NYU pre-med is not a major. At New York University, prehealth is a track that students in any major can follow: science prerequisites in 5 subjects, advising from the College of Arts and Science Preprofessional Advising Center or Tandon Prehealth, and a committee letter process that packages your record for medical school applications.
That makes the real questions practical ones: which courses count, when the committee process starts, and how to build clinical and research experience while living in New York. If the term itself is new to you, read what pre-med means as a track first, then use this guide for how it works at NYU. If you are still in high school and comparing schools, our guide to the best pre-med colleges ranks ten universities on advising and letter processes, and medical internships for high school students in Kenya and Peru give you supervised clinical exposure before college starts.
NYU Pre-Med at a Glance
| Question | What NYU’s own pages say |
|---|---|
| Is pre-med a major? | No. CAS runs prehealth as a program, “not majors,” and Stern calls being pre-med “not a concentration or minor” |
| Who advises? | CAS Preprofessional Advising Center for most schools; the Tandon Prehealth Committee for Tandon students |
| Core courses | Biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics with labs, plus biochemistry |
| AP credit | Prehealth students cannot use it to place out of Principles of Biology, General Chemistry or General Physics |
| Letters | A committee interview and committee letter, sent with your individual recommendation letters |
| Tandon timeline | Intent to apply by December 15, materials by February 1, letters by May 15, applications from June |
NYU Has No Pre-Med Major
No. The CAS advising section of the NYU Bulletin says the Preprofessional Advising Center “oversees programs (not majors) in prehealth and prelaw,” including the Robert and Ellen Salant Prehealth Program and a certificate in Postbaccalaureate Prehealth Studies. The Stern advising page is just as direct: being pre-med “is not a concentration or minor and is not an irrevocable commitment.”
Can Any Major Be Pre-Med at NYU?
Yes. Tandon Prehealth puts it this way: “At NYU, prehealth is not a major but a track or an interest. Any student pursuing any major can be interested in health-related professions.” You pick a major you want to study and add the prehealth courses on top of it.
Some NYU departments spell out how the two fit together. The Chemistry BS listing notes that the BS is harder to finish in four years than the BA and “confers no particular advantage to students in premedical or predental programs.” The Mathematics BA lets students on the prehealth track replace up to two math courses with General Physics I and II. Humanities and social science majors work too, and IMA’s guide on why the best pre-med major isn’t biology explains why admissions committees do not require a science major.
Who Runs Pre-Health Advising at NYU
Advising depends on which NYU school you enroll in. The CAS Preprofessional Advising Center sits at 25 West 4th Street, 5th Floor, and takes prehealth questions at [email protected], according to the current NYU Bulletin.
| NYU school | Where prehealth advising happens | What the school notes |
|---|---|---|
| College of Arts and Science | CAS Preprofessional Advising Center, Salant Prehealth Program | Runs the committee interview and letter for its students |
| Tandon School of Engineering | Tandon Prehealth Committee in Brooklyn | Handles all curriculum advising and the committee letter for Tandon students |
| Stern School of Business | A Stern adviser, plus CAS prehealth resources | Prehealth courses typically use all elective space and can push credits past the degree minimum |
| Liberal Studies | A prehealth advisor and the LS Core advising site | Courses must be taken in sequence within a set time period |
| Gallatin | CAS Preprofessional Center for AP and sequence questions | Most schools want the full pre-med sequence even with AP scores |
Tandon students can still meet CAS prehealth advisers for help with extracurriculars, statistics and general information, but Tandon’s careers and preparation page says “all curricula advisement and your committee letter application will be handled through the Tandon Prehealth Committee.”
NYU Pre-Med Course Requirements
NYU’s department listings name the courses that prehealth students must add to their majors. The clearest list sits in the Neural Science BS requirements, which tell prehealth students to take Principles of Biology Laboratory, General Physics I, Organic Chemistry I and II with lab, Biochemistry I “and other recommended courses” beyond the major.
| Subject | NYU course (College of Arts and Science) | NYU note |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | BIOL-UA 11 and 12 Principles of Biology I and II | BIOL-UA 123 lab is meant for prehealth students not majoring in biology |
| General chemistry | CHEM-UA 125 and 126 General Chemistry I and II with lab | Usually taken in the first year |
| Organic chemistry | CHEM-UA 225 and 226 Organic Chemistry I and II with lab | Often second year in sample plans |
| Biochemistry | CHEM-UA 881 Biochemistry I | Listed as a prehealth addition for neural science majors |
| Physics | PHYS-UA 11 and 12 General Physics I and II | AP Physics C cannot replace either semester for prehealth students |
| Math | MATH-UA 121 Calculus I | Appears in first-semester biology sample plans |
| Writing | EXPOS-UA 1 Writing as Inquiry | One section cohort is themed on science, health and technology |
Biology is “required for the prehealth program” even though chemistry majors do not need it, according to the chemistry listings. Individual medical schools set their own requirements on top of this, so compare NYU’s sequence against the national list in IMA’s medical school prerequisites checklist.
