Online MS in Data Science Program Admissions Process

Access the application. An $85 non-refundable application fee is required.

The application fee is waived for:

• Current Tufts undergraduate and graduate students.

• Students in Tufts certificate programs applying to a degree program.

• Tufts degree program alumni.

• Current juniors, seniors, or alumni of Lafayette College, Olin College, Union College, Smith College, Wellesley College.

• AmeriCorps and Peace Corps volunteers and alumni.

• City Year and Teach for America Corps members and alumni.

• Currently applying GEM Fellows.

• Current Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT) fellows.

• Current Leadership Alliance Members.

• Current McNair Scholars.

GRE scores are no longer required for candidates with an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution. GRE scores are required for applicants who don’t have a degree from a U.S. or Canadian institution.

Applicants who voluntarily choose to submit GRE scores should demonstrate a favorable quantitative reasoning score, typically in the 90th percentile or higher.

Applicants will be required to upload a copy of transcripts received from each educational institution attended where credit was earned toward an undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree.

Transcripts for study abroad or transfer programs are not required if the course titles, grades, and credit hours are included on the transcript of the degree-granting institution. If the transcript is in a language other than English, an official translation must be provided.

Applicants can upload unofficial transcripts on the Academic History page of the application. If you have trouble uploading the unofficial transcripts, you can email them to: gradadmissions.transcripts@tufts.edu.

Applicants who are offered admission to the online MS in Data Science program will need to have official, sealed transcripts from all degree-granting institutions sent to the mailing address shown below.

Office of Graduate Admissions

2 Bendetson Hall

The Green, Tufts University

Medford, MA 02155

Applicants may have official e-transcripts emailed to gradadmissions.transcripts@tufts.edu.

Three letters of recommendation are required. Current Tufts undergraduate, graduate, and certificate students; alumni of Tufts degree programs; and juniors, seniors, or alumni of bridge schools are only required to submit two letters. Bridge schools include Lafayette College, Olin College, Smith College, Union College, and Wellesley College.

Recommendation letters should be written on official letterhead or containing a written signature by someone who can provide a candid and honest assessment of the applicant’s academic background or professional work experience and convey their abilities and character.

Applicants are required to write a personal statement that details their reasons for wanting to pursue their Master of Science in Data Science online at Tufts. The personal statement should be limited to five pages (2,500 words).

A résumé or CV must be provided. Please include dates and an overview of academic history, employment, academic honors, scholarships, publications, community involvement, volunteering, internships, and other activities.

Official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo Test Scores for Non-Native Speakers of English

Applicants who are non-native English speakers are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test.

You can register for the TOEFL online. Use Tufts University code: 3901. Student copies or photocopies of TOEFL/IELTS scores are not accepted.

Applicants who satisfy one or more of the following conditions are not required to provide a TOEFL/IELTS score: 

• Have citizenship in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an Anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean.

• Earned a college or university degree in the U.S. or in one of the countries listed above, prior to submission of the Tufts online MSDS application.

• Are currently enrolled as a full-time student in a U.S. degree-granting program or at an English-speaking school in one of the countries listed above. Applicants must have successfully completed two consecutive full-time academic years of college or university work prior to the date of anticipated enrollment in the Tufts online MSDS program.

The minimum required scores are:

• TOEFL: 90

• IELTS: 6.5

• Duolingo: 110

Degree Evaluations

Applicants that have completed a degree outside of the United States must have a course-by-course evaluation of their transcript(s) completed by an evaluation company approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Review the complete list of NACES-approved evaluators. Submission of falsified documents is grounds for denial of admission or dismissal from the university.

Student Visas

We are not able to provide F-1 student visas nor the associated Optional Practical Training (OPT) for our online programs. Please visit the Tufts International Center for information about joining a program on campus that may offer these options.

While not required, applicants are encouraged to submit a video presentation (two minutes maximum) of their own design, product, or conducted research to demonstrate to the admissions committee their interests and skill sets.

Non-native English speakers are encouraged to submit a digital portfolio to demonstrate their English language skills.