Learn more about Maine Scholars.
Lesley Announces Maine Scholars Program
The Maine Scholars program gives students prioritization by Maine employers as well as opportunities for financial aid and scholarship benefits.

How to Apply

Apply for a campus-based BFA program as an international transfer student.

Application Deadlines

Application Deadlines

As a transfer applicant, complete your online application form and send us your materials by these deadlines.

You’ll find out if you’ve been accepted 2–3 weeks after you send us your completed application and materials.

Fall/September Start

Priority Deadline: May 1
Standard Deadline: August 15

Spring/January Start

Priority Deadline: December 1
Standard Deadline: January 5

If you wish to apply and be considered after the deadline, please contact Eric Pappas at 857.500.7266 or email eric.pappas@lesley.edu to discuss a late application.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites

What we look for.

If you’re looking to transfer into one of our on-campus undergraduate programs, we’ll be looking at your:

  • Academic performance
  • Personal and professional goals
  • How your goals relate to your area of study

Accepted transfer students have maintained a 2.5 or higher cumulative grade point average in previous college-level work.

The number of credits we'll accept.

We’ll accept a maximum of 90 transfer credits for most of our bachelor’s degree programs, except for art and design programs.

For art and design programs, you can transfer up to 66 transfer credits. You’ll need a grade C or better in courses you’ve taken that are equivalent to required Lesley courses.

Wondering if your courses will transfer?

Log in to Transferology to see how your courses will transfer to Lesley University.

Application Form

Application Form

Spring 2025

Freshmen Application Link
Self Service Center (radiusbycampusmgmt.com)

Transfer Application Link
Self Service Center (radiusbycampusmgmt.com)

Online, Community College Partnerships, and Adult Learning Programs Application Link
Self Service Center (radiusbycampusmgmt.com)

Fall 2025

Freshmen Application Link
Login | Common App

Transfer Application Link
Self Service Center (radiusbycampusmgmt.com)

Online, Community College Partnerships, and Adult Learning Programs Application Link
Self Service Center (radiusbycampusmgmt.com)

 

Submit Documents

Submit Documents

In addition to your online application, you'll need to submit the following supporting materials.

Official Transcripts

If you’ve earned fewer than 24 college-level credits, have your high school send us your official high school transcript. We’ll need original documents. If your transcript is not in English, provide a notarized translation of it.

If you didn't complete high school, but took the GED or HiSet instead, submit an official copy of your test results to show you passed.

However, if you’ve earned 24 or more college-level credits, you don’t need to submit your high school transcript, GED, or HiSet test results. Send us your college transcripts.

High School Transcript, GED, or HiSet

Your official transcript needs to arrive at our Undergraduate Admissions Office unopened and have:

  • Your date of graduation
  • School's official signature
  • Seal affixed to the envelope

College Transcripts

We’ll need an official college transcript from each institution you’ve attended. Transcripts must be from regionally accredited colleges and universities. If your college transcript is not in English, provide a notarized translation of it.

Have your college’s Registrar’s Office send original documents, in a sealed envelope, to our Undergraduate Admissions Office.

We also accept electronic transcripts through secure sites such as:

Where to Send Transcripts

Send transcripts to:

appstatus@lesley.edu

Or

Lesley University
Undergraduate Admissions Services
29 Everett Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

 

Foreign Academic Credentials Evaluation

A credential evaluation helps us understand the courses you’ve taken, the grades you’ve earned, or the degree you’ve received from an institution outside the United States.

Get an independent credential evaluation of your transcripts to determine U.S. equivalency.

Undergraduate Transfer Students

You’ll need a course-by-course evaluation for any college or university you attended abroad. Credential evaluations are not required for high school transcripts.

Evaluation Agencies

Contact one of these agencies to get your credentials evaluated.


If you’re submitting a foreign academic credential evaluation, unofficial transcripts are acceptable for your transcript requirement if official transcripts were provided to the evaluation agency.

Letter of Recommendation

A letter of recommendation is not required of all transfer applicants. Your counselor will be in communication with you if additional information is needed.

English Language Proficiency

We want you to be successful in your program. If your native language is not English, we require that you provide proof of your English proficiency.

You can show your proficiency in one of these ways:

Option 1

Duolingo English Test

  • We require a minimum score of 105 on this test.

Option 2

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

  • Minimum score of 80 on the Internet test.
  • Submit your score. Use Lesley University’s CEEB code: 3483.

