Frequently Asked Questions

BU MET offers rolling admission for all degree and certificate programs, normally granted for September, January, and May of each year, with additional starts in October, March, and July for most online programs. Graduate Admissions Committees meet on an ongoing basis and admission decisions are made after a full evaluation of each candidate’s application materials.

For application deadlines visit the Admissions page of the BU MET website.

There is no minimum GPA requirement. However, applicants with an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) lower than 3.0 are encouraged to submit additional information to demonstrate their capacity to succeed in graduate school.

The GRE exam is not required for admission to graduate programs at Metropolitan College.

International applicants must submit proof of English proficiency by submitting official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo English Test. Recommended scores can be found on the International Graduate Student Application page.

The language proficiency requirement may be waived for certain applicants, details can be found on the International Graduate Student Application page.

Yes. BU’s Metropolitan College offers scholarships, loans, and assistantships to help you meet your educational goals.Metropolitan College’s Graduate Financial Aid office offers comprehensive financial assistance to graduate students, including scholarships, assistantships, and loans.

All domestic and international applicants to a master’s degree program are automatically considered for a merit scholarship. The admissions committee will nominate admitted students to receive this award, based on the strength of each applicant’s academic qualifications and professional experiences. Scholarship recipients will be notified of their award with their admissions decision.

International students are not eligible for federal loans but can apply for graduate assistantships and private loans, as noted on our International Student Tuition & Fees page.

More detailed information can be found on the Metropolitan College Financial Aid web page.

The City Planning and Urban Affairs programs have two scholarship opportunities per academic year for domestic (US citizens and US permanent residents). The Bill & Charlene Burges Graduate Scholarship Fund and the Nancy Foster Scholarship are both intended for CPUA students who demonstrate financial need. Information on all MET graduate scholarships can be found on the Scholarships page of the MET website.

Information on how to pay and payment plans can be found on the Payment Information & Deadlines page.

Metropolitan College’s MSCP program is not PAB-accredited, though it has been listed with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) since 2008. The University is currently assessing the relevance of PAB accreditation and the prospects of undergoing the accreditation process.

Students graduating from a non-PAB-accredited institution have similar competitive advantages as most other graduates of planning schools. Employers generally do not require students to be certified by the American Institute of City Planners (AICP) when applying for a job. If interested in AICP certification, Metropolitan College City Planning students are eligible to take the AICP exam upon completing the standard three years of relevant professional experience.

An average grade of B (3.0) must be maintained during the course of study to remain in good academic standing and satisfy the degree requirements. Students who earn a grade lower than B- in a required course or elective must retake that class and earn a grade of B- or higher for it to count toward their degree.

Yes. Metropolitan College, as one of Boston University’s 17 schools and colleges, is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). When you successfully complete a degree program with us, you receive a diploma stating that you have earned your degree at Boston University.

MET Career Development—in collaboration with BU’s Center for Career Development (CCD) and Alumni & Friends office—offers career guidance and coaching, programs, and resources to matriculated online and in-person degree-seeking students. Please visit BU MET Career Development web page to learn more.

The MSCP is recognized professionally and academically as a two-year graduate degree for people interested in the multi-disciplinary field of city planning. An MSCP education provides the theoretical, analytical, and practical tools of the planning trade, whether it is exercised in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. The MSCP can be treated as a terminal professional degree or as a bridge degree towards doctoral studies in city planning, urban sociology, or human geography, among other social science disciplines.

The MSUA is a one-year graduate degree that provides the theoretical and analytical foundations for understanding the complexities of the urban environment. Students interested in pursuing an MSUA are often in search of a challenging academic experience that helps them delve further into urban issues and debates, or they need a graduate degree for internal advancement within their current professional environment.