New York University facts for kids

This page is about the private institution founded in 1831. For other uses, see University of New York.

"NYU" redirects here. For the district in Japan, see Nyū District, Fukui. For the Elfen Lied character, see List of Elfen Lied characters § Nyu.

Quick facts for kids
New York University

Latin: Universitas Neo-Eboracensis
Former name	University of the City of New-York (1831–1896)
Motto	Perstare et praestare (Latin)
Motto in English	"To persevere and to excel"
Type	Private research university
Established	April 21, 1831; 194 years ago (April 21, 1831)
Founder	Albert Gallatin
Accreditation	MSCHE
Academic affiliations	AAU NAICU Space-grant
Endowment	$5.9 billion (2023)
Budget	$14.7 billion (2021)
President	Linda G. Mills
Provost	Georgina Dopico (interim)
Academic staff	Total: 9,835 (fall 2018) (5,723 full-time / 4,112 part-time)
Administrative staff	2,242
Students	51,848 (Fall 2018)
Undergraduates	26,733 (Fall 2018)
Postgraduates	25,115 (Fall 2018)
Location	New York City , United States 40°43′48″N 73°59′42″W / 40.73000°N 73.99500°W / 40.73000; -73.99500
Campus	Large city, 230 acres (0.93 km²) (Manhattan campus)
Other campuses	Brooklyn Englewood Cliffs Los Angeles Mineola Washington, D.C. Abu Dhabi Accra Berlin Buenos Aires Florence Havana London Madrid Paris Prague Shanghai Sydney Tel Aviv
Newspaper	Washington Square News
Colors	Violet and white
Nickname	Violets
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division III – UAA
Mascot	Bobcat

New York University (NYU) is a large private research university located in New York City, United States. It was officially started in 1831 and opened in 1832. A group of New Yorkers, led by Albert Gallatin, wanted to create a university that was open to everyone, not just those from wealthy families.

NYU was one of the first universities in the U.S. that was not connected to a specific religion. It focused on a non-religious curriculum. The main campus is in Greenwich Village around Washington Square Park. Over time, NYU has grown to include an engineering school in Brooklyn and other graduate schools across Manhattan.

Today, NYU is the biggest private university in the United States by the number of students. In 2019, over 51,000 students were enrolled. It is one of the most popular schools to apply to, and getting in is very competitive.

NYU has many different schools for students. For example, there's the College of Arts & Science and the Tisch School of the Arts for creative students. There are also graduate schools like the Grossman School of Medicine and the School of Law.

NYU is also a "global university." This means it has campuses in other countries, like NYU Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and NYU Shanghai in China. It also has learning centers in many cities around the world, including London, Paris, and Berlin. Many famous people, including Nobel Prize winners and Pulitzer Prize winners, have studied or taught at NYU.

History of NYU: How it Started and Grew
NYU's Campuses: Where Students Learn and Live
Academics at NYU: What Students Learn
Student Life at NYU
Athletics at NYU: The Violets
Notable People from NYU
Images for kids
See also

History of NYU: How it Started and Grew

Albert Gallatin (1761–1849) by Gilbert Stuart

Albert Gallatin, who used to be the Secretary of the Treasury, wanted to create a university in New York City. He imagined a place that offered "rational and practical education" for everyone. In 1830, a meeting was held where over 100 people discussed plans for this new university. They believed New York City needed a school where young men could get in based on their skills, not their family background.

On April 18, 1831, NYU was officially created with help from important New Yorkers, including merchants and bankers. Albert Gallatin became its first president. On April 21, 1831, the university received its official permission to operate from the New York State Legislature. It was first called the University of the City of New York, but everyone soon called it New York University. This became its official name in 1896.

In 1832, NYU started its first classes in rented rooms near City Hall. In 1835, the School of Law opened, which was NYU's first professional school. Unlike many colleges at the time, NYU was not tied to any specific church. The American Chemical Society was also founded at NYU in 1876.

NYU Building in Washington Square, 1850

The University Heights campus, now home to Bronx Community College

NYU grew quickly and became one of the largest universities in the country. By 1917, it had 9,300 students. Because the original campus was getting too crowded, NYU bought a new campus in the Bronx in 1894. Most of the university's main operations, including the undergraduate College of Arts and Science, moved there. However, the graduate schools stayed at Washington Square. In 1914, the Washington Square College was created as the downtown undergraduate school.

