The 7 top universities in Boston (2024)

Discover the 7 best universities in Boston for international students based on rankings, extracurricular activities, and tuition fees.

Ivandzhelin

7 minute read

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Updated on 12 Sep 2024

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Studying

Ranked as the 10th best student city in the world, Boston has plenty to offer for international students. From relatively affordable student living expenses to opportunities for career development after graduation. As Boston is home to some of the highest-ranked universities in the world, it can take a while to choose the top university in Boston for an international student.

This is why we’ve dug into the nitty and gritty of the city’s higher education and found the 7 top universities in Boston. The schools on our list offer a wide array of programs perfect for international students wanting to pursue a degree. So, let’s dive in!

With its charm and exciting student life, Boston is home to a large international student population. This isn’t surprising considering the number of high-ranked universities the city is home to. To help you decide which one is right for you, we’ve come up with a list of the 7 top universities in Boston:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
2. Boston College
3. Harvard University
4. University of Massachusetts Boston
5. Northeastern University
6. Boston University
7. Tufts University

• Ranking: 1st (QS) and 3rd (THE) worldwide
• Number of international students: 3,465
• Eligibility criteria for international students:
  • English-based curriculum: 4.17 GPA, 1500 SAT or 36 ACT
  • English proficiency requirements: 100 TOEFL, 7.5 IELTS, 125 Duolingo English Test, 70 PTE, 190 CAE or CPE
• Highest-ranked degrees: Computer science and information systems, Data science, Chemical engineering, and Civil and structural engineering
• Tuition fees for international students: $57,590 for most undergraduate and graduate degrees

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the highest-ranked university in the world. You can choose from 57 undergraduate and over 50 graduate programs in the fields of science, engineering, finance, management, and linguistics. Students of the university have the opportunity to live on the campus grounds in one of the 19 student residences or search for budget-friendly student rooms in Boston.

MIT encourages its students to sign up for any of the 500+ study associations, like the Science fiction society or the Spinning art club. You can make science experiments with chocolate by joining the Laboratory for chocolate science or start your journalistic career at the MIT newspaper. Around 25% of the MIT students are athletes, part of the largest Division III program in the US. What's even better is that international students are welcomed to join the athletic programs too!

• Ranking: 631-640th (QS) and 251-300th (THE) worldwide
• Number of international students: 1,725
• Eligibility criteria for international students:
  • English-based curriculum: 3.5 GPA, 1,442 SAT, 33 ACT
  • English proficiency requirements: 100 TOEFL, 7.5 IELTS, 130 Duolingo English Test
• Highest-ranked degrees: Theology, divinity and religious studies, Philosophy, Nursing, Education and training, Economics
• Tuition fees for international students: $47,500 annually

Spanned across Newton, Brighton and Brookline, Boston College is one of the top universities in Boston for research programmes. Aside from commitment to excellent education, the college stresses on the importance of giving back to the community and making a change through their extracurricular activities.

With 4 schools in the fields of management, nursing, education, and arts and sciences, you’ve plenty of studies to choose from. You can also become an Eagle by joining any of the 31 Division I teams in sports like basketball, soccer, hockey, and baseball, all open to international students at Boston College.

• Ranking: 4th (QS) and 4th (THE) worldwide
• Number of international students: 6,527
• Eligibility criteria for international students: 4.0 GPA, 1,460 –1,520 SAT and 34—36 ACT
• Highest-ranked degrees: Biochemistry, Microbiology, Neuroscience, Management, Finance, Engineering, and Law
• Undergraduate tuition fees for international students: $52,659 annually.
• Graduate tuition fees for international students: Vary between $30,472 and $73,400 annually

Part of the prestigious Ivy League, Harvard University is one of the best universities in the world. Harvard has 13 schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, executive education, certificate programs and online courses. You can apply for full-time degrees in the fields of social sciences, mathematics, engineering, psychology, performing arts, etc.

As a Harvard student you can join 500 student clubs on topics like culture, wellness, gender, and public service. With 42 Division I teams, Harvard has a long-standing history of athletic achievements which domestic and international students can contribute to. Unlike MIT, only undergraduate students can live at the Harvard dorms. But this gives you the opportunity to check out any of the 6 excellent neighborhoods in Boston for young adults in our guide.

Tip for applying: Harvard doesn't accept English proficiency tests like TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo to fullfill the standartized test requirements. You'll need to submit SAT or ACT scores. In some cases you can submit your GCSE/A-level results, IB results, National leaving exam results or AP exam results.

• Ranking: 801-850th (QS) and 123rd (THE) worldwide
• Number of international students: Over 2,400
• Eligibility criteria for international students:
  • English-based curriculum: 3 GPA, 1,280—1,450 SAT, 29–33 ACT
  • English proficiency requirements: 79 TOEFL, 6.0 IELTS, 100 Duolingo English Test
• Highest-ranked degrees: Nursing, Media studies, Psychology, Accounting and finance, English language and literature
• Tuition fees international students: $37,211 for out-of-state residents

The University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston) is one of the top public universities in Boston. Their curriculum aims at teaching students and helping them find career development after graduation.

