The NYU Stern MBA is the two-year, full-time MBA of New York University’s Stern School of Business, ranked No. 7 (tied with Columbia) in the U.S. News 2026 Best Business Schools list. For fall 2027 entry, the NYU Stern MBA deadline still open to you is 15 January 2027, with a final round on 15 April 2027. You will write a 500-word goals essay, build a “Pick Six” visual essay, send one EQ Endorsement from your supervisor, submit a test score (GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment and a few others are accepted), and show English mastery through your degree or a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo result.
Stern admitted 23.6% of applicants for fall 2025 entry, according to U.S. News data reported by Poets&Quants. Its current second-year class, the Class of 2027, is 43% international, with an average GMAT Focus score of 682. The two-year MBA is STEM designated, the first-year budget for 2026-27 is $140,668, and Stern considers every admitted applicant, international or domestic, for merit scholarships that go up to full tuition. I checked the figures in this NYU Stern MBA guide on 29 October 2026.
NYU Stern MBA ranking
U.S. News released its 2026 Best Business Schools ranking, part of its 2026 Best Graduate Schools, on 7 April 2026. Stern placed No. 7 for the full-time MBA, tied with Columbia Business School, its neighbour across Manhattan. Poets&Quants (6 April 2026) and Clear Admit (9 April 2026) published the same tables. That puts Stern just outside the M7 group people talk about, and ahead of Dartmouth Tuck and Berkeley Haas.
NYU Stern acceptance rate and class profile
Poets&Quants puts the NYU Stern acceptance rate at 23.6% for the class that entered in fall 2025, down from 25.1% a year earlier and 31.4% two years earlier. Stern’s own figures for that class, the Class of 2027, show 4,933 applications and 1,161 admits, which works out to about 24%. So the school has become harder to get into each of the last two years.
| Full-time MBA Class of 2027 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Students enrolled | 336 |
| Applications | 4,933 |
| Admits | 1,161 |
| Average GMAT (classic) | 737 (middle 80%: 690 to 760) |
| Average GMAT Focus | 682 (middle 80%: 645 to 725) |
| Average GRE Quant / Verbal | 164 / 163 |
| Average GPA | 3.64 |
| Average work experience | 5.1 years |
| International students | 43% |
| Countries represented | 43 |
| Women | 45% |
| Average age | 28 |
With 43% of the class from outside the US, an African applicant is not unusual at Stern simply for being international. Admission still turns on clear goals, a strong test score and endorsers who can show that people like working with you.
NYU Stern MBA requirements for international students
The official Stern full-time MBA admissions page says you must apply to one programme only: the Full-time MBA, the Luxury and Retail MBA, or the Andre Koo Technology and Entrepreneurship MBA. This guide covers the two-year Full-time MBA. A complete application includes:
- Degree: a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited US school or a foreign equivalent. Stern says a three-year degree is accepted in some cases.
- Transcripts: from your undergraduate and any graduate degrees.
- Professional information: your resume and work history in the application.
- Test score: GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, Executive Assessment, LSAT, MCAT or DAT. Stern has no preference and no minimum score.
- Essays: Professional Aspirations, Pick Six and an optional essay.
- EQ Endorsement: one required, from your current supervisor, with a second one optional.
- International Student Supplement: a separate section for applicants who are not US citizens or permanent residents.
- Application fee: Stern does not process an application until the fee is paid. The amount was not shown on the admissions pages I read; you will see it in the application portal.
- Interview: by invitation only.
Test scores and the test waiver
Stern uses your highest overall score from a single sitting. Scores must be valid when you submit, and GMAT scores between five and ten years old can be sent by request. The GMAT code for the two-year MBA is 5TF-HW-35 and the GRE code is 4455. If you hold a bachelor’s degree, you can ask for a test waiver for the 2026-27 cycle by sending a request form, your resume, transcripts and a 300-word essay. A quantitative degree, analytical work or certifications improve your chances. The waiver request deadline is 1 April 2027, and decisions take about three weeks.
English language requirement
Stern’s standardized tests page says you meet the English requirement if any one of these is true:
- English is your native language.
