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Dates and Deadlines

Main navigation, application open date.

The online application is now open for 2025 entry.

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program and range from November to March for full-time programs. Before you apply, check the application deadline for your program on the Explore Graduate Programs page .

The application closes at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on your program’s deadline.

Decision Notification

Decision timelines vary by program, and the graduate program to which you applied will communicate the admission decision to you in accordance with the program’s notification timeline.

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PhD & MFA: Application & Deadlines

We welcome your application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) for Fall 2025!  All applications and supporting documents must be submitted through our online application.

Please note:

  • We strongly advise that you read our PhD & MFA: Frequently Asked Questions section.
  • MFA applications for Fall 2025 open on September 1, 2024. PhD applications for Fall 2025 open on October 1, 2024.  The applications close at 11:59pm (23h59) Boston Time (Eastern Time Zone, UTC – 05:00) on the day listed as the program’s application deadline (refer to the list of programs at the bottom of this page). If you are located in a time zone west of Boston (i.e. UTC – 06:00 to UTC – 11:00), you must submit your application one to six hours before midnight your time.
  • You cannot apply to more than one GRS program and you cannot apply to both a PhD and a Master’s degree.  We recommend that you contact the program directly if you are unsure about applying to the Master’s or the PhD degree.  PhD & MFA applicants can only apply to the fall semester.
  • When creating your account, please be sure to use a permanent, non-school-related email address. You will be contacted through the email address you use to create the account, and correspondence may occur after your previous school disabled your school email account.
  • All documents (transcripts, personal statement, CV/resume, writing sample, if applicable, etc.) have to be submitted through the online application.  Documents that are sent or emailed directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences by you, your institution, or a third party (ex: Parchment) cannot be added to your application.  You cannot add or email updated transcripts showing fall grades after you submit your application.
  • All documents, official electronic test scores, and recommendations letters must be received by the deadline; otherwise, they may not be considered by the program’s application review committee.  Please allow for 5-10 business days for electronic scores (GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) to be matched to your application.
  • All credentials, including transcripts and reference letters, submitted in support of an application become property of Boston University. Neither originals nor copies may be returned.
  • After you submit your application, it will be reviewed by the program’s admission committee.  The response time varies by program.  Most programs make admission decisions in late February to early March.  If you have questions about the timeline, please contact the program directly.  You do not need to sign back in to your application after you submit it; there is no additional information that can be found in the application, you cannot track the progress of the review in the application.  Once a decision has been made, you will receive an email informing you of the outcome.
  • If you are a PhD or MFA applicant to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) and have a program-related question, please contact the program directly at the email address listed under each program (refer to the list of programs at the bottom of this page).

Online Application

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PhD Fellowship Aid    MFA Fellowship Aid

GRS Statement on Holistic Admissions

The admissions committee of each of our graduate programs will be looking, as always, at the entire transcript and the cumulative GPA in their evaluation as well as test scores (if applicable), recommendations, and personal statements, as required by specific programs. We encourage applicants to include special circumstances as well as achievements that may not be apparent due to modified grading policies in their personal statements. This policy has been adopted to ensure that applicants are not evaluated differently by admissions committee due to the varied impact of COVID-19 on individuals and/or due to the specific grading policies of their colleges/universities.

PhD & MFA Programs No Longer Requiring the GRE

As part of our holistic approach to admissions, many of our PhD programs no longer require the GRE General Test, while others have suspended the requirement for applicants.  For those who continue to use it, they do so as part of their holistic review.  While GRE scores may be an essential component of the application for some programs, they are only one of many factors that contribute to your review as an applicant. Our programs consider the personal statement, letters of recommendation, GPA, and other supporting materials, when assessing an applicant’s academic potential and ability. Please see the list below for details on programs that do not require the GRE.

Our PhD & MFA Programs (Deadlines and Requirements)

American & new england studies.

Programs offered:

  • PhD in American Studies

Application Requirements:

  • Transcripts
  • Three recommendations (at least two from faculty members)
  • Scholarly writing sample
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Personal statement

Fall 2025 Application Deadline:

  • This program is not accepting applications for the 2025-2026 academic year . Please reach out to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at [email protected] with any questions.

Program Website

Program Email

Anthropology

  • PhD in Anthropology
  • Three recommendations
  • Writing sample
  • PhD in Astronomy
  • Official GRE General Test score report (optional)
  • Official GRE Physics Subject Test score report (optional)
  • December 15, 2024

Bioinformatics

Students who wish to apply for the PhD in Bioinformatics must apply through the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences (CDS) admissions portal .

