Application Waivers and Special Funding

Tufts encourages applicants with connections to various organizations across the nation. Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering offer prospective students a variety of benefits, including application fee waivers.

AmeriCorps

AmeriCorps is a civic engagement program that places committed volunteers in immersive service placements in schools, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the United States.

Tufts University commends this choice to serve, and supports the future professional development and graduate study of AmeriCorps volunteers by offering an application fee waiver to current and former volunteers who are applying to any programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and/or School of Engineering. We encourage AmeriCorps volunteers and alumni to apply, as we believe that Tufts can effectively further the mission established in their AmeriCorps placements.

In order to receive the fee waiver, applicants should select “Current AmeriCorps volunteer or alumni” on the application information section of our online application, and submit an official letter from the organization verifying the year(s) of service. This letter of verification should be emailed to gradadmissions@tufts.edu.

City Year

Currently serving City Year corps members, alumni who completed a term of service, and staff members employed for at least two years are eligible to receive a minimum scholarship award of 25% for Graduate School of Arts and Sciences programs. The City Year award is not stackable with other scholarship discounts. Your Financial Aid letter will reflect a single scholarship percentage (that includes merit, need, and your City Year service); please contact Graduate Admissions ( gradadmissions@tufts.edu ) with any questions.

Institute for Recruitment of Teachers

The Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT) is a program dedicated to empowering talented but underserved and under-represented students who aspire to be leaders in American education. IRT is committed to expanding educational access to students of color, first-generation students, and low-income students by collaborating with colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, and networks that seek to promote intentionally diverse and inclusive learning communities.

Tufts University supports IRT in this mission and hopes that by developing these students into innovative and positive role models, they will be the needed voices of advocacy for greater changes in our education system. Tufts is an active participant during the annual Recruiter’s Weekend, and welcomes applications from students who participate in IRT programs.

An application fee waiver is available for IRT scholars by selecting “IRT (Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers) Applicant” on the application information section of our online application in order to receive the fee waiver. Applicants should submit an official letter from the organization verifying their participation in IRT. This letter should be emailed to gradadmissions@tufts.edu.

Leadership Alliance

The Leadership Alliance is an academic consortium of thirty-five colleges and universities that helps students from under-represented groups to develop into leaders in academia, business, and the public sector.

As a participating member of the Leadership Alliance, Tufts University actively recruits and extends an application fee waiver to students associated with the Leadership Alliance applying to programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering.

Applicants should select “Leadership Alliance member” on the application information section of our online application in order to have the fee waived. A letter of verification should also be submitted to gradadmissions@tufts.edu.

McNair Scholars

The McNair Scholars Program is a federally funded educational opportunity outreach program designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral level study and research. Most McNair Scholars are first-generation students with financial need or members of a group that is traditionally under-represented in graduate education, but that have proved during their undergraduate study to have strong academic potential.

The vibrant learning community created by the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering boasts the teaching and research resources of a top-tier academic institution while also offering intentional and personalized mentoring, and is thus a strong fit for many McNair Scholars. We encourage McNair Scholars to apply to our graduate programs and will waive the application fee.

McNair Scholars should select “McNair Scholar” on the application information section of our online application and should submit a letter verifying that they are indeed McNair Scholars. This letter should be emailed to gradadmissions@tufts.edu.

The National GEM Consortium

The National GEM Consortium is a network and community of corporations, government laboratories, top universities, and top research institutions, including Tufts University, established to equip qualified students from under-represented communities to pursue graduate study in the field of applied science and engineering.

The National GEM Consortium awards fellowships and internships, and organizes conferences with graduate degree fairs and career-planning workshops. The benefits of becoming a GEM fellow are far-reaching, and include access to a large network, financial support, and expert knowledge that will lead to academic and professional success.

As a GEM consortium university member, we are eager to recruit GEM fellows as applicants, and welcome fellows to apply to our graduate programs in Arts, Sciences and Engineering free of charge. GEM fellows should indicate that they are affiliated with the National GEM Consortium by selecting “GEM fellow” on the application information section of our online application and by emailing gradadmissions@tufts.edu with information that verifies that they are currently in the process of applying for or have been awarded a GEM fellowship.

NESCAC Seniors and Recent Graduates

As a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), Tufts University appreciates the caliber of students attending each one of the highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in the conference. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University is proud to support NESCAC students in their pursuit of higher education at the graduate level. Therefore, NESCAC seniors and recent alumni who have graduated within the past three years are eligible for the following benefits when applying to any of the programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences:

• Streamlined application process:
  • GRE requirement waived
  • Only two letters of recommendation required (we strongly suggest one is from an academic advisor)

  Eligible applicants must be a current senior at, or have graduated within the past three years from, one of the following institutions:

  • Amherst College
  • Bates College
  • Bowdoin College
  • Colby College
  • Connecticut College
  • Hamilton College
  • Middlebury College
  • Trinity College
  • Tufts University–See the Fifth-Year Master's Program and the Return to Tufts Program
  • Wesleyan University
  • Williams College

  Seniors and recent graduates from the above schools should check “NESCAC school senior/recent graduate” in the application information section of our online application. This information will automatically be verified once a transcript is attached to the application.

  Peace Corps

  The Peace Corps is a service opportunity for motivated changemakers to immerse themselves in a community abroad, working side by side with local leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges of our generation.

  Tufts University commends this choice to serve, and supports the future professional development and graduate study of Peace Corps volunteers by offering an application fee waiver to current and former volunteers who are applying to any programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and/or School of Engineering. We encourage Peace Corps volunteers and alumni to apply, as we believe that Tufts can effectively further the mission established in their Peace Corps placements.

  In order to receive the fee waiver, applicants should select “Current Peace Corps volunteer or alumni” on the application information section of our online application, and submit an official letter from the organization verifying the year(s) of service. This letter of verification should be emailed to gradadmissions@tufts.edu.

  PIKSI

  Philosophy in an Inclusive Key (PIKSI) is committed to supporting undergraduate students from under-represented groups, such as women and People of Color, in their pursuit of graduate study in philosophy. PIKSI recruits and encourages these students to consider further study in philosophy by offering workshops and summer institute opportunities sponsored by faculty at leading institutions and organizations in the field.

  The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is excited to become more involved in these conversations and extends its praise for PIKSI’s mission by providing an application fee waiver to applicants who are also fellows of PIKSI.

  Applicants should be sure to select “PIKSI member” in the application information section of our online application in order to receive the fee waiver, and submit an official letter from the organization verifying their participation in the PIKSI fellowship program. This letter of verification should be emailed to gradadmissions@tufts.edu.

  Teach for America

  Teach for America (TFA) is a nonprofit organization that operates on the national level, recruiting recent college graduates from top universities to teach for two years with the hopes of affecting positive changes in under-resourced urban or rural public schools.

  Tufts encourages TFA volunteers and alumni to continue to affect this type of change once their TFA tenure is over through graduate study. Therefore, an application fee waiver is awarded to TFA volunteers or alumni who are applying to graduate programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering.

  TFA volunteers and alumni should be sure to select “Current Teach For America Corps member or alumni” on the application information section of our online application and to submit a letter from a supervisor verifying the year(s) of service in order to secure the fee waiver. This letter of verification should be emailed to gradadmissions@tufts.edu.

  Yellow Ribbon Scholarships

  The current Yellow Ribbon Scholarship award at Tufts is $5,000 annually for students enrolled in the Friedman School, the Fletcher School, the School of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Engineering. You can find additional information about the Yellow Ribbon Scholarship on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.