Mid-size private research university outside Boston where merit aid is concentrated in the competitive Justice Brandeis Scholarship for top-of-pool applicants — plus a handful of niche awards (Waltham residents, transfers, $500 National Merit, sophomore-only Giumette).
Common merit-aid mistakes at Brandeis
Brandeis's National Merit Finalist award is $500/year — a token amount. National Merit Finalists looking for $20K+ awards or full rides should look at schools like Alabama, Texas Tech, Florida State, or Oklahoma rather than Brandeis.
The Giumette pays $5,000/semester for junior and senior years and is awarded to enrolled Brandeis sophomores. It cannot factor into the original enrollment decision, only into junior/senior-year planning once already at Brandeis.
The Stroum (full-tuition for Waltham High School seniors) requires the CSS Profile alongside the admission application. Waltham residents who only file the FAFSA forfeit eligibility for one of Brandeis's most generous niche awards.
Who this school is for
Students applying to Brandeis with very strong academic profiles aiming for the Justice Brandeis Scholarship, Waltham High School seniors, and transfers from community colleges. Less attractive as a stat-driven merit-shopping target.
Cost of attendance$96,033 for 2025-2026Each bar is the full published cost for that scenario, sized against the highest figure so totals compare at a glance.
On-campus$96,033
$71K
$19K
Tuition & fees
Housing & food
Books
Personal
Health insurance
Official Brandeis University Bulletin 2025-2026 tuition, fees and expenses. Health insurance (UHP) is standard/auto-enrolled unless waived; included per published budget.
Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.
Amount not publicly disclosed…Amount not publicly disclosed; described as 'the most prestigious scholarship offered by Brandeis'
Justice Brandeis Scholarship
ApplicationRenewable
View requirements+
Eligibility
Awarded competitively to students 'with outstanding academic records at the top of our applicant pool.' No separate application — selection happens through the regular admission review.
Renewal terms
Renewable for up to eight semesters of undergraduate enrollment.
Notes
Brandeis does not publish the dollar amount publicly; families should confirm with Student Financial Services. Funds the school's flagship merit award.
Currently enrolled Brandeis sophomores with distinguished academic achievement. Maximum of five awards per year.
Renewal terms
Awarded for junior and senior years; not available to first-year or sophomore students.
Notes
An unusual upper-class merit award — applied to junior/senior tuition after the student is already enrolled. Not a tool for the original college-shopping decision.
AmountGenerous need-based scholarship package (amount varies)EligibilityDomestic families within specified income ranges. Listed by Brandeis as part of the institutional aid menu, separate from merit programs.
Not a merit award. Included here because Brandeis lists it on the financial aid landing page; families often confuse it with institutional merit aid.
Does Brandeis publish the Justice Brandeis Scholarship dollar amount?
No. Brandeis describes the Justice Brandeis Scholarship as 'the most prestigious scholarship offered by Brandeis' but does not publish the dollar value. The amount is communicated in the financial aid offer to selected students.
How much is Brandeis's National Merit Finalist Scholarship?
$500 per year for National Merit Finalists who designate Brandeis as their first-choice institution. Significantly smaller than the NMF packages at high-merit publics; treat it as a token award, not a real affordability lever.
What does Brandeis cost?
For 2026-27 (pending Board approval): tuition $73,080, student activity fee $598, on-campus housing $13,180, food $8,700, plus health insurance ($4,700) and indirect costs. Total billed expenses approach $95,500 before any aid.
Can I stack the Justice Brandeis Scholarship with need-based aid?
Brandeis offers need-based aid alongside merit through programs like 'The Brandeis Commitment.' The combined package is determined by Student Financial Services. The school's public site does not detail a specific outside-scholarship displacement policy; confirm directly with sfs@brandeis.edu.
Is Brandeis's merit aid awarded automatically?
Selection is automatic through the admission review — no separate scholarship application is required — but the award is competitive, not stat-based. Strong applicants who don't win the Justice Brandeis Scholarship typically receive only need-based aid or no institutional discount.
How Brandeis compares across our verified dataset
669 of 750 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
Brandeis is one of them. The cohort minority (81 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.
133 of 750 verified schools publish a dedicated National Merit Finalist package.
Brandeis is one of them. NMF packages typically carry their own stacking and renewal carve-outs separate from the standard automatic merit ladder; confirm those before assuming the headline NMF value is final.
Sources used on this page
Every claim is checked against Brandeis’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
