New Students

Welcome to the School of Public Affairs family! Now that you have been accepted into the degree program of your choice, we imagine that you have many questions about starting your educational pursuit. This page has been created to answer some of those questions and facilitate your transition into graduate school. Most importantly, this page will help prepare for orientation by ensuring that you are aware of all preliminary requirements.

The first step toward beginning your studies is letting us know that you will be joining us in the coming semester. A letter of acceptance has been sent to you in a packet including an "Intent to Matriculate" form. Even if you call us to confirm, the process of admission is not complete until you fill out and return this form to us. Once you have confirmed your Intent to Enroll, the next series of important steps are to complete the Immunization Requirement and the Residency Application.

Immunization Requirement   -   Mandatory for all students born after January 1957 Note: all students must complete the Meningitis response form or Part II of the Baruch College Immunization form. Please read the instructions carefully when completing the Immunization Form. Make sure you attach all of the requested documentation, and when complete, please mail or submit all items to the Medical Records Office. Incomplete documents may result in processing delays. Students who fail to meet this requirement will not be allowed to register for classes. No exceptions will be made. Residency Application   -   Not Required for Enrollment Upon admission, the Office of Student Affairs and Graduate Admissions (SAGA) will make a determination of your residency status based upon information submitted with your application. If the Office of Graduate Admissions cannot make this determination based on the information you provided, you will be notified by mail of the required documentation for in-state eligibility. If you are required to provide documentation for eligibility, students must provide proof of Residence in New York State for 12 consecutive months. Please read the NYS Residency Qualifications carefully to learn who may apply and how the Application Requirements can be met. The completed Residency Application Form must be accompanied by all necessary evidence and delivered to the Office of Student Affairs and Graduate Admissions (SAGA) for approval. Students who do not qualify or fail to provide all required documentation will be considered Out-of-State students and will be expected to pay non-resident tuition fees.

REGISTRATION FOR FALL 2008 COURSES

Once the above forms have been sent off to the appropriate offices, you are ready to start thinking about academics. Within the next few weeks, you will be sent Orientation information and sample schedules with information about courses available for the Fall semester via mail along with pre-registration worksheets. Please submit completed worksheets with the courses you would like to take via email to spa_advisement@baruch.cuny.edu or via fax to 646-660-6751 prior to your appointed Orientation date and the Office of Student Affairs will register you for these courses. During Orientation, you will receive confirmation of your registered courses and be provided with an opportunity to pay your semester bill. Please note that you will not be permitted to pre-register without satisfying the immunization requirement.

TRANSFERRING CREDITS

All students who would like to transfer in credits from other institutions will need to provide their advisor, once assigned, with syllabi, reading lists, and course descriptions for each course they would like us to consider, along with an official transcript. Advisors are assigned during your first month as a student. Transfer credits will not be evaluated at Orientation. If you are planning to transfer any credits, we suggest you contact us as soon as possible to avoid mistakes in your registration that evening.

OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

If you are considering paying your tuition in interest-free monthly installments, explore Academic Management Services by visiting www.tuitionpay.com. Choose "Enroll Now", "NY", then choose "Bernard M. Baruch College" and proceed to our enrollment form. If you need more information, call AMS at 1-888-664-6082 or the Office of the Bursar at 646-312-1280.

The City University of New York has partnered with GHI to provide students with affordable Health Insurance! Newly admitted students may contact GHI directly at 212-501-4444, or visit GHI to obtain more information.

We also encourage you to visit the Baruch College website at www.baruch.cuny.edu to obtain more information about your new college. Familiarizing yourself with the rest of this website will also be helpful in answering your questions. And don't forget the "Admissions Events for New Students" below!

Baruch College, Office of Student Affairs and Graduate Admissions (SAGA), 1 Bernard Baruch Way, Box D-901, New York, NY 10010-5585
Office Hours:  The Office of Student Affairs and Graduate Admissions (SAGA) is open Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. 660-6750   Fax:   (646) 660-6751   E-mail:  spa admissions