We're glad you're thinking of Wellesley!
We’ve pulled together the nuts and bolts of applying as a first-year student right here, just for you. And if you have any lingering questions after making your way through this page, jump over to our FAQ page for even more (insightful! helpful!) information.
Dates and deadlines
Before you apply to Wellesley, you’ll need to choose from one of the following decision plans. Your decision plan will determine when your application materials are due. Press onward for more details—but not before pausing to gaze at these key dates for each decision plan:
| Early Decision I | Early Decision II | Regular Decision | |
|---|---|---|---|
Application | November 1 | January 1 | January 8 |
Financial Aid* | November 1** | January 1** | January 15 |
Quarter Grades | November 15 | January 9 | N/A |
Mid-Year Grades | February 26*** | February 26*** | February 10 |
Notification | Mid-December | Mid-February | Late March |
Reply/Deposit | Early January | Late February | May 1 |
Final Transcript | July 8*** | July 8*** | July 8*** |
* International financial aid deadlines differ. Please see the deadlines for international financial aid applicants.
** For all required financial aid application materials, please see this Student Financial Services page.
*** Only required of enrolling students.
Application checklist
Below, we’ve included the key things you need to know about completing your application to Wellesley. Once you have submitted your application, you will get access to your Wellesley Applicant Portal to check on the status of your credentials.
First-year applicants
Wellesley accepts the Common Application, the QuestBridge Application, and the Coalition Application. Remember that it’s free to apply to Wellesley!
Be sure to be consistent and use your legal name (as it appears on your passport or other legal documents) on all of your application materials. This may sound obvious, but it’s really important! If you go by another name, list that as your “preferred name” on the application and that’s the name we’ll use when we get in touch with you.
If you have fallen utterly in love with Wellesley and know that it is the best social, academic, and financial fit for you, then you might be someone who applies to us through an Early Decision application round! If this is the case, then you will also be asked to complete the Early Decision Agreement form as part of your application. We need you, a parent or guardian, and a school counselor to sign and submit this form.
You’ll need to write two essays: a personal essay and a shorter, Wellesley-specific essay. See our application tips for advice on writing your essays.
The personal essay should be 250-650 words. Each year, the Common Application and Coalition Application update their personal essay prompts (and don’t worry, one of the prompts is “topic of your choice!”).
The Wellesley-specific essay asks you to respond to the following topic:
When choosing a college, you are choosing an intellectual community and a place where you believe that you can live, learn, and flourish. We know that there are more than 100 reasons to choose Wellesley, but it's a good place to start. Visit the Wellesley 100 and select two items that attract, inspire, or celebrate what you would bring to our community. Have fun! Use this opportunity to reflect personally on what items appeal to you most and why. Please limit your response to two thoughtful paragraphs (minimum 250 words, maximum 400 words).
Your transcript(s) should be submitted by your school counselor through the Common Application or the Coalition Application.
Your counselor also needs to complete and submit the School Report (with your most recent grades). It is recommended to also have them submit a copy of your school’s profile alongside the School Report.
If you’re applying for Early Decision, you will need to submit a progress report for your current school year (typically first-quarter or first-trimester grades). When your midyear grades become available, you will need to ask your counselor to complete the midyear report form (also part of the online application).
Your school might require that you sign a release for your transcript. If that’s the case, make sure the release covers first-quarter or first-trimester grades, midyear grades, and your final transcript so that these credentials aren’t delayed.
Wellesley requires two letters of recommendation from teachers.
Carefully consider which teachers you want to ask to fill out your evaluation. Have they gotten to know you personally? Have they seen you improve? Can they comment on your learning style?
Be sure to give your chosen teachers enough time to write your letter of recommendation. They are, after all, busy people with full lives.
Wellesley College has temporarily suspended its standardized test requirement for a four-year period of review. Applicants to Wellesley for entry in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 are not required to submit SAT or ACT test results with their applications.
