Applying to REAL
A complete application consists of the following application materials:
To be submitted via mail directly to Tufts Admissions Office (contact below):
• Transfer Application from the Common Application
• REAL Supplemental Form. Download and mail directly to the Admissions Office.
• Official college transcript(s)
• Standardized testing, if available (optional)
• Three Recommendations (two must come from academic professors)
• Interview, as needed (Applicants will be contacted if an interview is necessary)
• $70 application processing fee. If the application fee poses a difficulty for you and your family, please contact Anna Saropoulos or (617) 627-3690.
For more detailed information on each aspect of the application, please see the checklist.
*For students applying to enroll in the spring of 2013, please download both the common transfer application and the REAL supplemental form and mail directly to the admissions office. Deadline November 1, 2012.
*For students applying to enroll in the fall of 2013, you may submit the common transfer application electronically. The REAL supplemental form should be mailed directly to the admissions office. Deadline March 15, 2013.
All application materials should be mailed directly to:
Anna Saropoulos
REAL Program
Bendetson Hall
2 The Green
Medford, MA 02155
REAL applicants should not use Tufts Application Management System (TAMS) to track their materials. Please contact Anna Saropoulos directly to check the status of an application.
Application Review Process:
Academic Background – Each applicant’s academic profile is considered in the context of their personal history and their specific passions and goals. The admission committee is looking for strong academic achievement as well as the potential for success at Tufts.
Personal Qualities – Every individual has special skills, talents, interests and experiences. The admission committee seeks to glean these from your written statements and letters of recommendation.
Application Deadlines and Notification Dates
Applying for Fall Semester
Application Deadline: March 15th
Notification: Early May
Applying for Spring Semester
Application Deadline: November 1st
Notification: Early December
Financial Aid Deadlines and Information
Applying for Fall Semester: April 15th
Applying for Spring Semester: November 1st
Tufts offers need-based financial aid to eligible REAL students. Students who are interested in applying for financial aid must submit:
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Tufts Financial Aid Form Download
Tufts Federal Code: 002219
• Student (and Spouse, if married) federal tax returns, signed, with all pages, schedules, and W-2’s submitted as available.
Submit all forms directly to Tufts University’s Financial Aid Office
There is no financial aid available for international students in the REAL program. If you have specific questions about financial aid at Tufts University, please contact the Financial Aid Office directly.
Degree Requirements
The liberal arts and engineering programs at Tufts provide students with both depth and breadth in their education. In liberal arts, a typical degree represents the completion of thirty-four course credits fulfilling the following requirements:
Foundation Requirements – two semesters of college writing, three semesters of a foreign language, three additional semesters of a foreign language or a foreign culture, one course designated as world civilizations.
Distribution Requirements – two credits in each of these areas: humanities, fine arts, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics.
Concentration (Major) – eight to ten courses in the department of the major and two or three courses in a field related to the major.
Engineering students must complete thirty-eight credits. About 25% are devoted to math and sciences and another 20% to engineering sciences and other foundation courses. The major requirements take up about 35% of the curriculum, and students are encouraged to choose the remaining 20% from courses in liberal arts.
For more information about degree requirements or transfer of credits, please visit the Tufts Bulletin.