Early Consideration for Master’s Degree Program
As you prepare to enter your Senior Year at BU College of Engineering, you may be starting to plan for your life beyond your Bachelor’s degree. If you are contemplating graduate school and advanced training, we would like to invite you to apply for Early Consideration for the Fall 2026 Master’s programs in the College of Engineering.
Applying through Early Consideration allows BU College of Engineering students to apply to the Master of Science or Master of Engineering programs by October 15th of their senior year. Early Consideration students will have an expedited review process with minimal required documents. All Early Consideration applicants who submit the application and all required documents by the deadline will have an admission decision by November 14th.
| Application Requirements |
GPA 3.4 or higher -seeking scholarship |
GPA 3.4 or higher – not seeking scholarship |
All other BU students |
| Online application |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Statement of purpose |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| Letters of recommendation |
At least 1 (2 recommended) |
No |
2 letters |
| BU Transcript |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Resume/CV |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| GRE scores |
No |
No |
No |
| Application Deadline |
October 15 |
October 15 |
October 15 |
The College of Engineering invites you to apply. The table above will help you navigate the requirements of the application. Students who have shown exceptional academic performance and have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher at the end of their Junior Year are eligible for automatic admission to a Master’s program offered by their undergraduate department.
All Boston University alumni will automatically receive the Boston University Alumni Scholarship, which covers 25% of tuition, regardless of their GPA.
All students who submit a complete application by the early consideration deadline of October 15, 2025 will receive a notification from the admissions committee by November 14, 2025. This decision will either be an offer of admission or a deferral to the Fall 2026 regular application review cycle.
We recommend getting your information ready for the application as soon as possible (including speaking with any faculty that you wish to provide a recommendation!). The Fall 2026 application opens on September 1, 2025.
The Application Portal has requirements that our Early Consideration students will need to bypass. To assist you with the application process and for directions on how to request your application fee waiver, please visit our Application Instructions for Early Consideration page.
Congratulations on all you have accomplished thus far! We welcome you back and wish you the best of luck in your senior year.
FAQs for Early Consideration Students
What is Early Consideration?
Early Consideration is a preferential admissions review and expedited early decision for all current undergraduate Seniors. Students can apply, with an application fee waiver, to our master’s programs, and with some of our application requirements waived for the review process. Students with a 3.4 GPA or higher are automatically admitted into a master’s program offered by their current undergraduate department. All students admitted to a master’s program will be considered for merit-based tuition scholarship.
Can I apply early consideration to master’s programs outside my current degree program?
Yes. Students are encouraged to apply early consideration to any masters programs they are interested in pursuing. You are required to provide the same abridged application credentials (see the chart above for additional information). Students with a GPA of 3.4 or higher, however, are not automatically admitted to a master’s program offered outside their current undergraduate department. Often, our faculty will offer admission to these students, but it is not automatic.
Who should I ask to submit letters of recommendation for my application?
We encourage all students that are submitting letters of recommendation to get at least one from a BU College of Engineering Faculty member. Students have also used former mentors and academic advisors, supervisors from a work or internship experience related to their area(s) or interest, or other College of Engineering or College of Arts and Sciences academic instructors.
What happens if I am not admitted during the early consideration review?
Students who are not admitted during the early consideration review process are referred to the general application population for further review. You will receive a notification via email of this decision, and it will include instructions on any additional documentation required.
What should I be doing now to prepare for my early consideration application?
You should be reaching out to faculty as soon as possible, so that when you request a recommendation for your application, they are prepared and can provide a letter on your behalf in a timely manner.
What if my recommendations are not received before the deadline?
Our office will continue to compile documents that arrive after the October 15th deadline, but you should be reaching out to your recommenders and having them submit as soon as possible. With the quick turn-around for this review and decision process, there is not a lot of time to allow for a grace period for any late recommendations that arrive.
Do Early Consideration application rules apply to the PhD program?
No – if you are applying to the PhD program you will be required to provide all of the necessary documents for the application. This includes recommendations, GRE scores (check the specific application requirements for the PhD program of interest), personal statement, and a CV. The application deadline for the PhD program is December 15th.