AY 2024-25 APPLICATION: APPLY HERE

We have a very limited number of spaces left for Fall 2024. All remaining spaces are in double rooms. There are no remaining singles.

Priority admission for speakers of Korean, Portuguese, and Russian. We also welcome applications from speakers of Akan Twi, Modern Standard Arabic, German, Italian, Japanese, kiSwahili, and Mandarin Chinese. The French and Spanish clusters are full.

Late applications for Fall will be reviewed on a rolling basis until July 1 or until all spaces are filled. Please note that our application is CLOSED during Room Selection. No applications will be accepted or reviewed during that time.

You must have completed a Housing Agreement and paid your Housing Deposit to be eligible to live on campus. Click here to visit the Housing Portal.

Want to find out more before you apply? Make an appointment with the Director. Email ghdirect@bu.edu.

Frequently Asked Application Questions:

Do you accept late applications?

After the deadline for Fall admission, we review applications on a rolling basis until all available spaces are filled. There is no guarantee that spaces will be available after the deadline. Our application is closed during the Room Selection period (typically late February to early April). If there are any spaces available after room selection ends, the application will reopen until all spaces are filled. Incoming transfer students are welcome to apply for these open spaces, if available. Returning students may also apply for these spots and will be offered a room change.

Late applications for Spring admission will NOT be considered. We encourage you to apply for the following fall.

When are application decisions announced?

For Fall admission: No responses will be sent out until after the general deadline. Applicants who apply before or soon after the deadline will typically receive an email from the Residence Life Office in mid-February. Applications received more than one week after the deadline will typically receive a response within 10 business days. No applications will be reviewed or considered during the Room Selection period (typically late February to early April).

For Spring admission: Applicants will receive a response after the deadline and before the end of classes during the fall semester.

PLEASE NOTE: An approved application does NOT guarantee you a spot in Global House. Your membership is not finalized until you have accepted a room assignment on our floor.

Does Global House have a residency requirement?

YES. Students must live in Global House (610 Beacon St, 4th floor). Membership in Global House is not official until you accept a housing placement within Global House. You must also complete a Residential License Agreement and submit a Housing Guarantee Fee to the Housing Office, as per their deadlines.

Students who are approved for Academic Year prior to the start of Room Selection will select a space in Global House during the normal Housing Selection period. Most students will select during Community Room Selection. Students who currently live in 610 Beacon St. will select during Same Dorm/Internal Selection.

Joining Global House after Community Room Selection is dependent on space availability. Students who are approved to join Global House after the end of Housing Selection will be offered a Room Change if they have an existing on-campus housing assignment for the fall semester. Students approved off-cycle without an existing on-campus housing assignment will simply be offered a placement in Global House by the Housing Office. If you decline the offered placement, you will not be able to join Global House.

Students who are approved for SPRING admission will be offered a Room Change by the Housing Office, pending availability. If you are currently living on campus, you will need to completely move out of your current room assignment at the end of the Fall semester. You will then move into your Global House room assignment at the beginning of the Spring semester. If you do not have a current room assignment (due to Study Abroad, etc), you will simply be offered a room placement by the Housing Office. If you decline the offered placement, you will not be able to join Global House. 

Students who are approved for Spring admission and ALREADY live in 610 Beacon St do not need to move and will not be offered a room change.

What minimum level of language proficiency do I need?

You must have a MINIMUM low-intermediate/A2 level in a Global House language by the time you enter Global House. This is the equivalent of completing the second semester (112) language course or the equivalent level. If you are currently enrolled in the second-semester class, you are eligible to apply. Speakers of intermediate, advanced, superior, and native proficiency are also highly encouraged to apply.

You should not apply to a cluster whose language you do not speak and/or have never studied. While Global House can help support you in practicing a new language, you must meet the proficiency requirement for the language cluster you wish to join.

I haven’t taken a language class at BU. How do I demonstrate my proficiency?

For intermediate and advanced speakers: If available, list your AP, IB, or SAT II test scores or college-level courses for which you successfully transferred credit. If these are not available, list other courses or experiences (study abroad, etc) that demonstrate your proficiency AND include your score on the BU online language placement exam. These exams are available on the websites for the Department of Romance Studies (French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish) and the Department of World Languages and Literatures (Arabic, Chinese, German, Korean, Japanese, Russian).

Native speakers: please explain how you acquired proficiency (international student, spoke the language at home, etc).

Global House reserves the right to request a language proficiency interview for any applicant during the application review process.

I speak more than one Global House language. Which language cluster should I apply to?

You may apply to any language cluster for which you have sufficient language proficiency. If you are a native speaker of one language and a learner of another, consider applying to your non-native language cluster. This will provide you with the most opportunity to improve your language skills and explore another culture. You will still have opportunities to participate in your native language’s cluster, even if it is not your official language cluster placement. You should NOT apply to a language cluster whose language you have not previously studied and/or do not speak.

Who should I list as a reference on my application and how should they submit their recommendation?

If possible, you should list an instructor in RS or WLL with whom you have taken a course. You should ask their permission before listing them as a reference. Ask them to email a brief statement (one paragraph maximum) assessing your language ability, your interest in intercultural topics, and your ability to succeed in an intentional community. They should email this statement directly to Dr. Webb (ghdirect@bu.edu).

If you have not taken a language course at BU, you should request a reference from another instructor or staff member who is familiar with your cultural and/or linguistic interests AND your ability to succeed as part of a student-led community.

Have another question? Visit our full FAQ page or e-mail Dr. Lillie Webb, Director of Global House at ghdirect@bu.edu.

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