The school opened to students in September 2013. Of the class of 294 students, 51% came from The People's Republic of China, with the remaining 49% coming from other countries around the world. During the 2013–2014 academic year, NYU Shanghai students studied at East China Normal University while the official NYU campus in Pudong was built. The Pudong campus was completed in the summer of 2014. Students moved into the new building at the start of the fall 2014 semester. Currently, the NYU Shanghai campus in Pudong serves NYU Shanghai students, study abroad students from New York, Abu Dhabi, and non-NYU affiliated colleges in other countries, as well as a number of NYU law students. In 2018, the university introduced a "civic education” course at the behest of the Chinese Communist Party. The annual two-week course, executed during the University's Christmas break every year, is required for all Chinese passport holders attending NYU Shanghai.
Logo
NYU Shanghai's logo is adapted from NYU's torch logo, using the top half of the torch to form the petals of a magnolia flower, the official flower of Shanghai. The logo is meant to represent NYU's footing in Shanghai.
Since late summer of 2014, NYU Shanghai has been based in Pudong, Shanghai, at 1555 Century Ave. The main campus is contained in a single building, the Academic Center, a new 15-story building with two underground floors. On May 30, 2019, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new campus building in Qiantan. The Qiantan campus building will also be located in Pudong, and is being designed and built by architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox. The design features four buildings arranged in a pinwheel shape reminiscent of NYU Shanghai's logo, that are connected as one building above the fifth floor. The university hopes to move up to 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students into the new campus by 2022. NYU Shanghai has three dormitories, two of which are in Shanghai's Jinqiao, and one in Aidongcun neighborhood, which are north and south of the campus respectively. Both are also located within Pudong. Students travel between the Academic Center and the dorms via the subway or on NYU shuttle buses. There is also an academic library that offers virtual and in-person reference services.
Academics
Undergraduate programs
NYU Shanghai offers a core curriculum, 19 majors, and numerous multidisciplinary minors and specializations.
Graduate and advanced education programs
The school also offers Masters programs and PhD programs. As of 2019, NYU Shanghai offers 5 master's and 8 PhD programs jointly with other NYU Schools.
Master's Programs
MS in Data Analytics and Business Computing is a one-year full-time master's program in collaboration with NYU Stern School of Business
MS in Quantitative Finance is a one-year full-time master's program in collaboration with NYU Stern School of Business
MSW in Social Work is a two-year program in collaboration with NYU Silver School of Social Work
MA in Interactive Media Arts is a one-year full-time master's program in collaboration with NYU Tisch School of the Arts
PhD Programs
NYU Shanghai's PhD programs are offered jointly with other schools and departments of NYU, including the NYU Graduate School of Arts and Science and the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, in the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Data Science, Mathematics, Neural Science, Physics, Transportation Planning and Engineering.
NYU Shanghai's mascot is a purple qilin designed by a student and decided by a popular vote, beating out other designs including a panda, dragon, lion, and original creature named Spark. NYU Shanghai offers competitive sports teams for badminton, tennis, basketball, fencing, flag football, soccer, and volleyball, competing against local universities and high schools in various leagues and city-sponsored events. NYU Shanghai also offers recreational activities such as yoga retreats, outdoor hikes, go-karting, and basketball tournaments, as well as semester-long group fitness classes including yoga, aerobics, cardio, strength conditioning, tai chi, and various dance classes such as traditional Chinese dance, K-pop dance, hip-hop dance, and salsa. These fitness classes meet weekly and offerings change from semester to semester.
Notable faculty
Chen Jian, visiting professor from Cornell University, Chinese history and international relations
Chen Yuxin, Dean of Business, former Polk Brothers Professor in Retailing and Professor of Marketing at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University