Graduate Resources | College of Fine Arts

Welcome to CFA!

Old School, but not old-school. CFA has played a major role in Boston’s cultural community for a long time. In fact, CFA is one of the reasons Boston is known as a premier cultural city in America. Our student and faculty artists and scholars have always been at the center of the action here. As a member of our community, you are now part of this history. But we didn’t get here by being stuck to old ways and beliefs. We’re striving to be more inclusive, innovative, future-directed, and ready for your energy and new ideas.

The information below outlines resources for CFA’s on-campus graduate students. Graduate students in CFA’s online programs can find additional resources here.

Information for incoming Fall 2025 Graduate Students

CFA To-Do List

Things to do if you haven’t already…

BU Account. Please set up your BU email and Kerberos Password. You will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to do this.
- Check your BU Email regularly. From now until classes begin in September, you may receive important information to both your personal account and your BU account.
Update Personal Information for University systems.
Financial Aid. Do you have questions about financial aid, tuition, or applying for Federal Student loans to supplement your budget? For more information, visit our Financial Aid website, complete your 2025-26 FAFSA, or contact artaid@bu.edu.
Registration. Your school will be in touch with information on setting up an advising appointment with a faculty member to discuss Fall Registration prior to June 15. Once you have met with your advisor, please follow these instructions:
- Log into the MyBU Student Portal using your BU username and Kerberos password. Then complete the Duo two-step verification.
- Click My Academics
- Click Fall Class Search
- Click Enrollment on the left-hand side
- Click Schedule Builder
- Click Expand Filters.
- Underneath the Course Selection header, select the Subject (e.g. CFA MT – Music Theory) and Catalogue Number (e.g. 600 – Analytical Techniques) of your first desired course.
- Read the course description to make sure this is your desired course. If it is, click Add Course. The course is now in your Schedule Builder and will be listed below your search.
- Now it’s time to pick your exact section(s) of this course. Next to the course you just added, choose Select Sections.
- To add more courses, select Expand Filters. Then, Reset Filters.
- - Follow steps 6-8 to add other courses to your Schedule Builder.
  - Be sure to click Save.
Once you have your preferred schedule, you can select favorites in the top right corner. Click view. You will now be able to review your preferred schedule. When ready, click enroll.
International Students. Please upload all required documents to the applicant gateway for your immigration documents as directed in a separate email.
- We also invite you to sign up for BU First Class, an optional, free, online noncredit pre-arrival course designed to prepare incoming international students for the transition to BU and the American classroom. To experience the course, follow the instructions on the bottom of this page: https://www.bu.edu/globalprograms/engage/first-class/
- Boston University Global Programs, Center for English Language & Orientation Programs (CELOP) will be offering an optional fully online, 4-week Pre-Graduate Studies course from June 30 – July 25, 2025 that you can complete prior to arriving on campus. This program will increase English Language confidence prior to your arrival at BU. For more information and to learn about fees, please visit: https://www.bu.edu/celop/academics/programs/pre-graduate-studies/
Send official transcripts. Please have them sent directly from your college/university to arts@bu.edu.
- Please be sure to send to that specific email address, do not choose Boston University out of a list, rather choose “not in list” or “send to third party” to ensure they are sent to the correct place.
- Upon Matriculation, official final transcripts must be received in order to continue enrollment in any CFA program. If not received, students will be reviewed for dismissal.
Health History. Please visit the Incoming Student Health Requirements Guide to comply with BU health documentation requirements.
Student Health Insurance Plan. For details on student health plan options and waivers, please visit BU Student Accounting Services. New students are automatically enrolled in the BU Basic Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), fees apply.
- Options to waive, change plans, or purchase health insurance will appear on the MyBU Student Portal.
BU ID/Terrier Cards. This is your student identification card, which will be used throughout your time at BU. It allows you swipe access to things like practice rooms, studio spaces, the gym, libraries, and assorted buildings throughout campus.
- Upload your photo no later than August 1, 2025 to ensure you have it for the start of classes.
Fall MBTA Student Semester Pass. Students can get a discounted bus/train pass to ride the public transit system (known as the T).
- Apply for a semester T pass by 4pm ET, August 10, 2025.

more details will be sent to your email soon

Graduate Orientation

Other Orientation Events

What is the College of Fine Arts?

Next! — We know it’s easy to swipe past a list of resources but please don’t. Taking the time to get to know CFA and BU is worth your time. You don’t need to view them all at once. Come back and explore, but do come back! Below, you will find a virtual tour of CFA and a list of resources. Each resource can be valuable to you during your time here.

Take a Tour of CFA

From wind ensemble rehearsal to kinetic sculptures to the light & sound lab at Booth Theatre, there is always something amazing happening within the walls of CFA. Take a peek behind-the-scenes of some of our favorite spaces and check out a typical day at the College of Fine Arts!

Explore the rest of the Boston University campus using this virtual tour.