Can You Use AP Credit for Pre-Med Courses at NYU?
Not for the core sciences. The CAS admissions section of the Bulletin says prehealth students cannot use AP, IB or A Level credit to place out of Principles of Biology I and II, General Chemistry I and II, or General Physics I and II. The Gallatin bulletin gives the reason: most medical schools require the entire pre-med sequence “even if they have AP scores that would exempt them from some courses,” so a student may lose that AP credit once they take the NYU course.
Should Pre-Meds Take Science Courses Pass/Fail?
CAS lets students elect one Pass/Fail course per term, up to 32 credits total, but not in the major, minor or Core. The CAS academic policies add that students “considering the Pass/Fail option” in “required preprofessional courses should consult with their advisers about the effect of such grades on admission.” In practice, keep the prerequisites graded, because medical schools read those grades closely. IMA’s breakdown of science GPA vs overall GPA shows why.
Two smaller rules help with planning. Students who complete the prehealth curriculum are exempt from the Foundations of Scientific Inquiry part of the CAS Core. Prehealth students may also need to push a Core component back a semester or more to fit the science sequence.
How the NYU Committee Letter Works
A committee letter is a letter of evaluation written by your undergraduate institution about your readiness for health professional school. Tandon’s letters page explains that it is not a recommendation letter: it covers the whole application “both academic and professional” and includes negatives such as failed, withdrawn or repeated classes, alongside measurable work like service hours and publications. NYU sends the committee letter together with your individual recommendation letters as one packet.
CAS runs its own committee interview and letter. The Global Public Health science major listing states that students in those majors “must complete at least five of the required prehealth science courses at NYU in order to be eligible for a committee interview and letter from the CAS Preprofessional Advising Center.” Transfer students should plan their course load around that rule.
How Many Recommendation Letters Do NYU Pre-Meds Need?
Tandon’s guidance is that most schools require at least 3 letters: 2 from science faculty in biology, chemistry, physics or math, and 1 from a non-science faculty member. Medical schools “will take over 10 letters,” but Tandon does not recommend more than 6. Extra letters can come from physicians, research mentors, supervisors and service organizations.
Tandon also requires PHP-UY 4000, a non-credit seminar listed in the NYU course bulletin as “required for any student engaging with the prehealth committee.” It covers the application timeline, interviewing and application documents.
NYU Pre-Health Advising Timeline
The most detailed calendar NYU publishes is Tandon’s committee letter application process. It runs in three parts and starts about two years before the fall you want to begin medical school. Tandon’s own example: for fall 2027 entry, Part 1 was due in fall 2025 and Part 2 in spring 2026.
| Step | Tandon deadline | What you submit |
|---|---|---|
| Committee letter application, Part 1 | December 15 | Intent to apply to a health professional school |
| Part 2 | February 1 | Academic information, personal statement, activity list, short essays |
| Committee interview | February (Saturday, February 21, 2026 for the spring 2026 group) | In person in Brooklyn or by Zoom |
| Entrance exam | Scheduled by March | MCAT, DAT, OAT or another required exam |
| Recommendation letters | May 15 | All letters uploaded to the Prehealth Portal |
| Primary application | Opens May 1, submit from June 1 | AMCAS, AACOMAS, AADSAS or another service |
| Part 3, committee letter request | Rolling, June through October | Packet upload can take up to 4 weeks |
| Secondary applications | July or August through November | Tandon advises returning them within 2 weeks |
What Does This Look Like for a Real Student?
Take a Tandon student who started in fall 2025 and wants to begin medical school in fall 2029, right after graduation. Following Tandon’s published pattern, Part 1 is due December 15, 2027, during junior fall. Part 2 follows on February 1, 2028, then the committee interview that month, the MCAT by spring, letters by May 15, 2028, and the primary application in June 2028. Adding a gap year shifts every date back by one year. CAS students should confirm the CAS committee calendar with the Preprofessional Advising Center, since CAS sets its own dates.
A gap year fits the same process; Tandon simply asks students who plan one to finish PHP-UY 4000 in their final undergraduate year. IMA’s guide to planning a gap year before medical school covers how to use that time.
Clinical, Research and Service Opportunities NYU Lists
Coursework is half the file. Tandon’s extracurricular page says admissions committees expect “a realistic understanding of the profession,” that clinical exposure “should start early in your undergraduate career,” and that some schools require hands-on experience while “all programs strongly recommend it.” It asks students to check whether they have had more than one sustained clinical experience, whether they interacted with patients, and whether they have shadowed.
