Below you will find an overview of minimum academic requirements that you will need to satisfy in high school to apply for Massachusetts State Universities, UMass campuses and community colleges.
For more information on admissions standards, go to your guidance counselor or contact the school's admissions office. You may also use The College Board's college search feature to find out more about a school's average test scores and selectivity.
Students applying to a state university or UMass campus in Fall 2017 or later should take the following courses in high school:
| English | 4 courses |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 4 courses (Algebra I & II and Geometry or Trigonometry, or comparable coursework) including mathematics during the final year of high school |
| Sciences | 3 courses (Natural Science and/or Physical Science and/or Technology/Engineering) including 3 courses with laboratory work |
| Social Sciences | 2 courses including 1 course in U.S. History |
| Foreign Languages | 2 courses in a single language |
| Electives | 2 courses from the above subjects or from the Arts & Humanities or Computer Sciences |
For further details and links to our comprehensive admissions requirements and FAQ's, visit the Admissions Standards page.
The Massachusetts Community Colleges are committed to an open admission policy. Residents who have earned a high school diploma, GED, associate degree or higher have the opportunity to enroll in a degree or certificate program. Please note that admission to some programs is competitive or may require the completion of prerequisite courses, and some programs have additional requirements including specific deadlines. For more information, contact the school's admissions office.
Satisfy high school and college requirements at the same time through the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP). CDEP eases the transition from high school to college, allows students to get a head start on their college careers, and provides meaningful and challenging academic experiences to qualified students who otherwise may not have access to an early college experience.
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