Graduate Tuition Rates and Fees
Below are the tuition and fee rates for Boston University College of Fine Arts on-campus and online programs and courses as of September 2024. The Trustees of the University reserve the right to change tuition rates or fees at their discretion. View the University tuition schedule for CFA.
Full-Time Study
Tuition is charged as follows for students enrolled full-time in School of Music, School of Theatre, and School of Visual Arts graduate programs.
Please note that tuition for these full-time graduate programs is substantially lower than the standard Boston University full-time tuition rate as an acknowledgment of the University’s support for the College of Fine Arts.
Full-Time During Academic Year
BU School of Music
Music Graduate Programs require that students enroll in 7.0-11.5 credit hours per semester or enroll in a continuing studies designation during their post-coursework phase.*
The Ph.D. in Musicology requires 12-18 credit hours per semester for full-time status.
| School of Music Graduate Programs (7.0-11.5 Credits Per Semester) |
$28,984 per year** Plus Applied Music Fee if applicable |
| School of Music PhD |
$33,335 per semester; $66,670 for the academic year |
*International students are typically required to register for 7-11.5 credits to be certified full-time during their coursework. Students dropping below the required number of credits outlined above are considered part-time.
**Additional Applied Music Fee of $4,000 is required for students in the graduate performance degrees. The fee covers two semesters of weekly one-hour lessons with faculty. Students in composition, choral or orchestral conducting, music education, music theory, or musicology are only assessed the applied music fee if the student elects to take applied lessons.
BU School of Theatre
MFA degree requires two years of full-time study. Artisan Certificate students are charged a per credit rate for 28 credits over two years.
| MFA Program in School of Theatre |
$33,382 per year |
| Artisan Certificate |
$1,042 per credit |
BU School of Visual Arts
Full-time status in the MFA and Certificate programs requires students to register for at least 12.0-18.0 credits per semester.
Full-time student status in the MA in Art Education program requires 7.0-11.5 credits per semester and is charged on a per-credit basis as described below. If you register for more than 11.5 credits, you will be charged the standard Boston university rate.
| MFA Program in School of Visual Arts (12.0-18.0 Credits Per Semester) |
$33,382 per year |
| MA Art Education with Licensure |
$16,691 for one semester at 12-18 credits, and a per credit rate for the remaining three semesters ($2,083/credit for day Art Education courses or $1,042/credit for evening Art Education courses and Practicum I & II |
|
| MA Art Education without Licensure |
$2,083/credit for day Art Education courses or $1,042/credit for evening Art Education courses |
| MA Art Education 4+1 |
$2,083/credit for day Art Education courses or $1,042/credit for evening Art Education courses and Practicum I & II |
| Certificate in Graphic Design (12.0-18.0 Credits Per Semester) |
$33,382 per year |
University Fees
All full-time students who attend on-campus classes are charged the following fees for 2023-2024. Explanation of these fees can be found here.
| University Fees includes Student Services ($209 per semester), Health & Wellness ($269 per semester), and Graduate Program ($30 per year) |
$986 |
Medical Insurance
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 will be announced shortly (the 2023-2024 rate was $3,280 per year for the basic plan). Students may choose from the packages below. 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.
Low-cost options for some qualifying students can be obtained through the MassHealth Health Connector. Please visit the Health Connector website for more information about enrollment data, and application details.
Annual Rate 24-25
| Basic Plan Student Only |
TBA |
| Plus Plan Student Only |
TBA |
| Plus Plan Spouse |
TBA |
| Plus Plan One Child |
TBA |
| Plus Plan Children |
TBA |
Please visit Student Accounting Services Medical Insurance for more information regarding:
- Waiver forms and deadlines
- Comparable medical insurance requirements
- Student Plus plan
- Purchasing medical insurance coverage for dependent family members
Please visit Aetna Student Health to:
- Read detailed information about the Boston University Student Medical Insurance Plan
- Print a copy of your medical insurance card
Part-time, Online, & Summer Study
Tuition is charged as follows for students enrolled in online degree programs and courses as well as students enrolled part-time in on-campus programs. All students taking courses during the summer semester pay per credit.
CFA students taking courses in the online program should register for a maximum of two 4-credit courses per semester (8 credits). Boston University considers students registered for 12 credits per semester to be full-time and are charged the Boston University full-time tuition rate.
Part-time, Online, & Summer Tuition
| All Online Courses |
$1,042 per credit |
| Graduate School of Music most courses (including PhD) |
$2,083 per credit |
| Evening Graduate Music courses/education courses |
$1,042 per credit |
School of Music Continuing Study** fee
(for doctoral students who have completed coursework) |
$2,083 per semester |
| School of Theatre Artisan Certificate or part-time |
$1,042 per credit |
| School of Visual Arts part-time MFA |
$1,042 per credit |
| School of Visual Arts part-time MA/Day-time Art Ed |
$2,083 per credit |
| School of Visual Arts part-time MA/Evening Art Ed |
$1,042 per credit |
| Student Services Fee (Summer I and Summer II) |
$60 |
* Students dropping below the required number of credits outlined in the full-time section above are considered part-time students. Please note that an advisor must approve part-time status on a case-by-case basis and that students dropping to part-time course load may not be eligible for financial aid such as scholarships or loans.
** Doctoral students must pay continuing studies fees each Fall and Spring while taking qualifying examinations and writing their dissertation until a successful defense. There is a proctoring fee associated with the qualifying exams.
