International Student FAQ

Types of classes vary depending on the degree program. You will likely have some combination of labs (settings conducive to research and experimentation), lectures (traditional classroom setting), and seminars (meetings of small groups for study, discussion, and research). Contact your school or college to get details for each of your courses.

Your professor sets expectations and lays out the plan for the course in a syllabus, which you’ll learn more about in First Class (see the next question).

Most professors in US classrooms strongly encourage student participation in order to expose students to a range of perspectives. You are expected to express your thoughts and opinions, and many professors will consider your participation in evaluating your performance.

BU Global Programs enrolls all incoming international students in First Class, an online orientation. Topics include:

• How classrooms differ from culture to culture
• What the terms used in BU classrooms mean
• How to participate in class
• What a syllabus is and how to understand it
• Professors’ office hours and how best to take advantage of them
• How to communicate appropriately with professors

During class, your professor will encourage—and expect—you to participate, leading to interaction with the professor and fellow students.

Another excellent way to get to know professors is to take advantage of office hours, planned periods when professors will be in their offices and available for one-on-one meetings with students. You should feel comfortable asking any question or raising any concern. Keep in mind you will probably need to make an appointment; office hours are very popular among students.

The English Conversation Groups are a great way to expand your vocabulary and improve your pronunciation. Organized by the Educational Resource Center, these small, informal weekly discussions often become cultural exchanges as well.

BU’s Center for English Language & Orientation Programs (CELOP) offers a number of in-person and remote programs ranging from English language classes to clubs and activities. Please be aware that you generally must pay to take CELOP courses.

Boston is a city of diverse, welcoming neighborhoods, each with its own unique appeal. It’s important to explore Boston’s neighborhoods and find one that’s right for you. Keep in mind how close the neighborhood is to campus, how you will get to and from campus, and that prices may vary greatly from one neighborhood to the next.

We understand that searching for housing is difficult, especially if you are an international student. BU offers several helpful resources.

Our Finding Housing page is a good place to start. There you’ll find links to several resources to help you decide where you want to live and how to find housing. Our Off-Campus Housing FAQs are also a good source of information. And BU’s Off-Campus Services offers listings of rental properties available near campus and in the surrounding area. Those looking to live on-campus can visit the BU Housing website for more information.

BU offers on-campus housing for full-time graduate and professional students (students in certificate programs are not eligible). Please visit the BU Housing website for more information regarding residence types and availability.

Graduate students also have the opportunity to apply for positions through Residence Life, such as Graduate Resident Assistant roles.

Visit Graduate Education’s website for more information about finding housing.

Laundry facilities vary between accommodations. Apartments with a washing machine and dryer in the unit generally are more expensive. Many buildings have shared, coin-operated laundry facilities; visit a local bank for quarters. Some laundry facilities have been updated to accept credit cards.

Coin-operated laundromats are all over Boston and the surrounding area. If your apartment building doesn’t have laundry facilities, you won’t have to go far.

The most common way to get around campus—and much of Boston—is by walking. The University operates a fleet of buses, the BU Shuttle, that connects all three campuses and makes numerous stops.

Public transportation (the MBTA) is also a popular option. A subway line runs right through the center of the Charles River Campus as do several bus routes. The Fenway and Medical Campuses are short walks from subway stops and also have convenient bus connections. In fact, the MBTA’s extensive train and bus service makes it easy to get around most of the city. Very few students own cars. For more details about local transportation, visit our Transportation page.

Boston is a diverse international city alive with culture, history, and intellectual discovery with a large population of college students and international students in particular. Almost 28% of the Boston’s population is foreign-born, so the international influence is significant. It is also very livable. Many students describe Boston as “big, yet small”—meaning that, while the city offers the benefits of a major city, Boston’s neighborhoods also offer a close-knit sense of community! To learn more about where to live, what to do, and how to get around this exciting metropolis, see Living in Boston.

