Mercy University is a private university in the New York City area with campuses in Westchester, Manhattan and the Bronx. For an international student the practical questions are usually the same ones: what the university actually is, which programs fit your goals, what the entry requirements look like, what it costs, and how the application and visa process is meant to run. This guide answers those questions from the Mercy University official website as checked on August 5, 2026, and flags clearly where a figure or rule is the university’s own claim rather than an independent fact.
Mercy University: What Kind of Institution Is It?
Mercy University was founded in 1950 by the Sisters of Mercy as a junior college in Dobbs Ferry, New York, grew into a four-year college in 1961, and received Middle States Association accreditation in 1968. It has been independent, nonsectarian and coeducational since the early 1970s. Mercy University has been a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) since 1998 and in 2022 became the first private university in the United States, and the first HSI in New York State, to earn the Seal of Excelencia. On August 22, 2023, Mercy College officially became Mercy University, reflecting its expansion into a comprehensive university. When the College of New Rochelle closed in 2019, Mercy University welcomed about 1,800 of its students and 70 faculty and staff; the university’s alumni community, including New Rochelle alumni, numbers more than 70,000.
The three campuses give the university its character. The Westchester campus at 555 Broadway in Dobbs Ferry is the original home, with residential halls and the full range of facilities. The Manhattan campus at 47 West 34th Street, reopened in 2019 after a two-year renovation, sits by Herald Square with the Dorm34 residence hall. The Bronx campus at 1200 Waters Place is located at the Hutchinson Metro Center with advanced health and sciences labs. Mercy University positions itself as an affordable private option, describing its tuition as among the lowest private rates in New York — a claim made by the university itself.
Programs: Six Schools and 100-Plus Degrees
Mercy University organizes its academic offerings into six schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Nursing, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The official site lists more than 100 degrees and certificates at the undergraduate and graduate level, including about 30 undergraduate programs, over 40 graduate programs and multiple certificate options.
Nursing is a long-standing strength: Mercy University approved its first graduate nursing program in 1981, and its first doctoral program in physical therapy in 2006. The health portfolio today includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, communication disorders, clinical laboratory science and veterinary technology, alongside pre-health tracks. The School of Business runs active-learning components — consulting projects for real companies, a student-run business, a managed investment fund and international business travel — and graduate programs in business analytics, computer science and cybersecurity are STEM-designated. The School of Education covers early childhood through high school, including TESOL, bilingual education and special education, and offers five-year bachelor’s-plus-master’s (4+1) pathways. Mercy University was also an early pioneer of online education in the 1990s, and thousands of students now study through its online programs.
Entry Requirements: Rolling Admissions and Language Thresholds
Mercy University admits on a rolling basis and accepts documents at any time, but the official site sets clear timing rules for visa students: initial F-1 applicants should submit their admissions and I-20 documents at least 60 days before the start date of their intended term, and F-1 students transferring from within the U.S. should submit at least 30 days before the term starts. The academic calendar on the official site shows program start dates.
The required documents are an online application, official transcripts and, for foreign credentials, a Foreign Academic Credential Evaluation (FACE) from a NACES or AICE member agency — a course-by-course evaluation for freshman applicants, a course-by-course plus GPA evaluation for transfers, and a course-by-course evaluation for graduate applicants. Mercy University notes that the FACE requirement may be waived for some programs.
English proficiency minimums are published explicitly. For undergraduate admission: TOEFL 71, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo English Test 105, PTE 48. For graduate admission: TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 110, PTE 53. The site also lists a detailed waiver policy for applicants from English-speaking countries, graduates of American high schools, and others who can document English-medium study. Mercy University is test-optional — ACT or SAT scores are not required for international undergraduates, with the traditional Nursing program as the exception — and applicants who have taken standardized tests may submit them for consideration. Undergraduates who fall below the language minimums but are academically qualified can take a conditional admission route through the university’s partner ESL program before starting their degree. Graduate applicants should check program-specific extras: the MBA asks for a résumé, the M.S. in Computer Science for a statement of purpose, a recommendation letter and a résumé, and the M.S. in Cybersecurity for a letter, a two-page statement and a résumé.
Costs: Tuition, Housing and Fees for 2026–27
Mercy University publishes its 2026–27 figures directly. Undergraduate full-time tuition (12 credits or more per fall and spring term) plus the registration fee totals $24,480 for the year, with tuition at $11,775 per term and a $465 registration fee per term. Part-time study costs $990 per credit with a $233 registration fee. Graduate tuition is charged per credit and varies by program: business and computer science programs at $1,147 per credit, education and psychology programs at $1,120, communication disorders, occupational therapy and physical therapy at $1,233, and physician assistant studies at $1,362 per credit for students entering Summer 2025 or after.
Housing is available in Westchester and Manhattan. For 2026–27, Westchester Founders Hall rooms run from $5,280 per semester for a triple or quad to $6,110 per semester for a single, with Hudson Hall suite doubles at $5,800 per semester; meal plans are $2,450 per semester. The Manhattan Dorm34 residence is $6,300 per semester with the same $2,450 meal plan. One-time and per-program charges to budget for include a $450 international student fee for first-time enrollment in a program, a $40 application fee (undergraduate and graduate; $62 for graduate OT/PT/OM), a $400 enrollment deposit that is refundable if an F-1 visa is denied, and a $100 housing deposit for residential students. All incoming full-time undergraduate freshmen and transfers are automatically reviewed for academic merit scholarships.
International Student Services and F-1 Compliance
After acceptance, Mercy University’s International Student Services (ISS) office contacts the student within one week to start the I-20 application. The ISS office handles F-1 status, travel signatures and cross-cultural support, and it publishes the compliance rules clearly. Full-time enrollment means 12 credits per semester for undergraduates; 9 credits for graduate semester-based programs (cybersecurity, counseling, psychology, physician assistant, mental health counseling); 6 credits per trimester for occupational therapy and physical therapy; and 6 credits per quarter for the business programs. No more than 3 credits per term may be taken online, and any change affecting the Form I-20 must be reported to ISS within 10 days. Students should carry a valid passport, a valid F-1 visa and a signed I-20 when travelling. The ISS page also notes that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule ending “Duration of Status,” effective September 15, 2026, which touches admission, grace periods, extensions, and changes of major and transfer — visa and statutory conditions like these are governed by U.S. federal rules, so check the official pages for the current position.
Application Timeline and a Planning Checklist
The sequence at Mercy University is straightforward. Step one is the online application. Step two is submitting the required documents, including the credential evaluation, to the Student Services Support Center in Tarrytown, New York. Step three, after acceptance, is the I-20 application through ISS. Registration for the fall semester usually opens in March or April, and for the spring semester in October or November. Immunization records (MMR and the meningitis form) are due by the start of term.
A workable checklist for an international applicant: pick the program and check its extra requirements (nursing, music production, veterinary technology and pre-OTA have supplemental documents; most graduate programs have their own); arrange the credential evaluation early with a NACES or AICE member; confirm the English score or an applicable waiver; plan to submit everything at least 60 days before the term for an initial F-1 application; budget for the $450 international student fee, the $400 enrollment deposit and the first semester’s tuition and housing; and remember the full-time credit minimums once enrolled. All figures above are from the Mercy University website as of August 5, 2026, and the website’s latest version prevails if anything differs. For advice matched to your own program, grades and budget, talk to our study-abroad consultants about your specific situation.