The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences has a wide-ranging international student population that ensures a richly diverse and stimulating environment. We welcome applications from all over the world. If you are not a citizen of the United States or do not hold official United States Permanent Residency status, you will need to provide the following additional information with your application:<\/p>\n
All applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English, typically through English proficiency test scores.\u00a0 The Graduate School does not waive the English proficiency requirement in advance.\u00a0 The requirement will be waived (meaning that you will not need to provide English proficiency test scores) if, at the time of the application deadline, you meet at least one of the following criteria:<\/p>\n
If you do not have passing English Proficiency Scores and\/or do not meet any of the criteria for exemption, you are automatically disqualified<\/strong>; you cannot apply to one of our PhD or MFA programs.\u00a0 You cannot appeal.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n If you are exempt based on citizenship (see previous question) and correctly list your citizenship in the application (it is a required field), there is nothing you need to do.\u00a0 The requirement will be waived automatically.<\/p>\n If you are not exempt based on citizenship, do not email the Graduate School or program to request a waiver, the Graduate School does not waive the English Language Proficiency requirement in advance.\u00a0 Instead, make sure to include appropriate documentation with your application.\u00a0 The English proficiency requirement may be waived at the time of the review of the application by the program based on the available documentation included with the application.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n We accept the following English proficiency tes<\/span>ts and minimum scores:<\/p>\n If you do not have passing English Proficiency Scores and\/or do not meet any of the criteria for exemption, you are automatically disqualified<\/strong>; you cannot apply to one of our PhD or MFA programs.\u00a0 You cannot appeal.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n No.\u00a0 The Graduate School does not waive the English proficiency requirement in advance of the application review. Do not email the Graduate School or program asking for a waiver. The Graduate School will not review your documents ahead of the application review.\u00a0 The requirement may be waived at the time of the application review based on all the available documentation and test scores included with the application.<\/p>\n If you do not have passing English Proficiency Scores and\/or do not meet any of the criteria for exemption, you are automatically disqualified<\/strong>; you cannot apply to one of our PhD or MFA programs.\u00a0 You cannot appeal.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n TOEFL<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The Graduate School must receive your official TOEFL test scores from ETS electronically.\u00a0 The Graduate School does not accept test scores on paper or sent via email.<\/p>\n The ETS institution code is 3087 <\/strong>to send official TOEFL scores to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at BU.\u00a0 You do not need to specify a department code when requesting test scores be sent to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. If the system requires you to enter a program code, you may enter any department code (ex: \u201c99\u201d).\u00a0 The Graduate School will receive your scores regardless of the department code.<\/p>\n Please ensure the registration number, name, and birth date on your online application match the information you provided to ETS. This information allows your test scores to be matched to your application. Please note that if you select an institution code for an institution outside of BU, you will need to contact ETS and have your scores resent to institution code 3087<\/strong>. We will not accept a copy of any test score as a substitute for an original report.<\/p>\n If you did not request that your test scores be sent to GRS at institution code 3087<\/strong> when you took the test, you can always order additional score reports. Visit the ETS website<\/strong><\/a> for more information on ordering TOEFL reports. Please remember that photocopies of test score reports are not considered official. If the information provided to ETS does not match the information on your application (alternate names, former names, transposed names, incorrect birth date, etc), please contact Applicant Support at grs-info.bu@liaisoncas.com<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH QUALIFICATIONS<\/span> After you have completed the exam and have submitted your admissions application, please email a copy of your Cambridge English Certificate to grsphd@bu.edu<\/a><\/strong> with subject line \u201cCambridge English Qualifications,\u201d and include your first and last name, your 10-digit admissions application ID, your Cambridge English Qualifications Candidate ID, and the name of the PhD or MFA program to which you are applying in the email.<\/p>\n IELTS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n It is important that you schedule your IELTS test well in advance of the application deadline so your scores will be received before the application review. Applicants submitting IELTS scores will need to contact their testing center and request official test scores be sent electronically to Boston University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences via our e-delivery account name: <\/span>Boston University Graduate Programs.<\/p>\n DUOLINGO<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n When you complete your Duolingo exam, please select Boston University Graduate & Professional Programs as a score recipient. After you submit your admissions application to GRS, please email a copy of your Duolingo Certificate to grsphd@bu.edu<\/a><\/strong> with subject line \u201cDuolingo,\u201d and include your first and last name, your 10-digit admissions application ID, the Duolingo exam date, and the name of the PhD or MFA program to which you are applying in the email.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Your application must be complete by the application deadline<\/a> to be considered for admission.\u00a0 This includes your English language scores.\u00a0 Any scores received after the deadline may not be included in the review by the program.