- Your undergraduate or graduate degree was taught in English.
- You submit a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test result.
There is no minimum score to apply. Scores are valid for two years from the test date, Stern takes your highest score, and it does not accept TOEFL MyBest scores. The TOEFL code is 2582. The page does not mention PTE. If your degree from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya or elsewhere was taught in English, you appear to qualify under the second rule; keep a letter from your university confirming the language of instruction in case the committee asks.
NYU Stern MBA deadlines 2026-2027
Stern reviews applications on a rolling basis across four deadlines. The 15 September and 15 October 2026 rounds have closed. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
| Round | Application deadline | Initial notification by |
|---|---|---|
| Third deadline | 15 January 2027 | 1 April 2027 |
| Final deadline | 15 April 2027 | Ongoing |
The initial notification is an interview invitation, a waitlist offer or a denial. If you interview, Stern says the final decision usually comes within about three weeks.
International applicants: aim for 15 January
A 15 April application may not get a decision until May or June, and you still need an I-20 and a US visa interview before August. Visa appointment waits in many countries can run for months. If you are not ready by 15 January 2027, I would wait for the first deadline of the next cycle instead of rushing the April round.
NYU Stern MBA essays and how to answer them
| Essay | What it asks | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Essay 1: Professional Aspirations (required) | Your short-term career goals and why the Stern MBA is the necessary next step to reach them | 500 words, double-spaced, 12-point font |
| Essay 2: Pick Six (required) | Six images, each with a one-sentence caption, plus a short introduction, showing who you are | Intro of up to 3 sentences; one PDF |
| Optional essay | Anything the committee needs to know, such as a gap, a weak grade or your choice of endorser | 500 words |
Essay 1: Professional Aspirations
Open with your short-term goal in one sentence: the role, the industry and the kind of company. Then explain what you have done so far that makes the goal believable, and what gap the MBA fills. The “why Stern” part should name specific things: a specialisation, a course, a club, or New York access that matters for your target job, such as being able to network with banks in Midtown during term time. Avoid listing every Stern resource you found online. Two or three that connect to your gap are enough.
Sample opening, for illustration: “After Stern, I want to join the financial institutions group of a bulge-bracket investment bank in New York, advising African and other emerging-market lenders on cross-border capital raises.”
Essay 2: Pick Six
Pick Six rewards variety. Choose six images that together show different sides of you: family, a hobby, a place, a work moment, a value. Each caption is one sentence, so it should add something the picture cannot show. Do not use six photos of you smiling at events. A picture of your grandmother’s market stall in Onitsha with a caption about what it taught you about pricing says more than a graduation photo.
Sample caption, for illustration: “My first spreadsheet: tracking my mother’s fabric sales in Kano when I was twelve, which is still the most demanding client I have had.”
The optional essay
Use it only to explain something: a gap in employment, a low grade, why your endorser is not your current supervisor, or how your grading system works if your transcript uses a class of degree rather than a GPA. Keep the tone factual and short.
EQ Endorsement and interview
Stern’s recommendation is called the EQ Endorsement. On Stern’s EQ Endorsement page, one endorsement is required and should come from your current supervisor; a second is optional and can come from someone who knows you professionally or personally, but not a family member. Endorsers rate you and answer questions about how they know you, how you compare with peers, the most important constructive feedback they have given you, and one specific example of your emotional intelligence. A non-English endorsement must be submitted with a certified English translation and the original.
Interviews are by invitation only, scheduled through your application status page. Stern says they are conducted by trained admissions staff who have read your whole application, and that all interviews are currently virtual. Because the interviewer knows your file, expect follow-up questions on your goals essay and your career choices rather than “walk me through your resume” alone.
What the Stern admissions committee looks for
Stern reviews every file on three dimensions: academic profile, professional achievements and aspirations, and alignment with its core values. Its shorthand is “IQ+EQ”: strong intellect plus strong interpersonal skills. In practice, the committee looks for:
- Proof you can handle the quantitative core, through your test score, grades or quantitative work.
- A specific, realistic short-term goal that a Stern MBA clearly helps.
