General Student Information:

Catalog

2004/2005 Academic Calendar 

Housing

Financial Information

Student Activities

City of Boston

Tuition, fees, residence and board charges, and any previous balance must be paid in full each semester before the payment deadline. Invoices are mailed to registered students' permanent addresses several weeks before the start of the semester. Payments made in advance of registration should be directed to Student Accounting Services, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215-1390. The University does not accept credit cards as payment of tuition, fees, room and board, or the like. Checks must be made payable to Boston University. Although the University does not offer its own deferred payment plan for full-time students, parents may arrange for financing through private agencies. This should be done well before the start of the academic year. Information on such plans may be obtained by contacting Student Accounting Services, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215-1390; 617/353-2264. The Office of Financial Assistance, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, also provides information on meeting college costs in its booklet, Financing Options for Your Education. Deposits made on acceptance of the University's offer of admission are credited to the student's semester bill. The University assumes no liability for failure to provide educational or related services arising from causes beyond the reasonable control of the University. The University will exert reasonable efforts to provide comparable or substantially equivalent services, but its inability to do so shall not subject it to liability. The Trustees of the University reserve the right to change tuition rates, fees, and residence and board charges at their discretion when it is deemed advisable.

It has been and remains the policy of Boston University to withhold all diplomas, degrees, official transcripts, and other official recognition of work done at the University from students with respect to whom there are any outstanding overdue debts to the University, including, but not limited to, amounts owed in satisfaction of tuition, loan agreements, fees, and charges as well as monies owed for occupancy in University-owned or -operated residences and for dining service. No student may withdraw from the University in good standing or graduate from the University unless all current obligations to the University are paid in full. Full-Time Students (2003-2004)(enrolled for 12 to 18 credits)Tuition: $28,512 per year.Graduate Program Fees:Full-time MA, MS, and PhD: $25 per sem. Part-time MA, MA, and PhD: $10 per sem. Please note that all students in the MD and dermatology programs are assessed $450 in the fall semester. In figuring total expense, the student must add to the above tuition and fees his or her residence and board charges, medical insurance, and any special fees, personal expenses, or other charges the student may incur. Current costs for such items are given in the pages that follow. Part-Time Students (2003-2004)(enrolled for up to 11 credits)Tuition: $891 per credit. Registration Fee: $40 per semester.

Continuing students select courses in November for the spring semester and March or April for the fall semester. Under this procedure, continuing students receive or pick up registration materials from their School or College. Instructions regarding advising requirements, payment, and registration dates are also included. Continuing students from selected Schools and Colleges may access TelReg, on the Telephone Information System, to select courses for the semester. An invoice is prepared on the basis of the student's status and class selections. Official registration is complete when Student Accounting Services receives full payment. A late settlement fee may be assessed to those students who do not complete official registration by August 15, 2003, for September 2003, and December 19, 2003, for January 2004.

Medical Insurance

The 2003/2004 cost for full-time students (U.S. citizens and international) is $975 per year. Massachusetts law requires all students carrying at least 75 percent of the full-time curriculum to be covered under a qualifying medical insurance plan. If the student does not wish to participate in the Boston University Medical Insurance plan, he or she must annually file a Medical Insurance Waiver form that certifies coverage under a comparable medical insurance plan. The Medical Insurance Waiver form should be returned to Student Accounting Services, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215-1390. Part-time students are also eligible to purchase the medical insurance. For information, contact Student Accounting Services, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215-1390. The insurance premium is subject to change.

The estimated costfor room and board is $12,243 for 12 months. The estimated cost of books and supplies is $890 per year. Approximately $2,867 should be allowed for incidental expenses, which vary with individual circumstances, such as transportation, laundry, clothing, recreation, and miscellaneous expenditures. Following are other charges that may form part of the cost of attending Boston University:

Federal regulations restrict all federal funds to citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Boston University therefore requires international students applying for admission to present evidence of sufficient funds to cover all tuition, fees, books, and living expenses for their study at Boston University. International students applying to the Graduate School may apply for the University funds listed below. Financial aid awarded by Boston University may be used for course requirements toward the degree. It may not be used for courses taken as corequisites, prerequisites, audits, or no credit, withdrawn with a "W" grade, GSU Fee or Registration Fee and may not exceed the cost of required tuition and fees. Financial aid does not cover the Health Services Fee.

The application for admission also serves as the application for financial aid when the "yes" box is checked. Applications for the appointments listed below, with the exceptions noted, must be received no later than January 15 for fall, or October 15 for spring. Applications received after those dates are considered as departmental funds allow. Currently enrolled degree candidates must submit a separate GRS Financial Aid application each year by February 1. Forms are available in the Graduate School Office.

