How to Apply to Economics at Boston University: Three BA Majors in the College of Arts & Sciences (Economics, Economics & Mathematics, Computer Science & Economics), with Admission and Prerequisite Information for US, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At Boston University (BU), undergraduate economics is taught by the Department of Economics in the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), which describes its undergraduate program as three majors, a minor and a 4+1 bachelor’s-to-master’s program. This guide, based on BU’s official information, covers what US applicants, international applicants (including those from China) and transfer applicants need to know. Where BU does not say, we write “not published” and say where to ask.

1. Degrees and how you get into the major

• Three BA majors (Bachelor of Arts, CAS):
  • Economics: 32 four-credit courses;
  • Economics & Mathematics: a joint major that BU describes as STEM, with at least 128 credits (32 four-credit courses), of which 9 are economics (in addition to EC 101 and EC 102) and 7 are mathematics courses (in addition to MA 123 and MA 124);
  • Computer Science & Economics: described as a STEM major, at least 128 credits.
  The BA in Economics page does not mention STEM designation; confirm with the department.
• Minor and honors: a Minor in Economics (seven four-credit courses) and a Departmental Honors Program. The department page asks for at least a 3.5 GPA in economics courses (including required statistics and math), an application in the spring of junior year, and two semesters of EC 401/402; the CAS Bulletin says a 3.7 GPA or greater in economics courses. The two pages differ, so confirm with the department. Students with an economics minor are not eligible for departmental honors.
• 4+1: economics majors can apply to the BA to MS in Quantitative Economics program: you must already be an economics major, may apply as early as the 4th and no later than the 6th semester, and the department says an overall GPA of 3.5 is “desired”. It requires a minimum of 152 units.
• How admission works: first-year applicants must specify a BU school or college; Economics, Economics & Mathematics and Computer Science & Economics are listed under the College of Arts & Sciences. BU suggests applying to CAS as “Undeclared” or to the College of General Studies if you have no specific area in mind, and notes you could be offered the College of General Studies or another program. The pages we read do not say whether economics has its own admission bar, capacity limit or GPA threshold to enter the major; ask about changing majors through CAS Forms and Procedures or an economics advisor.
• Grades: major courses require a C or higher; EC 101 and EC 102 are prerequisites for all other required courses.

2. Prerequisites and course sequence

• Recommended high school preparation: for most BU programs, 4 years of English, 3–4 years of math (precalculus or calculus recommended), 3–4 years of lab science, 3–4 years of history or social science and 2–4 years of a world language. BU states hard calculus requirements only for Engineering and Questrom; it does not list additional high school prerequisites for economics.
• BA in Economics (12 courses, not counting language and lab science): prerequisites EC 101 (Introductory Microeconomic Analysis) and EC 102 (Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis); one calculus course with a C or higher (MA 121, 122, 123, 124, 127 or 129) or an AP Calculus score of at least 4, which is a prerequisite for EC 201 and should be done early; four intermediate courses with a C or higher, EC 201, 202, 203 (Empirical Economics 1) and 204 (Empirical Economics 2), to be taken before senior year, with EC 221–224 available to students with strong math skills; and five electives from EC 320–599. AP Statistics, CAS MA 115, MA 213 or QST QM/BA 221 can substitute for EC 203. EC 101 and 102 are large lectures of 225–280 students.
• Economics & Mathematics: prerequisites MA 123 and 124 (or 127, 129 or equivalent) plus EC 101 and 102; nine economics courses (EC 221, 222, 223, 224 and five electives, three of them at the 400/500 level); and seven math and computer science courses (CS 111, MA 225, MA 242, MA 569 and three math electives). Majors newly declared from fall 2023 follow the new structure.
• Computer Science & Economics: 17 courses including EC 101, 102 and 201–204, CS 111, 112, 210 and 330, MA 123 (MA 121 is acceptable), CS 131 and 132, plus two CS and two EC courses at the 300 level or above.
• CAS general requirements: two years (4 semesters) of a second language, which can be waived by TOEFL, AP Language or proficiency exams or shortened by a placement exam; and, for students entering CAS in fall 2025 or after, one natural science course with a lab.
• AP, IB and similar credit: the pages we read say an AP Calculus score of at least 4 satisfies the major’s calculus requirement and AP Statistics can substitute for EC 203; they do not say whether AP or IB micro- or macroeconomics can replace EC 101 or 102. Ask the BU registrar or an economics advisor.

3. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Regular Decision: 5 January (CSS Profile and FAFSA also 5 January), with the enrollment deposit due 1 May. Some merit scholarships require applying by 1 December.
• Early Decision (binding): ED closes 2 November with notification on 14 December; ED 2 closes 5 January with notification on 8 February. Early Decision is open only to high school seniors for September admission.
• The deadlines page prints no year; confirm that it applies to fall 2027 entry.
• Platform and materials: the Common App or QuestBridge; high school transcript, senior-year grades, a school counselor recommendation with the School Report, and one teacher evaluation. Essays: the Common App personal statement and the BU supplemental essay. Application fee USD 80, with fee waivers available.
• Testing: test-optional for first-year applicants applying through fall 2028 and spring 2029; BU superscores the SAT and ACT. SAT code 3087, ACT code 1794. Your choice cannot be changed after you submit.
• To be considered for the Kilachand Honors College, tick the box on the application and write the additional essay.