Our holistic, committee-based application review process gives us the flexibility to evaluate each applicant’s full record within the context of their available resources. While standardized tests have long served as an external benchmark of college readiness, they are one factor among many that we can consider in the admission process.
Regardless of an applicant’s decision to submit test scores, the admission committee is particularly interested in an applicant’s demonstrated writing and quantitative skills as key predictors for success in Wellesley’s curriculum.
If you do choose to take the SAT or the ACT, we recommend that you complete testing by the end of your junior year. However, if you do sit for the exam in your senior year, here are the last possible dates we recommend taking the exam in order to have the results available for the round through which you apply to Wellesley:
Early Decision I: Late October/Early November
Early Decision II: Early December
Regular Decision: Early December
If you have a special talent in the arts, you might want to submit an arts portfolio. Our art, music, and theatre studies departments will accept electronic submissions of portfolios, recordings, or presentations. The appropriate department will review your material.
Wellesley College does not have a dance department and does not review creative writing materials. Please do NOT submit any dance and/or creative writing supplements as they will not be evaluated.
To submit an arts portfolio:
You must submit your portfolios, recordings, or presentations electronically through the Wellesley Applicant Portal. Your arts portfolio must be submitted through the Applicant Portal within one week of the application deadline. Wellesley does not accept art portfolios through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Please do not mail any materials to the Office of Admission. Submissions sent by mail will not be reviewed or returned.
Follow the guidelines and instructions as outlined by Wellesley’s art, music, and theatre studies departments.
If you are interested in competing in varsity athletics at Wellesley (Division III), submit a recruiting form to the head coach of your sport.
International applicants
Wellesley accepts the Common Application, the QuestBridge Application, and the Coalition Application. Remember that it’s free to apply to Wellesley!
Be sure to be consistent and use your legal name (as it appears on your passport or other legal documents) on all of your application materials. This may sound obvious, but it’s really important! If you go by another name, list that as your “preferred name” on the application and that’s the name we’ll use when we get in touch with you.
If you have fallen utterly in love with Wellesley and know that it is the best social, academic, and financial fit for you, then you might be someone who applies to us through an Early Decision application round! If this is the case, then you will also be asked to complete the Early Decision Agreement form as part of your application. We need you, a parent or guardian, and a school counselor to sign and submit this form.
You’ll need to write two essays: a personal essay and a shorter, Wellesley-specific essay. See our application tips for advice on writing your essays.
The personal essay should be 250-650 words. Each year, the Common Application and Coalition Application update their personal essay prompts (and don’t worry, one of the prompts is “topic of your choice!”).
The Wellesley-specific essay asks you to respond to the following topic:
When choosing a college, you are choosing an intellectual community and a place where you believe that you can live, learn, and flourish. We know that there are more than 100 reasons to choose Wellesley, but it's a good place to start. Visit the Wellesley 100 and select two items that attract, inspire, or celebrate what you would bring to our community. Have fun! Use this opportunity to reflect personally on what items appeal to you most and why. Please limit your response to two thoughtful paragraphs (minimum 250 words, maximum 400 words).
An official transcript is a certified record of the courses you have completed and the marks you received at each marking period in all schools attended during the previous four years. We need both the transcript in the original language as well as a translated version. If the school system uses a coded transcript, an explanation of the code and the marking system should be included. If you cannot obtain a transcript, a certified record of the courses you took, along with a progress report, must be submitted instead.
Your counselor also needs to complete and submit the School Report.
All applicants must submit certified photocopies of all academic diplomas and Government Examination certificates. These include GCSE ("O" level) and "A" level certificates, and appropriate documents from your home country (e.g., Indian S.S.C., Indian H.S.C., Kenyan Certificate of Education, Hong Kong Certificate of Education, Malaysian SRP, International Baccalaureate SPM, STEM, etc.). Examination certificates cannot be substituted for the optional official transcript (see above) or for the required standardized tests (see below). All academic records and examination certificates must have an official seal or certification.
