PhD Students Transferring to Brandeis With New Faculty
Some new faculty negotiate to bring existing PhD students with them to Brandeis. In some cases PhD students come as visitors and remain enrolled at their previous institutions. In other cases, PhD students transfer to Brandeis. In cases where a student wants to transfer to Brandeis, the Department should notify GSAS Admissions as soon as possible. Admissions will need to know the following information in order to provide instructions to the candidates to submit an application:
- Full Name
- Email Address
- Intended Brandeis program
- Intended entry term (summer, fall, etc.)
Admissions will work closely with the candidate to streamline this process.The application fee will be waived and the candidate will only need to enter identifying information and upload copies of transcripts. The transcripts will assist the Department/Program Admissions committee in assessing whether the candidate is qualified for admission and what courses will count towards Brandeis requirements. Transfer credits will be evaluated by the department and the Registrar’s Office. As part of the application process, it is recommended that departments arrange a time for the candidate to visit campus or be interviewed remotely. If the student is international, admissions will connect them with the ISSO.
Admissions decisions for transfer candidates are made by the Department/Program Admissions Committee. Prior to the candidate receiving an official admission offer, the department needs to confirm the funding source that will be used to support the student and what year of study the student will be entering. GSAS and the Division of Science Graduate Affairs Group, if appropriate, will use this information to predict future support needs and whether the funding for the student comes from a faculty start-up package, the program’s student support budget, faculty grants, or another source. The offer letter for the student will be analogous to the general renewable support language of non-transfer student award letters. If the candidate will start at Brandeis during the summer, GSAS will need the exact start date in order to process their stipend payment. In adherence with the GSAS late admission offer policy, transfer students should be recommended for admission no later than May 1.
Once the student is enrolled, the program should work with the Registrar’s office to update the Workday degree audit to accurately reflect the decisions made about the student’s remaining requirements during the admissions process, and those decisions should be made in writing and sent to the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs. This could include transferring courses from the prior institution, and substituting or waiving requirements. Before waiving TA requirements, the program should consult with GSAS prior to matriculating the student.