Get Into Tufts
Tufts is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, Massachusetts with an undergraduate enrollment of 5,200 students. In the recent edition of U.S. News and World Report, Tufts ranked #6 among National Universities (tied with Boston College, University of Illinois and University of Wisconsin). As a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), Tufts offers a comprehensive liberal arts education and 150+ majors and minors. It boasts a particularly strong reputation for its internationalism. The average class size at Tufts is fewer than 20 and the student-faculty ratio of 10:1 ensures an intimate and individualized learning experience.
Students can apply to three Tufts undergraduate programs:
School of Arts and Sciences: The School of Arts and Sciences is the largest undergraduate program at Tufts. There is no core curriculum within this school, but there are distribution requirements including a foreign language/culture requirement, two freshman writing courses, and one course on a world civilization. As a result of the flexible curriculum, almost a third of Tufts students have a double major, and nearly half declare a minor. Within the School of Arts and Sciences, incoming students have the opportunity to attend a number of global programs, such as the Tufts Civic Semester. Administered by Tisch College of Civic Life. This program allows incoming undergraduates to spend their first term abroad in Urubamba, Peru or Thies, Senegal where they combine coursework with a part-time internship at a community organization. Another opportunity for accepted Tufts students is the 1+4 program, a bridge year program that enables students to spend a full year engaging in community service with a community organization.
Tufts undergraduates are encouraged to pursue research, which they can share with the larger university community through the Research and Scholarship Symposium. Tufts faculty members also encourage undergraduates to work with them in laboratories or on scholarly projects. There are a number of funding sources to support this research, including the Undergraduate Research Fund, the Summer Scholars Program, the International Research Program, and the Anne Borghesani Memorial Prize.
School of Engineering: There are sixteen major options within the School of Engineering at Tufts, but students must also complete core requirements that emphasize a strong STEM foundation. Tufts engineers may also take advantage of the Tufts Gordon Institute, which offers programs in Engineering Management, Entrepreneurial Leadership, and Innovation & Management. About 80% of Tufts engineers complete at least one internship and 60% conduct research over the course of their undergraduate degree.
School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts: The SMFA at Tufts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Interdisciplinary Art and a 5-year BFA + BA/BS Combined Degree. Housed on a separate Fenway campus, this program combines a liberal arts education with studio art training in a wide range of media. There are approximately 400 students enrolled in the SMFA, which is affiliated with the nearby Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA. Students at the SMFA at Tufts work closely with museum’s collection and thee curatorial staff as they pursue their degree.
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Tufts Study Abroad
Tufts facilitates easy, accessible study abroad opportunities and approximately 40% of juniors choose to take advantage of these programs for a semester or a full year. Unlike other colleges, which offer unaffiliated exchange programs, Tufts has created ten unique programs with Tufts faculty and in partnership with universities in Beijing, Chile, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, London, Madrid Oxford, Paris, and Tübingen. These programs allow students to seamlessly complete their major requirements while immersing themselves in another culture.
Applying to Tufts
You can apply to Tufts via the Common Application or the Coalition Application. In addition to the personal statement, applicants will need to complete supplemental essays as part of the Tufts Writing Supplement. For those applying to the BFA or BFA + BA/BS program at the SMFA, there is an additional Art Portfolio requirement. Prospective students may also request an alumni interview once they submit their applications, but there are no on-campus interviews or interviews with admissions officers.
Applicants to the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, and School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA):
- “I am applying to Tufts because…” or “I am applying to SMFA at Tufts because…” (100 words)
Applicants to the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering:
- Now we’d like to know a little more about you. Please respond to one of the following three questions. (200-250 words):
- It’s cool to love learning. What excites your intellectual curiosity and why?
- How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today?
- Using a specific example or two, tell us about a way that you contributed to building a collaborative and/or inclusive community.
Applicants to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA) at Tufts:
- Art has the power to disrupt our preconceptions, shape public discourse, and imagine new ways of being in the world. What are the ideas you’d like to explore in your work?
Prospective students can choose to apply through one of the binding Early Decision plans (Early Decision I (November 1) or Early Decision II (January 1), or in the Regular Decision (January 1) pool.
Tufts Admissions Wrap Up
Class of 2030
Tufts received 36,000 applications to the Class of 2030. They accepted 3,600 for a rate of 10 percent.
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