPE Undergraduate Applications

June 1 for fall semester admission
November 1 for spring semester admission
April 1 for summer term admission

All application materials must be received in the Office of Admission by the deadline for priority consideration. Late applications may be considered, but financial aid may not be available.

How to Apply

Plan ahead to meet your application deadline. It takes time for transcripts and other supporting documents to reach The New School. All applicants are required to use the online application. The application fee and most supporting documents can be submitted online with the application form. A personal interview may be requested after your application documents have been received and reviewed. A complete School of Undergraduate Studies application includes

• The $50 nonrefundable application fee
• Official transcripts from AMDA and from every college or university previously attended. Your high school diploma or GED score report may also be required at the discretion of the Office of Admission.
• Three short essays (described in the application form instructions), in which you discuss you personal academic and life goals
• Your current résumé

Read the detailed application instructions provided with the online application form. You can also download the instructions in PDF format.

International applicants (not U.S. citizens or permanent residents) may have to provide Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores and/or transcript translations/evaluations as described in the online application instructions.

Applicants who hope to enter the Riggio Honors Program: Writing and Democracy must submit a writing portfolio with their other application documents. Follow the link for more information about the program and the supplemental application materials.

Costs and Financial Aid

Speak to an admission counselor about options for financing your education.

See current tuition and fees information and other estimated costs of attendance. All admitted students are automatically considered for available New School scholarships and grants. Students are notified of financial aid in their letters of acceptance.

If you are a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen, we encourage you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You do not have to wait for an admission decision to apply for federal aid. The New School's federal school code is 002780.

Additional Information

Successful applicants will receive a letter of acceptance with detailed information about financial aid, housing, registration, student visas (for nonresidents of the United States), and other matters.

All materials submitted as part of your application become the property of The New School and cannot be returned to you or transmitted to a third party.

If you are applying to more than one academic program at the university, you must submit a separate complete application (including separate application fee) for each program. Contact the Office of Admission for instructions before opening a second application.