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Frequently Asked Questions

Please read this list for the answers to our most frequently asked questions. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please e-mail us.

Should I Apply?

What are the minimum requirements for admission?

The requirements vary among programs. All candidates must submit, with their application form and application fee, a statement of purpose, transcripts of academic work completed to date and at least two letters of recommendation. Many programs require a third letter of recommendation and the results of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE.) Your program may also require a writing sample, portfolio or audition, and most programs find a resume or curriculum vitae useful. See a listing of requirements for your program.

No, the faculty cannot assess your chances for admission without reviewing your entire file. Your statement of purpose and your letters of recommendation play a great role in the application process.

International applicants whose native language is not English or who have not previously attended an  English-speaking institution must submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). TOEFL scores should not be more than two years old.

The GSAS TOEFL school code is 3261.  Students who attended an English-speaking university are exempt from the TOEFL or IELTS requirement.  Minimum scores for each exam are:

• 600 (paper-based TOEFL)
• 250 (computer-based TOEFL)
• 100 (internet-based TOEFL
• 7 (IELTS)

You may submit a photocopy of your score report to expedite the review of your application, but an official report sent directly from ETS or IELTS must be received to finalize any offer of admission.

Please contact David Cotter, assistant dean for admissions, if you feel that you have extenuating circumstances that may exempt you from this requirement.

What is the minimum GRE score required for admission? What is the minimum GPA required for admission?

There are no GPA or standardized test score cutoffs. Applicants are considered holistically on the basis of a number of factors. For more information about the GRE, contact www.gre.org.

In most cases, previous work as an undergraduate major or as a formal minor (18 credits or more) is desirable. However, a student should always check with the departmental chair or director of graduate studies concerning the suitability of her/his previous academic work as it pertains to the degree program in question.

Students may apply directly to a Ph.D. program after completion of their baccalaureate degree. Matriculated students who have a master's degree may apply for transfer credit. The Graduate School will accept a maximum of one year's worth of credit. The decision to accept any credit will be made after the first semester of enrollment in the Graduate School.

If you wish to authorize another person to inquire on your behalf about the status of your application, you must write, sign and submit a statement to this effect. The Graduate School will not release information about your application to anyone without your written consent.

How Do I Apply?

We strongly prefer that you apply electronically. This method allows us to process your application immediately upon submission. Paper applications arrive in the mail and then must be data-entered into our system. Processing time for paper applications can be twice as long as the time needed for the processing of electronic applications. 

If, however, you cannot submit an electronic application, you may  download and print a paper application (PDF). Please remember to type or print when completing the application.

I will apply electronically. Where do I send my transcripts and letters of recommendation?

Please submit the signed, sealed envelopes containing letters of reference and official transcripts to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in one large envelope. You should also include your writing sample (if required) and your statement of purpose and curriculum vitae (if not submitted electronically.) The mailing address is:

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
MS 031 Brandeis University
PO Box 9110
Waltham, MA 02454

Occasionally, referees and undergraduate programs prefer to submit their letters and transcripts directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. This is acceptable and will cause no problem.

The Educational Testing Services will send the results of official GRE (code 3092) and TOEFL (code 3261) scores directly to the Graduate School.

I will apply with a paper application. Should I also submit all of my credentials to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in one envelope?

Yes, you should follow the same procedure as outlined above. Be sure to include your application form and fee.

The required number of letters of recommendation varies among programs. Click for a listing of requirements for your program.

The electronic application will ask you to list the names and email addresses of your recommenders.  Once you  apply, we will contact your referees via email.  Each referee will be directed to a secure website to upload a document to your file.  Electronic submittal of recommendation letters is preferred.

Yes. You may do so by downloading and printing a PDF of the recommendation form. You should download and print this form for each person who will write a letter of recommendation. If your recommenders prefer ato submit a hard copy, we ask they use this form so that we know if you've waived your rights to read the recommendation, although we will accept letters without the form. All letters of recommendation should be submitted in signed, sealed envelopes.

The statement of purpose should be one to three pages. It should clearly state your reasons for applying to graduate school and your specific interests in the graduate programs at Brandeis. Please remember to include your name and proposed program on all pages of the statement. The statement may be submitted electronically when you complete the application for admission online.

Writing sample requirements vary by department. For information about requirements for your intended degree program, please visit Deadlines and Requirements.  In all cases, please make sure your name is on the first page of the sample and that the sample is stapled securely.

You should submit official transcripts for all institutions at which you spent at least one semester. If you took one or two courses over the summer and they were not integral to your major or minor course of study, then we do not need the transcript. If your study-abroad program is notated on your transcript with a list of the courses taken and the grades earned, then we do not need the study-abroad transcript. If the study-abroad grades are not notated on your undergraduate transcript, then you must submit the official study-abroad transcript.

All degree candidates must submit a final transcript indicating successful completion of an undergraduate degree before registering for their first semester.

The faculty can review unofficial copies of your GRE and TOEFL score reports. We cannot, however, offer unconditional admission without the official score reports and immigration documents will not be processed without official score reports. Students may submit copies of their IELTS test scores. All scores will be verified with IELTS.

3261 for official TOEFL scores.
3092 for official GRE scores. No department code is necessary.
IELTS does not have an institutional code.

The application fee is $55.

We can only accept credit card payments via online applications; we cannot accept credit cards with paper applications. Paper applications require cash, check, or money order.

Application fee waivers are given to Fulbright scholars, Institute for the Recruitment of Teacher scholars, Ronald McNair scholars, Venture scholars, AmeriCorps volunteers, Peace Corps volunteers and employees and graduates of Brandeis University. All other international and domestic students must pay the application fee. It is a nonrefundable fee, and it cannot be waived or deferred.

Your application will be placed in a pending file until the fee is received.

Have your colleague send a check in the full amount to the Graduate School. He/she must write your name and birth date on the check. If your name is not written on the check, we may not be able to match the fee with your application. We will place your application in a pending file until the check is received.

The current cost of attendance can be found here.

Each applicant to the PhD programs will be automatically considered for a full-tuition scholarship, plus stipend. A separate application is not required.

Master's candidates may be eligible for need-based and merit-based tuition scholarships of 25 percent to 50 percent. Although teaching fellowships are usually reserved for PhD students, a limited number of assistantships may be awarded to master's candidates in a very few selected programs. It is necessary to file the CSS Profile, available on the College Board web site, to be considered for need-based aid. The CSS code for Brandeis is 0046.

International applicants in Ph.D. programs are eligible for fully funded positions and may be awarded scholarships, fellowships and/or assistantships. Master's candidates are eligible for institutional need-based aid. Applicants for institutional need-based aid must file an International Application for Financial Aid, which will be included with the offer of admission.

For complete information about sources of funding, including loans, please see the GSAS Financial Aid Handbook.

No, we do not need financial documentation until the applicant has accepted an offer of admission. This documentation must be returned with the applicant's acceptance of our offer.

A Visa Declaration Form will be included in your offer of admission. You must complete this form, indicating financial responsibility, and submit it to the Graduate School or Arts and Sciences office at Brandeis University. The form will be mailed to you after it is processed by the office. Please note that we cannot issue the I-20 forms to conditionally admitted students. If a conditional admission is offered pending receipt of official TOEFL and/or GRE score reports, the I-20 will be issued only after the score reports are received in the Graduate School.