Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online. The application for admission should be filled out completely. International applicants are also required to complete the International Applicant section of the application. I-20 documentation is not required to be submitted with the admissions application. International applicants who are accepted and choose to enroll will be asked to submit documentation to initiate I-20 process.

Online Application: New users will be required to create a Boston University Web Account prior to starting the online application. You do not have to complete the online application all at once. You may access your application and change your answers as many times as you like. The Graduate Admissions Office will only review the application once it is complete and submitted. To complete the online submission process you must be able to pay the application fee via credit card. Your application is not submitted until you enter your credit card information.

• Paper Application: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications via the online application system. However, as an alternative, applicants may submit a paper application. To request a paper application, please email sedgrad@bu.edu or call 617-353-4237.  Paper applications should be mailed to the Graduate Admissions Office.

Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended are required. Transcripts must show course titles, dates, and grades. Additionally, transcripts for programs for which a degree was earned must show a degree conferral. Degree conferrals must include the name of the degree conferred, the month and year the degree was conferred, and the name of the institution conferring the degree.

Official transcripts must be submitted in envelopes sealed by the institution’s registrar. Transcripts must be original documents bearing the institutional seal and signature of the institution’s registrar. Transcripts may be mailed directly to the Graduate Admissions Office or to the applicant to be included with other mailed materials.

If you are a college senior, please submit an official transcript with your application. If your fall grades from your senior year are not included on your official transcript, please submit an updated transcript once your fall grades are posted, which is typically in January of your senior year. The update with your fall grades can be an unofficial copy of your transcript mailed, emailed or faxed to the Graduate Admissions office. Your application will not be reviewed without your Fall coursework and grade information.

If you have earned a degree from Boston University or have taken classes at the University, you do not need to submit your Boston University transcript. The Graduate Admissions office will obtain a copy of your transcript and include it with your application.

International Transcripts:
International applicants whose transcripts are not in English should submit the original transcript and an official English translation.

International applicants who have earned a degree outside the U.S. may also need to submit an official credential evaluation. Typically, credential evaluations are required when the international transcript does not indicate either that a baccalaureate degree has been received or that the degree received is equivalent to a baccalaureate degree.

International applicants whose universities will not issue multiple transcripts must obtain official copies of their documents from an embassy or consulate of the university’s country. Notarized copies are not accepted.

Two letters of recommendation are required. Submitting more than two letters of recommendation is allowed, but not required. Recommendation providers may submit letters online or by mail.  Letters received by e-mail or fax will not be accepted.

Letters of recommendation should come from individuals with whom you have studied and/or under whose immediate supervision you have worked in a professional capacity, or others who you believe are in a position to offer pertinent appraisal of your skills and ability.

Applicants who do not waive the right to review a letter of recommendation will only have access to the letter of recommendation once matriculated as a graduate student at Boston University School of Education.

• Online Recommendation Letters: To initiate the online recommendation process, applicants should complete the “Recommenders” section of the online application. Upon completion of this section, an e-mail will be sent to your recommender with instructions on how to complete the online recommendation form. This option is only available to applicants using the online application.
• Paper Recommendation Letters: To initiate the paper recommendation process, applicants should complete the top section of the Recommendation form. Then, applicants should provide the recommendation provider with the form and a return envelope. The recommendation provider should complete the form, seal the form in the return envelope, and sign his/her name across the envelope seal. The sealed envelope(s) should be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Office.

Download Letter of Recommendation Form

All applicants must submit standardized test scores according to the criteria outlined below. Applicants must submit official score reports for all required admissions tests. Due to testing agency processing and mailing times, tests should be taken a minimum of six to eight weeks in advance of any application deadline.

Master’s and CAGS Programs:

• All applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
• In addition, international applicants whose native language is not English and who have not received a university degree from an institution where the primary language of instruction is English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Doctoral Programs:

• All applicants must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test
• In addition, international applicants whose native language is not English and who have not received a university degree from an institution where the primary language of instruction is English must also take the TOEFL or IELTS exam.

Graduate Record Examination

Our school code for the GRE is 3066; we do not use a department code. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that ETS is able to release an official score report to Boston University School of Education. Please note, ETS will report scores for five years after the test date. SED does not have a minimum score requirement for the GRE General Test

Contact Information:
Phone:  1-866-473-4373  or 1-609-771-7670
Website:  www.ets.org/gre/

Miller Analogies Test

Our school code for the MAT is 2352. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that Pearson is able to release an official score report to Boston University School of Education. Please note, Pearson will report scores for up to five years after the test date. SED does not have minimum score requirement for the MAT.

Contact Information:
Phone:  1-800-622-3231 or 210-339-8710
Website:  www.milleranalogies.com

Test of English as a Foreign Language

Our school code for the TOEFL is 3066; we do not use a departmental code. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that ETS is able to release an official score report to Boston University School of Education. Please note, ETS will report scores up to 2 years after the test date.

• Recommended minimum TOEFL score for TESOL program: 100 on the iBT or 600 on the pBT.
• Recommended minimum TOEFL score for all other programs: 80 on the iBT or 550 on the pBT.
  

Contact Information:
Phone:  1-609-771-7100 or 1-877-863-3546
Website: www.ets.org/toefl/

International English Language Testing System

It is the candidate’s responsilbity to ensure that the testing agency is able to release an official score report to Boston University School of Education.

• Recommended minimum IELTS score for TESOL program: 7.0 overall.
  
• Recommended minimum IELTS score for all other programs: 6.5 overall.
  

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that the testing agency is able to release an official score report to Boston University School of Education.

Contact Information:
Website: www.ielts.org

Applicants are required to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). Your resume or CV should contain a summary of relevant job experience and education. You may also include relevant activities, awards, and interests. Boston University does not recommend any particular format.

All applicants are required to submit a statement describing your qualifications for the program to which you are applying and the objectives of your professional career. The statement should be 2 pages, double spaced.

This is required for Doctoral applications only. Doctoral candidates must submit both the Statement of Qualifications and Objectives and the Analytical Essay.

The Analytical Essay should be 500 to 700 words and should identify key arguments on a current educational or social issue pertinent to your field. Include your analysis and conclusions. Cite references that inform your understanding.  This essay may be a new piece of work or a previously written essay.

All applicants applying for full-time study will be reviewed for merit scholarships if they indicate interest on the application.  SED applicants are welcome to apply for other scholarship opportunities such as those listed below.  Supplemental essays for consideration for these opportunities should be uploaded in the Upload Documents section of the online application unless otherwise indicated.

• Ansin Intercultural Research Fund
• Glenn Fellowship (doctoral candidates only)
• The Kelly Elizabeth Stephens Memorial Scholarship (Indonesian candidates only)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship
• Robert Noyce Scholarship Programs for Mathematics Education (separate application process)
• Whitney M. Young, Jr. Scholarship (separate application process)

Applicants may submit an additional essay with any information they want to bring to the Admissions Committee’s attention. Re-applicants are encouraged to use this essay to discuss how their application has changed and/or improved from the last application submission.

A non-refundable application fee of $70 is required. Applicants submitting online applications will be prompted to pay by credit card prior to submitting the application. The application is not submitted until credit card information is entered. Applicants submitting paper applications should submit a check for the application fee with their other application materials. Checks should be made payable to Boston University.