Frequently Asked Questions

Master’s Programs: Priority deadline: February 1 (for consideration of all scholarships). Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until our final deadline: May 1. Please note that some programs may fill prior to May 1. If programs reach their desired cohort size and are no longer admitting applicants, we will list them on our website. We encourage you to submit your application well before the May 1 deadline.

The two programs that offer spring admission are our two online programs — the Graduate Certificate in Civic Science Communication and the MS in Strategic Integrated Communication. We encourage you to submit your application by December 1.

The Emerging Media Studies Ph.D. program will not be accepting applications for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. We are pausing admissions to thoughtfully enhance our program and ensure we continue to offer a world-class academic experience for our doctoral candidates.

• February 1 – Master’s application priority deadline (for scholarships)
• Mid-March – Admission & financial aid decisions emailed for PhD and February 1 master’s applicants
• Mid-April – Admission response and tuition deposit due for PhD and February 1 master’s admits
• May 1 – Final deadline for master’s applications
• Early May – May 1 applicants are sent to admission committee
• Mid-to-late May – May 1 applicants are emailed decisions
• Early-to-mid June – Registration materials typically emailed to incoming students

Applications submitted between February 1st and May 1st will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants that submit between February 1 and May 1 can expect to receive an admission decision 5-7 weeks after completing the application.

Most of BU COM Master’s programs operate on a fall-intake only cycle. Prerequisite classes for many of our degree programs are only offered in the fall, so students cannot begin a program in the spring semester.

The two programs that offer spring admission are our two online programs — the Graduate Certificate in Civic Science Communication and the MS in Strategic Integrated Communication.

Your application is a self-managed process, which means that it is the applicant’s responsibility to regularly monitor the status of the application and to see if any application items are missing. You may email our office at comgrad@bu.edu to check your application status. Please note that we cannot check the status of your application until it has been submitted. Decisions and notifications are sent via email.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be reviewed for admission.

Applicants who submit by the February 1st priority deadline typically receive decisions by mid-March. Those who apply closer to May 1st can expect decisions 5-7 weeks after submitting their complete application.

Apply via our online application, which contains detailed application instructions. All application materials must be uploaded through the online system. Please see our application requirements page for a full list of required materials..

You may apply to up to two (2) BU COM graduate programs. A separate application fee is required for each program.

No, you only need to submit unofficial transcripts (screenshots, PDFs) from all previously attended colleges/universities into the online application system for the initial application review. Official transcripts showing the degree conferred date are only required after you have been admitted and accept the offer. If admitted and enrolled, you will then be required to submit an official, final copy which shows the Bachelor’s degree conferred date.

No, there is no minimum GPA cutoff. BU COM uses a holistic review process, considering transcripts, career goals, personal statements, and work experience. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is generally expected for successful applicants.

No, prior academic or professional experience is generally not required or expected to be eligible for admission to our Master’s programs – with one exception, our MS in Strategic Integrated Communication, for which a few years of experience is very helpful. Please contact our office at comgrad@bu.edu with questions.

Admission is holistic, which means the admission committee looks at your entire application, including your credentials and experience. That said, the personal statement/writing samples and the Kira Talent questions are the best ways to distinguish yourself. Focus on articulating your passion about your area of interest, why you want to complete your graduate degree at Boston University, and what you want to do after completing the program.

No, only applications that are fully completed (including all supplementary materials, test scores, and letters of recommendation) by the deadline will be reviewed for admission.

While formal interviews are not typically held, applicants must complete the Kira Talent online written and video questions, which assess communication skills and application fit. In some cases, faculty members may contact applicants for a Zoom meeting if more information is needed by the admission committee.

Informational meetings can also be conducted with relevant program faculty at the student’s request, but these do not have an effect on admission to the program. Please contact COM Graduate Affairs if you would like to schedule an appointment.

We require a minimum of 2 letters of recommendation for our Master’s programs, and a minimum of 3 letters of recommendation for our PhD in Emerging Media Studies application. Students have the option of submitting up to 5 recommendations. We strongly prefer that at least one letter is from a professor who can address your ability to perform in an academic setting. The recommendation requires both a rating of attributes and a letter submitted through the online recommendation portal. Applicants cannot send recommendations directly to COM; all recommendations must come directly from the recommender via the online portal. If your recommender is not able to access the online portal, they may send their letter to us via email to comgrad@bu.edu.

