From Grymes Hill, the highest point on Staten Island's north shore, Wagner College looks straight across the harbour at Manhattan. It's a private liberal arts college of about 2,000 students, best known for musical theatre, nursing and its physician assistant programme. The Wagner Plan puts internships and fieldwork into every student's degree.
Staten Island, New York, United States
Official website: wagner.edu
Private liberal arts college
Grymes Hill, Staten Island
About 2,000 students
Musical theatre and nursing
$50,000 – $56,000
International students, undergraduate programmes
$17,000 – $22,000
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 wagner.edu before you apply.
BA Theatre (Musical Theatre)
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Nursing
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
BS Business Administration
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Sep, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
MBA
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Sep, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5, TOEFL: 80
Musical theatre with graduates on Broadway.
Views of Manhattan from campus.
Fieldwork built into every degree.
Theatre graduates audition and work in New York's professional theatre scene.
Nursing graduates join New York City hospitals.
Business students intern in Manhattan, a ferry ride away.
Undergrad
Main intake
Postgrad
Rolling
Undergrad
Limited programmes
Postgrad
Rolling
Grymes Hill is green and quiet, with steep streets. A bus runs down to St. George, where the free Staten Island Ferry leaves for Lower Manhattan.
The ferry takes about 25 minutes and passes the Statue of Liberty. Housing on Staten Island is cheaper than Manhattan, and most students live on campus.
Form I-20 issued by Wagner 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
Wagner runs early and regular decision rounds. Early deadlines fall in late autumn and regular decision early in the new year. Theatre applicants also need to book an audition, so start early.
Most students start in the fall. Some programmes also admit in the spring.
International students come in on an F-1 visa. The I-20 comes from Wagner College after you confirm your place and show you can cover a year of costs; you then pay the SEVIS fee, fill in the DS-160 and book your consulate interview.
Musical theatre, nursing, business and the MBA are popular. Undergraduates need a secondary school diploma and TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.5; theatre applicants audition.
Wagner gives merit scholarships to most undergraduates, including international students. Awards are set at admission.
