Resumed Education for Adult Learning (REAL)

The REAL program is designed for individuals who are:

24 years of age or older
Parents
Married
Currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces
Veterans

Prospective transfer candidates who fall into one of these categories should apply to Tufts as a REAL candidate. REAL applicants must be invested in earning their bachelor’s degree on a full-time basis and have some college experience within the last five years.

The power of the REAL program lies in the support its students receive. Beginning with the admissions process and continuing through graduation, REAL students benefit from guidance specifically tailored for adult learners.

A complete application consists of the following application materials:

•    Common Transfer Application (select student status: REAL Program) with Tufts Application Writing Supplement.
•    All official college transcript(s)
•    Two recommendations required from academic sources. (Additional letters of recommendation are welcomed if appropriate).
•   $75 application processing fee. If the application fee poses a difficulty for you and your family, please contact real.admissions@tufts.edu or call (617) 627-3170.

*While we do not require standardized testing such as the SAT or ACT for REAL applicants, we do recommend submitting English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Duolingo) if English is not your primary language and/or you have not been in an English speaking country for three or more years.

*If you are currently enrolled in classes, we encourage you to submit the College Report and Transfer Mid-Term Report.

Submitting Your Application:

All application materials are submitted online via the Common Application website, including transcripts and letters of recommendation. If there are any supplemental materials that cannot be submitted through the Common Application (e.g. additional transcripts, recommendations), those materials should be mailed directly to:

Attention: REAL Program
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Tufts University
Bendetson Hall
2 The Green
Medford, MA 02155-7057

If you have any questions about Tufts University and the REAL Program, please contact us at real.admissions@tufts.edu or (617) 627-3170.

*Fall 2023 Application Deadline: March 15, 2023

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 Deadline and Notification Date

Application Deadline: March 15th
Notification: Early May

Financial Aid Deadlines and Information

Financial Aid Application Deadline: April 15th

Tufts offers need-based financial aid to eligible REAL students. Tufts meets 100% of demonstrated need for tuition of all students who are admitted to the REAL Program. Financial aid for housing costs is not available for REAL students. Students who are interested in applying for financial aid must submit:

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• Tufts Financial Aid Form (see Tufts Financial Aid Forms here).

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 120 semester hour units or SHUs (where a typical course is equal to 3 or 4 SHUs) 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 courses 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 120 semester hour units. 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.