Tufts essay prompts
2026-27verified Tufts University admissions
These are the most recent published prompts. Final 2026-27 supplements typically land by early August.
Choose-Your-Own
Respond to one of three prompts: explore an aspect of your identity, discuss a time you stood up for something, or imagine a creative project you'd undertake at Tufts.
250 words max · Required
Why SMFA (SMFA applicants)
I am applying to SMFA at Tufts because…
250 words max · Required
Upbringing / Identity (Option B)
How have the environments or experiences of your upbringing – your family, home, neighborhood, or community – shaped the person you are today?
250 words max · Required
Artistic Vision (SMFA applicants)
Art has the power to disrupt our preconceptions, shape public discourse, and imagine new ways of being in the world. What are the ideas you'd like to explore in your work?
250 words max · Required
Why Tufts
I am applying to Tufts because…
250 words max · Required
Intellectual Curiosity (Option A)
It's cool to love learning. What excites your intellectual curiosity and why?
250 words max · Required
Community / Collaboration (Option C)
Using a specific example or two, tell us about a way that you contributed to building a collaborative and/or inclusive community.
250 words max · Required
Optional Additional Context
If there is something else you would like the Admissions Committee to know about you that is not reflected elsewhere in your application, please share it here. This might include a challenge you’ve faced, a skill you’ve developed, or an experience that has shaped you.
150 words max · Optional
Why Tufts
What is something you are interested in—an idea, a field of study, a hobby, a career, or a project—that you are not currently pursuing in your school or community? Using specific examples, explain why this matters to you and how you hope to explore it at Tufts.
200 words max · Required
Community
Tufts values active citizenship and community engagement. Tell us about a time you worked with others to address a need or problem in your community. What did you learn about collaboration and leadership through this experience?
250 words max · Required
Identity
Describe a moment when you felt your identity or background made you see the world differently than your peers. How did this perspective shape your actions or community engagement?
250 words max · Required
About the application
Applies via the Common App.
Make your next draft count.
Common questions
- What are the Tufts essay prompts for 2026-27?
- Tufts lists Choose-Your-Own (1 prompt); Why SMFA (SMFA applicants) (1 prompt); Upbringing / Identity (Option B) (1 prompt); Artistic Vision (SMFA applicants) (1 prompt); Why Tufts (1 prompt); Intellectual Curiosity (Option A) (1 prompt); Community / Collaboration (Option C) (1 prompt); Optional Additional Context (1 prompt); Why Tufts (1 prompt); Community (1 prompt); Identity (1 prompt) for 2026-27.
- How many essays does Tufts require?
- Tufts requires 10 essays based on the published group instructions for 2026-27. The page lists 10 required and 1 optional prompts.
- What are the word limits for the Tufts supplemental essays?
- The published word and character limits are 250 words max, 150 words max, 200 words max.