About

Undergraduate Neuroscience Program at Brandeis

SciFest X

SciFest IX

SciFest is an opportunity for summer undergraduate researchers to present their findings to peers and the community.

The brain is the most complex adaptive system in the known universe, and understanding how it generates thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is one of the final scientific frontiers. The undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Brandeis will provide a deep and general scientific education, while exposing students to the fundamentals of how neurons and neural circuits function and adapt. Students will take classes from internationally renowned Neuroscientists who are actively engaged in cutting edge research, providing an up-to-date view of a rapidly advancing field of study.

In addition to class work there are many opportunities for undergraduates to participate in laboratory research, where they will join a thriving research community of faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. A large fraction of Neuroscience majors do senior honors research, and many become authors on scientific publications. Our majors are exceptionally well-prepared to pursue further training in PhD or medical programs in Neuroscience and other Biological sciences.

The Neuroscience laboratories are housed within the adjoining buildings of the Science Complex, and this close proximity facilitates the high degree of collaboration and exchange for which Brandeis has become famous. Neuroscience faculty can be found in four participating departments (Biology, Biochemistry, Psychology, and Chemistry).

The University Bulletin will provide you with more information regarding how to become an undergraduate concentrator and the courses of instruction. If you are ready to declare a major in neuroscience, go to the How to Major in Neuroscience page.

Disciplines

Neuroscience

Requirements

Entry Requirements

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.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 7
TOEFLMin 100

Fee Information

Application Fee 80

How to Apply

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.