- Evidence of EQ: how you take feedback, work in teams and treat people, which is why the endorsement asks about feedback directly.
- Personality and range, shown through Pick Six.
- A desire to create value for business and society as well as for your own career.
NYU Stern MBA tuition and cost of attendance
Stern’s official first-year budget for 2026-27 covers the nine-month academic year from fall 2026 to spring 2027.
| Item (2026-27, year 1) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $92,658 |
| Fees (orientation and LAUNCH $2,040, loan fees $216) | $2,256 |
| Health insurance | $5,100 |
| Housing | $25,306 |
| Food | $6,910 |
| Personal expenses | $4,500 |
| Books and supplies | $1,500 |
| Transportation | $2,438 |
| Total | $140,668 |
Poets&Quants estimated the two-year total at $281,336, simply doubling the first year. Tuition often rises in the second year, so I would plan for a little more. The housing line of about $25,300 for nine months is tight for Manhattan; many students share apartments to stay within it.
NYU Stern scholarships for international students
Stern’s full-time MBA scholarships page says merit awards are decided at admission, that all applicants, domestic and international, are considered, and that you do not need to send extra material. Awards are final once made. The main awards open to international applicants under that policy:
| Award | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dean’s Scholarship | Full tuition and fees | Limited number each year |
| Named Faculty Scholarship | Full tuition and fees | Recipient is matched with a faculty member |
| Advancing Women in Business Scholarship | Full tuition and mandatory fees for two years | For candidates committed to advancing women in business |
| Directors Scholarship | $50,000 (first year) | Strong merit |
| Community Scholarship | $25,000 (first year) | Strong merit |
| Leadership Accelerator Scholarship | Not stated | Based on leadership potential |
| Elizabeth Elting Advancing Women’s Leadership Fellowship | $50,000 a year | Two awarded each year |
Some awards are not open to most international students: the Consortium Fellowship is for US citizens and permanent residents, and the Fertitta Veterans Scholarship is for US military veterans. Forté and ROMBA fellowships are designated for some merit scholarship recipients. For outside money, see our list of scholarships for African students.
Loans without a US cosigner
Stern has a loan programs page for full-time MBA students, but I did not find a named lender for international students without a US cosigner on the pages I read, and Stern does not mention Prodigy Finance or MPOWER there. Ask the Stern Office of Student Financial Aid which private lenders it certifies before you rely on a loan. You will need to show funds for the first year to receive your I-20.
Is the NYU Stern MBA STEM designated?
Yes. Stern announced in early 2020 that its two-year Full-time MBA had received STEM designation, and the Andre Koo Tech MBA is also STEM designated. That means eligible F-1 graduates can apply for the 24-month STEM OPT extension on top of the standard 12 months, for up to three years of US work authorisation. Your job must still relate to your degree and your employer must use E-Verify.
NYU Stern MBA salary and employment
These are the Class of 2025 results, as summarised by Clear Admit from Stern’s employment report (December 2025). Of 326 graduates, 271 were seeking jobs.
| Class of 2025 outcome | Figure |
|---|---|
| Offers within 3 months | 86.3% |
| Accepted offers within 3 months | 86% |
| Median salary reported | $175,000 |
| Average base salary | $168,970 |
| Median signing bonus | $35,000 (average $40,007) |
| Financial services | 36.6% (average base $165,624) |
| Consulting | 32.8% (average base $173,368) |
| Technology | 14.2% (average base $157,962) |
| Health care | 3.4% (average base $180,667) |
| Consumer packaged goods | 3.4% (average base $122,875) |
Investment banking alone took 28% of offers, the highest share in six years, which shows Stern’s finance strength. About 82% of graduates stayed in the Northeast, and 96% stayed in North America. Poets&Quants headlined its report on the same class as showing sharper gains for international graduates, and 48% of the class held international citizenship. The summaries I read did not list top employers by name.
Costs not covered by the budget
- The application fee, test fees and score reports.
- Credential evaluation, translations and courier fees for transcripts.
- The SEVIS I-901 fee and the US visa application fee.
- Flights, a New York rental deposit (often a month’s rent plus a broker’s fee) and furniture.
