About

The Difference Is Our DNA

What compelled the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to award Boston University a grant to fight newborn mortality in Zambia? Why did Martin Luther King, Jr. adopt BU as a place where he could hone his message of justice and equality? And what is the catalyst that prompts 33,683 students to call BU their home every semester? It’s in our DNA: an inherent desire in each of our students, faculty, and staff to vigorously and dauntlessly pursue knowledge—and embrace the unlimited possibilities that come with it.

A Community Unlike Any Other

As you can see below, it takes people, ideas, and a little luck (Boston, you’re our town) to make BU what it is today: one of the most dynamic universities in the world.

Celebrated thinkers: On any given day, students will find themselves mesmerized by Nobel Prize winners, poets laureate, and the first biomedical engineer ever to receive a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Award,” among others.

Extraordinary teaching: When a classroom starts to percolate with new ideas, it’s because our faculty of scholars and accomplished practitioners know how to ignite students’ imaginations. That’s why we reward our best teachers with BU’s most prestigious honor: The Metcalf Cup and Prize.

Groundbreaking research: With faculty dedicated to a creative, interdisciplinary approach to problem solving, BU has become a leading global research institution—propelled forward by over $366 million in sponsored program awards in FY2012. This fall, BU was invited to join the Association of American Universities, an elite organization of 61 other leading research universities in the United States and Canada.

World-class students: Elite students from all 50 states and 139 countries pursue higher education on BU campuses in Boston and at programs in L.A., D.C., and more than 30 other cities on six continents.

A city within a city: Today, 80 percent of our undergrads live on campus, which could explain nearly 500 student activity groups alone.

The greatest college town in the world: Boston. ’Nuff said.

BU Basics

How many freshmen matriculated last fall? What is the student to faculty ratio? Do you know how many continents BU spans? Which professor is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner? (Hint: He also doubles as a dean around campus.)

  • 4,023 freshmen
  • 13 students for each faculty member
  • Programs on 6 continents
  • COM Dean has 2 Pulitzers

There are so many numbers, statistics, facts, and figures about BU, you could scroll for miles. Here’s a quick overview…

* Numbers based on the 2011/2012 Boston University Fact Sheet, published May 2012.

Community
Student body 33,683
Undergraduate 16,648
Graduate & professional 14,175
Non-Degree 2,860
Faculty 4,047
Living alumni 308,682
Campus
Boston locations Charles River Campus & Medical Campus
Campus area 133 acres
Buildings 320
Classrooms 486
Libraries 24
Laboratories 2,024
Academics
Schools & colleges 16
Programs of study More than 250
Study abroad programs Nearly 100 in 36 cities in 23 countries
Student / faculty ratio 13:1
Average class size 28
Total degrees awarded 9,076 FY2011
Total doctoral/professional degrees 1,104
Research Grants & Contracts
Sponsored program awards $356.3 million in FY2011
Number of research awards 1,772
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Total grants & scholarships (non-need-based) $27,197,199
Total grants & scholarships (need-based) $181,112,093
Average need-based grant/scholarship $23,225
Average total need-based financial aid $34,510
Student Life
Students living on campus 80%
Community service hours 130,000
Alternative Spring Break participants 425
First-Year Student Outreach Project volunteers 1,239
Student organizations Over 500
Performing arts organizations 54
Media & art organizations 17
Community service organizations 21
Cultural & religious organizations 62
Concerts & performances on campus Over 700
Facebook pages & groups 200 and growing
Twitter accounts 262
Exhibitions 50
Dissertation & thesis defenses 300+ open to the public
Scholarship
Conferences, lectures & symposia Over 1,500
Faculty experts in the news 3,112 annually
International Community
Students’ origins 6,041 international students from 139 countries
Language dorms 6
Cultural student groups 41
Global initiatives 33
Alumni abroad 180+ countries
Athletics
Varsity sports 23 (13 women’s, 10 men’s)
Club sports 32 teams / 28 sports
Club sports participants 1,007
Intramural sports & tournaments 16
Fitness & recreation classes Nearly 700 credit and non-credit, per semester
FitRec users 4,000–5,000 visits daily