Undergraduate Programs
Over 850 undergraduate students per year from across BU’s schools and colleges take part in CASS programs and receive mentoring and programmatic support to ensure they have access to the resources Boston University has for them to succeed.
Read some of the latest news about our undergraduate programs:
- BU Posse Celebrates the First In-Person Graduation with two Posses
- Six BU Students on an Unforgettable Summer Working at City Hall
- Student Commencement Speaker Will Talk About “Dreams and Nightmares ” and Breonna Taylor
- BU Scholarships Change the Lives of Boston Public School Graduates
- College Access Group QuestBridge and BU Partner to give Need-Based Scholarships
- Holding BU to Account on Race
- BU’s Ongoing Commitment to “the Kids from Boston”
- BU City Scholars Summer Fellows Reflect on What they Learned
- BU Doubles Number of Posse Scholars
- BPS Community Service Program Expanded to Include Transfer Students
BPS Community Service Scholars
As part of BU’s commitment to meet the full, calculated financial eligibility without loans of any admitted Boston Public Schools graduate, the BPS Community Service Award enhances the quality of students’ learning experiences and maximizes their chances for success at BU. Each scholarship recipient receives a full-time faculty or staff member to serve as a mentor throughout their undergraduate career. After their first academic semester, scholarship recipients must perform 25 hours of community service per semester, with one semester of service dedicated specifically to BPS.
BPS Community Service Scholars consistently have retention and graduation rates that exceed those of the rest of Boston University.
Chicago Scholars
Chicago Scholars is transforming the leadership landscape of Chicago by resolving the fundamental barriers to success for academically driven, first generation college students from under-resourced communities. Through college counseling, mentoring, and by providing a supportive community to these Scholars through each phase of our program. In addition, Boston University provides a full time faculty or staff mentor for each entering cohort of Chicago Scholars.
Community College Scholars
Boston University awards the full-tuition, renewable Bunker Hill, Massachusetts Bay, and Roxbury Community College Scholarships for selected transfer applicants. Recipients must be nominated by their college and are selected by BU admissions. Boston University provides a full time faculty or staff mentor for each scholarship recipient.
IDEA Scholars
Boston University partners with IDEA Public Schools, a system based in Texas and Southern Louisiana. IDEA, which stands for “Individuals Dedicated to Achievement and Excellence,” currently serves more than 45,000 students in 79 schools, and dedicates itself to sending all of its students to college. BU recruits students from the Rio Grande Valley for this partnership.
Impact Scholars
The IMPACT Program began in 2006 as a way to boost college persistence for YES Prep graduates, 90% of whom are first-generation college students. A strong emotional and academic support system at the college level, as well as the availability of financial aid, powerfully influences the likelihood of persistence. Since 2006, 84% of IMPACT Scholars have graduated from or are currently enrolled in their original IMPACT Partner or Affiliate institution.
Hayden Foundation Scholars
The Charles Hayden Foundation promotes the mental, moral, and physical development of children and youth ages five to eighteen in New York City and Boston, with a focus on those institutions and programs serving youth most at risk of not reaching their full potential, especially youth in low-income communities. With support from the Hayden Foundation, Boston University has collaborated with NYC high schools to reach out to students in the top 10% of their class, beginning in their sophomore year. These students receive information about BU, participate in the Junior Overnight Program, and if admitted to BU, attend Multicultural Community Weekend. Once matriculated, Hayden Scholars are assigned a faculty or staff mentor.
Menino Scholars
Boston University annually awards up to 25 full-tuition merit scholarships to Boston Public High School graduates. CASS Director Michael Dennehy serves as their scholarship advisor and organizes a one-week residential orientation for scholars in June. As advisor, Mike is the scholars’ ombudsman, interfacing with the academic advising units, the University Service Center, and the Office of Financial Assistance.
Philadelphia Futures Scholars
Boston University has collaborated with select Philadelphia high schools, starting with high-achieving students in their sophomore year in the top 10% of their class. These students receive information about BU, participate in the Senior Overnight Program, and if admitted to BU, attend Multicultural Community Weekend. Once matriculated, Philly Scholars receive support from a faculty or staff mentor.
Posse Scholars
The Posse Foundation identifies public high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes.
The Foundation extends to these students the opportunity to pursue personal and academic excellence by placing them in supportive, multicultural teams (posses) of 10 students. Boston University has partnered with Posse Atlanta since 2007 and Posse Bay Area since 2016.
QuestBridge Scholars
Questbridge National College Match connects the nation’s brightest students of low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education. These institutions, like Boston University, offer a full scholarship to matched QuestBridge Scholars. BU partnered with Questbridge in 2021, and brought the first cohort of matched QuestBridge Scholars to campus in the 2022-2023 academic year. Once matriculated, QuestBridge Scholars work with a scholarship advisor in College Access & Student Success.