

The Graduate School of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences has the same requirements for application from international students with one addition, evidence of English proficiency. The following information is meant to help clarify and answer common questions we have received from international applicants.
If you do not have a U.S. Social Security Number, DO NOT enter one on your application. Please use the same last name on everything you submit to the Graduate School.
Tuition and Fees $29,502
Room and Board $11,900
Books and Supplies $1,800
Medical Insurance $3,095
Personal Expenses $5,100
Summer Living $5,100
Total $56,495
Click each box to learn more about the application process. The Office of International Students and Scholars can provide you with additional valuable information about student visas, regulations, and events.
If you do not have a U.S. Social Security Number, DO NOT enter one on your application. Please use the same last name on everything you submit to the Graduate School.
Your application will not be reviewed without the application fee. The fee can be paid by credit card when submitting the online application form.
Estimated school and living expenses for the 2018-2019 academic year are $56,495 exclusive of travel expenses. In order to attend the GSAS you must certify that you will have this sum on hand. Upon admission, the student will need to complete the Confidential Declaration and Certification of Finances form. This form requires you to specify the amounts and sources of funds including any BC financial aid, accompanied by documentation.
The GSAS will not issue a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20 for an F-1 Student Visa or a Form DS2019 for a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa) unless this form is completed and the necessary certifications are obtained and returned by the date requested.
Note: The estimate of student expenses for the 2019-2020 academic year will increase by approximately five percent.
If your spouse will be joining you in the U.S. you will need to add at least $5,000 to the amount you will be required to certify; if your children will be joining you add at least $3,000 per child.
Students holding the Student (F-1) or Exchange Visitor (J-1) Visas will not be authorized to work except under extraordinary circumstances; therefore, the applicant should not look to employment as a means of support while at BC. Spouses who accompany students to the U.S. on the F-2 Visa are not permitted to accept any kind of employment in the U.S.
Submit official transcripts or mark-sheets for each year of post-secondary education, as well as official copies of degrees awarded. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for review purposes during the application process, but official transcripts must be submitted upon matriculation. Copies of credentials must be validated by a school administrative officer such as a registrar or an official of the issuing body, and must be attached to a certified English translation.
Note: The language proficiency requirement will be waived from your application file when the GSAS receives an official transcript or official score report demonstrating one of the specified criteria in the Standardized Tests section.
A score of 100 or higher on the TOEFL iBT test or 7.0 or higher on the IELTS test is required for students who speak a native language other than English. TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid from exams taken a maximum of two years prior to application program deadlines. When taking the TOEFL exam, remember to enter the Boston College School Code 3083 to ensure GSAS receives your score report; if submitting the IELTS score report, please send results to the GSAS Admissions Office.
Proof of English proficiency is not required if:
Official offers of admission and the award of GSAS financial aid, if any, will be conveyed by e-mail.
Note: Your application for admission also serves as your application for department-based financial aid. Admitted students must then notify the GSAS of their intention to attend BC, and must submit a Certification of Finances form verifying the student's ability to cover his/her educational and living expenses. Provided all is in order, BC will issue a Certificate of Eligibility form for the student's use in obtaining a Visa.