How to Apply

Prospective students for College of Science Master’s, Graduate Certificate, Doctorate or other Graduate level programs must apply online, where you can check the status of your application at any time.

 

Candidates must meet one of the following pre-requisites prior to being accepted into a program and must supply official confirmation:

  • Have received a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university
  • Have received a master’s degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university
  • Have received a first professional degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university
  • Be an undergraduate enrolled in a PlusOne program at Northeastern University
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Questions?

Visit the Admissions Support Center or contact admissions.

Application Materials Required for Graduate Programs

Master’s, PhD, Graduate Certificates and Special Students

An application for admission and all required application materials must be received by published deadlines.

All programs require a completed online application.

Application Fee – $100

Graduate Certificates – not required

Special Student – not required

Master’s Degree – required

PhD – required

Letters of Recommendation for degree programs should be submitted via your online application.

  • Master’s Degree – 2 Letters required
  • MS Marine Biology – 3 letters required
  • Graduate Certificates – 0 letters required
  • PhD – 3 Letters required
  • Special Student – 0 letters required

GRE General Scores (Institution code is 3682, valid for 5 years).

  • Master’s Degree – NOT required
  • Graduate Certificates – NOT required
  • Special Student – NOT required
  • PhD Programs:
    • Biology – GRE General Test NOT required
    • Chemistry: GRE General Test NOT required
    • Human Behavior and Sustainability Sciences: GRE General Test NOT required and NOT considered in the review process
    • Marine and Environmental Sciences: GRE General Test NOT required and NOT considered in the review process
    • Mathematics: GRE General Test NOT required, GRE Subject Test recommended but NOT required
    • Physics: GRE general test NOT required, GRE Subject Test recommended but NOT required
    • Psychology: GRE General Test NOT required

You may be required to include a personal statement with your application.

  • Master’s Degree – required
  • Graduate Certificates – required
  • PhD – required
  • Special Student – NOT required

Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended should be uploaded as part of your online application for all programs. To upload unofficial transcripts to your application properly follow the below steps:

  1. Create scanned versions of your transcripts in PDF format (up to 500 KB in size)
  2. When prompted to do so in the application, upload and attach transcripts to the online application
  3. Requirements:
    1. Scanned transcripts must be readable and include all courses, grades, (i.e. marks, scores, etc.) and credits completed to date.
    2. If a transcript(s) and/or degree certificate(s) are issued in a language other than English, an English translation must accompany the native language documents. An English translation only will not be deemed sufficient. For those who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree program, a minimum of six semesters of course, grade, and credit information must be present; for those who have completed a three-year undergraduate degree program, a minimum of four semesters must be present.
    3. Include the reverse side of the transcript when uploading to your application. Any additional grading scale information or transcript legends included on the transcript should also be included in the scanned copy. Typically such grading scale information is on the backside of the documents or is on a separate page.
    4. For applicants who have obtained credentials from China, the degree certificate and graduation certificate are required.
    5. For applicants who have obtained credentials from India, semester mark sheets and degree certificate(s)/provisional certificate(s) are required in addition to the consolidated transcript. If semester mark sheets are unavailable, an official communication on institutional letterhead must accompany the consolidated transcript indicating any retakes/backlogs associated with the program.
    6. For applicants who have completed credentials from Europe or Bologna Signatories, please upload the Diploma Supplement in addition to any other records issued by the institution. This shall include the program name, courses completed, length of study, etc. For those who have completed the program, no additional certificate is required if indicated as awarded on the supplement.
    7. For students whose degree program is currently in progress, if the degree program is not indicated on the transcript provided, please upload an official Enrollment Verification. This will be a letter issued from your institution on letterhead that will include the following: Name, degree program currently enrolled in, and expected graduation date.

Official transcripts are required of all enrolled students by the first day of the entry term and must be mailed directly from the institution in a sealed envelope to the address below. Alternatively, official transcripts can be emailed electronically directly from the institution to [email protected]

If the transcripts are from an institution outside of the United States, both official transcripts in the certified English translation and in original language are required.

Northeastern University – College of Science
Graduate Application Processing Center
P.O. Box 1418
Portsmouth, NH 03801, USA

If you are unable to have official transcripts mailed to a P.O. Box, you can have them mailed to 101 Belvidere St, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02115.

If you have official transcripts in a sealed envelope, they can be dropped off in person at the first-floor reception at 101 Belvidere St, Boston, MA 02115, and marked ‘3rd Floor’ on the envelope. Please note that this is a drop-off location only, and documents can take 2-3 weeks to process. 

