<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000840883</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BTU INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BTUI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001224713</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHU JEFFREY C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Options (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>1.95</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-19</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-05-19</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2732</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>1.95</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-04-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-04-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2732</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14993</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Options (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>1.95</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-19</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-05-19</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>1.95</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-16</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-05-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15993</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">250 shares on 05/16/2004
250 shares on 05/16/2005
250 shares on 05/16/2006
250 shares on 05/16/2007</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Jeffrey C. Chu</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

