Admission

We welcome dedicated students of all backgrounds to the Boston College intellectual community. Both academically rigorous and highly personalized, our M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. programs will prepare you to advance your career and the common good. 

How to Apply

Choose a Program

Search for a program that fits your needs and goals.

Review General Application Requirements

Check requirements for transcripts, letters of recommendation, and more.

Review Specific Program Requirements

Departments often have unique requirements and deadlines. Carefully review the specific requirements for your program.

Complete Your Application

For graduate program admission, fill out the BC application.

General Requirements

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Nondegree options are available to those students interested in pursuing coursework at the graduate level but not looking to enter a degree program. Fifth-year options are available to current BC undergraduate students in select academic departments. 

Nondegree Options

Fifth-Year Options

Application

Please consult department requirements before beginning the application form. All required documents, with the exception of official transcripts (required post-matriculation) and test scores must be submitted before being able to complete the application form and create an admissions file. Letters of recommendation may be received and processed after your application form has been submitted.

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Application Fee

The MCGS application fee is $75 and may be paid online after submitting your application form. An application fee (or approved application fee waiver) is required to complete your application.

  • All application fee waiver requests must be uploaded to the 'Application Fee Waiver Request' section of the 'Document Uploads' page within the MCGS online application form. Applicants must submit their application form in order to be considered for a fee waiver. No consideration is granted by email or prior to submission. Requests will be reviewed periodically by admissions office staff. If granted, it will be reflected on the applicant's status page.
  • Application fees are waived for current BC students and employees. Please upload correspondence alerting us to your status and the application fee requirement will be waived following verification.
  • Application fees are waived for active duty military and veterans, current full-time volunteers with recognized, non-profit service organizations (e.g. JVC, Americorps, Teach for America, etc.) and students participating in underrepresented student educational programs at the time of applying (e.g. McNair Scholars, Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers, etc.). Please include official documentation confirming current status with dates (e.g. a letter from your McNair advisor, confirmation of military status, etc.) for review.
  • Applicants for whom the application fee would constitute a serious financial hardship may also request a fee waiver. Requests are considered only if accompanied by official documentation demonstrating financial need (e.g. proof of unemployment or government assistance). Currently enrolled students should seek a letter from his/her financial aid officer. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed. Please note that government sanctions, currency exchange rates, and/or difficulties in remitting credit card payment will not constitute 'serious financial hardship' on their own; Official documentation as noted is required.
  • Only the MCGS Admissions Office can grant fee waivers. Applicants cannot obtain a fee waiver directly from an academic department or other offices at Boston College. 

Transcripts

  • University/college transcripts are required from all post-secondary education institutions attended.
  • Unofficial transcripts submitted through the online application form are acceptable for review purposes during the application process, however, official copies of all transcripts reviewed for admission must be submitted upon acceptance/matriculation, no later than July 15.
  • Transcripts are only considered official when submitted to the MCGS Admissions Office and received directly from official academic sources (i.e. school registrars) in signed/sealed envelopes from each institution; Documents uploaded, attached or otherwise opened by students are always considered unofficial.
  • Official transcripts may be submitted via document management services such as Parchment and the National Student Clearinghouse; Be sure to select "Boston College Morrissey Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Admissions" as the recipient, not "Boston College" or any other BC office listed on the order menu.
  • If you have previously attended BC you must request complete transcripts of your work from the Office of Student Services.
  • All documents in languages other than English should include a certified English translation in addition to the original language document.
  • All MCGS matriculants must possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited US college or university or the equivalent of a 4-year US bachelor’s degree conferred by an international institution. If you have received your undergraduate degree outside of the US, an official course-by-course transcript evaluation, completed by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) - approved company, is required upon enrollment. This evaluation is in addition to the above noted official transcripts.

