affordableBU.
FINANCIAL AID THAT MEETS YOUR FULL NEED. 100%.
BU will meet 100% of demonstrated need for all first-year students. We firmly believe that everyone admitted to BU deserves the opportunity to attend BU, regardless of your family’s financial need. Toward that goal, we’re offering financial aid packages that will make up the difference between the cost of attendance and your expected family contribution.
What is demonstrated financial need? It is the total cost of attendance— including tuition, food and housing, books, supplies, local transportation, and personal expenses—minus the amount your family can be expected to contribute, as determined by your CSS Profile™.
Who is eligible? You must be a US citizen or permanent resident entering college for the first time. In addition, you must submit your FAFSA and CSS Profile by the deadline for each.
What kind of aid can you expect? It depends on your family’s financial situation. One person might receive need-based scholarships and federal student loans. Another, Work-Study and a need-based scholarship. Yet another, a combination of need-based scholarships, federal student loans, and Work-Study. Further, if you are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, your financial aid offer is guaranteed to be free of loans, thanks to BU’s University Scholarship fund.
What about next year? The BU Scholarship Assurance guarantees that your BU need-based aid will not be reduced for any of your four undergraduate years here, as long as your aid does not exceed your cost of attendance and you meet academic requirements. In fact, as part of affordableBU, if tuition goes up, your BU need-based scholarship will increase at the same percentage rate.
The education you deserve. With affordableBU, you really can afford an education that will prepare you not just to succeed in life, but to thrive.
› Demonstrated Financial Need
The annual cost of attendance minus your family’s expected contribution, based on information provided on the CSS Profile.
› FAFSA
Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free and gives you access to federal and state financial aid to help pay for college. It must be filed each year to receive these funds.
BU’s FAFSA code is 002130.
› CSS ProfileTM
The College Scholarship Service Profile is used to establish your eligibility for BU need-based financial aid for all four years. After your first year applying for aid, the Profile is no longer required.
BU’s CSS code is 3087.
Please note: your Social Security number is used to match your application for admission with your CSS Profile and FAFSA records, which is why you must accurately enter your Social Security number on the Common Application, CSS Profile, and FAFSA to be considered for financial aid.
Types of aid.
As mentioned, BU meets 100% of your demonstrated financial need. We’ll do it through a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and/or Work-Study. Please note that need-based financial aid is restricted to US citizens and permanent residents (see page 2).
One or more of these awards may be packaged together to help cover your college expenses. In order to determine your eligibility, you must file the CSS ProfileTM and FAFSA by our established deadlines (see page 12).
BU NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS.
This BU-funded award does not have to be earned or repaid. Awards are based on a student’s demonstrated financial need as determined by information on the CSS Profile and FAFSA.
FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS.
These are government funds that do not have to be earned or repaid. Information you report on your FAFSA is used to determine your eligibility. Besides federal grants such as the Federal Pell Grant, several state governments offer grants for college expenses that can be used outside of your state of residence.
FEDERAL LOANS.
The federal government offers loans with attractive borrower benefits for students. These loans must be paid back, but they have more borrower benefits than most bank loans. You must file the FAFSA to be considered.
FEDERAL WORK-STUDY.
Work-Study awards provide funding for part-time student employment, usually on campus and often in a field related to a student’s program of study. Funds for these awards are limited, but students who aren’t offered Federal Work-Study can often find part-time jobs through the Student Employment Office at bu.edu/seo.
PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS GET LOAN-FREE AID.
AWARD PACKAGE FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS WITH NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS
Thanks to the University Scholarship fund, if you qualify for a Federal Pell Grant, your affordableBU scholarship aid package is guaranteed to be free of loans. Your full demonstrated need will be met entirely with scholarships, grants, and Work-Study. $3,578
$57,882
Average Need-Based Scholarship
Average award values are from the most recent year available.
What will BU cost you?
Calculate an estimate using either the MyinTuition Quick College Cost Estimator or the Net Price Calculator at bu.edu/finaid/aid-basics/cost-ofattendance/net-price-calculator.
Student Loan $3,000
Work-Study = $64,460
BU Scholarship Assurance.
BU guarantees that University need-based financial aid will not be reduced for any of your undergraduate years, as long as your aid doesn’t exceed your cost of attendance and you meet academic and deadline requirements. In fact, if tuition goes up, your affordableBU scholarship aid will be increased by the same percentage as the tuition increase.