Wellesley requires two letters of recommendation from academic instructors. At least one recommendation must include an evaluation of your proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English.
International, undocumented, and DACA applicants will be prompted to complete a Financial Aid Intent Form after submitting their application for admission.
Within three to five business days of the completion of the Common Application or the Coalition Application powered by Scoir, students will be given access to the Applicant Portal by the Office of Admission. We will contact applicants later in the process regarding any additional financial aid forms or documents they may need to provide. We encourage all applicants applying for aid to begin completing the CSS Profile so that if requested, they can submit it promptly. However, students won’t need to submit the CSS Profile unless they are instructed to do so by our staff.
Wellesley College has temporarily suspended its standardized test requirement for a four-year period of review. Applicants to Wellesley for entry in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 are not required to submit SAT or ACT test results with their applications.
Our holistic, committee-based application review process gives us the flexibility to evaluate each applicant’s full record within the context of their available resources. While standardized tests have long served as an external benchmark of college readiness, they are one factor among many that we can consider in the admission process.
Regardless of an applicant’s decision to submit test scores, the admission committee is particularly interested in an applicant’s demonstrated writing and quantitative skills as key predictors for success in Wellesley’s curriculum.
If you do choose to take the SAT or the ACT, we recommend that you complete testing by the end of your junior year. However, if you do sit for the exam in your senior year, here are the last possible dates we recommend taking the exam in order to have the results available for the round through which you apply to Wellesley:
Early Decision I: Late October/Early November
Early Decision II: Early December
Regular Decision: Early December
If English is not your native language and you have been studying in an English-based curriculum for fewer than four years, we strongly recommend that you take one of the following English-proficiency tests or interview tools:
TOEFL (iBT or Essentials)
Cambridge Assessment English Qualifications (C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency, or C1 Business Higher accepted)
Vericant (Standard Interview, which includes a writing sample)
GTEC CBT (Global Test of English Communication Computer Based Testing)
Wellesley does not offer courses in intensive English or in English as a second language (ESL).
If you have a special talent in the arts, you might want to submit an arts portfolio. Our art, music, and theatre studies departments will accept electronic submissions of portfolios, recordings, or presentations. The appropriate department will review your material.
Wellesley College does not have a dance department and does not review creative writing materials. Please do NOT submit any dance and/or creative writing supplements as they will not be evaluated.
To submit an arts portfolio:
You must submit your portfolios, recordings, or presentations electronically through the Wellesley Applicant Portal. Your arts portfolio must be submitted through the Applicant Portal within one week of the application deadline. Wellesley does not accept art portfolios through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Please do not mail any materials to the Office of Admission. Submissions sent by mail will not be reviewed or returned.
Follow the guidelines and instructions as outlined by Wellesley’s art, music, and theatre studies departments.
If you are interested in competing in varsity athletics at Wellesley (Division III), submit a recruiting form to the head coach of your sport.
QuestBridge applicants
Wellesley is proud to be a QuestBridge partner school! We have a full page with helpful tips, key deadlines, and application requirements on our QuestBridge partner page.
Undocumented or DACA applicants
Wellesley accepts the Common Application, the QuestBridge Application, and the Coalition Application. Remember that it’s free to apply to Wellesley!
Be sure to be consistent and use your legal name (as it appears on your passport or other legal documents) on all of your application materials. This may sound obvious, but it’s really important! If you go by another name, list that as your “preferred name” on the application and that’s the name we’ll use when we get in touch with you.
If you have fallen utterly in love with Wellesley and know that it is the best social, academic, and financial fit for you, then you might be someone who applies to us through an Early Decision application round! If this is the case, then you will also be asked to complete the Early Decision Agreement form as part of your application. We need you, a parent or guardian, and a school counselor to sign and submit this form.
You’ll need to write two essays: a personal essay and a shorter, Wellesley-specific essay. See our application tips for advice on writing your essays.
