Tufts University

03/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/20/2026 13:29

Introducing the Admitted Undergraduate Class of 2030

Admissions decisions have been released for the undergraduate Class of 2030, with 10% of applicants accepted, according to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. 

The class, selected from a record high of 36,000 first-year applicants, is a group of students who are "entrepreneurial, collaborative, civically engaged, active members of their school and local communities," said JT Duck, dean of admissions for the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering.

The admitted students are "creative artists, active learners, genuinely curious about the world, eager to be contributing members of their college community and to put their talents to work to effect good in the world." Decisions were sent on March 19.  

The top areas of academic interest for those admitted include biology; international relations; mechanical engineering; economics; political science; biomedical engineering; cognitive and brain sciences; computer science; and interdisciplinary art. 

Applicants said Tufts was their top college choice because of its excellence of academic reputation and faculty, commitment to being a student-centered institution, their positive experiences with friendly guides during campus visits and virtual events, and the career outcomes attained by Tufts graduates, according to Duck.

Plus, Tufts' commitment to meeting full demonstrated financial need and the recently announced Tufts Tuition Pactattracted students to the university, he added. Beginning in Fall 2026, Tufts will be tuition-free for U.S. families earning less than $150,000 in Tufts' entering classes.  

"This policy strengthens and clarifies our commitment to making Tufts affordable for admitted students," Duck said. "We meet the full demonstrated financial need of all admitted students, regardless of citizenship. Tufts is one of a relatively small number of U.S. universities that make that commitment." 

The presence of the Derby Entrepreneurship Center, the Experimental College, and Tisch College of Civic Life, as well as Tufts' location in metropolitan Boston,also drew students to apply. 

Duck emphasized that Tufts is admitting some of the world's most talented prospective college athletes, too, as the university's athletic program's position is atop NCAA Division III this year with four national championships. "The extremely talented coaching staff appealed to student-athleteslooking for excellence on the field and in the classroom," he said.  

Admissions staff met more than 17,000 students on the road in recruitment efforts, with visits to some 40 states and more than 30 countries on five continents. Duck said this translated to having the largest applicant pool in Tufts' history and its largest-ever Early Decision, QuestBridgeMatch, and transfer applicant pools. Transfer applicants will receive a decision by mid-May.

Highlights of the Class of 2030

  • 56% of admitted students attend public high schools. 
  • 11% are the first in their family to go to college. 
  • About 15% of admitted students are eligible for a federal Pell Grant. 
  • More than 80 students were admitted from Tufts' host communities of Medford, Somerville, Boston, and Grafton.
  • All 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam were represented.
  • Of accepted students from the U.S., 15% are from the U.S. South and Southwest, and 20% from the West. 
  • The top six states for admitted students are Massachusetts, New York, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Texas. More students were admitted from Texas this year than in any prior year, with a 50% increase in admitted students from the state compared to four years ago. 
  • 10% of those admitted are international students, representing more than 60 countries. 
  • 23% of high schools represented in the applicant pool have not sent an application to Tufts in the last five years, if ever.
  • 20% of high schools represented by this class had not had a student admitted to Tufts in the last five years, if ever, as Tufts continues to expand its reputation into new communities.
  • About 55% of applicants, and 75% of admitted students, submitted SAT or ACT scores. This represents an increase in score submission from prior years. 
  • An activity that was very popular this year among applicants? "Crocheting! More students than in any prior class that I can remember told us that crocheting, knitting, sewing, and like activities were an important part of how they spent their time with friends or outside of class," Duck said.

Undergraduate admissions is hosting three Jumbo Days on the Medford/Somerville campus for admitted students this April, and one on the SMFA campus. Additionally, dozens of virtual events will be held throughout Jumbo Month, so all admitted students have an opportunity to learn more about Tufts as they make their college enrollment decisions.

Tufts University published this content on March 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 20, 2026 at 19:29 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]