Graduate Admissions

Graduate Admissions

Each year we admit over 500 new students who contribute to the scholarly work being conducted by our academic departments, interdisciplinary programs, research centers, and institutes. We welcome your interest in joining the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Applications for upcoming fall and spring admission periods become available in early September every year. Some application deadlines have changed. Please check the application deadline of your department.

The deadline for those wishing to be considered for financial aid is January 15, with the exception of those programs with earlier application/financial aid deadlines.

For more information

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Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Admissions Office
705 Commonwealth Avenue
Suite 112
Boston, MA 02215
E-mail: grs@bu.edu

Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Various forms of financial aid are available to support your studies at the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Qualifications for Admission

Any well-qualified person with a bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university or with equivalent international education may apply. Also:

  • Your undergraduate program should include introductory studies in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences; completion of specified courses without credit may be required to make up any deficiency.
  • You may apply to a master's or MA/PhD program if you have a bachelor’s degree (if you hold a 3-year degree, you may be required to complete a one-year’s Masters degree or post-graduate diploma in a relevant subject).
  • You may apply to any program if you have both a bachelor's and a master's degree.
  • You may not enroll simultaneously in more than one graduate program unless the programs are part of a BU-approved combined degree.
  • If you have twice been rejected for admission to the same degree program, you must submit a letter of approval for application from the current director of graduate studies for the department to which you seek admission.

The Admissions Process Timeline

2–3 months before application deadline

  • Contact recommenders and inform them that recommendations should be submitted
    weeks before the deadline.
  • Contact ETS and request an official copy of your GRE results (and TOEFL for
    international students) to be sent to institution code 3087.
  • Contact all previous colleges/universities and request that official transcripts are sent
    to:

    Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Admissions Office
    705 Commonwealth Avenue
    Suite 112
    Boston, MA 02215

2–3 weeks before application deadline

  • Complete the application and prepare to submit it before the deadline.
  • Contact any recommender who has not submitted a recommendation and request
    he/she do so before the deadline. Applicants who use the online application can check
    the status of their online recommendations by logging into their application and checking
    the recommender tab.

Submit application to GRS Admissions

  • Submitted applications and credentials will be processed and forwarded to the
    relevant department within two weeks of receipt by GRS Admissions. An e-mail
    acknowledgment will be sent to the applicant when their application is forwarded to the
    department.
  • Departmental Admissions Committees review completed applications according to
    the department’s schedule. Departments are not required to review applications that are
    not complete by the deadline.
  • Once reviewed, the department returns admission and financial aid recommendations
    to the GRS Admissions Office.
  • Within two weeks of receiving departmental recommendations, the GRS Admissions
    Office conducts a final application review. Once the final review is complete, the GRS
    Admissions Office will mail an official decision letter via regular post.