Office of Student Financial Services

Your eligibility for need-based financial aid has been determined according to federal government regulations and university policies governing financial aid programs. Using the information that you reported on the 2024-25 CSS Profile, the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), once available, student and parent tax returns (if submitted to our office prior to review), and other supporting documentation, the Office of Student Financial Services has calculated your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the amount of family financial resources you and your parent(s) are expected to contribute toward your educational costs. (Note: The federal version of the EFC is now called the Student Aid Index, or SAI.)

If you did not, or were unable, to file the 2024-2025 FAFSA prior to receiving their aid offer, we estimated eligibility for federal financial aid as closely as possible using the information provided on the CSS Profile and other supplemental information submitted. The final financial aid offer may vary from the amount initially estimated due to the data on your FAFSA, your and your parent(s)' tax returns, etc. 

Your EFC is not a prediction of how much cash you actually have on hand, nor a value judgment about how much you “ought” to be able to pull from your current income, nor a measure of your liquidity. Rather, it is our best estimate of your capacity to absorb the costs of education over time. The EFC is subtracted from a standard budget of expected educational expenses, or Cost of Attendance (COA). The difference between the EFC and the COA is your maximum eligibility for need-based assistance. Federal law prohibits a student from receiving need-based financial assistance in excess of calculated eligibility as well as need- or non-need-based (e.g., private loans, etc.) financial assistance in excess of the COA. 

In most cases, your EFC consists of a contribution from your income and assets and a contribution from your parent(s)’ income and assets. In cases of divorce or separation, a contribution is normally expected of both biological/ adoptive parents for purposes of institutional grant and from the custodial parent (the parent who provides more than 50% of your financial support) and his or her new spouse, if he or she has remarried, for federal financial aid purposes. (Unmarried biological parents who live together are considered married for purposes of institutional and federal financial aid.) Please note that in determining eligibility for assistance, all assets are assumed to belong to the person who reports the interest and/or dividends earned from those assets on his or her tax return. The formulas used to determine your eligibility expect all students to use 20–25% of their assets each year for educational expenses. Your EFC has been based upon the assumption that the information contained in your financial aid application has been reported accurately to us. The university may request verification of certain application items, including, but not limited to, your and/or your family’s income and assets, your academic-year residency status (i.e., living on campus, off campus or commuting from home/relative’s home), and your sibling(s)’ enrollment/cost of enrollment in an undergraduate program at another postsecondary institution. Please be advised that any changes to the information originally provided to us may result in a revision of your EFC.

If you have qualified to have your aid eligibility determined as an independent student, you may not have an expected parent contribution. In order to be considered independent, you must meet specific federal-government criteria. You may not declare yourself independent for reasons other than those outlined on the FAFSA. Even though you may meet federal criteria for independence and therefore receive federal funds as an independent student, the university requires parental information from all students unless they are orphans or wards of the court (or were wards of the court until age 18) and may, in fact, expect a parent contribution before awarding any institutional funds. 

To be considered for Brandeis financial aid, you must indicate your intent to apply for financial aid on the admissions application and submit required aid applications by the stated deadlines. After admission decisions are released, you will not be able to apply for institutional financial aid. Students can apply for federal financial aid, in the form of student loans or work-study assistance, at any time during the school year.

Demonstrated financial need determines the amount of grant/scholarship assistance offered. Brandeis University meets the full calculated financial need of its students with a combination of need-based grant, loan, and work awards. No more than $19,000 in federal loans will be offered to meet a student's calculated need over their four-year career, which is far below the national average upon graduation.

Financial aid may come from one or more of the sources detailed in the sections below. Your award letter assumes a level of federal and state appropriations that is frequently not finalized at the time the awards are made; therefore, if funds fail to be appropriated as anticipated, offers may have to be reduced or canceled. Your initial financial aid award is tentative and cannot be finalized until you have listed Brandeis University as a recipient of the information on your FAFSA. You may also be required to submit copies of your and/or your parent(s)’ 2022 federal income tax returns to verify the income figures listed on the CSS Profile and FAFSA. In addition, if your FAFSA application is selected for standard verification, you will also be required to submit a Verification Worksheet (available on our website), and to submit signed copies of 2022 Federal Income Tax Returns to verify the income reported on the FAFSA (nonfilers must submit a non-filer statement along with income documentation). You may also be required to sign a statement of educational purpose, and provide proof of identification and/or citizenship status to satisfy the requirements of federal verification. For more information regarding verification deadlines, consequences for non-compliance and notification procedures for verification award changes, please refer to the University Bulletin. Students who do not submit a financial aid application before they have been admitted will be placed on a waiting list for grant and scholarship funds.

