New Student Guide

Starting college is an exciting time, and we are here to help you start off strong. Use this page to get help with financial aid and enrollment, and to connect with your future classmates.
Get a taste of college life at CUNY and share your #IChooseCUNY message.

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Hunter student

Your College Checklist

Unsure about something? Check out our FAQs.

Your New Support System

Students on the Lehman College campus

Admissions

We’re here to support you as you consider your college options and prepare to make a decision about your future. If you haven’t applied yet, you can still submit the CUNY Application for Fall 2024. For any questions, be in touch with us via email or phone.

FAST coaches

Financial Aid Support Team

Don’t let the stress of applying for financial aid keep you from your money. The CUNY FAST Financial Aid Support Team is made up of student coaches who are trained to give you 1-on-1 help you with FAFSA, TAP, and the New York State DREAM Act via text or at an event near you. If you’ve already applied for financial aid, your offer is available to view in CUNYfirst.

Advisement & Registration

Now that you’ve accepted your offer of admission, get ready to customize your schedule with an exciting array of courses. Our academic advisors are here to walk you through the process virtually, with individual advising and group sessions. Your future inspiration starts here.

Your Future Campus

Brooklyn College

What CUNY Wears

Baruch College

CUNY Cinematic

Medgar Evers

What CUNY Wears

Macaulay Honors College

Shoot With Us

Summer at CUNY

Shoot With Us

City Tech

CUNY Cinematic

NY Fashion Week

What CUNY Wears

CUNY Support Programs

Support Programs

Your Future Classmates

Submit your profile to the @cunyclass2028 Instagram and connect with other students @cunybystudents

1 University 25 Colleges

Access the resources for your college below to get any info you need!

CUNY Campus: Baruch College

Baruch College

CUNY Campus: Borough of Manhattan Community College

Borough of Manhattan Community College

CUNY Campus: Bronx Community College

Bronx Community College

CUNY Campus: Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College

CUNY Campus: College of Staten Island

College of Staten Island

CUNY Campus: Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism

Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism

CUNY Campus: CUNY Graduate Center

CUNY Graduate Center

CUNY Campus: CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy

CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy

CUNY Campus: CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies

CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies

CUNY Campus: CUNY School of Law

CUNY School of Law

CUNY Campus: CUNY School of Professional Studies

CUNY School of Professional Studies

CUNY Campus: Guttman Community College

Guttman Community College

CUNY Campus: Hostos Community College

Hostos Community College

CUNY Campus: Hunter College

Hunter College

CUNY Campus: John Jay College

John Jay College of Criminal Justice

CUNY Campus: Kingsborough Community College

Kingsborough Community College

CUNY Campus: LaGuardia Community College

LaGuardia Community College

CUNY Campus: Lehman College

Lehman College

CUNY Campus: Hunter College

Macaulay Honors College

CUNY Campus: Medgar Evers College

Medgar Evers College

CUNY Campus: CityTech, New York City College of Technology

New York City College of Technology

CUNY Campus: Queens College

Queens College

CUNY Campus: Queensborough Community College

Queensborough Community College

CUNY Campus: The City College of New York

The City College of New York

CUNY Campus: York College

York College

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I still apply to CUNY? If so, which colleges are still accepting applications?

Yes, our colleges are accepting applications for Fall 2024. You can apply as a freshman or transfer applicant using the CUNY Application. Please visit our Closed Programs page for a list of programs that are closed. Once you submit your application, be sure to provide us with your academic documents. For more information on deadlines and required documents, review our How to Apply page.

2. My application to CUNY is missing documents. Is it too late to submit?

No, it is not too late to submit your documents, and most institutions can transmit your information to us electronically. The deadline for applications and documents can be found here. For more information, visit our How to Apply page. Once all documents are received, you will begin receiving decisions from your college choices.

3. I’m having issues claiming my CUNYfirst account. Can you help?

Click here for a video and step by step instructions on claiming your account. If you still have questions, email us at admissions@cuny.edu. Include ‘CUNYfirst account claim issues’ in the subject line of the email. Make sure to provide your name, date of birth and a description of the issue along side a screenshot in the body of the email.

4. Will recent Regents exam cancellations impact my ability to enroll?

If you’ve already been admitted to CUNY, your enrollment will not be impacted. If you needed to pass a Regents exam in order to graduate, passing the corresponding class with satisfy that requirement.

5. I’m interested in exploring your campuses. What are my options?

Many of our colleges offer in-person and virtual tours, it’s a great way to learn more about the campus. You can also register for virtual information sessions. Above you can find a list of all our colleges, there you can click on ‘Virtual Tour’ and ‘Explore the campus’ link under each college for more information about what is offered.

