PS Department require a brief (1-2 pages) personal statement in which applicants should discuss their preparation, motivation, and goals for their proposed courses of study. If you have any questions about the statement please contact the department in which you plan to study. Fee There is a $75 non-refundable required application fee that is used to process your application. You have the option to pay this online before submitting the application form. If you choose to wait to pay the fee, you will have the option to pay the fee through the Portal. Alternatively you may send a $75 non-refundable check or money order, made payable to Trustees of Boston College to the processing center or directly to the admissions office. RL Three letters of recommendation should accompany a doctoral application. Generally letters should be from people who have most recently taught you in the field in which you expect to study. If you are now or have for some time been out of school, one letter should be from your employer, supervisor, or another person familiar with your recent professional activities. If you are currently enrolled in or have been enrolled in another graduate school, at least one letter must be from the graduate instructor most familiar with your work. Transcript University/college transcripts are required from all previous post-secondary education institutions attended. Unofficial transcripts may be submitted through the online application form for review purposes during the application process, but official copies of all transcripts reviewed for admission must be submitted upon acceptance/matriculation and no later than June 15. Transcripts are required to complete your application, whether submitted electronically or sent in hard copy. Hard copy official transcripts must be submitted to the office address noted at the top of this page or received from official academic sources (i.e. school registrars) in signed/sealed envelopes from each institution. Certified copies are acceptable, plain photocopies are not. One copy of each transcript is sufficient. Official transcripts submitted via document management services such as Scrip-Safe may be sent to gsasinfo@bc.edu. If you have previously attended BC you must request complete transcripts of your work from the Office of Student Services. All documents in languages other than English, should include a certified English translation in addition to the original language document. Students who file applications prior to the completion of their undergraduate work are expected to file a final transcript showing all coursework, degree granted, and the date the degree will be awarded. The same procedure is required of applicants currently engaged in graduate study at other institutions. This is necessary for final confirmation of the Graduate School's offer of admission. Your final transcript should be sent to us as soon as you have completed your present course of study. International students please note: Only official copies of your transcript will fulfill the language proficiency requirement on your application. Visit the International Applicants page for more information.