Fisk House is a cooperative residence for women graduate students enrolled at Boston University. Administered by BU Housing and supported and maintained by the Boston University Women’s Guild since February 2020, Fisk House provides a residence for 16 students at nominal cost. Most of the rooms are double-capacity and new house members are likely to be placed in a double room with another resident. Single rooms will be available on a first-come, first served basis as other Fisk House residents graduate. Spouses, partners, and children cannot live in the Fisk House. There is a shared kitchen as shown on this website.
About the Application Process
- The application period for Fisk House housing in the 2026-2027 academic year is from .
- Applications are reviewed in the order they are received.
- We reserve the right to close the application portal if the volume received exceeds our review capacity.
- About the subsidized costs: Fisk House room charges for the 2027 academic year will be $2,200 per semester and this will be included in all offer letters.
- Students who submit application materials will be notified of decisions by April 31, 2026.
- Application Link
FAQs
Can anyone apply to live at Fisk House?
Fisk House is a cooperative residence for women who are full-time graduate students enrolled at Boston University. Applicants must submit documentation of admission or program enrollment.
Does Fisk House offer free housing?
BU Fisk House housing is not free, but the cost is subsidized to make it more affordable. There are eight single occupancy rooms and four double occupancy rooms. First year residents will be assigned to a double occupancy room.
Fisk House room charges for the 2025-2026 Academic Year are $2200 per semester.
When can I apply to Fisk House?
The application period for Fisk House housing is from February 6 to April 6, 2026, for the following academic year (2026-2027).
What are my odds of getting a scholarship? How many people apply each year?
While Fisk House has occupancy for 16 students, each year some current student residents return to live there in the second or third year of their graduate program. The number of vacancies at Fisk House will determine how many students can be offered accommodations. Applications are evaluated by the Fisk House Committee for completeness, demonstrated need, and the personal statement of interest in living in a cooperative residence. In recent years, the number of applicants has ranged between 30 and 60.
Do residents have an option to remain at Fisk House during the summer term? Is there a limit to the number of semesters graduate students may live there?
Residents are permitted to live at Fisk House during the summer term. Each spring, the residents of Fisk House are polled on what their plans are for the following fall semester so that we can determine the number of vacancies. Since some programs, like dual degree or PhD, have uncertain timeframes, we update each resident’s projected departure date as needed.
Whom should I ask to submit a letter of recommendation?
You should ask someone who knows you well professionally who can write a professional letter of recommendation, such as an employer or professor.
News and History
History of Fisk House
In 1933, with a gift of $15,000, the Boston University Women’s Council helped Boston University buy a brownstone to provide subsidized housing for women students.
Under the leadership of its first president, Louisa Holman Fisk, the Women’s Council undertook the responsibility of restoring and maintaining the house, establishing endowments and raising funds by sponsoring lectures, holding antique auctions, and hosting other events like a Symphony Hall recital that featured famed lyric tenor Roland Hayes.
In 1940, President Daniel Marsh, and Boston University presented to the Council a portrait of Mrs. Fisk. The University awarded Mrs. Fisk an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters at Commencement in 1941; and in 1949, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name the building the Louisa Holman Fisk House.
After World War II, as more and more women began coming to Boston University from around the country and abroad, the Women’s Council continued its support and also helped the University build more housing for women. In 1959, to honor a gift from the Women’s Council, the University named a lounge in the new Towers the Lucy Jenkins Franklin, in honor of the University’s first Dean of Women.
In February 2020, the Boston University Women’s Council merged with the Boston University Women’s Guild. The Boston University Women’s Guild continues the traditions of the visionary women who started the Boston University Women’s Council by maintaining Fisk House, now located on BU’s campus on Bay State Road, and managing the housing application process of its residents. A Dedication Ceremony was held on November 5, 2021, at the Bay State Road residence.
