Boston University Acceptance Rate
The Boston University acceptance rate is 12.8% for the Class of 2029. BU received 76,776 applications, admitted 9,853 students and enrolled 3,450 of them.
The number most guides leave out is the one that matters if you are deciding how to apply: BU admitted 31.3% of its Early Decision applicants, and Early Decision students made up 59% of the enrolled class. In other words, most of the class was filled before Regular Decision was read. If BU is genuinely your first choice, the round you choose affects your odds more than anything else you control at this stage.
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Boston University Acceptance Rate at a Glance
| Metric | Class of 2029 |
| Overall acceptance rate | 12.8% |
| Applications | 76,776 |
| Admitted | 9,853 |
| Enrolled | 3,450 |
| Early Decision acceptance rate (ED I and II combined) | 31.3% |
| ED applicants | 6,907 |
| ED admitted | 2,165 |
| Share of class filled through ED | 59% |
| Waitlist acceptance rate | 3.0% (479 of 16,135) |
Figures are from a published analysis of BU's Class of 2029 cycle. BU had not released a full Class Profile for the Class of 2030 at the time of writing, and circulating Class of 2030 figures are unconfirmed. Always check BU's own admissions pages for the current cycle before relying on a number.
BU Acceptance Rate by Application Round
This is the single decision with the biggest effect on your chances.
| Round | Acceptance rate |
| Early Decision I and II | 31.3% |
| Waitlist | 3.0% |
Early Decision is roughly two and a half times the overall rate. Two caveats that matter more than the headline:
Early Decision is binding. If BU admits you, you withdraw your other applications. You commit before you can compare financial aid packages against other offers. For a university where the total annual cost runs well past $80,000, that is a real constraint, not a technicality.
The pool is different. Early Decision applicants are self-selecting: they tend to be more certain, better prepared and more likely to have visited. Some of the gap reflects a stronger applicant pool rather than a lower bar.
The honest summary: if BU is clearly your top choice and you can afford it without comparing offers, Early Decision is a significant advantage. If you need to weigh aid packages, apply Regular Decision and accept the lower rate.
What GPA and Test Scores Do You Need for BU?
| Measure | Class of 2029 enrolled students |
| GPA, mid-50% | 3.7 to 4.0 |
| SAT, mid-50% | 1410 to 1530 |
| Average SAT | 1466 |
| Average ACT | 32 |
| Applicants who submitted scores | 44% |
| Enrolled students who submitted scores | 45% |
BU is test-optional, and fewer than half of enrolled students submitted a score. That is genuinely optional rather than optional in name only. The practical reading: if your score sits inside or above 1410 to 1530, submitting helps. If it sits below, the data suggests you are not penalised for withholding it, and your transcript and essays carry the weight instead.
A mid-50% GPA of 3.7 to 4.0 means a quarter of admitted students were below 3.7. Strong grades are necessary but not a guarantee, and the bottom of the range is not a wall.
Is Boston University Hard to Get Into?
Yes, but in context. At 12.8%, BU is genuinely selective, more so than most people assume from its size. It is not, however, in the same band as its Boston neighbour Northeastern, which admits under 6%.
Compared with other Massachusetts options: Northeastern's acceptance rate is around 5.6%, UMass Amherst admits about 60%, and UMass Boston admits nearly 84%. A sensible Massachusetts application list spans that range rather than clustering at the top.
If you are also weighing Boston College, our comparison of Boston College versus Boston University covers the differences in culture, campus and cost.
What Boston University Costs
BU is a private university, so tuition does not change with residency. Total annual cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing and food, runs well over $80,000 for recent cycles, which places it among the more expensive universities in the country.
Flagged for editorial review. Tuition and cost of attendance are set annually. Confirm the current year's figures on BU's own financial aid pages before budgeting, and do not rely on a figure published in a previous cycle.
Two things worth knowing about the money:
- BU meets a substantial share of demonstrated need for admitted students, so the sticker price is not what most families pay. Run the net price calculator before you rule it out.
