High School
Admissions

Eligibility 2027

Criteria

To be eligible for the 2027 Hunter College High School (HCHS) Entrance Exam (7th grade entry), candidates must meet all three criteria below - an invitation letter is not needed to apply: 

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  • Requirements to Apply

    1. Be currently enrolled in 6th grade at a NYC or neighboring school, or be homeschooled. (Homeschooled applicants must provide a Letter of Intent, an IHIP, and additional documentation.) 
    2. Have a primary residence in one of the five boroughs of New York City as of October 1st of the application year. (The family's property ownership alone does not constitute residency. The child must be listed as a dependent of their parent(s)/guardian(s) at a permanent NYC address, as listed on the NYS IT-201 tax form. P.O. Boxes or non-NYC addresses  will not suffice, regardless of the info listed  in sections E and F.)
    3. Earn the minimum qualifying score on the NYS or other accepted exams. See the “Qualification Exams” section below for details.

  • How to Get Ready

    To prepare for the upcoming admissions season, your child should take any standardized exams offered at their school in 5th grade. Please do not register for additional exams outside of school at this time.

    Hunter will provide a pathway for all interested students to pursue qualification for the Hunter entrance exam.

Qualification Exams

Select the category below that best matches your child’s situation to see how to qualify. Only one category will apply.

In 5th grade, my child attended a school that…

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  • …administers NYS Exams.

    If your child was unable to take one or both of the NYS English Language Arts (ELA) and Math exams in 5th grade, please review one of the other options. We will verify with the school that the student did not sit for the NYS Exams.

    To qualify for the Hunter entrance exam in January 2027, a qualifying score is required on the Spring 2026 5th grade NYS ELA and Math exams. Minimum scores must be met on both exams.
    • SP 26, ELA  =  TBD
    • SP 26, Math = TBD
    Are one or both scores slightly below the cutoff? You may be eligible to complete the Academic Insights Profile (AIP). Information about this program will be available at a later date.
     
    Submitting Scores
    You must upload one of the following to complete your application:
    1. An official score report, OR
    2. A screenshot from your NYC Schools Account

    The report must clearly display:
    * Student name
    * Grade level
    * Exam year
    * Three-digit scores 
    Hunter does not accept “levels” (e.g., 4 or 4.25) or “percentage ranges” (e.g., 75–100%). 

    To access scores in NYC Schools Account (NYCSA):
    1. Login to at https://www.schoolsaccount.nyc/ (contact your school for help)
    2. Select My Student
    3. Go to Assessments
    4. View test results

  • …administers non-NYS Exams (including homeschool).

    If your child took both the NYS exams and another standardized test, only the NYS exam scores will be considered. Scores from other tests will not be reviewed. If your child did not take the NYS exams but did take one of the approved tests below, only that test score will be considered for the Hunter application. We will verify your child's testing history with the school.

    To qualify for the Hunter entrance exam in January 2027, a qualifying score is required on both Reading and Math on one of the approved exams listed below. Scores must be from a Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 administration, taken in 5th grade). The exam must have been administered by the student's school: 

    Approved Exams
    - ERB CTP 5 (Reading Comprehension + Mathematics Parts 1 & 2)
                    (Score report must include National Norm percentile (NN).)
    - Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) (ELA total + Math total)
    - TerraNova 3 (Reading Composite + Mathematics Composite)
    - Stanford 10 (Total Reading + Total Mathematics)
                    (The abbreviated battery is accepted.)
     
    Minimum Scores (Fall 2025 or Spring 2026, Grade 5)
    (    see sample score reports to the right).
    • Reading = TBD
    • Math = TBD
    Are one or both scores slightly below the cutoff? You may be eligible to complete the Academic Insights Profile (AIP). Information about this program will be available at a later date.
     
    Submitting Scores
    Upload the official score report with your application. The report must clearly display:
    * Student name
    * Grade level
    * Percentile scores
    * Exam year

    The following exams are not accepted as NYS Exam equivalents:
    - ERB Milestones
    - NWEA MAP
    - iReady
    - ISEE (new this year)
    - SSAT (new this year)

    If your child took one of the unacceptable exams listed above, please see the next section.
     
    Families seeking approval for a different standardized exam must click here to email the score report for Admissions review before applying.

  • …does NOT administer ANY standardized exams.

    If your child has taken the NYS exams or another standardized test, please refer to the appropriate section above. Students may not take another exam in 5th grade to attempt to qualify.

    Step 1: Apply for Approval
    To be considered for a qualifying exam (if you have no scores):
    • Select "No Scores" on the application
    • Upload an official letter from the principal or counselor (on school letterhead) confirming the student did not take NYS or other accepted 5th grade exams.
      • Letter may come from the 6th grade OR 5th grade school
    • Submit the application
    Step 2: Wait for Authorization
    Hunter will review your application and notify you if your child is approved to take a qualifying exam.

    If approved, the student may take one of these approved exams at a local testing center.

    Approved Exams
    - ERB CTP 5 (Reading Comprehension + Mathematics Parts 1 & 2)
                    (Score report must include National Norm percentile (NN).)
    - Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) (ELA total + Math total)
    - TerraNova 3 (Reading Composite + Mathematics Composite)
    - Stanford 10 (Total Reading + Total Mathematics)
                    (The abbreviated battery is accepted.)

    Important Guidelines: 
    • Do not register for any exam before receiving approval
    • Only one test attempt is permitted
    • The exam must be appropriate for entry into 7th grade
    • Scores must be sent directly from the testing center to the Admissions Office.
    • Deadline: Friday, December 18, 2026  
    Qualifying Score Requirement
    Students must score (TBD) in both Reading and Math.

    If scores fall slightly below the cutoff, the application will automatically be considered through the Academic Insights Profile (AIP) pathway. Information about this program will be available at a later date.  

Eligible?

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  • How to Apply

    If the student meets all three criteria, including the score requirement, you may apply by visiting the Hunter Application page, and choose "HS Application" to begin. Students who are near the cutoff may be eligible to apply through the Academic Insights Profile (AIP) pathway. An invitation letter is not required to apply.

    Parents/guardians must upload a screenshot of the NYS exam scores or an official report from another qualifying exam that meets the minimum score requirement. All scores will be verified with your child's school.

    Please do not submit recommendation letters, report cards, awards, photos, essays, or other unsolicited materials. These items will not be reviewed or considered in the admissions process.

SAMPLE SCORE REPORTS

Hunter College Campus Schools
71 East 94th Street 
New York, NY 10128
Elementary School: 212-860-1292
High School: 212-860-1267
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