Admission and Application Process FAQs

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Program and Testing Requirements

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, a curriculum vitae/resume, transcripts of all past academic work completed to date and letters of recommendation (typically two or three). Your program may also require standardized test score results, a writing sample, portfolio, audition, and/or interview. Please visit your department to see specific requirements by program.

If I tell you my test scores and grade-point average, can you tell me my chances for admission?

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.

Do I have to have an undergraduate major in the same area as the graduate program in which I wish to study?

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.

Must I have already earned a master's degree before applying to the Ph.D. program?

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.  Please note that the Ph.D. Program in Anthropology only accepts applicants directly from their M.A. program.

What are the minimum standardized test scores 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.

Must I submit official standardized score reports?

The faculty can review unofficial copies of your GRE, TOEFL, Miller Analogy Test, and GMAT 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 and MCAT test scores. All scores will be verified with the appropriate testing agency.

What are the institutional codes for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences?

3261 for official TOEFL scores; no department code is necessary.
3092 for official GRE scores; no department code is necessary.
1197 for official Miller Analogy Test scores.
IELTS and MCAT do not have an institutional code; you may submit copies of these scores.

Is there a revised version of the GRE?

Yes, ETS is releasing a revised version of the GRE exam effective August 1, 2011. To learn more about the changes to the GRE please visit the ETS website. Please note that the following scoring changes: the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning score scale is changing from 200-800 to 130-170. The Analytical Writing will stay the same, scored on a 0-6 scale.

If I take the new version of the GRE exam when will you receive my scores?

If you take the revised exam between August and September 2011 your scores will not be released by ETS until mid-November. Please pay attention to your program’s application deadline to ensure your GRE scores will be received in time for the department to review your application.

For a detailed schedule of the dates ETS is hoping to release score reports to institutions please visit the ETS website.

Will Brandeis accept score reports for the older version of the GRE?

Yes, scores will continue to be valid for 5 years.

General Application Questions

Am I required to use an electronic application for admission?

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.

How may I check on the status of my application submission?

Approximately five (5) business days after you apply electronically you will receive an email notification with your username and password which will allow you to access your online checklist. The checklist will be updated as we receive documents necessary to complete your application process.

I may be traveling. May I have a family member call to ask questions about my application?

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.

I have not received my username and password; how will I get this?

If you are a current Brandeis student (graduate, undergraduate, or non-degree) or you have applied to Brandeis University in the past, you will not receive an email from us with your user ID and password.  You may log on with your current SAGE ID and password.  If you do not remember your password, please visit SAGE and follow the instructions for retrieving your username and/or password.

It can take approximately five (5) business days to receive your username and password if you apply electronically. It can take more than two (2) weeks to receive your username and password if you apply using a paper application. If it has been longer than the estimated timeframes you may contact our office at gradschool@brandeis.edu for assistance.

If I get supporting documents in late will it negatively impact my application?

Admission to our graduate programs is competitive and some programs admit a select few due to class size limits.  Some programs admit on a rolling basis but it is in your best interest to apply and submit all of the required documents early, particularly if you are applying for financial aid from the program or other sources.  Please make sure that you review the deadline submission date for your program of choice which you can find by visiting your department.

When will I receive an admission decision?

Typically, applicants receive a decision approximately six to eight weeks after the program's deadline.  We strive to notify applicants as soon as possible, but please note that the timeframe may vary by program. While individual programs may inform applicants that they have been recommended for admission, please note that only decisions administered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences are considered to be official.  Admission letters are sent via e-mail. We are unable to release admission decisions via phone.

Letters of Recommendation

How many letters of recommendation do I need?

The required number of letters of recommendation varies among programs. Please visit your department to see specific requirements by program.

How do my referees submit their letters to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences?

The electronic application will ask you to list the names and email addresses of your referees.  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 application. Electronic submission of recommendation letters is strongly preferred. Please note that your referees are only contacted after you submit your completed application, they are not contacted upon entering and saving their information. Please notify your referees that they should expect an email instructing them on how to upload their letters of recommendation once you complete your application.

My recommender misplaced the email with the information on submitting his/her letter of recommendation

We are unable to resend the URL to your recommender, as it is individualized for each recipient and is auto-generated upon submission of the application.  If your recommender misplaced the email, s/he may send the letter directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences via e-mail.

