Brandeis University is a private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, 20 minutes from Boston. It is best known for the sciences, economics, international business and social policy, with small classes and a strong research profile for its size. Choose it for a close-knit research university with Boston's job market nearby.
Waltham, United States
Official website: brandeis.edu
#721
Top 70 (U.S. News)
Member
10:1
$60,000 – $68,000
International students, undergraduate and most master's programmes
$20,000 – $26,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on brandeis.edu before you apply.
MS Computer Science
Masters DegreeDuration
18 Months
Intake
Aug, Jan
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MA International Economics and Finance (Brandeis International Business School)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MS Business Analytics
Masters DegreeDuration
16 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MS Finance
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
MA Sustainable International Development (Heller)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
BA Economics
Bachelors DegreeDuration
48 Months
Intake
Aug
Exam Score
IELTS: 7.0, TOEFL: 100
Brandeis International Business School — a specialist graduate school for finance and economics.
Heller School — a top-10 US school for social policy and international development.
Sciences — strong biochemistry, neuroscience and physics research for a small university.
Founded in 1948 as a non-sectarian university by the American Jewish community.
Graduates join Deloitte, Fidelity, State Street, Amazon and Boston's biotech and consulting firms.
STEM-designated finance and analytics master's graduates can work in the US for up to three years on OPT.
Heller alumni work at the UN, World Bank, USAID and international NGOs.
Science graduates move into Boston-area biotech and PhD programmes.
Undergrad
1 Jan 2027
Postgrad
Varies by programme
Undergrad
No UG intake
Postgrad
Varies by programme
The 235-acre campus sits on a hill in Waltham, with residence halls, the science complex and the business school within a ten-minute walk and a free shuttle to Boston and Cambridge.
Waltham is a small city on the Charles River with a growing tech corridor and moderate rent for the Boston area. Boston and Cambridge are 20 minutes by commuter rail or shuttle.
Form I-20 issued by Brandeis
Proof of funds for one academic year
SEVIS I-901 fee payment receipt
Completed DS-160 online application
US embassy or consulate interview
Passport valid six months beyond stay
For fall 2027 undergraduate entry, Early Decision I closes 1 November 2026, and Early Decision II and Regular Decision both close 1 January 2027. Graduate deadlines vary by school: the International Business School runs rounds from November to April, and Heller programmes close in January or February.
Undergraduates start in the fall (late August). Most master's programmes, including the International Business School's finance and economics degrees and Heller's development programmes, are fall entry, while computer science also admits for spring (January). Check your programme's page to confirm.
You need an F-1 student visa. The International Students and Scholars Office issues your Form I-20 after you accept the offer and submit proof of funding. Then pay the SEVIS fee, complete the DS-160 and book an interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Computer science, international economics and finance, business analytics, finance and sustainable international development attract the most international applicants. Graduate admission needs a strong bachelor's degree, TOEFL 100 or IELTS 7.0, and the GRE or GMAT for some programmes. Undergraduate admission is selective, with an acceptance rate around 35%.
Brandeis offers need-based financial aid to a limited number of international undergraduates, and admission for them is need-aware; some merit scholarships are open to all applicants. The International Business School and Heller School award partial merit scholarships to most admitted master's students. Check each school's aid page.
