Bring your experience and perspective
The program welcomes students from a range of academic and professional backgrounds, including recent graduates and career changers, who are committed to serving individuals and communities through speech-language therapy.
The admissions committee considers each applicant’s full profile. Academic preparation, professional and personal experiences, and readiness for rigorous clinical experiences all contribute to the holistic review process.
Competitive applicants typically demonstrate:
A commitment to culturally responsive clinical practice
An interest in understanding and supporting clients across linguistic, cultural, and community contexts
Academic readiness for graduate study
Preparation and readiness for rigorous coursework in a clinically intensive program
A dedication to pursuing speech-language pathology as a career
A desire to serve individuals, families, and communities with diverse communication and/or swallowing needs
Preparedness for program expectations
The ability to balance online coursework with required in-person clinical experiences
Students are strongly encouraged to review our FAQs page as it contains a host of information about our program.
Admissions requirements
Each year, NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders welcomes a cohort of college graduates from a wide variety of academic backgrounds from across the country to join its MS program. Applicants must have a conferred bachelor’s degree prior to their first term of enrollment in order to apply to the MS program.
New York University’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD) does not have a minimum undergraduate GPA requirement, though it is recommended that applicants have at least a 3.0, based on a 4.0 scale. In recent application cycles, the average undergraduate GPA for admitted students was 3.6.
In evaluating applications, we examine prospective students holistically, taking all application components into account.
GRE scores are not required.
Depending on your academic background, you may be required to complete up to 14 credits of foundational coursework in addition to the core MS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders curriculum.
Students may begin the program with or without completed foundational coursework.
This program does not offer visa sponsorship, so applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents living in the U.S. throughout the duration of the program.
Applicants whose native language is not English and who did not complete a four-year undergraduate degree taught in English must submit official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English scores.
Preparing your application materials
Before applying, prospective students are encouraged to view our Tips for Applying to Graduate School. These resources and videos contain a wealth of helpful information, including how to start your application, how to identify letter of recommendation writers, and how to create the best application.
Document preparation
All documents should be double-spaced, in 12-point font, with one-inch margins. Please include your last name and document title in the top right-hand corner (e.g., Doe, Personal Statement).
Length:
Page length is detailed under each application requirement.
Naming:
Ensure each file is labeled clearly before uploading.
Accepted formats:
MS Word (.doc, .docx), Rich Text Format (.rtf), Portable Document Format (.pdf), and ASCII Text file (.txt).
Application checklist
Submit the online application and required application fee through NYU’s graduate admissions system.
A $75 nonrefundable application fee is required upon submission of your application and can be paid using any major credit card.
Please upload a copy of your most recent résumé or curriculum vitae (two-page maximum, and it does not need to be double-spaced or have one-inch margins).
List and upload a copy of an official transcript from every postsecondary institution (college/university) you have attended or are attending. Please note: This includes community college transcripts and transcripts from institutions where you received transfer credits or did not complete a degree. Make sure to request an official transcript(s) in advance of the deadline.
Please note that a copy of an official transcript must include the following:
- Name of institution and show institutional logo
- Student name
- Student ID
- Semesters
- Course title and grade received
- Grading scale (if different than 4.0 scale)
- Level of study
- Degree conferral date (if degree granted)
If the transcripts submitted do not meet the above requirements, you will be required to submit official transcripts.
If admitted to the program, you will need to provide official transcripts. Transcripts can be sent via email to applicationservices@speech.steinhardt.nyu.edu or by mail to the following address:
New York University (NYU)
Application Processing Center
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
PO Box 30096 010-003
College Station, TX 77842
To be considered an official transcript, the transcript must be sent directly from your institution(s) or through an electronic transcript vendor (parchment or National Student Clearinghouse) retained by that institution. Transcripts submitted by enrolled or prospective students are considered unofficial documents, even if they are in a sealed envelope provided to you by the issuing university.
If you have completed or are completing a degree at an institution outside of the United States or Canada, you are required to provide either a WES course-by-course, ECE course-by-course, or The Evaluation Company (TEC/SpanTran) evaluation.
Explore our Transcript page for more details.
You must submit a minimum of two and a maximum of three letters of recommendation.
Standard requirements: At least two letters must come from academic sources (professor, clinical instructor, and/or academic advisor from your undergraduate or post-secondary institution, or post-baccalaureate coursework). The recommender should provide insight into your academic preparation and performance.
Five-year exception: If you have been out of school for five or more years, professional letters may be accepted in place of academic ones.
Optional third letter: You may submit a third letter from either an academic or professional source. Only three letters of recommendation will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
Submission process: You will provide contact information for your recommenders directly through the application system. They will then be notified to upload their letters to the platform.
Confidentiality: The Admissions Committee strongly encourages you to waive your right to view your letters of recommendation.
Your personal statement is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to the New York University’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders Admissions Committee. Your statement should describe your motivation for pursuing a career in speech-language pathology, as well as your goals, interests, and career plans, including how you plan to be a culturally responsive practitioner. We are also interested in learning which prior personal and professional life experiences you believe will make you a successful graduate student at New York University. When applicable, the personal statement is also an opportunity to provide or include context to further explain aspects of your application.
These scores are only required if your native language is not English and you did not receive the equivalent of a four-year US undergraduate degree in which the main level of instruction was English.
All applicants must not need a student visa to enroll in the program and be living in the United States throughout the duration of the program. All applicants living outside of the United States are not eligible for the program at this time.
Candidates who have previously applied to NYU’s MS in CSD program (on campus and/or online) are required to submit an additional supplemental essay in addition to the standard application materials. Additionally, candidates must disclose prior applications and decisions from NYU on any future applications to NYU, regardless of the modality of their prior application. Please see the Documents tab in CSDCAS for detailed instructions.
Re-application essay (one-page maximum): If you are reapplying to NYU Steinhardt’s CSD Program, please briefly describe the steps you have taken to strengthen your application since your last submission. Please include when you applied and what modality (on-campus or online).
Application policies
It is your responsibility to ensure that all materials are submitted by the appropriate deadline, and we reserve the right to return any application that arrives after the deadline.
Due to the volume of applications and related materials received, the Office of Graduate Admissions will contact you only if your application was successfully submitted but is deemed incomplete because of missing required materials. Otherwise, you will hear from us when the Admissions Committee has made its decision.
Deferral policy
NYU Steinhardt does not allow deferrals for the on-campus modality of the MS program. Applicants who wish to be considered for a future term must reapply by submitting a new application with all supporting materials, including letters of recommendation, by the application deadline.
Admissions policy
During the application process, candidates may have only one active application to NYU Steinhardt during each admission cycle. In other words, candidates can either have an on-campus application open or an online application open, but not both.
Admitted and/or enrolled students cannot switch between modalities. Students who wish to switch from one academic modality (online to on-campus or vice versa) must withdraw their application and/or reapply to the other modality. Re-admission is not guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
Please see our online modality MS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders FAQs page for answers about our application process, prospective student information, the CSD program, our foundational courses, the plan of study, observation hours, and more.
Apply to the online modality of the CSD master’s program throughout the year
The online MS in CSD program offers cohort start dates in January and September. The department accepts applications on a rolling basis.
Ready to take the next step toward becoming a speech-language pathologist?
Learn more about applying to the online MS in Communicative Sciences and Disorders and discover how your academic background, experiences, and goals can prepare you for success in the program.