Option 3

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

  • A score of 6.5 or higher
  • Contact the center where you took the test. Request that they send your official Test Report Form to Lesley University.

Option 4

Official Cambridge English Exam

  • C1 Advanced (Certificate in Advanced English)
  • C2 Proficiency (Certificate of Proficiency in English)

Option 5

English as a Second Language (ESL) Program Partnerships

We have partnered with several language schools to help you meet the English requirement. Complete the curriculum at one of the schools, at the specified level.

Then, get a letter from the program coordinator or teacher. The letter should explain that your English is proficient for college-level study.

Here are our partner schools and levels we require:

Option 6

English Language Requirement Waiver

If English is not your native language, but you’ve graduated from a school or program that was taught in English, you may qualify to have the language requirement waived.

If it’s not noted on your transcript, request a letter from your high school, college, or university stating your language of instruction was English.

Portfolio Requirements & Artist Statement

Portfolio Requirements & Artist Statement

Portfolio

As a student applying to a BFA program, or a campus-based undergraduate certificate program in art and design, you'll submit a digital portfolio of your strongest and most recent work as part of your application.

Exception: If you are applying for the BA in Art, you do not need to submit a portfolio.

  • Submit your portfolio.

    What to include:

    • 10–15 images in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, collage, photography, or other media (traditional or digital).
    • Or, 12 minutes of video clips for a digital filmmaking portfolio.
    • Review our portfolio tips to see what we're looking for.

    First-Year BFA Program Applicants

    Create your Common Application account before you upload your portfolio to Slideroom.

    Transfer and Advanced Professional Certificate Applicants

    You won’t use the Common Application, so you can upload your work to Slideroom at any time.

    Upload Your Portfolio

    1. Create a Slideroom account.
       
    2. Select the type of applicant you are:
      1. Common Application First-Year
      2. Transfer Undergrad Application
      3. Advanced Professional Certificate (2-year program)
         
    3. Upload your work.

      Slideroom requires you to upload a minimum of 12 submissions. For example, if you submit 2 films to be considered for our Digital Film BFA program, you’ll need to submit 10 other forms of work (such as still frames) to complete your portfolio.

     

Artist Statement

This 1-2 page statement is required for transfer BFA students and certificate students, but optional for first-year BFA students.

  • Submit your Artist Statement.
    1. Write a 1-2 page essay that describes your progress as a visual artist. The format may follow a chronological account of your progress through high school (and college if applicable) and how that progress relates to Lesley University's College of Art and Design as your next destination.
    2. Upload the essay to Slideroom when you submit your portfolio.

Application Status

Application Status

Activate your online account and review your status.

We’re so happy you’ve chosen to apply to Lesley University.

Soon, we'll assign you a Self-Service account where you'll be able to review the receipt of your admission application materials and financial aid documents.

  • Activate Account

    You must do these steps to be able to log in to your Lesley accounts.

    1. Go to the Password Management page.
    2. Click "Activate/Change Password" to change your temporary password.
    3. Enter your Lesley credentials, as communicated to you in your application acknowledgment letter.
    4. You'll be prompted to create a Password Profile.
    5. After creating your Password Profile, you'll be able to change your temporary password to one that you choose, or you can let the system generate a password for you.

    Account Issues

    If you have password problems, visit the Password Management page and choose "Reset my Password."

    If you have any difficulty using your Self-Service account, contact Information Technology at 617.349.8770 or it@lesley.edu.

  • Review Status

    To view the receipt of your application and financial aid documents and materials:

    1. Log in to Self-Service.
    2. Enter your Lesley credentials in the form of username@lesley.edu and the password you chose when you activated your account.
    3. In the Notifications section, select "View required documents." To see more than outstanding items, click on "View All". If you do not have a Notifications section, go to the User Options area, and select "Required Documents."

      View the status of your application materials. "Received" or "Waived" indicates the completion of an individual requirement.
       
    4. For Financial Aid-related information, select Financial Information > Financial Aid from the navigation bar or go back to the Home page and click on the Financial Aid tile.

Contact Admissions

Contact Admissions

If you have any questions or concerns about any of the application requirements, please contact us and we'll be in touch.
Mailing Address
  • Lesley University
    Admissions Services
    29 Everett Street
    Cambridge, MA 02138
On-Campus Programs
Online Programs
29 Everett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.868.9600