Students who submit applications prior to the completion of their undergraduate work are expected to file a final transcript showing all coursework, degree granted, and conferral date. The same procedure is required of applicants currently engaged in graduate study at other institutions. This is necessary for final confirmation of the Graduate School's offer of admission. Your final transcript should be sent to us as soon as you have completed your present course of study.

International students please note: Only official copies of your transcript will fulfill the language proficiency requirement on your application if you qualify for a waiver. Please review the International Students tab below for more information.

Mailing Address

Boston College
MCGS Admissions
140 Commonwealth Ave.
Gasson Hall 108
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants may register recommenders to submit their letters electronically while completing the application form. MCGS also accepts letters via Interfolio as official; Please arrange to have Interfolio documents emailed to gsasinfo@yilunjianshe.com after completing the 'Recommendations' section of the application form in full. Photocopies of letters are not acceptable.

Three letters of recommendation should accompany most MCGS applications, unless otherwise noted by a department/program. Please review department requirements for particulars. One additional recommendation beyond stated requirements is acceptable.

Generally, letters should be from people who have most recently taught you in the field in which you expect to study. If you are now or have for some time been out of school, one letter should be from your employer, supervisor, or another person familiar with your recent professional activities. If you are currently enrolled in or have been enrolled in another graduate school, at least one letter must be from the graduate instructor most familiar with your work.

Statement of Purpose

Most departments require a brief (1-2 pages) personal statement in which applicants should discuss their preparation, motivation, and goals for their proposed courses of study. If you have any questions about the statement please contact the department in which you plan to study.

Standardized Tests

GRE Test Scores

If applying to a program requiring GRE scores, official GRE score reports must be submitted to complete applications. (Please consult department requirements for reference by program). GRE scores are only official when received directly from ETS. The Boston College MCGS school code is 3083 (no department code is required). GRE score reports are valid for five years from the test date.

Writing Sample

If applying to a program requiring a writing sample, (please consult department requirements for reference) these generally constitute a scholarly work in a student’s intended field of study and are no longer than 20-25 pages. If you have any additional/specific questions pertaining to writing samples, please inquire further with your intended academic department.

International Students

The Graduate School of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences has the same requirements for application from international students with one addition, evidence of English proficiency.

TOEFL/IELTS Test Scores

Students who speak a native language other than English must provide evidence of English proficiency. A score of 100 or higher on the TOEFL iBT test or 7.0 or higher on the IELTS test is required. TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid from exams taken a maximum of two years prior to application program deadlines and only official score reports are accepted (scores are only official when received directly from testing agencies, not uploaded or attached by applicants). Remember to enter Institution Code 3083 when taking the TOEFL exam to ensure GSAS receives your score report (no department code is required). If submitting an IELTS score report, please designate the BC GSAS Admissions Office as your score report recipient.

Proof of English proficiency is not required if:

  • You are a citizen of Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an Anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean.
  • You earned your prior college or university degree in the U.S. or one of the countries listed above or at an institution whose official language of instruction is English. The language proficiency requirement will be waived from your application upon receipt of an official transcript noting degree conferral from said institution*.
  • You are currently enrolled as a full-time student in a U.S. degree-granting program or at an American or English-speaking school in one of the countries listed above or at an institution whose official language of instruction is English and will have completed two academic years of college/university work before beginning your studies at BC. The language proficiency requirement will be waived from your application upon receipt of an official transcript noting two years/4 semesters completed at said institution*.

* Note: Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for application purposes; Official transcripts are not required unless accepted and matriculating. The language proficiency requirement will remain on your file until an official transcript meeting these parameters is received, however, this will not affect the review of your application if you qualify.

International Transcript Evaluations

  • All MCGS matriculants must possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited US college or university or the equivalent of a 4-year US bachelor’s degree conferred by an international institution. If you have received your undergraduate degree outside of the US, an official course-by-course transcript evaluation, completed by a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) - approved company, is required upon enrollment. This evaluation is in addition to required, accompanying official transcripts.

Application Tip: Verify that your degree is equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree before starting your application. Agencies such as WES provide a variety of degree equivalency tools and services.

