The University of Boston

The University of Boston is a large, private research institution, and was established in 1839 when it had strong links to the Methodist church. Over time, the university became non-denominational. The alma mater of Martin Luther King, it was the first university in the US to award a PhD to a woman. It currently offers over 400 programs, two-thirds of which are at postgraduate level, spread through 17 schools and colleges, and was ranked 108th globally by QS in 2023. It is classified as an R1 Doctoral University, with extremely high research output, and was described as an “international powerhouse” by the THE.The University of Boston has an urban campus, spread along the banks of the Charles River and integrated within the city itself, with the medical campus being located in Boston’s South End neighbourhood. At present, there are  36,100 students enrolled at the university and the staff to student ratio is 1:11.

The University of Boston-Academic research

In 2021, the University of Boston received $526.6 million in research sponsorship, as well as government funding for a number of projects, including studying antibiotic resistance. The university boasts one of the highest endowments in the world, totalling $2.43 billion. Research concentrates in seven main areas:

• Data science
• Engineering Biology
• Global health
• Infectious diseases
• Neuroscience
• Urban health
• Photonics

Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, studied here and his legacy of scientific enquiry has lived on, with three of the seven Nobel Prizes awarded to Boston University academics coming in the fields of physics and chemistry.

The University of Boston-Undergraduate studies

All students have to follow the undergraduate general curriculum, to expand their knowledge in six key areas and acquire six essential skills:

• Philosophical, aesthetic and historical interpretation
• Quantitative reasoning
• Scientific and social enquiry
• Diversity, civic engagement and global citizenship
• Communication: writing, research and enquiry, digital media
• Intellectual toolkit : critical thinking, collaboration, life skills

These Hub goals are met through your major and minor courses, and it is estimated that it will take 10-12 courses to fulfil the Hub requirements. Students can take Hub courses throughout their four years as undergraduates and do not have the obligation to do them all in any order or specific period of time. In the end, the aim is to enable students to apply these abilities to any field of knowledge.

The University of Boston-What are the most popular majors?

• Business
• Management
• Marketing
• Social Sciences
• Communication
• Biological and biomedical sciences
• Journalism
• Psychology
• Computer and Information sciences
• Engineering

The University of Boston-The application process

The acceptance rate in 2023 was 11 per cent, of whom 24.6 per cent were international students, and applicants had an average GPA of 3.95.

Applications are processed through the Common App, and you will also be given two straightforward essay prompts.

If you wish to apply to the School of Theatre, Music or Visual Arts, you may be asked to submit a portfolio or audition, or to send in a pre-screening recording (deadline for School of Music is 1 December, for Theatre 4 January).

All international applicants should prepare the following documents:

• Teacher evaluation
• Secondary school records
• Senior year grades
• Copy of their passport
• Documents of financial support
• Counsellor recommendation
• Proof of English language proficiency
• Standardised test scores – this is optional

The University of Boston-Costs

Tuition fees are in the region of $62,360 and you will need to set aside approximately $13,000 for room and board and another $10,000 for incidentals, books, personal expenses etc., bringing annual costs to around $85,700.

International students can apply for certain types of scholarships:

• Trustee scholarships: 20 awards, which cover full fees and tuition.
• Presidential scholarship: 1 available for $25,000.
• Alumni and Friends scholarship: 5-15 awards of full costs.

The University of Boston does not offer need-based financial aid.

The University of Boston-The campus and accommodation

Undergraduates are guaranteed on-campus accommodation for the full four years of their course. It is mandatory to sign up for a meal plan. The accommodation ranges from townhouses to 21st century high-rises, apartments to dormitories. In addition, the university has set up specialty houses and floors, where individuals who share interests can live together.

The campus has an on-site security patrol and provides a huge range of facilities. The architectural styles vary from collegiate Gothic to brutalist, Boston brownstone to structural impressionism and modern soaring structures of brick and glass.

The Agannis Arena holds hockey matches and concerts, while the three main galleries are home to a rotating series of exhibitions. A modern Fitness Centre has been highly acclaimed and is very popular with students. Once you have built up an appetite, head over to the food court next to the Mugar Memorial Library and grab a snack or a meal, before settling down in one of the reading rooms to prepare your next essay.

There are over 500 different, active clubs on campus, covering everything from debating to niche interests, and sport plays a major part in campus life, with the University of Boston fielding 24 teams in NCAA Division 1.

The University of Boston is famous for its extremely successful hockey team, and its costumed mascot, Rhett the Boston Terrier, named after the male lead in Gone With the Wind because Rhett Butler loved Scarlett – and scarlet is the university colour! The terrier beat a bull moose in the vote for mascot back in 1922.

If hockey does not appeal, then you can play multiple other sports: golf, ice-hockey, join a rowing club, play basketball, tennis or lacrosse, achieve new personal bests in track and field, try out your endurance in cross-country or master Shotokan karate. Cricket, fencing, badminton, water polo, sailing, soccer, squash, synchronised swimming and even table tennis are all catered for on campus – and this is just a sample of the University of Boston’s sports offerings.

When it comes to entertaining yourself, do not forget that the vibrant city of Boston is just on your doorstep, with its rich history (think Boston Tea Party of 1773),restaurants, cinemas, clubs, theatres, museums, parks and galleries. You are simply spoilt for choice when it comes to leisure activities if you attend the University of Boston.

University of Boston – studying abroad

The University of Boston’s Study Abroad programme is extensive, opening the door to studying in more than 25 cities scattered across over 20 countries, from Ecuador to China, Denmark to the UK. You can opt to go abroad for a term or a full year, and any credits you achieve count towards your Hub goals, as well as your minor and major. Costs vary according to the duration of your placement and its location. For example, if you decide to spend a month in Padua studying (and sampling) the Mediterranean diet, this will cost approximately $5,000, as well as your flights, while a three-four month programme in Mexico costs around $35,000 and flights.

Among the options open to students are internships and courses:

The University of Boston’s London campus runs the London Internship Program, which combines internships with coursework.

The LA campus offers internships in film, television, advertising, PR and entertainment management.

The Paris Internship Program is a collaboration between local businesses and organisations, while students can also go on an exchange with Sciences Po for a year, or attend Paris Dauphine University, a partner of the University of Boston.

Closer to home, internships are available in Washington DC, with major news outlets, government departments and public affairs institutes, and the University of Boston also runs a program on management and journalism.

This brief overview  highlights the many exciting opportunities which are open to undergraduates at the University of Boston, whether they wish to do an internship, follow a program based abroad or simply take a course which will meet their Hub requirements and stimulate their curiosity and interests.

And finally

Consistently ranked in the top ten of the best cities in the world to live by Deutsche Bank, Boston is a safe, arty, historical city with green credentials, which placed third in the poll of the USA’s most walkable cities. It is a great place to live and, when you add in the academic credentials of the University of Boston, the emphasis on health and sport, and the enormous variety of clubs, events and activities you can find, you will be hard-pushed to find a more diverse and fulfilling undergraduate destination.

If you would like any additional information, then do not hesitate to call or email us here, at Elab, and our US specialist consultants will answer all your questions!