Freshman Admission

Photo of students with the Hunter Hawk mascot

You are considered a freshman applicant if you are a senior in high school or a high school equivalency graduate who has not enrolled in another college/university, or if you are currently an Early College high school student.

This page includes:

Apply to Hunter

To be considered for freshman admission to Hunter, you must complete a CUNY Admission Application, pay the fee, and submit all supporting documents.

APPLY
to Hunter College

Admission Deadlines & Notification

Fall Admission

Applicant Type Priority Deadline Admission Notification
Freshman - U.S. Educated February 1
(Application & Supporting Documents)		 Rolling Admissions from
January – July
Freshman - International Applicant
Including:

  • Applicants requesting a student visa
  • Applicants with full / partial credentials from outside the U.S.
 December 1
(Application Deadline) December 15
(Supporting Documents)		 Rolling Admissions from
January – July
Honors Scholar Program February 1
(Application & Supporting Documents)		 Rolling Admissions from March 16 – July
Macaulay Honors College November 15 at 6 pm*
(Application & Supporting Documents)		 March 16

*Hard deadline. Late applications to the Macaulay Honors College will not be considered.

Spring Admission

Applicant Type Priority Deadline Admission Notification
Freshman - U.S. Educated September 15
(Application & Supporting Documents)		 Rolling Admissions from
October – January
Freshman - International Applicant
Including:

  • Applicants requesting a student visa
  • Applicants with full / partial credentials from outside the U.S.
 September 1
(Application Deadline)September 15
(Supporting Documents)		 Rolling Admissions from
October – January

Hunter College will continue to accept and review completed General Freshman Admission Applications after the priority deadline on a space-availability basis.

A completed application includes your online Admission Application, all supporting documentation, and the online application fee or fee waiver (if applicable).

General Admission Criteria

Hunter College encourages students to apply who have demonstrated academic success with the potential to grow and contribute to the Hunter community. In addition to your completed Admission Application, the admission review process includes consideration of the following:

  • High school/secondary school transcript/diploma or equivalent
  • Overall Grade Point Average (GPA) and success in individual subjects
  • SAT/ACT Scores
  • Curriculum rigor
  • College essay
  • Letters of recommendation (optional)
  • Evidence of demonstrated leadership and intellectual curiosity
  • Official TOEFL, EILTS, PTE, or Duolingo English Language Test scores (for students on an F1/J1 visa and were educated in a non-English speaking environment outside of the US)

Hunter College will be test optional until Spring 2027.

We strongly encourage students submit their SAT/ACT scores to help provide additional context to their application, especially students applying for merit scholarship programs (Freshman Honors, Macaulay etc.). However, students who do not submit scores will not be disadvantaged in the admissions process. Admission to Hunter is based on a comprehensive review of a student’s academic record including overall grade point average, strength of curriculum, and other factors such as co-curricular activities, community involvement, evidence of leadership, and special talents.

The College Essay

An essay of 500 words or less is required along with your CUNY Admission Application to Hunter College. Review the essay topics below.

Submitting AP and College Credit

Students Educated Outside the U.S.

Students educated outside of the United States are required to submit official transcripts from all previous secondary and post-secondary schools. All non-English transcripts and associated documents must also be translated.

Applicants have the following two options for submission:

Option 1  

The Evaluation Company (SpanTran) is Hunter’s College’s recommended international transcript evaluation service. They have created a custom application for Hunter College that helps ensure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate! Students that submit their documents to The Evaluation Company (SpanTran) should expect to see an update on their CUNY Application about 3-4 weeks after submission.

Fill out the the Evaluation Company Application

Option 2

Students may submit official transcript(s) and a certified translation of all official documents  directly to CUNY. Students submitting documents directly to CUNY should expect to see an update on their CUNY Application about 10-12 weeks after submission.

Additional resources for submitting required documentation:

Selective Majors and Programs

As a freshman applicant, we encourage you to select your intended major on your Admission Application; however, incoming freshmen are admitted to Hunter College and not directly to specific academic majors and/or programs.

SEEK Opportunity Program

The Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation and Knowledge (SEEK) program is a higher education opportunity program that provides academic and financial support to students who qualify based on specific income and academic criteria.

If you feel like SEEK at Hunter is right for you, please indicate your interest on your Admission Application. Review the financial criteria before applying.

More About SEEK at Hunter

Application Status

To learn how to check the status of your Admission Application and/or to report an error with your application, click the link below.

For help completing your online Admission Application, contact an Admissions Counselor.

Check Application Status

Application Tutorials

Check out the video tutorials below about how to submit an application, submitting an application fee, and how to add documents.

Questions and Assistance

A great way to learn more about us is to sign-up for an Admissions Information Session. Our information sessions are offered both in person and virtually, and allow ample time to ask questions live with a member of our admissions team.

Topics covered include:

  • the admissions process
  • what is required with your application
  • how to apply for available scholarships
  • student life
  • student resources and more

Click below to view upcoming Admissions Information Sessions.

Register for an Information Session