- Summer costs between first and second year if your internship pays little or starts late.
- Suits, networking travel, club dues and optional international study trips.
Common mistakes international applicants make
- Choosing an endorser for their job title instead of how well they know you. Stern wants your current supervisor and real examples.
- Treating Pick Six as a photo album. Each image and caption should add a new fact about you.
- Writing a goals essay with a long-term dream and no clear first job. Stern asks about the short term.
- Sending a TOEFL result older than two years, or a MyBest score.
- Applying in April and running out of time for the visa.
- Converting a class of degree into a GPA yourself. Report grades as your university gives them and explain the scale if needed.
Who should apply to NYU Stern
Stern suits you if you want investment banking, consulting, luxury and retail, media or fintech in New York, and if you want to network with employers during term rather than only on recruiting trips. Its strong international share and STEM designation also help if you hope to work in the US after graduating. It is a weaker fit if you want a small-town, close-knit campus or a lower cost of living; Cornell Johnson or Duke Fuqua offer that at a lower first-year budget.
NYU Stern compared with similar MBA programs
| School | U.S. News 2026 rank | GMAT Focus | Acceptance rate (fall 2025 entry) | First-year cost (2026-27) | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYU Stern | No. 7 (tie) | 682 average | 23.6% | $140,668 | 15 Jan 2027 |
| Columbia Business School | No. 7 (tie) | 690 average | 25.7% | $143,030 | 5 Jan 2027 |
| Dartmouth Tuck | No. 9 | 682 average | 28.3% | $135,331 | 5 Jan 2027 |
| Berkeley Haas | No. 10 | 675 median | 21.4% | $138,921 | 7 Jan 2027 |
| Duke Fuqua | No. 14 | 605 to 715 (middle 80%) | 24.0% | $118,974 | 5 Jan 2027 |
Acceptance rates are from Poets&Quants’ August 2026 analysis of U.S. News data. Costs are each school’s own 2026-27 budget, or Poets&Quants’ September 2026 figures where the school’s table was not available. If you are looking at funding beyond the MBA, our guide to American scholarships for international students covers other options.
FAQ on the NYU Stern MBA for international students
What is the NYU Stern MBA acceptance rate?
About 23.6% for fall 2025 entry, according to U.S. News data reported by Poets&Quants. Stern’s own class figures (1,161 admits from 4,933 applications) give roughly 24%.
Does NYU Stern require TOEFL or IELTS for international students?
Only if English is not your native language and your degree was not taught in English. Stern accepts TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, sets no minimum score, and needs results less than two years old.
Can international students get a full scholarship at NYU Stern?
Yes. The Dean’s Scholarship, Named Faculty Scholarship and Advancing Women in Business Scholarship cover full tuition and fees, and Stern considers international applicants for merit awards automatically at admission. Very few are given each year.
What is the NYU Stern MBA deadline for 2027 entry?
The deadline still open is 15 January 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, with notification by 1 April 2027. A final round closes on 15 April 2027.
Sources and updates
Checked on 29 October 2026. Ranking: U.S. News 2026 Best Business Schools (released 7 April 2026), as tabulated by Poets&Quants (6 April 2026) and Clear Admit (9 April 2026). Programme choice, eligibility and test list: Stern full-time MBA admissions page. Tests, waiver and English rules: Stern standardized tests page. Interview and notifications: Stern notification and process page. EQ Endorsement: Stern EQ Endorsement page. Scholarships: Stern full-time MBA scholarships page. Cost: Stern cost of attendance page for full-time MBA year 1 (2026-27). STEM: Stern press release on the STEM designation of the two-year Full-time MBA. Deadlines and essays: Stern’s deadlines and essays pages as reported by GradPilot (27 September 2026) and Stacy Blackman. Class of 2027 profile: Stern figures as reported by Accepted. Acceptance rate: Poets&Quants (August 2026). Employment: Clear Admit’s summary of the Stern Class of 2025 employment report (December 2025) and Poets&Quants (9 December 2025). We will update this guide when Stern publishes its Class of 2028 profile.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
