Congratulations, and Welcome!
We at Boston University’s Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) are delighted to have you join us for your graduate degree studies. We hope that you will find your time here enjoyable, stimulating, rewarding and successful. Before you arrive on campus, we would like to share the following information with you to make the transition to our school as smooth as possible.
All graduate students at Boston University are required to complete the Sexual Assault Prevention for Graduate Students training (deadline date to be determined). This course is confidential, research-backed, and part of BU’s commitment to student well-being.
Financial Aid
All newly admitted PhD students will receive a full fellowship offer, and all newly admitted MFA students in Creative Writing and Playwriting will receive a full tuition scholarship and a stipend. Review detailed information about the fellowship and scholarship awards and the policies and privileges associated with each specific program by clicking on the links below.
Information about Ph.D. Fellowship Aid
Information about MFA Fellowship Aid
Tuition
Tuition and fees for the 2024-2025 academic year will be announced in mid-April 2024.
Tuition and fees for the 2023-2024 academic year are as follows:
Full-Time Students (12-18 credits)
Tuition — $31,899/semester
Student Services Fee — $200/semester
Health & Wellness Fee — $257/semester
Basic Medical Insurance — $3,280/year
Part-Time Students (less than 12 credits)
Tuition — $1,994/credit hour
Student Services Fee — $60/semester
GRS PhD students, MFA students in Creative Writing, and MFA students Playwriting receive a fellowship that covers the cost of tuition for up to 18 credits per semester, as long as they are required by their degree or are necessary for their research (with approval from their DGS and advisor). It does not cover the cost of courses that are not required, ex: Physical Education (PDP). Please refer to our Scholarship FAQs.
Information on withdrawal and tuition refunds can be found with the University Registrar. This information is important if you find that you are unable to attend classes but have registered. A complete listing of the University’s tuition and fees, as well as explanations of certain fees, can be found with the Registrar.
Student Accounts & Tuition Payments
Once registered, you can view your student account on the MyBU Student Portal under Money Matters.
All Graduate School of Arts & Sciences students are required to settle/pay their tuition and fees each semester by the payment deadline. The payment deadline for new graduate students who start in Fall 2024 is in mid-September (exact date TBD, please refer to Student Accounting Services website).
For information regarding fellowships, loans, external funding sources and more, please see below. Questions concerning aid should be directed to the Graduate School Financial Aid Office, 705 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 112, Boston, MA 02215 (Tel: 617-353-2696 or email: grsaid@bu.edu). Please include your BU ID in all written correspondence.
Health Insurance
As part of your fellowship award, the University will cover the cost of your individual participation in the Boston University Basic Student Health Insurance Plan ($3,280 in AY23-24). Students who opt to purchase the Boston University Student PLUS Plan ($4,403 in AY23-24) will be responsible for payment of the difference in the premium amount ($1,123 in AY23-24) by the payment deadline for the Fall semester. Please refer to Student Health Services for more information. The University will not cover any health insurance costs for dependents. Family coverage is available at an additional cost to the student.
Health insurance coverage extends from August 15 (or the day your fall registration has been processed, whichever is later) through August 14 of the following year.
Students who are required to have health insurance are automatically enrolled in the Boston University Basic Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) when they register for the upcoming fall semester.
Who is required to have health insurance?
Under the laws of Massachusetts, the following students are required to participate in a qualifying health insurance plan:
- Students certified as full-time.
- Students who are registered for 75% or more of a full-time course load (that’s nine or more credit hours for most schools).
- International students (students who are not U.S. citizens and who do not have approved refugee or permanent resident status).
Part-time students are not automatically enrolled but can request to be enrolled. If a student wishes to waive the insurance, a Health Insurance Waiver Form must be submitted. For more information about insurance coverage and deadlines for enrollment/waivers, please consult Student Health Services.
Graduate students receive an insurance credit of half the cost ($1,640 in fall 2023/$1,640 in spring 2024) in each semester that they receive a stipend of at least $5,000 (refer to insurance credit info for service stipends and non-service stipends). Students who do not receive a stipend of at least $5,000 in both fall and spring may be responsible for the payment of any remaining balance by the payment deadline. Students who graduate in January or who go part-time in spring can enroll in fall only coverage before December 31; in this case, the coverage will end on December 31 but they will not have to pay the full annual premium.
For questions about your insurance credit, please email GRS Financial Aid at grsaid@bu.edu (and include your BU ID). For questions about enrollment in student health insurance, please contact the Student Health Insurance Team at insmed@bu.edu.
