What should I write in my personal statement?
Applicants to every degree program offered by the Graduate School are required to submit a Personal Statement of not fewer than 200 words. The typical length of a personal statement is approx. 750 words or two pages. This statement must describe your qualifications and the objectives of your intended program in a clear, logical, and concise manner. If you need any further details about the contents of the Personal Statement, please contact the department to which you are applying.
How do I submit my personal statement?
You should upload your statement to your online application. Your uploaded document should be no more than five pages and should be in a Western European or other English-language setting. It should contain the following identifying information on every page:
- Your name
- Your application ID or BU ID
- The department and degree program (e.g. Physics PhD program) to which you are applying
How many pages can my resume/CV have?
Please list only relevant experience in your resume/CV. One page is typical for an applicant coming directly out of a university with limited research experience. If you have lengthy and relevant experience, it may be acceptable to add a second or even third page. Anything longer may bury your most important achievements and may be missed during the review. It may be a better strategy to edit it down to the accomplishments that are most relevant. Your publications may account for half a page; and so do your most impressive and important awards.
What file types are accepted and what is the file size limit?
Accepted file types are .doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, .jpg, .jpeg, .heic, .heif, .png. The size limit for each file upload is 15MB.
How do I submit an updated personal statement or resume/CV?
You cannot re-submit your personal statement or resume/CV. Documents that are sent or emailed directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences cannot be added to your application. Our programs start reviewing applications immediately after their posted application deadline. We cannot replace any documents when faculty has already started reviewing them. If you wish to make the program aware of any additional accomplishments, we recommend that you reach out to the program directly.