Will you still accept hard-copy letters of recommendations?

Yes, although electronic submission is strongly preferred; submission of hard-copy letters may delay the processing of your application. If your recommender misplaced the email, s/he may send the letter directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences via e-mail. If a paper copy is required you should download and print the PDF of the recommendation form. If your recommenders prefer to submit a hard copy, we ask they use this form so that we know if you have 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, and submitted directly to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at:

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

If you are sending your documents via a carrier who does not ship to P.O. Box addresses (many international carriers) you may use the following address:

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Brandeis University
415 South Street, Kutz 219
Waltham, MA 02454

Transcripts

I uploaded my transcripts to my application; do I still need to mail copies to your office?

Yes, official copies of transcripts are required. Uploading copies of your transcripts with your application will help expedite the review of your application. However, all transcripts uploaded by applicants are considered “unofficial” copies. You must request that your school mail official copies directly to our office or you may forward official copies to our office providing they are in a sealed envelope from your school.  Your admission decision may be delayed if you do not submit official copies of your transcripts. 

Where do I send my transcript(s)?

All transcripts should be sent directly from the university or college attended in a sealed envelope.  The transcript(s) should be mailed to:

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

If you are sending your documents via a carrier who does not ship to P.O. Box addresses (many international carriers) you may use the following address:

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Brandeis University
415 South Street, Kutz 219
Waltham, MA 02454

Do I need to submit transcripts for all courses taken? What about a summer course or study-abroad programs?

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.

Does my transcript have to be in English?

Yes. All transcripts must be in English, or if you are submitting an official transcript from an international school you must include a certified English translation of the transcript.

Can my file be reviewed with unofficial transcripts?

Yes, to expedite the review of your admission file, it is highly recommended that you upload copies of your transcripts with your application. However, official copies will be required to formalize your offer of admission. Transcripts uploaded to your application will not be considered official. All degree candidates must submit a final transcript indicating successful completion of an undergraduate degree before registering for their first semester.

My admission letter states that I must submit my final official transcripts but I already submitted them.

Your final official transcript must include the degree that you earned and the date the degree was conferred. Many students will submit official transcripts from their school that are not considered final because they do not list the degree information. Please ensure that you submit the final official transcript to avoid delays in your registration process.

Application Fee

What is the application fee?

Click here for information about the application fee.

May I pay the application fee by credit card?

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.

Is it possible to obtain a waiver for the application fee?

If you feel your current circumstances warrant a fee waiver, please send a paragraph explaining your extenuating circumstances to Jaclyn Farina, Assistant Director for Admission Operations.  Please note that fee waivers are approved on a case-by-case basis and not all fee waiver requests will be granted.  This process should be completed before you apply online as applications submitted online without payment will be placed in a pending file until a payment is received or a fee waiver is granted.

Application fee waivers are given to Fulbright scholars; Institute for the Recruitment of Teacher scholars; Ronald McNair scholars; AmeriCorps volunteers; Peace Corps volunteers; Summer Institute for Literacy and Cultural Studies at Wheaton College participants; SACNAS members; ABRCMS members; and employees, current students, and graduates of Brandeis University.

What happens if I don't include an application fee or get approved for a fee waiver?

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

May a colleague pay the fee on my behalf?

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.

Additional Supporting Documents

How long should my statement of purpose be?

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 program at Brandeis.  You should consult your department for specific details on its contents. Please remember to include your name and proposed program on all pages of the statement. The statement must be submitted electronically when you complete the application for admission online.  Documents should be uploaded in PDF format. This is preferable for the admission committee.  If you are unable to upload documents in PDF format, you may also use .doc, .docx, and .rtf. Other file types will be unreadable. Please do not email us or mail to us a copy of your uploaded documents. Doing so will delay the processing of your application.

How long should my writing sample be?

Writing sample requirements vary by department. Please visit your department to see specific requirements by program. In all cases, please make sure your name is on the first page of the sample and although electronic submission is strongly preferred, if you are submitting a paper copy, that the sample is stapled securely. Documents should be uploaded in PDF format. This is preferable for the admission committee.  If you are unable to upload documents in PDF format, you may also use .doc, .docx, and .rtf. Other file types will be unreadable. Please do not email us or mail to us a copy of your uploaded documents. Doing so will delay the processing of your application.