Any changes to the information provided and used to determine your eligibility for the initial financial aid award may result in its revision. If any changes to the financial aid award are necessary, you will be notified via a financial aid letter. 

Alumni and Friends Grant

The Alumni and Friends Grant is direct-gift aid from the university that a student does not need to repay. Eligibility for this grant is based on financial need. Generous gifts and donations from alumni, parents, and friends of the university provide funds for this grant, including several endowed grants, as a symbol of their commitment and dedication to future Brandeis graduates. Select students receive recognition of their achievements, generally as part of their financial aid package, as recipients of these special awards. Students may not apply for specific endowed grants; recipients of these awards will be selected and notified by the university.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is a federally and institutionally funded grant program. Brandeis selects recipients who demonstrate significant financial eligibility. This grant is generally awarded only to those students eligible for a Pell Grant. The maximum award is $4,000 per year; however, awards generally do not exceed $1,500.

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is funded by the federal government and provides awards from $740 to $7,395 to eligible undergraduate students. Amounts will be prorated for students enrolled in less than 12 credits each semester. Any amount indicated on the financial aid offer letter is estimated on the basis of the information provided on the CSS Profile application and the federal appropriation levels available at the time of the award. Please note that eligibility for the Pell Grant is limited to 12 semesters.

TEACH Grant

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program is funded by the federal government and provides up to $3,772 per year to students who intend to teach full time in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. To be eligible for this grant, a student must be a U.S. citizen, be an undergraduate or graduate student, be enrolled in coursework necessary to begin a career in teaching (or plan to complete such coursework), have a 3.25 cumulative GPA or have scored in the 75th percentile on at least one admissions test, and complete annual entrance counseling, as well as a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve. If a TEACH Grant recipient does not complete the four-year service obligation within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which the TEACH Grant was awarded, all TEACH Grants received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. This loan must be repaid to the U.S. Department of Education, with interest charged from the date the grant was disbursed. For more information about this award, or to determine eligibility for this grant, students should contact the Office of Student Financial Services.

State Scholarship/Grant

The State Scholarship/Grant is an award from the student’s state of legal residence. Any amount indicated on the financial aid award letter is estimated on the basis of the information provided on the CSS Profile and FAFSA. (Please note that state scholarships require full-time enrollment.) University funds cannot replace any state funds for which a student is eligible but fails to apply, so it is important that the student file the FAFSA prior to the deadline designated by his or her state.

Gilbert Grant

The Gilbert Grant is funding provided to Brandeis University by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university awards this grant to legal residents of Massachusetts who are enrolled full time and qualify for both a Federal Pell Grant and a MASSGrant. The maximum award is $2,500 per year.

Federal Direct Stafford Loan

The Federal Direct Stafford Loan is a low-interest, long-term educational loan available to students. Loan capital is supplied directly by the federal government. The federal government also serves as the guarantor. There are two different forms of this loan: the Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan and the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. Borrowers of the Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan do not have to pay the interest that accrues on this loan while they are in school; instead, the federal government forgives the interest on this portion of the loan. Borrowers of the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan are assessed interest on the loan from the time the loan funds are disbursed. The interest may be deferred and capitalized. For the 2024-25 academic year, the interest rate on both versions of this loan was a fixed rate of 6.53%, and the origination fee, which is deducted from the gross amount of the loan, was 1.057%. Repayment of the principal of the loan is deferred while a student is enrolled in school at least half time. Once a student ceases at least half-time enrollment, he or she enters a grace period of six months. Repayment begins at the conclusion of the grace period.

First-time borrowers of the Federal Direct Stafford Loan must complete the required multiyear Master Promissory Note online, as well as entrance counseling, at studentaid.gov at the beginning of their entering semester upon receipt of correspondence from the Office of Student Financial Services. Loan funds will be tentatively credited to the billing statement pending the completion of the documents mentioned above. Anticipated credits on a student’s account will be canceled if all required forms are not completed.

For more information about this loan, please visit our Stafford Loan page. 

