How to Apply
Apply for an Online Master's Program
Apply for the Language and Literacy online master's degree program.
If you are an international student, you'll have additional application requirements.
Apply for the Language and Literacy online master's degree program.
If you are an international student, you'll have additional application requirements.
Summer Start (May 13)
Standard Deadline: April 25
If you wish to apply and be considered after the deadline, please contact Graduate Admissions at 617.349.8300 or email luadmissions@lesley.edu to discuss a late application.
Our graduate programs require that you have an undergraduate degree. And some programs have other prerequisite requirements such as specific coursework, a certification or license, or a master's degree in a specific field.
Check the program of study for the academic program you are interested in to see if there are any prerequisites. You can find the link to the program of study on the lesley.edu web page for the program.
You can also ask us at luadmissions@lesley.edu. We're happy to help!
Create an account and password before you start your application. You can stop and save your application, and return to complete it later.
You'll need to submit the following supporting materials.
You can send the documents separately, but we won't be able to make an admissions decision until we've received everything.
Have each institution where you earned an undergraduate or graduate degree send us your official transcript.
If your transcript is not in English, provide a notarized translation of it.
If you’re enrolled in a degree program when you apply, submit your transcript of the courses you’ve taken to date. Submit your final official transcript once you’ve completed the degree program.
Lesley University
Graduate Admissions Services
29 Everett Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
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.
You’ll need a document-by-document evaluation. Exception: Expressive Therapies master's degree programs require a course-by-course evaluation instead.
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.
Submit 2 recent recommendations from people you've worked with closely in an academic or professional setting.
At least one recommendation should come from a present or former supervisor.
If you’re in school, or are a recent graduate, the second recommendation should be from a professor.
We don’t accept recommendations written by friends or family, or that were written more 2 years before your application date.
Within your online application form, include the names and emails of the people writing your letters of recommendation. They'll receive an email from you with an electronic recommendation form, and they can upload a letter if they choose.
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:
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Official Cambridge English Exam
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:
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.
If the program you’re applying to requires an initial teaching license as a prerequisite, you’ll need to submit a copy of the licenses or certifications you hold.
All of our online programs require that you write a personal statement. Your written personal statement gives us insight into your motivation, purpose in pursuing a degree program, writing skills, and communication style. It’s an important part of our review process.
Use narrative form and address these questions:
Reflect on your personal and professional history. What forces have influenced your professional growth and contributed to your decision to seek admission to this Lesley University program?
What are your long-term professional goals (new directions, opportunities, interests, skills, professional renewal, or work advancement), and how does this Lesley University program help you to meet them?
Is there other information you think would help the admissions committee understand you better? Examples:
Include your full name on the top of the document.
Show relevant work, volunteer, or academic experience on your résumé.