Admissions and Financial Aid Information

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to SSW should have the following:

  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
  • A broad liberal arts background that includes study in social, behavioral, and biological sciences
  • An academic average of 3.0 (B) or higher for undergraduate study (Applicants whose cumulative undergraduate grade point average is below 3.0 are required to take the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).)

For more information on admissions or to apply, please visit ssw.

Financial Information

Tuition, fees, residence and dining plan rates, and any previous balance must be paid in full each semester before the official registration deadline. Invoices are mailed to preregistered students’ permanent addresses several weeks before the start of the semester. Payments made in advance of registration should be directed to Student Accounting Services, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215-1390.

The University does not accept credit cards as payment of tuition, fees, residence and dining plan rates, or the like for full-time students. Checks must be made payable to Boston University. Payments may also be made through the Student Link under Money Matters, Student Account Inquiry.

Although the University does not offer its own deferred payment plan for full-time students, students may arrange for financing through private agencies. This should be done well before the start of the academic year. Information on such plans may be obtained by contacting Student Accounting Services, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215-1390; 617-353-2264.

Deposits made on acceptance of the University’s offer of admission are credited to the student’s semester bill.

The University assumes no liability for failure to provide educational or related services arising from causes beyond the reasonable control of the University. The University will exert reasonable efforts to provide comparable or substantially equivalent services, but its inability to do so shall not subject it to liability. The Trustees of the University reserve the right to change tuition rates, fees, and residence and dining plan rates at their discretion when it is deemed advisable.

Tuition and Mandatory Fees 2011/2012

It has been and remains the policy of Boston University to withhold all diplomas, degrees, official transcripts, and other official recognition of work done at the University from students with any outstanding overdue debts to the University, including, but not limited to, amounts owed in satisfaction of tuition, loan agreements, fees, and charges as well as monies owed for occupancy in University-owned or -operated residences and for dining service. No student may withdraw from the University in good standing or graduate from the University unless all current obligations to the University are paid in full.

Full-Time BUSSW Students

(enrolled for 12 to 18 credits)
Tuition: $26,000 per year.

Graduate Student Fees

George Sherman Union Fee: $202 per year.
Health Fee: $216 per year.
In figuring total expense, the student must add to the above tuition and fees his or her room and board, medical insurance, and any special fees, personal expenses, or other charges the student may incur. Current costs for such items are given below.

Part-Time Students

(enrolled for ½  to 11½ credits)
Tuition: $813 per credit (Charles River Campus); $555 per credit (southeastern Massachusetts and northeastern Massachusetts campuses).
Registration Fee: $40 per semester.

Medical Insurance

The 2011/2012 cost of medical insurance for full-time students (U.S. citizens and international) is $1,914 (Boston University Student Basic plan) or $2,647 (Boston University Student Plus plan).

Massachusetts law requires all students carrying at least 75 percent of the full-time curriculum to be covered under a qualifying medical insurance plan. If the student does not wish to participate in the Boston University Medical Insurance plan, he or she must annually file a Medical Insurance Waiver form that certifies coverage under a comparable medical insurance plan. The Medical Insurance Waiver form may be completed at the Student Link under Money Matters.

Part-time students are also eligible to purchase the medical insurance. For information, contact Student Accounting Services, 881 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215-1390.

The insurance premium is subject to change.

Other Expenses

The estimated cost of books and supplies is $1,400 per year. Approximately $4,034 should be allowed for incidental expenses, which vary with individual circumstances, such as transportation, laundry, clothing, recreation, and miscellaneous expenditures.

Following are other charges that may form part of the cost of attending Boston University:

Application for Admission: $70

Late Fee: A minimum late fee of $150 for full-time students and $75 for part-time students may be assessed to those students who complete their official registration during the late registration period.

Financial Assistance

The School of Social Work’s financial aid resources include scholarship funds, Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loans, and other private funds. Awards are based on merit/academic performance, demonstrated financial need, and the availability of funds. Accepted applicants who apply for financial aid with their admissions application receive a financial aid decision with their acceptance packet. Available funds do not allow us to provide assistance to all students who apply; however, a number receive partial support and avail themselves of the various loan programs to further finance their education.

