Boston University 2023

Boston University (BU) is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodists and is classified among “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity”. BU has a total undergraduate enrollment of 18,229 (fall 2021)and offers bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees

BU has 10 undergraduate schools and colleges, 300+ majors and minors, more than 650 global courses, $1 million in merit scholarships for first-year students, and a mix of online and on-campus classes. It also offers live services from Marsh Chapel and is home to the Boston University Terriers athletics team.

Boston University Tuition

Boston University (BU) tuition for the 2022/2023 academic year is $61,050, plus fees of $1,310. This does not include other expenses such as books and supplies ($1,000 estimated), meals on campus ($3,000 estimated), or student health insurance costs. BU meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted, first-year students who are US citizens or permanent residents. The Board of Trustees reviews tuition and fees annually and any increase for the next academic year will be posted on the website in the spring. Merit-based scholarships are available to recognize high-achieving students, some even covering full tuition. In addition, BU offers a wide variety of first-year and transfer student merit scholarships. The BU Scholarship Assurance guarantees that need-based aid received in the first year will not be reduced for any of the undergraduate years at Boston University. For full-time undergraduate students on the Charles River Campus, there is a University Fee of $329 per semester and a Student Services Fee of $15,040 per semester.

BU Scholarship Assurance

Boston University offers the BU Scholarship Assurance, which guarantees that the amount of BU financial aid offered in a student’s first year will not be reduced for any of their undergraduate years. This includes need-based scholarships, which are awarded based on a combination of demonstrated financial need and academic merit. To apply for need-based scholarships, students must complete both the CSS Profile™ and FAFSA by the financial aid application deadline.

BU also offers expanded financial aid packages through its affordable BU program, which meets 100% of demonstrated financial needs for admitted, first-year students who are US citizens or permanent residents. Students can use an online tool to estimate their eligibility for need-based scholarships and the net amount they may be expected to pay towards attending BU. In addition to need-based BU scholarships, other forms of financial aid are available for those who qualify.

Boston University financial aid

Boston University (BU) offers a variety of financial aid options to help students cover the cost of attendance. Students applying for financial aid must submit both the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile. BU is a member of Questbridge, which is a prestigious scholarship program that supports high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds.

BU awards Pell Grants to 16% of its students with demonstrated financial need. The average grant award is $27,232, and 54% of students receive any grant money. 53% of students receive any school grants, and 62% of students receive any aid at all.

BU cannot award total financial aid over the full cost of attendance, and due to limited funds, financial aid is not guaranteed to all applicants. BU encourages QuestBridge Scholars to submit a FAFSA each year to be eligible for federal and state financial aid.

BU scholarships

Boston University offers a variety of merit-based scholarships for first-year and transfer students, some of which cover full tuition. These scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement and typically require applicants to rank in the top 5-10% of their class. In addition, BU offers need-based scholarships that are awarded based on a combination of demonstrated financial need and academic merit.

BU also offers an affordable BU program, which meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for admitted, first-year students who are US citizens or permanent residents. The BU Scholarship Assurance guarantees that the BU need-based aid received in the first year will not be reduced for any of the undergraduate years as long as certain academic and deadline requirements are met. International students are only eligible for Trustee and Presidential Scholarships.

Boston University merit scholarships

Boston University offers a variety of merit scholarships for first-year students, some of which cover full tuition. These scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement and other accomplishments. To be considered for any scholarship, applicants must have been admitted to one of BU’s degree-granting schools or colleges.

BU also offers need-based scholarships, which are awarded based on a combination of demonstrated financial need and academic merit. To receive need-based financial aid from BU, applicants must submit both the CSS Profile™ and FAFSA by the financial aid application deadline.

In addition to need-based BU scholarships, many other forms of financial aid are available for those who apply for aid and qualify. BU also offers affordable BU, which meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need for admitted, first-year students who are US citizens or permanent residents. International students are not eligible for need-based financial aid from BU.