- Because Early Decision is binding, you accept BU's aid package without comparing it. Families who need to compare offers should think carefully before applying ED, regardless of the acceptance rate advantage.
Where BU Students Live
BU's campus runs for well over a mile along Commonwealth Avenue in the Fenway and Kenmore area, which is one of the most expensive parts of Boston. First-year students are housed on campus; after that, most students face the Boston rental market.
What that market looks like for BU students:
| Option | Typical monthly cost per person |
| Room in a shared apartment, Fenway or Kenmore | $1,800 and up |
| Room in a shared apartment, Allston or Brighton | $1,100 to $1,500 |
| Room in a shared apartment, Mission Hill | $1,300 to $1,700 |
| Studio of your own | $2,800 to $3,000 |
Allston and Brighton are where most BU students end up, and the reason is simple: they sit at the western end of the campus along the Green Line B branch, and rent is several hundred dollars a month lower than Fenway. The trade-off is a longer commute to the eastern end of campus.
The timing matters more than the neighbourhood. Boston leases almost universally start on September 1 and landlords list from January. If you wait until you have your BU decision in late March to start looking, the best apartments in Allston are already gone. Start looking as soon as you know you are coming.
Budget for the upfront cost as well as the rent. Massachusetts landlords typically ask for first month, last month and a security deposit of up to one month, and a broker fee is common on top. On a $1,400 room that can be over $5,000 before you have keys.
Acolyte Living lists verified options for Boston University students and across Boston more widely. For the wider picture on studying in the state, including the other institutions and cities, see our guide to colleges in Massachusetts.
International students should read renting without a credit history in the USA and how student housing affects F-1 visa status before signing anything, and take our apartment tour checklist to every viewing.
Who BU Suits
A strong fit if you want a large research university inside a major city rather than on a self-contained campus, you are drawn to a specific BU program, you can commit through Early Decision, or you want the option of living in a genuine city neighbourhood rather than a college town.
Think carefully if you need to compare financial aid offers before committing, want a compact walkable campus, or are on a tight housing budget. BU sits in one of the most expensive rental submarkets in the United States, and the campus is long and linear rather than contained.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Boston University acceptance rate?
Boston University's acceptance rate is 12.8% for the Class of 2029, from 76,776 applications and 9,853 admissions.
What is the BU acceptance rate for Early Decision?
31.3% for Early Decision I and II combined, against 12.8% overall. Early Decision students made up 59% of the enrolled class.
What GPA do you need for Boston University?
Enrolled students in the Class of 2029 had a mid-50% GPA of 3.7 to 4.0, so a quarter were admitted below 3.7. Strong grades are expected but the bottom of the range is not a cut-off.
What SAT score do you need for BU?
The mid-50% SAT range for enrolled students was 1410 to 1530, with an average of 1466. BU is test-optional and only 45% of enrolled students submitted a score.
Is Boston University test-optional?
Yes, and meaningfully so. Only 44% of applicants and 45% of enrolled students submitted test scores for the Class of 2029.
Is Boston University hard to get into?
Yes. At 12.8% it is genuinely selective, though less so than Northeastern at around 5.6%. Applying Early Decision more than doubles your statistical odds.
What is BU's waitlist acceptance rate?
3.0%. BU admitted 479 students from a waitlist of 16,135 for the Class of 2029, so a waitlist place should be treated as unlikely rather than promising.
Where do Boston University students live off campus?
Mostly Allston and Brighton, where rooms run about $1,100 to $1,500 per person, and Fenway and Kenmore closer to campus at $1,800 and up. Boston leases start on September 1 and listings appear from January.
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The Bottom Line
The Boston University acceptance rate of 12.8% makes BU a genuinely selective university, and the Early Decision rate of 31.3% is the most actionable number on this page. If BU is your clear first choice and you do not need to compare aid offers, apply early. Then treat housing as a separate deadline: Boston runs on a September 1 lease cycle with listings from January, and arriving in August is how students end up paying Fenway prices for whatever is left.