How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at Tufts University: Apply to Arts and Sciences, Declare a Major by the Spring of Sophomore Year, Majors in Biology, Biochemistry and Community Health, No Nursing Major Listed, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Tufts University is in Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. Its life-science and health-related majors are mainly in the School of Arts and Sciences; biomedical engineering sits in the School of Engineering. There is no pre-med major in the United States, and Tufts’ Health Professions Advising office says that becoming a doctor, nurse, physician assistant or other health professional does not require a particular college or major. This guide summarises Tufts’ published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Relevant undergraduate majors

• Department of Biology (School of Arts and Sciences) offers:
  • Biology: the department page says BS in Biology; its undergraduate FAQ says the BS and BA in Biology have the same number of requirements and that students considering a health profession or graduate school may want the BS;
  • Biochemistry (BS): offered jointly by Biology and Chemistry, with sixteen courses plus labs;
  • Biopsychology (BA/BS): offered jointly by Biology and Psychology, focused on neurobiology and behavior;
  • Biotechnology (BA/BS co-major; also in the School of Engineering) and a Biotechnology minor.
• Community Health (BA/BS): offered by the Department of Community Health, 12 courses including an internship. The department also offers a five-year combined BA/MPH in Community Health and Public Health, which is offered exclusively to Tufts undergraduates.
• Others: Cognitive and Brain Sciences (major and minor) and Clinical Psychology (Department of Psychology); Biomedical Sciences is a second major for Arts and Sciences students interested in biomedical engineering; Food Systems and Nutrition is a minor only.
• School of Engineering: the BS in Biomedical Engineering and the Public Health Engineering program are there; see our Tufts engineering guide.
• Five-year BS/MS: Biology offers outstanding Biology majors a combined BS and MS in five years.
• There is no nursing major in the lists we read. Whether these majors are STEM-designated, and whether any combined bachelor’s/medical-degree program exists, is not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions.

2. Admission: apply to a School, declare a major after enrolling

• Applying: you choose a School or program (Arts and Sciences, Engineering, SMFA) and are considered only for that School; Tufts says you are not asked to commit to a field of study when applying. After submitting you may ask to switch Schools, which Tufts will confirm, so ask early.
• Declaring: Tufts says Arts and Sciences students have until the spring of sophomore year to declare (Engineering: the spring of first year).
• Biology: declare in the department, then meet the Senior Academic Advisor, who connects you to a faculty advisor. Community Health: contact the department administrator for an advisor, then file the registrar’s declaration form after meeting; you may choose a BA or a BS.
• Entry conditions: the Biology and Community Health pages we read state no GPA threshold or cap; ask the departments.
• Biology major: twelve courses, ten in biology (numbered 13 or higher) plus two in chemistry or two in physics; at least five of the ten biology courses at Tufts and at least seven with C- or better; at least two with labs, one above Bio 15; no Pass/Fail. The site contradicts itself: the department’s undergraduate programs page also says “eleven courses, including two in chemistry or physics and nine in biology”. Check the latest.
• Biochemistry major: sixteen courses, including Biology 13/15, 41 and 105; Chemistry 1/11, 2/12, Organic Chemistry I and II with labs, Biochemistry I and II; Chem 35 or 31; a quantitative or bioanalytical chemistry course; an experiential lab or research course; Calculus I and Physics I.
• Biopsychology major: the major page says eleven courses (six biology, five psychology); the programs page says ten. The two disagree.
• Community Health major: twelve courses, seven core and five electives; C- or better in major courses and B- or better in the internship (CH 140); for students matriculating in fall 2026 (Class of 2030) onward, one elective must come from the methods cluster.

3. Pre-med: what the pre-health office says

• Health Professions Advising serves current students and alumni. It says Tufts has no “premed major”, health schools do not favor any major, and that biology majors make up at least half of the applicant pool but have a slightly lower admission rate than many other majors, including many non-science majors.
• Typical prerequisites: Bio 13, 14 and 15; Chem 1 or 11 and Chem 2 or 12; Organic Chemistry 51/53; Biochemistry (Bio 152 or Chem 171); Physics 1 or 11 and Physics 2 or 12, all with labs and for a letter grade. Tufts’ chemistry sequence is unusual (one semester of organic chemistry, then biochemistry); dental and veterinary schools mostly still require two semesters of organic chemistry.
• AP credit: the office strongly advises not using AP or other pre-matriculation credit for pre-health science prerequisites, because health schools want to see college science grades.
• Other courses: behavioral science such as psychology, community health, sociology or anthropology; the English requirement can be met through the Writing Foundation.
• Support: Canvas courses and the Professional Schools Application Program (PSAP), which gives medical and dental applicants a candidacy review, a letter packet and a mock interview.
• Whether the office has separate guidance for international students, and any limits on applying to U.S. medical schools, is not stated on the pages we read; email prehealth@tufts.edu.