Finally, BU offers a wide variety of merit scholarships for first-year and transfer students that recognize high-achieving students who go above and beyond. Most awards are for academic achievement, while others may be based on artistic or athletic achievements. Scholarship recipients typically rank in the top 5–10% of their class

COURSES offered at Boston University

Boston University offers a wide range of courses across many disciplines. These include African American Studies, Actuarial Science, Banking & Financial Law, Behavior & Health, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Business Administration & Public Health, Chemistry CAS/GRS, Dance, Economics & Mathematics/Economics, Environmental Analysis & Policy, Hebrew: Language, Literature, Culture (including courses in English), Hindi-Urdu: Language, Literature, Culture (including courses in English), Interdisciplinary Studies, Italian: Language, Literature, Culture (including courses in English), Japanese: Language, Literature, Culture (including courses in English) Korean: Language, Literature, Culture (including courses in English) Portuguese: Language, Literature, Culture (including courses in English) Psychological & Brain Sciences Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies

Boston University majors

Boston University offers more than 100 majors across its various schools and colleges. These include majors in the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), such as African American & Black Diaspora Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Archaeology, Asian Studies, Astronomy, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Business Administration & Management, Chemistry & Physics, Cinema & Media Studies, Classics & Philosophy, Comparative Literature, Computer Science CAS/GRS, Data Science, Earth & Environmental Sciences and Economics & Mathematics.

In addition to these majors offered by the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), Boston University also offers majors in the College of Communication (COM), College of Engineering (ENG), College of Fine Arts (CFA), and College of General Studies (CGS).

Students can also choose to pursue a minor program at Boston University. There are more than 90 minor programs available for undergraduates

Boston University admission requirements

Boston University is a highly selective university with an acceptance rate of 19%. To be considered for admission, applicants must have a GPA of 3.71 or higher and submit either SAT or ACT scores. Additionally, applicants must have completed 4 years of English, 3-4 years of mathematics (precalculus/calculus recommended), 3-4 years of laboratory science, 3-4 years of history and/or social science, and 2 years of foreign language.

Boston University is test optional for first-year applicants applying for fall 2023/spring 2024 However, if students choose to submit standardized test scores, they must meet the school’s high admission requirements for SAT and ACT scores. Boston University also requires students to take the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section as part of their admissions consideration.

Students applying for admission in Fall 2024 and beyond must follow Boston University’s regular testing policy which uses test scores as one factor in BU’s holistic review process. In addition to strong academic skills, Boston University also considers extracurricular activities when evaluating applications.

Applicants may apply to Boston University through the Common Application or QuestBridge Application, and may self-report standardized test scores on their application. However, if discrepancies are found between self-reported and official score reports from the testing agency, an official score report will be required before enrolling at Boston University.

Boston University acceptance rate

The acceptance rate for Boston University (BU) is 14%, which is significantly lower than the national average of 56.7%. This rate has been declining over the past decade, with an acceptance rate of 46% in 2012. The Early Decision acceptance rate for the Class of 2026 was also 14%, and the yield rate (percentage of accepted students who choose to register divided by the total number of admitted students) was 28%.

The admissions process at BU is highly selective, and applicants must possess 95th percentile or above standardized test scores and have earned excellent grades in high school to be considered. The average SAT score for accepted students is between 1310-1500, and the average ACT score is 30-34.

In addition to academic qualifications, BU’s admissions officers also consider extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, essays, and other factors when evaluating candidates.

Boston University SAT scores

The average SAT score composite at Boston University is 1420 on the 1600 SAT scale. In the fall of 2019, the average Boston University SAT score for the evidence-based reading and writing section was 650-720. Half of the applicants admitted to Boston University have an SAT score between 1310-1500 or an average ACT score of 30-34. For the 43.7 percent of applicants who chose to submit scores this year, the average SAT score is 1442, 4 points higher than last year’s 1438 average. The average ACT score at Boston University is 32

Boston University’s notable alumni

Boston University has a long list of notable alumni, including Martin Luther King Jr., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Julianne Moore, Emily Deschanel, Geena Davis, Shraddha Kapoor, Leonard Nimoy and Ginnifer Goodwin.

The College of Communication has honored a number of distinguished graduates who have fostered understanding among people through their work or personal activities. These include Robert C. Bergenheim (’51), Ronald Della Chiesa (’59), Joan H. Kampe (’69), Loretta McLaughlin (’49), William Shepard (’49), Donald Segall (’56,’57) and James Lautzenheiser (COM’96, CAS’96, MFA COM’07).

The Metropolitan College (MET) has also produced many notable graduates who have risen to top roles in education, business, and other industries. These include Claritza Abreu (MET’03), General (Retired) Keith Alexander (MET’78), Claudia Castro (MET’04), and Douglas Chamberlain (MET’74)

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