How to Apply to Engineering at Boston University: Four ABET-Accredited B.S. Degrees in Biomedical, Computer, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Apply to the College and Take a Year of Calculus, Admission Routes and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Boston University (BU) teaches undergraduate engineering in the College of Engineering (ENG). You must choose a school or college when you apply, so engineering applicants apply to ENG. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on BU’s website, for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Engineering programs

• Four Bachelor of Science degrees: biomedical, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering. The Bulletin says all four are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
• Optional concentrations: aerospace engineering, energy technologies and sustainability, machine learning, manufacturing engineering, nanotechnology, robotics and technology innovation.
• Minors: biomedical, computer, electrical, materials science and engineering, mechanical, systems engineering and engineering science, among others.
• Combined degrees: the MMEDIC program leads to a BS from ENG and an MD from BU’s medical school.
• For example, the mechanical engineering page says natural science courses in the first two years include labs, everyone takes the college-wide introductory computing course in the first year, and seniors complete a year-long design project; students can focus on aerospace, manufacturing, energy, nanotechnology or technology innovation.

2. Admission: apply to ENG, declare a major later

• Choosing a college: the first-year page says you must specify a BU school or college; you may instead be offered admission to the College of General Studies or another BU program for which you qualify.
• Declaring a major: ENG policy says students must have a declared major before registering for the junior year, using a Change of Major Form. Any GPA threshold or space limit for declaring is not published.
• Transferring into ENG from another BU college: BU students with a GPA of 2.00 or above can apply through the ENG Undergraduate Programs office (engineering@bu.edu).
• The pages do not say whether you can be admitted directly to a specific engineering major; ask admissions@bu.edu.

3. High school preparation

• ENG requirement: applicants to the College of Engineering are required to have a year of calculus. IB students meet it with HL or SL Math Analysis and Approaches or HL Math Applications and Interpretations; the international page adds that students in other international curricula need some calculus.
• Recommended for most programs: 3–4 years of mathematics (precalculus or calculus recommended) and 3–4 years of history or social science, among others.
• AP and IB credit: ENG policy says official AP scores must be sent by the College Board to BU Admissions; units for IB and other international advanced exams are determined by Admissions. AP/IB units satisfy at most one Hub requirement, and duplicate units are not counted if you take the equivalent BU course. Score tables are in Admissions’ Advanced Units Guide.

4. Deadlines and materials

• Deadlines: Early Decision 2 November (notification 14 December); Early Decision 2 and Regular Decision 5 January (ED2 notification 8 February). Some merit scholarships require you to apply by 1 December. The deadlines page gives no year, so check before submitting.
• Platforms: Common App (or QuestBridge), with the Common App personal statement and the BU supplemental essay.
• Materials: school report and counselor recommendation, one teacher evaluation, transcripts (first-marking-period grades for ED, first-semester grades for Regular Decision) and an $80 fee.
• Testing: BU is test-optional for first-year applicants through fall 2028 and spring 2029, for all schools and scholarship programs, and superscores both the SAT and ACT. Your choice about whether scores are considered cannot be changed after you submit.

5. U.S. applicants

• Tuition: as a private university, BU charges the same tuition to all. For 2026/27, tuition is $73,024, housing $13,170, food $7,570 and fees $1,570, for $95,334 in billed expenses; with books, personal and transport costs the total cost of attendance is $98,419. The cost page does not mention an extra engineering fee.
• The BU Promise: BU meets 100% of demonstrated need, without loans, for first-time first-year students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Families earning $75,000 or less with typical assets can expect to pay nothing; those under $200,000 pay no more than $20,000 a year.
• Aid forms: CSS Profile and FAFSA, due 2 November for ED and 5 January for ED2 and Regular Decision (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only; a Social Security Number is required).

6. International applicants

• Definition: anyone who is neither a U.S. citizen nor a U.S. permanent resident.
• English: if English is not your first language you must submit the TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test:
  • IELTS Academic overall 7 or higher satisfies the requirement for all programs.
  • TOEFL: the most competitive applicants score 90–100 with at least 20 in each section; for the new TOEFL from 21 January 2026, an overall 5.0 or higher.
  • Duolingo: the most competitive score 125–135, and both the total and all subscores are required.
  • An English Proficiency Waiver Request may accompany a complete application by the deadline; the Board of Admissions decides.
• Interviews: BU recommends an optional InitialView or Vericant interview as additional evidence of English; it does not replace a test.
• Other documents: a copy of your passport data page; F-1 or J-1 students submit financial documentation (the Confidential Statement for Financing Studies plus proof of liquid funds dated within 12 months of starting), due by the application deadline for ED and ED2.
• Aid: BU does not currently offer need-based aid to international students; first-year international students can be considered for select merit scholarships.

7. Applicants from China

• Credentials: the secondary school credentials page lists the Senior High School Graduation Certificate for China, to be sent with your transcript. If you apply before graduating, state the certificate you expect and when; Admissions may request more.
• Translations: documents in another language need a notarized English translation, and both the original and the translation are required.
• Calculus: ENG applicants need calculus; how the Chinese curriculum maps to this is not explained, so ask Admissions.
• Gaokao: the pages read do not say whether or how the Gaokao is used; this is not published, so ask admissions@bu.edu.

8. Transfer

• Deadlines: September entry 15 March (decisions mid-April to mid-June); January entry 2 November.
• Credit: the ENG transfer page says BU typically awards credit for liberal arts courses with a C or higher from a regionally accredited institution; professional courses are at the admitting college’s discretion; international courses need approval from International Admissions and the department. Quarter credits convert at two-thirds.
• Materials: send transcripts, course descriptions and syllabi to Transfer Admissions; syllabi can also go to credeval@bu.edu.
• Prerequisites and GPA: the pages read do not state the mathematics and science courses or GPA needed to transfer into ENG; this is not published. ENG’s Program Planning Sheets show each program’s full curriculum for comparison.
• BU’s Transfer-Student Resources and Advising Community (TRAC) pairs new transfers with mentors who transferred themselves.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Complete a year of calculus; decide whether to send test scores
• Aid applicants submit the CSS Profile and FAFSA by 2 November (ED) or 5 January

International applicants (including China):

• Reach IELTS 7 or the TOEFL/Duolingo guidance; prepare financial documents and your passport copy
• Send your graduation certificate and transcript with notarized translations; apply by 1 December for merit consideration

Transfer students:

• Apply by 15 March for September; prepare transcripts, course descriptions and syllabi

Sources: Boston University, ENG prospective undergraduates; Bulletin: College of Engineering; ENG policy: declaring or changing a major; ENG policy: intra-university transfer; ENG policy: Advanced Placement units; BS in Mechanical Engineering; ENG transfer students; First-year applicants; Important deadlines; International applicants; Secondary school credentials; 2026/27 cost of attendance; Scholarships and financial aid. The deadlines page does not state a year, and costs are 2026/27 figures. Check Boston University for the latest details.