Probably! As a major international city, Boston is home to people from all around the world. Many neighborhoods feature ethnic enclaves where different cultures are celebrated. Afghan, Brazilian, Ethiopian, Korean, Polish, Senegalese, Shanghainese, Szechuan, and Thai are just a few of the cuisines you’ll find here. Check out BU’s crowdsourced cultural guide for more restaurants and other resources around town.

As with any large city, you should remain alert and exercise common sense, but Bostonians generally feel safe in their day-to-day lives. For added security, Boston University maintains a full-time campus police force. You can learn more about BU’s efforts to help keep you safe at our Resources page and things you can do to protect yourself and your belongings in this Safety 101 article. The Medical Campus also offers some helpful tips.

Contact BU’s International Students & Scholars Office with any questions regarding visas, documentation, your classification, or status. You may also contact your school or college directly.

There are several ways to reach Boston University from Boston’s Logan Airport, including public transportation, taxis, and ride services (such as Lyft and Uber).

For public transportation details, visit the MBTA (known as the “T”). At the airport, you would get on the “Silver Line” and depending on your destination in the city, you can transfer to different lines on the “T” — be sure to plan your trip before getting on the bus by using the MBTA’s maps. You can purchase a ticket for the “T” at one of the many MBTA kiosks located around the airport.

If you prefer a taxi or ride service, look for signs in the airport terminal directing you to the pick-up locations. If you don’t already have a ride sharing app, be sure to download it before you leave your home country to make sure you are all set when you arrive. Depending on the time of day, an Uber from the airport to Charles River Campus is about $25 USD and to the Medical Campus is about $20 USD. If you prefer to take a taxi, make sure you have US Dollars as not all accept credit cards.

If you would like to have a friend meet you at the airport and drive you, they can pick you up in front of the terminal or park in the airport’s parking deck and meet you in the terminal.

The most common way to get around campus—and much of Boston—is by walking. The University operates a fleet of buses, the BU Shuttle, that connects all three campuses and makes numerous stops.

Public transportation (the MBTA) is also a popular option. A subway line runs right through the center of the Charles River Campus as do several bus routes. The Fenway and Medical Campuses are short walks from subway stops and also have convenient bus connections. In fact, the MBTA’s extensive train and bus service makes it easy to get around most of the city. Very few students own cars. For more details about local transportation, visit our Transportation page.

If you have family members who will accompany you for all or part of your program at BU, they will need to obtain the appropriate immigration classification to allow them to enter and remain in the US with you or to pursue their own work or study. For a spouse or minor child entering the US as your dependent, lawful status in the U.S. is derivative, meaning it is dependent on your physical presence and legal status in the US.

You can find information about bringing a family to the United States on the ISSO website. Information specific to raising a family in the Boston area can be found in our Kids and Family section.

Yes, you are free to travel around the US while you attend school in Boston. For information on travel, documentation, and other tips, please consult the International Students & Scholars Office. During the COVID-19 pandemic, you should also check on any restrictions placed by states, cities, and individual modes of transportation, such as airlines.

New York City is about 190 miles from Boston. It is approximately four hours by automobile but can take significantly longer during periods of heavy traffic. There are frequent trains and flights between the two cities.

Both Los Angeles and San Francisco are more than 2,500 miles from Boston. The quickest nonstop flights take about five hours. Driving requires several days.

If you have questions regarding immigration and visas, contact the International Students & Scholars Office.

For all other questions, please check first with your school or college.

Each student has their own experience, but BU has resources to help make your transition a smooth one. Every school and college, and many individual degree programs, provides an in-person orientation before classes begin. The International Students & Scholars Office also offers a separate orientation for international students.

You may also find BU’s crowdsourced cultural guide to Boston and Graduate Education’s Community page helpful.

All Boston University students must have health insurance that meets the minimum coverage required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As a BU student, you will be automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). If you have another form of US-based healthcare insurance that meets ACA standards, you can choose to waive your SHIP coverage. You can find more information for international students here.

If you become sick while on campus, you should contact Student Health Services.

A Social Security card provides a unique identification number that allows the United States government to monitor and tax wages earned by employees in the US. Although the ISSO recommends that students apply for a social security number if they intend to work, it is not necessary to have a social security number in order to be employed.

