Graduate Student Resources

Like many colleges and universities, Boston University continues to navigate challenges to campus life because of COVID-19. Although we have retired some of our COVID-related policies, such as mandatory masking in classrooms and required weekly surveillance testing, we will continue to assess and adjust our protocols and will strive to make compassionate, respectful decisions in consultation with public health authorities, epidemiologists, and other experts at BU and around the world. You can learn more here.

While finding housing in the Boston area can be competitive, BU students have a number of resources available to help them find a home in one of the city’s great neighborhoods. 

BU has put together a new resource for your housing search. Explore some frequently asked questions here about searching for housing in Boston as a BU graduate or professional student.

To begin exploring off campus housing opportunities (where the majority of our graduate students live), here is a good place to start:

• Learn more about BU’s surrounding neighborhoods and housing options through the Neighborhood Guide on the Graduate Education Website.
• Explore BU’s off campus housing webpage to peruse property listings throughout the city.
• Join the SHA Grad Student WhatsApp Group to meet your fellow classmates and find an apartment in groups
• Tips & Resources for finding off campus housing are available here.

Contact: BU Off-Campus Services; 25 Buick Street, 1st Floor; 1 (617) 353-3523; och@bu.edu

Smart Money 101 is a BU Financial Assistance initiative established to provide the Boston University community with online tools, information and other resources to promote effective money management. Access resources related to financial literacy, financial planning, and financial fitness:

• Budgeting
• Credit Cards
• Credit Scores
• Student Loan Repayment
• Identity Theft
• Tips for Managing Money
• Smart Money 101 Workshops

There are many quiet places to study at BU, both at SHA and the University at large.

• BU Today Article: “Best Places to Study for Finals”
• Study Spaces at the BU Library
• Howard Thurman Center

Navigating Public Transportation, Parking and Driving in Boston

BU Parking and Transportation services is located at 1010 Commonwealth Avenue, and is your source of information for navigating campus and the the City Of Boston. Please follow the links below to read up on MBTA passes (Riding the T), the BU Bus, parking passes, and Bike Safety.

• The BU Bus: a free and convenient way to travel all of BU’s campuses.
• MBTA: Order your Transit pass here!
• Bike Safety: Your safety is our mission. With hundreds of pedestrians, cars, trucks, buses, and T trolleys rolling up and down campus, biking in Boston can be an adventure to say the least. We’re here to help keep your rides enjoyable and safe.
• ZipCar: As the world’s leading car-sharing network, Zipcar lets you drive a variety of cars on demand, by the hour or the day, around campuses, cities and airports worldwide.
• Student Parking Permits
• Lots & Locations

Contact: parking@bu.edu; (617) 353-2160

Our close relationships with hospitality companies and executives (including many SHA alumni) give students an edge in job hunting. The Marriott Career Center works with graduate students to fulfill one 300-hour work experience requirement, and helps launch careers in a number of other ways. Every fall and spring, during our corporate recruitment periods, these firms visit campus, seeking new management trainees and interns.

We’ll also help you land the job you really want. At campus workshops hosted by industry professionals, you’ll learn how to create an impressive résumé and sharpen your interviewing skills.

Students can make an appointment with Career Services via Handshake.

SHA Graduate Admissions team will assist you with the visa application process, and documentation required for BU to issue an I-20. While the International Student & Scholar’s Office (ISSO) will provide professional expertise on immigration and employment, and help ensure student, scholar, and institutional compliance with federal regulations. Some important FAQ’s for International students can be found here

BU First Class: During August 2016, Global Programs launched an online noncredit pre arrival course designed to prepare incoming international students for the transition to BU and the American classroom. BU First Class is delivered on the edX platform Edge and is comprised of short videos, polls, and self-checks designed to be completed from anywhere on any device. 

Student Link is your class schedule, records, and more at BU. Your link to your records at BU. Be sure to check out the New Grad Student Checklist!

Blackboard/BU Learn is available to anyone with a BU login name and Kerberos password at learn.bu.edu (for on-campus students). The IT Help Center will answer any questions you have concerning your Blackboard Learn course site. You can get in touch with us online at www.bu.edu/help/blackboard (or by clicking on the Help tab on any screen in Blackboard), by e-mail at ithelp@bu.edu, or by phone at 1 (617) 353-HELP(4357).

