Boston University

About us

Location Boston, United States Funding Type Private
No of Students 36729 Establishment University
Founded In 1839 Estimated Cost of Living 14000 USD
Address Boston, MA 02215, United States

Boston University is no small operation. With over 36,000 students from more than 130 countries, over 10,000 faculty and staff, 17 schools and colleges and the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences, and more than 300 programs of study, our three campuses are always humming, always in high gear. Get to know the people and teams that keep the University running smoothly.

Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodists; though it is nonsectarian, Boston University retains its historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in Newbury, Vermont and moved to Boston in 1867.

The university has more than 4,000 faculty members and nearly 34,000 students and is one of Boston's largest employers. It offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctorates, and medical, dental, business, and law degrees through 17 schools and colleges on three urban campuses. The main campus is situated along the Charles River in Boston's Fenway-Kenmore and Allston neighborhoods, while the Boston University Medical Campus is located in Boston's South End neighborhood. The Fenway campus houses the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, formerly Wheelock College, which merged with BU in 2018.

BU is a member of the Boston Consortium for Higher Education and the Association of American Universities. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity".The Boston University Terriers compete in the NCAA Division I. BU athletic teams compete in the Patriot League and Hockey East conferences, and their mascot is Rhett the Boston Terrier. Boston University is well known for men's hockey, in which it has won five national championships, most recently in 2009.

Among its alumni and current or past faculty, the university counts 8 Nobel Laureates, 23 Pulitzer Prize winners, 10 Rhodes Scholars, 6 Marshall Scholars, 9 Academy Award winners, and several[quantify] Emmy and Tony Award winners. BU also has MacArthur, Fulbright, and Truman Scholars,[quantify] as well as American Academy of Arts and Sciences and National Academy of Sciences members, among its past and present graduates and faculty. In 1876, BU professor Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in a BU lab.

Why?

1) Rigorous academics
With more than 300 programs of study and great academic flexibility, you can maximize the value of your BU degree. Options include combined BA/MA programs and chances to take coursework across ten of BU’s schools and colleges. At the core of the BU academic experience is the BU Hub, our innovative University-wide general education program. You’ll explore Hub areas ranging from Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy (GCI) to Scientific Inquiry (SI1/SI2) to Ethical Reasoning (ETR), in courses both in and out of your major.

2) Global recognition
BU has been named to the Association of American Universities (AAU)—a prestigious association of top research universities in the United States and Canada. We’re also #41 among national universities and #57 among global universities (U.S. News & World Report).

3) Breaking new ground
Research is the cornerstone of BU. Times Higher Education even named BU an “International Powerhouse” thanks to our commitment to research. Our Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) connects students with BU faculty research projects in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, medicine, education, and the arts.

4) Real world experience
Because we’re right in Boston, you have a wealth of opportunities to consider in your field of study or area of special interest. But why stop at Boston? We’ve also sent students across the country and around the world for internships and more.

5) A bright future
A BU degree opens doors. Recruiters and CEOs rank our graduates #13 in the US for employability. We invest in your future, too—with dedicated career services for students and alumni.

6) A city unlike any other
We’re not called Boston University for nothing. Hip neighborhoods, soaring skyscrapers, championship sports teams, and rich history and culture—when you’re at BU, you’re in the middle of it all.

7) A residential campus
From historic brownstones lining Bay State Road to modern high-rises overlooking the Charles River to residence halls with dedicated specialty floors, BU provides a variety of living communities. We guarantee on-campus housing for all four years of your undergraduate experience—and 75 percent of students take us up on that offer.

8) A view to the world
With some 650 courses on global topics, faculty research on every continent, students from nearly 100 countries, and alumni living in over 180 of the world’s countries, it’s easy to see why BU ranks among the world’s top universities. Plus, our study abroad program is widely considered among the nation’s best.

9) Perfect class size
For a University of over 17,000 undergraduates, BU has a surprisingly small student-to-faculty ratio—11:1. With an average class size of 30, you’ll not only meet award-winning professors, you’ll engage with them.

10) Never a dull moment
You’ll do so much more than just study here. You will get involved in any number of our 450+ student groups. So play in a BU band, join a Broomball team, attend a BU Hockey game, get involved in Greek life, run for BU Student Government, have coffee and conversation at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground, attend a Dear Abbeys a cappella show, chow down at Lobster Night—and you’ll feel your Terrier pride in no time.