2013–2014 Costs and Expenses
 

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Indirect Expenses

The total cost of a Boston College education includes both fixed, direct expenses and indirect expenses. The direct expenses for resident students include tuition, fees, and room and board. Students are billed by Boston College for direct expenses minus any scholarships, grants, and loans awarded. The indirect expenses include the cost of books and supplies, as well as travel and personal expenses.

Additional fees for science and laboratories, art studios, music lessons, and health insurance may increase billed costs. Financial aid packages may also be adjusted for transportation expenses, which vary based on the location of the student's permanent residence.

U.S. Citizens Abroad & U.S. Permanent Residents (Green Card Holders)

Boston College offers a variety of grants, loans and employment to assist U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents (Green Card holders) in financing their education. All financial assistance, with the exception of the Presidential Scholars Program is awarded on the basis of need. Furthermore, an application for financial aid will in no way influence admission decisions.

Financial aid awards are made to incoming students on the basis of demonstrated need. Financial need is the difference between the estimated total cost of attending Boston College and the family's calculated ability to contribute toward these costs, as determined using federal and institutional need analysis formulas. Boston College is committed to providing funds to meet the full demonstrated need of every admitted student who has filed the required paperwork to apply for financial aid. If a financial aid award is made, it will generally combine various forms of assistance available (grant, loan, and work) into a financial aid "package."

Families wishing to finance expenses in 10 monthly installments may make arrangements with the Academic Management Service. Information on alternative financing options is sent to all applicants after acceptance. Other national or local financing plans are also acceptable, provided payment is made to the University before the billing due dates.

For complete information on Financial Aid procedures, deadlines, and instructions, please visit the Costs and Financial Aid page within the main Undergraduate Admission web site.

International Citizens

There is no need-based financial aid of any kind available for undergraduate international students (non-U.S. citizens) at Boston College. Such students should make arrangements for their financial obligations to Boston College and for their entire stay in the United States before leaving their homelands.

Families wishing to finance expenses in 10 monthly installments may make arrangements with the Academic Management Service. Information on alternative financing options is sent to all applicants after acceptance. Other national or local financing plans are also acceptable, provided payment is made to the University before the billing due dates. I-20 forms (used to obtain a student visa) will not be mailed to admitted students until they have been accepted and have verified they have met the financial obligations set by Boston College.

International applicants are eligible to receive one of the University's 15 Presidential Scholarships. In the past four years, five Presidential Scholars have been international students, representing Argentina, Bulgaria, China (2), the Dominican Republic (2), and the United Kingdom. However, due the limited number of scholarships offered to our large applicant pool, students who wish to apply to Boston College should ensure that the funds will be available to pay for their education. We also encourage international applicants to explore alternative sources of funding in their home countries and/or in the US, such as the ones we have listed below.

Alternative Sources of Financial Aid

Students are encouraged to explore the possibilities of external assistance when financing a Boston College education. Corporations, foundations, service organizations, church groups, parent and school associations, etc. sponsor numerous educational assistance programs. Students can locate many of these through one of the Internet's largest free-scholarship search engines, at FastWeb.com.

International students may also be interested in exploring the International Education Financial Aid (IEFA) web site for information on scholarships and loans. IEFA is a premier resource for financial aid, college scholarship, and grant information for international students wishing to study abroad.

There are also many other well-established loan programs for students studying in the United States. Some of them require a co-sponsor in the U.S.; some do not. Most of them offer single-digit interest rates to students and allow them to borrow the money they need now without having to repay the loan until after graduation. Oftentimes, students may spread the repayment of the loan over 10 years. Two popular student loan sites are StudentLoan.com and TuitionPay.com.

Furthermore, while Boston College is not associated with nor endorses any of the following foundations and institutes, we are happy to provide information about these organizations that may work with international students to provide funding for their studies in the United States. We encourage students to also begin their own financial aid searches, as these are only a sampling of many similar organizations throughout the country and around the world.

Finally, students may wish to speak with someone at the U.S. Embassy in their country. Click here for a list of worldwide consulates and embassies.

Confidential Declaration of Finances

In order for an international student (defined by citizenship, not country of residency) to enter the United States, the student must obtain a visa from a United States Consulate or Embassy. Among the necessary documentation needed to obtain a visa is the visa certificate, Form I-20 or Form IAP-66, issued by Boston College.

Once admitted to Boston College, students will receive a Confidential Declaration of Finances Form that must be filled completed by the student, the student's parents, and the family's bank. Through this form, the family will verify that it has the necessary financial support to meet the student's tuition and living expenses while in the United States.

Boston College will not award a Form I-20 or Form AIP-66 without receipt of the Confidential Declarations of Finances Form. The Confidential Declaration of Finances Form outlining expected costs for the year 2010–2011 will be sent out at the time of admission.

Click here for the 2013 Confidential Declaration and Certification of Finances.

Click here for more information on student visas.

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