The university has 229 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs across 6 schools and colleges. To make education more accessible, UMass Boston offers a lot of its courses fully online at a more affordable tuition.

The college has over 100 student organizations like the Growing women in science, the Casa Latinx, the Gaming Club. If you’re into sports you’ll be happy to find out that the university has 18 Division III teams and their mascot is the Beacon.

• Ranking: 375th (QS) and 201-250th (THE) worldwide
• Number of international students: 20,000+
• Eligibility criteria for international students:
  • English-based curriculum: 3.00 GPA, 1,049 SAT or 21 ACT
  • English proficiency requirements: 100 TOEFL, 7 IELTS, 130 Duolingo English Test, 68 PTE
• Highest-ranked degrees: Pharmacology, Psychology, Communication, Computer science
• Undergraduate tuition fees for international students: $31,000 for most studies
• Graduate tuition fees for international students: Vary between $40,860 and $89,788 annually

Northeastern University is one of the best universities in Boston for international students. Students from over 147 countries pursue a higher degree Northeastern. The university is renowned for its colleges in engineering and professional studies with over 4,000 students being enrolled in them.

As a Northeastern Husky you can be part of over 400 campus clubs, play in any of the 19 Division I or 64 club teams. To make your first year at Northeastern easier, the university has campus dorms available to all full-time students.

• Ranking: 93rd (QS) and 78th (THE) worldwide, and 48th (Forbes) in the US
• Number of international students: Over 10,000
• Eligibility criteria international students:
  • English-based curriculum: 4 GPA, 1,520 SAT and 34 ACT
• Highest-ranked degrees: Marketing, Business and Managament
• Tuition fees for international students:$63,798 for most undergraduate and graduate degrees, aside from a few including, medicine ($69,806), dentistry ($91,500), and law ($63,606)

Found in the heart of Boston, the Boston University is the one of the top universities in Boston for international students. The college offers over 300 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. You can pursue degrees in various fields including marketing, archeology, science, software engineering, and data analysis.

As a student of Boston University you can join any of the 24 Division I varsity teams or over 500 hundred community engagement, cultural, academic, artistic, political and recreational clubs. Similarly to other colleges, Boston University offers students the choice to live on campus to fully immerse themselves in the college experience.

• Ranking: 379th (QS) and 191st (THE) worldwide
• Number of international students: 14,088 international students
• Eligibility criteria for international students:
  • English-based curriculum: 4.04 GPA, 1,540 SAT, 34 ACT
  • English proficiency requirements: 99—112 TOEFL, 7.0—8.0 IELTS, 130—145 Duolingo English Test, 68—81 PTE, 190—202 CAE or CPE
• Highest-ranked degrees: Veterinary science, Medicine, Dentistry, Life sciences, and Politics
• Undergraduate tuition fees for international students: Vary between $48,336 and $66,358 annually
• Graduate tuition fees for international students: Calculated based on credit hours and vary between $850 and $1,894 depending on the degree

With over 300 student organizations on campus, Tufts University puts strong emphasis socialization and building a student community. In addition to the student clubs, the university has 28 Division III varsity and 28 club sports teams, and it’s a member of NESCAC.

The college’s approach to teaching is student-focused and stressed on implementation of the learned knowledge. Tufts has 10 schools each focusing on different fields including arts, sciences, human and veterinary medicine, engineering, and politics offering degrees on undergraduate and graduate levels.

To apply for the universities in Boston as an international student you can either mail your documents or apply with a a general online application. The 2 platforms universities usually use are the Common App (the “Common Application”) or through the Coalition Application via Scoir.

You can apply by yourself once you’ve gathered the necessary documents. The application requirements can vary, depending on the degree and university, but generally, these are the documents universities ask for:

• Proof of financial means to support yourself
• Proof of paid application fee or a fee waiver
• Valid ID/passport
• Valid US student visa
• Standardized tests (e.g., SATs or program-specific tests)
• Academic transcripts
• English language proficiency tests
• High school diploma or equivalent (undergraduate) or Bachelor's degree (graduate)
• Letter(s) of recommendation
• Valid health insurance
• Personal essay(s)

One good thing to keep in mind is that for the 2024/2025 academic year, some universities on our list don't require SAT or ACT. These universities have implemented a test-optional policy which allows you to apply without SATs. Their admissions office will look at your overall performance in high school, including extracurriculars, employment, familial responsibilities and social involvement. These include: Boston University, Northeastern University, Boston College, and Tufts University. UMass Boston, MIT, and Harvard require SAT or ACT scores.

So there you have them, all of the top universities in Boston for international students. If you’ve come this far, you probably already know which one is the right fit for you. With that sorted, it's time to organize your application and search for student accommodation options near Boston.