Please note:
  • Complete applications received by the deadline will be treated with priority. Admission committees may choose not to review incomplete applications.
  • Application materials cannot be returned to a student.
  • If you applied to the Graduate School of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences in a prior admission cycle and are now reapplying, you must submit a new application form and new supporting documents. Materials are not retained once each admission cycle concludes.
  • Do not submit materials to the department to which you are applying. Sending material to the department will only delay the process.

Department Requirements & Deadlines

In addition to completed application forms and application fees, each academic department has additional requirements noted below. All materials are due by stated application deadlines.
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Admissions Calendar

Application & Admission FAQ

question match your criteria

May I send my supplemental materials to BC before submitting my online application?

Yes. If your supplemental materials arrive at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences before you have submitted your application form, we will keep them on file and match to your application once submitted. Please allow at least one standard business day for hard copy items to be processed and reflected as received once your application form is submitted.

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Can I apply directly to a Ph.D program or must I apply to study toward a master's degree first?

You do not necessarily need a master's degree to enter into a Ph.D program; however, the faculty will look for the proper coursework, experience, and maturity when admitting applicants into a Ph.D program.

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Can I take graduate classes if I'm not interested in pursuing a degree at this time?

Yes, BC MCGS offers nondegree options.

View Nondegree Options

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Can my application fee be waived?

The application fee is not usually waived; however, the Graduate School will consider waiver requests meeting specific criteria. An application fee or approved application fee waiver is required to complete your application.

Application Fee Details

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I applied last year but did not get in. Can I reuse my application materials if I reapply for this year?

No, you need to submit a new application form and revised materials. Please contact the Admissions Office to inquire about official test score and/or specific document receipt and reuse.

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I have been out of school for several years and there is no one who can write an academic recommendation for me. May my employer write one?

Ideally, letters of recommendation should come from academic sources. If, however, there is no one who can write an academic recommendation on your behalf, you may seek one from an employer. The faculty review committee is primarily interested in your intellectual abilities and potential for success in graduate study.

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I took one course during the summer at another university. Do you need the course transcript?

Yes. Transcripts are required from each post-secondary institution you have attended, including transcripts containing nondegree coursework and, if applicable, transcripts from study-abroad programs.

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If I meet the required deadlines, when can I expect to receive a decision?

Each department sets its own timeline for admissions review. Official notification from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Admissions Office will be sent via email before the reply-by deadlines of April 15 and May 31 for Ph.D. and master's programs, respectively.

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If my transcripts are in a foreign language do I have to send the original copy of my transcripts, as well as the English translation?

You must send both, the official transcript in the foreign language and a certified English translation of the transcript. Unofficial copies are acceptable for review purposes during the application process, but you must submit an official copy following matriculation.

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May I apply for admission in any academic quarter?

Degree-granting programs generally offer admission starting in the fall term, only. Nondegree course options are available in fall, spring and summer terms.

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May I apply to more than one MCGS program?

Yes. Select the 'Start New Application' link presented when logged into your application portal to begin. Separate application forms and requirements in full must be submitted for each application. Official test scores and transcripts may be shared among files.

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My former school will not send me my transcripts in sealed envelopes, to be submitted following matriculation. What should I do?

Request that the transcripts be sent directly to our Admissions Office. Official transcripts sent when applying will be kept on file.

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What is the MCGS application fee?

There is a non-refundable $75 fee for each application you submit to MCGS.

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What is the process for requesting a deferral?

A deferral may be requested for one semester or one academic year only. Deferral requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. The request must be made in writing to Associate Dean of Admissions, Robert Howe, and must indicate the reason(s) for request and duration of the deferral (maximum one academic year).

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Will I receive confirmation once I submit my application materials to the Graduate School?

No, MCGS maintains a self-managed application process. Applicants can check whether their application requirements have been received through their Application Status Portal.

Application Status Portal

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