International Applicants
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.
Application Form
If you do not have a U.S. Social Security Number, DO NOT enter one on your application. You will be assigned an Applicant ID number to use to identify your other application materials. This ID number will allow you to access the Web Status Check of your application materials and to submit the online application fee. Please use the same last name on everything you submit to the Graduate School .
Estimate of Student Expenses for Academic Year 2018/2019
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
How to Apply
PrintClick 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.
Application Form
If you do not have a U.S. Social Security Number, DO NOT enter one on your application. You will be assigned an Applicant ID number to use to identify your other application materials. This ID number will allow you to access the Web Status Check of your application materials and to submit the online application fee. Please use the same last name on everything you submit to the GSAS.
Fees & Finances
Application Fee of $75
Your application will not be reviewed without the application fee. The fee can be paid by credit card immediately after submitting the online application. Additional acceptable payment methods include check, money order, or bank draft in U.S. dollars drawn on an American bank. It’s best to include the check with your application, but if that is not possible, please write "Application fee for (applicant’s full name)" on the check.
Declaration of Finances
Estimated school and living expenses for the 2017-2018 academic year are $54,704 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 2018-2019 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.
Transcripts
College Transcripts
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.
Standardized Tests
Evidence of English Proficiency (TOEFL and IELTS)
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:
- You are a citizen of Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an Anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean.
- You earned your prior college or university degree in the U.S. or one of the countries listed above.
- You are currently enrolled as a full-time student in a U.S. degree-granting program or at an English-speaking school in one of the countries listed above or at an institution whose official language of instruction is English and will have completed two years of college/university work before beginning your studies at Boston College. The language proficiency requirement will be waived from your application upon receipt of an official transcript noting two years/4 semesters completed at said institution.
Admission Decisions and Visa Authorizations
Official offers of admission and the award of GSAS financial aid, if any, will be conveyed by 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.
Non-Degree Students (Special Students)
Only international applicants who are currently enrolled full-time at another U.S. institution will be considered for admission as a Special Student.