Residency Requirements

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Policy

Boston University requires graduate students with service (including but not limited to research and teaching fellows), non-service, or fellowship support from the University to be present on campus unless their research or fieldwork requires them to be elsewhere. This requirement is in place to ensure that students can focus on their full-time studies and regularly engage with other students, University resources, and faculty members. Further, this ensures compliance with state, federal, and international tax laws and immigration policies. Those pursuing a PhD or MFA with non-service or fellowship support from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences must live in the Boston area during the term(s) in which they receive GRS support, and they are expected to participate in departmental and University activities. Students who leave the Boston area—outside of required and approved research or fieldwork during their program of study—will forfeit their guaranteed fellowship funding and eligibility for future funding. Additionally, they will be ineligible to receive any service funding (including but not limited to teaching and research fellowships).