27 Facts About Your Future Graduate Degree at BU

At Boston University, our academic excellence is the core of who we are. Ranked in the top 50 universities in US, graduate students from around the globe come to our university in the heart of Boston to take part in innovative research and learn from top minds, including MacArthur Fellows, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize Winners, and more.

BU Resources

BU IDs & the Terrier Card Office

Financial Aid

Housing

Financial Literacy

Office of the Ombuds

Study Space

Transportation

Office of Disability and Access Services

Career Development

International Student Experience

BU First Class

International Student & Scholars Office

First-Generation Student Experience

Academics

Academic Expectations and Misconduct

Advising and Registration

Faculty Advising
Graduate Students are academically advised by faculty within their departments. You will be assigned an academic advisor upon your arrival to campus.

Degree Advice
Degree Advice can help you track your progress towards graduation. It will show you the courses you have already taken and the courses you are registered for, the requirements you need to complete to graduate, and the courses that will count towards each remaining requirement.

You can access Degree Advice on the MyBUStudentPortal by going to the Academics tab, then clicking on Advising.

Requirements in Green are complete.
Requirements listed in Blue are in the process of being completed. A requirement that involves multiple courses will turn blue only when you are registered for the last required course.
Requirements listed in Red are incomplete.

How to to Register for a Course on MyBUStudent

All Boston University students register for courses through the MyBUStudentPortal. Be sure to check the compliance tab on your portal and resolve any compliance issues before registration opens. If you are out of compliance with any University requirements, you will not be permitted to register until the issue is resolved. Students must be registered for every semester during the academic year until all degree requirements have been met, unless granted a leave of absence.

The Planner – an online tool that allows you to create and modify your schedule before registering for the courses – enables you to add classes to a draft schedule before registration opens. To access the planner, go to the MyBUStudentPortal, click “Registration Planner” from the main page options. You can then search for, and add courses to your Planner.

Registration Procedure:

To register for courses:

Log into the MyBU Student Portal using your BU username and Kerberos password. Then complete the Duo two-step verification.
Click My Academics
Click Fall Class Search
Click Enrollment on the left-hand side
Click Schedule Builder
Click Expand Filters.
Underneath the Course Selection header, select the Subject (e.g. CFA MT – Music Theory) and Catalogue Number (e.g. 600 – Analytical Techniques) of your first desired course.
Read the course description to make sure this is your desired course. If it is, click Add Course. The course is now in your Schedule Builder and will be listed below your search.
Now it’s time to pick your exact section(s) of this course. Next to the course you just added, choose Select Sections.
To add more courses, select Expand Filters. Then, Reset Filters.

- Follow steps 6-8 to add other courses to your Schedule Builder.
- Be sure to click Save.

Once you have your preferred schedule, you can select favorites in the top right corner. Click view. You will now be able to review your preferred schedule. When ready, click enroll.

CFA Graduate and Professional Student Advising Tools

BU Library Resources

BU Tech Tools: Blackboard, Zoom, The Link & More

Tutoring/Writing Resources

Code of Student Responsibilities

Health, Wellness, and Safety

Student Health Services & Student Health Insurance Plans

Student Health Services (SHS) is here to be an integrated health center that leaves a lasting impression on the health and wellness of our students. The SHS mission is to promote wellness, preserve health, and enable academic achievement for the students of Boston University. You may use Student Health Services if you are any full-time BU student, regardless of your insurance choice (this excludes on-line students) OR any student with the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). All students, regardless of status or insurance, are eligible for assistance with community referrals.

Patient Connect

Patient Connect is a secure patient portal that provides you access to the following Boston University SHS online services:

Schedule and Cancel Your Appointments 24/7
Review Test Results and Medical History
Renew Your Prescriptions
Message Your Healthcare Provider
Message Front Desk, Referral Coordinator, and Insurance Coordinator
Complete and Upload Forms

Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP)

SHIP is Boston University’s health insurance plan for students. It is offered through Aetna, a large national health insurer. SHIP may be the best—and most affordable—option for covering your healthcare outside of Student Health Services (SHS).

Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan: Choosing a Primary Care Provider

An overview for all graduate and professional students on choosing a primary care provider within the Boston University Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan: How it Works

An in-depth introduction for all graduate and professional students to the Boston University Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).

Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan: The Basics

An introduction to the Boston University Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) for graduate and professional students.

Contacts and links referenced in these videos:

BU Student Health Services: 617-353-3579

Aetna Student Health: 1-800-966-7772

COVID Information

As the COVID-19 situation changes, please stay up-to-date with Boston University’s protocols and policies to keep yourself and our community healthy. For more information regarding COVID-19 case counts across Massachusetts, visit the Massachusetts wastewater COVID-19 tracking data.

First-Year Students Guide

Health and wellbeing are the foundation of student success at BU and beyond. Student Health Services is committed to compassionate care to support your growth and lifelong wellbeing. The First-Year Students Guide provides information about SHS departments, services, and programs, important information and health requirements for first-year students and resources to support your wellbeing.