Tufts University
Tufts is a student-centered research university in the greater Boston area composed of three undergraduate schools – the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Tufts is a leader in American higher education with a blend of both a research university and a liberal arts college. This unique combination attracts students, faculty, and staff who thrive in our environment of interdisciplinary study, innovation, and civic engagement.
You can’t fit Tufts students into a box. They are kind, collaborative, intellectually curious, and active citizens. At Tufts, students learn how to make a measurable difference, and then start making it – even as undergraduates.
You can’t fit Tufts students into a box. They are kind, collaborative, intellectually curious, and active citizens. At Tufts, students learn how to make a measurable difference, and then start making it – even as undergraduates.
Accepts first-year applicationsNew EnglandPrivateSuburbanMedium (2,001 to 14,999)Co-Ed
Academic programs
- Design
- Engineering
- Research
- Science
- Technology
- Liberal Arts
- Education
- Music
- Art & Design
- Economics
- Government/Political Science
- Health Science
- Performing Arts
- Social Science
- Visual Arts
- Psychology
- Computer Science
- Public health
- Architecture
Student experience
- Athletics
- Co-op/Internship Opportunities
- Disability Services
- Greek Life
- Intramural/Club Sports
- LGBTQIA Services
- On-Campus Housing
- ROTC Program
- Study Abroad
- Undergraduate Research
Application information
First-year
First-year students apply using the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or the QuestBridge Application. In addition to the application, one teacher recommendation, one school counselor recommendation, transcripts, a personal statement, and the responses to the Tufts short-answer questions are required. An interview with an alumnus/a is optional. Tufts University is test-optional, and students can decide whether they want SAT and/or ACT scores to be considered as a part of their application. Note: All applicants whose primary language is not English must submit proof of English proficiency, unless a student has been enrolled in an English instruction school for at least three years. You can learn more about our testing policy here.
Transfer
Tufts welcomes applications for transfer admission from students who will have completed some college by the time they plan to enroll at Tufts. Our only entry point for transfer students is in the fall. The number of transfer students who matriculate to Tufts in a given year varies.
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Additional information
WE DO OUR RESEARCH
Tufts is a student-centered research university, which means that we like to dig into our passions deeply and figure things out for ourselves—whether that involves using silk to regenerate tissue or spending a fully-funded summer exploring the political implications of Shakespeare’s plays through the Summer Scholars program. Students and professors come together, across disciplines, to ask questions and create meaning.
WE ARE ACTIVE CITIZENS
Jumbos use their skills and ideas to better people’s lives, whether they are teaching engineering in local elementary schools, creating social impact organizations, or spending a semester in Peru or Thailand immersed in social and environmental justice as part of the Tufts Civic Semester. They understand that they are citizens of a global community, and they embrace that responsibility.
WE ARE INTERESTED
...in a lot of things. Tufts students don't limit themselves: they combine biology with philosophy, compete as nationally-ranked D3 athletes, pursue degrees in studio art at the School of the Museums of Fine Arts, and solve problems as engineers. They're part of a community that embraces the unconventional and the uncategorizable.
WE ARE COMMITTED
Tufts proudly meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students, regardless of citizenship status. And Tufts replaces loans with institutional grants for students from the lowest income backgrounds - which means many of our students can graduate from Tufts with little to no loan debt.
Tufts is a student-centered research university, which means that we like to dig into our passions deeply and figure things out for ourselves—whether that involves using silk to regenerate tissue or spending a fully-funded summer exploring the political implications of Shakespeare’s plays through the Summer Scholars program. Students and professors come together, across disciplines, to ask questions and create meaning.
WE ARE ACTIVE CITIZENS
Jumbos use their skills and ideas to better people’s lives, whether they are teaching engineering in local elementary schools, creating social impact organizations, or spending a semester in Peru or Thailand immersed in social and environmental justice as part of the Tufts Civic Semester. They understand that they are citizens of a global community, and they embrace that responsibility.
WE ARE INTERESTED
...in a lot of things. Tufts students don't limit themselves: they combine biology with philosophy, compete as nationally-ranked D3 athletes, pursue degrees in studio art at the School of the Museums of Fine Arts, and solve problems as engineers. They're part of a community that embraces the unconventional and the uncategorizable.
WE ARE COMMITTED
Tufts proudly meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students, regardless of citizenship status. And Tufts replaces loans with institutional grants for students from the lowest income backgrounds - which means many of our students can graduate from Tufts with little to no loan debt.
Visit us
Our Medford/Somerville campus – home to the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering – is located just five miles outside of Boston and may be easily reached by car or public transportation. The SMFA at Tufts campus is located in Boston in the Fenway neighborhood and is across the street from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. If you would like to visit either campus, we encourage you to join us in-person or virtually for an information session, student-led tour, and or/an SMFA portfolio review. You can register for your visit on our website – we look forward to meeting you!
"Tufts students are rigorously devoted to becoming leaders in their communities. They embody the university’s founding commitment to diverse collaboration and civic engagement. The Medford/Somerville and Boston campuses are interdisciplinary hubs of inspiration, mentorship, and care. I’ve had the flexibility to explore various concentrations as an undergraduate and do one-of-a-kind research, carving my own path and blending together several beloved subjects, such as social sciences, medieval history, gender studies, and fine arts."