- Who would be considered a transfer applicant?
- Does Tufts accept mid-year transfers?
- When should I begin preparing my transfer application?
- Do I need to apply online?
- Which is more important in the transfer admissions process: my high school transcript or my current performance in college?
- Are there certain classes I must take in order to be considered for transfer?
- Do I need to send standardized testing as a transfer student? As an international transfer applicant, do I need to send SAT and TOEFL scores?
- Can I reapply to Tufts if I was not admitted as a first-year applicant?
- If I previously applied to Tufts and want to apply as a transfer student, do I need to complete the transfer application and supplement? Do need to I resend credentials?
- If I am older than the traditional college-age applicant, should I apply as a transfer student?
- Do I need to apply to a specific school or college at Tufts?
- Who is admitted to Tufts as a transfer student?
- How many credits must I complete at Tufts as a transfer student?
- Will the credits I earned at another institution be accepted at Tufts?
- Is housing available for transfer students at Tufts?
- Is there an orientation for transfer students?
- Are transfer students eligible for financial aid? What about international transfer students?
- Do you require any documents from my high school?
Who would be considered a transfer applicant?
Answer: A transfer applicant is someone who will have completed at least one year of academic work at an accredited two- or four-year college or university prior to his or her enrollment at Tufts. In order to be considered for transfer to Tufts the applicant must be in good academic and disciplinary standing. If you are an adult learner, have some college experience within the last five years, and are invested in earning their Bachelor’s Degree on a full-time basis you should apply to the REAL (Resumed Education for Adult Learners) program.
Does Tufts accept mid-year transfers?
Answer: No. All transfer students must matriculate for the fall semester.
When should I begin preparing my transfer application?
Answer: The application deadline for transfer admission is March 15th so you should begin to prepare your transfer application as soon as you determine your desire to transfer. The application process (link to applying as a transfer page) requests a number of documents including your college and high school transcripts, a college official’s report, an instructor evaluation in addition to the Common Application for Transfer Admission (link to) and the Tufts Supplement. Make your requests for transcripts, instructor evaluations and official test scores several months before the application deadline to guarantee they will be completed and submitted on time. Both the Common Application for Transfer Admission and the Tufts Supplement require short answers and essays; take the time to think about these questions and craft responses to help the Transfer Admission Committee get to know you and understand your desire to transfer.
Do I need to apply online?
Answer: Nearly 100% of transfer applicants apply online, which is the preferred method of submission by the admissions office. You may apply on paper by downloading the PDF documents available here (link to applying as a transfer page) and mailing completed copies to the admissions office by March 15th.
Which is more important in the transfer admissions process: my high school transcript or my current performance in college?
Answer: There is no easy answer. Your academic profile is considered in the context of your personal history, your reasons for wanting to transfer to Tufts, as well as your specific passions, goals, talents and interests. Your performance in high school and college in conjunction with your standardized testing will be evaluated to see your potential success at Tufts. If you only have one year of college, we may need to put more emphasis on your high school transcript. If your high school transcript is not as strong and you would like it to be, superior performance in one or two years of college will help us see your true potential.
Are there certain classes I must take in order to be considered for transfer?
Answer: The answer is different for the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering.
For the School of Arts and Sciences, you do not need to take specific courses to be admitted for transfer. The Transfer Admission Committee will review your transcript to determine if you’re making successful progress toward the requirements of your intended major, the language requirement and the distribution requirements. You can learn more about these requirements on the Schools page on the admission website.
For the School of Engineering, applicants for sophomore transfer need at least two semesters of calculus or higher level math and two semesters of calculus based physics or chemistry at the time of matriculation. Applicants for junior transfer to the School of Engineering need two years of coursework at the time of matriculation that completes the introductory coursework for engineering as well as making progress toward completing the foundation requirements for his or her intended major. Information regarding introductory and foundation courses can be found by degree the Degrees and Majors page on the School of Engineering website.
