New York State, often referred to simply as New York, is situated in the Northeastern region of the United States. It shares borders with New England and has an international boundary with Canada. As of 2023, 19.6 million residents call it home and it is voted as the fourth-most populous state in the U.S. and the seventh-most densely populated. The cities of New York State, spanning from the iconic New York City through Albany, Utica, and Syracuse, to Rochester, and Buffalo on the Great Lakes, collectively house over four-fifths of the state's population in themselves. Notably, New York State has a special focus on New York City which continues to play a strong role in the nation's economy and finance. Additionally, it serves as a source of inspiration for American art and culture. The state's influence and the iconic image of New York City are integral components of national politics adding to that.
Study in New York State is run by the State University of New York (SUNY) which is the largest public higher education in the U.S. SUNY has around 64 universities under it. Noteworthy among these are four "university centres" in Albany, Buffalo, Binghamton and Stony Brook. Within SUNY there are three academic medical centres, including the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Norton College of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY Downstate Medical Center, which contribute significantly to medical education and research across the state. While public universities in New York State have much of a reputation, private universities are not far behind. Private liberal arts colleges in New York State have a huge student population of more than 480,000 individuals.
Why Study In New York State?
The state has some of the top-ranked universities in the world but this doesn’t end there. In this section learn why study in New York State is preferred over many other states in the United States.
Cultural Diversity:
New York ranks eighth in the U.S. for racial and ethnic diversity. Much of it can be found in New York City alone, with over 8 million residents, students will encounter people speaking over 800 languages and hailing from 180 countries. As the state with the second-highest international student population, New York offers a truly multicultural experience.
Employment and Internships:
New York State has over 50 Fortune 500 companies. The state shares the top spot with California. These companies offer employment opportunities to central to two-thirds of the U.S. economy. From Wall Street to fashion, retail, publishing, and more, the city is a global business centre. High-demand, high-paying jobs, including roles in information security and actuarial positions, await ambitious students who wish to study abroad in New York State.
Entertainment:
New York is an entertainment mecca with Broadway shows, concerts at iconic venues, and cultural events like art festivals and jazz performances. WorldPride events and concerts in the Catskill Mountains add to this. The Lincoln Centre, with its 12 renowned companies, epitomises excellence in the performing arts.
Food Culture:
The culture highlighted above translates to a world of street food in New York City, ranked among the top 10 food truck cities in America. There are authentic Greek, Asian and Caribbean delights. Students shouldn’t miss out on iconic New York dishes like the pastrami sandwich and Manhattan clam chowder.
Public Transportation:
New York City's extensive subway and bus system provides affordable and convenient travel across the five boroughs, operating 24/7. Through this, students can explore beaches, the Hudson Valley and the Catskill Mountains via daily trains. For a scenic ride, rent or bring your bike to explore miles of trails along the Hudson River and Central Park. This can be a great escape for students after attending courses in New York State.
Top Universities And Global Ranking
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New York, United States
Cost Of Living
$ 32,892
$ 24,140
#22
$ 32,892
$ 24,140
#8
Columbia University is the largest private university in New York, USA. It belongs to the prestigious Ivy League Colleges. When King's College, founded in 1754, reopened in 1784 following the American Revolution, the name was changed to Columbia College. In 1912, it was renamed Columbia University. Up until 1983, when women were first allowed to enrol, Columbia College served as the men's undergraduate liberal arts institution. In addition to Columbia College, the university has two other undergraduate programs (the School of General Studies and the School of Engineering and Applied Science), as well as the connected Barnard and Teachers colleges. This prestigious university intakes almost 40,000 students all around the globe which matched Columbia University Acceptance Rate being 6.7%; making it one of the hardest Ivy League Schools to get into.
With connections to Caltech, Yale, and MIT, Columbia University offers a wide range of opportunities for students to experience various academic programmes. American Studies, Architecture, Philosophy, Anthropology, Business, and History are some of the disciplines that make up the academic system. Drama and theatre arts, film, dance and media studies, music, and visual arts are a few of the well-liked and imaginative courses.
Columbia University is also the second-largest landowner in the United States, which is based in Morningside Heights, New York. It is exquisitely constructed and spans 36 acres of land. Additionally, the library is renowned for its neoclassical architecture and collection of over 11 million volumes and academic papers. It includes some well-known books with the names of esteemed authors, intellectuals, and philosophers engraved on them. In addition to accommodation options, the school is close to dining establishments, coffee shops, pharmacies, general stores, and other retailers that cater to students' basic needs.
