New York University in Shanghai is located in Zhuyuan Trading Park along Southwestern Century Avenue and Northeastern Songlin Road. It covers a total area of 12,000 square meters with 65,000 square meters of overall construction.

It will become the first international university in mainland China supported by East China Normal University in Shanghai and New York University in the United States. The project is financed with 590 million yuan ($93.49 million) from Lujiazui Co Ltd. Construction began in June 2011 and will be completed in 2014.