BioRender Request
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Who is eligible for BioRender Premium at the subsidized cost?
A: Active full- or part-time BU faculty and staff are eligible. Active students are also eligible, but only if an eligible faculty or staff member submits them and pays for their license.
Q: How much does BioRender Premium cost?
A: The departmental cost is $135 per user. It covers use from January 13, 2026 through January 12, 2027. BU subsidizes the rest.
Q: Do I need BioRender Premium, or is the free version enough?
A: The free version may work for basic educational use. It limits you to 5 figures and doesn’t include permission to publish in journals, among other limitations. See BioRender’s pricing page for the full comparison. You can create a free account and sign in at app.biorender.com/user/signin. If BU has granted you Premium access, use the BU sign-in page below instead.
Q: How do I request BioRender Premium and pay for it?
A: Faculty and staff can request a license for themselves or for other eligible people through the BioRender Request Site. Follow the steps under Getting Started above. The site also has video instructions on each page and in its Help section. If you have questions about requesting a license or the ISR payment process, contact the Service Desk at 617-358-1111.
Q: Once my license is approved, how do I sign in to BioRender?
A: Go to app.biorender.com/portal/boston-university. It redirects to the BU login page. Everyone on an approved request receives these instructions by email.
Q: I already paid BioRender directly for a Premium license. Can I get a refund and sign up through BU instead?
A: Yes. Contact BioRender SUP-P-Ort to request a prorated refund for yourself or your lab’s users.
Q: I already have a BioRender account. What happens to my existing content when I sign in through BU?
A: If you created your account with your @bu.edu email address, your existing content merges automatically when you sign in from the BU page. If you used a non-BU email address, you can share your content to your new BU account. You can then keep the old account or ask BioRender support to remove it.
Q: Can I sign up partway through the year? Is the cost prorated?
A: Yes. Prorated license rates are $67.50 through November 30, 2026, and $45 from December 1, 2026–January 12, 2027. Beginning January 13, 2027, the standard license rate will apply. The renewal process will be announced before then.
Q: How do I transfer a license to another person?
A: If someone leaves BU, for example, email bumchelp@bu.edu. Include the BU email address of the person who no longer needs the license and the person who will receive it.
Q: How does annual renewal work?
A: BUMC IT emails renewal instructions to the people who submitted requests, typically by early December.
Q: I didn’t renew my Premium license. Can I use BioRender’s free plan or buy my own license?
A: Yes. Contact BioRender support and ask them to remove your BU license. Then you can use the free plan or buy your own subscription.
Q: What happens to my illustrations if I lose Premium access through BU?
A: If you don’t renew at the Premium level directly with BioRender. your account moves to the free plan. You can still see all your illustrations, but you can open and edit only your 5 most recent ones at a time. Delete some to free up more. If you subscribe to Premium again later, you can open and edit all of them.