In the 1960s and 1970s, New York City faced financial problems, and NYU was also affected. To avoid bankruptcy, NYU sold its Bronx campus in 1973. The engineering school from the Bronx campus later joined with another school to form the Tandon School of Engineering in 2014. After selling the Bronx campus, the two undergraduate colleges merged. In the 1980s, NYU raised a lot of money to update its buildings and facilities.

In 1991, L. Jay Oliva became NYU's 14th president. He helped create the League of World Universities, which brings together leaders from urban universities around the globe to discuss education. In 2003, President John Sexton started a big fundraising campaign. Under his leadership, NYU also began to become a global university, opening its campus in Abu Dhabi in 2010.

In 2018, the New York University Grossman School of Medicine announced that it would offer full scholarships to all its medical students. This made it the only top medical school in the U.S. to do so. In 2022, Linda G. Mills was announced as the next president, becoming the first woman to lead NYU.

Growing Student Numbers at NYU

From 2007 to 2018, the number of applications to NYU increased by 114%. It went from about 35,000 applicants to over 100,000 in 2020. This also made it much harder to get in, with only 8% of applicants being accepted in 2023 and 2024. NYU has become the largest private university in the United States, with over 59,000 students in 2018.

What Does the NYU Logo Mean?

The NYU logo shows an upheld torch. This torch comes from the Statue of Liberty and represents NYU's service to New York City. The torch is on both the official NYU seal and the more modern NYU logo, designed in 1965.

There are two ideas about why the university's color is violet. Some believe it's because violets grew a lot around Washington Square. Others think the color was chosen because violet was the flower linked to Athens, which was a famous center of learning in ancient Greece.

NYU's Place in New York City Culture

Washington Square and Greenwich Village have been important cultural centers in New York City for a long time. NYU has been a part of this culture. Many artists, like those from the Hudson River School (America's first major group of painters), lived near Washington Square. Samuel Morse, who invented the telegraph, was the first head of Painting and Sculpture at NYU.

In the 1920s, Washington Square Park became known as a place for artists and people who wanted to challenge old ideas. Famous people like Eugene O'Neill lived there. In the 1960s, the area was a hub for the beat and folk music scene, with people like Allen Ginsberg and Bob Dylan living nearby. In 1975, NYU opened The Grey Art Gallery to show its art collection.

How NYU Raises Money

NYU has been very successful at raising money. It completed a seven-year campaign, raising over $3 billion. This money was used for scholarships, hiring new teachers, new academic programs, and improving buildings. For example, the Tisch family gave $50 million, and the Silver family donated $50 million to the School of Social Work, which was then renamed after them.

NYU is also focused on being environmentally friendly. Since 2009, it has been the largest university buyer of wind energy in the U.S. This helps reduce pollution, like taking 12,000 cars off the road. The EPA has ranked NYU as one of the greenest colleges in the country.

NYU's Campuses: Where Students Learn and Live

NYU's main campus in New York City has over 171 buildings. These are mostly in Manhattan and Brooklyn. In Manhattan, most buildings are in a 230 acres (0.93 km²) area around Washington Square Park. Besides New York, NYU has 49 more buildings overseas, including two main "portal" campuses and 12 Global Academic Centers.

The Washington Square Campus

Washington Square Park, with its gateway arch, is surrounded largely by NYU buildings and plays an integral role in the university's campus life.

The heart of NYU is its Washington Square campus in Greenwich Village. The Washington Square Arch is a well-known symbol of NYU. Until 2007, graduation ceremonies were held in Washington Square Park. Now, they take place at Yankee Stadium.

The Silver Center for Arts and Science is a main academic building for the College of Arts & Science. The School of Law's main building, Vanderbilt Hall, is also nearby. The Kimmel Center for University Life is a central spot for student activities and events. Other important buildings include those for the Tisch School of the Arts and the university's bookstore.

NYU also has many student dorms around Washington Square, like Goddard Hall and Weinstein Hall. In the 1990s, NYU expanded to create a second community around Union Square, which also has many dorms.

NYU has theaters and performance spaces, mainly used by the Tisch School of the Arts. The largest is the Skirball Center for Performing Arts. NYU also has "international houses" like the Deutsches Haus and La Maison Française. These help students learn about different cultures and languages. Most of these are on Washington Mews, a private street north of Washington Square Park.

