Office of Student Financial Services

Pursuing a graduate degree is about more than just enhancing your understanding of the world — it’s an investment in your future.

We're committed to helping you finance your graduate education as wisely as possible to ensure your investment goes as far as possible. We offer guidance as you explore the available options, from scholarships and student loans to on-campus jobs and external funding

Brandeis Scholarships

All applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships, and recipients will be notified along with their admission decision. More information about scholarships is available on the graduate school websites.

Outside Scholarships

Students receiving scholarships from an organization outside of Brandeis should send documentation of the amount, source and disbursement of these awards to SFS at finaid@brandeis.edu to ensure that they are included in the financial aid offer and/or as a tentative credit on their student account.

Loans

Because many students will not be able to fund their graduate education through scholarships alone, we encourage you to review the Education Loan Programs to explore all loan options.

For federal loans, students will need to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA, which will be available in December 2024.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans are non–need-based guaranteed educational loans. The maximum amount in Unsubsidized Loans that a student may request in one academic or calendar year is $20,500 ($12,500 for postbaccalaureate students). The only two conditions that would preclude a student from eligibility for this loan would be (a) if a student has reached his or her maximum lifetime aggregate limit (currently $138,500), or (b) if a student is in default status for a previously awarded federal loan. Federal origination fees and interest rates are outlined in the tables below.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for this loan, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;
  2. Be accepted, and have matriculated, into a degree program within GPS;
  3. Be enrolled in at least two courses (six credits) in the term for which they want the loan;
  4. Have a valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with Brandeis University and a completed Federal Direct Stafford Loan Application for GPS on file with Student Financial Services.

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is a student educational loan. It is not based on need. Loan capital is supplied directly by the federal government, which also serves as the guarantor. Interest begins to accrue the day of disbursement and may be deferred and capitalized.

Federal Direct Loan Application Instructions

  1. Register for a Federal Student Aid ID. Your will need your FSA ID to electronically sign your FAFSA.
  2. Complete the FAFSA for the appropriate academic year of enrollment, with the 25-26 FAFSA opening in December 2024.
  3. The federal code for Brandeis University is 002133. This number is required on the FAFSA. Be sure to electronically sign your FAFSA using the FSA ID.
  4. After submitting the FAFSA, the Department of Education will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR). When the SAR arrives, carefully check it for accuracy and make any necessary corrections. The SFS office will receive this information electronically.
  5. If you are selected for verification, you may be asked to complete additional paperwork or submit supporting documentation such as proof of citizenship or income tax forms. You will be notified by SFS you be required to do so.
  6. Complete Entrance Counseling. To begin your Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Entrance Counseling session online, and click the green "Sign In" button at the top left of the screen. You will need your FSA ID in order to sign in. If you have not yet created your FSA ID, you should do so first.
  7. Sign Master Promissory Note (MPN). Once you have completed Entrance Counseling, you will need to sign your MPN.
  8. Complete a Stafford Loan Application. The application can be found by logging in to Workday and clicking the Financial Aid Dashboard from your homescreen. Please note that in order to receive a loan for a particular term, you must enroll in at least two courses that term. The loan amount will be divided evenly among each term you select unless you instruct otherwise.

The other type of federal loan for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents is the Graduate PLUS (GPLUS) loan. Students again will need to fill out the FAFSA as mentioned above and must use their Unsubsidized Stafford Loan eligibility first. Eligibility requirements for the GPLUS loan are the same as the Stafford Loan with an additional credit check requirement. If you are denied for this loan and choose to pursue an appeal of this decision and/or add an endorser, please notify the Office of Student Financial Services so that they can monitor the status of your loan.

Students may borrow up to their cost of attendance per academic year minus all other forms of financial aid received. Repayment begins six months after a student has ceased at least half-time enrollment (six credits) in a degree program. You should exhaust all federal eligibility through the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program before applying for a PLUS loan.

Alternative loans are available from private lenders such as banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions. These loans are not guaranteed by the federal government. Before applying for a private loan, students are advised to first exhaust all of their federal loan eligibility.

More information about taking out additional loans is available on the Education Loan Programs page.

Please note that loans may be adjusted if additional monetary awards are granted to the student.

Loan Application Recommended Deadlines

Students should submit loan applications by the following dates for their funds to post by the billing due date, and for their refunds to be available as early as possible. Students can still submit loan applications after the deadline, but the loan may not post to the student account by the due date.

Fellowships

Some students may be awarded fellowships to help them in furthering advanced study. A fellowship is a stipend (fixed sum of money) paid semi-monthly and intended to help defray living expenses during the course of your studies. Amounts paid as fellowship are NOT associated with any work (services in return for compensation) requirement.

The following definitions and explanations are provided in the context of your PhD financial assistance package.

What is a scholarship? - A scholarship is a sum of money given to help cover the costs associated with enrollment in an academic program. Scholarships from Brandeis are typically applied in the form of credit on your student account.

What is a fellowship? - A fellowship is a stipend (fixed sum of money) paid semi-monthly and intended to help defray living expenses during the course of your studies. Amounts paid as fellowship are NOT associated with any work (services in return for compensation) requirement.

Are fellowships taxable? - Yes, fellowships stipends are considered taxable income. Reporting and tax withholding is dependent upon your citizenship status. See Guidelines for Processing Payments to Brandeis Students for more information.

What does “when working as a research assistant or fulfilling any required teaching components of your degree, the fellowship amount may be replaced by compensation” mean?

As an international student are there any special considerations that I should be aware of?