We consider you an international student if you do not have U.S. citizenship, dual-U.S. citizenship, or permanent residency.

Additional Information

If you are applying as an International Transfer Student, please see additional information. If you have DACA status or are Undocumented, please reach out to an Admission counselor for more information.

How to Apply

There are two ways to apply online: the Common Application or the Emerson Application.

The application fee ($65 USD) is waived for all international applicants.

Please make sure to use the same name listed on your passport as the name you provide in your application. You will receive an application acknowledgment via email once your online application has been submitted. You will also receive acknowledgment via email when your application becomes complete and includes all supporting credentials.

What You Need

Supporting Academic Credentials

The following supporting credentials are required for international applicants. If you are an international transfer student, please visit the international transfer student page. Please include your full name and date of birth on all application materials that you submit.

SpanTran Evaluations

SpanTran has created a custom application for Emerson College that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate.

Major or Program-Specific Requirements

Additional application instructions and requirements are in effect for:

Creative Sample

If you are applying to a program that requires a creative sample, you will be able to submit one in the Admission Portal after submitting your Common Application with Emerson Supplement, or Emerson Application, and application fee payment.*

*If you submit your application close to or on the application deadline, we encourage you to upload your Creative Sample as soon as possible. We understand that this may delay your Creative Sample submission beyond the application deadline.

Supporting Academic Credentials

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts are required from each secondary school attended and should include courses taken and grades received in years. All transcripts must include an English translation if they are in a foreign language. If you require a translation of your documents, they must be performed by an official agency and accompanied by the original document.

  • Official documents must be original transcripts and examination results, not faxes or photocopies. If you only have one original and it is not possible to obtain another, please contact your secondary institution and ask it to notarize or stamp a certified true copy. This will be considered an official copy. We will only accept attestations from your secondary institution, the exam issuer, U.S. Educational Advising centers, and official translation agencies.

School Report

A School Report must be completed by your secondary school counselor or another school official, and must be submitted along with an official, signed transcript from your high school. If available, we encourage you to submit first marking period grades with the transcript. Please send us official signed transcripts from all high schools you have attended.

Secondary School Counselor Evaluation

The secondary school counselor evaluation should accompany the high school transcript and School Report. If your school does not have a college counselor, this may be completed by another school official, who is acting as your counselor (i.e. IB coordinator, head of school, etc.)

Teacher Evaluation

A minimum of one official teacher evaluation from someone who has taught you in an academic subject (i.e. English, History, Science, Math or Foreign Language) must be submitted.

First Marking Period Grades and Mid-Year Report

We ask that all applicants submit first marking period (first quarter, midterm, first trimester) or mid-year (second quarter, first semester, second trimester) grades when they become available. We understand that school schedules for releasing report cards vary quite a bit. Grade reports alone will not prevent your application from being reviewed, but they must be submitted as soon as they become available. (Submission of predicted scores for examinations is also acceptable.)

Testing and English Language Proficiency Requirement

All international applicants should respond to the test options question in accordance with the following guidelines:

  • For students from countries where English is not the national or primary language
    • You must take the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English, Cambridge English (Advance or Proficiency) or PTE Academic if:
      • You are a freshman (first-year) applicant who is not currently completing your fourth consecutive year of secondary study at an institution that uses English as its primary language of instruction
    • Standardized Testing/Test Optional: Students who feel that their SAT or ACT will be beneficial to the review process are encouraged to submit their scores as part of the application process. If you listed Emerson College as a score recipient when you took the SAT or ACT, we will have your results on file. If not, please request that an official score report is sent to Emerson College directly from the College Board (SAT) or ACT. Our SAT code is 3367. Our ACT code is 1820.