The closest subway stations are Eighth Street–New York University and West Fourth Street–Washington Square. NYU also has its own shuttle buses to take students to different parts of the campus.

Gould Plaza: A Busy Student Hub

Courant Institute

Stern School of Business

The Jeffrey S. Gould Plaza is a popular meeting spot for NYU students. It is located between Washington Square East and Mercer Street. Buildings for the Stern School of Business and the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences are around the plaza. You might also see street musicians performing there.

Bobst Library: A Huge Study Space

Bobst Library

The Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, built between 1967 and 1972, is NYU's biggest library. It is one of the largest university libraries in the United States. This 12-story building is on the south side of Washington Square Park. It has over 4.5 million books and about 2,000 places for students to study. More than 6,800 people visit the library every day.

Bobst Library also has special collections, like the Fales Collection of English and American fiction. The Tamiment Library holds collections on labor history and American radicalism.

The Brooklyn Campus: Engineering and Innovation

Bern Dibner Library of Science and Technology on the Brooklyn campus

NYU's Brooklyn campus is in MetroTech Center, a research park. It's close to the Brooklyn Bridge and connected to the Manhattan campus by shuttle buses. This campus is home to the Tandon School of Engineering and the Center for Urban Science and Progress.

MetroTech Commons is a large public space in the middle of the Brooklyn campus. It's like a park for students, hosting events such as concerts. The campus also has NYU's Game Center Open Library, which has the world's largest collection of games owned by a university. There's also the NYU MakerSpace, where students can use advanced tools like 3D printers.

In 2017, NYU announced plans to invest over $500 million to improve and expand its Brooklyn campus.

Other NYU Locations in the New York Area

NYU Langone Health

The NYU Langone Health medical center is located near the East River. It includes the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and several hospitals. NYU also has medical centers in Brooklyn and on Long Island.

NYU has other facilities, like the Midtown Center for real estate studies and the Woolworth Building for professional studies. The Institute for the Study of the Ancient World and the Institute of Fine Arts are located on the Upper East Side.

NYU's Global Campuses and Study Abroad Programs

NYU has many locations around the world for students to study abroad. These are called Global Academic Centers. As of 2012, NYU had 12 academic sites in different parts of the world, including Accra, Berlin, Florence, and London. One notable site is the 57-acre (230,000 m²) campus of NYU Florence in Italy, which was a huge gift to the university.

NYU also has Global Research Initiative Institutes. These help teachers and graduate students do research in other countries.

NYU Abu Dhabi: A "Portal Campus"

NYU Abu Dhabi

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) opened in 2010. It is NYU's first "Portal Campus" overseas. Unlike other study abroad centers, NYUAD is a full college where students can complete all four years of their degree. It attracts students from all over the world. The main campus for NYUAD is on Saadiyat Island and opened in 2014.

NYU Shanghai: Another Global Campus

NYU Shanghai

In 2011, NYU announced plans for another portal campus, NYU Shanghai, which opened in 2013. Most of its students are Chinese. NYU's partner for this campus is East China Normal University. Since 2014, NYU Shanghai has been in Pudong, Shanghai. A new campus building is being built in the Qiantan International Business Zone and is expected to open by 2022.

Past Global Campuses

Tisch School of the Arts, Asia was NYU's first branch campus abroad in Singapore. It offered Master of Fine Arts degrees. However, it closed after 2014 due to low student numbers and financial issues.

Student Housing at NYU

Washington Square Village, home to NYU faculty and graduate students

NYU houses about 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students. It has one of the largest university housing systems among private schools in the U.S. NYU's undergraduate housing has over 20 dorms.

Many of NYU's dorms are actually converted apartment buildings or old hotels. They are generally well-liked, with many rooms being spacious and having kitchens or living rooms. The university also runs its own bus system to transport students to campus. Some dorms are considered very nice, with modern features like granite countertops and in-hall gyms.

Undergraduate students are guaranteed housing during their time at NYU. First-year students usually live near Washington Square, while upperclassmen often live near Union Square. Two dorms are located near the Brooklyn campus.

In 2007, NYU was named the National School of the Year for its strong student housing efforts.

