You are considered a first-time freshman applicant if:

• You are still in high school
• You graduated from high school or earned your GED, but did not enroll in a degree-seeking program at a college or university

If you took college courses in high school, plan to attend a college summer session immediately after you graduate from high school, or are in a dual-enrollment program (receiving your high school diploma and an Associate’s degree at the same time), you would still apply as a freshman.

You are considered a transfer applicant if:

• You will have completed at least 12 semester hours of college-level coursework (after your high school graduation).
• You have attempted at least one semester of full-time coursework and maintained enrollment through the add/drop period.
• You already received your bachelor’s degree from another college or university but you are choosing to apply for a second bachelor’s degree.

If you are currently in a dual-enrollment program, earning your high school diploma and an Associate’s degree at the same time, you should apply as a freshman. Dual-enrollment courses can be considered for transfer credit.

If you’re an international student or are applying from a college or university located outside of the United States, you should also read the International Applicants page.

Application Requirements:

• Your Common Application or Coalition Application
  • Your application must be submitted by the deadline, along with either the application fee ($75) or a fee waiver request.
• Academic Records:
  • Your College Report must be submitted by the Registrar’s office or Dean’s office at your current or most recent college/university.
  • Your college or university transcripts must be submitted directly to Northeastern from all colleges and universities which you previously attended.
  • Your official final high school transcript must be sent directly from your high school.
  • Please review “Additional Required Materials” below for further information.
• An Academic Evaluation must be sent by a college professor, academic advisor, or employer.
• Optional Standardized Testing: For applicants applying for the 2021-2022 academic year, Northeastern University is test-optional and does not require standardized testing to complete an application for admission. Under the new policy, whether graduating from a U.S. or an international institution, you will be able to choose whether to submit standardized testing or not. If you do not submit standardized testing, you will not be penalized or disadvantaged. All applicants will be fully considered for admission to Northeastern. For additional information on Northeastern’s test-optional policy, a complete list of tests which Northeastern will consider, and information on submitting your results to Northeastern, please review our Testing Policy.
  • In recent years, Northeastern has required standardized testing from transfer applicants who have not completed more than one year of full-time college coursework (24 or more college credits) following high school graduation. Standardized testing was not required from transfer applicants who’ve either completed more than one year of full-time college coursework (24 or more college credits) following high school graduation or graduated from high school more than 5 years ago.

• English Proficiency: All students, regardless of citizenship must demonstrate English language proficiency when applying to Northeastern. You can satisfy the requirement in the following ways:
  • You are a native English speaker.
  • You will complete 4 consecutive academic years before enrolling at Northeastern in a high school or university where native English was the primary instructional language -AND- you submit an English Proficiency Waiver Request through your Application Status Check portal.You submit, along with your application, official test results directly from the testing agency for one of the following English language proficiency tests:
    • C1 Advanced
    • C2 Proficiency
    • Duolingo English Test
    • IELTS Academic
    • PTE Academic
    • TOEFL iBT(CEEB Code: 3667)
    • For prospective students applying for the 2021-2022 academic year, Northeastern will also consider results from the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator. Results from the TOEFL ITP Plus for China will not be accepted.
  • Please see the International Applicants page for more information

• If you are applying to the College of Arts, Media and Design, you may be required to submit a creative portfolio through SlideRoom.
• If you are a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident or eligible noncitizen applying for need-based financial aid, you must submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
• If you are an international student, you must submit the Declaration and Certification of Finances (DCF). Please read the International Applicants page for more information.

At Northeastern, we understand that homeschool applicants come from a variety of academic backgrounds and structures, and carefully consider every element of the application through our holistic review. In order to best consider our homeschool applicants, we require additional documents that provide an in-depth look at your individual homeschool experience. Please see a list of these additional requirements below.

Forms:

• Completed Homeschool Application Form
• Academic portfolio and transcript consistent with state guidelines
  • Please provide grading rubric alongside transcript

Standardized Tests:

• SAT/ACT Testing: Northeastern has a standardized test-optional policy for students applying for the 2021-2022 academic year. Under the new policy, applicants are not required to submit standardized test scores, but have the option to do so if they choose.

Guidance Counselor and Teacher Recommendations:

• Your counselor recommendation may come from a parent or a primary instructor
• Teacher recommendations may come from a tutor, online teacher, or teacher from a course taken outside the home. We are flexible based on the structure of your homeschool experience
• An additional letter of recommendation is recommended, but not required.*
  • *if your teacher and counselor are the same person, an additional letter of recommendation is required.
  • Additional recommendations can come from an art teacher, an employer, a coach, etc.

