Transferring To Tufts: What You Need To Know

Tufts University does accept transfer students for the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The university has a rigorous admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 10% for transfer students in 2022. To be eligible, students must be in good academic standing at an accredited two- or four-year institution and have completed at least one year of college study by the time of enrollment. The application process includes submitting transcripts, evaluations, and letters of recommendation, and applicants are encouraged to showcase their maturity and growth since entering college.

Application process

Tufts University does accept transfer students for the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. However, the entry point for transfer students is only in the fall semester.

The application deadline for transfer admission is the 17th of March, 2025. The application process is as follows:

• Candidates for transfer admission must apply online using the Common Application for Transfer, which includes the Tufts short-answer questions.
• Supporting materials, including completed College Reports, college transcripts, and secondary school transcripts, may be emailed by a college or school official to transfer.admissions@tufts.edu.
• A complete transfer application must be submitted by the deadline and must include the following items:

• The Common Application, which includes the Transfer application and Tufts short-answer questions.
• Transfer College Report from each college you have attended, available via the Common Application.
• One academic evaluation from a college-level instructor or advisor via the Common Application website. For BFA and Combined Degree students, one college-level studio art instructor evaluation and one college-level non-studio art academic evaluation are required.
• All secondary school transcripts.
• Official college transcripts.
• Brief descriptions of your past and current college courses.
• English proficiency test scores, required only for applicants whose primary language is not English, unless they have been enrolled in an institution or institutions where English is the language of instruction for at least three years.
• Transfer Mid-Term Report form, available via the Common Application, which includes a spring mid-semester update from each of your current professors.
• A visual art portfolio is required for all students applying to the BFA or Combined Degree (BFA+BA/BS) programs. The portfolio should consist of 15-20 images and/or up to 10 minutes of time-based work. The deadline for this is the 19th of March, 2025.
• A $75 application fee or fee waiver request.

Please note that Tufts does not offer interviews or mid-year admission for transfer students.

Transfer requirements

Tufts University welcomes applications for transfer admission to the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The entry point for transfer students is the fall semester, and the number of incoming transfer students varies each year. The application deadline for transfer admission is 17 March 2025.

To be eligible for transfer consideration at Tufts, students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing at an accredited two- or four-year institution. It is recommended that applicants complete at least one year of college study by the time of enrollment at Tufts.

The application process involves several essays and short responses, so applicants should take the time to craft thoughtful responses to help the Transfer Admission Committee get to know them and understand their desire to transfer.

The following items are required as part of the application:

• The Common Application, which includes the Transfer application and Tufts short-answer questions
• Transfer College Report from each college you have attended, available via the Common Application
• One academic evaluation from a college-level instructor or advisor via the Common Application website
• All secondary school transcripts
• Official college transcripts
• Brief descriptions of your past and current college courses
• Transfer Mid-Term Report form, available via the Common Application, which includes a spring mid-semester update from each of your current professors
• English proficiency test scores, required only for applicants whose primary language is not English, unless they have been enrolled in an institution where English is the language of instruction for at least three years
• Visual art portfolio, required only for all students applying to the BFA or Combined Degree (BFA+BA/BS) programs
• $75 application fee or fee waiver request

Additionally, applicants to the School of Engineering must meet a designated level of coursework to be considered for admission.

For students applying to the School of Arts and Sciences, there are no specific courses required for admission. However, the Transfer Admission Committee will review the transcript to determine if the applicant is making successful progress toward the Tufts requirements of their intended major, the language requirement, and the foundation/distribution requirements.

Tufts University is a highly selective school, with a transfer acceptance rate of around 10% for the fall of 2022. The admissions process is competitive, and applicants should aim for a strong academic record and a clear articulation of their reasons for transferring.

