PhD & MFA: Application & Deadlines

Graduate Information

We welcome your application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences!

Arts & Sciences is Boston University’s largest academic division, the heart of a world-class research university. Our faculty in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) are among the world’s most respected professors, researchers, and professionals in their disciplines. Our alumni are leading innovation and research and making an impact in their fields. Our campus is Boston, a city vibrant with history, culture, and diversity, and teeming with potential for connections and careers.

Important Admissions Update

Does GRS offer my PhD or MFA program?

Admissions Basics

Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) through our online application.
We strongly advise that you familiarize yourself with our PhD & MFA: Frequently Asked Questions before contacting our admissions staff.
Applications close at 11:59pm (23:59) Boston Time (Eastern Time Zone, UTC – 05:00) on the day listed as the program’s application deadline (refer to the list of programs at the bottom of this page). Example: if the deadline is listed as December 15, then the application will close on December 15 when it is 11:59pm in Boston. If you are currently located in a time zone west of Boston (i.e. UTC – 06:00 to UTC – 11:00), you must submit your application one to six hours before midnight your time. Please do not wait until the very last second to submit your application. We do not grant extensions. Please plan ahead.
You cannot apply to more than one GRS program, and you cannot apply to both a GRS PhD and a GRS Master’s degree. We recommend that you contact the program directly if you are unsure about applying to the Master’s or the PhD degree. PhD & MFA applicants can only apply to the fall semester.
You can apply to a program offered by GRS and program(s) offered by the other 16 Boston University schools and colleges. Each graduate school has their separate application.
When creating your account, please be sure to use a permanent, non-school-related email address. You will be contacted through the email address you use to create the account, and correspondence may occur after your previous school disabled your school email account.
Letters of recommendation are received through a separate system. You don’t need to wait to submit your application. Your recommenders will submit their letters separately.
All documents (transcripts, personal statement, CV/resume, writing sample, if applicable, etc.) have to be submitted through the online application before the application closes. Documents that are sent or emailed directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences by you, your institution, or a third party (ex: Parchment) cannot be added to your application. You cannot add or email updated documents (personal statement, resume/CV, etc.) or transcripts (showing fall grades) after you submit your application.
All documents, official electronic test scores, and recommendations letters must be received by the deadline; otherwise, they may not be considered by the program’s application review committee. Please allow for 5-10 business days for electronic scores (GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) to be matched to your application.
All credentials, including transcripts and recommendation letters, submitted in support of an application become property of Boston University. Neither originals nor copies may be returned.
After you submit your application, it will be reviewed by the program’s admission committee. The response time varies by program. Most programs make admission decisions in late February to early March. If you have questions about the timeline, please contact the program directly. You do not need to sign back in to your application after you submit it; there is no additional information that can be found in the application, you cannot track the progress of the review in the application. Once a decision has been made, you will receive an email informing you of the outcome.
If you are a PhD or MFA applicant to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) and have a program-related question, please contact the program directly at the email address listed under each program (refer to the list of programs at the bottom of this page).

Admissions FAQs

PhD Fellowship Aid MFA Fellowship Aid

International Applicants

Statement on Holistic Admissions

PhD & MFA Programs requiring GRE

Fellowship Aid

Our programs, deadlines, and requirements

The following programs are offered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS). If your program is not listed here, it is not offered by GRS. Please check the University’s Graduate Education website to find which of the 17 graduate schools at Boston University you should contact instead.

Online Application

American Studies (not admitting fall 2026)

Anthropology (not admitting fall 2026)

Astronomy (application closed)

Biology (application closed)

Biostatistics (application closed)

Chemistry (application closed)

Classical Studies (deadline Jan 15, 2026)

Computer Science (application closed)

Creative Writing (deadline Jan 15, 2026)

Earth & Environment (application closed)

Economics (application closed)

English (application closed)

History (application closed)

History of Art & Architecture (not admitting fall 2026)

Linguistics (application closed)

Literary Translation (deadline Feb 15, 2026)

Mathematics & Statistics (application closed)

Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry (application closed)

Philosophy (deadline Feb 1, 2026)

Physics (application closed)

Playwriting (application closed)

Political Science (application closed)

Psychological and Brain Sciences (application closed)

Graduate Program in Religion (not admitting fall 2026)

Romance Studies (not admitting fall 2026)

Sociology (deadline Jan 15, 2026)

PhD Program	Program start September 2026
American Studies	not required
Anthropology	not required
History of Art & Architecture	not required
Astronomy	optional
Biology	not required
Biostatistics	not required
Chemistry	not required
Classical Studies	not required
Computer Science	not required
Creative Writing	not required
Earth & Environment	not required
Economics	required
English	not required
French Language & Literature	not required
Hispanic Language & Literatures	not required
History	not required
Linguistics	not required
Literary Translation	not required
Mathematics	not required
MCBB	not required
Philosophy	not required
Physics	optional
Playwriting	not required
Political Science	optional
Psychology	optional
Religion	not required
Sociology	not required
Statistics	not required