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Admission Requirements

 NYIM seeks students who desire a professional career and are prepared to undertake an intensive educational experience. Enrollment is limited and is based on the following requirements:

A prospective student must:

  •  Successfully complete a personal interview with an Admissions Representative.
  •  Submit a complete Application for Admission, along with a $25.00 non-refundable application fee.*
  • Mail official high school transcripts showing completion of a general or regent's level diploma, or copy of GED directly to NYIM from your high school. (P.O. Box 645, Buffalo, NY 14231). We do not accept IEP diploma. High school transcripts/GED must be on file with NYIM, regardless of higher education.
  •  Submit two letters of recommendation, personal or professional (no relatives please). Letters should include how long they have known the prospective student and why they think the prospective student would be a successful massage therapist.
  •  Submit completed Background Check Release Form (enclosed). This form releases information on any prior criminal convictions. Please submit $15.00 plus tax if Erie County Resident, or $20.00 plus tax if Non- Erie County Resident, (non-refundable) check or money order. If the applicant has not lived in the current county of residence for at least thirty (30) days, an additional background release form and fee must be submitted for a background check in the previous county of residence.
  •  Be of good moral character.
  •  Submit photo ID (driver’s license or government issued photo ID), social security card or proof of citizenship.
  •  Be a minimum age of 17 (must be 18 to sit for New York Board Exam)
  •  Submit completed NYIM Medical Release Form (enclosed). This form must be signed by a physician.
  •  Complete a second interview including pre-admission testing.
  • As a condition for enrollment the student must have an appointment to visit the school for a personal tour and a financial aid interview. Arrangements may be made by calling: (716) 633-0355 or 1-800-884-NYIM (6946) Admissions appointments are available Monday through Friday. Completed application packets are subject to approval by the Admissions Committee, which meets regularly. Application packets are considered complete when all of the information is received by NYIM. The prospective student is encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible as classes are known to fill before the start date. After the application package is completed and reviewed by the Admissions Committee, the prospective student will be contacted to discuss the final steps required for enrollment.
  • Once the prospective student is accepted, a $150 nonrefundable registration fee* is required to guarantee their seat in the program. An enrollment agreement must also be completed at the time of registration.

* All monies paid are to be paid in check, money order, credit card, or certified check form. No cash monies are accepted.

Any returned checks for insufficient funds will be charged $35.00.

International Student Enrollment – in addition to the admissions requirements listed above:

A prospective student must submit:

  •  I-20M-N (Certificate of Eligibility)
  •  A copy of student visa/government issued photo identification
  •  Birth Certificate
  •  A copy or verification of English as a second language exam (i.e. TOEFL)
  •  All transcripts translated to English for review

Transfer Credits

All students transferring from another school are required to spend a minimum of 100 hours in the program at NYIM, regardless of their previous preparation and training, and may not transfer more than 250 hours into the program.

To be considered for a transfer credit, NYIM must receive official transcripts from all previously attended schools. Credits are accepted only from facilities licensed by the New York State Department of Education or the equivalent licensing authority of another state. In order to properly evaluate previous course work, NYIM requests a course catalog from your previous school to compare course content and ensure that it is comparable to that of NYIM’s program. Courses completed with a grade of “C” or better are transferable as long as the content is the same. One credit hour is equal to fifteen clock hours of staff supervised instruction. Facilities that use credit hours must submit their conversion factor so credit hours can be evaluated against NYIM course hours. New York State currently does not allow for the transfer of online course credits.

TheThe Admissions Committee will determine the number of transferable credits based on transcripts and catalog comparisons. All decisions made by the Admissions Committee are final, and credit evaluations are done BEFORE a student begins training. Transfer credit may reduce tuition. However, tuition refunds will not be issued after the student has been enrolled in the program for three days.

If the student has an outstanding balance at a previous school, NYIM will not consider the transfer request until that balance has been satisfied. Once the Admissions Committee has determined transfer hours, the student will be required to pay for the necessary training on a pro-rated basis. The amount will depend on the hours needed to complete training, including the required minimum 100 hours and the $150 registration fee. Although it is the student’s choice to transfer credit, we strongly recommend our course work, as it is geared to the New York State Education Department and the Board of Massage requirements. NYIM reserves the right to require more hours than mandated by New York State.

Books and Supplies

Registered students may purchase the book package as soon as they have registered. All students must purchase a full book package prior to orientation.

The package includes the following books necessary for instruction:

  •  “Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology”, 9th Edition, by Marieb. Publisher: Peasron Education, Old Tappen, NJ.
  •  “Muscles: Testing & Function with Posture and Pain”, Fifth Edition, by Florence Peterson Kendall. Publisher: Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD.
  •  “The Book of Shiatsu”, by Lundberg. Publisher: Redwing Book Company, Brookline, MA.
  •  “A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology”, 4th Edition, by Ruth Werner. Publisher: Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD.
  •  “Massage Therapy Principles and Practice”, 3rd Edition, by Susan Salvo. Publisher: Elsevier Science, Philadelphia, PA.
  •  “Orthopedic Massage: Theory and Technique”, by Whitney Lowe. Publisher: Elsevier Science, Philadelphia, PA.

The book package also includes school shirts, a backpack, single holster, scrub top, photo identification card, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, and handouts. The cost of the book and supply package is $603.96 (plus applicable NYS sales tax). Book package price and contents are subject to change. Students are responsible for personal supplies and notebooks. Substitutions are not allowed.

TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLY PACKAGES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE