Training Guide for Partners of MET International at Boston University

1. Boston University Metropolitan College International Training Guide for Partners ofMET International at Boston University

2. What MET International Offers Students • MET courses from a variety of disciplines and the ability to deepen knowledge in one field • Classes on an urban campus in the heart of Boston • A rigorous academic environment and the chance to engage with a diverse student body • The opportunity to participate in the BU community and join one of 450+ student organizations • An official BU transcript, received upon successful completion of program, plus a certificate of participation (undergraduate) or credit-bearing academic certificate (graduate) • All that Boston has to offer: renowned sports teams, live entertainment, history, museums—there is always something new to experience

3. Meet Our Student Services Team • Made up of two full-time staff members • Directly connected to each student’s home institution • Gives a comprehensive orientation at the beginning of each semester • Offers academic advising, including pre-arrival support • Conducts mid-term review meetings to ensure student success • Provides additional resources and non-academic support Crystal Day, Program Manager and Kyle Benedict, Program Administrator

4. Important Dates and Deadlines • Fall semester starts early September and ends mid-December • Spring semester starts mid-January and ends early May • Deadline to apply for Fall: April 15 • Deadline to apply for Spring: October 1 • Official University Calendar • Orientation Dates

5. GRAD-LEVEL STUDENTS MUST ALSO: Be matriculated in or have recently graduated from graduate-level programming Have done at least one semester of graduate course work prior to applying Have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree (or 240 ECTS credits) Have taken prerequisite courses or provide evidence of proficiency in specific areas of study Student Eligibility • Permission from home institution • Demonstrated proof of English proficiency • TOEFL: 84 IBT (W22/S23/L18/R21) • Or IELTS: 6.5 (no sub-sore may be lower than 6.5) • Suggested academic grade point average: 3.0 on a U.S. 4.0 scale • Clean disciplinary record

6. Admissions Process 1 2 3 International Office at home institutionprovides us with a list of nominated students. Admitted students receive I-20 from MET International, which allows student to apply for an F-1 visa at U.S. consulate or embassy. Admitted students arrive on campus and attend mandatory orientation activities. MET International and BU academic department review application materials. MET International distributes admission decisions. Students provide appropriate application materials to International Office at home institution. 5 4

7. Admissions Process (cont’d) • We operate on a rolling basis. Students who apply sooner will be processed sooner. It takes approximately two weeks, from the receipt of a completed application to the admission decision. • MET International will send your office an electronic copy of the admission letter as soon as an admissions decision is received so that you may share it with your students. Graduate-level students must first accept their Admission Offer via the application portal. • The I-20 will be sent to your office once it is issued, along with a Welcome Folder and the Original Admissions Letter. I-20 issuance may take up to six weeks from the date of application receipt, but is often printed sooner. • If there is an error on the I-20 (e.g., a misspelled name, date of birth or gender), please contact us without delay. Once the students receives the I-20, they will need to schedule a meeting at their closest U.S. embassy or consulate to receive an F-1 visa. • The BU International Students & Scholars Office issues the I-20 and provides immigration advising. These useful sites will help guide your students: • Applying for a visa • Paying your SEVIS fee • Entering the U.S.

8. After Admission • Within several weeks of admission, in June or November, MET International will email new students an electronic student handbook, which includes important forms and helpful tips related to their arrival in Boston, such as: • Next steps and important actions to take • How to pay their bill • Required immunization and physical form • Insurance forms to adjust the cost and coverage period if they’re only staying one semester • On-campus housing application instructions (undergraduates only) • Intramural sports sign-up forms • Orientation schedule • Directions for how to request courses • Please encourage your students to read their electronic student handbook! • Many of the pre-departure questions fielded by MET International are answered there. Failure to complete next steps will make their transition to BU very difficult.

9. Nominating Students • MET International emails application binders to partner contacts with specific instructions on how students should apply: • Fall Semester • Application binder sent in February • Application deadline is April 15 • Spring Semester • Application binder sent in July • Application deadline is October 1 • This gives your office two to three months to work with your students prior to our application deadlines. • Please send us a spreadsheet with student nominations that includes each student’s name, the program they’re applying to and the number of semesters they plan to attend (see example below).

10. Undergraduate Applications • Eligible students receive the application link and appropriate price sheets from partner institution. • Each student completes the online application. • Partner office should collect a printed copy of the online application, along with all supporting documents, and send it to MET International by trackable courier service. • Undergraduate Documents: • Printed Application Form • International Student Data Form • Copy of Passport • Undergraduate Transcripts • English Proficiency • Affidavit of Support • Financial Statements • Mail To: • MET International • Boston University • 1010 Commonwealth Ave., 1st Floor • Boston, MA, USA • 02215 • MET International does not need a complete application in hand on the day of the deadline, however, the application should be postmarked by that day. • If anyone is at risk of missing the application deadline, please contact your designated Program Administrator at MET International to ask about getting them an extension.

11. Graduate Applications • MET International sends partner contacts specialized codes and a link to the online application to distribute to graduate applicants upon receipt of nominated graduate students. • Student completes an online application and submits the following documents through the application portal: • Application Form • International Student Data Form • Copy of Passport • 3 Letters of Recommendation • Student submits the following documents to the International Office at their home institution: • Undergraduate Transcripts • Graduate Transcripts • English Proficiency • If anyone is at risk of missing the application deadline, please contact your designated Program Administrator at MET International to ask about getting them an extension. • Resume/CV • Statement of Purpose • Affidavit of Support • Financial Statements

12. Application Documents • Online Application • Undergraduate students should print their application just before submitting it online and add it to the physical files along with the following supporting documents • International Student Data Form (ISDF): Only the most recent version will be accepted. Please use only what is provided in the application binder. • Transcripts: Should be original, official and who all college-level coursework completed since high school. • TOEFL or IELTS: Official score reports can be sent electronically to MET International using TOEFL DI code 8675. The British Council will mail official score reports. We also accept the official student copy. Website printouts are not accepted. • If you have a special case (e.g., a student who completed a degree in an Anglophone country), please contact your MET International Program Administrator. These scenarios are handled on a case-by-case basis. • Copy of Passport Photo Page: Passport must be vaild for at least 6 months from the start of classes on BU’s campus. If passport is expired, or will soon expire, student should renew before applying. If student’s new passport is pending, this will not delay the admission decision but will halt the immigration process. • Copy of Any U.S. Immigration Documentation: Due at a later date if the student has been in the U.S. during the past 6 months, or plans to be in the U.S. prior to their studies at BU (e.g., summer school at a different U.S. institution, immediately followed by a semester with MET International).

13. Application Documents (cont’d) • Financial Documentation: Can be handed in at the time of the initial application. Every students must demonstrate a minimum amount of funding to receive an I-20 immigration document from Boston University. • Affidavit of Support: If the bank letter is not in the student’s name, the person providing the funding must complete the form. • There is no limit to the number of sources of support a student may have. • Your school or government institution may also provide letters of financial support, which is especially useful if you will be billed by BU for some or all student expenses. A letter of support should be on institutional letterhead and list the full name of the student and amount of funding for a given semester or time period. • Please discuss your billing needs with your MET International Program Administrator. We will prompt BU’s central billing office to invoice your institution. If you do not contact us, the student will be considered responsible for all charges. • Students applying at the graduate level additionally need to submit: • Three Letters of Recommentation: A template is provided within our application binder, but other letter formats are also accepted; students may submit their recommenders through the online application. • Resume and Statement of Purpose: Submitted through the online application.

14. Course Selection: Undergrad • MET International undergraduate students must take a minimum of 12 credits (3 courses) and up to a maximum of 20 credits (5 courses) per semester. • Courses may be found here: • There is no limit to the number of sources of support a student may have. • Your school or government institution may also provide letters of financial support, which is especially useful if you will be billed by BU for some or all student expenses. A letter of support should be on institutional letterhead and list the full name of the student and amount of funding for a given semester or time period. • Please discuss your billing needs with your MET International Program Administrator. We will prompt BU’s central billing office to invoice your institution. If you do not contact us, the student will be considered responsible for all charges. • Additionally, students are eligible to add up to 2 credits of fitness and recreation classes (college “PDP”) at no additional cost, unless otherwise specified by the course listing. • PDP class attendance is mandatory and results in a pass or fail grade that will appear on the transcript but does not impact the GPA calculation.

