Office of Admissions
Wellesley Hills Campus / Room 106 / 781-239-2500
Framingham Campus / Room 110C / 508-270-4059
General College Admission Requirements
MassBay maintains an open admissions policy as defined by the regulations of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, offering those who express a desire to pursue a college education the opportunity to enroll.
Students who have earned a high school diploma from an accredited school, a General Education Development Credential (GED), High School Equivalency (HiSET) certificate, or an associate degree or higher degree from an accredited college are eligible for admission to MassBay.
Applicants are expected to perform college level work and conduct themselves in a manner appropriate for college students. In cases where placement tests or other indicators suggest the contrary, the College reserves the right to deny admission. All associate degree or certificate-seeking students are required to complete an application to MassBay and must be meet placement requirements for reading, writing, and mathematics skills. MassBay offers placement testing throughout the year in multiple locations. Please refer to MassBay Placement Testing for more information and to schedule a placement test.
Admissions Application Instructions
Please review the admission requirements for your program of study. Some programs, such as Automotive Technology and several Allied Health programs, including Nursing are selective. A selective program has certain requirements that must be completed before you will be considered for admission.
Visit us at MassBay Application and complete your free online application.
If you do not have access to a computer or the Internet, you may complete and submit a paper application. Please submit your completed application to:
MassBay Community College
Office of Admissions
50 Oakland Street
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481-5307
Along with your application, please submit proof of high-school graduation or equivalency. The Office of Admissions will accept one of the following documents: an official final high school transcript, a copy of your high school diploma, a copy of a GED/HiSET certificate, or an official college transcript indicating an associate degree or higher degree. If you are not applying to a Nursing or Allied Health program, you may self-certify your education credentials if you received a high school diploma or college degree from a school accredited by The New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), or if you received your GED/HiSET from Massachusetts or another New England state. Home-schooled students should consult the Home School Policy in this Catalog.
Students who have international documents must have these documents evaluated by an educational evaluation agency such as the Center for Educational Documentation, World Education Services, or Education Credential Evaluators. For more information, please contact the Office of Admissions at 781-239-2500.
If you have earned a college degree or college credits from other accredited colleges please forward your official transcript(s) to the Admissions Office on the Wellesley Hills campus or admissions@massbay.edu to be evaluated for transfer credit.
Once accepted into a program of study, you will be expected to follow the curriculum and course requirements in place at the time of your admission. If you are continuously enrolled (i.e., with no interruption of an academic program longer than four semesters), you will be expected to fulfill the requirements for the specific program of study listed in the Catalog that was current at the time of your admission to MassBay. If you are not continuously enrolled, you are expected to meet the requirements current at the time of your readmission to MassBay. If you change your major, you are expected to follow the program requirements in effect at the time your Change of Major form is filed and processed.
Open Houses and Information Sessions
MassBay hosts fall and spring Open House events. In addition, MassBay offers general information sessions, Nursing and Allied Health information sessions, and Automotive Technology information sessions, as well as specialized information sessions for groups like First Generation College Students and Dual Enrollment students. These sessions are held either online or in person on any of our three campuses.
Anyone interested in enrolling at MassBay is encouraged to attend an appropriate event to learn more about the programs and what MassBay has to offer. To review the calendar of information sessions and to make a reservation, please visit the MassBay website at www.massbay.edu.
Campus Tours
Campus tours can be scheduled by contacting the Office of Admissions at 781-239-2500.
Fast Facts: How to Sign up for Classes
For new students applying for a degree program:
- Complete a general admissions application.
- Forward final high school transcript, copy of high school diploma, or GED certificate
- Submit official college transcripts (if applicable)
- Apply for financial aid - StudentAid.gov
- Satisfy our placement testing requirement (by taking the Accuplacer assessment, or to be considered for waiver from some or all of the Accuplacer, by submitting your transcript from an accredited U.S. high school documenting a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher; your HiSET or GED transcript, SAT or ACT scores; or by providing a college transcript documenting a completed Associate degree (or higher) or completion of college-level English and/or math.)
