Our office will be closed from December 24th until January 3rd. We designed this page to answer some of the most frequently asked questions as you finish the submission of your application.
What needs to be submitted by January 4?
It is important that your application and completed Tufts Short-Answer Questions are submitted by the deadline. Supporting documents such as the Secondary School Report, the teacher recommendations, transcripts, and ACT/SAT standardized testing (if you choose to submit them) can—and do—arrive after that date.
Where do I submit testing? Do I need official scores?
Students who want their testing included in their application review may self-report testing. Once the admissions application has been submitted, scores may be self-reported via a form found in the Tufts Application Status portal. You can self-report testing by clicking on the blue box on the right-hand side that reads: Add Self-Reported Test Scores under the “Application Details” section to add your scores.
Admitted students who enroll at Tufts and asked for their test scores to be included in their application review will be required to send their official scores.
I'm submitting my standardized test scores, so why can’t I see the scores when I preview the app or look at the PDF?
Tufts has made the decision to suppress the SAT and ACT test scores on the Common Application for all students applying. What does that mean? The SAT and ACT portion of the Common Application will not be visible to the admissions readers at Tufts. If you include test scores in this section, they will not be visible on your PDF of the Common Application. However, if you indicated that you want your test scores to be considered with your application to Tufts and you included test scores on your Common Application, those test scores will be a part of the data we receive, become a part of your application and be visible in your Tufts application.
Application fee waivers
The Common Application and Coalition Application allow you to request a fee waiver if you meet one or more of their criteria listed within the online application, such as qualifying for Free or Reduced Price lunch or participating in a federal or local program that serves students from low-income families. You may select any of the criteria and your school counselor will be asked to digitally verify your eligibility.
If none of the criteria apply to you but submitting an application fee would be a financial hardship, you’re welcome to select the final option that states you can provide a supporting statement from a school counselor, other school official, or college access advisor. After that, your school counselor can verify your eligibility digitally, or the brief supporting statement can be sent to undergraduate.admissions@tufts.edu.
You may consider the waiver approved unless the Office of Undergraduate Admissions notifies you otherwise. If you have any problems with this general fee waiver request process, you can also select “yes” to the question about a Tufts-specific fee waiver within the Tufts University portion of the online application.
I don't live on the East Coast, so if I submit my application by 12am my time, is it still okay?
The deadline is EST, but if you submit a few hours after, we will still accept it. That said, applications are uploaded every 24-48 hours, so do not be alarmed if you have submitted the application and we have not received your application yet. Even though you submitted it a few minutes after the deadline, it will be considered when we receive it.
I am applying, but I can't see the Tufts-specific short answer questions
The Tufts writing supplement consists of two short answer questions. Once you choose which school or degree program that you are applying for in the Academics section of the Common Application, both questions will appear.
If you are unsure of your school or degree program choice at this time and wish to see the supplemental questions, refer to the Essay Questions on the Tufts admissions website.
Is the portfolio required if I'm applying to the School of Arts & Sciences or School of Engineering?
An art portfolio is only required for students applying to the BFA or Combined Degree programs at the SMFA at Tufts. Although not required, students applying to the School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Engineering may submit an optional arts or maker portfolio to highlight talent in studio art, drama, dance, music, or engineering.
If interested in submitting an optional arts or maker portfolio, please use the SlideRoom account found at this link. We cannot accept the work in any other medium than through SlideRoom.
Have you received (x) document?
You may track the status of your application on our Application Checklist portal. Once we have uploaded your application into our system, an email will be sent to you with the subject line “Application to Tufts” that includes your username, PIN and the link to the Application Checklist.
Due to the volume of mail, we ask that you use this system to do a first check on the status of your application materials. We are unable to respond to the thousands of individual requests we receive to check on specific documents. It is most likely that if it was sent, we have received it. Having received it, we will get it into your file as soon as possible.
Remember – you will also receive specific notification if anything is missing from your file before the application goes to an admissions officer for initial review.
I would like to request a CSS fee waiver (domestic)
Tufts University does not have a CSS fee waiver. It is our understanding that for high school students residing in the United States or U.S. territories, the waiver is automatically granted when you complete the form and meet their income eligibility requirements.
I would like to request a CSS fee waiver (international)
Tufts University does not have a CSS fee waiver. You may complete the International Student Aid Application if submission of the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE would cause significant financial hardship for your family.
