Boston University
Get to know Boston University
School Profile
Urban campus setting
17,850 undergraduate students
18,476 graduate students
3,145 first-year students
Undergraduates hail from 50 U.S. states and 118+ countries
Admissions
Academics
300 majors and minors across 41 programs of study
Student-to-faculty ratio 11:1
Average class size is 30
Introduction to Boston University
In the heart of Boston, recognized as the education capital of the world, Boston University serves as the highest standard for research, academic excellence, and dauntless passion to pursue knowledge without limits. With guidance from academic scholars and researchers serving as faculty across 10 undergraduate schools and colleges, students can choose from more than 300 majors and minors to create their own journey and path to success. And, in the process, they find their people, their community, and their sense of belonging.
Grounded in a rigorous academic experience, Boston University is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), placing it among the top research universities in the world. Boston University offers a plethora of programs that help students discover new horizons, including biomedical engineering, computer science, journalism, theatre, international relations, and business. Notable programs include the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, the opportunity to earn two bachelor’s degrees simultaneously from the BU Dual Degree program or a Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts (BA/MA) and Bachelor of Arts/Master of Science (BA/MS) programs from the College of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. Intellectually curious students can push themselves further at the Kilachand Honors College – a distinctive, four-year curriculum that focuses students’ attention on important global, societal, corporate, and geopolitical challenges, giving them an avenue to use their knowledge for the benefit of their communities. If students have a passion, Boston University likely has a program to help them hone their passion into a career.
Boston University’s residential campus is centrally-located in the city of Boston, giving students access to an urban campus where they can get a truly multi-faceted college experience. One that not only prepares them for a successful career but also opens doors to opportunities from the day they become Terriers. Students can also engage and study in BU’s 100% fossil fuel building, the Center for Computing & Data Sciences, a space dedicated to collaboration and collective innovation across all schools and colleges. CDS programs equip students with foundational knowledge and practical skill sets in algorithmics, analytics, software engineering, machine learning, and AI. Combined with access to over 200 study abroad programs, unlimited internships, and real-world experience, Boston University graduates are geared to become change-makers and to find success the way they define it.
With more than 450 student organizations on campus, Boston University students can pursue their interests beyond the classroom and find a community that makes BU feel like home. A diverse student body from all 50 states and 118+ countries around the world comes together to create a vibrant campus. 20% of students are the first in their family to attend college. Students participate in intellectual discourse and community building at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground and the Newbury Center, which supports first generation students and ensures their success. BU recently opened a new LGBTQIA+ student resource center, fostering community among students with programming and resources that encourage exploration and affirm identities at BU.
Whether it’s finding their calling, pursuing a passion for learning more, exploring a world beyond borders, or creating ways to make an impact, BU students are thinkers and achievers who are ready to discover their potential.
Ranked #10 for most employable graduates in the U.S. by Times Higher Education.
More than 431,000 alumni around the globe in over 180 countries.