- Make payments or arrange for payment plan.
- If you are interested in a selective admissions program, attend the mandatory information for that program to review admissions requirements for the program of interest.
For currently enrolled students:
- Contact your advisor to schedule an appointment.
- Meet with your advisor and select your courses.
- Register for classes online via Bay Navigator.
- Make payments or arrange for payment plan.
For visiting students:
- Satisfy our placement testing requirement (by taking the Accuplacer assessment, or to be considered for waiver from some or all of the Accuplacer, by submitting your transcript from an accredited U.S. high school documenting a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher; your HiSET or GED transcript, SAT or ACT scores; or by providing a college transcript documenting a completed Associate degree (or higher) or completion of college-level English and/or math.)
- Search online listings and select courses.
- Register for classes.
- Make payments or arrange for payment plan.
Placement testing:
To register for placement testing, contact the Academic Achievement Center at 781-239-2620 or register online at www.massbay.edu/placementtesting. A MassBay student identification number is required to register for placement testing. To obtain an ID number, contact the Admissions Office at 781-239-2500.
English Test Waiver
Students may be granted a waiver from the English test requirement if they have successfully completed a college-level freshman composition course with a grade of “C-” or better. The course must have been taken at an accredited U.S. college or university and be equivalent to the MassBay course Freshman English I. Students may also be exempt if they have completed a higher-level course (equivalent to Freshman English II) with a grade of “C-” or better. Students who completed the equivalent of Freshman English I with a passing grade below “C-” at another institution will not be required to take the placement test but must successfully complete Freshman English I. The College does not accept credits for transfer from courses with a grade below “C-.”
New incoming, first-time students to MassBay who have graduated from an accredited US high school within 10 years may be eligible, based on high school cumulative GPA, to be placed directly into a Freshman English I without having to take the English Accuplacer.
Eligible students must submit their high school transcripts to the Office of Admissions no later than 10 days prior to the start of the semester. Once transcripts are submitted, they will be reviewed by the college staff for eligibility. Students who submit their transcripts after the dates listed above may not be eligible for the writing placement waiver.
Waivers may also be available to students who achieved minimum required scores on the SAT, ACT, HiSET or GED exams.
Students eligible for the English Placement Waiver are still required to satisfy the Math Placement requirement by the College as part of their enrollment process before attending new student orientation and registering for classes.
Determining English Placement Waiver Eligibility:
- Students whose overall cumulative high school GPA is 2.7 or higher may receive the English Placement Waiver and register for Freshman English I, regardless of a developmental English placement with the Accuplacer.
- Students who earn below a 2.7 cumulative high school GPA are not eligible for the English Placement Waiver option and will need to take the English Accuplacer
- High School GPAs will be considered by those who graduated from high school within 10 years.
- The Accuplacer test can place students into a higher level of college English than the GPA placement.
- If a student is a current high school senior, the submitted transcript must contain at least one quarter of senior grades to be reviewed for the English Waiver.
Math Test Waiver
Math test waivers are available to students who can provide proof of completion, with a grade of “C-” or better, of an appropriate college-level mathematics course taken at an accredited college or university.
New incoming, first-time students to MassBay who have graduated from an accredited US high school within 3 years may be eligible, based on high school cumulative GPA, to be placed directly into a college-level math course without having to take the Math Accuplacer.
Eligible students must submit their high school transcripts to the Office of Admissions no later than 10 days prior to the start of the semester. Once transcripts are submitted, they will be reviewed by the college staff for eligibility. Students who submit their transcripts after the dates listed above may not be eligible for the math placement waiver.
Students eligible for the Math Placement Waiver are still required to satisfy the English Placement requirement by the College as part of their enrollment process before attending new student orientation and registering for classes.
