Financial Aid and Fellowships
To help students whose records indicate scholarly promise, the university makes available special scholarships and fellowships and a variety of awards and work opportunities. All awards are granted and accepted with the understanding that the student must maintain a superior level of academic progress.
Scholarships
A scholarship is an award on grounds of scholarly ability that will be used exclusively for remission of tuition fees. Full scholarships and partial scholarships are available. Full-scholarship students are liable for all but tuition charges.
Fellowships
A fellowship is an academic award of honor to outstanding students to help them in furthering advanced study, research, and training in teaching. A fellowship recipient must pay tuition unless the award includes a scholarship in an amount covering tuition. Fellowships are paid to students biweekly in the form of a stipend check.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships are available in several programs, especially the science areas. Assistantships are paid to students biweekly in the form of a stipend check
Health Insurance Grants
PhD students who receive full tuition scholarships and fellowships/assistantships are also eligible for a health insurance grant to cover the cost of the individual student health plan offered by the University.
Dean's Fellowship
Brandeis University established the Dean's Fellowship in 1995. This fellowship was created in order to encourage students from groups whose under-representation in the nation's PhD population has been severe and longstanding to pursue doctoral study in the humanities, social sciences and creative arts at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis. The Dean's Fellowship will provide five years of funding with a nine-month stipend, assuming satisfactory academic progress.
Factors considered in eligibility include financial need, first generation status, and/or membership in the traditionally underrepresented group. In order to qualify for the Dean's Fellowship, applicants must be nominated by one of the following programs: American history, anthropology, comparative history, English and American literature, music, Near Eastern and Judaic studies, politics, psychology, or sociology.
Students who wish to be considered for the Dean's Fellowship should express their interest in their statement of purpose include with their application.
Length of Funding
PhD students who receive full tuition scholarships, fellowships/assistantships, and health insurance grants may have them renewed for up to an additional four years based on superior academic performance and satisfactory progress toward the degree. Students should also check with their programs to determine the availability of funds beyond the fifth year.
Ordinarily, no student may hold a scholarship, fellowship or assistantship for more than two years of study for the master's degree, more than three years for the M.F.A. degree.
Students receiving financial aid from Brandeis University, whether in the form of a scholarship, fellowship, or teaching/research assistantship, are required to maintain a superior level of academic progress. Awards may be revoked or reduced at any time for undesirable conduct or poor academic standing. All students contemplating outside employment that would require a significant portion of their time should discuss their intentions with their program adviser.
Outside Sources of Funding
The Graduate School also maintains lists of external funding opportunities, databases and resources.
Need-based Aid
Need-based tuition grants (generally ranging from 25% to 50% of tuition for master's-degree candidates) are available on a limited basis to students who do not receive academic scholarships, and who are enrolled at least half-time. Students may apply for need-based aid by completing the CSS PROFILE which is available on the College Board website. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences CSS code is 0046.
International students will need to complete the International Student Application for Financial Aid to apply for need-based tuition grants.
Loans
Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans and Graduate PLUS Loans are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled at least half time in a degree, certificate or diploma program, and who demonstrate need by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Brandeis code is 002133.
Graduate students may borrow up to $8,500 per year in subsidized money. Post-baccalaureate students may borrow up to $5,500 per year. The maximum aggregate limit for the program (including undergraduate borrowing) is $65,500.
Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans are available to students who are not eligible for subsidized Stafford Loans, based on need. Applicants must still file the FAFSA. Graduate students may borrow up to a maximum of $12,000 a year ($7,000 for independent post-baccalaureate students) with an aggregate maximum of $73,000 in unsubsidized money. Eligible students may borrow from the subsidized and the unsubsidized Stafford programs as long as the annual total does not exceed $20,500.
The Graduate PLUS Loan is a federal loan that allows graduate students to borrow up to their total cost of education less any financial aid received. The student must pass an independent credit review. The PLUS Loan has an origination fee of 2.5% and the interest rate for the 2007-2008 academic year will be a fixed rate of 7.9%.
The terms for the above loan programs are subject to federal legislation and may change. Additional current information is available from the Graduate School.
Students may wish to borrow from other loan programs and are free to choose from the many loans available. Information concerning loans that GSAS students have used in the past is available in the GSAS Financial Aid Handbook. Students wishing to apply for loans should review the Financial Aid Handbook or contact the Graduate School for application materials.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal regulations require that a student receiving federal assistance make satisfactory academic progress in accordance with standards set by the university. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences delegates the responsibility to monitor academic progress to the individual graduate programs. Admission to the Graduate School is valid for one academic year. Graduate programs review students' academic progress and make recommendations for readmission annually. Any student who is readmitted for the following year is considered to be making satisfactory academic progress and is eligible for financial aid from federal sources.