Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program

Hornstein alumni find employment in a wide variety of Jewish communal institutions, both well-established and "start-ups". They include federations, JCCs, synagogues, family foundations, Jewish education settings, camps and Hillels. Hornstein boasts an exemplary job placement rate and has a supportive alumni network in North America and beyond.

Hornstein does not currently require applicants to take the GRE exam. If you would like to strengthen your application, you may consider taking the GRE and submitting your scores. However, your application will receive full consideration even if you are unable to take the exam.

Please note: For applicants to MA/MBA or MA/MPP, the GRE or GMAT is optional, though The Heller School is still encouraging applicants to submit scores to strengthen their application, if possible. In the absence of any demonstration of quantitative ability, it is suggested that you take a supplementary course in Statistics, Econ, or Algebra, for example, that includes a marker of performance, and submit that along with your application. For more information about the GRE, call 609-771-7670 or visit the website. The Brandeis code is 3092; no department code is necessary. For more information about the GMAT, call 609-771-7330, 800-462-8669 or visit the website. The Brandeis school code is 3FD-1Z-02.

Students may choose to do field work over the summer and/or during the academic year. Students choosing the summer option have gone as far as Israel, Canada and California. For others wishing to stay in the area over the summer or during the academic year, Boston offers a wide range of dynamic organizations such as federations, JCCs, Hillels, community relations organizations, camping institutions, synagogues and educational institutions. 

Yes. There are special procedures related to admissions for international students as well as specific U.S. government regulations and policies concerning entry into the country and student conduct while here.

To assist international students before and after arrival on campus, Brandeis University's International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) is available to help.

International applicants whose native language is not English or who have not graduated from an English-speaking institution within an English-speaking country must submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS), or Pearson Test of English (PTE-Academic). Test scores should not be more than two years old.

The GSAS TOEFL school code is 3261. Students who have graduated from a university in the following English-speaking countries (USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand) are exempt from the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE requirement. Minimum scores for each exam are:

• 600 (paper-based TOEFL)
• 250 (computer-based TOEFL)
• 100 (Internet-based TOEFL)
• 7 (IELTS)
• 68 (PTE)

You may submit a photocopy of your score report to expedite the review of your application, but an official report sent directly from ETS, IELTS or PTE must be received to finalize any offer of admission.

The size of any incoming Hornstein class is, on average, 12 students. Students come to Hornstein from a variety of professional and religious backgrounds. While it is best to have had some work experience prior to coming to Hornstein, some students enter the program with little professional experience, while others, perhaps pursuing a career change, enter later in life. Hornstein prides itself on fostering a pluralistic community and embraces any level of Judaic knowledge.

Hornstein students take four to five classes a semester and participate in numerous co-curricular activities, many of which the students plan themselves. Classes are chosen with the student's Hornstein faculty advisor.

Course offerings

Please see the Graduate School's Cost of Attendance Calculator for a complete breakdown of costs, including the required summer semester, additional fees, and estimated living expenses.

To encourage the most talented students, the Hornstein Program considers all applicants for many full and partial scholarships. Additionally, many national foundations and other organizations offer scholarships and should be examined carefully for their specific requirements and deadlines. Of particular note are:

• Wexner Graduate Fellows/Davidson Scholars Program: Deadline — Usually the first week of January

In general, Brandeis University does not provide on-campus housing for graduate students. There is housing for international students on a limited basis. Typically, students live in various communities around Boston, depending on their needs and financial constraints. Some popular areas include Brookline, Brighton, Cambridge, Allston, Somerville, Watertown and Waltham. Office of Graduate Affairs holds a house-hunting weekend in July and maintains a graduate student housing listserve to share information.

The following are helpful online resources to assist you with finding housing in Boston. Please note that they are not affiliated with the University in any way so we cannot attest to their quality.

• Boston Jews - Apartments/Housing/Roommates (Facebook Group)

• Jump Off Campus

• Roommates.com

• Craigslist Boston

• Boston Apartments

• Apartmentlist.com

• RentLingo

• HousingList.com

Yes. Many students have part-time jobs, often at local synagogues, area Jewish agencies, or on campus. However, students should consider carefully the rigors of course work, field experience, travel and co-curricular activities before taking on the additional commitment of paid employment. Generally, we do not recommend that students work more than 10 hours per week. Students interested in on-campus employment opportunities should visit the Brandeis Student Financial Services Job Opportunities webpage. Additionally, the Hornstein Office often receives postings from synagogues and other organizations which we post over the summer and throughout the year. Finally, if you are an international student, special regulations apply. Please visit the Brandeis International Students and Scholars Office website for more information.