Student Link
Boston University College of Fine Arts graduate students can use the Student Link to complete many account management tasks. Bookmark the link for easy access!
BU Student Link
View Student Account
On the Student Link, select Money Matters (green tab), then Student Account Inquiry. Click the small blue arrows on the left of each semester to show or hide the detailed charges for each semester.
View Financial Aid Awards
Students who have submitted applications for federal loans will find the awarded loan noted in their student account via Student Link. Students are responsible for reviewing their account to ensure that loan funds are disbursed according to expectations. If your change after submitting the loan request, please contact artaid@bu.edu for guidance on how to increase, decrease, or cancel the loan award for the year.
For students with work-study or assistantships, we recommend direct deposit. This can be set up by selecting Direct Deposit Authorization on the Student Link Work tab. Please note that you will need a Social Security number in order to set up direct deposit. If you do not (or are unable to) set up direct deposit at least two weeks before your first stipend payment, you will receive a paper check which you will need to pick it up at the Student Employment Office at 881 Commonwealth Avenue. All students without direct deposit will receive paper checks which can be picked up – by appointment only – at Student Payroll, 881 Commonwealth Ave, 2nd Floor. To schedule an appointment, ask the student to email seo@bu.edu.
Submit Online Payments
Payments can be made via electronic bank transfer (recommended/preferred), check, wire transfer, or student loans. Payment deadlines can be found on this Student Accounting Services page. Note that online students are not eligible to make payment by credit card. To make an electronic bank transfer payment, please go to Student Link > Money Matters > Student Account Inquiry > Make a Payment.
More details about payment options, including instructions for payments from an international bank account, can be found on the Student Accounting Services website. Questions about payment options can be directed to Student Accounting Services at studenta@bu.edu or 617-353-2264.
Boston University offers payment plans for students enrolled full-time and students enrolled part-time. Payment Plans allow students to budget charged expenses monthly by spreading the payments over time. Because it is not a loan and no interest is charged, the total cost is significantly lower than you would incur with a loan. Students can combine a payment plan other types of financial aid.
Federal, state, and private education loans have different repayment plans and consolidation options. Students can also find their loan servicer contact information on the National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS).
Complete Health Insurance Waiver
All full-time students must enroll in one of the University’s medical insurance plans. The rate for the 2024-2025 BU Student Basic plan is $3,401. Students may choose from the packages listed here. New students are automatically enrolled in the BU Basic Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and their student accounts are charged for the coverage. International students are required to enroll in a Boston University Medical Insurance Plan. All changes to automatic enrollment must be submitted by the appropriate deadline.
To waive BU insurance, students from the U.S. must have coverage that is at least comparable to the BU plan. For details on student health plan options and waivers, please visit BU Student Accounting Services. Please review the Health Insurance Decision Guide before waiving.
Request a Refund
If you received a loan or other aid beyond your required tuition and fees for the semester, you may see a credit on your account. Any credit will be displayed in the “Subtotal” or “Semester Subtotal” as a dollar amount followed by the designation CR. Refunds can be processed on or after the first day of classes of each semester assuming all the funds have been disbursed to the students’ account. Refunds generally require 7 to 10 business days for processing, so please budget accordingly. The funds will be directly deposited into your U.S. bank account. For more information about refunds please visit Student Accounting Services.
If you have a valid credit balance on your student account, you may now request your refund on the Student Link (select “Money Matters” followed by “Student Account Inquiry” then “Request a Refund”). After your refund has been approved it often takes an additional 1-4 business days to show up in your bank account, depending on the time of day it was approved by Boston University and the speed with which your bank accepts electronic fund transfers. Once released from BU, the refund will appear on your student account as a charge.
Refunds sent electronically will be listed as “Electronic Refund.” If you have a federal financial aid credit on your account and have not authorized us to use those funds, we are legally required to release the excess loan funds to you by Title IV requirements. Refunds issued this way will be listed as “TitleIV Refund” and are sent out by check to the local, home, or finance address listed on your student record.
Title IV Refund
In compliance with federal regulations, all Federal Financial Aid recipients whose total federal funds exceed allowable semester expenses will be mailed a federal Title IV Refund automatically, unless the student authorizes the University to retain the funds to cover other expenses.
