Emerson College is a 4- year university located in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is a private university which was established in 1880. It was founded by Charles Wesley Emerson. Around 900 students were enrolled in Fall 2022. The number of enrolled undergraduate students is 3,813 and graduate students are 633. The acceptance rate of the university is 36%. Around 16% of the students are international students.

  • Application fee for Emerson College is USD 65 but it is waived for all international applicants.
  • Applicants can apply through the Common Application or through the Emerson Application.
  • International applicants have to prove their proficiency in English language by getting the minimum required score in standardized tests.
  • International students should keep a track of visa applications and complete the visa process in time.

Highlights

Application Portal Online portal
Acceptance Rate 36%
Application Fee (Non- Refundable) Waived for international applicants
University Type Private
Total Number of Students 4446
Average SAT score 1220- 1380
Average ACT score 27- 31
Average GPA 3.72
Retention Rate (Full- time students)- Fall 2018 87%
Overall graduation rate- Fall 2012 79%
Academic Calendar Semester- based
Intake Sessions Fall/ Spring/ Summer
Financial Aid Scholarships/ Loans/ Grants/ Work- study
Work Experience Required for some courses

Acceptance rate

In fall 2022 Emerson College received 13,324 application for under graduation out of which only 5,410 were offered the seat. Thus, acceptance rate of Emerson College is around 40%. Therefore, we could say that Emerson College can be a very selective college.

Emerson College Admission Deadlines

The application deadlines for undergraduate students are given below:

Decision/ Intake session Fall Spring
Early Decision November 1 -
Early Action November 1 -
Regular Decision January 15 November 1

Emerson College International Student Admissions

International students have some additional admission requirements which have to be fulfilled along with the general requirements which are the same as those for applicants belonging to the United States.

Application Portal: The international students can apply through the Common Application or through the College Application.

Application Fee: Waived

Admission Requirements for International Students

  • Official transcripts from all previously attended educational institutions.
  • English translations have to be sent if the transcripts are in regional languages.
  • School report
  • International students are also required to submit their English proficiency test scores.
  • Scores of standardized exams to study in the USA
  • Statement of purpose for US
  • Certification of Finances.
  • Copy of passport.
  • Letters of recommendation to study in US
  • There are various specific departmental requirements as well which include interviews or portfolios.

Undergraduate application material can be sent to the address given below:

Emerson College Undergraduate Admission Processing Center, PO Box 880, Randolph, MA 02368-8880

English Proficiency Test Score

All the international applicants who have not received education in the United States of America or any other English- speaking country are required to prove their proficiency in English by submitting their TOEFL, IELTS or other scores. The minimum requirements for admission to undergraduate degree courses are given below.

Test Minimum Requirement
TOEFL- iBT 80
TOEFL- CBT 213
TOEFL- PBT 550
IELTS 6.5
PTE Academic 60
Duolingo English 105
Cambridge English 176

Visa Process for International Students

The applicants selected for full- time courses will be issued an I- 20 from Emerson College. I- 20 form is issued only after an enrollment deposit of USD 400 is submitted by the applicant and the receipt of the deposit is submitted before the deadline issued by the college.

After completing the I- 20, applicants have to pay the SEVIS I- 901 fees. Apply for a student visa to study in the USA by completing the DS- 160 visa application. Documents required for completing the DS- 160 visa application are:

  • Passport
  • Photographs
  • International travel history
  • Resume or Curriculum Vitae
  • Travel itinerary
  • Offer letter from university

Schedule and attend the visa interview with the US embassy in your country.

Emerson College Undergraduate Admissions

Emerson College offers many undergraduate courses. BFA in Acting, BS in Communication Disorders, Global BFA in Film Art, BS in Journalism, BFA in Musical Theatre, BS in Sports Communication, BFA in Theatre Education, BFA in Theatre, BS in Political Communication, etc. are some of the courses offered by the college. Every course has specific admission requirements but the basic requirements for admission are the same for most of the courses.

Where to Apply: Students can apply via the Common Application or Emerson Application.

