Tufts University Pre-College Programs Finance Essentials

In Tufts' sample timetable, each day starts with a check-in at 9:45 a.m. and ends at 4:45 p.m. There are three teaching blocks a day and a 90-minute lunch. Monday to Thursday cover the building blocks, from risk and return to equity, bonds and banking. On Friday you work in a small team, present your pitch deck and finish with a session on personal finance.

Orientation is on Monday morning, and the week closes with a ceremony that families are invited to. Residential students get outings and daily activities as part of the fee, and every student can use the libraries, the Student Center and the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center. You can only take the train into Boston with staff supervision. Tufts posts the exact rooms and times on the program's Canvas page in June.

Two Tufts professors of the practice teach the week, and both combine university posts with long careers in finance. Jeff Rosen directs Tufts' Certificate in Impact and Sustainable Investing and teaches graduate courses in catalytic capital and blended value. He spent 20 years as chief financial officer of the Solidago Foundation and helped launch community investment funds. Patrick J. Schena directs the finance minor in Tufts' economics department and teaches finance and investments at the Fletcher School. He has more than 30 years of industry experience, mostly in asset management, including executive roles at several start-ups.

Tufts also mentions guest speakers but doesn't name them, and it doesn't publish a class size for this program.

The program is open to students entering 11th or 12th grade and to spring 2027 high school graduates, and you must be at least 15 when it starts. Tufts asks for an average grade of B+ or above and a statement of interest of up to 300 words. You'll also need one recommendation from a teacher, counselor or mentor, a parent permission form, and a transcript sent by your school.

Tufts doesn't publish an acceptance rate or cohort size and says it judges each application as a whole. It names your transcript and recommendation as the best ways to stand out, so pick a recommender who can speak in detail about your interest in the subject and your curiosity as a learner. Homeschooled students are welcome to apply with as many credentials as they can provide. If English isn't your first language, you'll need a TOEFL iBT score of 100, an IELTS score of 6.5, a PTE score of 68 or a Duolingo score of 120. A transcript showing at least a year at an all-English school also counts.

Living on campus costs $3,550 and commuting costs $2,750. The residential price covers a bed in a shared dorm room, three meals a day, linens, program activities and outings, 24-hour residential care, and a staff-accompanied airport transfer within set arrival and departure windows. Commuters get lunch each weekday and pay for any other meals.

On top of that come travel to Boston, laundry at $1.50 a load, spending money and any medical bills. Every student needs U.S.-based health insurance, and without proof of it Tufts charges $55.16 for a plan. If you can't show proof of a required vaccine, you'll pay $55 to get it on campus. Tuition can be refunded if you withdraw in writing by 15 May 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET, but the $550 deposit never comes back, although it does count toward the fee. Summer charges can't be spread over Tufts' tuition payment plan.

Need-based aid is limited, and Tufts says awards typically cover 75% to 100% of the fee. Decisions go out twice a month from February, and international students aren't eligible. If you can only attend with aid, Tufts suggests waiting for your aid decision before paying the deposit, but the program may fill in the meantime.

Residential programs have one staff member for every 10 students. Trained residential counselors check in with students several times a day and go with them on off-campus trips. Curfew is 11 p.m. in your room Sunday to Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday, and breaking it can get you sent home without a refund.

You can't leave campus without a staff member or official parental permission. Residence halls need a Tufts ID to enter and a key for each bedroom, and Tufts' own police department is on duty around the clock. Tufts says it makes reasonable efforts to run background checks and Title IX training for staff who work with students. Staff meet students at Boston Logan Airport, North Station or South Station on arrival day, but nobody can arrive early or leave late. Urgent care at Tufts Health Services is charged per visit. Commuters aren't supervised outside program hours and can't enter the dorms.

Tufts sets out each step on its how-to-apply page.

1. 1

   From 14 December 2026, start the online application, which asks for your details, contact information for a parent and a recommender, and your 300-word statement of interest.

2. 2

   Give the contact details of a school official, who'll get an email asking them to upload your transcript.

3. 3

   Once you submit, Tufts emails your parent the permission form and your recommender the letter request, and review only starts when those and your transcript arrive.

4. 4

   Get everything in by 1 May 2027 at 11:59 p.m. ET, though Tufts decides on a rolling basis and usually replies within 10 business days of a complete file.

5. 5

   If you're admitted, return the offer reply form and pay the $550 deposit within 10 days, counting weekends and holidays, or pay in full if you're admitted after 15 May.

6. 6

   Pay the balance by 15 May 2027 and finish your enrollment forms by 1 June 2027, or Tufts withdraws you automatically.