If you have any questions during the application process, please feel free to contact us.
All mailed application material should be sent to:
New York School of Interior Design
Office of Admissions
170 E 70th Street
New York, NY 10021
If you would like to visit NYSID for a tour or meet with an admissions counselor in person, please contact us via email or phone.
E-mail: admissions@nysid.edu
Phone: 212-472-1500, ext. 205
To get a general overview of NYSID please visit our NYSID at a Glance page.
What kind of courses do you offer?
NYSID offers a wide range of interior design courses — from classes that teach a new skill to foundation courses that build toward obtaining a degree. Please follow the links below for further information:
What classes should I take if I’m unsure if interior design is right for me?
A great place to start if you want to find out if interior design is for you is our Introduction to Interior Design workshop, offered through our Institute of Continuing and Professional Studies. This course gives a broad overview of the interior design profession and gets you started with a few basic class projects. This course cannot be applied to a degree program later.
If you want to pursue a degree in interior design, but would like to start slowly, you can take courses on a non-matriculated basis. See the following question for further details.
Can I take courses on a trial basis? Will these credits count if I get accepted to a degree program later?
You can take up to 12 credits at the undergraduate level as a non-matriculated student (this means you have not applied and been accepted to a program yet). Courses taken on a non-matriculated basis can be applied to an undergraduate program.
Graduate level courses cannot be taken on a non-matriculated basis.
Can I enroll in a degree program as part-time student?
Undergraduate degrees can be pursued either part-time or full-time. MFA programs are full-time only. All Master of Professional Studies (MPS) programs offer courses nights and on weekends so students can work during the day (9-5 schedule) while enrolled. The MPS- Lighting Design and MPS- Sustainable Interior Environments and can be taken full-time (12 credits per semester) or part-time (6 credits per semester).
What are the application requirements for each of the programs?
Please visit the links below:
The Admissions Requirements page details the guidelines for each program.
When is the application deadline?
NYSID admits students on a rolling basis. This means that we continue to review complete applications so long as space remains available in the program. We do have the recommended deadlines of February 1st for fall admission and October 1st for spring. To be considered for institutional scholarships or assistantships, applicants must have their materials submitted by the recommended deadlines. All graduate programs begin in the fall term only.
Do I need a portfolio to apply?
It depends on which program you’re applying to.
For undergraduate program applicants, a portfolio is required to apply directly into the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) programs. If you don’t have a portfolio, you are welcome to apply to the Basic Interior Design (BID) certificate program. After completing your first 12 credits of the BID program, you can submit a Change of Program form, along with the work you have created at NYSID, to be considered for the AAS or BFA programs.
For applicants to our professional-level MFA-1 program, you can submit a portfolio, but this requirement can be waived by starting the program with a two-week workshop (for more information, please see the admissions requirements.
For applicants to our post-professional MFA-2 and MPS programs, a portfolio is required.
What should I include in my portfolio?
If you’re applying to our AAS, BFA and MFA-1 programs, your portfolio should include 10-15 pieces of fine art work. We want to see work that you’ve done with your hands and from life: drawing, painting, sculpture, etc. We are looking for good use of color, proportion, and perspective. Photos of interior design projects you have done in the real world can be included as supplemental materials, but they will not be considered as a formal portfolio.
If you’re applying to a post-professional Master’s program (MFA-2 or MPS), then your portfolio should include a minimum of 15 pieces of professional-level interior design work. The work should demonstrate a level of skill and training that, in the opinion of the Graduate Admissions Committee, enables the applicant to successfully pursue advanced study. This can be work completed in undergraduate study and/or professional work. If any projects are group projects, it should clearly state the elements of the project completed by the applicant.
What format should I submit my portfolio in?
There will be a Portfolio section within the online application form with detailed instruction on how to upload media to your digital portfolio.
Can I present my portfolio in person?
We do not offer personal portfolio reviews. NYSID does attend several National Portfolio Day events across the country for undergraduate and graduate students, which take place Saturdays or Sundays, September through January. At these events, students can bring their original artwork to show an admissions representative and get feedback. Check on our website for an up-to-date schedule or contact admissions@nysid.edu to see if we will be attending an event near you.
I went to school in a foreign country. If my transcript is in English, do I still need to have it evaluated by WES?
Yes. An evaluation is required for all transcripts from outside the United States, even those from English-speaking countries. It is necessary to evaluate your academics based on the American grading scale, and to determine if your degrees or diplomas are equivalent to American degrees.
How can I check to see if my application materials have been received?
When you submit your initial application form, you will receive access to a status page, where you can review your checklist, send an email reminder to your recommenders and upload additional materials.
I already have a college degree. Can I receive transfer credit?
In all of our undergraduate programs, it is common to receive transfer credit for liberal arts classes taken at other accredited institutions. Transcripts are evaluated for possible transfer credit by your academic advisor after a student has been accepted. If you have questions about transfer credits before going through the application process, please email admissions@nysid.edu and we can put you in touch with an academic advisor.
Graduate programs do not accept transfer credit.
Does NYSID accept AP or IB credit?
If you are accepted to NYSID, official AP or IB scores must be submitted for your academic advisor to review for possible transfer credit.
Where can I apply for scholarships/assistantships?
Once you have submitted your application form, there will be a link to the scholarship application form on your status page. All NYSID undergraduate scholarships and graduate assistantships are awarded based on merit. To be considered, applicants must have:
All admission materials submitted by the recommended deadline (February 1st for fall, October 1st for spring)
Have a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or above
Study full-time (12 or more credits per semester)
All qualified applicants will be considered for scholarship review.
Does NYSID help with internships?
Yes, students are welcome to utilize our Career Services Office for help with finding an internship after they have completed 12 credits.
If I’m accepted to NYSID, can I defer?
Deferrals of enrollment are not commonly permitted at NYSID. Requests are reviewed by the Admissions Committee on a case-by-case basis and granted only for very compelling reasons, not to include occupational or financial circumstances. In order to request a deferral, students must submit a deferral form to the Admissions Office and have submitted their nonrefundable enrollment deposit. If granted, acceptance to NYSID can be deferred only one time, only to the next program start date. No deferrals will be granted once classes begin.