New York University (NYU) is one of the biggest private higher education institutes in the United States, and is highly regarded among American institutions.

Its history dates back to 1831, when the head of the US department of Treasury Albert Gallatin pushed forward the idea of establishing an easily accessible, innovative university in the most populous city in the US.

After almost two centuries of development, the institution became an academic centre that aims to set trends in global research and nurture talent from all the around the globe. It grants a significant amount to students in financial aid annually, in addition to generous funding for research.

The institution, which itself has a significant endowment, is perhaps most famously associated with its undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in social science, dentistry, nursing and fine arts.

With campuses on two continents from New York to Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, the university’s affiliates officially operate in 25 countries around the world. Locally, the university’s New York campus is formed of over 20 colleges and schools placed at 5 different locations in and around New York, such as Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.

The main campus, located in the heart of Lower Manhattan in the vicinity of Sixth Avenue and Washington Square Park, covers 1 km² of land. It offers guaranteed housing options to freshmen, who may find themselves among the 11 thousand visitors who explore the Bobst library, one of the 11 libraries operated by NYU.

New York University’s alumni have received a number of Nobel and Crafoord Prizes, as well as several Pulitzer Prizes and Abel Prizes in the past.

After having the Violet for its official mascot for a century, the university introduced the Bobcat, an extinct species of big cat related to the puma. It symbolises the combination between the university’s academic achievement and success in sport activities.