So you want to go to Boston University? Find out BU’s TOEFL requirements and TOEFL code in this post.
Photo by Brian Chang-Yun Hsu
TOEFL Requirements for Boston University Undergraduates
If you’re applying to BU as an undergraduate, you will have to take the TOEFL if:
- your first language is not English
- the primary language spoken in your home is not English
IELTS is also accepted.
TOEFL Requirements for Boston University’s Graduate Schools
If you’re an international student applying to BU for a master’s or PhD, you will have to prove your English language proficiency. Different graduate schools have different requirements, so it’s important to confirm the requirements for the school you’re applying to on that school’s site. Here are requirements from a few of the most popular schools.
Graduate College of Engineering
The engineering grad school requires its applicants to take the TOEFL if they have not:
- studied in the United States at an accredited college or university for at least 2 years
- earned a degree in the US at an accredited college or university, or expect to earn one prior to starting at BU
IELTS is accepted, however, BU has a preference for the TOEFL:
If the TOEFL is not available, we will accept scores from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
If you are not a citizen of the United States or do not hold US Permanent Residency Status, you’ll need to take the TOEFL or IELTS to be admitted to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. However, this requirement can be waived in certain circumstances. Here’s what BU says:
This requirement is waived only if you have received, or expect to receive, an undergraduate or graduate degree from a college or university in any of the following countries prior to enrollment in GRS: the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, or Ireland. This waiver does not include undergraduate or graduate degrees earned from an institution in a country listed above while enrolled in a “dual degree” program with an institution in another country. Studying in the medium of English in a country other than the ones previously listed or studying as an exchange student in an English-speaking country without completing a degree program is not sufficient to waive the English proficiency requirement.
What are Boston University’s TOEFL score requirements?
Requirements vary from school to school for graduate programs, so be sure to check out the requirements listed on your school’s site.
The undergraduate program requires a composite score of at least 90-100, and a minimum score of 20 in each section.
The College of Engineering requires a minimum overall score of 84, with the following minimum scores for each section:
- Reading: 21
- Listening: 18
- Speaking: 23
- Writing: 22
Note that if you want to be a teaching assistant, research assistant, or teaching fellow, you will need an overall score of at least 100.
The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences requires the following minimum scores for admission:
- Reading: 21
- Listening: 18
- Speaking: 23
- Writing: 22
Be sure to also confirm these minimum scores on the websites of the major you plan to study.
BU’s TOEFL Code
The TOEFL code for Boston University is 3087. But remember, you don’t need to memorize this code before your test.
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