Boston University Campuses: Your Guide to BU

The three main Boston University campuses are Charles River, Fenway, and Medical. Each serves a different role, from undergraduate classes and student residences to professional health education and research.

BU spans Boston rather than fitting within one enclosed campus, so the location of your classes, residence, or appointment shapes your experience, especially when you plan a visit or compare housing.

BU at a Quick Look

Across these locations, the university has 17 schools and colleges and more than 300 programs of study.

1. Charles River Campus: Where Most Visitors First Meet BU

Boston University’s Charles River Campus follows Commonwealth Avenue for nearly two miles, from Kenmore Square toward West Campus. Classrooms, residence halls, libraries, and student gathering places line the same corridor, so students cross busy city blocks between classes, meals, and their rooms.

Start with three places that reveal different sides of campus life

• The Alan and Sherry Leventhal Center, 233 Bay State Road: Undergraduate admissions visits, including information sessions and guided tours, begin at the Leventhal Center and require advance registration. Some sessions reach capacity, so register early.
• George Sherman Union, 775 Commonwealth Avenue: The George Sherman Union is a central gathering place with dining options, student activities, and a convenience store.
• Mugar Memorial Library, 771 Commonwealth Avenue: Mugar has served as BU’s principal humanities and social sciences library since 1966. It also houses the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center and the African Studies Library.

An unexpected architectural detail

At 665 Commonwealth Avenue, BU’s Center for Computing & Data Sciences stands out for its stacked, offset floors. Inside, it houses departments and research in computing and data sciences.

Where students live, eat, and shop

The Charles River Campus holds BU’s largest residence halls:

• Warren Towers, 700 Commonwealth Avenue: Normally home to about 1,800 students in three towers. BU is renovating it one tower at a time, so room availability may change.
• Student Village, 10 Buick Street and 33 Harry Agganis Way: Apartment- and suite-style housing for about 1,760 students past their first year.

Dining halls operate in Warren Towers, at Marciano Commons on Bay State Road, and on West Campus. For books, BU clothing, and gifts, Barnes & Noble at BU sits at 910 Commonwealth Avenue.

2. Fenway Campus: A Different Picture of Student Life

The Fenway Campus lies near the Riverway, away from the Commonwealth Avenue corridor, and became part of BU after the university’s merger with Wheelock College in 2018.

Unlike the Charles River Campus, Fenway offers a more concentrated cluster of residential buildings along streets such as Riverway and Pilgrim Road. A student living on Fenway Campus may still attend most classes along Commonwealth Avenue. BU’s shuttle, The BUS, runs a Fenway route to that corridor from Monday to Saturday, so before choosing a residence, compare its location with your academic buildings and the Fenway shuttle stops.

Residences on the Fenway Campus

• Riverway House, 162 Riverway
• Pilgrim House, 37 Pilgrim Road
• Longwood House, 154 Riverway
• Peabody Hall, 210 Riverway
• Campus Center & Student Residence, 150 Riverway, which also contains the Fenway Campus Center Dining Room

Rooms range from traditional singles to quads, and several buildings also offer suite or semi-suite layouts. Room type, availability, and eligibility depend on BU’s housing process, so check the listings for the academic year you plan to attend.

3. Medical Campus: Where BU Connects Education with Healthcare

Boston University’s Medical Campus is in the South End, near Boston Medical Center. Most people come here for a specific school, department, or research appointment, not a general university tour.

The campus includes three major academic schools:

• Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street.
• Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 635 Albany Street.
• School of Public Health, Talbot Building, 715 Albany Street.

Why the letter codes matter

Many Medical Campus facilities go by a letter code, and a department may list both the letter and the street address:

• L Building: The School of Medicine’s instructional facility.
• K Building: Silvio O. Conte Medical Research Building at 71 East Concord Street.
• W Building: Center for Advanced Biomedical Research at 700 Albany Street.
• X Building: Evans Biomedical Research Center at 650 Albany Street.

Practical insight: If an invitation mentions a code such as L, K, W, or X, check BU’s Medical Campus index before visiting, since the street address alone may not identify the correct entrance.

Can visitors enter Medical Campus buildings?

Access depends on the building and on why you are there. Clinical areas, research laboratories, and teaching rooms may require authorization, so contact the relevant school or department before arriving.

Finding the Right Starting Point for Your BU Visit

BU’s layout raises an unusual question for prospective students: Are you visiting the university generally, or exploring where you may study?

Those are separate goals. If you are not sure which school runs your program, check BU’s academic directory first, then use this guide to find your starting point:

What a Standard BU Tour Does Not Show You

The undergraduate admissions program provides a good introduction, but it has limits:

• Residence halls: Standard admissions tours do not go inside residence halls, but admitted students can tour them at Admitted Student Open Houses in April.
• Tour calendar: Information sessions and guided tours follow BU’s admissions calendar, and tour availability can change during academic breaks.

Getting Between BU’s Three Campuses

On the Charles River Campus, the MBTA Green Line B branch serves several stops near university buildings. The Medical Campus lies farther away in the South End and relies on its own bus routes.

The BUS links the Charles River and Medical Campuses on weekdays, but it serves only the BU community and is not open to the public. Routes and service days vary, and the Terrier Transit app shows the current options.

For visitors planning a visit to Boston University, the practical question is which campus they need to reach first. A private transfer can help families who have appointments at more than one campus on the same day.

Checklist Before You Confirm a BU Appointment

Use this before you confirm an appointment:

• Appointment details: Does your confirmation include the building, entrance, room number, and check-in instructions?
• Accessibility: Have you reviewed BU’s accessible routes and available visitor assistance?
• Travel time: Have you allowed enough time to get between buildings or campuses?

Making the Most of Your First BU Visit

Most families see only one or two BU campuses on a first visit, and that is enough. Plan the day around the campus tied to your program or appointment, then leave the others for later trips such as orientation, a department meeting, or Commencement.