\u00a0 If you have questions about when the program will start reviewing applications, please contact the program<\/a> directly.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n All English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, Cambridge English Qualifications, IELTS, Duolingo) are valid for two years (24 months)<\/strong>.\u00a0 For example, an applicant who submits an application on December 15, 2025, must have taken the English proficiency test after December 15, 2023.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n All test scores must be submitted at the time of application.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will not be able to retrieve test scores sent from a previous application cycle.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n Applicants are strongly discouraged from applying if they have not met the minimum requirements at the time of the application deadline.\u00a0 Deadline extensions to retake tests will not be granted.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n International students must apply for the most appropriate visa that will allow you to enter the US to begin or resume your academic activities.\u00a0 If you are offered admission following the academic review of your application, you will receive two separate emails from our office; one email asking you to accept or decline the offer of admission, and one email asking you to submit the international student visa documents listed below.\u00a0 Our office will forward these documents to the University’s International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).\u00a0 ISSO will process your documents and, if approved, issue a “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status” (form I-20) to you, which is a document that certifies a student’s admission to a U.S. educational institution and their eligibility to apply for a student visa.\u00a0 <\/span>Please review the ISSO’s student visa process<\/a><\/strong> information page.\u00a0 Important: After you accept the offer of admission, you will receive an email with a link to set up your BU Login<\/strong><\/a> (\u201cKerberos Account\u201d) and BU Email<\/a><\/strong> (\u201cOffice 365 Outlook\u201d).\u00a0 Please use the links in that email to set this up as soon as possible as you will receive your I-20 at your BU email address.<\/p>\n ***<\/strong> Although you may have until April 15, 2026 <\/strong>to inform us of your decision to enroll at Boston University, we are unable to process your I-20 documentation until you formally accept our offer of admission. We encourage you to submit your international student visa documents and accept your offer, especially if you are outside of the United States, so you can begin your student visa application as early as possible.\u00a0 Please note that U.S. consulates will not issue student visa more than 120 days in advance of your study start date.\u00a0 International students on new student visas cannot enter the U.S. before August 3, 2026 <\/strong>(30 days before the study start date shown on your I-20).\u00a0 All students must arrive on campus no later than September 2, 2026<\/strong> (the first day of fall classes).\u00a0 Students unable to arrive on campus on time may request a deferral<\/strong><\/a> of their application to fall 2027. ***<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n You must provide a bank statement or other appropriate evidence of financial support adequate to cover travel to and from Boston and for tuition and living costs for at least one full year at Boston University. Please refer to your admission offer letter. If your annual stipend exceeds the total for Room and Board<\/em>, Books and Supplies<\/em>, and Incidentals<\/em> listed on the International Students and Scholars (ISSO) Estimate of Expenses<\/a><\/strong> page, and you are not bringing any dependents with you, your Admission Offer Letter should suffice. If you are bringing dependents with you, and your admission offer lists a 12-month stipend, please refer to the 12-month column of the Estimate of Expenses page; if you admission offer lists less than a 12-month stipend, please refer to the 9-month column of the Estimate of Expenses page.\u00a0 <\/span>Please note the minimum amount listed may be increased by up to 5% each academic year.<\/p>\n Immigration regulations prohibit most international students from accepting any employment except University appointments during their study in the United States. <\/span>Additional information can <\/span>be found on the\u00a0<\/span>International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO)<\/a><\/strong> website. If you have questions, please contact our office at grs@bu.edu (please include your name and BU ID).\u00a0 Once all required documents have been received and reviewed by the Graduate School, they will be forwarded to the University’s International Students and Scholar’s Office (ISSO) for processing.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n No.\u00a0 You do not need to submit your international documents and financial documentation when you apply for admission.\u00a0 If you are offered admission and you accept the offer, you will receive an email prompting you to submit the required documents and form at that time.<\/p>\n All international applicants who are offered admission and accept their offer are then required to submit the completed and signed International Student Data Form (ISDF) with required passport\/visa documentation. These applicants would be immediately notified by email and given instruction how to submit this documentation.<\/p>\n In the event applicants are offered admission without sufficient financial aid to cover the estimate of expenses for themselves and any dependents they may have, applicants must also submit appropriate financial documentation before official admission is given and the visa process can begin.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n No.\u00a0 None of the PhD programs offered by Boston University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) require a tuition deposit. The MFA in Creative Writing and the MFA in Playwriting programs do also not require a tuition deposit.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n All full-time PhD degree students and MFA degree students in Creative Writing and Playwriting will be admitted with full fellowship aid. If you are admitted to a PhD or MFA program, please select the appropriate option on the International Student Data Form and upload your admission offer letter listing your fellowship support as your financial document.