As you prepare to begin your graduate program, you'll need to set up your Boston College accounts and access to ensure your success.

1. Boston College Student Services Checklist >>

   • Learn how to set your privacy preferences, view your bill, purchase parking passes and more!

2. Upload Your Picture for your Eagle ID Card >>

3. Set Up Your Boston College Email Address >>

   • All official Boston College communication will be sent to your BC email address. Please note that you will not be able to access certain forms or information if you fail to set up your email account.

4. Set Up the Eagle VPN and Access Eagle Apps >> (BC Log-in Required to Access this Page)

   • In order to register for courses on the Eagle Apps registration system, you'll need to first connect to the Eagle VPN.

5. Access Canvas within the Agora Portal >>

   • Most of your courses will be hosted on Canvas, the learning management system. You can access Canvas directly through the Agora Portal, which is the central spot for all of your personal BC account information.

If you have any issues accessing your Boston College accounts or setting up your email address, please contact the Boston College IT Help Desk, help@bc.edu or 617-552-4357.

Academic Calendar

Each semester please review the Academic Calendar so that you are up to date on important deadlines. 

• Please note the drop/add deadline for each semester. After this date you will not be allowed to drop a course and will only have the option to withdraw from the course which does not provide a full refund. Please review the full Tuition Refund Schedule for more information.

• Holidays and course registration timelines are also listed on the Academic Calendar. 

Course Selection & Advising

Students will be assigned a faculty advisor by the start of their first semester. Prior to your faculty advisor assignment your Program Director can answer questions regarding course selection and academic advising. For onboarding questions, general registration support, and general inquiries, the Graduate Student Services team can support. Please feel free to reach out to our team at gadofc@bc.edu or schedule an advising appointment. 

For more information regarding your course of study, please review your program's Program of Study. 

Student Advising Profile

All graduate students must complete the Student Advising Profile prior to the start of classes. The information you provide will allow our staff to better advise you as you transition into your program. We recommend giving yourself 20 - 30 minutes to complete the form. You will need to access the form through your BC email. Please give some thought to responding to the following three questions that will be asked; 

• Please share what you believe at this time is your life's purpose as well as some of your goals and aspirations for your graduate study that connects directly to achieving your personal mission.

• What talents and strengths do you bring to the program and your future aspirations?

• Please share a brief review of the skills and experience you hope to gain from your time in your masters program?

COVID-19 Updates

To promote the health and safety of the BC community and surrounding neighborhoods, all students (including remote, online students), faculty, and staff must be: 

• Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and have received a booster shot against COVD-19 AND have uploaded a vaccination card 

• Tested for COVID-19 72 hours before their arrival on campus

For assistance concerning COVID-19 testing or vaccination/booster matters, students may contact  University Health Services at covidtesting@bc.edu. For further information regarding uploading your vaccination card and the COVID-19 policies, please view the full letter from Health Services.

Understanding your bill

Tuition charges for Lynch School graduate students are based on the number of credits for which a student is registered. Each time an adjustment is made to course registrations, the tuition charges will be fully removed and then re-applied to the student bill.

• Current AY24-25 Tuition Rate:  $1,764 per credit

• Enrollment Deposit:  $250.00 (one time deposit - will appear as a credit on the student bill)

• ID Card Fee:   $50.00 (one time fee)

• Student Activity Fee (7 credits or more):  $58.00 (per semester, fall & spring)

• Student Activity Fee (6 credits or less):  $40.00 (per semester, fall & spring) 

Billing and Medical Insurance

Please visit the website for the central Office of Student Services for information on billing, payment deadlines, payment plans, refunds and the BC student medical insurance. If you plan to waive out of the BC student medical insurance, please do so in the Agora portal by the Add/Drop deadline for fall semester (or spring if you are entering in January).

Scholarships and Tuition Remission

Students who anticipate to receive tuition remission (TR) through a Dean's Scholarship, Named Scholarship or Fellowship, PhD funding package or Lynch School Graduate Assistantship can expect to see the TR applied directly to their student bill following course registration. 

Please note that the application of tuition remission is manual, so it may take up to a week after registration is completed for the award to be reflected on the student bill. For percentage-based awards, the tuition remission will always be entered as a percent of the tuition charges. For other aid, please reach out to gsoe@bc.edu with questions on the distribution.

Applying for Federal Aid

Graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply for federal loans to help cover their tuition and cost of living. Students taking 6 or more credits each semester are generally eligible for a direct federal unsubsidized loan up to $10,250 per semester, including summer. Additionally, graduate students are eligible to borrow up to their full cost of attendance (expected tuition charges plus estimated cost of living) through the Grad Plus Loan.

How to apply:

1.  Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Note that the FAFSA is rolling and can be completed any time before the semester begins. The FAFSA must be completed each academic year that you desire to use federal loans. The new academic year begins with summer and ends with spring.

2. Submit the Graduate Supplemental Information Form. This page requires that you create a username and password.

Our dedicated federal aid advisors in the Office of Student Services will review your information and let you know when your federal loans are approved. Please visit their webpage for helpful information on the application process.