Brandeis University (also known as Brandeis) is a private research university located in Waltham, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1948 and is named after Louis Brandeis, the first Jewish US Supreme Court Justice. Since its inception at the site of the former Middlesex University, Brandeis has operated as a non-sectarian, coeducational institution supported by the American Jewish community. The university is known for accepting faculty and students from all faiths and races during a period when Jews, other ethnic and racial minorities, and women, experienced prejudice in higher education.
True to its commitment to cultural and social diversity, Brandeis served as the epicenter of student activism and anti–Vietnam War protests during the counterculture movement of the 1960s in the US. Situated only 9 miles west of Boston, Brandeis’ campus sprawls 235 acres. It houses over 100 academic and residential buildings. While the primary academic focus of the university is on liberal arts, it offers programmes across numerous disciplines.
Brandeis is counted among the best universities in the US and has been ranked highly by reputed international publications. For example, the US News & World Report 2022 placed the university 44th and 320th on its lists of ‘Best National Universities’ and ‘Best Global Universities’, respectively. The Academic Ranking of World Universities 2022 ranked Brandeis 86-106 in the US and 301-400 in the world.
The university’s list of alumni is an illustrious one. It is composed of recipients of the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur Fellowship, Academy Award, and Emmy Award, along with several governors of states, US Congressmen, diplomats, and foreign heads of state, among others. Keep reading for more details about courses, faculty, fees, and more at Brandeis University.
Courses and Research at Brandeis University
Brandeis University offers 44 majors and 51 minors at the undergraduate level, along with over 70 postgraduate programmes. Some of the fields of study in which these courses are offered are arts, business & management, engineering and technology, humanities, life sciences, medicine, natural sciences, and social sciences, among others. These degrees are provided through Brandeis’ five constituent schools. They are:
- Brandeis University College of Arts and Sciences
- Brandeis International Business School
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management
- Rabb School of Summer and Continuing Studies
Apart from these five schools, the university has over 30 independent centres and institutes that oversee its research activities. Brandeis also houses state-of-the-art research facilities: Confocal Imaging Lab, Electron Microscopy Facility, Getz Media Lab, High-Performance Computer Cluster, Maker Lab, Microfluidics Fabrication Facility, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Also, the university’s total R&D expenditure in 2020 was over US$ 63 million.
Owing to its research prowess, Brandeis is categorised as an ‘R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity’ by the Carnegie Classification of Higher Education Institutions. In addition to the extensive course offerings from the university, students receive education from some of the best faculty (numbering nearly 570) worldwide: 95 percent hold terminal degrees and perform groundbreaking research in their respective fields.
For example, Michael Rosbash, a professor of biology, and Jeffrey Hall, a professor emeritus of biology at Brandeis University, were jointly awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries of the molecular mechanisms regulating circadian rhythms, the internal biological clock that governs nearly all life on Earth. Brandeis University is also a part of the Boston Consortium, which enables students to cross-register for classes at other universities like Tufts University, Boston College, and Boston University, among others.
Admission Requirements
Nearly 5,600 students (undergraduate and graduate), from all US states and over 80 countries, are currently enrolled at Brandeis University, Boston. It has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, with 57 percent of classes having a strength of 20 or lesser; the university’s acceptance rate is 34 percent. We will discuss the enrolment requirements and process for undergraduate and graduate programmes in this section.
Undergraduate Admissions
Students seeking admission to undergraduate courses at Brandeis University must apply through the Common Application. The Common Application (via the Common App platform) is an online undergraduate application that over 1000 colleges and universities in the US, Canada, Japan, and some European countries accept. Below are some of the admission requirements for international applicants.
- Completed Common Application
- Application fee (US$ 80)
- Official copies of all high school transcripts
- School report and letter of recommendation from a secondary school official
- Letter of recommendation from a teacher (from high school attended)
- Standardised test scores
- Official English proficiency scores (TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Assessment, or Duolingo)
Note: Additional program-specific requisites may also be sought. Information on the same, along with important deadlines, can be found on the university’s official website.
Graduate Admissions
The enrolment requisites and procedures vary for different graduate courses. It is dependent on the college/school offering the chosen programme. However, some of the common prerequisites for international students are mentioned below.
- An online application
- An application fee
- Transcripts from all universities and colleges attended
- Letters of recommendation
- Curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé
- A statement of purpose indicating your reasons for undertaking graduate study
- Standardised test score (GRE or GMAT)
- Official English proficiency scores
Applicants can visit the university’s official website to learn more about the school/college-specific admission requirements, application process, and deadlines.
Fees and Scholarships
The estimated annual cost of attendance for an undergraduate programme at Brandeis University is US$ 79,414 (inclusive of tuition, student activity fee, room, and board). Other expenses include new student fees (US$ 400), international student fee (US$ 213/semester), graduation fee (US$ 50), and health insurance premium (US$ 3,509). The annual cost of attendance for graduate courses is dependent on the programme chosen and the school offering it.
The Office of Student Financial Services strives to ensure that all Brandeis students have access to the resources they need in order to pursue a world-class education. The office provides assistance in a variety of ways, from helping students apply for financial aid through scholarships, grants, fellowships, and work-study programmes to working with families on payment plans and private loans. Aspirants can learn more about the detailed fee structures for different programs and the various financial aid options that can be availed on Brandeis’ official website.
Careers and Placements
At Brandeis, the staff at the Career Strategies and Engagement Centre (CSE) are highly experienced professionals who are dedicated to helping students achieve their career goals. The team at the CSE has a wealth of knowledge and resources that they use to help students find success in their professional lives. They provide one-on-one counseling sessions as well as group workshops on various career-oriented topics such as interviews, networking, and so on.
Besides CSE, the Office of Student Financial Services also provides job opportunity listings as they become available throughout the year. This platform is intended for Brandeis University students only.
So, if you wish to pursue your education in the US at an institution that is renowned for its cultural diversity, academic excellence, and research facilities, then Brandeis University is the place for you. We hope this article has provided you with all the information you require to consider applying to this institution. All the best!