Proof of English Proficiency is required for all applicants and for all programs (from one of the following):

Degree earned or in progress at an U.S. institution*

– or –

Degree earned or in progress at an institution where English is the only medium of instruction

– or –

Official exam scores from either the TOEFL iBT( (institution code is 3682), IELTS, PTE exam or Duolingo English Test. Scores are valid for 2 years from the test date. Please refer to individual program requirements.

Note: We accept unofficial test scores for the application to be reviewed. Review of your application will not be delayed if your Verified English Language Proficiency scores have not been received.  Should you be accepted into the program, we require your Verified Test Scores are received by the first day of the entry term to finalize admission.

You may be required to include a resumé with your online application.

  • Master’s Degree – required
  • Graduate Certificates – NOT required
  • PhD – required
  • Special Student – NOT required

Applicants to the Master of Science in Cell and Gene Therapies, Master of Science in Biotechnology, and Biotechnology Graduate Certificates should complete the required pre-requisite form located in the College of Science Supplemental Section of the application.  Please note that if the subjects you have marked as completed do not appear in the course titles on your undergraduate transcript, you must provide: a detailed explanation as to how the subjects were covered and a course syllabus.

Master’s Degree Applicants:

  • Fall Domestic:  August 1
  • Spring Domestic: December 1
  • Fall International: July 1
  • Spring International: November 1
  • International currently on a F1 visa in the US:
    • Fall: July 15
    • Spring: November 15
    • **Fall intake only for MS Physics and MS Applied Physics and Engineering
  • MS Marine Biology: Fall intake only – January 1
  • Toronto Campus Deadlines

Graduate Certificate Applicants:

  • Fall Domestic:  August 1
  • Spring Domestic: December 1
  • Fall International: July 1
  • Spring International: November 1 (F1 compliant certificates only)
  • International currently on a F1 visa in the US:
    • Fall: July 15
    • Spring: November 15  (F1 compliant certificates only)

PhD Applicants:

  • Fall admissions only
  • Priority deadline for completed applications: December 1
  • Rolling admissions until March 15. Check with department to see if there is availability

Special Student Applicants:

  • Fall: August 1
  • Spring: December 1

PhD Funding

Tuition and fees may be obtained on the Student Financial Services website. They are subject to revision by the University’s President and the Board of Trustees.

Financial Aid

  • Domestic students taking 6 or more credits (or a full-time standalone course) may qualify to receive need-based federal financial aid. Visit the Student Financial Services website for more information about applying for financial aid.
  • International students are not eligible for need-based financial assistance from the federal government. However, they can explore supplemental loans and on-campus employment.

Scholarships

Applicants with Previous Northeastern Affiliation:

  • Eligible applicants who meet the criteria specified by the three scholarships below are automatically awarded the applicable scholarship when they are accepted into an eligible graduate degree or certificate program. There is no special application required.

Northeastern-Sponsored Scholarships:

Scholarships available outside of Northeastern 

Military

On-Campus Employment

Application Materials Required for PlusOne Programs

First visit the PlusOne page to review the program(s) for which you are eligible.

To submit your application please complete this inquiry form, which will create your initial application profile.  Once this is submitted, you will receive an email notification from the system to set up your account, and be directed to your PlusOne application to complete and submit.  Please note that you will be required to submit a signed copy of your Program Plan* from your Undergraduate Advisor, located in the Program Information section for you to download and complete.

*Please note that the Program Plan is required for submission and may take up to two weeks to obtain a signature from your Undergraduate Advisor.

Fall: August 1

Spring: December 1

MS Marine Biology (Three Seas) PlusOne Summer II Semester:  December 1

MS Chemistry – Submit a letter of recommendation from thesis advisor confirming support of the thesis project

MS Biotechnology – Complete the pre-requisite form located in the College of Science Supplemental Section

MS Biotechnology PlusOne (CPS) – If you have completed an Associate’s Degree prior to entering Northeastern University, upload the Associate Degree transcripts to the online application.

MS Marine Biology – 3 Letters of Recommendation are required.

All materials submitted for admission consideration become University property and will not be returned to the applicant.

The College of Science reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission at any time prior to or after enrollment if one or more of the following occur:

  • There is a discrepancy between the unofficial or self-reported transcript and/or test scores submitted at the time of application and the official transcripts and/or test scores received by the College of Science.
  • Applicant does not submit a final transcript showing conferral of a bachelor’s, master’s, first professional, or equivalent degree from an accredited institution within 30 days of matriculation.
  • Applicant fails to meet the deadlines and/or other credential requirements of the degree program to which the applicant applied.

We can help you navigate the application process.