Students entering with a bachelor's degree must complete a total of 64 credits (16 classes).
Students entering with a master's degree must complete at least 32 credits (8 classes).

It is expected that students take courses from both the Biostatistics Department in the School of Public Health and the Mathematics & Statistics Department in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Upon completion of coursework, each student must pass two Qualifying Examinations. One is focused on applied material and the other is focused on more theoretical topics.

All students are required to TA at least once during their time as a PhD student. Opportunities to teach outside of this are available to our PhD students.

The dissertation work must address a relevant question in statistical methodology and pose a new approach, extend an existing approach, or provide novel application of an existing method. When the dissertation is completed, the candidate defends his or her work before the dissertation committee. More information about the dissertation requirements is available in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Bulletin.

Students admitted to the PhD program (post-master or post-bachelor) in Biostatistics at Boston University as a full-time student will receive five years of financial-aid in the form of fellowship or assistantship support. The financial-aid package will consist of a stipend as well as a scholarship to cover tuition, mandatory fees, and individual basic health insurance. A student will typically be appointed as a Doctoral Research Assistant (RA).

Doctoral Research Assistantship

Eligibility (RA): All eligibility requirements for admission must be met. All qualified PhD applicants (international as well as domestic students) who intend to pursue their education as a full-time student are eligible to receive financial aid through Doctoral Research Assistantship.

How to apply (RA): Eligible individuals who are interested in being considered for Doctoral Research Assistantship must complete the standard online application for the PhD program in Biostatistics by December 1. No separate application for financial aid is required.

Click here to view the Research Assistantship Handbook.

Click here to view the Research Assistantship Handbook.

Interdisciplinary Training Program For Biostatisticians

We support multiple students each year through an NIH-funded training grant. This program allows students to perform research rotations during the first two years of the program and receive additional mentoring and training. For more information on eligibility and requirement for the Training Grant program, click here. 

Financial Aid Opportunities

For more information, please visit GRS’s financial aid page for fellowships and scholarships and BUSPH’s financing your education page for additional internal and external funding opportunities.

All requests or questions related to admissions and financial aid should be sent to biostat@bu.edu. Applicants should not directly contact faculty members regarding admissions or funding opportunities.

Our students participate in a wide range of seminars and other professional development activities. The department holds a monthly seminar series with invited speakers presenting on research from a wide range of areas in biostatistics. There are also topic specific meetings in Statistical Genetics and Genomics, Clinical Trials, Causal Inference, and Infectious Disease modeling.

The department also hosts a monthly career development workshop which covers topics related to finding internships, developing an individual development plan, alumni panels, and other topics pertinent to being a successful student and professional.

Additionally, PhD student dissertation presentations are held regularly throughout the academic year. They are open to the public and all students and faculty are encouraged to attend.

• At least the equivalent of a bachelor of arts degree, no specific undergraduate major is required
• One year of calculus, including multivariate calculus
• One full semester of linear algebra

*Online courses can be used to fulfill prerequisite courses if they: 1) are taken from an accredited university or college, 2) are letter-graded, and 3) carry the same credits as in-person courses at the institution.

Proof of English proficiency is required of all applicants by submitting official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This requirement is waived only if you have received, or expect to receive, an undergraduate or graduate degree from a college or university in any of the following countries prior to enrollment in GRS: the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland.

Visit http://www.bu.edu/cas/prospective-students/graduate-admissions/international-students/ for additional information.

When you are ordering your score reports from ETS, please use institution code 3087 for Boston University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

 Minimum English language proficiency scores are:

IELTS band score of 7.0 or higher.

TOEFL paper-based test: 550

TOEFL internet-based test (no exceptions will be made to the minimum requirements in each section)

• Reading– 21
• Listening– 21
• Speaking– 21
• Writing– 21

GRE is not required for admission.

Some research experience is preferred for PhD admission, though not required.

Three letters of recommendation are required. These should come from individuals who can speak to the applicant’s potential as a PhD candidate and biostatistician. There are no strict requirements about who should write letters, but we strongly encourage letters from individuals who know the applicant well and a collection of letters that can speak to the applicant’s academic abilities and preparation, potential to perform research, and maturity.

Unofficial transcripts from all colleges are universities are required. All transcripts must be in English and WES evaluations not required for foreign transcripts.

A personal statement is very important to admissions decisions. It can take many forms, but should provide insight into your motivations for pursuing graduate school and your background. Some helpful topics to discuss may include:

• Your motivation for pursuing graduate education.
• Research areas that interest you.
• Your goals and long-term interests.
• Anything in your background that you would like to highlight.
• A description of a time when you were able to overcome academic or personal challenges.
• Anything in your academic record that might require special explanation. 
• An indication of your interest in the Interdisciplinary Training Grant in Biostatistics (please see the link here for more information on the program and eligibility requirements).

Be concise! We recommend a single spaced, 11-12 point font, and one-inch margins. Do not exceed two pages.

Please include a current CV. This should detail your past educational and work experiences, as well as publications, research experiences and any programming or other skills you have acquired. There are many excellent guides online on how to create a CV.