High School Students
Required Materials
We highly recommend students apply online. However, if it is necessary for you to submit a paper application, it is available through the Common Application. If you have applied online, please do not mail a copy to us.
Please ensure that your name, date-of-birth, and Admissions ID are on every item of your application materials.
Prospective freshman students should submit:
- Completed Common Application and required NU Supplement
- Application fee: $65 for online submission (preferred method) $75 for paper submission
- Secondary school transcripts including senior-year first quarter and midterm grades
- Official SAT or ACT (with writing) results (Northeastern's CEEB College Code is 3667)
- Guidance counselor and teacher recommendations (available through Common Application Web site)
- Transcripts from any college-level course work
- Portfolio (recommended for art and graphic design and required for music technology applicants)
- Early Action candidates should send their first-term grades as soon as they are available
- General Equivalency Diploma (GED) recipients should provide their official GED score reports and their most complete high school transcript
- Home schooled applicants should submit an academic portfolio/transcript consistent with their state guidelines and a list of all textbooks used. They must also provide proof that they will have met by the end of May of the year of graduation all requirements for an official high school diploma and submit an official final transcript, a GED, or a certificate of completion from your local school district or state board of education by the end of July of the year of matriculation. Home-schooled students must submit either the ACT with Writing exam or the SAT with Writing, and two SATII Subject Tests, including Mathematics and an additional Subject Test of their choice. Students who are applying for science-based majors should take a Science Subject Test. Applicants into the College of Engineering must take the Physics Subject Test.
- Non-traditional Grading Policy. Students who attend schools where narrative evaluations are used instead of traditional letter grades are required to submit the narratives to complete their applications. In the case of schools like the Sudbury Valley School which does not provide traditional letter grades or narrative evaluations must submit SAT/ACT exam scores (with the Writing section) and two SAT II subject tests, including mathematics and an additional subject test of their choice. Students who are applying for science-based majors should take a science subject test. Applicants to the College of Engineering must take the physics subject test.
International Applicants must also submit:
- National Exam results as applicable. This can include GCE/GCSE exams (O-Level and AS-level) , India Secondary School Examinations, Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Exams , and CAPE I, etc,
- International Supplement to the Secondary School Report
- Declaration and Certification of Finances
- Please note that SAT or ACT scores are optional, but recommended, for international freshman applicants. However, applicants who attend a high school in the U.S., who will graduate from an international school that follows the U.S. high school curriculum, or who are student athletes who must meet NCAA eligibility requirements, are required to submit their official SAT or ACT results.
- Students whose native language is not English are required to submit proof of English language proficiency: TOEFL -passing score of 213 on the computer-based test, 550 on the paper based test, 79-80 on the Internet -based test, and a passing score of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) . This requirement is waived if your SAT critical reading score /ACT equivalent is at least 500. It is your responsibility to ensure that your test scores are either submitted directly to Northeastern by the testing service or are included on your official high school transcript.
Mailing Instructions
Please pay careful attention to our mailing instructions for documents and packages.
Checklists
Download an Application Checklist to assist with the process.
International applicants are required to submit a Declaration of Finances Form (PDF) indicating availability of funds equal to the amount required to attend Northeastern and pay for living expenses for a full year.
If you are an International applicant currently studying in the United States and you intend to enroll at Northeastern, you will need to complete the Transfer Notification for F-1 and J-1 Visa Holders Form (PDF).
Click here to obtain information on Financial Aid and Scholarships.