Study in Newark, The United States

About Newark

Newark is a city in the state of New Jersey, in the northeastern United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates its population at 317,303 on 1 July 2024, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology describes it as the state's largest city. It lies 8 miles (about 13 km) from New York City.

Students choose Newark for a city campus with fast rail links to Manhattan and a varied urban setting. The Ironbound district has over 175 restaurants and is known for Portuguese, Spanish and Brazilian food, and Branch Brook Park has 5,300 cherry trees.

Studying in Newark

Our directory lists three schools in Newark: one university, one language school and one school for younger students. Teaching is in English, and the academic year typically runs from September to May.

The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is the state's public polytechnic university. It was founded in 1881 as the Newark Technical School, which opened to its first 88 students on 9 February 1885, and it was renamed NJIT in 1975. It offers more than 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programmes in six schools and holds the Carnegie R1 classification for research. According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator, it has 13,247 students, 10,200 of them undergraduates, and a student-to-faculty ratio of 17 to 1. Its campus is in the University Heights district, which it shares with Rutgers University - Newark, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Essex County College. NJIT states that more than 50% of its first-year students and 25% of all undergraduates live on campus.

St. Benedict's Preparatory School is a Catholic school whose community includes Benedictine monks. It has a Boys Prep Division, a Girls Prep Division, a Middle Division and an Elementary Division. Each day begins with a meeting, led by student leaders, that brings together students, staff and monks. Our directory also lists the Harvest Institute, an English language school.

Student visa

Most international students need an F student visa, which covers study at an accredited U.S. college or university and English courses at a language institute. Once admitted, you receive a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes) from the school's international student office and present it when you apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate. With that office's permission, international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year, according to EducationUSA.

Cost of living for students

For a first-year undergraduate at NJIT in the 2024-25 academic year, College Navigator gives these figures:

• $37,664 in tuition and fees at the out-of-state rate
• $16,450 for food and housing on campus
• $62,714 in total expenses for an out-of-state student living on campus

Public transport is cheap for short trips. According to NJ TRANSIT's fare guide, checked in October 2026, the base fare on Newark Light Rail is $1.90, a ticket between two of its underground stations (Warren St, Washington St, Military Park and Newark Penn) costs $0.85, and one-way bus fares start at $1.90 and rise with the number of zones travelled.

Getting around and daily life

Newark is a rail hub. NJIT states that its campus is 20 minutes from Manhattan by train. From Newark Penn Station, Newark Light Rail runs to the Warren Street stop at the NJIT campus, and Newark Broad Street Station, on the Morris and Essex lines, is a five-block walk away. A shuttle bus shared by Rutgers-Newark and NJIT links the two campuses with the main stations and is free with an NJIT ID card.

Newark Liberty International Airport is the city's airport. AirTrain Newark connects it with NJ TRANSIT, PATH and Amtrak trains, and trains run directly from the airport to Newark Penn Station.

Newark has cold winters and warm summers. The 1991-2020 NOAA climate normals for Newark International Airport give an average temperature of 32.8 °F (about 0.5 °C) in January and 78.2 °F (about 26 °C) in July, when the average daily high is 86.9 °F (about 30.5 °C).

Frequently asked questions

Which Newark is this page about?

This page covers Newark in New Jersey, 8 miles from New York City. Towns of the same name in other states have their own pages.

Which universities are in Newark?

Our directory lists the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a public polytechnic university with 13,247 students according to College Navigator. It shares the University Heights district with Rutgers University - Newark and Essex County College.

How much does a year in Newark cost for a student?

For 2024-25, College Navigator puts total expenses for an out-of-state first-year undergraduate living on campus at NJIT at $62,714, of which $16,450 is food and housing.

How far is Newark from New York City?

Newark is 8 miles from New York City, and NJIT states that its campus is 20 minutes from Manhattan by train.