How to get into Simmons University
How to get into Simmons: a Boston university with women-centered undergraduate programs and strong nursing/social work pipelines
70%
Acceptance rate
$46,874
In-state cost
What makes Simmons University admissions different
Simmons University is a private university in Boston with a distinctive women-centered undergraduate program (women, transgender, and nonbinary students for undergraduate admission; coed at the graduate level). Roughly 1,700 undergrads, with national reputation in nursing, social work, library and information science, and the health professions. Simmons admits around 70% of applicants. The school's identity (women-centered undergraduate, urban Boston, pre-professional) is specific and the cost calculation (full-sticker private with substantial merit aid) is the main affordability story.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply through the Common App or Simmons' direct application. Early Action is non-binding and gives the earliest decision plus priority scholarship consideration.
- 2.
Confirm the undergraduate admissions policy. Simmons admits women, transgender, and nonbinary applicants to undergraduate programs; check current policy details on the school's official site.
- 3.
Pick the right program. The School of Nursing, the School of Social Work and Behavioral Sciences, and the College of Natural, Behavioral, and Health Sciences each have their own framing — nursing in particular has direct-admit pathways that matter.
- 4.
Write a Simmons-specific supplement that engages with the women-centered identity and the specific program you applied to.
- 5.
Apply for the Kotzen Scholarship (Simmons' top merit award) and the Presidential, Trustee, and named scholarships. Early applicants get first consideration.
- 6.
Schedule a campus visit. Simmons values demonstrated interest and the Fenway location is part of the pitch.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Confusing Simmons University with similarly-named institutions. Simmons is the Boston women-centered undergraduate university.
- ✕
Skipping Early Action and the priority scholarship pool.
- ✕
Applying to a non-nursing program planning to transfer in. Nursing has direct-admit pathways.
- ✕
Ignoring cost — Simmons is full-sticker private and merit aid is the main lever.
The specifics for Simmons University
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Women-centered undergraduate model ↗
Simmons' undergraduate programs admit women, transgender, and nonbinary students (graduate programs are coeducational). The undergraduate identity centers women's leadership and a women-focused residential experience. Confirm current admissions policy details on Simmons' official site.
Nursing and the health professions
Simmons' School of Nursing offers a direct-admit BSN with clinical placements at Boston-area hospitals; the College of Natural, Behavioral, and Health Sciences includes accelerated graduate pathways in nutrition, exercise science, and behavioral sciences.
Fenway location
Simmons' main residential campus is in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, with cross-registration available through the Colleges of the Fenway consortium (with MCPHS, MassArt, Wentworth, and Emmanuel).
What graduates actually do
Simmons, historically a women's undergraduate college (now coed at the graduate level only — undergraduate remains women-centered), sends graduates into healthcare, social work, library science, and education across Boston and the Northeast. The School of Library and Information Science is one of the top-ranked programs in the country, and the nursing and health sciences programs feed Boston's massive hospital ecosystem (MGH, Brigham, Boston Children's).
Notable alumni
- Gwen Ifill — Television journalism (PBS NewsHour)
- Dorothea Lange (briefly attended) — Photography
- Cathie Black — Publishing executive
Transfer pathway
Simmons accepts transfer applications on a rolling basis for fall and spring. The university has articulation agreements with Bunker Hill Community College, Roxbury Community College, and other Boston-area community colleges. A 2.5+ GPA is typically required; nursing transfers face higher requirements and prerequisites.
Articulation partners
Bunker Hill Community College · Roxbury Community College · MassBay Community College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App. Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
If you're an applicant eligible under Simmons' undergraduate admissions policy with a B+ transcript and an interest in nursing, social work, the health professions, or the urban-Boston identity, Simmons is a likely admit and likely affordable after merit aid. The decision is fit (women-centered, urban Boston, pre-professional) and the cost calculation.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.