The personal essay should be 250-650 words. Each year, the Common Application and Coalition Application update their personal essay prompts (and don’t worry, one of the prompts is “topic of your choice!”).
The Wellesley-specific essay asks you to respond to the following topic:
When choosing a college, you are choosing an intellectual community and a place where you believe that you can live, learn, and flourish. We know that there are more than 100 reasons to choose Wellesley, but it's a good place to start. Visit the Wellesley 100 and select two items that attract, inspire, or celebrate what you would bring to our community. Have fun! Use this opportunity to reflect personally on what items appeal to you most and why. Please limit your response to two thoughtful paragraphs (minimum 250 words, maximum 400 words).
Your transcript(s) should be submitted by your school counselor through the Common Application or the Coalition Application.
Your counselor also needs to complete and submit the School Report (with your most recent grades). It is recommended to also have them submit a copy of your school’s profile alongside the School Report.
If you’re applying for Early Decision, you will need to submit a progress report for your current school year (typically first-quarter or first-trimester grades). When your midyear grades become available, you will need to ask your counselor to complete the midyear report form (also part of the online application).
Your school might require that you sign a release for your transcript. If that’s the case, make sure the release covers first-quarter or first-trimester grades, midyear grades, and your final transcript so that these credentials aren’t delayed.
Wellesley requires two letters of recommendation from teachers.
Carefully consider which teachers you want to ask to fill out your evaluation. Have they gotten to know you personally? Have they seen you improve? Can they comment on your learning style?
Be sure to give your chosen teachers enough time to write your letter of recommendation. They are, after all, busy people with full lives.
Wellesley College has temporarily suspended its standardized test requirement for a four-year period of review. Applicants to Wellesley for entry in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 are not required to submit SAT or ACT test results with their applications.
Our holistic, committee-based application review process gives us the flexibility to evaluate each applicant’s full record within the context of their available resources. While standardized tests have long served as an external benchmark of college readiness, they are one factor among many that we can consider in the admission process.
Regardless of an applicant’s decision to submit test scores, the admission committee is particularly interested in an applicant’s demonstrated writing and quantitative skills as key predictors for success in Wellesley’s curriculum.
If you do choose to take the SAT or the ACT, we recommend that you complete testing by the end of your junior year. However, if you do sit for the exam in your senior year, here are the last possible dates we recommend taking the exam in order to have the results available for the round through which you apply to Wellesley:
Early Decision I: Late October/Early November
Early Decision II: Early December
Regular Decision: Early December
International, undocumented, and DACA applicants will be prompted to complete a Financial Aid Intent Form after submitting their application for admission.
Within three to five business days of the completion of the Common Application or the Coalition Application powered by Scoir, students will be given access to the Applicant Portal by the Office of Admission. We will contact applicants later in the process regarding any additional financial aid forms or documents they may need to provide. We encourage all applicants applying for aid to begin completing the CSS Profile so that if requested, they can submit it promptly. However, students won’t need to submit the CSS Profile unless they are instructed to do so by our staff.
If you have a special talent in the arts, you might want to submit an arts portfolio. Our art, music, and theatre studies departments will accept electronic submissions of portfolios, recordings, or presentations. The appropriate department will review your material.
Wellesley College does not have a dance department and does not review creative writing materials. Please do NOT submit any dance and/or creative writing supplements as they will not be evaluated.
To submit an arts portfolio:
You must submit your portfolios, recordings, or presentations electronically through the Wellesley Applicant Portal. Your arts portfolio must be submitted through the Applicant Portal within one week of the application deadline. Wellesley does not accept art portfolios through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Please do not mail any materials to the Office of Admission. Submissions sent by mail will not be reviewed or returned.
Follow the guidelines and instructions as outlined by Wellesley’s art, music, and theatre studies departments.
If you are interested in competing in varsity athletics at Wellesley (Division III), submit a recruiting form to the head coach of your sport.
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