Do I need to send standardized testing as a transfer student? As an international transfer applicant, do I need to send SAT and TOEFL scores?
Answer: At Tufts, we ask that that transfer applicants submit the SAT Reasoning Test or ACT scores (SAT Subject Test scores are not required, but should be sent if available). For students for whom English is not the first language, or who attend a school where English is not the language of instruction, we require the TOEFL score in addition to the SAT or ACT scores.
Can I reapply to Tufts if I was not admitted as a first-year applicant?
Answer: You may apply to Tufts as a transfer applicant after you enroll at another two- or four-year accredited institution and will complete your first year prior to enrollment at Tufts. Like any transfer applicant, you must also maintain good academic and disciplinary standing during this time.
If I previously applied to Tufts and want to apply as a transfer student, do I need to complete the transfer application and supplement? Do need to I resend credentials?
Answer: Yes, you must submit all required documentation for transfer admission even if it was previous submitted.
If I am older than the traditional college-age applicant, should I apply as a transfer student?
Answer: If you are an adult learner (beyond traditional college-age), have some college experience within the last five years, and are interested in earning their Bachelor’s Degree on a full-time basis you should apply to the REAL (Resumed Education for Adult Learners) program.
Do I need to apply to a specific school or college at Tufts?
Answer: Yes. The Tufts Supplement, which is accessible through the Common Application for Transfer Students, will ask you to indicate whether you are applying to the School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Engineering.
Who is admitted to Tufts as a transfer student?
Answer: While there is no one answer to this question, Tufts admits transfer students who are individuals the Transfer Admission Committee identifies as potential contributors to the fabric of Tufts. We look for students who will be successful in their chosen discipline here, but also students who will engage in campus life.
How many credits must I complete at Tufts as a transfer student?
Answer: Students enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences need 34 semester courses (or credits) to graduate; students in the School of Engineering need 38 semester courses (or credits). Students may only transfer the equivalent of 17 courses in Arts and Sciences or 19 courses in Engineering, meaning in order to obtain a degree from Tufts half your credits must be from Tufts.
Will the credits I earned at another institution be accepted at Tufts?
Answer: Each individual academic department is responsible for awarding credit for courses from another institution. Typically, courses similar to those offered at Tufts will receive transfer credit. It is important to note that Tufts employs a course credit system where each semester course is equal to one credit. If your current institution employs a different credit system you the number of credits you receive at Tufts may not be equal to the number of credits given at the other institution. Where semester hours are used, one 3- or 4-semester-hour course equals one Tufts credit, and one 2-semester hour course equals one-half Tufts credit. Where quarter hours are used, one Tufts credit equals 5.25 quarter hours. Again, the transfer of credit is granted by the faculty once you have matriculated at Tufts. After you enroll at Tufts you will be able to submit an electronic request for transfer credit. For more information, visit the Registrar’s page on the Student Services website.
Is housing available for transfer students at Tufts?
Answer: Housing availability for transfer students is dependent on room availability on campus. Admitted transfer students will be notified if housing is available. To learn more about housing at Tufts, please visit the Office of Residential Life and Learning website.
Is there an orientation for transfer students?
Answer: Yes! Orientation for all incoming students begins the Wednesday before classes start. There will be sessions and events specific to transfer student to ease your transition to Tufts.
Are transfer students eligible for financial aid? What about international transfer students?
Answer: Tufts offers need-based financial aid to its students. While the financial aid budget at Tufts is substantial, it is a finite resource that is available on a limited basis to transfer students. In light of Tufts' commitment to maintain an international community, the University makes available a small amount of funding for talented international students. Because of the limited financial aid funding available, Tufts can offer admission to only a very small number of International applicants a year. Visit the Financial Aid website for forms, deadlines and how to apply for financial aid.
Do you require any documents from my high school?
Answer: Yes. Your high school transcript is a required part of the transfer application. No other documentation from your high school in necessary.