Boston University Acceptance Rate for Indian Students

BU is among the leading private research universities in Boston, USA. Boston University offers numerous undergraduate and graduate courses through 17 schools and colleges. Some of its popular majors are Economics, Anthropology, Business Management, and Biochemistry, among others. The university also has 90+ research centers and an annual research expenditure of over USD 550 million (approx. INR 450 crore).

It has joined the Association of American Universities, a top research university in the US and Canada. When it comes to the Boston University rankings, the university ranked #41 in National Universities, #25 in Best Value Schools, and #47 in the global 2025 ranking. Boston University is considered among the top 100 universities in the world.

Boston University offers numerous undergraduate and graduate courses. With almost 300 academic programs available, one can select any undergraduate major. At the graduate level, there are about 400 graduate and professional programs offered. Read more about Boston University courses.

Boston University Acceptance Rate 2025

Boston University received around 78,700 applications for the admission cycle of 2024-25, of which 8,700 applicants were offered the opportunity to enroll on the Boston University campus. In the end, around 3,200 students ended up accepting the university’s admission offer and enrolled.  

This data suggests that the Boston University acceptance rate stands at 11.1%, making the criteria of the Boston University admissions very selective. The yield rate of the university, on the other hand, stands at 37.4%. Students can refer to the table below for an evaluation of the enrollment trends for the current and last year. 

Boston University Acceptance Rate for International Students

As of Fall 2024, the number of countries represented by the international student body of over 10,000 enrolled on the Boston University campus crosses 140. The top countries of origin include China, India, Norway, Canada, and Italy. The number of international (nonresident) UG students enrolled at BU was recorded to be almost 4,000 as per official sources. Students can refer to the table below for the racial makeup of Boston University: 

Boston University Acceptance Rate Trends

The number of applications that Boston University has been receiving has gone up from 61,000 in Fall 2020 to 78,700 in Fall 2024. However, the number of applicants accepted by the university has been going down significantly, from as high as 14,000 in Fall 2021 to just 8,700 by Fall 2024. This decline of more than 5,000 has pushed the Boston University acceptance rate towards a decreasing trend. In the last five years, it has gone down by around 9%, meaning that the Boston University admissions have been increasingly become competitive. 

Boston University Early Decision VS Regular Decision 

Early Decision and Early Decision 2 are application alternatives at Boston University that allow students to apply and receive an admission decision early, and if admitted, commit to attending BU by withdrawing applications to other institutions. The deadlines for various decision plan for Boston University are given below:

Boston University Requirements for International Students

For Boston University admissions, international students must meet the English proficiency requirements as well as the entry requirements. Boston University acceptance rate 2025 stands at 11%, which indicates that securing admission to this university is very challenging.

Boston University Eligibility For Indian Students

To be admitted as a first-year international student, Boston University requirements given below must be fulfilled:

• Secondary School Records: Higher Secondary Certificate / ISC (State Board exams may also be examined for admission). Also, submit copies of all qualifying exams that have been taken throughout the secondary school
• English language proficiency test results
• Financial support documentation
• Passport data page
• SAT / ACT test score (if applicable)
• Any other additional document

To gain admission to the graduate courses at BU meet the entry requirements given below:

• A three-year bachelor’s degree is required
• GPA requirement: There is no minimum GPA requirement; however, Boston University recommends that the applicants must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (Based on a 4.0 scale)
• GRE score
• IELTS / TOEFL score
• Academic Transcripts
• Personal Statement
• Letter of Recommendation

Also check Boston University Costs and Fees

Boston University English Language Requirements 

For admission to Boston University, international students are required to submit an English language proficiency score. For the same reason, students can submit an IELTS score. If students want to take admission into the undergraduate courses of BU, then they are required to submit an overall score of 7 or higher in IELTS. In place of an IELTS score, students seeking admission to undergraduate courses can submit Duolingo / TOEFL scores.

The minimum score requirements are listed below:

Boston University Average GPA, SAT & ACT Scores 

At Boston University, admissions officials place a high value on a student's GPA and overall academic profile. The average GPA, SAT and ACT scores submitted by the students for Fall 2024 can be checked from the table below:

Tips to get selected at Boston University

Students can follow the following suggestion so as to boost their acceptance at the Boston University:

• It is highly recommended for you to maintain a strong academic profile by maintaining a decent GPA  throughout your high school, as meeting the academic criteria is one of the most important factors the university looks for 
• You can enhance and solidify your profile by submitting test scores like ACT or SAT
• Highlight extracurricular activities and participations as the university highly favors holistic way of accepting students, beyond bookish knowledge
• You must also obtain strong letters of recommendation  from teachers or professional workplaces to show credibility and gain the confidence of evaluators

Boston University Acceptance Rate v/s Harvard University Acceptance Rate 

Particularly, when it comes to the acceptance rate, it is difficult to gain admission to Harvard University. The acceptance rate of Harvard University is 3.4% which makes it extremely selective, whereas the acceptance rate of Boston University is 11%. If we consider the rank of both these universities, then Harvard also ranks better globally.