Brandeis University

Last Updated: Oct 23, 2019

Highlights

Test–optional policy enables students to submit SAT or ACT scores, three other approved exams, or an academic portfolio.
Promotes learning, critical thinking, and global improvement, with all values rooted in the Jewish faith.
Brandeis biology professors were awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.

Overview

Brandeis University was founded in 1948 by the Jewish community during challenging times for minorities in higher education. The university was named for Louis Dembitz Brandeis, who was the first Jewish justice of the United States Supreme Court. Brandeis began with 107 students instructed by 13 faculty members in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Brandeis’ Rabb School of Continuing Studies provides online access to higher education for its student population. Rabb’s Graduate Professional Studies division effectively engages students using trained faculty and small class sizes, averaging 12 students per section. Brandeis University’s distance education offerings began in 1992.

Brandeis University Statistics

Public/Private	Private nonprofit
Acceptance Rate	31%
Percentage Receiving Grant or Scholarship Aid	62%
Student–to–Faculty Ratio	10:1
Full–Time Freshman Retention Rate	94%
Graduation Rate	90%
Required Standardized Test(s)	SAT or ACT
Accreditation	Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Date Founded	1948
Colors	White and Brandeis blue

Brandeis University Accreditation, Tuition, and Admissions Info

Accreditation and Approvals

Brandeis University is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE).

Tuition

Program Level	Cost
Undergraduate	$55,340 per academic year
Undergraduate Fee	$1,846
New Student Fee	$375

Admissions

Brandeis University requires a common application and official high school transcripts, including official grades from years 9–11. SAT or ACT scores are optional, but Brandeis requires a recommendation letter from an educator who has instructed the applicant in a core course.

Transfer students must submit additional transcripts for post–high school and university academic work. Applicants must also submit a recommendation letter from a former professor from a core course. While score submission is recommended, transfer students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores. The $80 application fee applies to all students seeking admission.