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.Â
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 òòò½Ö±²¥ 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:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô²âÌýofficial 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@bc.edu 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  iBT test or 7.0 or higher on the  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 òòò½Ö±²¥ 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.
Application Tip: Verify that your degree is equivalent to a four-year U.S. bachelor’s degree before starting your application. Agencies such as WES provide a variety of .
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.