Graduate Tuition & Fees

Music Graduate Programs require that students enroll in 7.0-11.5 credit hours per semester or enroll in a continuing studies designation during their post-coursework phase.*

The Ph.D. in Musicology requires 12-18 credit hours per semester for full-time status.

*International students are typically required to register for 7-11.5 credits to be certified full-time during their coursework. Students dropping below the required number of credits outlined above are considered part-time.

**Additional Applied Music Fee of $4,000 is required for students in the graduate performance degrees. The fee covers two semesters of weekly one-hour lessons with faculty. Students in composition, choral or orchestral conducting, music education, music theory, or musicology are only assessed the applied music fee if the student elects to take applied lessons.

MFA degree requires two years of full-time study. Artisan Certificate students are charged a per credit rate for 28 credits over two years.

Full-time status in the MFA and Certificate programs requires students to register for at least 12.0-18.0 credits per semester.

Full-time student status in the MA in Art Education program requires 7.0-11.5 credits per semester and is charged on a per-credit basis as described below. If you register for more than 11.5 credits, you will be charged the standard Boston university rate.

University Fees

All full-time students who attend on-campus classes are charged the following fees for 2024-2025. Explanation of these fees can be found here.

Medical Insurance Fees

All full-time students must enroll in one of the University’s medical insurance plans. The rate for the 2024-2025 BU Student Basic Plan is $3,401. Students may choose from the packages below. New students are automatically enrolled in the BU Basic Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and their student accounts are charged for the coverage. International students are required to enroll in a Boston University Medical Insurance Plan. All changes to automatic enrollment must be submitted by the appropriate deadline.

To waive BU insurance, students from the U.S. must have coverage that is at least comparable to the BU plan. For details on student health plan options and waivers, please visit BU Student Accounting Services.

Low-cost options for some qualifying students can be obtained through the MassHealth Health Connector. Please visit the Health Connector website for more information about enrollment data, and application details.

Annual Health Insurance Rate 24-25

Please visit Student Accounting Services Medical Insurance for more information regarding:

• Waiver forms and deadlines
• Comparable medical insurance requirements
• Student Plus plan
• Purchasing medical insurance coverage for dependent family members

Please visit Aetna Student Health to:

• Read detailed information about the Boston University Student Medical Insurance Plan
• Print a copy of your medical insurance card

* Students dropping below the required number of credits outlined in the full-time section above are considered part-time students. Please note that an advisor must approve part-time status on a case-by-case basis and that students dropping to part-time course load may not be eligible for financial aid such as scholarships or loans. 

** Doctoral students must pay continuing studies fees each Fall and Spring while taking qualifying examinations and writing their dissertation until a successful defense. There is a proctoring fee associated with the qualifying exams.