Application Fee: USD 65 (Waived for international applications)

Admission Requirements: The following documents have to be provided by the applicants at the time of admission:

  • Secondary school qualification or any other equivalent
  • Official transcripts of all previously attended academic institutions.
  • School report
  • Counselor evaluation
  • Teacher evaluation
  • Midterm reports
  • Optional online test
  • Scores of Standardized Exams to study in the USA
  • Proof of English Proficiency
  • Specific courses have extra requirements which include portfolios etc.

Emerson College Graduate Admissions

Emerson College offers a number of graduate degrees. programs are offered in many fields which include Creative Writing, Publishing and Writing, Journalism, Writing for Film and Television, Communication Disorders etc. The general requirements for most of the courses are the same. The requirements for international applicants are given below.

Course Application Portal Deadline Academic Requirements English Language Requirements
Communication Disorders CSDCAS online application Fall: January 1, 2023 Transcripts; GRE scores; Essay;
Letters of recommendation; interview		 TOEFL: 95- 115 IELTS: 6.5- 7.5
Duolingo: 115- 135 Pearson: 65- 80
MFA in Creative Writing Graduate Application Portal Priority deadline: February 1
Rolling through March 1		 Transcripts; Essay; Letters of recommendation;
Resume; Writing sample		 TOEFL: 95- 115 IELTS: 6.5- 7.5
Duolingo: 115- 135 Pearson: 65- 80
MFA in Film and Media Art Graduate Application Portal Priority Deadline: February 1 Transcripts; Essay; Letters of recommendation;
Professional Resume; Portfolio		 TOEFL: 95- 115 IELTS: 6.5- 7.5
Duolingo: 115- 135 Pearson: 65- 80
MA Journalism Graduate Application Portal Priority Deadline: March 1
Rolling through June 15		 Transcripts; Essay; Letters of recommendation;
Professional Resume; Portfolio		 TOEFL: 95- 115 IELTS: 6.5- 7.5
Duolingo: 115- 135 Pearson: 65- 80
MA in Media Design Graduate Application Portal Priority deadline: March 1
Rolling through July 15		 Transcripts; Essay; Creative sample;
Letters of recommendation; Professional resume		 TOEFL: 95- 115 IELTS: 6.5- 7.5
Duolingo: 115- 135 Pearson: 65- 80

Students come from around 55 international countries. The university has a student base comprising around 16% of international students. The college has a selective admission policy with an acceptance rate of around 36%. Many criteria are taken into consideration before admitting students which include previous academic performance, creative samples, portfolios, standardized test scores etc.

FAQs

Ques. What is the application fee for Emerson College?

Ans. Application fee for Emerson College is $65 for U.S students. Application fee is waivered for international student.

Ques. What is the acceptance rate of Emerson College?

Ans. Acceptance rate of Emerson College was around 40% in fall 2023.

Ques. Which English proficiency test is accepted by Emerson College?

Ans. Emerson College accepts TOEFL, IELTS. Duolingo English test, PTE and Cambridge English test as proof of English language.

Ques.  As an international student will I have to submit SAT/ACT?

Ans. International student do not have to submit SAT/ACT score. They instead have to provide English proficiency test score.

Ques. Who are eligible for English proficiency required wavier?

Ans. Applicants who have English as medium of instruction in their school can request for English language proficiency waiver.

Ques.  I didn’t have high school counsellor, from whom should I get my counsellor evaluation?

Ans. If you secondary school didn’t had a counsellor than you can get evaluation from IB coordinator or head of school or person who acts as your counsellor.

Ques. Does Emerson College accepts TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition?

Ans. Yes, Emerson College is accepting TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition.

Ques. What is the average GPA required for getting in Emerson College?

Ans. Average GPA of 3.73 is required to get into Emerson College.

Ques. Is there a requirement for portfolio?

Ans. No there is no such requirement but if you are applying for any programme which requires creative sample then you will have to submit it in your application portal.

Ques.  How does it take to receive the decision?

Ans. It takes more than 2 weeks to get the decision. If you have submitted all the documents properly and on time then you will receive the decision as soon as possible.