Federal Work-Study (FWS)

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a work program funded by Brandeis and the federal government. Students may work either at an on-campus department or office or at an approved off-campus community-service agency. The FWS allotment is not credited to the student’s account. Instead, students receive a weekly paycheck based upon actual hours worked. FWS awards are generally used toward indirect expenses such as books, supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal spending. Although FWS earnings are taxable, any wages earned under the FWS program will be excluded from the student’s income when he or she is considered for financial aid for the following year. The Federal Work-Study allotment offered to a student represents the maximum gross earnings that he or she may receive. (In some cases, it may be possible to increase the amount of this allotment or to receive funding under the University Employment Program.) A student’s actual earnings will depend upon the availability of hours involved in any given position(s).

Although the Office of Student Financial Services provides students with listings of available positions on campus, it cannot guarantee employment. (Job listings can be viewed online via Workday.) It is the student’s responsibility to secure and maintain a position that will allow him or her to fulfill the work allocation. Any work allocation not earned by the end of the academic year will be forfeited.

In order to obtain a job on campus, students must be able to present to the university identification that satisfies the requirements of Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification). Appropriate forms of identification include a U.S. passport, an alien registration card, a foreign passport with employment authorization, or a driver’s license with an original Social Security card or birth certificate.

For more information, please visit our Federal Work-Study/University Employment page.

University Employment

University Employment is a work program funded entirely by the university. It is available to students who do not qualify for Federal Work-Study funds. Students who are not awarded University Employment or Federal Work-Study as part of their financial aid packages must wait until after October 1 to seek employment. The University Employment allotment is not credited to the student’s account. Instead, students receive a weekly paycheck based on actual hours worked. A student’s actual earnings will depend on the availability of hours involved in any given position.

Although the Office of Student Financial Services provides students with listings of available positions on campus, it cannot guarantee employment. (Job listings can be viewed online via Workday.) It is the student’s responsibility to secure and maintain a position that will allow him or her to fulfill the work allocation. Any work allocation not earned by the end of the academic year will be forfeited.

In order to obtain a job on campus, students must be able to present identification to the university that satisfies the requirements of Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification). Appropriate forms of identification include a U.S. passport, an alien registration card, a foreign passport with employment authorization, or a driver’s license with an original Social Security card or birth certificate.

For more information, please visit our Federal Work-Study/University Employment page.

Knowing your eligibility for financial aid is only half the process in determining what you will owe for a year’s education at Brandeis. The Office of Student Financial Services issues billing statements prior to the beginning of each semester. Fall-semester bills will be due August 2, 2024, and spring-semester bills will be due December 16, 2024.

An interactive worksheet is available online to help you estimate your yearly cost.

You will need to consult each semester’s billing statements for your actual costs. Indirect costs such as books, personal and travel expenses should also be considered in determining your full cost of attendance. Please note that Brandeis estimates $2,200 for a student’s books and personal expenses, and that travel expenses are calculated on the basis of two round-trip airfares to the state in which the student resides. No travel expenses are included in the cost of attendance for students who live within driving distance of the campus.

If the net cost to you and your family is positive, there will be a balance due for each semester that must be paid by the deadlines set by the Office of Student Financial Services. The balance due indicated on each bill must be paid by the stated deadlines to avoid assessment of late fees and so that you may register.

If the net cost is zero or negative, no payment should be due from you or your family. A refund of any credit balance may be requested only after all funds are finalized/actual (e.g., all loan promissory notes are signed) and after you have registered. Credit refunds will not be available until at least 10 days before the start of each semester; therefore, you should budget your finances accordingly for payment of off-campus living expenses, books, transportation, and so on.

There are many options available for payment of the final balance due to the university. If you and/or your family are financially able, you may pay the balance due for each semester in full by the deadlines set by the Office of Student Financial Services. If you and/or your family cannot pay the balance due at the beginning of each semester but can set aside a certain amount of money from monthly income to pay toward the bill, then you may wish to consider a payment plan. If you and/or your family need additional assistance, you may wish to consider a parent- or student-education loan that allows for an extended period of payment.

More information about financing options

We will presume that you are accepting the offer of financial aid when you return the enrollment form and deposit payment to the Office of Admissions.

All need-based financial aid packages are determined based upon the federal and institutional calculation of financial need.

Using the information that you provided on the FAFSA, CSS Profile, student and parent tax returns, if applicable, and other supporting documentation, we have calculated your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and Federal Student Aid Index (SAI) and awarded financial aid to meet full calculated financial need.

We recognize that a family’s income is not always consistent and that financial situations change throughout the academic year due to unforeseen circumstances. If you or your family have experienced a change in your financial circumstances since filing the FAFSA and Profile, you may request reconsideration of your need-based financial aid decision.

