What’s Next

Already secured your spot? Review upcoming deadlines and events.

Congratulations! You’ve secured your spot to enter in Fall 2025, and we’re excited that you’ve chosen to join our unique community.

There’s a lot to do between now and the end of the summer. This guide will help you navigate the various tasks you’ll need to complete before then.

Create Your Emerson Account

Now that your spot is secure, you should have received an email inviting you to sign up for an Emerson account.

Please do so as soon as possible! We’ll keep in touch primarily through your Emerson Account, as this is how you’ll be able to stay on top of deadlines and tasks.

Deadlines at a Glance

task	Deadline
Accept Your Financial Assistance Statement	June 1
Sign Up for Housing	Early June
Submit I-20 Documentation (International Students)	June 15
Submit Proof of Graduation and Health Information	July 15
Pay Tuition Bill	August 1

Accept Your Financial Assistance

(For Domestic Students only)

Deadline: June 1

Please view your Financial Assistance statement in your Admission Portal. You will receive instructions for accepting your financial aid in May.

Sign Up for Housing

First-year students are required to live on campus; transfer students may request housing, but it is not guaranteed.

First-year students will see an option to complete the online Housing Application Form in the Admission Portal beginning in early May. The submission deadline is early June. Move-in dates are posted in late June and housing assignments are emailed in August.

Although transfer students do not have a housing requirement, housing can be offered based upon two factors:

Date of completed Non-guaranteed Housing Application
Availability of space on campus

The Non-guaranteed Housing Application is available early May in the Admission Portal. There is no close date.

Please only submit a transfer housing application if you intend to live on campus.

If you choose to live off-campus, we encourage you to work with Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) to find an apartment in Boston.

Provide Required Documents

Proof of Graduation

Deadline: July 15

All incoming students must provide proof of secondary school graduation.

Acceptable forms satisfying our proof of graduation requirement include:

A final high school transcript from a US high school or US-accredited high school, including the date of graduation; signed, stamped, or sealed by a school official; and sent from your high school or recognized third-party vendor;
- A final signed high school transcript may also be emailed or faxed by a school official.
A Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) or High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) results sent directly from the testing organization;
An official copy of documentation sent directly from the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization indicating that a diploma has been awarded;
- The diploma may also be emailed or mailed by a school official.
National exam results showing completion of Secondary School: GCE/GCSE exams (O-Level and AS-level), India Secondary School Examinations, French Baccalaureate, Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) Exams, and CAPE I, etc.
Admitted homeschooled students must either be able to provide evidence of a homeschool diploma or a certificate of completion that is considered the equivalent of a high school diploma in the applicant’s home state; or they must complete and submit results of their GED test prior to enrollment.

If your school is not accredited by the US and does not issue US diplomas (and you do not have qualifying national exam results as specified above), you need to submit:

Your official final transcript, with graduation date, containing all academic coursework along with your graduation certificate, diploma, or equivalent.
- All documents are required to be submitted by a school official, sent from your high school (fax, email, standard mail) or a recognized third-party vendor (Common App, Naviance).
- If documents are not in English, please provide certified English translations.
- Students will receive email notification if an evaluation is needed in August.

The Office of Undergraduate Admission, in some instances, may require that you have your credentials evaluated by a professional evaluation organization, such as the Center for Educational Documentation.

Invalid Forms of Proof of Graduation

We cannot accept the following as proof of graduation:

IB exam scores in lieu of the diploma
Photocopies or scans of high school diplomas
German Abitur, European Baccalaureate, and Swiss Maturité (if in native language; however, official results can be evaluated for transfer credit and do not require a credential evaluation)

Health Information

Deadline: July 15

All incoming students are required to register and log in to the secure Student Health Portal (SHP) to complete a medical history, submit immunization records, and complete a Tuberculosis Risk Assessment Questionnaire.

To get started, download the Immunization Verification Form to bring to your health care provider to complete, sign, and date. You will need the form to enter information in the SHP.

Having trouble? Review the guide to using the Student Health Portal.

Pay Tuition Bill

We accept payments by mail, in person, or via wire transfer.

By Mail

Check or money orders payable to Emerson College can be mailed to:

Office of Student Accounts
Emerson College
120 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116

All mail must be directed to the attention of the Office of Student Accounts. Please be sure to include the student’s name and Emerson ID number.

Bills can be printed via the online payment site. Electronic check payments can also be made via the online payment site. There is no fee for making an electronic check payment.

In Person

Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or debit card, during office hours at:

Office of Student Accounts
216 Tremont Street, 4th Floor
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Please note that to make a debit card payment, you must have the card physically with you. Credit card payments are acceptable via the web and can be made at the kiosk in the Office of Student Accounts.

Wire Transfer

International

International students must send their wire transfers through Flywire. Utilizing Flywire enables students to pay in their home currency, saves money by avoiding hidden bank fees, and offers wholesale exchange rates. Visit Flywire to begin the payment process.

Domestic

Please call the Office of Student Accounts at 617-824-8655 or email bills@emerson.edu.

Advising & Registration Information

First-year and transfer students have different processes to register for classes.

First-year registration materials will be made available online to incoming students in mid-May via their Admission Portal. Your course selections need to be submitted as soon as possible. Students will be notified via their Emerson email when their fall semester schedule is available for viewing online at the end of July.

Transferring Credits

First-year students may be awarded transfer credit for college coursework taken prior to enrolling at Emerson, or for taking Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams.
Please submit official final college transcripts and/or College Board exam scores to Emerson College Undergraduate Admission, 120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116 by July 15. You can submit a transcript for any summer college coursework by August 15. Evaluations are usually completed within a few weeks.

