50 Best Public Universities in New York for International Students

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New York, is one of the states in United States you should look into if you want to study in a public university. Besides providing a path towards your academic goals, you can also enjoy various activities here to make your studies abroad all worth it. In addition, studying in New York can give you valuable insights into its people and the local culture.

There are 130 universities you can find in New York, and 50 of them are public universities. Having these many choices makes New York a great place for international students.

In this article, you’ll find out the public universities in New York, with some added information on programs, tuition, and how many international students you’ll be studying with. Let’s get started!

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Rank University Location
1 University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Buffalo, United States
2 Stony Brook University Stony Brook, United States
3 University at Albany Albany, United States
4 Binghamton University, State University of New York Binghamton, United States
5 United States Military Academy West Point, United States
6 SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, United States
7 SUNY Upstate Medical University Syracuse, United States
8 SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University New York City, United States
9 SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) Syracuse, United States
10 SUNY Oswego Oswego, United States
11 Empire State University Saratoga Springs, United States
12 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz, United States
13 SUNY Brockport Brockport, United States
14 SUNY Cortland Cortland, United States
15 Fashion Institute of Technology New York City, United States
16 Purchase College, State University of New York Purchase, United States
17 Lehman College, CUNY New York City, United States
18 State University of New York at Fredonia Fredonia, United States
19 SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, United States
20 SUNY Potsdam Potsdam, New York, United States
21 SUNY Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, United States
22 City College of New York New York City, United States
23 Hunter College, CUNY Manhattan, New York, United States
24 Farmingdale State College East Farmingdale, United States
25 Brooklyn College Brooklyn, United States
26 United States Merchant Marine Academy Kings Point, United States
27 Alfred State College Alfred, United States
28 SUNY Canton Canton, New York, United States
29 SUNY Cobleskill Schoharie County, United States
30 SUNY Morrisville Syracuse, United States
31 SUNY Maritime College The Bronx, United States
32 SUNY Delhi Delhi, United States
33 SUNY College of Optometry New York City, United States
34 Buffalo State University (SUNY) Buffalo, United States
35 Baruch College, CUNY New York City, United States
36 Graduate Center, CUNY New York City, United States
37 York College, CUNY New York City, United States
38 College of Staten Island, CUNY Staten Island, United States
39 Queens College, City University of New York New York City, United States
40 John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York City, United States
41 New York City College of Technology, CUNY New York City, United States
42 Medgar Evers College New York City, United States
43 SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, United States
44 CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies New York City, United States
45 Farmingdale State College SUNY East Farmingdale, United States
46 CUNY School of Professional Studies New York City, United States
47 Macaulay Honors College New York City, United States
48 SUNY at Old Westbury Old Westbury, United States
49 Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism New York City, United States
50 CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy New York City, United States

Find Open Programs for International Students!

Browse through currently open programs around the world for international students!

Apply for 2026 Intake!

Applications for 2026 Intake are open. Search through the degrees around the world!


Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can International Students Study in Public Universities in New York?

Absolutely! International students in public universities in New York can pursue different program levels, but the most popular ones are bachelor’s and master’s programs.

As for tuition fees, note that these vary across specific disciplines and program levels, with some charging significantly more than others. Some public universities in New York charge no tuition fees to international students, while others charge up to 40,200 USD.


Find Open Programs for International Students!

Browse through currently open programs around the world for international students!

I hope this article can help you in your search for public universities in New York. Feel free to check out the Available Programs for International Students to learn more about studying abroad.