\u00a0 If you are bringing any dependents, please refer to the “What are the estimated costs that have to be covered?” FAQ below.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, financial aid for all other students far exceeds our capability to support many highly qualified students. If in the event you are recommended for admission without financial aid, you would need to provide financial documentation to begin the visa process.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n We accept checking or savings bank account statements, bank loan statements, additional scholarship award letters, or support letters from the government or independent organization. The financial documents must be in English and clearly state your name or, if applicable, your sponsor’s name. The currency on all financial documentation must be in U.S. dollars. Additionally, bank letters should specify either the amount of U.S. dollars in the account, or a minimum U.S. dollar amount available for use.<\/p>\n If you are being sponsored, then a bank statement must be accompanied by a legalized letter of sponsorship. Photocopies of any financial documentation are not acceptable. The International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) has detailed information regarding financial support documentation on the ISSO Website<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Please note that once a financial document is sent to our office, it will not be returned under any circumstances. Students should request two copies of bank statements or bank letters from their bank as the second copy of the bank statement or bank letter will be needed for visa processing at the student’s embassy appointment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n The International Students & Scholars Office provides an estimate of expenses that should be sufficient for one year of attendance at Boston University. The most recent estimate is posted on the ISSO Website<\/a><\/strong>. Please be aware that this estimate is updated on a yearly basis. If the estimate posted on the website is for a previous academic year, you should expect an increase and submit financial support documents accordingly.\u00a0 Your PhD fellowship should cover the estimate of expenses for the student.\u00a0 The MFA fellowship covers most but not all of it, please refer to your admission offer letter and the figures published on the ISSO’s website.\u00a0 If you are bringing any dependents with you, you will need to provide additional financial documentation<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n A “Financial Sponsorship Letter” or “Legalized Letter of Support” is an original letter, written and signed by your sponsor(s), stating their relationship to you and that they are willing to support you for the upcoming academic year at Boston University with a specified amount of money (which must be sufficient to cover the estimated expenses<\/a><\/strong> as determined by the International Students & Scholars Office). It does not have to be notarized or signed by a lawyer. The submitted letter must be an original letter, not a photocopy, and must be signed and dated within the past year. A Financial Sponsorship Certification Form<\/strong><\/a> can be used in place of a legalized letter of support.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n The Graduate School will review your documents for completeness and contact you if something is missing.\u00a0 If your file is complete, it will be forwarded to the University’s International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO). Processing of international documents may not begin until the University announces the new tuition rates for the upcoming academic year, which typically happens in early to mid-March.<\/p>\n All students will receive an email with a link to set up their BU Login<\/a> <\/strong>(“Kerberos Account”) and BU Email<\/a> <\/strong>(“Office 365 Outlook”).\u00a0 Please set it up as soon as possible as international students will receive their I-20 at their BU email address.<\/p>\n If you are concerned about the status of your immigration documents, you should first contact grs@bu.edu (please include your name and BU ID<\/strong>). If your materials were sent to the ISSO more than a week from the day you contacted our office, you may contact ISSO’s Assistant Director for Admissions & Student Support Services at 617-353-3565 or issogac@bu.edu<\/strong><\/a> to check the status of your immigration document.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/p>\n Online Application<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Admissions FAQs<\/a><\/p>\n Int’l Student Experience<\/a> \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Int’l Students & Scholars Office (ISSO)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences has a wide-ranging international student population that ensures a richly diverse and stimulating […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13289,"featured_media":0,"parent":24459,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24525"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13289"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24525"}],"version-history":[{"count":52,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90340,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24525\/revisions\/90340"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/cas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}I should be exempt. How do I submit a request?<\/h5>
Which tes<\/span>ts do you accept and what are the minimum scores?<\/h5>
\n
\n
<\/ul>\n
Can I request an English proficiency waiver?<\/h5>
How do I submit my test scores?<\/h5>
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nCan I submit passing scores after the application deadline?<\/h5>
How long are my test scores valid?<\/h5>
I sent my test scores in a prior year. Do you still have them on file?<\/h5>
Can I apply if my test scores do not meet the minimum requirements?<\/h5>
International Student Visa Documents (admitted students only)<\/h2>\nWhat will I need to submit after I accept admission?<\/h5>
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Should I submit these documents when I apply for admission?<\/h5>
Do I have to pay a tuition deposit?<\/h5>
I have fellowship support. Do I need to submit financial documents?<\/h5>
What forms of financial support are acceptable?<\/h5>
What are the estimated costs that have to be covered?<\/h5>
What is a Financial Sponsorship Letter?<\/h5>
When will I receive my I-20 or DS-2019?<\/h5>