Social Security card applications must be made at the Social Security Administration in Boston. Depending on your immigration status, there are different steps to take with your employer and at the ISSO before going to the Social Security Administration. Please contact the ISSO for more details.

Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to get a cell phone once you arrive in the US so you’ll have a Massachusetts-based phone number. Your costs will likely be lower than using your phone from home.

Cell phone companies generally request their customers’ social security numbers so that they can establish whether or not their customers have good credit histories. If you do not have a social security number, many major phone companies will not require one; instead, they will ask for a deposit. The amount of this deposit will vary by company.

The United States has a number of cell phone providers. Popular carriers include AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

If possible, you should open a bank account in Boston before you arrive or bring funds in a form that local banks will allow you to use immediately, such as traveler’s checks. It is not safe to travel with large amounts of cash, so we strongly encourage using traveler’s checks if you plan to bring a large amount of money to Boston. Using a personal check is not recommended since there may be a delay before you can withdraw funds from your account.

For more information about bank accounts in the US, please visit the Banking and Currency section of the ISSO website.

If you have an emergency, such as a need for police, fire department, or an ambulance, dial 9-1-1 on your phone and you will be connected to the Massachusetts’ State 911 Department. If you are on one of the BU campuses and experience a medical or police emergency, you can also call Boston University Police at 617-353-2121.

If ou have been the victim of a sexual assault, first call 9-1-1 and then call the BU Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center at 617-353-7277.

For medical emergencies, again, call 9-1-1. With other health or medical questions or concerns, call BU Student Health Services at 617-353-3575.

If you need to speak to someone about mental or emotional health and stability, call BU Behavioral Medicine at 617-353-3569

Helpful phone numbers:
Massachusetts 9-1-1 emergency system	9-1-1
Boston University Police	617-353-2121
BU Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center	617-353-7277
BU Student Health Services	617-353-3575

Aside from daily interaction in class and around campus, living in Boston offers you vast cultural, social, and entertainment options that can increase your opportunities for interaction with people from a variety of backgrounds.

Whether you are looking to connect with people who share your cultural background or people who share your personal interests, you’re likely to find it here. There are numerous graduate student groups to choose from, and the University supports student activities throughout the year. In addition, many of our individual schools and colleges support communities and activities revolving around academic interests.You may also find BU’s crowdsourced cultural guide a good source for groups, activities, and places around Boston where you’ll find people who share your interests

The best way to meet Americans is to just say hello in class. Smile and be yourself. Also join in clubs and activities that bring you together with your fellow students.

You can greatly increase your interaction by joining classroom discussions and by joining project and study groups made up of Americans; join their conversations and speak your mind, even if you are somewhat uncomfortable with that at first. Challenge yourself and you will be rewarded with new friends.

In general, the US is a friendly and outgoing society. Most students are very accepting and open-minded. In fact, at Boston University, one of the biggest reasons students come here is the chance to interact with the diverse cultures represented by our international student body. Just keep in mind – cultural norms here may be different from your home country.

Boston University offers graduate students numerous resources for career development to prepare you for your job search, wherever that takes you.

Every on-campus graduate student has access to the Center for Career Development. You can get advice from experienced counselors, make professional connections, and take part in workshops ranging from résumé writing to interview skills. Your school or college may offer career-development support specific to your discipline; find out more on Graduate Education’s Career Development page.

We also hold career fairs, information sessions, and employer visits throughout the year.

Many international students choose to hold a part-time job on campus during their graduate study. Before applying for a job or accepting an offer of employment, you must review the key steps about on-campus employment on the ISSO website. In addition, we recommend speaking with your academic advisor to make sure that a job will not interfere with your academic study.

Each individual situation is different, of course. But, if you have F-1 student status, you may qualify for Optional Practical Training (OPT), a year of work in the US gaining practical experience in your major field of study.

In addition, some STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors may qualify for a 24-month extension. Eligibility and application for STEM OPT are different from OPT; you can learn more on the STEM page of BU’s International Students & Scholars Office website.