Students have the option to purchase Dental Care through the University, which is not included in the fellowship award.
Proof of Employment Eligibility (Form I-9)
All newly admitted PhD & MFA students will need to show Proof of Employment Eligibility before they can work on campus. Your home department program will share instructions with you on how to complete section 1 of the electronic I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form and inform you of next steps. Please note:
- U.S. Citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents will complete section 2 of the verification form with help of their home department.
- International students with F-1 visa status will complete section 2 of the verification form with help of their home department.
- International students with visa status other than F-1 will complete section 2 of the verification form at the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).
Direct Deposit & First Payment
Direct deposit is strongly encouraged for all students (for teaching fellows, research fellows, Dean’s fellows, etc.). International students do not need a Social Security Number to set up direct deposit but they need to have a bank account in the US. Eligible students may enroll by selecting Direct Deposit Authorization on the Employee Self Service tab in the MyBU Student Portal. You will need your bank’s routing number and your bank account number. Click here for written step-by-step instructions.
If you have never worked for BU before, you may need to wait until after your first pay stub is generated before you can see the Employee Self Service tab and set up direct deposit. Should that be the case you will receive a paper check and the check will be mailed to your local address (if you are an international student) or your home address (if you are a domestic student) or be held at the Student Employment Office at 881 Commonwealth Avenue on the 2nd floor. If you did not receive your first payment, please contact the University’s Payroll Office at bupay@bu.edu and include your BU ID in all written correspondence.
Social Security Number
If you don’t already have a Social Security Number (SSN), you will need to apply for a Social Security Card regardless of the type of stipend you have in your first year. Please inform your department that you need a SSN so that they can complete the required “SSN Certification Form” on department letterhead and email it to you.
Please forward the SSN Certification Form to Ryan Keane, International Student Advisor (GRS), at rkeane3@bu.edu. He will endorse the form. Then locate your nearest Social Security Administration (SSA) office by using the SSA’s Local Office Search. You will then need to complete a SSA Application for a SSN (SS-5). It is strongly recommended that international students apply at the Boston office at 10 Causeway Street. Present the Social Security number application in person at a Social Security Administration Office, along with documentation of age and identity. Have your Certification of On-Campus Employment letter (endorsed by ISSO), as well as immigration documents (passport, I-94, and I-20 or DS-2019). Use the Social Security Administration’s Evidence Requirements form to make sure you have all the documents you need. Additional information can be found on the ISSO website.
Once you receive your Social Security Number (SSN), please report it to the University’s Student Employment Office (SEO) with your physical card and BU ID card in-person OR submit electronically through a secure email. Any government identification should not be shared through regular email or phone.
- To submit in person, you should go to the FirstPoint counter at 881 Commonwealth Ave, 2nd floor with your Social Security Number card and BU ID.
- To submit electronically, you should send a secure email with the subject “SSN Submission.” Please use your BU email. The email message must include full Social Security Number and BU ID.
Tax Information
Information regarding your stipend and taxes can be found here.
Employment Policy
The purpose of fully supporting our graduate students is to allow them to engage wholly in their scholarly work and to devote the attention necessary to complete their studies in a timely fashion. We expect that you will not be employed outside of Boston University. Graduate School of Arts & Sciences policy limits the amount of additional paid work that may be assigned to graduate students in any semester when they are appointed to a Teaching, Graduate Research, or Non-Service Fellowship. For this reason, we expect students with service fellowships to devote no more than 20 hours per week to their assigned activity. While we occasionally permit PhD students to hold additional assignments, this is an exception and requires advisor and administrative approval (refer to Boston University Policies). Under this policy, such fully funded students may be employed as graders or other similar positions for additional payment only under the following conditions:
- The assignment provides the student with an opportunity for professional growth in teaching and/or in expert knowledge of course topics or research;
- The assignment does not exceed five (5) hours/week averaged over the semester; and
- The payment is set up as a weekly salary.
Sports Pass
Students who enroll full-time (or are certified full-time) are automatically enrolled in the Sports Pass each year. The Sports Pass is actually an “Agganis Arena Events Pass” and not a membership to the University’s FitRec Center (that’s already included in your full-time student Health & Wellness Fee, and it is covered by your fellowship). This event pass costs $140 per year, and it allows you admission for free or a reduced ticket price to events at the Agganis Arena. The cost of the Sports Pass is not covered by any type of fellowship. For individualized information regarding your Sports Pass, or to cancel your sports pass prior to September 1, visit the MyBU Student Portal and go the Money Matters tab. To cancel your Sports Pass after September 1, please bring your BU ID card to the Agganis Arena Ticketing Office to ensure your Sports Pass has not been used. For additional questions regarding the Sports Pass and the charge on your account, please contact the Agganis Arena Ticket Office at 617-353-4628.
