International Students
International Students
The Woods College, in partnership with the University's Office of International Students and Scholars, is committed to ensuring the academic and personal success of international students and scholars at Boston College.
Application Information
PrintPlease refer to the individual program pages for detailed application instructions and deadlines.
Length of Stay
Length of Stay
Undergraduate Students
All international students beginning their undergraduate college career at Boston College are expected to complete their BA degree in 4 years or less. The end date listed on your I-20 will reflect this expectation. To accomplish this, it is recommended that students complete a minimum of 30 credits each year—for Woods College students, this may mean that you will need to take more than 12 credits per semester or courses during the summer term to complete 30 credits each year.
For international students transferring to the Woods College BA program, you will need to complete your degree by the date indicated on your I-20. You will want to work closely with your academic advisor to plan your program of study, but typically 30 credits per year is recommended.
Please note that extensions to the end date of the I-20 will not be granted. All questions regarding the I-20 end date, leave of absences, or related questions should be directed to the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS).
Graduate Students
Please note international students pursuing a graduate program with a student visa will need to complete the program in 1.5 years (3 academic semesters).
Standardized Tests
Standardized Tests
For undergraduate and graduate students
International students seeking admission to a degree program must submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score report. The ETS code for the Woods College of Advancing Studies is 3276.
- We require a minimum TOEFL score in the range of 90-100 (iBT).
- IELTS requires a minimum score range of 6.5-7.5.
These criteria may be waived if English is the main/primary language of instruction at the school where you earned your previous degree, which must be indicated in an official letter from the institution. While test scores and grades offer some indication of students' academic promise and achievement, we also value highly other aspects of each applicant, for example, strength of character, extracurricular distinction, personal statement, recommendations, and personal qualities.
Transcripts
Transcripts
All students who have, or are currently attending, an institution outside of the United States must provide a detailed, course-by-course transcript evaluation indicating the following:
- For BA applicants: conferral of a secondary school degree that is equivalent to a U.S. high school’s degree from an accredited institution.
- For MS applicants: conferral of an undergraduate degree that is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
This evaluation is not just an English translation, but a document provided by an accredited evaluating agency that shows all grades, course titles, credit hours, United States degree equivalency, grade-point average (GPA), and date of degree conferral.
This detailed, course-by-course transcript evaluation must be submitted to complete the application.
Please request a detailed, course-by-course transcript evaluation for all international institutions where a degree was conferred from one of the following agencies:
Educational Credential Evaluators
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470
Center for Educational Documentation
P.O. Box 170116
Boston, MA 02117
World Education Services Inc.
P.O. Box 5087
Bowling Green Station
New York, NY 10274-5087
Video Essay
Video Essay
A video essay is required for non-native English speaking applicants applying to any bachelor's degree major.
You will be provided a prompt before you begin recording. Please answer by recording a video - with audio - via webcam. Please note:
- You will have 2 chances to record this video and will not have the opportunity to re-record after the second attempt
- You will have 2 minutes to answer the given prompt
If you have any questions or experience any issues, please email wcasadm@bc.edu to receive support from an application specialist in the admissions office.