Allowable expenses include, and are limited to, tuition, fees, and contract room and board. Since federal regulations prohibit the University from using excess federal funds for non-allowable charges (including medical insurance, late fees, convenience points, library fines, and prior balances) a federal Title IV Refund may result in an outstanding balance. Students can prevent this by completing a Federal Financial Aid Credit Authorization Form and submitting it to Student Accounting Services. Students can also file a Federal Financial Aid Credit Authorization on the Student Link under “Money Matters” then choose “Federal Financial Aid Credit Authorization Status.”
Leave of Absence & Withdrawal Policy
Important: Please read and review the College of Fine Arts Policy: Withdrawal, Leave of Absence, and Reinstatement. If you plan on taking a withdrawal or leave of absence, please complete the proper forms which can be found here.
Federal financial aid is awarded based on the dates to which you are registered for each semester. Students “earn” federal financial aid by attending courses during your scheduled enrollment period.
If you are a merit scholarship recipient, changes to your enrollment could impact your scholarship eligibility. If you have been awarded federal financial aid, but then change your enrollment or stop attending, your federal financial aid eligibility must be re-calculated based on your adjusted enrollment.
This calculation does not coincide with the tuition refund schedule set by Student Account Services but instead, determines the percentage of the original award amount that was earned prior to your official withdrawal or drop date. This can result in an immediate balance on your student account. Please contact us at artaid@bu.edu to discuss the possible financial implications of adjusting your enrollment.
Return to Title IV Funding (R2T4)
A Return of Title IV (R2T4) calculation will occur when your period of enrollment changes from receiving an FN grade, withdrawing, or dropping your last class in a semester before completing at least 60 percent of your period of enrollment. An R2T4 calculation can also occur if you are dis-enrolled from your last class in a semester or if that class is cancelled. When you withdraw from College of Fine Arts before completing 60 percent of your scheduled enrollment in any semester, College of Fine Arts must return a portion of the Title IV financial aid grant and loan funds you received to the respective federal financial aid program suppliers. The result is an immediate balance owed to College of Fine Arts.
Charges are cancelled in accordance with the Withdrawal and Tuition Refund Schedules, based on the effective date of the withdrawal or leave of absence. Mere absence from classes does not reduce a student’s financial obligation nor guarantee that a final grade will not be recorded. Questions regarding account balances should be directed to Student Accounting Services at 25 Buick Street, Suite 130, Boston, MA 02215.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used when determining a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid (which includes federal loans and Federal Work-Study). At the end of each payment period or semester, a review of the student’s SAP is conducted. A student’s failure to meet SAP standards may result in the loss of federal financial aid eligibility.
The CFA graduate financial aid minimum standard for Satisfactory Academic Progress for students is:
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- Semester Cumulative Grade Point average of at least a 3.0 or higher.
- No more than two failing grades and/or W grades
- Students meet all milestones of the degree (i.e., comprehensive exams, qualifying exams, recitals, dissertation prospectus, etc., as appropriate) on the schedule specified by the program and with sufficient quality of work as specified by the program.
Please be advised that SAP Standards are utilized solely to determine federal aid eligibility.
Financial Aid Warning
A student who fails to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress will be automatically placed on Federal Financial Aid Warning for the next registered semester or payment period. An electronic notification detailing the appeal process for mitigating circumstances will be sent to the student’s Boston University email address.
SAP Appeal Process
A student has the right to appeal the loss of financial aid eligibility if mitigating circumstances (events totally beyond the student’s control) occurred during the preceding payment period/semester. The Office of Student Financial Aid Services will send a notification to impacted students and the correspondence will include a link to the appeal form.
Examples of extenuating circumstances may include:
- Medical problems (physical or mental)
- Serious illness
- Accident or injury
- Death of a family member
- Involuntary call to active military duty
- Other extreme circumstances (case by case basis)
Submitting SAP Appeal and Deadline
The appeal letter and any supporting documentation must be submitted by email to artaid@bu.edu. Once submitted you should receive an email from us within two weeks of receiving the complete appeal. The deadline of the last day to drop a course (without a W) for that semester. Appeals received after the deadline can be automatically denied.