If you don’t plan on using the Sports Pass, we highly recommend that you decline the Sports Pass right after you register for the fall semester every year. Otherwise, you will start to accumulate past due balances over time and a hold on your student account will prevent you from registering for future semesters.
Student Loans
Information regarding Student Loans can be found here.
Loan Deferments
Information regarding Loan Deferments can be found here.
Refunds
If you are borrowing loans, make sure you signed the Master Promissory Note and completed Entrance Counseling. If you have a valid credit balance on your account, you can request a refund on or after the first day of classes of the semester:
- Log in to the MyBU Student Portal and click on the “Money Matters” tab and then on “Account Inquiry”
- Enter your bank account information and requested amount
Once you submit the refund request via the MyBU Student Portal, it will be reviewed by our office and if approved, the refund will be deposited to your bank account within 3 business days.
Emergency Funds & Advances
Graduate students who find themselves short of funds while waiting for their fellowship stipend may request an emergency loan or advance. If you are receiving a stipend as part of a University fellowship (e.g. a research fellowship, teaching fellowship, Dean’s fellowship, etc.) and need access to some funds before the normal pay period or disbursement, you may request an advance or emergency loan from the Graduate School. Advances or emergency loans are available only after the first day of classes each semester. In order to be eligible, the student must be registered for the current semester and must not owe a previous semester balance on their student account. Depending on the type of fellowship funding, these emergency funds are in the form of an advance from the student’s stipend check or a short term no-interest loan. To request emergency funds, please complete the form on this page.
Records and Registration
Compliance
Each student, admitted to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, is responsible for becoming familiar with the general regulations of the Graduate School as stated in the “Policies” section of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Bulletin and with the more specific requirements stated in the individual section on each department, division, or program which may go beyond, or supplement, the Graduate School standards.
If necessary, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences staff is available to interpret or clarify any rule or regulation.
Boston University does not permit a student to enroll simultaneously in more than one graduate program either within Boston University or at another institution, unless those programs have been previously approved by the Trustees of Boston University as a combined degree program.
Please refer to the Registrar’s website for compliance requirements.
Check the MyBU Student Portal to ensure you have met these requirements. Students not in compliance will be unable to register for future semesters.
Final Transcripts
You will need to make sure that all previous degrees are accurately reflected on your student record by the start of your first semester. You can verify this information by following these steps:
- From the MyBU Student Portal, select the Academics tab
- On the Academics page, select “Diploma and Graduation Information”
- From this page, you should be able to view our previous degrees
Approximately 10 to 15 days after submitting your final transcript(s) with the degree listed as conferred or awarded, you should see it reflected on your BU transcript in the MyBU Student Portal (under the Academics tab, then Diploma and Graduation Information. If you do not see it, please contact grartsci@bu.edu for more information.
If you have not submitted your final transcript(s) in sealed envelopes from your institution as requested in your admission letter, please bring the transcript(s) to the Graduate School Office as soon as possible so that we may update your record. We are located at 705 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite 112. Our hours are Monday – Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Please note that if you received your degree from a Chinese institution, and you are not able to request your institution send the degree certificates in a sealed envelope, you will need to send the degree certificates through the China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC).
International Students
International students are required to check in with the International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) after arriving on campus. For information about new student orientation offered by the ISSO, check their website.
Should you have any problems or questions about your visa status, please contact the International Students & Scholars Office at 888 Commonwealth Avenue, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02215 (Tel: 617-353-3565 or email: issogac@bu.edu) before coming to the Graduate School. You will not be allowed to register unless you have been cleared for admission by the International Students & Scholars Office.
Personal Data - Address Update
Students are reminded that, in accordance with the Code of Student Responsibilities (Appendix 15), current addresses must be on file with the University. We ask that you provide this information via the MyBU Student Portal.
The home address currently on file for you may be the permanent address provided on your application for admission. Local addresses should be updated once you have located housing in the Boston area. After you matriculate, you will need to update/confirm your local address twice a year in accordance with the University compliance requirements. If your name or Social Security number has changed or is incorrect, these can be updated at the Office of the University Registrar at 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Second Floor. This information cannot be changed using the Student Link.
