State Licensing & Accreditation

To enroll in the Horticulture Track 1 program, complete the discipline enrollment form and pay the one-time registration fee of $100. For more information, please email NYBG Continuing Education at ContinuingEd@nybg.org.

Enrollment Form Disclosure Form Pay $100 Fee

To enroll in the Horticulture Track 2 program, complete the discipline enrollment form and pay the one-time registration fee of $100. For more information, please email NYBG Continuing Education at ContinuingEd@nybg.org.

Enrollment Form Disclosure Form Pay $100 Fee

To enroll in the Horticulture Track 3 program, complete the discipline enrollment form and pay the one-time registration fee of $100. For more information, please email NYBG Continuing Education at ContinuingEd@nybg.org.

Enrollment Form Disclosure Form Pay $100 Fee

To enroll in the Horticulture Track 4 program, complete the discipline enrollment form and pay the one-time registration fee of $100. For more information, please email NYBG Continuing Education at ContinuingEd@nybg.org.

Enrollment Form Disclosure Form Pay $100 Fee

To enroll in the Landscape Design program, complete the discipline enrollment form and pay the one-time registration fee of $100. For more information, please email NYBG Continuing Education at ContinuingEd@nybg.org.

Enrollment Form Disclosure Form Pay $100 Fee

The School of Horticulture and Landscape Design— which includes two programs: Horticulture and Landscape Design—is licensed by the New York State Department of Education. Licensure under the state recognizes the Certificate Programs in Horticulture and Landscape Design as high quality and career oriented.

Licensed private career schools offer curricula measured in clock hours, not credit hours. Certificates of completion are issued to students who meet clock hour requirements. The granting of any college credit to students who participate in and/or complete a program at a licensed private career school is solely at the discretion of the institution of higher education that the student may opt to subsequently attend.

Students of Licensed Private Schools in the State of New York have the right to file a complaint with the New York State Education Department if they believe that the School or anyone representing the School has acted unlawfully. Students may make complaints about the conduct of the school, advertising, standards and methods of instruction, equipment, facilities, qualifications of teaching and management personnel, enrollment agreement, methods of collecting tuition, School license or registration, School and student records, private School agents, and other charges.

To file a complaint, students should submit a letter in writing to NYBG’s Student Services department at studentservices@nybg.org.

If that proves unsatisfactory, they may write to the New York State Education Department’s Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision at 116 West 32nd Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10001, or call the Department at 212.643.4760, requesting an interview for the purpose of filing a written complaint. All relevant documents must be brought to the interview. If you cannot attend an interview, send a letter or call the Bureau to request a complaint form. You must complete and sign the form and mail it to the Bureau, including copies of all relevant documents. The Bureau cannot investigate any complaint made more than two years after the date of alleged occurrence.

In order to register for courses with prerequisites, students must have received a passing grade in the prerequisite course(s).

The Director and Program Coordinators formulate policy regarding standards of student performance, including awarding Certificates, rules of conduct, and student appeals. Please contact NYBG Continuing Education any questions or concerns at continuinged@nybg.org.

Student progress is measured by grades.

Students must maintain a cumulative weighted average of 70% on a 100% scale, and must pass all courses with a minimum grade of 60%. All students are required to complete a minimum of 90% of their cumulative registered clock hours. Students who do not meet the 90% cumulative completion percentage will be placed on probation. Courses for which a student receives a letter grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, and P (passing) are included in the calculation of cumulative clock hour completion percentage as courses successfully completed.

Courses for which a student receives a letter grade of INC and F will be treated as courses attempted, but not successfully completed. Students are required to meet these minimum standards at each point of their program evaluation. A student must repeat a course and earn a passing grade in order to fulfill the Certificate requirements; additional course materials will be charged at cost.

All coursework (final exams, papers, projects) must be completed on time unless the instructor grants additional time for extenuating circumstances.

