Stuyvesant High School is part of a group of schools which received Specialized High School status from the NYC Department of Education. The schools serve the needs of gifted New York City Students. The high school focuses its educational program on math, science, and technology, but it has a variety of other offerings, including criminal law and journalism. The high school has a comprehensive humanities program. Students take three years of a single foreign language. Students can take Advanced Placement coursework.

The high school has five bands, a symphony orchestra, and a jazz combo. The school also puts on many theatrical productions. Stuyvesant High School provides a variety of sports teams, a robotics team, academic teams, and numerous clubs.

Economically disadvantaged students make up 43 percent of the student body at Stuyvesant High School. Minority enrollment is reported as 81 percent of students.