4. High school preparation

• The admissions pages we read do not list required high school math, chemistry or physics for Arts and Sciences life-science majors.
• The application FAQ recommends four years of each core subject (English, world language, math, science, history/social studies), but says this is a recommendation, not a requirement, and that you are not expected to take a subject whose offerings you have exhausted.
• AP / IB / A-Level pre-matriculation credit (Tufts’ simplified chart; Arts and Sciences students may receive up to five course equivalents): AP Biology 5 gives 5 credits (equal to Bio 13 & 15 or Bio 14); AP Chemistry 5 gives 10 (Chem 1 and 2); AP Calculus AB 4 or 5 equals MATH 32 and BC 5 equals MATH 32 and 34; IB Higher Level Biology 6 or 7 gives 5, Chemistry 7 gives 10 and 6 gives 5; A-Level Biology A or B gives 5, Chemistry A gives 10 and B gives 5. The Biology FAQ also says an AP Biology 5 counts as Bio 13 & 15 or Bio 14.
• First two years: Biology suggests starting with Bio 13 (fall) and Bio 14 (spring), in either order; it advises against taking Bio 13/14 and Chem 1/2 together because they are time-intensive labs. In Arts and Sciences, Bio 13 and 15 must be taken in the same semester.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Decision I (binding): 2 November 2026; decisions in mid-December.
• Early Decision II (binding): 4 January 2027; decisions in early February.
• Regular Decision: 4 January 2027; decisions by 1 April.
• Supporting materials: school report and recommendations due 20 November (ED I), 11 January (ED II) and 17 January (RD); mid-year grades 15 February.
• Platforms: Common App, Coalition on Scoir or QuestBridge. Application fee $75, with fee waivers.
• Materials: transcripts, a counselor recommendation, one core-subject teacher recommendation, English proficiency scores if needed, and two short answers (Arts and Sciences applicants answer “one of your favorite school assignments in the past two years”, 100–200 words).
• Testing: optional for all undergraduate applicants. Tufts encourages scores of 1300 SAT or 28 ACT or higher; in the last cycle admitted applicants who submitted scores ranged from 1240–1600 on the SAT and 26–36 on the ACT; the ACT science section is optional.

6. U.S. applicants

• Cost: Tufts is private, and its cost page lists one tuition with no in-state rate. 2026-27 first-year on-campus: tuition $74,862, housing $11,220, food $9,374, fees $1,696, total $97,152; books about $1,000, personal about $1,846, transportation varies. No extra fee for biology or health majors appears on the pages we read.
• Tufts Tuition Pact: starting with the class enrolling in 2026, U.S. students whose family income (with typical assets) is under $150,000 attend tuition-free; families under $60,000 receive aid packages with no loans.
• Need-based aid: Tufts meets 100% of demonstrated need; 44% of students receive aid and the average total grant is $55,000. It offers no undergraduate merit scholarships.
• Research and internships: Biology students can take independent research courses (Bio 93, 193, 199) and join the Biology Research Club, which connects students to labs in Biology, Chemistry and Tufts Medical School; Community Health majors complete an internship (CH 140). Numbers of placements are not published.

7. International applicants

• Review: applicants are evaluated mainly within their own country’s education system; send four years of school results (three years of grades plus current-year marks), official results of national exams taken and predicted results for exams pending. Predicted results are read with earlier marks, and an offer depends on results in line with them.
• English: required if English is not your primary language and you have not studied three years in English. There is no minimum, but successful applicants typically have TOEFL 5.0 on the new scale (100 before 21 January 2026), IELTS 7, PTE Academic 68 or Duolingo 130.
• Aid: Tufts meets 100% of demonstrated need regardless of citizenship, but says funding for international students is limited. You must request aid on the admission application; later requests are not considered. Submit the free ISFAA or the CSS Profile. International citizens seeking aid can have the application fee waived; admitted students must submit the CSS Profile within 5–7 days and receive a fee-waiver code.
• Other: international students may work on campus and take part in research (paid and unpaid); the International Center helps with visas and work authorization.
• Any limits on international students in lab or clinical-related placements: not stated on the pages we read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: Tufts does not explain how it uses the Gaokao on the pages we read. Contact admissions (undergraduate.admissions@tufts.edu).
• Transcripts and translation: all documents must be in English; students and family members may not translate their own documents. An English teacher or other school official, a professional translator or an EducationUSA office may. Credential evaluation companies are not needed. Transcripts must be originals sent directly by the school, not photocopies.
• Interview: InitialView or Duolingo interviews are accepted as evidence of English.
• National exams: predicted results are used together with earlier marks.
• Tufts gives no separate math and science expectations for the Chinese curriculum; follow section 4 and confirm with admissions.

9. Transfer

• Deadline: 15 March 2027, fall entry only, decisions by mid-May; $75 fee; testing optional. Apply through the Common App for Transfer, with an academic evaluation from a college instructor, college transcripts and course descriptions.
• Eligibility: good academic and disciplinary standing at an accredited two- or four-year institution; completing at least one year of college is recommended; you must spend two years at Tufts to earn a degree, so students with more than two years of full-time credit are discouraged.
• Credit: courses at C- or better transfer, up to the equivalent of 60 credits; Tufts does not transfer course-for-course and faculty decide; Advising Deans give a credit estimate at admission.
• Aid for international transfer students is extremely limited. Course requirements for transferring into Biology or Community Health are not stated on the pages we read.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Apply to Arts and Sciences; ED I by 2 November, ED II or RD by 4 January; testing optional
• Check the Tuition Pact if family income is under $150,000; do not use AP or other pre-matriculation credit for pre-health science prerequisites, per the pre-health office

International applicants (including China):

• Typical English: TOEFL 5.0, IELTS 7, Duolingo 130; an InitialView interview is optional
• Have non-English documents translated by your school or a professional; request aid on the application itself; confirm how the Gaokao is used with admissions

Transfer students:

• Apply by 15 March 2027; a year of college first is recommended; C- or better transfers, up to 60 credits

Sources: Tufts University, Majors and minors; Academics overview; Biology undergraduate programs; BS in Biology; BS in Biochemistry; BA/BS in Biopsychology; Biology undergraduate FAQs; Community Health major; Community Health: declaring the major; Community Health and Public Health BA/MPH; Health Professions Advising; Health Professions Advising FAQs; Pre-matriculation credits; Applying to Tufts; Checklist and deadlines; Application FAQ; SAT and ACT policy; Short answer questions; International applicants; International FAQs; International student aid; Tufts Tuition Pact; 2026-27 cost of attendance; Transfer applicants; Transfer of credit. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures); check Tufts’ website for the latest.