If you have specific questions regarding the application process as a homeschooled student, please direct them to Assistant Directors of Admissions Shelby Phelan (s.phelan@northeastern.edu), Stefanie Kane (st.kane@northeastern.edu), or Nils Leitz (n.leitz@northeastern.edu).

For applicants applying for the 2021-2022 academic year, Northeastern University is test-optional and does not require standardized testing to complete an application for admission.

• Under the new policy, whether graduating from a U.S. institution or an international institution, you will be able to choose whether to submit standardized testing or not. If you do not submit standardized testing, you will not be penalized or disadvantaged. All applicants will be fully considered for admission to Northeastern, including the University Honors Program, and for any merit scholarships.
• If you choose to submit standardized testing, you should submit results from the test, or tests, which best capture your academic preparation and abilities in the classroom. While there is no advantage in submitting results from more than one test, all results provided will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee and factored into your admissions decision. Northeastern will consider results from any of the following:
  • SAT (CEEB Code 3667)
  • ACT (College Code 1880)
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma
  • AP Exams
  • IB Higher Level Exams (if you are not a Diploma candidate)
  • SAT Subject Tests
  • General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Levels (A-Levels)
  • Northeastern will also consider results from nationally recognized high school graduation or university entrance exam. You can review the complete list here.
• Results can be submitted through your Application Status Check portal. For additional information, please read the “Submitting Results” section below.
• You may control your Test Optional status through your Application Status Check. Your test optional preference will default to what you indicated in the application, and you have until the following dates to finalize your choice. Your test optional status will be locked in after that date.
  • Early Decision I by November 10
  • Early Action by December 1
  • Early Decision II by January 10
  • Regular Decision by February 1
• Non-native English-speaking applicants must continue to submit official results from an approved English Language Test or request a waiver through the Application Status Check. For additional information, continue reading or please visit the International Applicants page for our English Language Proficiency policy.

Please review frequently asked questions regarding our standardized testing policy.

Submitting Results to Northeastern

All students must share the scores they would like considered in their application through the Application Status Check. This allows students the most control over the tests that are attached to their file. Students who indicated they would like to be test optional may not self-report, though you may control your Test Optional status through your Application Status Check. Self-reported results will be considered when your application is reviewed for admission to the university. Upon choosing to enroll, all self-reported results must be verified by sending official results from the testing agency or examination board.

For students who have submitted official scores, you must also self-report. As there can be a delay between request and receipt of official scores, we want students to be able to share their testing information with us as soon as they have access to it, if they choose to do so. Additionally, self-reporting allows students the ability to decide if they would like to be considered with testing or not.

Official Results

For admitted students, upon choosing to enroll, all self-reported results must be verified by sending official results from either the testing agency or examination board. If your official results do not match your self-reported results, Northeastern reserves the right to rescind your offer of admission. Northeastern will consider official results sent directly to Northeastern from the testing agency or examination board for any of the following tests:

• SAT, SAT Subject Tests or AP Exams from the College Board (CEEB Code 3667)
• ACT from the ACT (College Code 1880)
• IB Diploma or IB Higher Level Exams from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
• Final examination results certificates or score reports from any national or international examinations, including the GCE Advanced Levels, which were sent by the testing agency, examination board, or as a certified copy of the original sent directly to Northeastern by a designated school official, from a verifiable school email address.

Predicted Results

For Northeastern’s optional standardized testing policy, we will only consider the final results, which are official or self-reported. While excluded from our standardized testing policy, the Admissions Committee highly recommends predicted grades for applicants studying at an overseas high school whose secondary education culminates in externally-assessed national high school graduation exams or university matriculation exams, which includes but is not limited to the IB Diploma, GCE Advanced Levels, Indian Standard XII, and French Baccalauréat.

• If you will not receive your final results until after the application deadline, your high school must submit predicted grades.
• If your final results are available before the application deadline, final results must instead be submitted by your high school
• Furthermore, all enrolling students will be required to submit final exam results, even students who applied “test optional” to Northeastern, as final exams also serve as proof of high school graduation.
• If you’re applying from a high school in the United States, submitting predicted grades is not required. Regardless of if your predicted grades are submitted, we strongly encourage you to submit your first trimester or first semester grades once they become available, as well as mid-year grades for any students who apply to or who were deferred to Regular Decision. 

Predicted results should be submitted with the High School Transcript, Secondary School Report, or Counselor Recommendation; or submitted by a designated school official from a verifiable school email address, using either Northeastern’s Predicted Grades Request Form or your high school’s own predicted grades form.