      Students who feel that their standardized test scores do not effectively represent their skills and talents or effectively demonstrate their ability to succeed within the college environment may opt to forgo submitting SAT or ACT scores for review. Learn more about applying Test Optional at Emerson.
      • NOTE: If you submit an SAT or ACT score, the English Proficiency Examination will be automatically waived.
    • Students from countries where English is the national or primary language must: 
      • Standardized Testing/Test Optional: Students who feel that their SAT or ACT will be beneficial to the review process are encouraged to submit their scores as part of the application process. If you listed Emerson College as a score recipient when you took the SAT or ACT, we will have your results on file. If not, please request that an official score report is sent to Emerson College directly from the College Board (SAT) or ACT. Our SAT code is 3367. Our ACT code is 1820.

        Students who feel that their standardized test scores do not effectively represent their skills and talents or effectively demonstrate their ability to succeed within the college environment may opt to forgo submitting SAT or ACT scores for review. Learn more about applying Test Optional at Emerson.
      • Complete the Waiver for English Proficiency, which is accessible using your Admission Portal information.

English Language Proficiency Requirement: 

At Emerson, we consider the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English, Cambridge English (Advance or Proficiency) or PTE Academic for show English Proficiency. 

If you submit one of the English Proficiency Examinations, please note the minimum score requirements for admission to Emerson College:

  • Cambridge English (Advance or Proficiency)
    • Minimum Score Required: 185
  • Duolingo English
    • Minimum Score Required: 125
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
    • Minimum Score Required: 7.0
  • PTE Academic (Pearson’s Test of English Academic)
    • Minimum Score Required: 65
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
    • Minimum Score Required: 95
      • Minimum Score of 20 in each section

NOTE: We will accept scores from the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition. At this time, we are unable to accept the IELTS Indicator and TOEFL ITP Plus for China.

Additional exams may be added at a later date. Please refer to our English Language Proficiency policy before applying and/or taking any exams to ensure your testing will satisfy our application requirements.

International applicants should either submit English Proficiency scores or a waiver in accordance with the following guidelines:

Deadlines

Students who complete their Early Decision I/Early Action application by the November 1st deadline will be prioritized in the review process for a mid-December notification. For those who need additional time, but would still like to participate in the early decision review process, we are allowing students to apply by the extended Early Decision/Early Action Round II application deadline of January 3 and still participate in the early review process.

FALL ADMISSION DEADLINES

Application Round Application Deadline Honors Essay Deadline Decision Notification Decision Deposit Deadline
Early Decision I November 1 November 15 Mid-December March 1
Early Action November 1 November 15 Mid-January May 1
Early Decision II January 3 January 16 Early February April 1
Regular Decision January 16 February 1 Mid-March May 1

Submitting Your Application

All application materials may be submitted electronically through Common Application, Slate.org, Parchment and Scoir. You may also send your physical application and materials to:

Emerson College Undergraduate Admission
120 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02116


After You Submit

Check the Status of Your Application Credentials

If you applied via the Common Application, you will receive an email acknowledgment and instructions for how to create your Emerson Admission Portal account. You can use the Admission Portal to check the status of your application. You will also receive acknowledgment via email when your application becomes complete, including all supporting credentials. 

Log in to the Admission Portal

Please keep in mind that it may take up to two weeks for credentials to show in our system after they have been received. Materials that are postmarked by the appropriate application deadline will be considered on time. Feel free to contact us if your application materials do not show in the Admission Portal within two weeks.

Apply for Financial Aid & Merit Scholarships

All students will automatically be considered for merit scholarships. If you hold U.S. citizenship or Permanent Residency, we encourage you to submit the required materials for financial aid consideration. If you apply for Regular Decision, please do not wait for an admission decision before you complete your financial aid application.

Financial aid application instructions Merit scholarship information

Watch for Updates from Emerson

We will send you information to the mailing address and email address listed on your application. Please make sure to check your mail and email so that we can provide you with important updates. We also ask that you update your email settings to allow correspondence from admission [at] emerson.edu (admission[at]emerson[dot]edu). Remember that if you opt out of emails from Emerson College, you may miss important deadline reminders! Decision Notification dates are listed above.

Additional information will be required of international students who are offered admission.


External Resources