Frequently Asked Questions
What are the deadlines for applying to the Metropolitan College City Planning and Urban Affairs Program?
There are no fixed application deadlines. The program allows for students to submit applications on a rolling basis, although all students are encouraged to submit a complete application no less than one month prior to the start of the semester in which they desire to commence studies. Admission decisions are announced promptly, pending receipt of all application materials.
What is the minimum GPA required for acceptance into the Program?
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.
What is the required Graduate Admissions Exam (GRE) score required to be accepted into the Program?
The Graduate Admissions Exam is not required for admissions to programs in the Metropolitan College.
What is the minimum TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo score required for admissions into the Program?
International students are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Internet-Based Test (iBT). A minimum total score of 84 is required for admission. Required minimum scores in each section are as follows: Reading—21; Listening—18; Speaking—23; and Writing—22.
Scores from the IELTS are also accepted as proof of English proficiency. The minimum total band score of 6.5 is required for admission, with the following section scores: Listening – 6.5; Reading – 6.5; Writing – 6.5; and Speaking – 6.5.
Scores from the Duolingo English Test are accepted as proof of English proficiency. A minimum score of 110 is required for admission.
Applicants submitting Duolingo scores must send the following information to met@bu.edu, using “DUOLINGO Test Result” as the email subject line:
- First and last name
- Date of birth
- Date of Duolingo English Test
Duolingo English Test results are made available 48 hours after the completion of an exam and may take 2–3 business days to process.
If I am an international student and I completed my undergraduate degree or another graduate degree in the United States (or at an institution whose primary language of instruction is English), can I waive the English Language Proficiency scores?
The language proficiency requirement may be waived for applicants whose native language is English, or for applicants who have received, or expect to receive, an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited college or university where the primary language of instruction is English. If your transcript does not clearly state that the language of instruction is English, then please upload supporting documentation on institutional letterhead along with your transcript. However, the final determination is made on a case-by-case basis.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. Financial aid is available to qualifying Metropolitan College graduate degree students in the form of assistantships, private loans, the Federal Direct Stafford Loan (domestic students), and the Graduate PLUS Loan (domestic students).
More detailed information can be found on the Boston University MET College Financial Aid website.
Are there scholarships available for the Program?
The programs at Metropolitan College are designed to be part-time, serving working professionals. We do not provide merit-based funding for our master’s degree programs for this reason.
Are payment plans available?
Students enrolled on a part-time basis may postpone payment of a portion of their tuition until a predetermined date. A minimum down payment and a nonrefundable enrollment fee are required at the time of enrollment. Visit BU’s Student Accounting Services website for more information.
Is the City Planning and Urban Affairs accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB)?
Metropolitan College’s MCP 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.
What are the academic standards of the program?
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 C in a core requirement or elective must retake that class and earn a grade of C or higher for it to count toward their degree.