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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.
Search for a program that fits your needs and goals.
Check requirements for transcripts, letters of recommendation, and more.
Departments often have unique requirements and deadlines. Carefully review the specific requirements for your program.
For graduate program admission, fill out the BC 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.
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.
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.
Boston College
MCGS Admissions
140 Commonwealth Ave.
Gasson Hall 108
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
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@thestudioentrance.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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
* 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.
Please note:
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.
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.
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.
Yes, BC MCGS offers nondegree options.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Degree-granting programs generally offer admission starting in the fall term, only. Nondegree course options are available in fall, spring and summer terms.
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.
Request that the transcripts be sent directly to our Admissions Office. Official transcripts sent when applying will be kept on file.
There is a non-refundable $75 fee for each application you submit to MCGS.
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).
No, MCGS maintains a self-managed application process. Applicants can check whether their application requirements have been received through their Application Status Portal.