How to Apply
There are two ways to apply: the Common Application or the Emerson Application.
You will receive an application acknowledgment via email once your online application has been submitted. If you applied using the Common Application, you will receive an email acknowledgment and instructions for creating your Emerson Admission Portal account within two business days of submitting your application.
| Apply as a First Year student if you: | Apply as a Transfer if you: |
|---|---|
| Enrolled full-time at another college but officially withdrew before the college's posted ADD/DROP deadline. | Enrolled as a full-time student at another college. |
| Attended another college part-time after earning a high school diploma, and have earned 8 or less college credits. | Attended another college part-time after earning a high school diploma, and have earned 9 or more college credits. |
| Earned college credits prior to high school graduation (e.g., dual enrollment). |
Application Options
There are three options for applying to Emerson:
- Early Decision (ED) is a binding early deadline. This option is appropriate only if you are sure Emerson is your first choice.
- Binding means you must commit to enroll at Emerson, if admitted.
- ED applicants cannot apply Early Decision to other institutions.
- ED applicants can apply EA to other colleges, but must withdraw those applications if admitted to Emerson.
- Learn more about choosing Early Decision.
- Early Action (EA) is a non-binding early deadline.
- EA applicants may apply to other Early Action colleges.
- Binding Early Decision and Early Decision II program applicants to other schools can also apply Early Action to Emerson.
- Regular Decision (RD) is a non-binding deadline and is selected by the majority of our applicants.
- RD applicants may apply ED or EA to other institutions.
Deadlines
Students who complete their Early Decision Round I/Early Action application by the November 1 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 process, we are allowing students to apply by the Early Decision Round II application deadline of January 3 and still participate in the early review process.
First-Year Students: Fall Admission Deadlines
| Application Round | Application Deadline | Honors Essay Deadline | Decision Notification | Decision Deposit Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I | November 1 | November 15 | Mid-December | February 1 |
| Early Action | November 1 | November 15 | Mid-January | May 1 |
| Early Decision II | January 3 | January 15 | Early February | March 1 |
| Regular Decision | January 15 | January 31 | Early April | May 1 |
First-Year Students: Spring Admission Deadlines
Regular Decision
Application Deadline: November 1
Decision Notification: Rolling
Applications completed after November 1 are considered on a space-available basis.
What You Need
Supporting Academic Credentials
The following supporting documents are required for first-year applicants. Please include your full name and date of birth on all application materials that you submit.
- High School Transcript and 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. 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. All transcripts must include an English translation if they are in a foreign language. Translations must be performed by an official agency and be accompanied by the original document.
- 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, social sciences, or foreign language) must be submitted.
- Emerson College is Test Optional: 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 forgo submission. Students who feel that their standardized test scores 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 College Board (SAT) or ACT. Our SAT code is 3367. Our ACT code is 1820. Learn more about applying Test Optional at Emerson.
- First Marking Period Grades and Midyear Report: We ask that all applicants submit first marking period (first quarter, midterm, first trimester) or midyear (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.
- Early Decision Agreement: Only students who are sure that Emerson is their first choice and plan to apply as an Early Decision candidate, need to complete and submit the Early Decision Agreement.
Additional Requirements
Additional application instructions and requirements are in effect for:
- Home-Schooled Applicants
- International Applicants
- Honors Program Applicants
- Comedic Arts Applicants
- Media Production Applicants
- Performing Arts Applicants
Creative Sample
If you are applying to a program that requires a creative sample, or you would like to submit an optional 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.
Submitting Your Application
All application materials may be submitted electronically through Common Application, Slate.org, Parchment and Scoir. You may also send application materials to:
Emerson College Undergraduate Admission
120 Boylston Street
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 Application Portal account. You can use the Application 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 now
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 Application Portal within two weeks.
Apply for Financial Aid & Merit Scholarships
If you apply for Regular Decision, please do not wait for an admission decision before you complete your financial aid application.
Learn about Financial Aid & Scholarships
Watch for Updates from Emerson
We will send you information to the mailing address and email address provided in your application. Please make sure that you 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.