4. US applicants

• No in-state/out-of-state split: the cost page gives one set of 2026/27 figures.
• Aid: BU meets 100% of demonstrated need for first-time, first-year US citizens and permanent residents, without loans. For admitted first-year students from families with annual household income below USD 200,000 (with typical assets), BU says they can expect to pay no more than USD 20,000 per year, and families at USD 75,000 or less can expect to pay nothing. Applying requires the CSS Profile and FAFSA. The pages we read do not describe a Massachusetts-resident preference.
• Testing: optional, as above.

5. International applicants

• Materials: Common App, secondary school records submitted officially by a school official, senior-year grades, counselor recommendation and School Report, teacher evaluation, English proficiency results, documentation of financial support and a passport data page. Applicants in exam-based curricula (IB, GCE, CBSE/ISC and others) also need predicted results. Any document not in English needs a notarized English translation, together with the original.
• English: required if your first language is not English: TOEFL iBT, IELTS or the Duolingo English Test. BU says the most competitive applicants have a TOEFL composite of at least 90–100 with at least 20 in each section (a total of 5.0 or higher on the new score reports from 21 January 2026), an IELTS total of 7 or higher, or a Duolingo score of at least 125–135. Waiver requests must be received by the application deadline and are decided by the Board of Admissions. InitialView or Vericant interviews are optional extras.
• Financial documentation: students who will need an F-1 or J-1 visa must submit it (a sponsor statement plus bank documents dated within 12 months, in English, and liquid); Early Decision applicants must submit it by the deadline or the Board cannot begin its review.
• Aid: BU states that need-based financial aid is not currently available to international students; they may be eligible for select merit scholarships, and 1 December is the deadline for some of those.

6. Applicants from China

• Credentials: BU’s country-by-country page lists the Senior High School Graduation Certificate for China, to be sent with your final secondary school transcript and any leaving-exam results that apply.
• Gaokao: the pages we read do not say whether Gaokao results are considered, do not mention the Huikao, and have no Chinese-specific admission requirements. Contact International Admissions (intadmis@bu.edu, 617-353-4492).
• English: the international requirements above; apply for a waiver if you think you qualify.
• Transfer applicants from Chinese universities: BU requires the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) to send directly an English Verification Report of China Higher Education Student’s Academic Transcript and official transcripts in English and Chinese.

7. Costs and scholarships

• 2026/27 billed expenses (USD): tuition 73,024, housing 13,170, food 7,570 and fees 1,570, for 95,334; plus books and supplies 1,000, personal expenses 1,455 and other costs.
• Major surcharge: none is listed on the cost page we read; costs for fall 2027 entry are not yet published.
• Research and internships: the department has research and advising pages; the pages we read do not list specific internship programs, so check the department site.

8. Transfer students

• Who counts as a transfer: you have completed the equivalent of a US secondary education and will have at least one full-time semester (12 or more credits) as a degree candidate at another college or university.
• Deadlines: 15 March for September entry, with decisions from mid-April to mid-June; 2 November for January entry. The page prints no year, so check it. Transfer applicants must choose a school or college and cannot apply undeclared; some programs do not offer January admission.
• Materials: Common App, official transcripts from every college, the Transfer Report, high school transcript and proof of graduation, one essay of up to 600 words and course syllabi. SAT/ACT are not required. Application fee USD 80.
• Economics-specific requirements: the pages we read do not give a GPA or prerequisite requirement for transfers into economics (only Questrom requires calculus). BU reports for fall 2024 transfers: 6,728 applicants, 840 enrolled and an average college GPA of 3.8, for reference only.
• Credit transfer: after you matriculate, petitions for transfer course approval go to your economics advisor with the syllabus; at most four courses at the 200 level or higher may be transferred toward the economics major (transfer courses for EC 101 and 102 are not counted in that limit).
• Previously denied applicants can reapply only after a full academic year elsewhere; admitted transfer students cannot defer.

Checklist

US applicants:

• Name the College of Arts & Sciences on the Common App; ED 2 November, RD 5 January (confirm the year)
• Two essays, counselor recommendation and teacher evaluation; SAT/ACT optional; plan a calculus course (AP 4 or higher also satisfies it)

International applicants:

• Transcripts and predicted results, TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo, and financial documentation; no need-based aid, merit scholarships by 1 December

Applicants from China:

• Senior High School Graduation Certificate with final transcript; use of the Gaokao and Huikao is not published, so ask International Admissions

Transfer students:

• 15 March for September entry, with the school chosen at application; economics-specific transfer requirements are not published, so ask an economics advisor

Sources: Boston University, First-year applicants; Important deadlines; International applicants; Secondary school credentials; Transfer applicants; 2026/27 cost of attendance; Scholarships and financial aid; Majors by school and college; Economics undergraduate academics; Economics majors; BA in Economics; BA in Economics & Mathematics; BA in Computer Science & Economics; Minor in Economics; BA to MS in Quantitative Economics; Departmental Honors Program; CAS Bulletin: BA in Economics. The deadlines page prints no year and costs are for 2026/27; check Boston University for the latest details.