Admissions Information for Prospective Students

Boston University hosts a vibrant international community of nearly 5,500 students and scholars representing over 137 countries. International students contribute exciting new ideas and cultures to the campus, and are an integral part of Boston University's community. In order to become a B.U. student, all prospective international students must first apply for admission to the University. Since the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) does not conduct the admission process, you will need to contact the appropriate admissions office for the program you wish to apply.

After receiving your acceptance letter from the International Admissions Office, you will be required to submit the Confidential Statement for Financing Studies along with the rest of the application. The International Admissions Office will review these documents and produce your visa document. If you wish to know the status of your visa document, please contact the International Admissions Office by telephone at 617-353-4492 or via email at intadmis@bu.edu

The admissions department in your school or college will work with you to gather all of the documentation necessary to obtain the appropriate document (Form I-20 or DS-2019) from Boston University to enable you to apply for a student visa. After receiving your acceptance letter from the admissions department in your graduate school or college, you will be required to submit to the admissions office the completed International Student Data Form (ISDF) along with financial documents that demonstrate your ability to pay for your expenses at Boston University. The financial documents must either show funds in a bank account in your name, or include a letter of sponsorship from the person who owns the account (for this requirement, a simple letter stating that the person wishes to use their funds to support you will suffice). All financial documents must be written in English and show the amounts converted into U.S. dollars.  Click here to review the Estimate of Expenses to determine the amount of funds you must have available and to download the Sponsorship Certification Form, if needed.

Your department will forward the ISDF, your financial documents and your TOEFL score (if applicable) to the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) for evaluation. If these documents are complete and acceptable, the International Admissions Specialist at the ISSO will issue a Form I-20 (for F-1 students) or a DS-2019 (for J-1 students). This will be mailed to you, and is required for you to apply for the F-1 student visa or the J-1 exchange visitor visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Many delays in receiving your visa document can be prevented if you are careful to fill out your International Student Data Form (ISDF) accurately and consistently.

• You may have more than one way of spelling your name, especially in English, so make sure that the name you enter on the ISDF exactly matches the name in your passport. The same is true for your spouse's or children's names.
  
• Be sure to answer every question. Unanswered questions delay the processing of documents.
  
• Please enter your date of birth in the American format, as requested on the ISDF: Month, Day and Year. For example, May 12, 1978 = 05/12/1978.
  
• The ISDF will ask for your preferred mailing address; please be sure to list the address completely and accurately, including any postal codes, so there are no unnecessary delays in receiving your visa documents.

If you are a graduate student and are concerned about the status of your visa document, you should first contact your school's admissions office to verify that they have received your International Student Data Form and financial documents, and have sent these materials to the ISSO. If these materials were sent to the ISSO over a week from the day you contacted your department, you may call or e-mail the International Graduate Admissions Specialist at 617-353-3565 or issogac@bu.edu to find out the status of your visa document.  Keep in mind that the ISSO produces visa documents within 10 business days of receipt from the department's admissions office.

When you receive your visa document in the mail, check it over carefully. If any information is inaccurate or if spelling mistakes exist, please contact the International Admissions Specialist at issogac@bu.edu

Boston University Graduate Admissions Offices

ISSO
Boston University
July 18, 2008