Transfer acceptance rate

Tufts University accepts transfer students to the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The entry point for transfer students is the fall semester, and the number of incoming transfer students in a given year varies. For instance, for entry in the fall of 2022, 1,474 students applied for transfer admission, and 148 were accepted, resulting in a transfer acceptance rate of 10%. This acceptance rate is calculated as the number of accepted applicants divided by the number of total applicants, usually represented as a percentage. In this case, the acceptance rate is 148/1474*100%=10%. The acceptance rate for male transfer applicants was 7.7%, while for female applicants, it was 11%.

The following year, the acceptance rate dropped to 7.3%, with 90 students accepted out of 1,237 applicants. Tufts University is considered a member of the single-digit club, referring to schools that reject more than 9 out of 10 applicants. While gaining acceptance as a transfer student is challenging, it is not impossible, with Tufts accepting as many as 300 transfer applicants in recent cycles.

The application process for transfer students includes a Common Application for Transfer, college and high school transcripts, a college official’s report, and an academic instructor evaluation. The application also involves several essays and short responses. The Transfer Admission Committee reviews applications and identifies potential contributors to the university. While there is no minimum GPA cut-off, successful applicants typically have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

Housing for transfer students

Tufts University does accept transfer students for the fall semester, and housing is available for transfer students, although it is dependent on room availability on campus. Admitted transfer students will be notified if housing is not available.

On-Campus Housing

The Office of Residential Life and Learning provides information and guidance on on-campus housing options for transfer students. On-campus housing is a definitive and transformative experience for residential students, offering easy access to classes, laboratories, libraries, dining, and campus activities.

Off-Campus Housing

For transfer students who are juniors, seniors, or graduate students seeking more independence, there are multiple convenient off-campus housing options close to the university. The Office of Residential Life and Learning can also provide information and guidance on off-campus housing options.

Graduate Student Housing

Graduate student housing is available on campus, but it is limited, especially for the 2024-2025 academic year. On-campus housing options for graduate students include smaller wood-frame houses on the perimeter of the Medford-Somerville Campus, with amenities such as single bedrooms in a shared house with shared laundry and kitchen facilities.

Application Process

Students interested in on-campus housing should submit a housing application through the Housing Portal to be added to the housing waitlist. If a space becomes available, Residential Life will contact students on the waitlist.

Off-Campus Housing Fair

Tufts University also hosts an Off-Campus Housing Fair, where students can learn more about life off-campus, including financial aid, health and wellness, and the housing search process.

Transfer of credit

Tufts University accepts applications for transfer admission to the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The university has a single entry point for transfer students, which is the fall semester.

Transfer Requirements

To be eligible for transfer consideration, students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing at an accredited two- or four-year institution. Successful transfer applicants are typically in the process of completing at least two full-time college semesters and have earned exceptional grades in their first year.

Application Process

The application process for transfer admission involves submitting the following:

• The Common Application for Transfer, including the Tufts short-answer questions.
• College and high school transcripts.
• A college official’s report.
• An academic instructor evaluation.
• A list of courses in progress, if not listed on the college transcript.
• Official college transcripts.
• Brief descriptions of past and current college courses.
• A visual art portfolio (for BFA and Combined Degree students only).
• English proficiency test scores (for applicants whose primary language is not English).

Tufts University allows students to transfer credits from other accredited colleges and universities toward their degree. The number of credits that can be transferred depends on the student's major and degree program. Arts and Sciences transfer students can transfer up to 60 credits, while Engineering transfer students may be able to transfer more than 60 credits depending on their degree program.

It is important to note that courses taken at other institutions must be completed in person and with a grade of C- or better to be eligible for transfer credit. Additionally, internships, performance courses in dance or music, and online courses are generally not accepted for transfer credit.

Transfer Credit Evaluation

Once a student has been admitted to Tufts University and has received their transfer credit evaluation, they can submit an electronic request for transfer credit. The Transfer of Credit Representatives will determine the acceptability of the course content, and the Registrar's office will determine the amount of credit the student will receive.

Timeline

The transfer application deadline for fall admission is typically in mid-March, with admissions decisions released by mid-May.

Frequently asked questions