Located at Bowie, Maryland, in the United States of America, Bowie State University is a public university that can trace its founding to 1865 when The Baltimore Association for the Moral and Educational Improvement of the Colored People was established. The university offers undergraduate majors, master’s degrees, post-bachelor certificates, as well as doctoral programs to up to 6,171 students from 29 countries around the world. Beyond the classroom, students can pursue their personal passions in a student life that consists of Greek organizations, two student governments, and more than 50 student clubs and organizations. Students at Bowie State University also participates in NCAA Division II Athletics – Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA) where the school’s five men’s and eight women’s teams represent the school in sports.

14 post- bachelor’s certificate programs, 23 undergraduate degrees, 19 master’s degrees, and 2 doctoral degrees are offered in various demanding fields preferred to study in the US like Arts & Sciences, Education, Human Resource Development, Business, and Professional Studies.

Ranking

  • The university is ranked 61st on the Top Performers on Social Mobility list by U.S. News and World Report.
  • #35 in Best Undergraduate Teaching by U.S. News and World Report.
  • #191 in Most Liberal Colleges in America by niche.com.

Highlights

College Type Public
Campus Setting Suburban
Application Fee 40 USD for International Students; 50 USD for Doctorate Program
Student Retention Rate 72%
Annual Acceptance Rate (Fall 2018 ) 35%
Work-study program Yes
Mode of Program Full time; Part-time; Online
The annual cost of Attendance 33,869 USD
Admission Helpdesk 301 860-3415

Campus

  • Bowie State University offers on-campus facilities like Addiction Prevention Centre, walk-in health clinic (Henry Wise Wellness Centre), BSU Bookstore, Dining Services, Library Resources, etc
  • The university has 50+ student clubs that allow students to meet new people and build networks.
  • Students enjoy a rich social life outside the classroom. Numerous events such as Photography Exhibitions, Art Exhibitions, Seminars, etc are organized all year round.
  • Located at the school and open to the public is the popular and historical Thurgood Marshall library. The historical library is home to rare books, historical photographs, institutional records, special collections, etc.
  • The school operates with one beautiful campus at 14000 Jericho Park Road, in Bowie, near DC, Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis.
  • The university is located in a secure suburban area that offers all the facilities if city life without all the chaos and rush involved in big cities.

Residence

  • BSU offers traditional on-campus housing in six residence halls. Students may also choose to reside in the Christa McAuliffe Residential Community (CMRC) or seek accommodations in campus affiliated off-campus housing.
  • The majority of the residential halls are equipped with double rooms, community bathrooms, and kitchens. The Alex Haley Residential Complex, however, offers suite-style accommodation.
  • The Disability Support Services offers assistance to students with disabilities in finding suitable accommodation as well as other services.
  • Basic amenities at the university residences are vending machines, laundry facilities, cable TV, lounge, kitchenettes, and air conditioners.
  • Bowie State offers Christa McAuliffe Residential Community (CMRC) housing which consists of two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments that are fully furnished and equipped with full kitchens, available for every student except freshmen.
  • Free shuttle services are offered to upper-class students who opt to live in campus affiliated off-campus housing.

Programs

  • BSU offers 22 undergraduate degrees, 19 master’s degree programs, and 2 doctoral degree programs. 14 certificate programs are also offered.
  • The most popular disciplines studied at BSU include Business Administration and Management, Radio and Television Broadcasting Technology and Criminal Justice.
  • The university also runs an Entrepreneurship Academy that helps innovative students bring to life their business ideas or become problem solvers in top establishments
  •  Four colleges at the university take charge of delivering programs in 19 subject areas to students. The colleges are College of Arts and Science; College of Education; College of Business; and College of Professional Studies
  • 53 programs at BSU are provided by the 4 colleges under this university:
    • College of Arts & Sciences
    • College of Business
    • College of Education
    • College of Professional Studies
  • The College of Business at BSU offers an in-depth MBA program with courses in accounting, management, finance, and marketing. M.S. degrees are offered in computer science, Applied and Computational Mathematics.

Application Process

  • Application Portal: Official University website
  • Application Fee: 40 USD for International Students and 50 USD for doctoral programs application

Student Class Profile:

  • Total Enrolment: 6,320; Undergraduate Enrolment: 5,308; Graduate Enrolment: 1,012
  • Percentage of Male Students: 39%; Percentage of Female Students: 61%
  • Average SAT Scores: 940 (Math: 460; Reading+ Writing: 480)
  • Average GPA of entering students (undergraduate level): 2.53
  • Supporting Documents Required: 
    • Affidavit of Financial Support/ Bank Statement, etc
    • Immigration Requirements (F1 Visa),
    • Proof of English Proficiency,
    • High School Official Transcripts, 
    • Completed Application Form,
    • Overall Graduation Rate: 42% ; Retention Rate: 68%
  • Application Deadlines: 
    • Fall Intake – February 1
    • Spring Intake – November 1

  • Accepted English tests and minimum requirements

    • TOEFL: Minimum score of 500 (173 for the computer-based test and 213 for graduate applicants) and (73 or higher for the internet test)

    • IELTS: Minimum band score of 5 or above

Cost of Attendance

Type of Expense Cost for undergraduate students/ annum (in USD) Cost for Graduate Students/ annum (in USD)
Tuition 19,136 19,912
Room and Board (living on campus) 11,476 11.476
Books and Supplies 1,250 1,250
Loan Fees 48 426
Miscellaneous and Personal Expense 1,600 1,600

Note: Tuition fees are calculated by 12+ credits

Financial Aid for International Students

  • International students are not eligible for federal financial aid but may qualify for certain academic scholarships, external scholarships, and part-time jobs.
  • The average need-based scholarship/ grant per student is 7,416 USD/ student.
  • Students need to apply separately for individual scholarships or grants from the official university website.
  • Approximately 86% of the full-time undergraduate students at BSU receive some form of financial aid.
  • Around 85.8% of students at BSU apply for need-based financial aid. Out of this, 17.4% of the students had their need fully met.
  • Some of the scholarships available are:
    • Graduate Merit Scholarship: This scholarship is open to all new and returning full-time graduate students. It is an automatic scholarship and the minimum criterion for consideration is a GPA of 3.75. The scholarship amount is USD
    • Undergraduate Merit Scholarship: The Undergraduate Merit Scholarship is an automatic scholarship that is open to all new and returning full-time undergraduate students at Bowie State University. The scholarship amount is 3,000 USD and a minimum GPA of 3.00 is required for scholarship consideration 
    • BSU Institutional Scholarship: Interested students must apply for an AcademicWorks Scholarship, fill an application, and write an essay to be eligible for this scholarship. It is open to all new and returning full-time students  and the scholarship amount varies based on funding and student eligibility
    • BSU Assist Scholarship: In this scholarship, sophomores are awarded up to 1,100 USD, juniors up to 1,200 USD, and seniors up to 1,500 USD. The minimum requirement for consideration is a 2.5 GPA.

Alumni

  • The BSU National Alumni Association helps alumni members stay connected with other alumni members and current students.

  • Alumni benefits at Bowie State University include:

    • Networking with other alumni as well as current students
    • Access to annual alumni events
    • Information, tickets, and access to class reunions
    • Volunteering and mentoring opportunities
  • Notable alumni members of BSU are Tony Braxton (singer), Christa McAuliffe (astronaut), Isaac Redman (American Footballer)

Placement

  • BSU organizes annual career expo fairs to connect their students with potential employers.
  • Some employers who visit on campus for recruitments are Providence Centre Inc, Maryland State Government, Kearney & Company.