If you are filling out the ISFAA, please attach the completed ISFAA form and required supporting documents to an email, and send it to the Financial Aid office at studentservices@tufts.edu.
Where do I submit the FAFSA and/or CSS PROFILE?
The FAFSA should be completed and submitted to all colleges at FAFSA.gov.
The CSS PROFILE should be completed and submitted to all colleges at collegeboard.org. Once you have completed and submitted the CSS PROFILE, you will be prompted to use IDOC, an electronic imaging service of the College Board, to upload all other required documents, such as federal income taxes, personal and business taxes, W-2s, verification worksheets, and if applicable, the Non-Custodial Parent Waiver.
IDOC is the most secure way to submit information, it keeps all of your application materials together, and lets you track the status of your financial aid application with a checklist.
Students who are unable to upload the documents should mail them directly to IDOC. Please do not email or mail documents directly to Tufts. We suggest you keep copies of all documents for your records. Financial aid applications cannot be considered until all required documents have been received.
Interviews--where and how do I request one, and are they optional?
A personal interview is not a required element of Tufts’ undergraduate admissions process, though first-year applicants may request an optional interview. The interviews are conducted by members of the Tufts Admissions Network or by one of our senior interviewers.
**Interviews will likely be scheduled virtually via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, or another web platform. Tufts does not offer on-campus interviews or interviews with admissions officers.**
Interested students may request the optional interview via the Application Checklist after their application has been submitted. The link to request an interview is on your Tufts Status Page. The deadline for requesting an interview is January 6, 2022 for Early Decision 2 and Regular Decision candidates.
How do I submit a correction to something I've already submitted?
Corrections to the admissions application may be sent to us at undergraduate.admissions@tufts.edu.
If there are errors or changes on your CSS Profile, you will submit the update in writing to the Financial Aid office at studentservices@tufts.edu.
Can I submit a resume or research paper or something extra?
We believe that the application and Tufts Short-Answer Questions provide us ample opportunity to get to know you and your abilities. We do not request or require supplemental materials.
Although not required, students applying to the School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Engineering may submit an optional arts or maker portfolio through SlideRoom to highlight talent in studio art, drama, dance, music, or engineering.
If interested in submitting an optional arts or maker portfolio, please use the SlideRoom account found at this link. We cannot accept the work in any other medium than through SlideRoom.
We do not recommend sending any supplemental material outside of this optional portfolio – this includes resumes, abstracts, and research papers.
How should we submit things? Do you prefer email or hard copy mail?
All application materials are submitted online via the Common Application website or the Coalition Application website, including high school transcripts and letters of recommendation. Alternatively, your counselor and recommenders may send the materials to us at undergraduate.admissions@tufts.edu. Be sure your name and school are clearly indicated on anything sent on your behalf.
If there are materials that cannot be sent electronically, those materials may be mailed to us at the address below.
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Tufts University
Bendetson Hall
2 The Green
Medford, MA 02155-7057
Please note that our physical on-campus office is currently closed, and the Admissions staff are still working remotely, but a staff member will be on campus periodically to process the mail. For this reason, we recommend that materials be sent electronically since materials sent in the mail will take longer to process.
Testing
Refer to our SAT/ACT test-optional admissions policy here. Applicants will not be advantaged in our process because they submitted SAT/ACT scores.
We will continue to require the results of an English-language proficiency exam for undergraduate applicants for whom English is not their primary language or not the primary language of instruction in their school for three or more years. This requirement can be completed via TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo. Additional information about this requirement can be found here.
Can I superscore my TOEFL?
‘Superscoring’ of English language testing is not accepted, so Tufts will not accept MyBest scores.
Can I self-report my testing?
Students who want their testing included in their application review may self-report testing. Once the admissions application has been submitted, scores may be self-reported via a form found in the Tufts Application Status portal. Since there is no fee for sending a Duolingo score, those scores do need to be sent officially. Login credentials for the Tufts Application Status portal will be sent to the applicant after we have received and processed the application.
Admitted students who enroll at Tufts and asked for their test scores to be included in their application review will be required to send their official scores, which may be sent by your counselor or by the testing agency.
I don’t have a counselor. Can another school official submit my documentation or write my recommendation?
The school counselor recommendation letter may be written by a college counselor, the director of the College Center, or another school official at your school who may act as your counselor.