Expenses

For the academic year 2011/2012, full-time tuition is $40,848 . This fee permits the student to enroll for three to four-and-one-half courses each semester (12-18 credits.) Part-time students are charged $1,228 per credit. Continuing students are charged a fee of $2,552 per semester.

The University also charges full-time graduate students a George Sherman Union fee of $202 per year, a student health service fee of $216 per year, and a medical insurance fee: BASIC Medical Insurance Fees for 2011/2012 is $1914.  http://www.bu.edu/comp/saweb/medins.html Massachusetts law requires all students who are carrying at least 75 percent of the full-time curriculum to have medical insurance. Students who cannot demonstrate coverage under a qualifying medical insurance plan are required to purchase the University’s student health insurance plan.

Graduate students who are not permanent residents of the United States are provided with additional advisory services and academic and social activities, for which a fee of $5,104 per academic year is charged until the student completes all course requirements. A prorated fee applies during the summer sessions.

Estimated minimum off-campus living expenses for one academic year (September to May) are $17,292 for a single student. Please add the following figures when a student will be accompanied by dependents (September to May). For one dependent $9,165; for two dependents $15,727. For each additional dependent $4,414. Please keep in mind that the figures for living expenses are estimates, and students are advised to bring additional funds if possible.

Fees are subject to change by action of the Trustees of Boston University. Additional information on specific living expenses and visas for foreign students may be obtained from the: International Students and Scholars Office http://www.bu.edu/isso/

Financial Aid

Many graduate students in economics, particularly foreign students, receive financial support from institutions outside the University.

A wide variety of teaching and research positions are available to successful PhD candidates in subsequent years, and a majority receive such funding to some extent. All awards at all levels carry some form of work obligation (teaching, tutoring, or research).

Unfortunately, the number of assistantships and fellowships available is substantially less than the number of well-qualified applicants for financial assistance. Financial aid is awarded principally on the basis of an applicant’s academic record and is normally granted for one year at a time. Subsequent funding is contingent on good academic performance. Financial aid is normally not available after the fifth year in the Ph.D. program.

A small number of fellowships are available for first-year PhD students who are fluent in English. These awards include full tuition and a stipend.

The Arts and Sciences Dean’s Fellowship (ASDF) is a full-tuition scholarship, and a stipend of $18,800 is offered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences based on the department’s recommendation. This award is intended to be a multiyear commitment formulated to attract the very best graduate students. There is no work requirement attached to this award in the first year. Continuation of financial aid in subsequent years is contingent on the same academic basis as listed earlier.

Financial aid from the Department of Economics is not available to Master’s students.