The City College of New York is the founding campus of the City University of New York, on a Gothic hilltop campus in Harlem, Manhattan. It is best known for engineering, computer science, architecture, medicine, the sciences and its record of social mobility, with ten Nobel laureates among its alumni and some of the lowest tuition in New York City. Choose it for a Manhattan engineering or science degree at public prices.
New York City, United States
Official website: ccny.cuny.edu
#1201
Consistently ranked first in the US for moving students from low to high incomes
Ten alumni — more than any other US public college
1847 — the first free public college in the US
$19,000 – $24,000
International students, non-resident undergraduate and master's rates
$20,000 – $26,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on ccny.cuny.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Data Science and Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Electrical Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
MS Civil Engineering
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
Master of Architecture (Spitzer School)
Masters DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 79
BE Computer Engineering
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 61
Grove School of Engineering — the only public engineering school in Manhattan.
Spitzer School of Architecture — the only public architecture school in New York City.
Gothic campus — 35 acres of 1900s neo-Gothic buildings on a hill in Harlem.
Low tuition — among the cheapest degrees in New York City for international students.
Graduates join Con Edison, the MTA, Google, JPMorgan, New York City government and engineering firms across the city.
STEM master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Engineering graduates report median starting salaries around USD 70,000-80,000 in New York.
Architecture alumni work at New York practices and city agencies.
Undergrad
1 Feb 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
15 Sep 2026
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 35-acre campus sits on a hill in Hamilton Heights, Harlem, with the neo-Gothic Shepard Hall at its centre, the engineering and science buildings to the north and the 137th Street subway station at the gate.
Harlem is a historic neighbourhood 20 minutes by subway from Midtown Manhattan, with lower rent than downtown. New York offers the largest job market in the US, and most students share apartments or live in the Towers residence.
Form I-20 issued by City College
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
International undergraduate applications through CUNY close on 1 February 2027 for fall 2027 and 15 September 2026 for spring 2027. Graduate deadlines are set by each programme, with most Grove engineering and computer science master's closing on 1 April for fall and 1 November for spring; architecture closes in January.
Undergraduates can start in fall (late August) or spring (January). Most Grove School master's programmes, including computer science, data science, electrical engineering and civil engineering, admit for both fall and spring, while the Master of Architecture is fall only. Check your programme's admissions page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The International Student and Scholar Services office issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, data science and engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering and architecture attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a bachelor's degree in a related field with a GPA of at least 3.0, TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5, and the GRE for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is based mainly on grades and test scores.
City College's tuition is already among the lowest in New York, and international undergraduates can apply for a limited number of merit scholarships through the college's scholarship portal after admission; need-based federal aid is not available. Graduate students can apply for teaching and research assistantships in engineering and the sciences.