These fellowships provide, for exceptionally well qualified entering PhD students, one full year of support. This award requires no service; it includes a substantial stipend and full tuition scholarship. Students may not apply directly for these awards. Nominees are proposed by the Graduate School departments, divisions, and programs, and are reviewed by the Graduate School Presidential University Fellowship Committee, which makes final recommendations for awards to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. Nominations are proposed early in the admission application processing cycle. Applicants who wish to be considered should, therefore, submit their admissions applications well before the January 15 deadline.

These teaching fellowships are awarded to continuing students who received Presidential University Graduate Fellowships in their first year of study and who have been nominated by their departments. Recipients provide teaching support in undergraduate instruction, and for this service receive a generous stipend and tuition scholarship for up to eight courses. The University is required to report the stipend portion of the award as income to the federal and state government, and the student is subject to appropriate federal tax laws.

Graduate assistantships are available in several departments and programs. Inquiries regarding the availability of graduate assistant support may be made at the offices of the various departments and programs. Duties vary according to the needs of individual departments and require up to 15 hours of service per week. Each assistant receives tuition to a maximum of four full courses per semester. In most cases, fees are also included with the award, which is applied directly to the student's account, less withholding taxes. The student is then obligated to settle all remaining charges. Because services are performed by the student, the University must report the award to the federal government as income. The student is then subject to appropriate federal and state tax laws.

Department Traineeships, Research Assistantships, and Research Fellowships

Awards are available in many departments. Duties vary but stipends are generally comparable to those of teaching fellowships. For information, consult the department chairman.

This fellowship is available to African American students who are new to Boston University and beginning graduate studies in any department. It provides a scholarship for full-time tuition and fees plus a stipend for living expenses. Students may not apply directly for this fellowship, but are nominated by the department of admission. To be considered for this fellowship, a student should indicate in the appropriate place on the application for admission that he or she is an African American.

This fellowship is open to African American citizens of the United States. Applicants may be entering and continuing graduate students who have displayed academic proficiency in a field related to race relations or urban problems. The fellowship provides a stipend for living expenses plus a scholarship for full tuition and fees. Application forms are available from the Graduate School beginning November 1.

Applicants for both Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans and Federal Work-Study are required to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Federal Direct Loans are government subsidized and unsubsidized, guaranteed educational loans. Graduate students may be eligible for up to $8,500 per year in a subsidized loan and up to $10,000 per year in an unsubsidized loan. However, the annual loan amount cannot exceed a student's calculated need. Total outstanding Stafford Loans may not exceed $138,500 for undergraduate and graduate study. Only $65,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans. Federal Direct Stafford Loan applications are available from the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences Office.

 

The interest rate is variable and is set annually in July. It is capped at 8.25 percent. For subsidized Federal Stafford Loans, repayment is deferred until six months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time. The Federal government pays the interest for subsidized Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans while a student is enrolled.

The Federal Work-Study Program is a government-funded program that promotes access to employment for students who demonstrate financial need. The Division of Graduate Medical Sciences Office selects as many applicants for this program as funding allows. If you wish additional information, request a copy of the College Work-Study Program brochure from the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences. Applications are available at the Division Office.

In addition to these internal programs, there are many external sources of financial support for which Graduate School students are eligible. Usually these are extremely competitive. Because applications must be submitted as much as a year in advance, students should investigate early and plan ahead. Many deadlines are in the fall. Department chairmen receive copies of current award opportunities that are received by the Dean's Office. It is also advisable to consult the Grants Register, Annual Register of Grant Support, and the Foundation Directory.

Fulbright-Hays Study Abroad Grants

These grants provide funds for study and research abroad to students with at least a bachelor's degree who have not received a PhD. The applicant submits a proposal for study in a foreign country in whose language he or she is proficient. Applicants without prior study abroad are given preference. On a national basis, approximately 500 grants are awarded annually, providing for study and research in at least 50 countries. Applications, which are available in mid-August for the October 15 deadline, may be obtained from the Division office.

National Science Foundation Fellowships

The NSF Graduate Fellowship and the NSF Minority Graduate Fellowship are three-year fellowships open to those U.S. citizens who are at or near the beginning of their graduate study in science or engineering. These fellowships provide a cost-of-education allowance and a stipend for living expenses. Applications are available from The Fellowship Office, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC 20418. The deadline is in November.

Scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,500 are provided by the Board of Education of the Methodist Church to those who have been members of that church for three years and who intend to teach in liberal arts colleges. These awards are available to qualified students in any department. Application forms are available by writing to P.O. Box 871, Nashville, TN 37202.

The Board of Education of the Methodist Church lends financial aid to qualified students on interest-bearing promissory notes. Descriptive material may be secured by writing to P.O. Box 871, Nashville, TN 37202.