There are some notable alumni that the university boasts including Former U.S. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Barack Obama, Chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank Alan Greenspan, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, inventor of FM radio Edwin Armstrong, pioneer of quantum field theory Julian S. Schwinger, and artist George O'Keeffe.
Ithaca, United States
Cost Of Living
$ 34,188
$ 20,800
#20
$ 34,188
$ 20,800
#6
Cornell University, a coeducational institution of higher education in Ithaca, New York, U.S. is one of the Ivy League colleges established in 1865. The university is located on a 745-acre (301-hectare) campus atop hills with a panoramic view of Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, and the nearby farm, conservation, and recreational areas. The State University of New York collaborates with Cornell, a privately funded research university. Uniquely within the Ivy League, they have a duty to contribute to all disciplines of knowledge while prioritizing public engagement in order to enhance the standard of living in the state, the country, and the world. This is because they are a federal land-grant university in New York State. It is worth noting that the Cornell University acceptance rate stands at 10.7% making it a very competitive university to get into.
From the laboratory bench to the hospital bedside, from cultural development to sustainability principles, researchers and academics are turning discovery into real, measurable effect that is improving the world. Talented researchers and eminent academics are aware of the close relationship between teaching and learning. There are more than 1,000 student organizations at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, ranging from the Big Red Marching Band to the International Affairs Society. The institution offers housing choices for juniors and seniors and graduate students, though many elect to live off campus. First-year students live together on the north campus. More than 60 fraternity and sorority chapters are present at Cornell, which boasts a thriving Greek community. 35 varsity teams from Cornell's NCAA Division I school competing in the Ivy League. The men's lacrosse and wrestling teams at Cornell are renowned for their excellence, and the institution also has a successful ice hockey program.
The S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management, College of Engineering, Law School, and Weill Cornell Medical College are some of the top graduate programs offered there. Along with its highly regarded School of Hotel Administration, Cornell is also well renowned for its top-ranked College of Veterinary Medicine. The parade of a dragon created by first-year architecture students through campus on Dragon Day is one of Cornell's oldest traditions. E.B. White, Bill Nye, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, are notable alumni.
New York City, United States
Cost Of Living
$ 35,904
$ 27,666
#39
$ 35,904
$ 27,666
#18
New York University is the biggest private institution in the country and was established in 1831. The university operates 11 international academic centres, research initiatives in more than 25 nations, and degree-granting campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai. New York University is one of the largest employers in New York City, employing about 19,000 people.
The academic enterprise is at the heart of New York University. The appeal of being a part of a stimulating intellectual and creative endeavour, a community of scholars distinguished by collaboration, creativity, and illuminating instruction, attracts the best teachers and students to the University. Students at NYU get to experience what it's like to study at a genuinely global institution that is based in New York City but has nodes all over the globe. More than 400 graduate, undergraduate, and research programmes are available. The university offers a wide range of resources and services to support university life at NYU. From key components like accommodation, registration, information technology, and financial aid to crucial day-to-day specifics like lockers and copying services.
NYU's main campuses are in Brooklyn's downtown and Manhattan's Greenwich Village, both of which undoubtedly have a sense of community. Washington Square Park is bordered by numerous academic, administrative, and freshman residence halls at NYU. Students walking to class crowd the sidewalks, and the NYU neighbourhood patronises the restaurants, stores, and other establishments. The daily culture, excitement, and opportunity of the city serve as a very genuine extension of NYU's campus and classrooms, involving the people of NYU both on and off campus.
Binghamton, United States
Cost Of Living
$ 32,892
$ 9,504
#1001 - 1200
$ 32,892
$ 9,504
#162
Binghamton University (also known as Binghamton or SUNY Binghamton) is a public research university in Binghampton, New York, United States. It has campuses spread out in Binghamton, Vestal, and Johnson City. The university is one of the State University of New York (SUNY) system's four academic hubs. SUNY Binghamton has grown from a tiny liberal arts college to a sizable research university since its founding in 1946. It is listed as belonging to the category "R1: Doctoral Universities - Very High Research Activity." In 1965, Harpur College was chosen as one of the four new SUNY university centres, joining New York state institutions at Stony Brook University, Albany, and Buffalo. The school was renamed the State University of New York at Binghamton, reflecting its role as a higher education institution. Its undergraduate college of arts and sciences was kept as "Harpur College" as a tribute to heritage.
