ic S/general/checkmark circled Thanks for subscribing! Be on the lookout for our next newsletter.
ic S/general/checkmark circled
Saved to My Favorites. View My Favorites
Colleges / Boston University

Boston University

Boston, MA 4-Year Private
Acceptance Rate19%
Acceptance Rate19%

BU Student Life

BU is on a 175-acre campus in the urban setting of Boston, Massachusetts.

BU Student Activities

BU has many clubs, organizations, and activities for students to join – including band, chorus, theater groups, a campus newspaper, a radio station and more.

Interested in Greek life? BU has fraternities and sororities.

BU has several thriving cultural organizations. In fact, more students participate in the cultural organizations than any other on-campus activity.

Other popular student organizations at BU include performing and Acapella groups, residence hall associations, service organizations and student government.

BU students' favorite campus traditions are Head of the Charles Regatta, Beanpot Tournament and SPLASH.

BU Housing

This table offers information on housing at BU.

Housing Options Offered? Details
On-Campus Housing Yes Required for freshman
Guaranteed Housing Yes Guaranteed for freshman
Co-ed Housing Available Yes
Housing for Students with Disabilities Yes
Percentage of Students Living On-Campus –– 63%
Spots Available in On-Campus Housing –– 11,305
Number of Students Living On-Campus –– 10,917
Percentage of Students Living Off-Campus –– 37%

BU offers housing for students. Students are required to live on campus through freshman year. First year students are guaranteed on-campus housing.

The majority of BU students live on campus. In 2022, 63% of undergrads at BU lived in some kind of on-campus housing and 37% of students lived off-campus or commuted to BU. There are 11,305 spots available in on-campus housing for all 18,229 undergraduates. In the 2021-2022 school year, 10,917 students chose to live in campus housing. On the weekends, about 80% students stay on-campus. First year students are allowed to park a car on campus.

BU offers coed housing and housing for students with disabilities.

BU Athletics

At BU there are a variety of athletic options for students interested in joining a sports program.

Intercollegiate sports are the highest tier of college sports and can be very competitive. Intercollegiate teams are regulated by the NCAA, funded by the university, and compete against teams from other universities. The division of a sports team depends on the size of the university, funding, and competition level. An intercollegiate school team will be Division I, II or III, with Division I being the highest level.

Club sports are not regulated by the NCAA and are a great option for students not interested in trying out for an intercollegiate team. Club sports are usually student run but can also be funded by the university.

Intramural sports are the most casual and informal. Intramural sports are often free and require very little time commitment.

Let's take a look at the athletic options available at BU:

Sport Men's Intramural Women's Intramural Men's Division Women's Division Men's Scholarships Women's Scholarships
Basketball NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Crew Club Teams NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Ice Hockey NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Lacrosse NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Soccer NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Swimming And Diving NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Tennis NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Track And Field NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Cross Country Running NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Skiing (Cross Country) NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1
Indoor Track NCAA Division 1 NCAA Division 1

Is BU Safe?

College is like a home away from home. Whether you're walking to class or coming back from late-night studying (or partying!), it's important to feel safe on campus.

Boston University is patroled 24 hours a day by trained security. The BU campus has emergency telephones or alarms for students to use anytime of day or night.

BU offers late-night transportation or safety escorts for students. Dorms can only be accessed with secure key cards so that students can feel confident that they are safe in on-campus housing.

Additionally, BU has security personnel at residence hall entrances, self-defense education, well-lit sidewalks, Emergency Alert System, Blue Light System),.

Plan a Visit to BU

Visiting colleges is one of the best ways to get a sense of the campus and student body. If you'd like to visit BU, take Massachusetts Turnpike to Boston, MA. If you need to fly, book your flight to Logan International airport.

While you're planning, check out other schools in Massachusetts you may want to visit too. Click the heart at the top of each school's page to save it to your college list.

Want to visit but can't make the trip? Explore BU's campus without leaving home by taking a virtual campus tour

Keep Reading About BU

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

Overview

Admissions

Academics

Tuition & Aid

Visit the College Confidential forums to join the conversation about BU.

BU Students

58%

Women

42%

Men

96%

Full Time

4%

Part Time

27%

In State

73%

Out-of-State

Ethnicity

34%

22%

20%

11%

5%

4%

4%

0.09%

0.03%

Undergraduate Students

18,229

Graduate Students

17,875

Non-Resident / International Students

3,909

BU Campus Services

Student Services
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 Counseling
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 Health Clinic
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 Women's Center
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 Veterans Affairs
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 Career Planning
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 Alumni Networking
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 ESL
Campus Security
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 Late-Night Transport / Escort
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 24-Hour Emergency Phone / Alarm
  • 1E1A89E0-A58D-422D-B45D-7554EC36A535 24-Hour Security Patrol

Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved

Quick Facts

Total Enrollment

36,104

Campus Setting

Urban

Acceptance Rate

19%

Tuition and Fees

In State

$62,360

Out-of-State

$62,360

Fall Freshmen
Application Deadline

Jan 4
Do You Work at a University?

Claim your page to customize your profile and connect with students!

Claim Free Account
F43DB07C-E631-43A5-9C99-000231808F35
Scholarship Tips

Want to find money for school that doesn’t need to be paid back? Access insights and advice on how to search and apply for scholarships!

Find Scholarships
ECE68226-946A-49FB-9EBE-25C918B98643
Need Advice or Have a Question About BU?

Connect with the world's largest college forum for candid, authentic discussion.

Join the Conversation