The Brandeis Commitment
Brandeis University is making undergraduate education more affordable through a new financial aid initiative: The Brandeis Commitment.
For students entering fall 2025 and beyond, the Brandeis Commitment provides families within the specified income ranges below a generous scholarship package covering either full or half tuition.
What is the Brandeis Commitment?
The university has made a firm commitment to clarify the amount of aid students will receive — the Brandeis Commitment. The Brandeis Commitment gives families who fall within the total income ranges listed above a total scholarship package that covers either full tuition, or half tuition. Brandeis meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for families who do not qualify for the Brandeis Commitment due to income or atypical assets.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Total income includes a family’s adjusted gross income for the tax year applicable to each academic year (e.g., 2023 for the 25-26 AY) plus all sources of untaxed income. In addition to the student, a “family” typically includes both biological/adoptive parents and, in some rare cases, stepparents.
Total grants and scholarships include both need- and merit-based gift funds (funds that do not need to be repaid) from Brandeis, as well as federal, state and private sources.
No. To be considered for the Brandeis Commitment, students need only complete the CSS Profile and FAFSA and submit appropriate year tax returns by the stated deadlines.
Families who continue to meet the total income and asset criteria each year will remain eligible for the Brandeis Commitment. Students must reapply for need-based financial aid each year.
Yes. Brandeis meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all undergraduate students, so families may qualify for additional aid beyond the Brandeis Commitment if they have further demonstrated need.
Families with significant assets above what is typical for their income level may not qualify for Brandeis Commitment, but the university is still committed to funding 100% of demonstrated need. A family’s assets might include cash, savings, investments, home equity, business net worth, other real estate and any other assets. We do exclude the value of qualifying retirement accounts.
While international students are not eligible for the Brandeis Commitment, Brandeis meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for international undergraduates who apply for aid during the admission process.
No. Graduate students are not eligible for the Brandeis Commitment, but they can apply for aid from their respective graduate schools.
To qualify for the Brandeis Commitment, a student must live on campus or in an off-campus residence. Students who commute from home/a relative’s home do not qualify for this program due to the much lower cost associated with this housing option.
The Brandeis Commitment is intended to add transparency to financial aid awards during the application process to mitigate uncertainty for prospective students and their families around the cost of attendance. Because Brandeis meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all current students, while not eligible for the Brandeis Commitment, current students are already benefiting from similar levels of aid.
