Academic Information

Academic Credit

A full course load in a standard six-week summer session at Boston University is eight semester credits (generally two courses) or a total of 16 semester credits for the full Summer Term.

Credit for Boston University courses offered during Summer Term may be applied toward any Boston University degree under conditions established by the faculty recommending for the degree; but in view of the diverse requirements for different degrees, students should have their selections approved in advance at the School or College to which the credit is to be submitted.

Transfer of Credit

Boston University students are expected to take their courses at Boston University Summer Term unless, for reasons of extreme distance, students cannot get to our campus during the summer. In particular, courses offered by other Boston-area institutions may not be transferred back to Boston University unless a) the course is a program requirement and is not offered in the Boston University Summer Term, or b) prior approval has been obtained from both the responsible department chair and dean of the requesting student. Boston University students who have been granted permission to take classes elsewhere must have their course selections approved at the School or College to which the credit is to be applied.

Visiting students expecting to transfer summer credit to other institutions should secure advance approval of their course selections from the institution to which they wish to transfer credit.

Transcript of Grades

Requests for official transcripts may be made using the Student Link or may be made in writing, either by letter or by completing a Transcript Request Form available at the Office of the University Registrar. Please include the following information: full name, including any former names; signature; Boston University ID number or Social Security number; schools attended and dates; degrees awarded; and complete address of transcript destination(s).

The transcript fee is $4 per copy if requested using the Student Link, or $6 per copy if made in writing. Payment can be made by using check, American Express, MasterCard, VISA, Discover, or American Express, and must accompany the request. Processing time for transcript requests received by mail is two to three business days. Transcripts can be sent by Express Mail for an additional $19 per destination within the continental United States. For other destinations, please contact the Registrar's office at 617-353-3612 for the cost.

Official and unofficial transcripts can be obtained in person at the Registrar's office during regular business hours. A valid photo ID is required. There is no charge for unofficial transcripts. Please note that the Registrar's office does not mail unofficial transcripts.

Auditing

Students wishing to take Boston University Summer Term courses on an audit basis should should contact the Summer Term office to determine whether an audit is permitted for their particular class. (The College of Arts & Sciences does not permit students to audit CAS classes.) Students who are granted approval to audit a course are charged the same tuition as students taking the course for credit. Students with permission to audit should complete a Summer Add/Drop Form, note (AU) on the form, and obtain their instructor's signature. The standard withdrawal schedule will apply. All students attending and participating in a course must be officially registered. Students are not allowed to "sit-in" on summer courses.

Accreditation

Boston University is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. The individual schools and colleges of the University carry additional accreditation in their respective fields.