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Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I apply for financial aid?

All full-time students who apply for admission are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.  You will be notified about any scholarship you have been awarded along with your admission decision.

You can learn about the different types of loan options available to graduate students here. For domestic students, the FAFSA form is required to apply for federal aid, and is located here.

2. What kind of financial aid is available?

The College of Communication’s financial aid resources include various scholarship funds and graduate assistantships (teaching, research, or administrative). In addition, graduate students can apply for educational loans to help cover their cost of attendance. Numerous on-campus and off-campus employment opportunities are also available. Please see above for more information on each source.  

3. I am a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident; do I need to include my SSN on my application?

Yes, we strongly encourage you to report your social security number in the personal information section of your application. If you plan to borrow federal aid (federal loans) to finance your graduate education, Boston University will need your SSN on file.

Graduate Financial Aid

The College of Communication’s financial aid resources include:

  • Merit-based scholarship
  • Graduate assistantships (teaching, research, or administrative)
  • Unsubsidized Federal Loans
  • Private Educational Loan Options
  • Numerous on-campus and off-campus employment opportunities are also available.

The University and the College of Communication assumes that all students will contribute financially to their graduate education.

Have specific FinAid questions? Please schedule a Zoom appointment with the Assistant Director of Graduate Financial Aid and Admissions, Jackie Cummings, through this hyperlinked form. Jackie can assist with all questions you may have about financial aid, scholarships, tuition, and budgeting your life in graduate school. 

Scholarships

Scholarship awards are merit-based on academic promise and the availability of funds. All (both international and domestic) full-time students who apply for admission are automatically eligible and considered for merit scholarships. Students are notified of the scholarship they are receiving with their admission decision. If a student has not been selected for a scholarship, they will not see once included with their offer of admission.

Student Loans

Several loan options can assist you in not only paying Boston University’s tuition and fees but also helping with living expenses during your time here in Boston.  

  • Boston University is a direct federal loan lending institution.  
  • U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible for federal loans.
  • For current eligibility requirements, interest rates, and loan fees, please visit the U.S. Department of Education. 

Federal Financial aid:

Federal aid options for eligible COM graduate students include the Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan and the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan.

Information on these loan options is outlined on the College of Communication website here.

To be eligible for any federal aid (including both work-study and loans), students must submit a FAFSA online. Please be sure to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when filing your FAFSA, as it pulls your tax information directly from the IRS and reduces error.

If you have completed the FAFSA, you will be eligible for $20,500 in Federal Unsubsidized Loan. This amount will be processed and offered to you over the summer, where you can accept or decline the loan through your MyBU portal.

Students can apply directly for the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan through studentaid.gov. 

Private Educational Loans:

BU has identified some private loans, and information on these options can be found online by clicking this link.

This list of options is certainly not all-inclusive and we encourage you to search for other outside private loan options that may be available to you.

Assistantships

Approximately 45% of COM graduate students will work in at least one assistantship position at Boston University per semester. 

"Graduate assistantships are available to qualified entering students and returning students. The selection process takes place before and during the early stages of the academic term, in September and January. Assistantships range from assisting faculty members with teaching, research and/or administrative duties to working in one of the College’s administrative offices, the film stockroom, the career center, etc. All graduate assistants must have a valid US Social Security number to be paid for their work."

Learn more about graduate assistantships here!

Enrolled students should check their BU email regularly for opportunities that are especially well-suited for COM grad students.

Most opportunities will become available over the summer and towards the beginning of the semester. We will share relevant employment opportunities with you via email and through your accepted student site. Students will need to apply directly to assistantship positions.

We also encourage you to explore the resources available on BU's Student Employment Office (SEO) website. 

 

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Cost of Attendance & Tuition Information

Through the link above, you can also access the University's Cost of Attendance Calculator: a tool designed to help you calculate a more personalized estimate of your expected spend per semester based on individual assistantships, scholarship, etc.

Estimated Cost of Attendance for the 2025/2026 academic year for two semesters (fall and spring). To find the cost per semester, you may divide these figures in half:

Tuition $69,870
Fees $1,162
Housing & Food $15,450
Personal (Estimated) $3,292
Transportation (Estimated) $1,120
Books & Supplies (Estimated) $1,294
Federal Loan Fees $208
Total $92,396

 

BOSTON UNIVERSITY STUDENT MEDICAL INSURANCE RATES FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR (based on 2024/25 rates)

ANNUAL

Student BASIC Plan $3,401

Student PLUS Plan $4,567

*Tuition and fees are subject to change by action of the Board of Trustees.

Massachusetts law requires all students enrolled in at least 75% of the full-time curriculum to have medical insurance. Students who cannot demonstrate coverage under a qualifying medical insurance plan are required to purchase the University’s student health insurance plan, which is due and payable with your first-semester charges. For more information, see the Student Accounting Services website.