Admissions Requirements

If you are required to take a CUNY Assessment Test for admission to a particular college or for placement into appropriate level courses, you will be receiving instructions from both the University and the colleges you are admitted to. These pages give you general information about the tests, and a set of resources to guide you in your preparation to take them. You can meet admissions requirements based on New York Regents test scores, the SAT tests, or the ACT tests. The CUNY Assessment Tests offers you an alternative route for admission to four-year colleges.


Primary Ways to Meet the CUNY Admissions Requirements for Four-Year Colleges

Reading and Writing

You can demonstrate the necessary skill levels in reading and writing by meeting any of these criteria:

  • SAT Critical Reading score of 480 or higher
  • ACT English score of 20 or higher
  • N.Y. State English Regents score of 75 or higher

Mathematics

Likewise, you can satisfy the mathematics skill requirement if you meet any of these criteria:

  • SAT Math score differs from college to college (see chart below)
  • ACT Math score of 21 or higher
  • N.Y. State Regents: 
    • Score of 75 or higher in one of the following:
    1. Math A or Math B
    2. Sequential II or Sequential III
    • Score of 80 or higher in Integrated Algebra, or Geometry, or Algebra 2 & Trigonometry AND successfully completing Algebra 2 & Trigonometry or higher-level course.

College
SAT Math
Baruch 510
Brooklyn
510
City College
510
Hunter College
510
Lehman College 510
Online Baccalaureate, SPS 510
Queens College
510
York 510
CSI 500
John Jay 500
Medgar Evers 500
NYC College of Technology 500

 

Note that most colleges require all new students to take the CUNY Assessment Test in Mathematics for course placement, even if they meet one of the criteria listed above.

Exceptions:

If you are applying to a bachelor's degree program, CUNY allows three types of exceptions to these skill level requirements.
Applicants Who Have Already Completed a Bachelor's Degree
If you have already completed a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited program, you are exempt from the CUNY Admissions assessment requirements.

ESL Applicants
If you qualify as an ESL student and you can demonstrate the college's required skill level in math you do not need to demonstrate CUNY Admissions levels in reading and writing prior to admission. You have two years to do so.

Applicants Qualifying for SEEK Program
If you qualify for the SEEK program you do not need to demonstrate the required skill levels prior to admission. You have one year to do so in reading and writing, and two years to do so in mathematics.