Contact Information
General Contact
- FAFSA School Code: 002130
- Phone: (617) 552-8000
- School Homepage
Admissions Office
Financial Aid Office
ACCEPTANCE RATE
18.94%FINANCIAL AID RATE
58%STUDENT TEACHER RATIO
10:1DEGREE OFFERED ONLINE
66FINANCIAL AID AWARD AVG.
$33,085Average Grants + Scholarship Aid Awarded to Undergraduate Students
Percent of Full-Time Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid
Percent of Students Paying In-State Tuition vs Out-of-State Tuition
School Map
Boston University
140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA
Boston University (BU) is a top-ranked, private institution of higher education located in Boston, Massachusetts. BU offers undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs in more than 250 fields of study and is particularly known for its interdisciplinary programs, leading research, and excellent faculty. Its faculty includes several Nobel Prize winners, a poet laureate, and a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation "Genius Award."
BU's main campus is its Charles River Campus, and its Medical Campus is nearby. The total campus area is 133 acres, supporting 320 buildings, 487 classrooms, 23 libraries and more than 2,000 laboratories. Despite its physical size, BU strives to have smaller class sizes, with a ratio of one teacher per 13 students. The average class size for undergraduates is 27 students.
History
Boston University was established in 1869.
Academics
Boston University (BU) follows the semester academic calendar, with fall, spring and summer semesters. BU offers 250 different programs of study from its 17 colleges and schools.
Colleges and Schools
- College of Arts & Sciences
- Graduate School of Arts & Science
- College of Communication
- College of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts
- College of General Studies
- College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College
- Metropolitan College
- Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
- School of Education
- School of Hospitality Administration
- School of Law
- School of Management
- School of Medicine
- School of Public Health
- School of Social Work
- School of Theology
Student Life
Boston University has 80% of its undergraduates living on campus, which means there is a strong student community on campus. Additionally, BU has more than 500 student activity groups that include academic, social, athletic, artistic, scientific and religious interests. BU is host to many annual events, including lectures and debates, music, comedy and drama.
There are several student publications, as well as WTBU, the student-run radio station, that encourage student participation. A good way for students to connect with others, navigate the academic requirements or find out what's happening on and around campus is to access "Student Central" online. This online resource provides access to academic bulletins, course descriptions, registration information, student health services, libraries, the student union, student links, a blackboard, the BU Bus schedule, BU maps, BU Bookstore hours, important dates, classes and amenities available at the FitRec Center, and more.
Athletics
The Boston University athletics department participates in 23 varsity sports. The team mascot is the Boston Terrier, and BU's athletic teams are known as "The Terriers."
Men's Sports:
- Basketball
- Crew
- Cross Country
- Ice Hockey
- Soccer
- Swimming & Diving
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Wrestling
Women's Sports:
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Field Hockey
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming & Diving
- Tennis
- Track & Field
Community Life
The BU community is vibrant and busy, with a full calendar of activities to choose from including exhibits, lectures, social gatherings, year-round events offered at the Agganis Arena, performances at the Huntington Theatre Company, and more. The FitRec Center offers individual or group exercise classes and state-of-the-art facilities for fitness and recreation.
Admission Requirements & Details
The admissions information below may give an overview of the candidates Boston University accepts. The details may include admissions application requirements and recommendations, as well as any college or dual credits that may be transferred.
College Credits Accepted
- AP Course Credits
Student Enrollment
Total enrollment at Boston University is around 35,000 students, where graduate students make up roughly 10% of the student body.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The items listed below are for informational purposes only and may not represent current tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Annual tuition estimates are between $55,000-$66,000 for both state residents and nonresidents
- Per unit charges are around $1,900 for part time students
- May offer prepaid tuition rates, allowing tuition to be purchased at current rates for future enrollment.
Financial Aid Details
The table below breaks down the types of financial aid, the percent of students receiving aid, and average amount of aid per student per year.
Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
---|---|---|
Any Financial Aid | 58% | - |
Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 52% | $41,036 |
Receiving Student Loans | 32% | $11,099 |
Academics & Student Services
Student Services
To help support students, Boston University may offer student services including:- Online classes
- Night and weekend classes available
- Academic counseling for students
- Student employment
- Assistance to find work
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
Campus: Boston University
- Clinical Audiology (Au.D.) Program
- Clinical Psychology (Ph.D.) Program
- Dental Public Health Program
- Dietetics Program
- Endodontics Program
- English Language Program
- Health Services Administration Program
- Law Program
- Medical (M.D.) Program
- Music Program
- Occupational Therapy (OT) Program
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Program
- Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics Program
- Pediatric Dentistry Program
- Periodontics Program
- Prosthodontics Program
- Master's in Public Health (M.P.H.) Program
- Speech-Language Pathology Program
- Theology (Ministry) Program
Campus: Boston University at Sargent College
- Dietetics Program
- * Accredited by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (since 2013)
Intercollegiate Athletics
Boston University is a Member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with many of the sports being in the NCAA Division I without football classification. The most popular sports played are listed below:
- Basketball (Patriot League)
- Track and Field (Patriot League)
- Field Hockey
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming and Diving
- Tennis
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.
Get more information about the programs offered by Boston University by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Architecture
- Urban Planning (M)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Epidemiology (D, M)
- Neuroscience (B, D, M)
- Biology (B, D, M)
- Physiology (B, M)
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (B)
- Biostatistics (D, M)
- Bioinformatics (D, M)
- Marine Biology (B)
- Biotechnology (M)
- Molecular Biology (D)
- Pharmacology (D)
- Biochemistry (D)
- Neurobiology and Anatomy (D)
- Genetics (D)
- Environmental Biology (B)
- Biophysics
- Microbiology
Business and Marketing Studies
Communications and Journalism
- Journalism (B, M)
- Public Relations (M)
- Multimedia (M)
Computer and Information Sciences
- Information Science (M)
- Computer Science (B, D, M)
- Computer Networking (M)
Education
- Curriculum and Instruction (D, M)
- Educational Leadership and Administration (C, D, M)
- Early Childhood Education (B, M)
- Elementary Education (B, M)
- Guidance Counselor (M)
- ESL (M)
- Education (B, M)
- Special Education (B, M)
- Science Teacher (B, M)
- Reading Teacher and Literacy Specialist (M)
- Physical Education (M)
Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Biomedical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Electrical Engineering (B, D, M)
- Materials Engineering (D, M)
- Systems Engineering (D, M)
- Manufacturing Engineer (M)
- Engineering (B)
English Language and Literature
- English (B, D, M)
- Creative Writing (M)
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
Foreign Languages and Literature
Health and Clinical Professions
- Dentistry (D)
- Medicine (D)
- Healthcare Administration (D, M)
- Physical Therapy (D)
- Audiology and Speech Pathology (B, D, M)
- Occupational Therapy (D)
- Athletic Training (B, M)
- Medical Lab Technician (B)
- PreMed Studies (B)
- Environmental Health (D, M)
History
- History (B, D, M)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- Nutrition (B, D, M)
Legal Professions and Studies
- Law (D)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Math (B, D, M)
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (B, D, M)
- Religious Studies (B, D, M)
Physical Sciences
- Chemistry (B, D, M)
- Physics (B, D, M)
- Astronomy (B, D, M)
- Geology (D, M)
- Geophysics and Seismology (B)
Psychology
- Psychology (B, D, M)
- Counseling Psychology (B)
- Clinical Psychology (M)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Social Work (C, D, M)
- Public Administration (M)
Security and Protective Services
Social Sciences
- Economics (B)
- International Relations (B, M)
- Political Science (B, D, M)
- Social Science (B, C, D, M)
- Sociology (B, D, M)
- Anthropology (B, D, M)
- Urban Studies (M)
- Archaeology (B, D, M)
- Geography (D, M)
Theology and Religious Vocations
- Theology (D, M)
- Religious and Sacred Music (M)
Visual and Performing Arts
- Graphic Design (B, M)
- Art History (B, D, M)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (B)
- Theatre Design and Technology (B, M)
- Sculpture (B, M)
- Music (B, C)
- Cinematography And Film (M)
- Music Theory and Composition (B, M)
- Playwriting and Screenwriting (M)
Other 4-Year Private Colleges
The list of schools below have been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to Boston University.
- Emmanuel College - Boston in Boston, MA (0.5 miles away)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, MA (0.7 miles away)
- Northeastern University in Danvers, MA (0.8 miles away)
- Wentworth Institute of Technology in Wellesley, MA (1.0 miles away)
- Fisher College in Fall River, MA (1 miles away)
Also, check out our college lists below, which can help students compare schools to one another:
- Get a list of all the colleges in Massachusetts
- Compare other Massachusetts private colleges
Contact Information
General Contact
- FAFSA School Code: 002130
- Phone: (617) 552-8000
- School Homepage