6. I’m having issues obtaining official documents to complete my application. What steps can I take?

For college/university documents, reach out to the institution (typically the registrar office) to see if your official documents can be forwarded to us electronically.

For high school documents, your high school counselor can forward documents to us via email.

If you are still experiencing difficulties, please reach out to us at admissions@cuny.edu and we will work with you to complete your application.

7. Are all students required to pay the commitment deposit fee? What if I am unable to pay?

If your application fee was waived, or you have an Student Aid Index (SAI) of $3,000 or less, your commitment deposit fee will be waived at the point of admission. If your commitment deposit was not waived, and your financial situation has recently changed, contact the admissions office at the college where you wish to commit to discuss your options.

8. I’ve been accepted to CUNY, but my financial aid award is not available. What steps can I take?

Follow these steps to receive your financial aid award:

  1. Fill out the FAFSA. We also recommend filling out the TAP
  2. Make sure to list each of the colleges to which you’ve applied on your financial aid application. Here is a list of all CUNY college codes to help you.
  3. To check if we’ve received your FAFSA, check the Student Center in CUNYfirst. The ‘To Do List’ section on the right-hand side of the page will display a ‘File the FAFSA Now’ item if your FAFSA hasn’t been received.
  4. Submit verification forms if you’ve been selected for verification.
  5. You can always check for financial aid awards by clicking ‘View Financial Aid’ in the Finances section of Student Center in CUNYfirst. Here is a quick video to help you.

9. I received a Financial Aid Verification request, letting me know that I have to provide supplemental documents within a specified timeframe. Is there flexibility?

You should submit your verification documents as soon as you can using the secure document upload feature offered by the college(s) in which you are interested. Your financial aid award is estimated until this review is completed.

10. My family’s financial situation has recently changed. How can I alert CUNY to my new situation?

Email a written statement describing your change in finances to the Financial Aid Office at the college where you plan to enroll. Upon review of your information, the Financial Aid Office will follow up asking for more details and may request additional documentation.

11. What is the best way to submit financial aid verification documents to CUNY?

Verification Documents can be uploaded using the secure document upload feature available at each college. For more information, visit the Financial Aid website of the college or colleges in which you are interested.

12. I received a notice from the SEEK office, asking for additional documents to be submitted. What is the best way to submit documents if I can’t go in person?

SEEK/CD Documents can be uploaded using the secure document upload feature available at each college. For more information, visit the Financial Aid website of the college or colleges in which you are interested.

13. How will I be able to provide a final high school transcript?

If you attend a DOE public high school and have provided us with your OSIS number, your final high school transcript will be received electronically. All other students can request a copy of their official high school transcript to be sent by the high school electronically to transcripts@cuny.edu.

14. How will I be able to provide immunization records?

If you attend a DOE public high school and have provided us with your OSIS number, your immunization records will be received electronically. All other students will be able to upload documentation via CUNYfirst. Click here for a video tutorial on uploading documents.

15. How can I confirm if you’ve received my immunization records?

Visit the Student Center page in CUNYfirst. Click on “Admission Center” or “Student Center” and then “Tasks and Holds” where you can view Holds and a To Do List. Both sections will give you detailed information on items that are missing. Even if we’ve received your immunization record, you may still be asked to submit a meningitis acknowledgement form.

16. My school is considering a Pass/Fail option. Will this impact my admission decision?

No. Your admission decision will not be impacted if your school decides to use a Pass/Fail option.

17. Are Courses being offered remotely?

We offer courses in a variety of formats to fit your needs, including both in-person and online options. Use our Global Course Search to browse all available courses. Explore our fully online programs here. For those seeking exclusively online programs, explore the School of Professional Studies (SPS), which offers a range of fully online degrees.

18. The AP exam is being offered virtually. Will CUNY accept this format?

Yes, if you take the virtual AP exam and receive a satisfactory score, you will be eligible to receive credit once you join the university.

19. How do I know if I’m eligible to register for college level math and English courses?

In order to enroll in college level math and English courses, all students must demonstrate proficiency in math, reading and writing. For most students, proficiency is determined at the point of admission using academic information submitted as part of application review.

To view your proficiency status, visit the milestones section located on the right-hand-side of Student Center in CUNYfirst. Students who are eligible for college level math courses will see a ‘Math Proficient’ under Milestones. Students who are eligible for a college level English course will see a ‘Read Proficient’ and ‘Write Proficient’. If any of these indicators is missing, your academic advisor will help you register for developmental courses that will give you additional support to be successful in college level work.

20. My college has asked that I upload documents via CUNYfirst. How can I do that?

Documents can be uploaded using the document upload feature in CUNYfirst. Click here for a video tutorial on uploading documents.