To be admitted to the Program, students must be 18 years of age at the time of entrance, and must possess at least a high school or a New York State equivalency diploma.

A student may qualify for course exemption by completing college courses taken for degree credit from an accredited college or university, evaluated non-collegiate sponsored instruction, or proficiency exams.

Students who wish to be granted exemption from a required course must:

1. Complete the Course Exemption Request Form
2. Present transcripts showing an earned grade of C or higher
3. Present the course outline, syllabus,and/or relevant supporting documentation.

The School will then evaluate these submissions and make a decision on course exemption. If a student is exempted from the course, s/he is required to take an equal number of hours of an approved elective course to complete the Certificate.

On-time attendance is required at all classes. Unexcused tardiness and absences are not accepted and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

A student who is absent from a class without adequate reason may be assigned a failing grade. Absences due to serious illness or death within a student’s family are recognized as excused absences. To validate such absences, the student should present evidence to the Director, who will then provide a letter of verification to all of the student’s instructors for the term.

Makeup quizzes and exams must be requested by the student and will be scheduled at the instructor’s discretion. Deficiency in any required work resulting from absence from class must be made up at the student’s own expense to satisfy the instructor.

Students are expected to be in class on time. Any student who is tardy more than three times shall be required to speak with the Director.

In the case of a prolonged illness or accident, death in the family, or other special circumstances that make attendance impossible or impractical, a leave of absence may be granted to the student if requested in writing by the student with the specific reason for the leave request. It should include the approximate length of the requested leave. The approval of such leaves of absence shall be in writing by the School Director.

When a student returns from an approved leave of absence, they will be placed in the instructional program at the point commensurate with the skill level retained by the student at the time of his/her return. The School will assess this skill level in a counseling session with the student, or by employing a written or oral evaluation.

Students who wish to withdraw should meet with the School Director to review their progress and options for completing their education at the School at a later date. Approval for return to the program will be determined based on course schedule and other factors at the discretion of the School.

Students are expected to establish good working relationships with their instructors, fellow students, and all other members of the Garden’s staff. It is the policy of the School to treat all students equitably and to administer all policies, procedures, and rules and regulations consistently. When a student’s performance is unsatisfactory or when students violate the policies and procedures of the School, the type of discipline selected will depend on the severity of the offense. Where warranted, the Director may elect to impose a suspension or termination whether or not there has been prior disciplinary action.

A student who wishes to appeal may present his/her case to the Director.

• Certificate requirements are those stated in the catalog from which the student first registered for a Certificate course.
• To qualify for a Certificate, students must receive passing grades in all required courses.
• A student has six (6) years from the start of their first required course, to complete a Certificate.

The annual Certificate Award Ceremony is held the first weekend in June. This year’s ceremony will be held on the first Sunday in June. If you expect to complete your Certificate requirements or enroll in all remaining classes by June, you must complete and submit this Application for Graduation.

Call NYBG Continuing Education at 718.817.8720 or email graduation@nybg.org with any questions.

Official ($15 each) and Unofficial transcripts (free) are available from the Registration Office year-round. Official transcripts must be requested in writing, including the name and address of the institution to which the transcript is being mailed. Transcripts are mailed within two (2) weeks and a copy is sent to the student.

No discounts will be granted for missed classes.
A 100% refund will be issued if your class is cancelled due to low enrollment.

A student who cancels within 7 days of signing the enrollment agreement receives all monies returned with the exception of the non-refundable registration fee. Thereafter, a student will be liable for all of the following:

1. the non-refundable registration fee
2. the cost of any textbook or supplies accepted
3. tuition liability as of the student’s last date of physical attendance

Because students pay tuition on a class-by-class basis, tuition liability is based on the cost of each individual class. Total tuition liability is limited to the quarter during which the student withdrew or was terminated and any previous quarters completed.

The charts below indicates what % of the student’s tuition the school may keep, based on when the student withdraws or is terminated.