Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Testing Requirements

Do I have to take the GRE?

All applicants must submit an official test result of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as required by the department to which you are applying. Check departmental requirements for the GRE and the GRE Subject Test in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletin or the Department/Program Information Sheet portion of the application. http://www.bu.edu/grs/academics/admissions/paperapp.html. The MAT is not an acceptable substitute (with the exception of the Sociology/Social Work PhD program which does accept the MAT score report). For more information about GRE testing dates and score reporting, please visit the ETS website at www.ets.org.

Do I have to take the TOEFL?

Official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are required of all international applicants whose native language is not English. This requirement is waived only if you have received, or expect to receive, an undergraduate or graduate degree from a college or university in any of the following countries prior to enrollment in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: The United States of America, Canada, The United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland. (U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents do not need to submit a TOEFL score.)

What is the institution code number for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences?

When you are ordering your score reports from ETS, please request the institution code 3087 for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Do I need to provide a department code when taking the GRE?

You do not need to specify a department code when requesting test scores be sent to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

I sent my test scores to a different school at Boston University. What should I do?

If you sent the score report to another school within Boston University, you should contact the Admissions Office of that school and request that the score report be forwarded to the Admissions Office of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. If you do not know which school you sent it to, please contact ETS for the institution code. (Common mistaken codes are 3105 College of Engineering, 3082 College of Fine Arts, 3108 Metropolitan College. If you sent your score to 3083 Boston College, you will have to request another score report. It cannot be retrieved from another university.)

I already took the test but did not send my scores to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. What do I do?

If you did not request that your test scores be sent to GRS when you took the test, you can always order additional score reports. For the GRE, go to their website at www.gre.org. On their home page you will see a link for test takers that states, “Order additional score report.” The TOEFL website is www.toefl.org. You will see a link for test takers that states, “Order TOEFL score reports.” Please remember that photocopies of test score reports are not considered official.

Do you accept the IELTS instead of the TOEFL?

Yes, we do accept the IELTS and the minimum score required of international applicants is 6.5. Please visit the IELTS website at www.ielts.org for more information regarding testing dates and score reports.

For how long are my test scores valid?

The GRE program will not send official score reports for tests taken more than five years previously. Some departments prefer GRE scores that are less than two years old (please contact your department for more information). The TOEFL program will not send official score reports for tests taken more than two years previously.

I sent my test scores with a previous application. Do you still have them on file?

All applications are held on file for one year. If you submitted your test results with an application within the past year, we can retrieve them from your file. You must submit a written request either by email or via mail, specifying which materials you would like pulled out of your previous file. Please remember that all submitted materials become the property of GRS and will not be returned to the applicant. They can only be taken out of your previous file if you intend to use the materials in an application to GRS.

What are your minimum test score requirements?

Many factors influence the admission decision and the Graduate School does not set minimum test score requirements for the GRE. Individual departments may have a minimum score so you should consult the home page of the department to which you are applying for more information (click here to link to department website information). For students taking the IELTS, a score of 6.5 or higher is required for admission.

The TOEFL minimum requirements are listed below:

Official results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), as administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), are required of international applicants whose native language is not English. Unless otherwise required by the department/program, the minimum score requirement is 213 (computer-based test) or 550 (paper-based test). The minimum score requirements for the internet-based test are listed below**. This requirement is waived only if an applicant has received, or expects to receive, an undergraduate or graduate degree from a college or university in any of the following countries prior to enrollment in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: The United States of America, Canada, The United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand. (U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents do not have to submit the TOEFL or IELTS.)

**If an applicant has taken the new internet-based test, the scores on the individual sections should be, at a minimum, the following:

  • Reading - 21*
  • Listening - 18*
  • Speaking - 23*
  • Writing - 22*
* The GRS Policy requires that applicants meet the minimum requirements of each section on the internet - based test.