The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) does not offer online courses. All GRS courses are in-person. If you are looking for a part-time and/or online course, please refer to the University’s Find Your Program page instead. Most part-time and/or online courses at Boston University are offered by the Metropolitan College (MET); their admissions office can be reached at met@bu.edu.
If you wish to take courses at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) and are not looking to eventually enroll in a graduate degree-seeking program within GRS you may apply to a GRS department or program directly, as a special student with non-degree status. You do not need to go through GRS Admissions and you will not need to submit an application for admission. You need to have an accredited bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent and need to be qualified for graduate work.
- It is important to contact the correct college within Boston University when registering for courses as a University non-degree student. The three-letter acronym preceding the course will indicate which college’s policy governs the registration process.
- If the course is a GRS course, contact the department of the course and inquire if it is available for non-degree students. If it is, you will need to get permission and a signature on a registration form from the appropriate staff/faculty member in the department. The next step is to bring the registration form to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences for a stamp of approval (for questions, contact GRS Records at grsrec@bu.edu).
- . Then bring the registration form to the Registrar’s Office at 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Second Floor, for processing.
Once registration is processed, charges are assessed, and you are responsible for those charges. If you wish to withdraw from the University, you must complete a withdrawal form prior to the first day of the semester for a 100% refund. The refund schedule can be found here. Financial assistance is not available to non-degree students.