Registration
Registration for new students will take place with your academic department of admission who will send notification to you regarding the dates and times of advising and registration. Most departments will register students during the two weeks prior to the start of the semester. Incoming GRS students are not allowed to register before meeting with department staff. Registration instructions will be provided by the department. If you do not receive information regarding dates of advising and departmental orientation sessions from your department prior to August 1, please contact your department directly.
Please refer to our Registration page for specific instructions.
A complete academic calendar can be viewed on the Registrar’s website.
Student ID Cards
Incoming Students should upload their Terrier Card photos following the instructions on the Terrier Card website. The Terrier Card Office recommends that students submit their photos by August 5, in order for the cards to be printed and ready for pick at the PhD & MFA orientation on September 1.
Students who upload their photos on August 4 – August 18 can pick up their Terrier Card at the GRS office starting September 7. The GRS office hours for the fall semester and address are:
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM
Address: 705 Commonwealth Ave, Suite 112, Boston, MA 02215
Students who upload their photos after August 18 will need to pick up their cards at the Terrier Card Office after September 15 and will be notified by Housing when their ID cards are ready.
Withdrawal/Leave of Absence
A student who is registered for a semester and decides not to attend must officially take a leave of absence or withdraw. Mere absence from classes does not constitute a withdrawal. A leave of absence should be taken when the student intends to return in a future semester; a withdrawal indicates a decision to permanently leave the University. Charges are canceled in accordance with the published refund schedule, based on the effective date of the withdrawal or leave of absence.
Student Resources
Boston University Login and Email
Students who accepted the Fall 2024 admission offer before March 11, 2024, will receive an email from ithelp@bu.edu the week of March 11 to set up their BU email address and password.
Students who accepted the Fall 2024 admission offer on or after March 11, 2024, will receive an email from ithelp@bu.edu 24-48 hours after accepting the offer of admission to set up their BU email address and password.
After account setup has been completed, newly admitted students will receive a generic email with link to MyBU Portal and inviting to update Personal Information. Registration opens the weekend of April 6, 2024, for most Graduate Students. The University Registrar will continue to send messages about compliance (BU Alert, Sexual Misconduct Prevention, Local Address, etc.) to all entering students.
As a GRS PhD or MFA student, you will be using Office 365 Outlook to access your BU email. You will not be using BU Google Mail, please make sure to sign in to Office 365.
For international students, the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) will be emailing the I-20 to the student’s BU email address.
Please include your BU ID in all written correspondence. If you encounter any technical issues with the setup of your BU email account, please contact 617-353-HELP (4357) or ithelp@bu.edu.
Housing
For information about graduate housing, please visit the Boston University Housing website.
For information regarding Boston and its neighborhoods, please visit Boston University’s Graduate Education website.
The Office of Rental Property has a listing of available Boston University apartments. For information regarding additional apartments available on the Charles River Campus, please call them at 617-353-4101. Off-campus housing information can be found on the Off-Campus Services website.
Information Services & Technology
BU’s Information Services & Technology (IS&T) department can help you with all of your technology needs. Links for computing resources on campus and information on obtaining support for your personal computer can be found here.
Rapid Transit
We can just about guarantee you’ll make extensive use of Boston’s rapid transit system (the MBTA, or simply, “the T”) while you are a student at BU.
Boston University is located at several stops along the Boston College branch (B Line) of the Green Line.
The MBTA’s Student Semester Pass allows students to prepay for their monthly “T” passes and thereby save approximately 11% off the regular monthly “T” pass price.
Student Health Services
All entering Boston University students have pre-matriculation health requirements that must be completed prior to your first term at Boston University. Please visit the Student Health Services for important information regarding required medical forms and immunizations.
Helpful Links
— Information about Boston University and the city of Boston
— The Educational Resource Center provides students with the services and resources for developing personal and academic skills
— Information regarding campus safety can be found at the BU Police Department’s website
— The Dept. of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (PERD) offers programs and facilities for numerous forms of physical activity
— If you plan on driving a car to classes, you should take a look at the Office of Parking Services’ website
— Boston University houses a number of libraries on campus and you’ll make use of at least one of them during your time here
— Information Services & Technology provides general-access computing and communications facilities for the entire University community
— The Geddes Language Center provides a wide range of instructional media services for students
— Student Health Services offers a number of health-related services including counseling to the University community
— The Graduate Student Organization (GSO) is a student-run advocacy group for Graduate School of Arts and Sciences students
— Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (GWISE) at Boston University is a student-run group open to all, which strives to create a community to support and promote women in science.
— Finally, information regarding Boston’s rapid transit system, the MBTA, or simply, the T, can be found on the MBTA website.