Recommendations must be completed electronically by your recommenders, via the online portal. We suggest that you contact the individuals writing the recommendations to confirm that they will be able to write your recommendation letter and to confirm their preferred email address.

An email request from COM is sent to your recommender directing them to a secured website for completion. Because recommendation requests may be caught by spam filters, you should contact your recommenders to ask them to allow their email systems to “permit” COM’s recommendation email address: comgrad.bu@liaisoncas.com. 

If the COM email request was not received by your recommender, please contact COM Technical Support and the email will be sent again. You may contact technical support at (857) 304-2003 or comgrad.bu@liaisoncas.com. If your recommender continues to have trouble accessing the portal, they may send their recommendation letter via email to comgrad@bu.edu.

As you self-manage your application, you may notice three types of recommendation statuses:

• “Requested” – the recommender has been entered into our online system.
• “Accepted” – the recommender has logged onto the online portal, but has not submitted the recommendation.
• “Completed” – the recommender has completed and submitted the recommendation to COM.

You can delete and add a new recommender if the status is still “Requested” or “Accepted”. Once the status is “Completed,” changes cannot be made.

No, the GRE is NOT required for our Master’s or certificate programs. (The GRE is only required for the PhD in Emerging Media Studies).

The GRE institution code is 3087. The TOEFL institution code is also 3087.

International applicants whose native language is not English must meet one of the following minimums: TOEFL iBT 100 (or 5.0 for tests after Jan 2026), IELTS 7.0, or Duolingo 130.

Students who received their undergraduate degree from a non-English speaking institution must take the TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English test.

We must receive an official English proficiency score by the application deadline. Therefore, we recommend taking the exam at least 20 days prior to our deadline to ensure that we receive the score.

Yes, students who earned a degree from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction do not need to submit a TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo score. Please reach out to us at comgrad@bu.edu with questions.

Yes, all transcripts must be in English OR accompanied by a certified English translation. This requirement includes the unofficial transcripts uploaded with your application.

No, a WES evaluation is not generally required. It might only be requested by the admissions committee if your university does not provide a GPA on the American 4.0 scale.

You will be able to upload your transcript in the “Documents” tab of the “Program Materials” section of the application. If your transcript is double-sided, please include both sides and be sure to include the transcript legend (the part of the transcript that explains your institution’s grading scale).

Yes, applicants with a three-year international undergraduate degree are eligible to apply to COM, provided the bachelor’s degree is conferred prior to fall matriculation (typically early September).

The College of Communication’s financial aid resources include various scholarship funds and graduate assistantships (teaching, research, and administrative). In addition, graduate students can apply for educational loans to help cover their cost of attendance. Numerous on-campus and off-campus employment opportunities are also available.

Scholarship: All applicants for full-time admission are automatically considered for COM merit-based scholarships. Students who are admitted are notified at the time of admission if they have been awarded a merit scholarship, which is applied toward their cost of tuition.

Graduate Assistantship: Graduate assistantships may be available to qualified full-time graduate students. All graduate assistants, including international students, must have a valid U.S. Social Security number in order to be paid for their work. Assistantship amounts vary from $1,275 to $6,000 per semester; they do not cover the cost of tuition and are separate from any merit-based scholarship a student may receive.

Federal Unsubsidized Loan: Students are eligible to participate in the Federal Direct Stafford Program if they are: 1) U.S. citizens or permanent residents; 2) enrolled in a degree program at least half-time (six credits); 3) making satisfactory academic progress; and 4) demonstrate need as determined by federal regulations. 

Federal Graduate PLUS loan: To be eligible, you must complete the FAFSA, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have never defaulted on a government loan, and also pass a minimal credit check. 

Private Educational Loans: BU has identified some private loans if you are interested in researching additional options. This list of options is certainly not all inclusive, and we encourage you to search for other outside private loan options that may be available to you.

Yes, all full-time applicants, both domestic and international students, are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.