NYU's Commitment to Sustainability

NYU is very focused on making its campus environmentally friendly. Since 2009, NYU has bought more wind energy than any other university in the U.S. This helps reduce carbon emissions, like taking 12,000 cars off the road.

In 2008, NYU gave $150,000 to projects focused on energy, food, and waste. These projects included a student-led bike-sharing program. The EPA has ranked NYU as one of the greenest colleges in the country.

NYU 2031: Plans for the Future

In 2007, NYU announced a big plan called "NYU 2031." This is a 25-year plan to expand the university by its 200th anniversary in 2031. The plan includes adding more housing for students and new academic spaces.

Construction for this plan started in 2017 with a new building at 181 Mercer Street. This building will be a main athletic facility, a dorm with 350 beds, classrooms, and a theater. Another project, 370 Jay Street in Brooklyn, will house digital arts and sciences programs.

Academics at NYU: What Students Learn

How to Get into NYU

Global admission statistics
Class of	2028	2027	2026	2025	2024
Applicants	118000	120,000	100,500	100,131	85,000+
Admits	9440	9,600	12,810	12,500	13,000
% Admitted	8	8	12.2	12.8	15
Enrolled		6,500	6,500	6,500	6,700
Note: Statistics include NYU's global university network.

Getting into NYU is very competitive. For the class entering in 2028, only 8% of over 118,000 applicants were accepted. In 2021, NYU became the first private university in the U.S. to receive over 100,000 applications.

About 6,500 students enroll each year, coming from 102 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Most new students have excellent grades in high school and are in the top 10% of their class. The average SAT score for admitted students is very high. NYU also offers scholarships, with the average scholarship for new students being over $35,000.

NYU's Schools and Leadership

NYU is a private university with 10 undergraduate schools and 15 graduate or professional schools. The College of Arts and Science is currently the largest academic division.

NYU Graduate/Professional Schools
College/School	Established
School of Law	1835
Grossman School of Medicine	1841
Tandon School of Engineering	1854
College of Dentistry	1865
Graduate School of Arts and Science	1886
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development	1890
Stern School of Business	1900
School of Professional Studies	1934
Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service	1938
Rory Meyers College of Nursing	1944
Silver School of Social Work	1960
Tisch School of the Arts	1965
Gallatin School of Individualized Study	1972
Center for Urban Science and Progress	2013
College of Global Public Health	2015

NYU has a "global network university" system. This includes its main campus, two "portal" campuses (NYU Shanghai and NYU Abu Dhabi), and 12 academic sites around the world. The portal campuses are like full colleges where students can get a degree. The academic sites are for students to study abroad for a semester or year. NYU sends more students abroad and welcomes more international students than any other university.

NYU Undergraduate Schools
College/school	Established
College of Arts and Science	1832
Tandon School of Engineering	1854
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development	1890
Stern School of Business	1900
School of Professional Studies	1934
Rory Meyers College of Nursing	1944
Silver School of Social Work	1960
Tisch School of the Arts	1965
Gallatin School of Individualized Study	1972
Global Liberal Studies	2009

The President of New York University is the main leader of the university. On July 1, 2023, Linda G. Mills became the 17th president of NYU, and she is the first woman to hold this position.

Research at NYU: Discovering New Things

NYU is known for its very high level of research activity. In 2017, it spent $917.7 million on research. NYU was also the university where the American Chemical Society was founded. The NYU Grossman School of Medicine received $305 million for research in 2014.

In 2014, NYU was granted 90 patents, which means it created many new inventions. NYU also has the fastest supercomputer in New York City. NYU researchers are leaders in hardware security, receiving funding from many important organizations and companies like Twitter and Google.

In 2019, four NYU departments were ranked in the Top 10 globally for their academic subjects: economics, politics, psychology, and sociology.

How NYU Ranks Among Other Universities

U.S. university rankings

ARWU World	25
THES World	24
USNWR National University	35
Washington Monthly National University	105
Forbes	60

School rankings
*2021 U.S. News & World Report* Rank**

Business	10
Economics	11
Education	6
Engineering	36
Law	5
Mathematics	9
Medicine: Primary Care	41
Medicine: Research	2
Nursing: Doctor of Nursing Practice	24
Nursing: Master's	12

NYU is highly ranked by many different organizations. Nationally, it is often in the top 20 or 30 universities. Globally, NYU is also ranked among the top universities in the world.