Determining Math Placement Waiver Eligibility:
- Students whose overall cumulative high school GPA is 2.7 or higher may receive the Math Placement Waiver and register for an entry college level math course,* regardless of a developmental math placement with the Accuplacer. The student will be eligible to register for the College Level Math required for their program of study as specified on the curriculum sheet.
- Students who earn below a 2.7 cumulative high school GPA are not eligible for the Math Placement Waiver option and will need to take the Math Accuplacer
- High School GPAs will be considered from those who graduated from high school within 3 years.
- The Accuplacer test can place students into a higher level of college math than the GPA placement.
- If a student is a current high school senior, the submitted transcript must contain at least one quarter of senior grades to be reviewed for the Math Waiver.
*Entry college level math course - for programs that require the first math course to be one which requires a lower college level math course as a prerequisite, like Calculus, students using the Math Waiver will be able to enter directly into Pre-Calculus, not Calculus.
Student Orientation, Advising and Registration (SOAR)
Orientation provides you with the tools and resources you need to succeed at MassBay. The goal of Orientation is to help ease your transition into the MassBay community, both for you and your family. No matter what your goals are at MassBay, all new students are required to attend a Ready2Register session and an Orientation Kickoff event!
Ready2Register Sessions
Recommended for first-time college students and/or students who are planning to complete an Associate Degree or Certificate Program at MassBay.
Ready2Register sessions are held in-person, with occasional virtual options. Invitations will be sent automatically to your personal email when you are eligible to attend a session (after completing the admissions application and meeting placement requirements).
- Required for all new, readmitted, or transfer students seeking a degree or certificate to help ensure academic success.
- Required for students enrolling in prerequisites for Nursing, Practical Nursing, Radiological Technology, or Surgical Technology.
- Guest students are highly encouraged to attend orientation to learn about current MassBay processes, services, and resources. There is also an online orientation course option available for guest students.
At your Ready2Register session, you will:
- Review the onboarding and enrollment steps
- Get ready to meet with your academic advisor
- Set up your MassBay technology accounts and tools
- Learn tips for balancing school, work, and personal life
- Find out who your assigned academic advisor is and schedule your first appointment with them to register for classes
Health Science and Automotive Programs
If you are a new student in any of the following programs, please contact the Office of Admissions at 781-239-2500 to inquire about specific requirements:
- Automotive Program: BMW, Chrysler, General Motors, Toyota
- Health Science Programs: Central Processing, Computed Tomography, Emergency Medicine, Nursing/Practical Nursing, Paramedicine, Phlebotomy, Radiological Technology, Surgical Technology
Orientation Kickoff Events
The Orientation Kickoff Events are held one to two weeks before classes begin. These events are an essential part of your learning experience as you begin your first year at MassBay.
First-time college students are required to attend orientation to help ensure academic success.
Transfer and returning students are highly encouraged to participate to learn about MassBay’s processes, services, and resources.
At the Orientation Kickoff Event, you will:
- Meet and socialize with fellow new MassBay students, as well as current students, faculty, and staff.
- Participate in a hands-on session in our computer labs to learn about MassBay’s technology, including your student email and classroom tools.
- Receive your Student ID.
- Take a campus tour.
- Obtain your campus parking pass.
- Discover extracurricular and leadership opportunities.
- Receive tips for academic success.
- Attend a resource fair where you can meet staff and learn about various support services and resources.
Online Orientation Course: Launch Point
An online orientation course is available for students who are unable to attend an in-person event. This option is recommended for guest students, students taking prerequisite courses, or students enrolled in online-only courses.
Please note that you may still need to visit campus to meet with an Academic Advisor and register for your courses.
The Online Orientation Course will help you:
- Become familiar with MassBay’s technology, including your email, student account, and classroom tools.
- Learn about extracurricular and leadership opportunities available to you.
- Be introduced to a wide range of support services and resources.
For more information, visit www.massbay.edu/newstudent or contact us by email at orientation@massbay.edu or by calling 781-239-3053.
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