Admissions

Who can attend New York School for the Deaf (NYSD)?
In order to be eligible to attend NYSD, a student must have a documented hearing loss, and be between the ages of 0 to 21 years. Other determining factors may include the extent of the loss, and the impact on the child’s education.
Do parents pay tuition for a child to attend NYSD?
New York School for the Deaf is a 4201 State-supported school that serves students at no cost to their families.
How are students referred to the school for admissions consideration?
For preschool or school-aged students:
  • Parents/Guardians may either apply directly to the school for admissions consideration for their child    OR
  • The respective school district may submit a referral on behalf of a child. 
In either case, eligibility approval and placement approval will be needed from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) as well as from the child’s respective school district Committee on Special Education (CSE) or Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE).
  • If your child is ages 3 to 5, please request a referral from the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) in your local school district.
  • If your child is ages 5 to 21, please request a referral from the Committee on Special Education (CSE) in your local school district.
For children birth to three years of age:
After a referral is made, what is the next step?
Once a referral has been made, an application for approval for evaluation to attend a 4201 State-supported school (PHC-10) is completed. A current audiogram is needed to complete this application process. Please click here to access a PHC-10 form.  
This form can be completed and faxed to our office (914) 949-8260, along with a current audiogram.  NYSD’s admissions personnel will guide you through the application process and, following PHC-10 approval from NYSED and your child’s school district, will review existing evaluations and/or conduct the necessary evaluations.
What types of evaluations will be completed with my child during the referral process?
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) evaluations of students who are deaf or hard of hearing should provide information about the impact of hearing loss on the student’s language acquisition and development. Evaluators at New York School for the Deaf are qualified and knowledgeable about issues related to deafness and are able to communicate directly with each child. 
The New York School for the Deaf can provide any of the following evaluations:
  • Psychological
  • Educational
  • Speech/Language
  • Audiological
  • Fine & Gross Motor
  • Adaptive Behavior
What is involved in the admission process?
  • If your child is an infant or toddler (ages birth to 3), please call us for information about the State-Supported Deaf Infant Program provided at our school. 
  • If your child is a preschool student, please click on the link to the right to view the Preschool Admissions Process.
  • If your child is a K-12th grade student, please click on the link to the right to view the School Age Admissions Process.
Can we visit the school?
YES!  We would love for you to come tour our campus. 
​For more information about the admissions process, or if you are interested in a tour, please call the Admissions Office at  (914) 481-8228 or email:  admissions@nysd.net.