15. Course Selection: Grad • MET International graduate students must be enrolled in 16 credits (4 courses) that fulfill their certificate program requirements. • Students can find information on the BU MET certificates here: • Select Your Certificate • Check courses against the University Class Schedule to make sure the class students want to add is scheduled for their intended semester and has open seats • Students may request MET classes that meet their certificate requirements with sections A1, A2, B1, B2, etc. • Students will submit a MET International Registration Form to request the courses they want to add to their schedule • Additionally, students are eligible to add up to 2 credits of fitness and recreation classes (college “PDP”) at no additional cost, unless otherwise specified by the course listing. • PDP class attendance is mandatory and results in a pass or fail grade that will appear on the transcript but does not impact the GPA calculation.

16. Course Selection Errors • COMMON MISTAKES THAT RESULT IN AN INCOMPLETE SCHEDULE • Selecting academic courses outside of “MET” college (or “GMS” department BT for Biotechnology). • Selecting courses that are not offered during a particular semester. • Note that all courses listed on the MET website should have a semester marker designating whether they are running during that semester • Undergraduate students choosing courses numbered above 599. • Graduate students selecting courses that are not part of their curriculum. • Listing a section that does not exist or is in conflict with another course requested. • Listing a section that is not mentioned as allowable in the instructions (e.g., O1, XP or BNR).

17. Living On Campus • On campus housing is available for undergraduate students during the Fall/Spring semesters. • Students living on campus typically have a double room with shared bathroom in a dormitory-style building • Due to limited space, on-campus housing is not guaranteed during the academic semester; applications are taken on a first-come, first-served basis until the deadline • Dormitory Regulations • No smoking • Strict policies regarding alcohol • Overnight guest policy • Dorms close for university breaks (e.g., Intersession) • BU offers a variety of dining plans designed to fit students’ schedules, whether they live on or off campus. Students in dormitory housing are required to take a dining plan.

18. Housing Application Process • Undergraduate students will receive detailed instructions in their student handbook via email from MET International (in June or November) • The MET International student online housing application is not the same as the general BU housing application; students should wait for our emailed instructions before applying. • The deadline to apply for on campus housing is about one month after we email instructions. • Any special requests, such as roommates or room style, should be directed via email to the Housing Office (housing@bu.edu) if not already addressed in the application itself • Housing assignments are not released until the week of Orientation, so students will need to remain patient. • Housing assignments can be viewed on the Student Link once they are released.

19. Living Off Campus • Boston University is conveniently located in metropolitan Boston and is accessible by public transportation. • Off campus residence options include: • Single or shared apartments • International Student Residences • Short-term furnished rentals • Homestay placements • The BU Off Campus Services website provides apartment listings and additional resources. • Admitted students will receive additional resources in their emailed Welcome Packet.

20. Health Insurance Services • Everyone in the State of Massachusetts is required to have health insurance. • International students are automatically enrolled in BU’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). • To be eligible to waive SHIP coverage, you must be enrolled under a U.S.-based plan that meets the comparable coverage requirements; in our experience, few international students are eligible to waive SHIP. • A comprehensive Student Health Center is located on campus and available to all students. Services include: • 24-hour Walk-In Urgent Care Clinic • Crisis Intervention Counselor • Physical Exams • Immunization

21. Orientation • ORIENTATION IS MANDATORY FOR ALL MET INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS • Meet MET International staff, BU faculty and fellow classmates. • Learn about university resources, understand program expectations, ask questions and receive assistance. • Spring Semester: • Mid-January • Fall Semester: • Late August

22. Program Dates To request printed marketing materials (e.g., brochures, flyers) or information/photos to create a BU MET International profile on your website, please contact Amanda Balagur, Outreach Manager: abalagur@bu.edu

23. QUESTIONS? CONTACT US! Boston University MET International @METintl @met_international Boston University MET International METintl@bu.edu bu.edu/METinternational +1 617-353-8429 BU MET International 1010 Commonwealth Ave., 1st Floor Boston, MA 02215