At a glance
- Address
- Boston University, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 233 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215
- City
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Country
- United States — process, visa & costs
- Website
- bu.edu
- Type
- Private
- Founded
- 1869
- Students
- 29,338 (2021)
- Map
- Open the campus on a map ↗
Where it ranks
101–150 in the world — ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2025.
Strongest subjects (GRAS 2025)
| Public Health | #16 |
| Economics | #36 |
| Communication | #41 |
| Remote Sensing | 51–75 |
| Education | 51–75 |
| Management | 51–75 |
How to get in
read on the university's own pages, 28 September 2026Bachelor's (after Class 12)
- Apply via
- Common App — application page ↗
- Cycle
- Fall 2027 entry (Early Decision/Regular Decision dates per current cycle page)
- Intake
- September
- Tests
- Test-optional for all applicants through fall 2028/spring 2029 admission; international applicants must still submit TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo for English proficiency
- English
- IELTS 7.0 overall satisfies requirement for all programs · TOEFL 90-100 competitive range (min 20/section); 5.0 overall on new scale from Jan 2026 · Duolingo 125-135 competitive range
Waivers considered case by case with a complete application - Tuition
- USD 73,024 / year (2026-27) · about ₹69.9 lakh
- Financial aid
- Need-based financial aid from BU is NOT currently available to international students; international first-years may apply for select merit scholarships only
Deadlines
| Round | Apply by | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I | 2 November 2026 | December 15 |
| Early Decision II | 5 January 2027 | February 9 |
| Regular Decision | 5 January 2027 | March 28 |
What you send
- Common App essay
- secondary school record
- counselor recommendation
- teacher evaluation
- financial support documentation
- passport data page copy
Master's / PhD (after graduation)
- Apply via
- direct — application page ↗
- Intake
- September
- Deadlines
- Program-specific for Fall 2027: most GRS PhD/MFA programs due Dec 15, 2026; some (Biology, Biostatistics, CS, Psych/Brain Sciences) due Dec 1-2, 2026; others (Classics, Philosophy, Sociology, Earth & Environment) due Jan 15, 2027
- Tests
- Varies by program: required for Economics; optional for most STEM/humanities; not required for Biology, Philosophy, Statistics and others
- English
- IELTS 7.0 overall (Academic module only; General Training/UKVI/Online not accepted) · TOEFL 100 overall (pre-Jan 21, 2026 iBT); 5 overall on new 1-6 scale after
Scores valid for 24 months - Tuition
- USD 73,024 / year (2026-27) · about ₹69.9 lakh
- Funding
- GRS PhD funding guarantee is 5 years contingent on 3.0+ GPA and milestone progress; fellowship/TA support available to international students (off-campus work needs ISSO approval); total GRS cost of attendance estimated at $95,998/year (2026-27)
In numbers
US Department of Education, College Scorecard- Admission rate
- 11.1% of applicants admitted
- SAT, middle 50%
- 1420–1530
- Tuition (non-resident)
- USD 68,102 / year · about ₹65.2 lakh
- Undergraduates
- 18,248
- International undergrads
- 21.2%
- Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
- USD 83,238 / year (all graduates)
Source: College Scorecard — Boston University. Tuition excludes housing, food, insurance and fees.
Studying in United States
The US offers the widest range of degree programmes and research universities in the world, with flexible majors and strong graduate schools. Indian students go for choice of subject, name-brand universities, and post-study work through OPT, though costs and visa steps are the highest of any major destination.
- Visa
- F-1 student visa
- Work while studying
- Pre-completion OPT/on-campus work: up to 20 hours/week while school is in session, full-time when school is not in session (USCIS).
- After graduating
- Optional Practical Training (OPT): up to 12 months post-completion (pre-completion OPT time is deducted from it); STEM-degree graduates working for an E-Verify employer may add a 24-month STEM OPT extension (USCIS).
Every subject ranking
ShanghaiRanking GRAS 2025Prepare here, free
Admission facts on this page were read from: bu.edu/admissions/ · bu.edu/admissions/apply/international/ · bu.edu/admissions/apply/deadlines/ · bu.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/tuition/ · bu.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/ · bu.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/scholarships-financial-aid/ · bu.edu/admissions/admitted/tuition-and-fees/ · bu.edu/grs/admissions/ · bu.edu/cas/admissions/phd-mfa/apply/ · bu.edu/cas/admissions/phd-mfa/international-students/ · bu.edu/cas/admissions/phd-mfa/fellowship-aid/ · bu.edu/finaid/ · bu.edu/finaid/graduate-students/graduate-coa/ — checked 28 September 2026.