Brandeis University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 41%, Brandeis University is a selective private college in Massachusetts. Because it admits a minority of applicants, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what Brandeis University weighs, where it ranks among Massachusetts schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1460, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Brandeis University?
In its 2025-26 Common Data Set, Brandeis University admitted 35.6% of Early Decision applicants (242 of 680), against about 46.1% of everyone else. Its overall rate that year was 45.4%.
Source: Brandeis University Common Data Set 2025-26, IPEDS admissions survey, fall 2023. Updated October 30, 2026.
Brandeis University application deadlines, 2026-27
What do students study at Brandeis University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Brandeis University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Brandeis University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Brandeis University?
Brandeis University admits roughly 41% of applicants, but that overall rate is not your personal chance. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Brandeis University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Brandeis University hard to get into?
Brandeis University is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 41% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.
What GPA do you need to get into Brandeis University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Brandeis University, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Brandeis University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Brandeis University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Brandeis University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Brandeis University with a 3.5 GPA and a 1460 SAT?
About 63% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1460 SAT, the middle of Brandeis University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1520 SAT comes out near 79%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/brandeis-university.
Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at Brandeis University
From Brandeis University's own 2025-26 Common Data Set (fall 2025 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at Brandeis University?
35.6%. Brandeis University admitted 242 of 680 Early Decision applicants for fall 2025, against 45.4% of all 9,756 first-year applicants (Brandeis University's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
Does applying early decision help at Brandeis University?
On the raw numbers, yes: Early Decision applicants were admitted at 35.6% versus about 46.1% for everyone who applied another way, 0.8x the rate, and Early Decision filled 5.5% of the admitted class. Part of that gap is who applies early (recruited athletes and legacy applicants often do), so it is not all the round itself. Early Decision is binding: apply only if Brandeis University is your clear first choice and the family can commit without comparing aid offers.
How many students get off the waitlist at Brandeis University?
206 for fall 2025. Brandeis University offered 1,717 applicants a waitlist spot, 771 accepted one, and 206 were admitted from it: 26.7% of those who stayed on (Brandeis University's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
What is the transfer acceptance rate at Brandeis University?
38%: 243 of 640 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2025 (Brandeis University's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
Source: Brandeis University Common Data Set 2025-26. Every figure appears verbatim in the document. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.
How to get into Brandeis University
Built from Brandeis University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Here is how to get into Brandeis University, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Brandeis University carries about a 3.55 core GPA and a 1470 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1390 to 1520 SAT (31 to 34 ACT). Submit a score at 1455 or higher; below 1390, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Brandeis University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: essays that sound like you and answer the actual prompt, and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
An early application signals interest and gets your file read before the pool fills. Most early deadlines fall on November 1 and Regular Decision on January 1 to 15; confirm Brandeis University's exact dates at www.brandeis.edu.
How many students apply to Brandeis University, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, Brandeis University received 11,282 applications and admitted 3,984, an acceptance rate of 35.3%. 865 enrolled. Only about 22% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Brandeis University enrolls about 3,618 undergraduates in total, 57% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Brandeis University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Brandeis University scored between 1390 and 1520 on the SAT (average 1462). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 31 to 34. A score above 1520 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1390 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Brandeis University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Brandeis University looks for
What Brandeis University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, Brandeis University leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Brandeis University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Brandeis University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Brandeis University cost after financial aid?
Brandeis University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $86,448 per year. Tuition and fees alone are $68,080. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $35,736 a year, and it ranges from $13,363 for families earning under $30,000 to $54,885 for families earning over $110,000. 15% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Brandeis University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Brandeis University student who received federal aid earns $77,231 a year, up from $52,967 at six years. 86% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 87% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $25,648; 28% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Brandeis University compares in Massachusetts
Brandeis University ranks #15 most selective of 36 schools in Massachusetts in our database.
Among the 36 Massachusetts schools we track, Brandeis University ranks #15 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Harvard University (4%) and Northeastern University (5%) sit nearby, which makes Massachusetts a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list.
Similar to Brandeis University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around Brandeis University with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as Howard University, Ave Maria University, and Wilberforce University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Brandeis University's acceptance rate?
Brandeis University admitted 3,984 of 11,282 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 35.3% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 22% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Brandeis University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1390 to 1520 on the SAT and 31 to 34 on the ACT. A score above 1520 is in the top quarter of admits. Brandeis University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Brandeis University test-optional?
Yes. Brandeis University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Brandeis University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Brandeis University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $35,736 a year against a sticker price of about $86,448. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $13,363 on average.
What do Brandeis University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Brandeis University are $77,231 a year among students who received federal aid, and 86% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Brandeis University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Brandeis University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and application essay most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Brandeis University consider legacy or demonstrated interest?
Many private colleges weigh legacy relationships and demonstrated interest. Brandeis University's full factor profile is charted on this page, and CollegeCalcAI models a legacy effect scaled to a school's selectivity.
How can I improve my chances at Brandeis University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Brandeis University specifically.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.