For questions, please contact the Bioinformatics program directly at [email protected] or the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences (CDS) at [email protected] .

  • PhD in Biology

Areas of Interest:

  • Marine Biology
  • Cell & Molecular Biology
  • Ecology, Behavior & Evolution
  • Neurobiology
  • December 4, 2024

Biostatistics

  • PhD in Biostatistics
  • December 1, 2024
  • PhD in Chemistry
  • Three recommendations (personal letter in addition to questionnaire is strongly recommended)

Classical Studies

  • PhD in Classical Studies
  • MA in Classical Studies dual with PhD in Philosophy

Students who wish to apply to the MA in Classical Studies dual with PhD in Philosophy should visit the program website for information on how to apply.

Computer Science

  • PhD in Computer Science
  • Official GRE General Test score report (is not mandatory for the Fall 2024 admissions cycle)

Creative Writing

  • MFA in Creative Writing
  • Two recommendations
  • Creative writing sample
  • January 9, 2025

Earth & Environment

  • PhD in Earth & Environment
  • Curriculum Vitae/Resume
  • December 19, 2024
  • PhD in Economics
  • Three academic recommendations (PhD)
  • Official GRE General Test score report
  • January 7, 2025
  • PhD in English & American Literature
  • Three academic recommendations
  • Scholarly writing sample (page limit of 15-25 pages)
  • PhD in History
  • Foreign language(s) proficiency (please list the languages in which you are fluent)

History of Art & Architecture

  • PhD in History of Art & Architecture
  • Writing Sample
  • Personal Background Statement ( optional )
  • Listing of related coursework and foreign language proficiency (For required background in coursework and for foreign language proficiency, please see the Graduate Program Handbook )

Linguistics

  • PhD in Linguistics

Literary Translation

  • MFA in Literary Translation
  • Personal statement (please describe your level of proficiency in the language you wish to translate from, your experience in literary translation and what you hope to gain from the MFA)
  • Sample of critical writing in English (8-12 double-spaced pages)
  • Translation sample (10-12 double-spaced pages) accompanied by the relevant passage of the original text
  • Official GRE scores are not required

Fall 2024 Application Deadline:

  • Priority deadline: February 15, 2025
  • Final deadline: March 15, 2025

Mathematics & Statistics

  • PhD in Mathematics
  • PhD in Statistics
  • January 6, 2025

Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry

  • PhD in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry
  • Personal statement with detailed research interests included

The Division of Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS) also offers PhD programs in Biochemistry as well as a PhD program in Cell and Molecular Biology. Please visit the GMS website for more information.

  • PhD in Philosophy
  • Scholarly writing sample (10-20 pages)
  • These programs are not accepting applications for the 2025-2026 academic year . Please reach out to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at [email protected] with any questions.
  • PhD in Physics
  • Official GRE General Test score report (optional for Fall 2024; it is strongly recommended that applicants interested in theoretical research and international applicants submit their GRE scores with their applications if circumstances allow)
  • GRE Subject Test in Physics (optional for Fall 2024; it is strongly recommended that applicants interested in theoretical research and international applicants submit their GRE scores with their applications if circumstances allow)

Playwriting

  • MFA in Playwriting
  • Two academic recommendations
  • Minimum of one original full-length play or two one-act plays
  • Ability to read or speak a foreign language (requirement may be fulfilled while in the program; see Program Director for more information)

Fall 2026 Application Deadline:

  • December 1, 2025

Please note the Playwriting program accepts applicants every two years only, on even years (2024, 2026, etc.).

Political Science

  • PhD in Political Science

Psychological and Brain Sciences

  • Brain Behavior & Cognition (BBC)
  • Developmental Science (DS)
  • Clinical Psychology (CP)

Please remember to indicate the program of study to which you are applying by answering the relevant question in the application.

  • Official GRE score report (optional for BBC & DS; applicants to CP should visit the program website for additional information)
  • Official GRE Subject Test (optional)

Applicant Interviews:

  • Applicants who are selected as final candidates will be invited by the Psychology department to a virtual or in-person interview in January.
  • For questions about the interview process, please contact the Psychology department directly at [email protected] .

Graduate Program in Religion

  • PhD in Religion
  • Academic writing sample

Romance Studies

  • PhD in French Language & Literature
  • PhD in Hispanic Language & Literatures
  • Summary of related coursework
  • PhD in Sociology