Office of Study Abroad

Application Process & Deadlines

You will need to complete two applications for study abroad to be eligible to study off-campus:

  • Brandeis online study abroad application
  • Your external study abroad program's application

Brandeis Study Abroad Application Deadline

  • Thursday, February 13, 2025: Deadline for Fall 2025, Spring 2026 and full Academic Year 2025-26
    • All application materials are due by 11:59 p.m.
  • Applications for all Oxford Colleges (2025-26) and Arcadia/IFSA King's College Fall 2025/Year 2025-26 are due Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.

Application Decision Notification

The study abroad application decisions will be posted in early March. The Study Abroad Application Review Committee will review each application and consider it in terms of the selection criteria. Once the committee has reached its decision, you will receive an email with its decision.

Application Overview

The Brandeis application consists of the following pieces:

1. The Proposed Courses Abroad form allows students to outline how their semester or year abroad aligns with their academic plans at Brandeis. Students will receive access to this form when they open a study abroad application.

 

 

2. Budget Worksheet: This worksheet allows students to create a draft budget for their study abroad program. Any student receiving financial aid will also need to attend a workshop hosted by Student Financial Services.

3. Emergency Contact Information

4. Short Answer Questions. Students will be asked to answer (for primary and, if applicable, alternate program):

a. Academics Abroad (at least 200 words)

  • What are your academic and intellectual goals for study abroad?
  • Why do the courses you proposed on your Academic Proposal of Study form interest you and how do they complement your studies at Brandeis?
  • What do you know about the academic environment of your program and why is this the best match for you academically? (For example, are you taking courses in a large lecture hall or in small, field-based courses?)
b. Culture and History (at least 200 words)

  • What differences do you expect to encounter between your culture and your prospective host culture?

  • Share something you have learned about the colonial history of the location in which you hope to study abroad.

  • What are some current issues related to power and privilege in your host country?

c. Resiliency Abroad (at least 100 words)
  • What do you believe will be your biggest challenge while abroad? What will you do to prepare for this challenge and how will you manage it while abroad?
d. Reflection and Preparation (at least 200 words)

  • Think about your identities (race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, citizenship, ability, religion, socioeconomic status, etc.) and how you understand these aspects of yourself. How might these identities be impacted by or impact your study abroad experience?

  • If you could jump ahead in time, what do you hope you gained from studying abroad? How do you plan to move beyond being a tourist and engage with your host community and culture?
e. Term of Study and Rationale

  • Studying abroad in the spring can often be more competitive than studying abroad in the fall. Given the need to balance the number of students going abroad during a given semester, would you consider studying abroad during a different semester than the one indicated on your application? You may expand upon your answer if you would like.

The Statement of Agreement is your acknowledgement of awareness of Brandeis study abroad policies and procedures.

Community Agreements for Study Abroad reviews our cultural integration and housing philosophy and asks students to confirm their academic and conduct standing at Brandeis.

Sachar Scholarship Eligibility: This questionnaire will ask if you receive need-based financial aid and if you are interested in being considered for a Sachar Study Abroad Scholarship.

For Fall/Academic Year Applicants:

1. External Program Advisor Approval (Fall and Academic Year students; spring applicants will complete this at a later date): As part of the external application process, many study abroad programs have either an electronic or paper Study Abroad Advisor Approval / Home School Nomination form that requires a signature from our office before you will be accepted to their program.

2. External Application Submitted — Fall and Academic Year: Fall and Academic Year applicants are required to submit their external program applications by the Brandeis deadline (your program deadline may come earlier).

For Oxford and Japanese exchange programs only: A recommendation. In this case, in the online application you can email a request for a Brandeis faculty member to fill out a recommendation form. However, since this email is automatically generated through the online system, we suggest that you first personally contact your recommender and inform them that they will receive the email request from the Office of Study Abroad. 

Please schedule an appointment with the Office of Study Abroad if you want to open a study abroad application. More information regarding the sections of the application is available in your individual Brandeis online study abroad account.