BU Educational Resource Center (ERC) is here to support you as you navigate the rigorous academic landscape at Boston University. A BU education will inspire and challenge you to reconsider your previously held beliefs and acquire skills that will propel you into the next phase of your life. This growth can be both exhilarating and discomforting, but we are here to support you along the way.

Check out our Academic Resource Guide to explore additional academic support options across BU’s campus!

Our goal, at Disability & Access Services, is to provide services and support to ensure that students are able to access and participate in the opportunities available at Boston University.

Contact: 25 Buick Street, 1(617) 353-3658 or access@bu.edu

Student Health Services (SHS) is here to be an integrated health center that leaves a lasting impression on the health and wellness of our students. The SHS mission is to promote wellness, preserve health, and enable academic achievement for the students of Boston University. You may use Student Health Services if you are any full-time BU student, regardless of your insurance choice (this excludes on-line students) OR any student with the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). All students, regardless of status or insurance, are eligible for assistance with community referrals.

• Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)

SHIP is Boston University’s health insurance plan for students. It is offered through Aetna, a large national health insurer. SHIP may be the best—and most affordable—option for covering your healthcare outside of Student Health Services (SHS).

• First-Year Students Guide

Health and wellbeing are the foundation of student success at BU and beyond. Student Health Services is committed to compassionate care to support your growth and lifelong wellbeing. The First-Year Students Guide provides information about SHS departments, services, and programs, important information and health requirements for first-year students and resources to support your wellbeing.

• Wellness Resources

We want you to feel your best in all areas of your life. Explore these resources on physical and mental health and overall well-being.

• SHS Hours & Offices
  • Primary Care: 617-353-3575
  • Behavioral Medicine: 617-353-3569
  • Wellness & Prevention: 617-358-0485
  • Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center (SARP): 1 (617) 353-7277

Title IX requires universities to respond promptly and effectively to complaints of all kinds of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. Universities must take immediate action to eliminate the offending conduct, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects.

BU is committed to promptly investigating the circumstances of a complaint to determine what occurred, ensure complainant safety, and provide remedies. Regardless of whether a complainant files a criminal action, BU will undertake its own investigation of the circumstances of the complaint.

The Boston University Police Department is a full-time, professional law enforcement agency that also provides a wide variety of public services, including alarms, emergency medical assistance, investigating suspicious circumstances, and responding to and investigating criminal matters. Patrols are conducted throughout the Boston University area 24 hours a day and span an area that includes over 132 acres of University-owned property and surrounding streets.

Contact: 32 Harry Agganis Way; All Contact Numbers

BU Fitness & Recreation Center (FitRec) is committed to enriching the University and local communities by providing unparalleled and inclusive educational and recreational programs, services, and facilities to promote physical, social, and emotional health and wellness.

To get set up at FitRec and get your fitness and wellness questions answered, please visit here.

Contact: 915 Commonwealth Avenue; 617-358-3740; fitrec@bu.edu

The Office of Diversity & Inclusion leads the University’s efforts to advance a culture that values and supports diversity, equity, access, and inclusion across our campuses. The Associate Provost works collaboratively with academic and administrative leaders to establish programs and initiatives that support BU’s diversity goals; implement and maintain best practices across the University that ensure shared accountability and progress; and nurture an inclusive and welcoming campus climate for students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds.

• BU Grad Education Diversity & Inclusion Resources

The Thurman Center is Boston University’s cultural hub, and, unlike many colleges and universities that have separate Centers based on race, Boston University’s Howard Thurman Center does not. The Thurman Center is intentionally inclusive and emphasizes the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone to build relationships and share experiences with others. The Thurman Center is a place where cultural expression in all of its forms is embraced and encouraged.

Check here for programming throughout the year, or here to imagine ways to use this beautiful space to make your time on campus more meaningful.

Boston University is committed to being a family-friendly campus community for graduate students with children, with many resources and benefits available.

Visit the Office of Family Resources and BU Children’s Center here.

Contact: 1 (617) 353-3413; chldcntr@bu.edu

The City of Boston is alive with culture, history, and intellectual discovery. Consistently ranked among the most livable cities in the world, Boston is an international center of higher education with a thriving economy, bountiful cultural and recreational offerings, and booming innovation and entrepreneurship. And Boston University is located right in the heart of it all.

• Finding Housing
• Neighborhoods
• Transportation
• Around Town
• Surviving Boston Weather