Brandeis extends transfer deadline for Jewish students amid surge in antisemitism on campuses across US

Brandeis University announced on Thursday that it has extended the deadline for transfer applications to accommodate students dissatisfied with the current university's response to anti-Israel protests on campus.

“As a university founded in 1948 by the American Jewish community to counter antisemitism and quotas on Jewish enrollment in higher education, Brandeis has been committed to protecting the safety of all its students, and, in the current atmosphere, we are proud of the supports we have in place to allow Jewish students to thrive,” Brandeis University President Ron Liebowitz wrote in an email to the community.

“Due to the current climate on many campuses around the world, we are now expanding the opportunity for students to seek the learning environment of our campus by extending the transfer application deadline to May 31,” Liebowitz added.

The announcement welcoming Jewish students to transfer to Brandeis comes amid the recent sharp increase of anti-Israel protests, encampments and antisemitic incidents on college campuses across America. Jewish groups and Jewish students across college campuses say the protests have left them feeling unsafe and unable to attend regular campus activities.

Brandeis, a private research university in the metro area of Boston, Massachusetts, was established by the American Jewish community in 1948, in the wake of World War II, when Jewish students – along with other racial and ethnic minorities – and women faced discrimination in higher education.

Currently, about one-third of Brandeis University students identify as Jewish, according to Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization group that serves students across the globe.

The phenomenon of encampments on campus – temporary tents or structures set up by protesters – began in March but took center stage earlier this month when students at Columbia University in New York City established them at the center of campus.

The protests, whose goals are primarily to urge their schools to divest from Israel, were sparked by the war in Gaza, which began shortly after Israel's ground operation into Gaza to eliminate the Hamas terrorist organization.

Israel's move was in response to the terror group's invasion and attack on Israel’s southern border communities on Oct. 7. During the terror attack, 1,200 were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists and their accomplices, and at least 250 were taken hostage into Gaza, including men, women, children, babies and elderly. Many hundred were injured and traumatized, and there were verified reports of additional atrocities, including rape.

Several protesters have expressed explicit support for Hamas terrorism and urged Hamas to commit further violence against Israel. Some Jewish students have been directly confronted by protesters – on or near campus – with antisemitic rhetoric. Many protesters have called for “Zionists” to be excluded from campus communities. 

Brandeis initially made Israeli headlines shortly after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel when reports circulated that a portion of its student government failed to pass a resolution condemning Hamas.

At the time, the university's website stated that recent reports “inaccurately characterized a student senate vote on whether to issue a declaration condemning Hamas, which had more to do with process than with the stance of the student senate or union. To be clear: The student union has not issued any statement in support of Hamas.”

In November, the school became the first to ban its chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, citing that the group “openly supports Hamas.” The move contrasted with other schools that have since suspended the terror group for technical offenses against protest policies.

“Students elsewhere should know we welcome all – Jews and students from every background – who seek an excellent undergraduate education and an environment striving to be free of harassment and Jew-hatred to apply,” Liebowitz wrote.