Variable Credit Enrollment & Policies
Undergraduate and graduate options, long-term engagement, elective credit policies
The VIP Program emphasizes long-term engagement on a VIP Team to promote students' disciplinary and professional growth, and support the sustainability of the VIP Teams.
Undergraduate Enrollment
All undergraduate students are expected to enroll on the same VIP Team for at least 3 consecutive semesters. The level of VIP credit earned per semester is determined by the workload and leadership position of each student.
| VIP-UY 300X | VIP-UY 3000 | |
| Credits per semester ** | 1-3 | 0 |
| Maximum Enrollment | 6 credits | 3 instances |
| Grading | A-F | Pass/Fail |
**Credit Policy Criteria
| Credits | Criteria |
| 0 | Available to students for whom enrolling in a VIP for credit will incur extra tuition by exceeding NYU's credit limit for a semester (18 credits/semester) OR who have reached the VIP enrollment limit (6 credits) |
| 1 |
All new students and most returning students enroll for 1 credit per semester, equivalent to approximately 4 hours per week. This is the majority of students |
| 2 |
Students who grow into positions of leadership, management, and specialization may enroll for more credit, commensurate with increased workload and responsibilities. Pre-approval in writing is required from the team advisor and will be verified by VIP Management. |
| 3 |
This option is only for students enrolling in VIP for senior design. Pre-approval in writing is required and must come from a student's academic advisor and the team advisor. In some cases, pre-approval in writing must also come from the student's academic department. All pre-approval will be verified by VIP Management. *Students must take 3 credits of VIP in one semester. 3 cumulative credits does not count. **Students must have been enrolled on the team for a minimum of 2 consecutive semesters prior to enrolling on the same team for senior design. |
Enrollment Restrictions: Students on academic probation cannot enroll in VIP.
Graduate Enrollment
The VIP Program has a graduate-level course option, VIP-GY 5001 or VIP-GY 5000. Graduate students earn 1.5 VIP credits per semester and are expected to enroll on the same VIP Team for 2 consecutive semesters. If enrolling in a VIP team for credit will incur extra cost, students may enroll in VIP-UY 5000 for zero credits.
| VIP-UY 5001 | VIP-UY 5000 | |
| Credits per semester | 1.5 | 0 |
| Maximum Enrollment | 3 credits | 2 instances |
| Grading | A-F | Pass/Fail |
Graduate students are encouraged to contact their advisor to discuss joining a VIP Team before applying, and to reach out to vip@nyu.edu with any questions.
Enrollment Restrictions: Students on academic probation cannot enroll in VIP.
Elective Credit Policies
Several NYU Tandon departments have a policy to approve VIP credit towards undergraduate degree requirements (see table below). Where marked, departments recognize 3 credits on the same VIP Team as credit towards your degree.
| NYU Tandon Department | Free Elective | In-Major Elective | Capstone / Senior Design |
| Applied Physics | ✓ | ||
| Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Civil and Urban Engineering | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Computer Science and Engineering | ✓ | ✓* | ✓* |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mathematics (Tandon) | ✓ | ||
| Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Technology, Culture and Society | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Technology Management and Innovation | ✓ |
If your school or department is not listed below, consult your departmental advisor to determine if you can apply VIP credit to your degree. Your advisor can approve on a provisional basis as your school or department determines its policy.
*The CSE Department may allow up to three credits of VIP to fulfill CS electives or CS-UY 4523: Design Project with prior department approval. When taking VIP credits to fulfill the CS-UY 4523: Design Project requirement, students should take three credits of VIP in one semester.
Volunteers
Volunteering for VIP teams is not permitted. All students participating on a VIP team should be registered on the team.