The extensive number of applicants eligible for scholarships and the finite level of resources available make it necessary for the School of Social Work to establish a financial aid waiting list annually. Scholarships are awarded to those on the waiting list as the resources become available. Applicants who have been awarded a scholarship have a specified time period within which to accept their award by reserving their space in the incoming class with an enrollment deposit. This limited time period enables the School of Social Work to re-award scholarships that are not accepted to those on the waiting list.

Full-time students are eligible to receive a limited number of full-tuition, half-tuition, and other scholarships. Eligible part-time students are awarded up to $2,000. In addition, accepted full- and part-time students who receive award decisions before March 15 will receive applications to apply for several named scholarships. Students may submit the applications of their choice by the deadline once their enrollment has been confirmed by paying the enrollment deposit. Students must apply for financial aid each year that financial aid is requested. Those who receive a scholarship the first year can expect to receive at least the same amount in subsequent years as long as they maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average or unless otherwise stated when awarded.

While the School of Social Work does not generally offer graduate assistantships, many students who participate in the Federal Work-Study program are given the opportunity to work with faculty members on special projects and other research. Also, several students are chosen by faculty members to assist with research on grants they have received.

With its limited resources the School of Social Work is unable to offer scholarship funds to international students. While international students are not eligible for federal loans, there are a few credit-based loan opportunities available for international students who have a U.S. cosigner or U.S. sponsor.

Financial Assistance for ALANA Students and Students with Disabilities

The School of Social Work, in recognition of its commitment to recruit people of color to the profession, provides financial assistance to eligible African American/Black, Latino, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and Native American (ALANA) applicants through creative packaging of loans, Federal Work-Study, scholarships, and fellowships.

The Josephine Lambert Scholarship fund and the Mary Louise Dillon Scholarship fund are available to ALANA students through the School of Social Work. In addition, the University sponsors two awards: the Martin Luther King Jr. Award and the Whitney Young Fellowship.

The School’s Wendy Carol Byers Memorial Scholarship Fund, established in 1990, is available to students with disabilities who demonstrate need.

Scholarships and Prizes

The School administers a number of scholarships from federal, University, and endowed sources. Awards are made to qualified students whose financial need and meritorious performance are clearly demonstrated. SSW scholarship awards are predicated on the assumption that the student is taking out a Federal Direct Stafford Loan.

Awards of partial tuition assistance are also made possible by the following scholarship funds, a number of which require separate applications:

  • Angelina Aliberti Ruggie Scholarship
  • Annette Schaffer Eskind Scholarship
  • Barbara L. Locke Scholarship
  • Carolyn Dillon Scholarship
  • Dean Wilma Peebles-Wilkins Human Relations Scholarship
  • Golda Edinburg Scholarship
  • Frances H. Gelber Memorial Scholarship
  • Holly Margolin Zwerling Scholarship
  • Hubie Jones Urban Practice Scholarship
  • Ina L. Morgan Scholarship
  • Josephine Lambert Scholarship
  • Legacy for the Future Scholarship
  • Louis Lowy Scholarships in Gerontology and Social Welfare Policy
  • Margret D. Lakis Scholarship
  • Mary Louise Dillon Scholarship
  • Miriam Hurwitz Scholarship
  • Naomi Osterman Scholarship
  • Ramsey Fund Scholarship
  • Richard B. DeWolfe Scholarship
  • Richard Cohen Scholarship
  • Rosemary Pazol Mundell Memorial Scholarship
  • Ruskin Scholarship
  • Sybil M. Shapiro Scholarship
  • Tina G. Howell Scholarship
  • Thomas D. Mackey III Memorial Scholarship
  • Wendy Carol Byers Memorial Scholarship

In addition, there are a number of special prize funds that provide small awards to qualified students. Some of these prizes are awarded at the School’s Commencement ceremony. The prize funds include:

  • Carl D’Ettore Memorial Prize
  • Carolyn Jacobs Prize
  • Herbert S. Strean Memorial Prize
  • Jane Stewart Memorial Prize
  • Leonard B. Bloksberg Prize
  • Ruth Cowin Prize
  • Sarah Lange Prize for Social Change
  • Saul and David Bernstein Prize
  • Singer Family Foundation Prize for GLT Students

The SSW manager of financial aid is available by email, telephone, or to meet with applicants in person to answer questions and review options as they navigate the financial aid process at Boston University School of Social Work. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to maximize the financial aid opportunities available to them.

For more information about financial aid opportunities at the School of Social Work, visit http://ssw/admissions/.