For specific subjects, NYU's graduate schools are ranked very high. For example, its law school is ranked 6th, and its business school is 10th. The NYU Department of Philosophy is ranked 1st globally.

NYU is also known for producing successful alumni. It ranks among the top universities for producing alumni who become millionaires or billionaires.

Student Life at NYU

Student body composition As of May 2, 2022 (2022 -05-02)^[update]
Race and ethnicity	Total
Foreign national	24%	24
White	23%	23
Asian	19%	19
Hispanic	17%	17
Other	9%	9
Black	8%	8
Economic diversity
Low-income	19%	19
Affluent	81%	81

Student Government

The Student Government Assembly (SGA) is the main student governing body at NYU. It includes students from different colleges within the university. The SGA has been involved in important discussions on campus.

Student Clubs and Activities

A bus system transports students to and from the far ends of campus.

NYU has over 450 student clubs and organizations. These include sports teams, social groups, and clubs focused on entertainment, arts, and culture.

Student Media and Journalism

Students run various media groups, such as the daily student newspaper Washington Square News and the NYU Local blog. There are also comedy magazines and literary journals. NYU also has its own radio station, WNYU-FM 89.1, which broadcasts to the entire New York area.

Debate and Mock Trial Teams

NYU has a highly-ranked debate team. They won the national championship in 2003–2004 and have consistently been one of the top teams. The NYU Mock Trial team is also one of the best in the country, often placing in the top 10 at national competitions.

Campus Traditions and Fun Events

NYU has many fun traditions. New students are welcomed during "Welcome Week" with university-sponsored activities. Throughout the year, there are events like Apple Fest, the Violet Ball (a dance in the Bobst Library), and Strawberry Fest, which features New York City's longest Strawberry Shortcake. There's also a semi-annual midnight breakfast where staff serve free breakfast to students before finals.

A Cappella Music Groups

NYU has several student-run a cappella groups. These groups often compete in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). The NYU N'Harmonics won the ICCA title in 2019 and are ranked among the top groups.

Greek Life: Fraternities and Sororities

Some of the first fraternities in the U.S. were formed at NYU, starting in 1837. Today, about 13% of NYU undergraduate students are members of fraternities or sororities. There are 25 social fraternities and sororities on campus.

Several national Greek organizations, like Delta Phi Epsilon and Alpha Epsilon Pi, were founded at NYU. The NYU Gamma chapter of Delta Phi, founded in 1841, is the longest continuously active fraternity chapter in the world.

Secret Societies

NYU has a history of secret societies. The Philomathean Society and The Eucleian Society were founded in 1832. The Red Dragon Society, founded in 1898, is considered one of the most selective societies at NYU.

ROTC Programs

NYU does not have its own ROTC program on campus. However, NYU students can join the U.S. Army ROTC program through Fordham University or the U.S. Air Force ROTC program through Manhattan College.

Athletics at NYU: The Violets

NYU's sports teams are called the NYU Violets. Their colors are "NYU Violet" and white. The school mascot is a bobcat, chosen in 1981.

NYU has many sports teams, including baseball, basketball, cross country, fencing, golf, soccer, and swimming. Most of NYU's teams compete in the NCAA's Division III. However, fencing and ice hockey compete in Division I. NYU has not had a varsity football team since 1952.

Students can also join club and intramural sports like badminton, cycling, ice hockey, and rugby. The Palladium Athletic Facility is the main place for NYU's sports teams. Because there isn't much space for playing fields in Manhattan, many teams play their games at different facilities around the city. NYU is building a new athletic facility called 181 Mercer Street, which will have a swimming pool, basketball courts, and a running track.

Notable People from NYU

As of 2020, many famous people have been connected to NYU as teachers or students. These include:

38 Nobel Prize winners
26 Pulitzer Prize winners
37 Academy Award winners
Many heads of state and government officials

NYU is also linked to many important inventions and discoveries, such as the laser (Gordon Gould), the polio vaccine (Albert Sabin), and the barcode (Jerome Swartz). NYU alumni have founded or led many well-known companies like Twitter (Jack Dorsey), Bloomberg L.P. (Charles Zegar), and MTV (Tom Freston).