MORE THAN ONE WAY TO PAY.
BU also offers an option to budget payments monthly through a payment plan. Many families combine a payment plan with credit-based loans to finance all or a portion of college costs. You’ll find more information at bu.edu/finaid/ type-of-aid/loans.
WHERE EMPLOYERS RANK BU GRADUATES IN THE NATION FOR EMPLOYABILITY
$425+ MILLION
IN FINANCIAL AID AWARDED TO UNDERGRADUATES
93% OF STUDENTS FOUND EMPLOYMENT OR PLACEMENT IN GRADUATE PROGRAMS, MILITARY SERVICE, OR FELLOWSHIPS WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF GRADUATION.
Financial assistance. what it looks like.
To help you understand how aid is broken down and awarded at BU, we’ve supplied four examples of what a financial aid package might look like.
Zachary Olivia
When researching college tuition costs, Zachary was nervous when he saw the sticker price. His parents earn around $95,000 per year and he wasn’t sure how he was going to pay for college. When Zach received his financial aid offer from BU, he was thrilled!
Olivia has high demonstrated financial need. Her family income is about $55,000 per year and they rent their home. Olivia’s expected family contribution makes her eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. Because BU awarded her a University Scholarship, her aid package includes no student loans.
$64,460
annual cost of attendance breakdown, see page 1.
Daniel’s family had money saved for college but hoped for aid to help lower their costs. A high-achieving student, Daniel applied for admission by the merit scholarship deadline of December 1. BU awarded them the half-tuition Presidential Scholarship, which will increase in value each year as BU’s tuition increases.
Alexis’ family has been planning for her and her younger brother’s college education for a long time. Her parents both have good jobs and they’ve sacrificed to accumulate some savings. They realize that lots of families have less income and savings, but they also know their savings won’t be enough to pay for BU. COSTS (2024–2025 ACADEMIC YEAR)
Smart Money is a BU financial wellness initiative designed to provide the University community with online tools, information, and other resources to promote effective money management. Use it to stay on top of the latest money management tips, personal finance news, and financial aid alerts. You’ll find it at bu.edu/smartmoney.
Boston University helps students realize their dreams with several different kinds of financial aid, including:
• Merit-based scholarships
• Need-based scholarships
• Federal and state grants
• Federal student loans
• Federal Work-Study awards
Two or more types of aid are often combined in award packages. Awards are renewable if you continue to meet eligibility requirements. Please note, aid from all sources cannot exceed your demonstrated financial need.
Merit-based scholarships.
BU merit-based scholarship recipients are selected by the Board of Admissions and faculty committees. Those selected are students with outstanding academic, artistic, or athletic achievements and awards may cover full tuition or a specified dollar amount.
Two of BU’s most prestigious scholarships are the Trustee Scholarship and the Presidential Scholarship. Both are available to selected students regardless of citizenship and can be renewed for up to three additional years of study when certain criteria are met. To be considered for these awards, students must apply for admission by December 1.
TRUSTEE SCHOLARSHIP.
Considered the University’s most distinguished scholarship, this award recognizes extraordinary academic and leadership abilities. The scholarship covers undergraduate tuition, orientation, and mandatory undergraduate student fees. Students must submit one additional essay.
PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP.
This half-tuition scholarship is awarded to firstyear students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement as well as leadership in their schools and communities.
LEARN MORE ONLINE.
For more information about these and other merit-based scholarships for first-year students, visit bu.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/ scholarships-financial-aid/first-year-merit.
Here’s our advice: if becoming a Terrier is at the top of your list, apply for financial aid.
MOST RECIPIENTS OF BU MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS:
• Rank in the top 2% of their graduating class
• Demonstrate compelling achievements outside the classroom in their schools and communities
Questions? We’ve got answers!
32,000+
EMPLOYERS IN 60 INDUSTRIES ACTIVELY RECRUIT BU STUDENTS THROUGH HANDSHAKE, BU’S ONLINE HUB FOR CAREER SERVICES
What does BU mean by “affordable” and “will meet my demonstrated need”?
