Admission Requirements

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact potential mentors prior to applying to the program. Applicants should review the active faculty research activity list and contact the program director for more information.

Applicants must have completed at least an undergraduate degree in a related field at an accredited college or university. Students who have completed a master’s degree in a related field also may enter the program. While professional experience is not an explicit requirement, applicants with relevant experience may be given priority for admission. Applicants are required to submit their test scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test, which must have been taken within the previous five years.

Applicants also must submit official academic transcripts, three letters of reference, and an essay. In the essay, ScD applicants must describe their professional interests as well as short-term and long-term career goals, identify a potential mentor from among the faculty participating in the Doctor of Science in Rehabilitation Sciences Program, and explain the reason for the selection of that mentor. Admission into the program considers the compatibility of the applicant’s interests and goals with the interests and research activities of the faculty who would be the applicant’s mentor.

International students whose first language is not English are required to submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). If the student’s prior degree was not from a college or university in the United States, their academic transcripts from foreign colleges or universities should be verified by institutions with appropriate credentials (e.g., World Education Services (WES)).  Additional information for international applicants is available on the website for the Boston University International Students & Scholars Office.

Basic computer literacy (MS Office, Internet) must be demonstrated.

The ScD program is designed for students to begin study in the fall semester. Applicants who wish to begin their program of study in January will be considered on an individual basis.

Application Deadline:

Application review for fall admission begins in mid-January.  Applicants desiring consideration for financial aid are encouraged to apply by January 15.