Application Instructions for Transfer Applicants

You must complete both the Common Application and the Boston University Supplement. To access the BU Supplement, log into your account, go to the “My Colleges” list and follow directions to add Boston University to your list. Then click on the “Supplements” tab on the left.

Specifying a School or College

On the BU supplement, you must apply to a specific BU school or college and indicate a specific area you intend to study. (Refer to the Schools, Colleges and Programs list to see all your options.) Transfer applicants may not apply as an Undeclared major in any school or college.

Please note that admission requirements vary among our schools, colleges and programs, depending on program size and competition for seats in the class.

Previous Applicants

If you previously applied and were denied admission to Boston University, or if you were offered but did not accept admission to the College of General Studies or the Science & Engineering Program, you may reapply only after completing one full academic year of coursework elsewhere.

Application Fee and Materials

Your $75 nonrefundable application fee can be paid by credit card when you submit the Common Application online.

Please note that all materials and documents submitted as part of an application for admission become the property of Boston University and cannot be returned.

Transfer applicants must submit all of the following credentials to Boston University. College officials and instructors can do this electronically or by mailing them to:

Boston University Admissions
121 Bay State Road
Boston, MA 02215

College/University Transcript(s)

Submit official transcripts of all college or university coursework completed at the time of application.

International applicants: Please submit either original transcripts or officially certified copies. Submit all documents in their original language with translations by a licensed translator.

To determine your placement at BU, we’ll examine the level and status of your former institution as judged by the most respected authority in its own country. In some cases, we may also consult international and U.S. authorities. The same is true for any diplomas, credentials and degrees you’ve earned.

Instructor Evaluation

Print the Instructor Evaluation form found on the Common Application website and give it to a faculty member who is directly familiar with your work. Please allow enough time for your instructor to write the evaluation, and stress the importance of returning the form by the application deadline.

College Official’s Report

Print the College Official’s Report form found on the Common Application website. Give it to a dean or other college official with access to your disciplinary record at each institution you attended.

High School Transcript

All transfer applicants must submit official copies of their secondary school transcripts.

Make sure your transcript documents that you graduated from high school. If you enrolled in a college degree program before graduating high school (such as Early Admission, Dual Enrollment or Running Start), indicate your enrollment status in the “College Coursework” section of the Common Application.

Proof of high school graduation. If you’re offered admission, you must submit proof of high school graduation, showing that you satisfied all state requirements. If you haven’t graduated from a regionally accredited high school, submit results of your Test of General Education Development (GED).

International applicants: If you were enrolled in a foreign curriculum with national exams, submit these results as well as your transcripts. Please refer to the Secondary School Credentials chart to find the U.S. equivalent of a secondary school diploma for the country (or countries) where you studied.

Standardized Testing

Transfer applicants must submit results of the SAT or the ACT. See the Program Requirements chart for more detailed information about our standardized testing requirements.

When you submit your results, make sure you indicate on the registration form that you want your official score report sent directly to Boston University. The BU codes are:

• SAT: 3087
• ACT: 1794

Your application will not be considered complete until we have received official score reports directly from the College Board or ACT, even if your scores are recorded on your high school transcript.

Score Choice
Starting in March 2009, the College Board will offer Score Choice, a new program that allows you to send your SAT scores to BU by test date. Although Boston University will allow you to choose this option, we strongly encourage you to submit your scores each time you take the SAT. BU has always and will continue to use your highest SAT section scores in making admissions decisions. For more information about Score Choice, please visit the College Board website.

Essays

You must submit one long essay in the space provided on the Common Application, as well as a short essay on the Boston University Supplement. Some programs require additional essays. See the BU Supplement for more information.

Portfolios and Auditions

The College of Fine Arts requires a portfolio or an audition as part of its application. Visit the College of Fine Arts website for more information.

If you are applying to any other school or college, please do not submit portfolios, videos, CDs, DVDs, tapes or other samples of personal work. These materials will not be considered by the Board of Admissions or reviewed by the faculty.

Interviews

Interviews are not required for admission with one exception: applicants to nonperformance majors in the School of Theatre must schedule an interview with that program.

Homeschooled Students

Boston University encourages applications from students with a wide variety of backgrounds, including homeschooled students. The Board of Admissions attempts to be as fair as possible in evaluating these applicants and ensuring that they are given every consideration in the application process.

It is important to note that we maintain the same academic standards for all applicants (please see Admissions Requirements and Standards). However, we acknowledge that the transcripts of homeschooled students may be different than those of traditional high school students. Along with their applications, homeschooled students should submit as much information as possible describing their curriculum, which may include course descriptions, texts read, and skill levels completed. While these are not requirements, this information can be very helpful to the Board as we examine a student’s ability in the five academic areas of math, science, social science, English, and foreign language.

For more information regarding the review of homeschooled applicants, please contact BU Admissions at 617-353-2300.

English is the language of instruction at Boston University. You must be able to understand rapid, idiomatic English and express yourself clearly in speech and writing.

If your first language or the primary language spoken in your home is not English, you must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Boston University accepts results for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as evidence of English proficiency. The required test scores are as follows:

Computer-based exam:

• 250 or above for the College of Communication, School of Management and School of Education
• 215 or above for other BU programs

Paper-based exam:

• 600 or above for the College of Communication, School of Management and School of Education
• 550 or above for other BU programs

Internet-based TOEFL exam (iBT):

The Internet-based TOEFL has four subsections, with a grading scale for each section from 1 to 30 (30 being the best possible score). We look closely at the score for each section rather than the total. The minimum scores for each section are as follows:

College of Arts & Sciences, School of Education, College of Engineering, College of Fine Arts, School of Hospitality Administration, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College and Science & Engineering Program:

• Writing: 22
• Speaking: 23
• Reading: 21
• Listening: 18

College of Communication, College of General Studies and School of Management:

• Writing: 22
• Speaking: 23
• Reading: 25
• Listening: 21

Indicate on the TOEFL registration form that you want your test results sent directly to Boston University. The TOEFL code for Boston University is 3087.

For information about the TOEFL, contact:

TOEFL Services
Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151
U.S.A.

For testing in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories, call 877-863-3546.

For testing in other countries, call 609-771-7100.

Send e-mail to toefl@ets.org.

You can also find information online at the TOEFL website.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

In lieu of the TOEFL exam, you may submit the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A score of 7 or higher will also satisfy BU’s English Language proficiency requirement for all programs. Learn more on the IELTS website.

English Placement Examination

International students who have demonstrated English proficiency are still required to take an English placement examination before the first semester of study. Depending on your results, you may be required to take noncredit English courses to strengthen your language skills.

In order for Admissions to stay in contact with you, it’s crucial that you include a valid e-mail address on your application and notify us whenever you change this address. Once your application is processed, you’ll be e-mailed instructions for setting up a secure BU Web account. This will allow you to:

• check the status of your application credentials
• view your admission decision

Please add admissions@bu.edu to your e-mail contacts or approved senders list to ensure that our messages can reach your account.

Many programs have a January Admission option, but some don’t. Please check your chosen program on the Program Requirements chart.

If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree, you can apply to BU as a freshman applicant to pursue a second one. Please use the Common Application for freshman admission.

Boston University offers a wide choice of part-time and evening studies through the BU Metropolitan College. For information, please call 617-353-6000.

Would you like to spend one semester or academic year at the University’s College of Arts & Sciences or School of Management? For visiting students, the September admission deadline is April 1; the January admission deadline is November 1. See Visiting Students to learn more.