CUNY John Jay College
47%
Acceptance rate
$15,420
Tuition/yr
12,000
Enrollment
About CUNY John Jay College
CUNY college in Manhattan specializing in criminal justice, public safety, and law. Strong internship networks.
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public liberal arts college and one of the 25 institutions of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, located at 524 West 59th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Founded in 1964 and named after the first Chief Justice of the United States, the college has grown into one of the world's leading institutions focused on justice, law, and public administration.
John Jay is internationally recognized for its criminal justice, forensic science, forensic psychology, and legal studies programs, having been ranked #1 in the nation for these disciplines by multiple independent ranking organizations. The college offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs, and its curriculum draws on the expertise of faculty who are practitioners, scholars, and researchers in policing, security, human rights, and the law.
The campus sits in the Lincoln Center neighborhood of Manhattan, placing students within reach of federal courts, law enforcement agencies, non-profits, and policy organizations, all potential sites for internships and research. The college enrolls approximately 13,700 students, draws students from 130 or more countries, and reports that roughly half of its undergraduates are first-generation college students.
World University Rankings
Campus & Location
NY
Urban
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
All graduates qualify for 12-month OPT. STEM-designated programs (CS, Engineering, Data Science, Mathematics, Sciences) qualify for 24-month STEM OPT extension — 36 months total work authorisation.
For Nepali students
- John Jay's criminal justice, forensic science, and public administration programs are among the strongest of their kind in the United States and carry particular value for Nepali students interested in law, policing reform, human rights, or government service, fields with direct applicability back in Nepal.
- Tuition for non-resident (including international F-1) students is approximately $15,420 per year, low by New York City standards and well below most private universities, making it one of the more affordable pathways to a Manhattan degree for budget-conscious Nepali families.
- As an F-1 student in the United States, graduates are eligible for 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT), and those in STEM-designated programs such as forensic science may qualify for a 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving up to three years of US work authorization after graduation.
- The college's strong social-mobility profile (ranked #3 in the US by US News for Social Mobility) and its large first-generation student population mean institutional support structures, academic advising, financial aid navigation, and career services, are well-developed for students coming from less-resourced backgrounds, which many Nepali students can benefit from.
Admission requirements — Nepali equivalents
A rough translation of the published minimums for Nepali applicants:
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