- Clinical experience: sustained volunteering in hospitals, clinics or private offices, with real patient contact. See IMA’s list of ways to get clinical experience.
- Shadowing: observing physicians to learn the work. IMA’s guide on how many shadowing hours medical schools expect gives targets.
- Research: Tandon notes schools “typically do not have a preference for the type of research,” but MD/PhD applicants need significant experience. Start with IMA’s tips on getting research experience in undergrad.
- Service: the NYU Service and Leadership Newsletter and NYU Alternative Breaks are both listed for civic engagement.
- Clubs: the Tandon Prehealth Student Board and the Biomedical Engineering Society, plus prehealth clubs across NYU.
Log every experience as you go. Tandon’s Prehealth Portal tracks activities for advisers, and the same notes make the AMCAS Work and Activities section far easier to write later.
Can NYU Pre-Meds Study Abroad?
Yes, with planning. Tandon’s Go Global page warns that “on average, health professional schools do not accept prehealth prerequisite courses completed abroad,” but NYU offers U.S. prehealth coursework at some global sites. Tandon coordinates a sophomore-year prehealth option at NYU Abu Dhabi and a fall sophomore pathway at NYU London, each with a 12-credit minimum. The Tandon bulletin also lists alternative break trips to Jamaica, Tanzania and Sri Lanka.
Many NYU pre-meds also use a summer for supervised clinical work abroad. IMA’s pre-med internships abroad place students in hospitals and clinics where, under licensed clinicians, they take vital signs, help with patient intake and triage, and join ward rounds. It gives you patient contact to discuss in your committee interview and personal statement.
How Competitive the Process Is
Tandon is blunt about it: applying “results in less than 50% of applicants successfully matriculating into these health schools,” and most programs want applications more than a year before you would start. Tandon states it has sent students to both MD and DO programs and to optometry school. For school-specific acceptance figures from the most recent cycle, ask the CAS Preprofessional Advising Center or Tandon Prehealth directly.
If NYU’s own medical school is on your list, that is a separate admissions process covered in IMA’s NYU Grossman School of Medicine admissions guide.
What If You Need to Reapply?
Tandon tells students unsure of an acceptance to submit Part 1 by December 15 the fall after they apply. If an acceptance arrives before February 1, they can skip Part 2. Late reapplicants who missed both deadlines can submit Part 3 to resend the prior year’s committee letter.
NYU Pre-Med Checklist by Year
- First year: join the prehealth listserv or Tandon Prehealth Portal, start Principles of Biology and General Chemistry, finish EXPOS-UA 1, and begin one steady clinical or service activity.
- Second year: take Organic Chemistry, add research or shadowing, and decide on study away using NYU’s prehealth options.
- Third year: finish Physics and Biochemistry, line up recommenders, submit committee Part 1 by December 15 if you are applying without a gap year, and plan your MCAT date.
- Spring of the application year: submit Part 2 by February 1, sit the committee interview, collect letters by May 15 and take the MCAT.
- Summer and fall of the application year: file your primary application in June, request the committee packet, and return secondaries within about 2 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does NYU have a pre-med major?
No. NYU treats prehealth as a track, not a major or minor. The College of Arts and Science runs it through the Robert and Ellen Salant Prehealth Program, and students in any major can complete the required science courses alongside their degree.
Who is the pre-health adviser at NYU?
It depends on your school. Most students use the CAS Preprofessional Advising Center at 25 West 4th Street, reachable at [email protected]. Tandon students are advised by the Tandon Prehealth Committee in Brooklyn, and Stern students start with a Stern adviser.
Can NYU pre-med students use AP credit for science prerequisites?
No. Prehealth students cannot use AP, IB or A Level credit to place out of Principles of Biology I and II, General Chemistry I and II, or General Physics I and II, because medical and dental schools expect those courses on the college transcript.
How does the NYU committee letter work?
You apply to your school’s prehealth committee, complete an interview, and the committee writes an evaluation of your full record. That letter is sent with your individual recommendation letters as one packet. At Tandon, the process starts with an intent form due December 15.
When should NYU pre-meds start the committee letter process?
About two years before you plan to start medical school. Tandon’s example is that students entering in fall 2027 submitted Part 1 in fall 2025 and Part 2 in spring 2026, then applied in June 2026. CAS sets its own calendar, so confirm dates with the CAS Preprofessional Advising Center.
Can I study abroad as an NYU pre-med?
Yes, if you plan ahead. Many health professional schools do not accept prerequisites taken abroad, so NYU points prehealth students to sites that teach U.S. prehealth coursework, such as NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU London for Tandon sophomores.
How do NYU pre-meds get clinical experience?
NYU’s prehealth pages recommend starting early with sustained volunteering in hospitals, clinics or private offices, direct patient contact and physician shadowing. Some students add a supervised summer placement, such as IMA’s pre-med internships abroad.
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