Major Changes

If you are considering a major change prior to May 15, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission at admission@emerson.edu. You will hear from an admission counselor within one week as to whether your request can be approved.

If you are considering a major change after May 15, please contact the Academic Advising Center at advising@emerson.edu.

Academic Advising will consider major change requests according to program space availability. Please note that incoming students may NOT request to change majors into the Comedic Arts program or the Department of Performing Arts.

Information regarding the major change process and qualifications required for specific programs is available at the Academic Advising Center.

Academic Advising will instruct you in early June via your Admission Portal as to when you are eligible to schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to get registered for the fall semester. Students will be notified via their Emerson email when their fall semester schedule is available for viewing online at the end of July.

Transferring Credits

You will be able to view a Transfer Credit Evaluation in your Admission Portal within two weeks of being accepted.

Please submit official final college transcripts and/or College Board exam scores to Emerson College Undergraduate Admission, 120 Bolyston Street, Boston, MA 02116 by June 15.

You can submit a transcript for summer college coursework by August 15. Evaluations are usually completed within a few weeks.

Major Changes

If you are considering a major change prior to May 15, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission at admission@emerson.edu. You will hear from an admission counselor within one week as to whether your request can be approved.

If you are considering a major change after May 15, please contact the Academic Advising Center at advising@emerson.edu.

Academic Advising will consider major change requests according to program space availability. Please note that students may NOT request to change majors into the Comedic Arts program or the Department of Performing Arts.

We advise that you meet with your Transfer Advisor to discuss the major change process, specific program qualifications, and impact on your long-term plan.

I-20 Information for International Students

To study in the United States, all international students must receive the Form I-20, issued by the Office of Undergraduate Admission, which is also known as a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status. We recommend submitting the documents to receive your Form I-20 as soon as possible, as visa processing can take up to three (3) months.

In addition to your nonrefundable enrollment deposit, to issue your Form I-20, we require the following documents to be uploaded through your Admission Portal by June 15:

Official Bank Document, showing a minimum of $80,981 USD in liquid assets for all programs on campus, or $70,523 USD in liquid assets for the Global BFA in Film Art. Please ensure that the account type (savings, checking, or certificate of deposit) and exact dollar amount held in the associated account are clearly listed on the statement or letter issued by the financial institution.
- Review a Sample Bank Statement (downloadable PDF)
Uploaded Letter of Financial Sponsorship provided from Emerson College in your online Admission Portal. If you are being sponsored by a company or organization, please ensure that the Financial Guarantee or Sponsorship Letter is written on official company letterhead.
Online Submission of International Student Contact Form through your admission portal.
Copy of your passport, showing the biographical/identification page.

If you are currently studying in the U.S. and have a valid I-20, in addition to the above listed items, you will also need to submit:

A copy of your current F-1 student visa located in your passport.
- Note: If you hold Canadian citizenship or Bermudian citizenship, please email us at admission@emerson.edu to have this waived.
Your most recent Form I-94 arrival/departure record (access online through the Department of Homeland Security).
A copy of your previous Form I-20 (please include all three pages).
Check in with your current F-1 school’s P/DSO to ensure that they transfer your current Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record to Emerson College. The SEVIS School Code for Emerson College is BOS214F00128000.
Completed Transfer-In Form (available in your Admission Portal).
Any other relevant documents (e.g., documents related to dependents, proof of health insurance, copy of current lease).

Once we receive all documents and they have been approved, and (if applicable) your current F-1 school has transferred your account in SEVIS, you will receive an email to confirm all information in a draft copy of your Form I-20. Once confirmed, you will receive the official Form I-20 via email.

When you receive your Form I-20, you will then need to apply for your F-1 Visa. Please complete the following steps to apply for an F-1 Visa:

Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee.
Gather the necessary documents: Form I-20 or DS-2019, SEVIS I-901 Fee receipt, Emerson College Admission Letter, and Proof of Financial Support.
Apply for a Visa.
Receive a Visa
- Keep the envelope sealed until the student arrives at the U.S. Port of Entry.

Dependents (if applicable) need to apply for F-2 Visas. Undergraduate Admission can assist with this process. Please note that if you are bringing dependents, you will need to show proof of an additional $8,933 USD for a spouse and $4,466.50 USD for each child on your bank document.

Questions on the Visa Process

If you have any questions regarding I-20 documents or the visa process, please contact a member of the International Undergraduate Admission Team:

Jennifer Recinos
jennifer_recinos2@emerson.edu
International Territories: Asia, Canada, Oceania

Rafael Trujillo
rafael_trujillo@emerson.edu
International Territories: Central America, Mexico, South America

Camille Bouknight
camille_bouknight@emerson.edu
International Territories: Africa, Caribbean, Europe (excluding France and Switzerland), Middle East

Move-In and Orientation

Nice job! You’ve gotten the paperwork done, squared away your deposits, registered for advising, and applied for housing. Here’s what you need before you step into your residence hall.

Move-In

Move-in on campus is an exciting, vibrant, and well-orchestrated event for the Emerson community! We do everything we can to make it an easy and smooth transition to campus. For fall move-in, first-year students all move in during one day. For general move-in dates, it is best to refer to our academic calendar. Students are also able to find a detailed move-in schedule in their housing portal.

Be sure to check out the list of what to bring with you (and what not to take along).

Orientation

You can’t miss Orientation, our huge welcoming event for all new Emersonians starting in the Fall semester. Our goal is to ensure all new students have a smooth transition to Emerson. Orientation will take place August 26 through September 1.

Our Orientation events will:

Provide information about campus services and resources;
Introduce you to our Orientation Leaders (OLs) and Resident Assistants (RAs);
Guide you during the move-in process;
Connect you with fellow Emersonians.

Find more details about Orientation and reach out to us if you have any questions!