BU is affordable because what you pay will depend on your demonstrated financial need. Meeting your need means that the gap between the cost of BU and what your family can be expected to contribute will be covered through some combination of scholarships, grants, student loans, and Work-Study. This can greatly reduce or even eliminate your need to take out supplementary private loans. Also, if tuition increases, your BU need-based scholarship will increase at the same percentage as the increase in tuition.
How do I know if I qualify for financial aid based on my family’s situation?
You must file the FAFSA and CSS Profile™ to officially determine whether you qualify for financial aid. However, for planning purposes, we also have online tools to help estimate the amount of financial aid you could be offered and the net amount you may be expected to pay toward the cost of attendance. For more information, visit bu.edu/finaid/aid-basics/ cost-of-attendance/net-price-calculator.
Who is eligible for “full-need” financial assistance?
You must be a first-year student and a US citizen or eligible noncitizen. If you submit your FAFSA and CSS Profile by our deadline and you are determined to have demonstrated
financial need, you are eligible. Generally, if family income is below $40,000 with minimal assets, you can expect financial aid to cover tuition and a portion of your living costs. If family income is below $100,000 with modest assets, you can expect financial aid to cover most of your tuition. However, we encourage everyone to apply and let us make a determination. There are other forms of financial aid available if you do not qualify for need-based aid.
Will my financial aid package continue all four years?
Will it increase if costs increase?
Your BU scholarship amount will never decrease over your four years of study at BU, provided your aid doesn’t exceed your cost of attendance and you remain enrolled full time and meet the GPA requirements stipulated in the guide delivered with your aid notification. If tuition increases, your BU need-based scholarship will increase at the same percentage as the increase in tuition.
What if I miss the first-year financial aid deadline?
The deadline is not flexible. First-year applicants who submit a financial aid application after our deadline are not guaranteed consideration for an aid package that will meet their full demonstrated need. Aid may be offered based on available funds; however, funds are typically exhausted immediately after the deadline.
What if my family’s financial circumstances change?
If your circumstances change or if there are aspects of your family circumstances you feel were not fully captured on the application forms, we are happy to review your appeal for reconsideration. If additional scholarship/grant aid is offered, that new amount will also be covered by the BU Scholarship Assurance.
Is a financial aid application required for admission?
No. However, we encourage all families to carefully plan for college costs and apply for financial aid by our deadline if the cost presents a barrier to enrollment.
My parents are divorced and have remarried. Whose information do I include on the financial aid applications?
If your biological/adoptive parents do not share the same household, your other (noncustodial) parent must also complete a CSS Profile. More information, including how to request a waiver of the noncustodial parent information requirement, is available at bu.edu/finaid/ apply/special-circumstances.
When will I receive my financial assistance award?
If you apply for financial aid by the established deadline, you can expect to receive a financial aid decision with your admission decision.
Should we wait for an admission decision before applying for financial aid?
No. It could be too late to receive full consider-
ation for financial aid if you delay submitting your aid application for any reason. Our financial aid deadlines are listed on page 12. Apply as early as financial aid application forms—FAFSA midDecember, CSS Profile October 1—are available. For the 2025–2026 academic year, income information for 2023 will be requested. There will be no need to estimate figures because you will have already filed your 2023 income tax return with the IRS. The FAFSA Direct Data Exchange (DDX) process electronically imports your income information from the IRS to your FAFSA, greatly increasing accuracy and simplifying the process of reporting your income.
Is the financial aid process for Early Decision applicants the same as for regular admission?
The financial aid deadline for Early Decision applicants is earlier. Go to bu.edu/finaid/apply/ first-year-students/earlydecision/ for filing instructions. Remember, an Early Decision offer of admission is binding. Apply Early Decision only if you are confident BU is your first choice for college and you will not need to consider financial aid offers from other schools.
If I am a first-year international student, am I eligible for need-based financial aid? Am I eligible for meritbased scholarships?
BU is unable to consider international students for need-based financial aid. Federal, state, and University need-based aid is limited to US
citizens and eligible noncitizens. International students are considered for the Trustee and Presidential scholarships on the basis of merit. For more information, visit bu.edu/ admissions/tuition-aid/scholarshipsfinancial-aid/first-year-merit.
CHECKLIST Apply for admission
Submit the CSS Profile
Submit the FAFSA
Monitor the MyBU Applicant Portal for updates View your financial aid award when available
your award on the MyBU Applicant Portal
bu.edu/finaid/aid-basics
for advice on planning for your BU expenses