Requests for reconsideration are considered on a first come, first served basis. Early Decision students must submit appeals for institutional grant by March 1 and Regular Decision students by April 15. (Appeals received after these dates will still be considered for federal and state funding; consideration for institutional grant will depend upon the timing of the change in circumstances as well as funding availability.) 

More information about the reconsideration process

If you receive an outside scholarship from an individual, a business, a foundation or your high school, you must report this assistance to the university. Please send copies of your scholarship award letters directly to the Office of Student Financial Services. The federal government requires that outside scholarships be included in need-based aid packages. They may not be used to replace your or your family’s contribution. Any outside award amount will first reduce the need-based self-help (loan and/or work) used to meet institutional financial need, any unmet federal financial need, and then the grant components of the student’s need-based award. Students receiving need-based financial aid or scholarship will not be permitted to keep outside awards in excess of the total cost of attendance.

In order to decline a loan or work-study allotment that has been awarded to you in your financial aid letter, you must submit a written request to the Office of Student Financial Services. If you choose to decline all or a portion of your loan funds, they will not be replaced by grant assistance, nor will you qualify to be considered for additional need-based grant assistance. Most students who receive need-based aid are expected to borrow in order to meet a portion of their calculated eligibility. Although it may be possible to replace your work-study offer with a student loan, failure to utilize your work-study will usually result in forfeiture of the amount allotted to you. 

Your financial aid is awarded for one year at a time. If you defer enrollment for a year, you must reapply for financial aid if you wish to be considered for assistance. The amount of financial aid you receive for your enrollment year may vary from your initial financial aid award, reflecting changes in your financial need from the previous year, the cost of attending Brandeis, and changes in the availability of funding.

Your financial aid is awarded for only one year at a time. You must reapply for financial aid each academic year for which you wish to be considered for assistance. The amount of financial aid that you receive after the first year may vary, reflecting changes in your family’s financial strength (changes in income and assets, number of siblings in college, etc.), the costs of attending Brandeis, your residency status (i.e., on campus, off campus or with parents/relatives) and the availability of funding, which may affect the amount of increase in your Alumni and Friends or other need-based grant from year to year. Since Brandeis meets full calculated financial need for undergraduate students, financial aid packages will be increased each year by the amount of the tuition increase, subject to the actual cost of attendance and any changes in the calculated expected family contribution. You should expect the loan amount in your package to increase as you progress through your academic career at the university. Continued eligibility for aid from federal sources requires that you maintain satisfactory academic progress toward your degree.

If you are currently receiving financial aid, an email detailing the required renewal materials will be sent to you during the winter intersession. A list of required renewal documents also will be available on our website. Renewal applications should be filed by March 1 of each year. Failure to file all financial aid application materials by the appropriate deadline may result in a limited or partial award, registration complications, and/or late fees on your student account.

If you make a change to your academic program (for example, taking fewer than four standard credit courses, studying abroad or elsewhere domestically, participating in the Justice Brandeis Semester, graduating in fewer than four years, graduating in more than four years, or taking a leave of absence), there may be implications for the amount and type of financial aid you can receive. (For example, both merit scholarships and need-based grants, as well as Pell Grants, will be prorated for any semester in which you are considered less than full time or for which you are charged less than the full-time tuition rate.) If you are considering any of the above options, you should first consult your financial aid counselor to discuss the impact it may have on your financial aid eligibility.

If you withdraw from the university during a semester, you may be charged a prorated amount of tuition and fees and may be eligible for a prorated portion of your financial aid for that semester. If you withdraw during a period in which you are eligible for a refund against your student account, part or all of that refund will be used to repay financial aid programs from which funds were received for that semester. Full information regarding the university’s withdrawal and refund policies is available in the Brandeis University Bulletin and from the Office of Student Financial Services.

In accordance with the Tax Reform Act of 1986, if your aggregate scholarship and grant assistance exceeds tuition, required fees for course instruction or academic enrollment, and books/supplies (for which receipts have been kept), the amount in excess must be included in your taxable income. You are responsible for determining whether your scholarship/grant, in whole or in part, should be included as taxable income.

Wages earned through the Federal Work-Study and University Employment programs are taxable wage income and must be reported on your income-tax forms if you are required to file. You will receive a W-2 Wage and Income Statement from the university by January 31 for the previous tax year.

Please contact the Internal Revenue Service or a tax preparer for further information or assistance with these tax issues.