All full-time applicants (domestic and international) are automatically considered for COM merit-based scholarships upon admission review. No separate application is necessary. Students are notified about scholarships with their admission decision. Additionally, assistantship and loan information will be given to students once they are admitted.

Scholarships are awarded based on merit and range from up to $5,000 to over $38,000+ per academic year. Applying by the February 1st deadline is recommended for priority consideration.

All applicants for full-time admission are automatically considered for COM merit-based scholarships. Students are notified at the time of admission if they have been awarded a merit scholarship, which is applied toward their cost of tuition.

Yes, a limited number of graduate assistantships (teaching, research, administrative jobs) are available to qualified full-time students. These positions are paid via a stipend and are capped at a maximum of 20 hours per week.

All graduate assistants, including international students, must have a valid U.S. Social Security number in order to be paid for their work. Assistantship amounts vary from $1,275 to $6,000 per semester; they do not cover the cost of tuition and are separate from any merit-based scholarship a student may receive.

All domestic students applying for federal aid (loans) must complete the  FAFSA form. List “Boston University” using federal code number 002130 in the College Release Section.

Yes, it is strongly encouraged to report your SSN. This allows us to expedite the financial aid process by matching your admission application with your FAFSA.

Unsubsidized Loans are available to eligible U.S. citizens/residents enrolled at least half-time. Graduate PLUS Loans require completing the FAFSA, passing a minimal credit check, and being a U.S. citizen/permanent resident.

Federal Unsubsidized Loan: Students are eligible to participate in the Federal Direct Stafford Program if they are: 1) U.S. citizens or permanent residents; 2) enrolled in a degree program at least half-time (six credits); 3) making satisfactory academic progress; and 4) demonstrate need as determined by federal regulations. 

Federal Graduate PLUS loan: To be eligible, you must complete the FAFSA, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have never defaulted on a government loan, and also pass a minimal credit check. 

Our website provides information on the different types of loan options available to graduate students. These may include the Federal Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS loans, and private educational loans.

Private Educational Loans: BU has identified some private loans if you are interested in researching additional options. This list of options is certainly not all inclusive, and we encourage you to search for other outside private loan options that may be available to you.

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is a function on the FAFSA that allows applicants who have already filed taxes to prefill answers to some questions by securely transferring data from their federal income tax returns. This can save the family some time in completing the FAFSA. It is highly recommended that students utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing the FAFSA.

COM graduate students are not required to submit the CSS PROFILE to be eligible for federal aid.

Yes, we offer tours and visits by appointment. You can also schedule virtual options like Zoom meetings or phone calls with Graduate Affairs. You can schedule your visit here: bu.edu/com/admissions/visit/.

We encourage you to visit the “Manage My Programs” section of the online application, as well as browse the rest of the Frequently Asked Questions, to see if the answer to your application question is addressed. If not, please contact COM’s Office of Graduate Affairs at comgrad@bu.edu or (617) 353-3481 with questions about:

• Admission requirements and policies
• Supplemental application materials
• Status of your application after it has been submitted
• Content and duration of a particular COM graduate program

If you have any questions regarding technical application issues, please contact BU COM Application Services:

• Application Services phone: (857) 304-2003; open Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm EST.
• Application Services e-mail: comgrad.bu@liaisoncas.com

Students can transfer into COM via the regular application process. Please note that graduate students cannot normally transfer credit from other institutions, but see the question below for more information.

You can transfer into COM via the regular application process. However, graduate students cannot normally transfer credit, though up to 8 credits may be approved after one semester of full-time study.

No, the College of Communication does not offer conditional admission for its graduate programs.

BU’s International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) provides comprehensive visa guidance, documentation procedures, and support for all admitted international students. You can also visit the international student website for details about visas.

International applicants may be required to submit an English proficiency requirement beyond the standard application materials.

Yes, international students are allowed to apply for on-campus employment, including a limited number of COM graduate assistantships (max 20 hours/week). Other positions can range from (for example) an administrative assistant at the library to a lifeguard job at the FitRec Center.A valid U.S. Social Security Number is required for payment. International students may apply for a Social Security Number, which is outlined on the ISSO website. International students should review the Employment Guide for International Students before starting a position.