Tufts University

01/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/22/2026 08:12

Tufts Receives Most Undergraduate Applications Ever

This year's number of undergraduate applicants to Tufts University is one for the record books, with a new high of more than 36,000 first-year applicants. That is 8% higher than last year, and up 57% from just six years ago.  

The School of Arts and Sciences saw more than 27,000 applicants, while the School of Engineering had more than 7,900. 

Additionally, more than 1,100 students applied to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts, with a new high for the five-year BFA/BA or BS combined degree program. 

Plus, for the first time, more than 8,000 students who are the first in their family to attend college applied to Tufts, a 6% increase over last year.  

JT Duck, dean of admissions and enrollment management for the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering, said the Tufts Tuition Pacthelped show how Tufts can be financially within reach for students.  

"In September, Tufts announced that U.S. families earning less than $150,000 per year, with typical assets, would attend Tufts tuition-free," Duck said. "And we reaffirmed our commitment to meeting the full demonstrated financial need all admitted students, regardless of citizenship.  This strengthens and communicates how affordable Tufts is and can be for students regardless of their socioeconomic status." 

More students than ever identified Tufts as their top choice university by applying Early Decision, said Duck. ED applicants were up by approximately 8% compared to last year. 

Duck said wider recognition of the return-on-investment of a Tufts education helped, as shown by the university being named a New Ivy by Forbeslast year and  a top 20 university by LinkedInfor the long-term career success of graduates.  

"We have long known that we educate and produce students who are well-prepared for career success, and that was affirmed this year," Duck 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. Tufts also continued its involvement with the  Small Town Outreach, Recruitment, and Yield (STORY) initiative, traveling with peer universities to meet prospective students and families in Charleston, West Virginia; Roanoke, Virginia; Macon, Georgia; Tyler, Texas; Bentonville, Arkansas; Wichita, Kansas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma, among other communities. 

More than 20,000 students visited Tufts campus in the past year for undergraduate admissions, a 15% increase over the prior year. Tufts Admissions also hosted more than 150 virtual events for prospective students who might not be able to travel to campus, including mock classes, student panels, and admission and financial aid workshops. 

"Tufts Admissions expanded its digital outreach to more platforms that prospective applicants use to research and apply to college," Duck said. "We paired this greater outreach to parents and advocates of students exploring college options in order to boost awareness of Tufts and what makes this place so distinctive." 

More Class of 2030 Application Highlights: 

  • More than 60% of applicants attend public or public charter high schools, a slight increase from prior years. 
  • Applicants from Massachusetts were up 12% and interest remains strong from host communitiesSomerville, Medford, Boston, and Grafton. 
  • All 50 U.S. states were represented in applications, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. 
  • The five most common states from which students applied areMassachusetts, New York, California, New Jersey, and Texas. 
  • There was an increase in applications from all parts of the country, including a 26% increase from the U.S. Southwest and a 15% increase from the U.S. Southeast. 
  • Tufts had its third largest-ever international student applicant pool, with more than 150 countries represented. The most frequently represented countries were China, India, South Korea, and Canada.  
  • Tufts reported its largest QuestBridgeMatch applicant pool, up 19% from last year. QuestBridgeidentifies high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds and matches them with scholarships from well-resourced universities like Tufts. 
  • More than half of this year's applicants submitted SAT/ACT test scores for consideration. "Most selective universities, like Tufts, have remained SAT/ACT test-optional, providing applicants the choice about whether to submit SAT/ACT scores," said Duck. 
  • Early Decision 2 applicants will receive a decision in early February. Regular Decision applicants, and those deferred during Early Decision, will receive a decision in late March. 
Tufts University published this content on January 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 22, 2026 at 14:12 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]