Lesley University was founded in 1909 as a school to train teachers. Over time it started offering programs in various areas of study like art and design, business management, counseling and psychology, education, expressive therapies, humanities, science and mathematics, and social sciences.

Lesley University offers admissions in Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral levels of study. It has 4 schools namely Graduate School of Education, College of Art and Design, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences.

Highlights

Type of University Private
Year of Establishment 1909
Campus Setting Urban
Total Enrollment 4,838
Student-Faculty Ratio 10:1

Lesley University Rankings

  • Ranked #246 in National Universities by U.S. News and World Report 2023.
  • Ranked #90 in Top Performers on Social Mobility by U.S. News and World Report 2023.
  • Ranked #51 in Best College Location in America by Niche 2023.
  • Ranked #79 in Most Liberal Colleges in America by Niche in 2023.

Lesley University Campus

lesley university campus

The campus of Lesley University is spread across three interconnected areas namely Doble campus, Brattle campus and Porter campus.

  • More than 30 student-run organizations operate in the university.
  • There are 14 NCAA division III athletic teams in the University that participate in sports like baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, track events and volleyball.

Residence Facilities at Lesley University

More than 60% of the undergraduate students live on the University’s campus in Cambridge. The University has 22 residence halls with a capacity to accommodate more than 900 students.

  • Housing options include traditional residence halls, suite-style apartments and Victorian-style housing.
  • Traditional style halls have rooms with shared bathrooms, cooking spaces and relaxing lounges.
  • Suite-style housing provides space for 4-8 students with a private share, large lounge, and kitchen with all facilities.
  • Victorian-style houses have space for 20-40 students with single, double and triple sharing rooms. Halls consist of a central lounge, kitchen and laundry.
  • Each room in the residence hall has common basic amenities that include internet access, single beds, window shades, dresser, wardrobe, closet space, desk and chair.

Programs offered at Lesley University

Lesley University offers programs across 35 undergraduate and 80 graduate areas of study along with professional development and continuing education, threshold programs and online programs.

  • Undergraduates of the University commonly apply for a program in business management, education, design, illustration, photography, psychology, and applied therapies or social sciences.
  • Majority of graduate students enroll for a program in education, clinical mental health counseling, expressive therapies or counseling and psychology.
  • Lectures are given in a small classroom setting with student-faculty ratio of 10:1 and not auditoriums.

Application Process

International students who want to seek admissions at the university can follow the below-mentioned application details:

Application Portal: Students can apply via the Common Application portal.

Application Deadline: For undergraduate admissions, the application deadline is December 1 and for graduate admissions, the application deadline is rolling.

Basic Admission Requirements:

  • High school GPA – 3.1 on 4.0
  • English proficiency test scores – International students whose native language is not English must take English proficiency tests and send their score to the university. The minimum requirements of these test scores are:
Exam Undergraduate/ Graduate
TOEFL - IBT 80
IELTS 6.5

Required Documents:

  • Recommendation letter
  • Scores of Exams to study in the USA
  • Resume
  • Personal Statement
  • Original Transcripts of the last attended institution

Cost of Attendance

The estimated cost of attendance for international students to study at the university is mentioned below:

Undergraduate students

Expense Estimated Cost
Tuition 14,250 USD
Room and Board 8740 USD
Fees 125 USD
Student Health Insurance 2798 USD

Graduate students

Expense Estimated Cost
Tuition 650 - 1160 USD/credit hour
Graduate Fees 2000 USD approx.
Student Health Insurance 5781 USD

Scholarships & Financial Aid for International Students

Lesley University has options for scholarships, grants, student employment and loans for helping students financially.

96% of the new undergraduate students received financial aid. Scholarships are offered to study in the USA. Grants are also offered for international students are given in the table below:

Name of Scholarship Eligibility Criteria Amount awarded
Lesley Merit Scholarship Applicant’s capability and academic records Variable
Urban Scholars Initiative On basis of financial aid 50% off tuition fee
Graduate Merit Scholarships Applicants of counseling and psychology master’s 12000 USD

Alumni Network

Lesley alumni members enjoy several benefits using an alumni ID card. These include 10% alumni discount on tuition fee of any on-campus courses, use career resources, Lesley’s Sherrill Library access, use fitness center, discount on purchases from Lesley University bookstore, opportunity to attend alumni events, savings on insurance taken from Liberty Mutual and Embrace Pet Insurance, discount on renting cars, cell phones, hotels, computer accessories etc.

Notable alumni of the University include: Shantel Hansen – filmmaker; Caroline Maguire – Parenting expert and ADHD coach; Kate Castelli – Chairperson of illustration and design; Craig Martin – Principal of the South Boston elementary school and many others.

Placements

95% of the graduates of bachelor’s degree 2018 batch were either employed or continued education. 94% of the Master’s program graduates of 2018 were either placed on jobs or they enrolled for further education.

Lesley University has an advantage of its location in Boston in terms of career for students. Boston is the no. 1 startup hub in the U.S. which provides immense internship opportunities for students.