East Asian Studies

Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies

The East Asian Studies program is designed to expose you to a wide range of history, perspective and contemporary challenges relating to East Asia's societies and cultures. Courses offer a full range of instruction in Chinese, Japanese or Korean, helping you create a foundation for a career in government, academics, international relations, international business, journalism, trade, finance, industry, law and diplomacy in the 21st century. With the purpose of broadening, deepening and integrating our students' understanding of East Asia, the program draws on a wide range of Brandeis faculty in the social sciences, including anthropology, economics, history and politics, and in the humanities and creative arts, including literature, art, music and religion.

Academics and Research

• A completed Common Application.
• $80 application fee (or fee waiver).
• Official copies of all high school transcripts and/or GED certificate and/or marks from any externally graded national exams. (If the original documents are not in English, please submit both original documents and English translations.) This should include transcripts for courses taken for credit outside your high school. Transcripts must include official grades from all years of secondary school.
• A school report and a letter of recommendation from a secondary school official.
• High School Senior Grades: Send your senior midyear grades as soon as they become available. We understand this may not be until late January or early February for some students, though we encourage you to send them as soon as possible. For Early Decision applicants, submit first marking period grades, which may be first quarter or first trimester grades.
• A letter of recommendation from a teacher who has instructed you in a core academic course (math, science, history, foreign language or English). (Homeschooled students and those applying for the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program, see the tabs below for more details.)
• Optional standardized test scores: Learn more about our test-optional policy.
• A completed Early Decision Agreement Form (pdf). If you're applying for Early Decision I or Early Decision II.

Additional Materials and Information

• English Proficiency: If you're an international student for whom English is not your native language, you should submit results of an English proficiency exam. You have the choice of submitting scores from one of the following exams. Scanned copies of the TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge Assessment exams are accepted; Duolingo (DET) scores must be submitted directly from the testing agency.
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) 
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) 
  • Duolingo English Test (DET) 
  • Cambridge Assessment English Qualifications (C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency)
  • If you have spent four or more years attending a high school where the full academic curriculum is in English, you are exempt from this requirement, and may submit a request for a waiver in your DEISconnect portal after applying.
  • If you're applying directly from a United World College (UWC) campus, you are also exempt from this requirement.
• Financial documentation:
  • If you are not applying for financial aid, you must submit:
    • The Certification of Finances for International Students through your DEISconnect portal.
    • Supporting financial documentation demonstrating the funds that the family will contribute to your education for the first year of study. Examples are statements of earnings from employers, certification of finances from banks or other financial institutions, or tax returns if available.
  • If you are applying for financial aid, you must submit:
    • A completed CSS Profile.
    • Supporting financial documentation demonstrating the funds that the family can contribute to your education for the first year of study. Examples are statements of earnings from employers, certification of finances from banks or other financial institutions, or tax returns if available.
• Additional recommendations:
  • Visits: We encourage you to participate in a virtual visit and, if possible, schedule an interview with an admissions representative.
  • Third-party interviews: Interviews through services like InitialView or Vericant are also encouraged. Deadlines are as follows:
    • Early Decision I : Record and submit by November 15.
    • Early Decision II / Regular Decision: Record and submit by January 15.

Your roadmap to a complete application.

Applying to Brandeis as a first-year student? Below, you'll find everything you need to include in your application.

In addition to the core first-year applicant materials list, be sure to check out the additional guides below for more info, advice and supplementary information! And remember, we're always here to help.