New York City has one of the most extensive networks of GED courses in the US, with free and low-cost programs at CUNY colleges, public libraries, adult education centers, and workforce development sites across all five boroughs. This guide covers where to find GED courses NYC residents can enroll in, how to access free classes, what the courses cover, where to test in New York City, and how to get your official GED diploma.
NYC offers several pathways to completely free GED preparation: Practice with the free GED practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (1,050+ questions with answer explanations).
CUNY Adult Literacy Programs: The City University of New York operates free adult literacy and GED preparation programs at multiple campuses. CUNY's Adult Literacy Programs serve adults 21+ who need high school equivalency preparation. Programs include evening and weekend classes, with in-person and hybrid options. Visit cuny.edu/academics/workforce-development to find a CUNY program near you.
NYC Department of Education Adult and Continuing Education (ACE): The DOE's adult education division operates free GED preparation classes through its Adult Learning Centers in all five boroughs. Classes are free for NYC residents. Find your nearest Adult Learning Center at schools.nyc.gov/school-life/programs/adult-continuing-education.
New York Public Library (NYPL) and BPL/QPL: The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library offer free GED tutoring programs and access to online study platforms at branches throughout the city. Many branches host in-person GED preparation workshops.
Use our ged classes near me directory to find specific program locations in your NYC neighborhood, and our ged programs near me resource for more program types and enrollment guidance.
Interactive GED resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
NYC's GED resources are distributed across all five boroughs:
Manhattan: CUNY programs at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), Lehman College, and City College; DOE Adult Learning Centers throughout Harlem, Washington Heights, and Lower Manhattan; NYPL branches with tutoring programs.
Brooklyn: CUNY programs at Kingsborough Community College and Medgar Evers College; DOE ACE programs in Flatbush, Brownsville, and Sunset Park; Brooklyn Public Library GED support at Central Library and branches.
Queens: CUNY programs at Queensborough Community College and LaGuardia Community College; DOE ACE programs in Jamaica, Flushing, and Jackson Heights; Queens Public Library tutoring programs at many branches.
The Bronx: CUNY programs at Bronx Community College and Hostos Community College; Bronx DOE Adult Learning Centers; NYPL Bronx branches with literacy programs.
Staten Island: CUNY programs at College of Staten Island; DOE ACE programs in St. George and Bay Ridge areas; NYPL Staten Island branches.
For targeted practice before your NYC GED test, our ged ready practice test covers all four subject areas, and our ged study guide provides structured subject-by-subject preparation.
GED tests in NYC are administered at Pearson VUE authorized testing centers. There are multiple testing sites throughout the five boroughs, with many locations at CUNY campuses and community colleges. Scheduling is done online at ged.com.
To schedule your NYC GED test:
New York State allows each GED subject to be taken independently — you do not need to take all four on the same day. If you fail a subject three times, a 60-day waiting period is required before retesting that subject. New York City test centers tend to book up quickly — schedule at least 1–2 weeks in advance.
Try these questions from our free GED practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
Which of the following does NOT contribute to the creation of mountains and valleys on the Earth's surface?
Answer: C. Ozone
Mountains and valleys are formed by geological processes such as erosion, the collision of tectonic plates, and volcanic eruptions, which involve the movement and shaping of the Earth's crust. Ozone, however, is a gas found in the Earth's atmosphere and plays no direct role in the formation of landforms like mountains and valleys.
With his $305, Mark intends to purchase as many bags of mulch as he can and have them delivered to his home. The price of each bag is $7.50, and the shipping fee is $35.75. Mulch is only offered for sale in whole bags. What number of bags can Mark buy?
Answer: B. 35
First, subtract the fixed shipping fee from Mark's total budget to determine how much money he has left for the mulch itself ($305 - $35.75 = $269.25). Then, divide this remaining amount by the cost of a single bag of mulch ($269.25 / $7.50 = 35.9). Since mulch is only sold in whole bags, you must round down the result to the nearest whole number, meaning Mark can buy 35 bags.
A cell without a membrane-bound nucleus is called a:
Answer: A. Prokaryote
Prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) lack a membrane-bound nucleus. Eukaryotes, which include plants, animals, fungi, and protists, have their DNA enclosed in a nucleus.
A natural phenomenon, the greenhouse effect has been exacerbated by human activities.
Answer: A. True
The greenhouse effect is a natural process that plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth's temperature and making the planet habitable. However, human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have significantly intensified the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate change.