Boston University
| Latin: Universitas Bostoniensis | |
Former name | Newbury Biblical Institute (1838–1847) Methodist General Biblical Institute (1847–1867) Boston Theological Seminary (1867–1869) Boston Theological Institute (1869–1871) |
|---|---|
| Motto | "Learning, Virtue, Piety" |
| Type | Private research university |
| Established | April 24, 1839 |
| Accreditation | NECHE |
Religious affiliation | Nonsectarian, but historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church |
Academic affiliations | |
| Endowment | $4.045 billion (2025) |
| President | Melissa L. Gilliam |
| Provost | Gloria S. Waters |
Academic staff | 1,994 full-time, 867 part-time |
| Students | 37,737 (fall 2024) |
| Undergraduates | 18,805 (fall 2024) |
| Postgraduates | 18,932 (fall 2024) |
| Location | , Massachusetts , United States 42°20′56″N 71°06′01″W / 42.34889°N 71.10028°W |
| Campus | Large city, 169 acres (0.68 km2) |
| Other campuses | |
| Newspaper | The Daily Free Press |
| Colors | Scarlet and white |
| Nickname | Terriers |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Mascot | Rhett the Boston Terrier |
| Website | bu.edu |
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodists with its original campus in Newbury, Vermont. It was chartered in Boston in 1869. The university is a member of the Association of American Universities and the Boston Consortium for Higher Education.
The university has nearly 38,000 students and more than 4,000 faculty members and is one of Boston's largest employers. It offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctorates, and medical, dental, business, and law degrees through 17 schools and colleges on three urban campuses. BU athletic teams compete in the Patriot League and Hockey East conferences, and their mascot is Rhett the Boston Terrier. The Boston University Terriers compete in NCAA Division I.
The university is nonsectarian, though it retains its historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. The main campus is situated along the Charles River in Boston's Fenway–Kenmore and Allston neighborhoods, while the Boston University Medical Campus is located in Boston's South End neighborhood. The Fenway campus houses the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, formerly Wheelock College, which merged with BU in 2018. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".