How to Get Into Boston University

Apply to a specific BU school or college

You apply to Boston University through the Common Application, and BU adds its own supplement. A defining step is that on the BU Supplement you must apply to a specific BU school or college and indicate the area you intend to study — for example the College of Arts & Sciences, Questrom School of Business, the College of Engineering, or the College of Fine Arts.

First-year applicants also submit two essays in the Common Application space, and BU reviews each file holistically — high school performance, recommendations, essays, and personal qualifications all factor in.

Because your school choice shapes what you must submit (and, for the College of Fine Arts, whether you are locked to a single program), decide your target school carefully before completing the supplement.

• Common Application + BU Supplement
• Choose a specific BU school/college and intended area of study
• Two Common App essays; holistic review

College of Fine Arts: auditions and portfolios

The College of Fine Arts (CFA) is the clearest example of BU's school-specific admission. Applicants to the School of Theatre, School of Music, and School of Visual Arts (with the exception of Music non-performance majors) must complete an audition, submit a portfolio, or both — in addition to the Common App and BU Supplement.

Importantly, if you apply to CFA you are considered only for the program to which you applied. For the School of Music, Bachelor of Music (BM) programs require an audition or portfolio, and applicants can often submit a final video audition through the specified platform in lieu of a live audition by the stated deadline.

These artistic requirements and their platforms and deadlines are set by CFA and change each cycle, so confirm exactly what your CFA program requires on BU's official CFA admissions pages.

• Theatre, Music, and Visual Arts require an audition, portfolio, or both
• CFA applicants are considered only for the program they applied to
• Music BM: live or final video audition by the stated deadline — verify platform/dates

Kilachand Honors College and accelerated combined degrees

BU offers add-on opportunities that first-year applicants opt into. To be considered for the Kilachand Honors College, you first apply to one of BU's degree-granting schools or colleges, then answer "yes" on the application and complete an additional Kilachand essay. Your file is first read for admission to your school; if admitted there, you are then considered for Kilachand.

BU also runs accelerated combined-degree pathways. For example, the Modular Medical/Dental Integrated Curriculum (MMEDIC) offers provisional early admission toward BU's medical or dental school in combination with a bachelor's degree; admission to these programs is highly competitive and has its own requirements.

Because honors and combined-degree tracks have distinct essays, eligibility, and deadlines that are updated annually, verify the current requirements for each on BU's official pages before you apply.

• Kilachand: apply to a BU school first, opt in with an extra essay
• MMEDIC and similar accelerated tracks: provisional early admission, highly competitive
• Each track has its own requirements/deadlines — verify on official pages

Application plans: ED I, ED II, and Regular Decision

Boston University offers Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision for first-year applicants; it does not offer a non-binding Early Action plan. Early Decision (both rounds) is a binding agreement available to high school seniors: if admitted, you commit to enroll and withdraw other applications.

ED I and ED II differ mainly in their deadlines and notification timing, while Regular Decision is non-binding and lets you compare offers and aid. Because ED commits you before you see a financial-aid package, weigh it carefully if affordability is central to your decision.

Exact ED I, ED II, and Regular Decision dates change each year, so confirm them — along with any Questrom or program-specific notes — on BU's official deadlines page.

International applicants

Boston University enrolls a large international population, and applicants from India and elsewhere use the same Common App + BU Supplement process. If English is not your first language, plan to demonstrate English proficiency with an accepted test; confirm which tests and any minimums apply on BU's official international-applicant pages.

If you are aiming at Questrom, note that its quantitative expectations (such as calculus preparation) are emphasized, and CFA applicants must meet the audition or portfolio requirements regardless of where they studied. Choose your school and prepare its specific materials with the same care as domestic applicants.

After admission and enrollment, BU issues the documents needed to apply for an F-1 student visa. Visa rules are set by the U.S. government — this is general information, not immigration or legal advice, and rules change, so verify current requirements on the official .gov sources (travel.state.gov and studyinthestates.dhs.gov).

• English proficiency test generally required for non-native speakers — verify accepted tests
• School-specific materials (Questrom quant prep, CFA audition/portfolio) still apply
• F-1 visa steps follow admission — verify on official .gov sources

Building a strong BU application

Start by picking the right BU school, since it drives your supplement, any audition or portfolio, and whether you can be considered for other programs. For CFA, treat the artistic component as central and build in time for prescreening or video submission.

If you want Kilachand or a combined-degree track, plan the extra essays and eligibility steps early rather than as an afterthought. Use BU's two Common App essays and its supplement to show specific fit with your school and with Boston.

No service can guarantee BU admission, and combined-degree and CFA tracks are highly competitive. Aim for an accurate, complete, school-matched application, and verify every requirement and deadline on BU's official admissions website.