Transfer Students

Program Planning Sheets are used by both incoming and current College of Engineering students to assist in course planning, and are specific to degree programs and anticipated graduation years. While each external transfer student will enter Boston University with a unique array of external transfer credits, the Program Planning Sheets provide the full context of a Boston University College of Engineering program.

In order to sufficiently review your transfer credits, Boston University requires several key pieces of information for each course: final transcripts, course descriptions, & course syllabi. These materials should be submitted to the Boston University Transfer Admissions Office directly, at 881 Commonwealth Avenue, 6th floor, Boston MA 02215. If preferred, syllabi may be submitted via e-mail at credeval@bu.edu. Please include both your full name and birthdate in the body of the e-mail, as well as on each syllabus submitted.

Typically Boston University awards credit for liberal arts courses completed with a grade of C or higher at a regionally accredited post-secondary institution. Professional courses may transfer at the discretion of the admitting Boston University School or College. Courses completed at international universities are subject to approval of both Boston University International Admissions and content review from the department. In order to gauge how your own credits may transfer, review the Boston University Transfer Equivalency site. Please be advised that although a course may appear on the list, there is no guarantee that it will transfer in your individual case. Additionally, the list is not exhaustive; some courses may not appear on this list, but may be eligible to transfer.

The basic unit of credit at Boston University is the semester hour. A typical, full-time course load is 16-18 credits per semester; full-time tuition pays for 12- 18 credits. For completed external transfer courses also on a semester hour system, you will receive an equal number of semester hours; for example, a 3 credit course at an external institution will equate to 3 credits at BU. For complete external transfer courses on a quarter-credit-hour system, you will receive two-thirds of the total number of quarter-hours; for example, a 4-credit course on a quarter-credit-hour system will equate to 2.66 credits at BU.

To receive Advanced Placement credit, ensure your official examination scores are submitted directly to BU through the College Board. Boston University’s College Entrance Examination Board Code (CEEB) is 3087. For any additional questions or concerns, contact the College Board at (888) 308-0013. To better understand how advanced credits may apply to a BU program, view the Boston University Advanced Credit Guides.

Our Transfer-Student Resources and Advising Community (TRAC) is a program designed to help you navigate your time here at BU. Our TRAC mentors are former transfer students who can help you navigate your transition to BU and get you started on the right foot.

Learn more about our TRAC Mentor program.