Binghamton University’s acceptance rate stands at 44% and it has an early acceptance rate of 60.9% with over 3,000 undergraduate students in the first year, 900+ transfer students, and 1,500+ graduate students. It is the biggest of Binghamton's constituent schools, with more than 60% of undergraduate and graduate students participating in degree-granting programs. At the university, there are more than 80 graduate programs and over 130 undergraduate programs. Additionally, there are multidisciplinary programs that enable customized degree plans at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
It has a division of research, an independent research foundation, multiple research facilities, including a New York State Center of Excellence, and collaborations with other universities, the university is recognized as an advanced research institution. According to the National Science Foundation, the university is ranked 163rd nationally for its investment in research and development. The Bearcats, Binghamton's athletic teams, play in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The university has a sizable global network of alumni and provides a range of services to them, including royalties, insurance plans, degree programs co-sponsored by the Alumni Association, courtesy cards for the library, and the publication of alumni-related articles in the school magazine. Some of the notable alumni of the university are Andrew Bergman- Director and Screenwriter; Neil Berg- Lyricist, Composer, and Producer; Michael Garcia- Former US Attorney.
Buffalo, United States
Cost Of Living
$ 33,936
$ 23,347
$ 33,936
$ 23,347
#533
Buffalo State University, officially known as the State University of New York at Buffalo State College, is a public college located in Buffalo, New York, United States. It was founded in 1871 as the Buffalo Normal School to train teachers. It has since evolved into a comprehensive college with a range of undergraduate and graduate programmes.
- The School of Arts and Sciences
- The School of Education
- The School of the Professions.
It offers over 160 undergraduate and graduate programmes in various fields such as education, arts, sciences, business, and social sciences. The college has a diverse student body of approximately 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year. There are in total 79 undergraduate and 60 graduate courses. The top programmes opted for by students here are MBA, Master of Architecture, Law, Master of Social Work (MSW), Doctor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Nursing Practice.
Admission Requirements
Universities in New York State have a similar admission process and requirements. However, certain film courses will require students to submit or go for an audition. There might also be interviews in some special cases.
Documents Required:
- Academic transcripts.
- GPA required: 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 or 85%
- English proficiency test scores. TOEFL-IBT: 100/IELTS: 6.0-6.5
- Letters of recommendation (up to 4)
- Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose/Essay (stating academic and professional goals)
- C.V. and portfolio.
- Resume or CV.
Admission Process
- Fill in your application form on the university website.
- Enroll for your desired course.
- Make sure you have all the necessary documents.
- Pay the application fee if any.
- Review your application and then submit it.
- Await for the university’s response via mail.
Scholarships In New York State
Every year around 2000 scholarships are awarded by the state of New York to students. Learn more about the scholarships in New York State below:
Excelsior Scholarship: This programme covers tuition at public colleges and universities for eligible New York residents with household incomes below $125,000.
- Amount: $5,500
New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence: Awarded to top-performing high school graduates. They provide a valuable boost towards students studying masters in New York State.
- Amount: $1,500
Tuition Assistance Programme (TAP): This needs-based grant programme helps eligible New York residents afford tuition at approved colleges and universities, both public and private.
- Amount: $5,665
Gates Millennium Scholars Programme: This scholarship supports outstanding African American, Hispanic American, American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian Pacific Islander American students with a financial need who are pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees.
- Amount: $1.6 billion
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Scholarships: Open to high school seniors with outstanding academic achievements and community involvement, these scholarships offer significant financial support at accredited colleges and universities across the US, including those in New York.
- Amount: $237,500
FAQs
New York State has the best education in the country. It is the only state with two Ivy leagues and cities which burst with culture and diversity.
Students will need to shell out a minimum of $32,000 to $40,000 per year to study here.
On average students will spend $2,027 to $2,229 every month while living in New York State.
The state has buses, ferries, taxis and the world-famous subway system in NYC.
NYC, Cortland and Albany are the top cities in the state for students to study in.