Transcripts
Transcripts showing credits and grades for all post-secondary work from each college or university you've attended, including study abroad programs, are required. They may be submitted either by mail or electronically.
Unofficial Transcripts
We will review applications with unofficial transcripts and give you an admission decision that is contingent upon receiving a copy of an official transcript by the start of your entering term.
Official Transcripts
Official transcripts are required for admitted students enrolling in a graduate program.
Electronic transcripts may be sent from your university registrar through their secured document system, such as e-Script, Clearinghouse, etc., to Suffolk’s Office of Graduate Admission. Your university registrar may also send sealed, original transcripts through the mail to:
Office of Graduate Admission
Suffolk University
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108
All materials must be received secured and sealed. We cannot accept any materials as official from an applicant if they are opened or as an attachment to an email from the applicant. All materials submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission become the property of the University and cannot be returned.
Further details for students who attended non-U.S. institutions that do not produce additional official copies of transcripts can review options under the International Students page.
Confirmation of Undergraduate Degree
Students enrolling in graduate programs must have a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States, or an equivalent degree granted by an institution in another country (as determined by the Office of Graduate Admission). Proof of degree conferral must be on file with the University for enrollment. For those attending a U.S. institution, this is often a part of your university transcript. For those from non-U.S. institutions, this will be a degree statement in addition to your marks sheets.
Students applying before completion of their bachelor's degree or equivalent may submit a transcript showing coursework in progress. A note will appear on your status portal indicating that a final transcript is required after degree conferral. Failure to provide proof of degree may result in a delay in registering for classes.
Goal Statement or Writing Sample
Unless otherwise indicated on the application (as with the doctoral and radiation therapy programs), please provide a statement outlining your reasons for applying to the program. Include a candid analysis of professional objectives, both long- and short-term, and indicate how the graduate program to which you are applying will help you achieve them. There is no minimum or maximum length for this statement; however, one to two pages is usually sufficient.
Video Essay (MBA and MHA only)
Applicants to the MBA and Master of Healthcare Administration programs are required to record a brief (2 minute) video essay in response to a prompt. Instructions will be provided upon application submission.
Resume
Submit a current resume summarizing your academic qualifications, appropriate work and volunteer experience, relevant skills, and any honors or awards you have received.
References & Letters of Recommendation
References are required of all applicants. References should be submitted by current or former faculty with whom you have studied, or supervisors/project managers who have worked with you in a professional environment. Recommendations from peers, colleagues, direct reports, friends, family, or personal references will not be considered. Professional contact information must be provided. The admission committee will not review references submitted via personal email addresses, such as Gmail.
For Fall 2025: All graduate programs in the College of Arts & Sciences, as well as the Master of Healthcare Administration, Master of Public Administration, and MS in Law: Life Sciences programs require references in the form of letters of recommendation. All other Sawyer Business School programs require contact information for their reference, and recommenders will then be sent a brief assessment to complete. Beginning in 2026, the Master of Healthcare Administration program will require contact information for references to complete an assessment in lieu of a formal letter.
Please contact the Office of Graduate Admission if you have any questions or concerns.
College of Arts & Sciences, Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), Master of Public Administration (MPA), and MS in Law: Life Sciences
Letters of recommendation may be submitted electronically through the online application form or sent to the Office of Graduate Admission. Online references will receive a unique link for submission. Up to two letters of recommendation may be submitted electronically. Students may submit more recommendations than are required (up to three), but the application will be considered and reviewed when the minimum required number of references are received.
Paper letters may be submitted using personal letterhead when available. Recommenders must sign the letter, include their full name and contact information, and submit it in a sealed, signed envelope, which can be sent to our mailing address:
Office of Graduate Admission
Suffolk University
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108
All College of Arts & Sciences programs, the Master of Healthcare Administration program, and the MS in Law: Life Sciences program require two letters of recommendation, while the Master of Public Administration program requires one letter. When possible, MS in Crime and Justice Studies applicants are encouraged to submit at least one letter from an academic reference.
Sawyer Business School (excluding MHA and MPA)
Sawyer Business School (excluding Master of Healthcare Administration and Master of Public Administration) applicants will be asked to provide the contact information for one reference. The reference will receive a link to complete an online form assessing the candidate in a number of areas. No written letter of recommendation is required. Any written letters submitted will not be used in lieu of a completed reference form.
Academic Testing
Academic testing is not required for admission into graduate programs within the Sawyer Business School or College of Arts & Sciences. Applicants are welcome to submit test scores to strengthen their applications, and any test scores submitted will be considered in the admission decision process.
Applicants who opt to provide testing must have scores submitted directly by the testing agency to the Office of Graduate Admission. Scores are valid from the date taken for five (5) years. In addition, test scores will be reviewed once. Students may not submit new scores after admission in order to be reconsidered for merit aid.
Suffolk University's code for ETS test scores is 3771. No department code is needed for GRE test-takers.
Suffolk University's codes for the GMAT are program-dependent:
- MBA full-time: ZWT-BN-92
- MBA part-time: ZWT-BN-83
- Executive MBA: ZWT-BN-29
- Other Master's: ZWT-BN-55
Please note:
MS in Marketing and MS in Business Analytics applicants must have passed a university-level statistics course in the past 5 years (B or better), have equivalent industry experience, or have an undergraduate or graduate degree in natural science (biology, chemistry, physics), engineering, math, business, computer and information sciences, finance, marketing, or social and behavioral sciences (psychology, economics, sociology and political science). GMAT or GRE scores are recommended for applicants not meeting this criteria.
Applicants of JD dual-degree programs must provide testing as required by Suffolk University Law School.
English Proficiency
International applicants must submit proof of English proficiency via successful completion of Duolingo, TOEFL, IELTS, Michigan English Test, or PTE-Academic. Additional details, including exemption criteria, can be found on the International Students page.
Interviews
Admission interviews are required for certain programs. Please refer to your program of interest for more information.
Additionally, the Admission Committee may request an interview for any program if deemed necessary.
