International Applicants

If you’re an international student, learn more about admission to BUSSW below.

You’re eligible to apply to our MSW and PhD programs.
To apply, you’ll need to hold a bachelor’s degree and have practical experience in social work, if at all possible.
Please note that we are only able to offer visa sponsorship (F-1 visa) for students enrolling in our full-time On-Campus MSW Program or PhD program.
If you are currently, or plan to be, in the U.S. in a different visa category, you may be eligible to take courses at BUSSW, depending on your immigration status.

Please contact busswad@bu.edu for more information.

Additional Requirements for International Students

English Language Proficiency

If you are from non-English-speaking countries, you will need to have strong English language skills in order to meet the admission requirements for our program.
If you have obtained a degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction, you are able to use your degree as proof of English language proficiency.
If you have not obtained a degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction, you may demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting standardized test scores.

Please note: if you become a permanent resident or U.S. citizen by the time you start or complete your application, you are not required to submit standardized test scores.

Standardized Test Scores

You will need to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test, unless English is your native language, or you have earned your undergraduate and/or graduate degree from an institution where English is the language of instruction (proof of instruction in English must be provided).
For the TOEFL, a minimum score of 577 is required on the paper-based test.
On the Internet-based TOEFL test:
- if the exam was administered prior to January 21, 2026: a minimum score of 100 is required with a minimum score requirement of 25 in each of the four subsections of the exam: speaking, listening, reading, and writing
- if the exam was administered on or after January 21, 2026: a minimum score of 5.0 is required with a minimum score requirement of 5.0 in each of the four subsections of the exam: speaking, listening, reading, and writing
For the IELTS, a minimum score of 7.0 is required on each of the four subsections as well as an overall band score of 7.0 or higher.
For the Duolingo English Test, a minimum score of 115 is required with a minimum score requirement of 115 in each of the four subsections of the exam: literacy, comprehension, conversation, production.

Submitting Your Scores

You may arrange for ETS to forward official TOEFL test results to institution code 3087 (there is no departmental code).
To send IELTS scores, please email the Test Report Form number to busswad@bu.edu so we can match your scores to your application.
Official Duolingo English Test scores can be shared by sending the URL for your official scores in an email to busswad@bu.edu.

Degree Translation and Evaluation

All foreign transcripts that are not from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction will need to be translated and evaluated by a reputable credential evaluation service (there may be a cost for this service).
If your institution does not provide a grade point average (GPA) on the American 4.0 scale, the transcript evaluation should include an American GPA equivalent.
We require that you submit official transcripts, as well as the full evaluation in order to consider your application complete.
Please note that transcript evaluation can take a significant amount of time.
We advise that you begin this process at least one month in advance of the application deadline to ensure the timely receipt of all transcripts.
We do not require that you work with a specific agency.
A full list of approved credential evaluation services can be found here.