Three students talking outside with the Mandel Center for Humanities in the background

Students admitted to the midyear class have a unique opportunity to pursue experiences that other students may not enjoy until later in their college careers. There is no single roadmap for midyear students, and the best advice we can give is to follow your interests and take advantage of your independence. 

Midyear students typically spend their fall semester in one of a variety of pursuits that they and their families feel will provide them with a productive and fulfilling experience before entering Brandeis. Some find jobs or internships, while others take classes at a college or university near their home. Some students have used the time to study in another part of the country or the world. The Brandeis community is vastly enriched when midyear students bring these experiences with them to campus.

Some midyear students have spent their fall semester:

  • On Capitol Hill working for their congressperson
  • Fundraising for worthy social-service organizations
  • Working in their synagogue or church
  • Volunteering or working in a hospital
  • Interning at a museum
  • Volunteering for a suicide prevention and emotional support call line
  • Volunteering on a kibbutz
  • Working at a local news station
  • Studying abroad in Florence or London

Some internships or volunteer opportunities lead students to discover what they want to study when they get to Brandeis. Take Gabriel Torres Houser ’23, whose internship inspired him to consider environmental studies.

Torres Houser, a native of Quito, Ecuador, spent his fall semester with Sembrana, a company that installs and manages vertical and urban vegetable gardens. Torres Houser had a paid internship with the company’s technical team installing gardens in homes.

"I’m really glad I got my midyear experience because I not only learned a lot, but also learned things I never thought I'd learn," Torres Houser says. "It was also nice to get a break from schoolwork and be able to go into the semester strong."

Taking Courses Before Enrolling at Brandeis

Midyear students may enroll in a non-degree-seeking program at a regionally accredited, degree-granting institution prior to matriculating at Brandeis. The Office of the University Registrar at Brandeis can help you determine, before you enroll in fall classes, whether you will receive credit for such coursework and whether those courses will fulfill Brandeis academic requirements.

Fall Midyear Programs

Brandeis works with two fall off-campus study programs that are tailored specifically to meet the academic and social interests of all Midyear students. Currently, Brandeis affiliates with programs in London, run by Arcadia University's College of Global Studies, and Florence, run by CET Academic Programs. Students spend this semester taking courses that will transfer for credit upon arriving on campus in the spring. 

Learn more about Midyear Programs