Updated: Wednesday, September 16, 2026
As a leading research university and a member of the Ivy League, Brown University is a popular choice for many students. This institution, located in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island, has many top-tier programs in addition to a dual–degree program with neighboring Rhode Island School of Design. If Brown is on your list of top-choice schools, here’s what you need to know.
How to Get into Brown University: Table of Contents
Like most U.S. institutions, Brown University utilizes a holistic admissions process that involves several steps and due dates. It’s important to submit all the required materials by the deadline, regardless of which admissions option you choose.
Brown’s application deadlines may vary slightly from year to year, but generally occur around the same time during the academic calendar. For students applying during the 2026-27 admissions cycle, the major application deadlines are as follows:
Admissions decisions are released in mid-December for Early Decision applicants and by early April for Regular Decision applicants.
Students applying to multiple institutions may notice different application options. It’s important to be aware of the differences between these options so you can plan your application strategy.
Early Action and Early Decision both require you to submit your application early. Early Decision (ED) is binding — a student applying ED must commit to enrolling to that institution if they are admitted. By contrast, Early Action (EA) is not binding. Another EA admission type is Restrictive Early Action, which stipulates that students cannot apply to any other private college through an early admissions program. Early Decision is the only early admissions option offered at Brown.
Rolling admissions does not follow a strict deadline and typically has as application window from September through May. Despite this flexibility, it is still best to submit your application as early as possible, since RA schools only accept students until they reach their enrollment capacity. Brown University does not offer rolling admissions.
The last and most common admissions option is Regular Decision (RD), which is non-binding. Students who apply RD and are admitted can choose to enroll or attend another school. Brown University offers Regular Decision.
Students who apply Regular Decision to Brown may receive one of three admissions decisions: admitted, denied, or waitlisted. Being waitlisted is not a rejection — it simply means that there was not enough space in the incoming class for all the qualified students who applied. You can choose to accept or decline your spot on the waitlist. Keep in mind that your chances of getting off the waitlist are slim at hyper-competitive universities like Brown, so you may wish to enroll at a different institution.
Students who apply Early Decision may be admitted, denied, or deferred. A deferral means that their application will be evaluated during the Regular Decision round. Many students want to know what to do if they have been deferred. Students deferred at Brown must have their counselor submit a mid-year transcript and mid-year report so the admissions committee can review their fall term grades. Brown also accepts a letter of continued interest.
As one of the most prestigious institutions in the U.S., Brown University is highly selective with a low admissions rate.
You can increase your chances of admission by learning what Brown looks for in their students and then building your profile accordingly during high school.
As you might expect, your academic record carries the most weight in Brown University’s admissions process. Admissions officers are looking for highly intelligent students who have pursued their interests deeply throughout high school and have made an impact on their schools and communities. Your high school course selection should demonstrate that you are prepared for the rigors of undergraduate study, and your extracurricular activities should be meaningful and aligned with your passions.
If you’re eager to attend Brown University, visiting the campus is the best way to determine if it’s a good fit for you. You can register for a campus tour and information session. If you are not able to attend in person, Brown offers virtual programming to give you a taste of campus life.
You can connect with Brown student ambassadors through the admissions office. These students are available via email to share their knowledge about the university and insights on campus life.
In addition to connecting with a student ambassador, you can also follow current students on social media. This is a great way to get multiple perspectives on the student experience at Brown. Additionally, read “The Brown Daily Herald,” which is the campus newspaper.
While there is no guarantee of gaining admission to Brown, you can take steps to increase your chance of acceptance. It’s important to look at the class profile of recently admitted students so you can see if your GPA, test scores, and other factors match up. Brown University does not track demonstrated interest.
Brown University doesn’t have a GPA requirement and does not report the high school GPA of enrolled students. However, given that it’s an Ivy League school, you’ll need to earn the highest possible GPA to gain admission.
Brown University requires applicants to submit standardized test scores. To determine your goal score, it helps to look at the reported test scores of the most recently enrolled class. For the class of 2030, the middle 50% scored 1470–1550 on the SAT and 34–36 on the ACT. To do well on the SAT or ACT, start test prep well ahead of your testing date through self-study, tutoring, and practice exams.
The personal statement is an opportunity to give the admissions committee insight into who you are and how you think about the world. You can choose one of the seven Common App essay prompts — this will be one of the longer essays you will write. Your personal statement is one of the best “soft factors” of your application, so it’s worth taking your time to write a thoughtful and authentic response.
In addition to your personal statement, you will be required to write the Brown supplemental essays. For the 2025-26 admissions cycle, Brown released these prompts.
Four essays are required for all first-year and transfer applicants:
1. There is something distinctive about Brown students. It is a blend of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and humility. A commitment to collaboration. An openness to new ideas and perspectives. A desire to make the world better. And it is resilience: the ability to recover and thrive after experiencing difficulties.” President Christina Paxson 2025 Convocation Address.
How will you use these characteristics or others to shape your approach to the Open Curriculum? (Suggested 150-250 words)
2. Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (Suggested 100-250 words)
3. Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (Suggested 100-150 words)
4. If you could teach a class on any one thing, whether academic or otherwise, what would it be? (Suggested 100-150 words)
If you plan to apply to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) or the Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program, you will be required to respond to additional essay prompts.
Brown University requests two letters of recommendation from teachers and one from your counselor. Request recommendation letters from teachers who have taught you in the core academic subjects, particularly in your area of interest, and know you well. Teachers and counselors often receive multiple requests for recommendations, so try to ask by the end of your junior year to give them plenty of time.
In years past, students had the option to interview with Brown alumni. However, Brown no longer offers interviews. Instead, students are encouraged to submit a two-minute video introduction to the Brown admissions office to share more about themselves beyond what’s in their application.
Brown University admissions officers are eager to admit applicants who will make a lasting impact on the Brown community. Throughout every component of the application process, highlight your goals and the role you would take on once enrolled. Use specific details, including clubs, courses, and research opportunities that interest you.
Brown not only has a low acceptance rate, but its class sizes are also small. Since Brown has not released all the data on the class of 2030, we will use data from the class of 2029.
| Acceptance rate | 6.34% |
| Class size | 1,748 |
| Undergraduate concentrations | 80+ |
Perhaps the most unique aspect of Brown University is its Open Curriculum, which allows you to develop a personalized course of study. As opposed to many other colleges, Brown does not have a set of core courses or course requirements that all students must complete. Instead, their Open Curriculum provides greater freedom for you to study what interests you while continuing to explore other subjects.
Students have more than 500 clubs and organizations to choose from that span a diverse array of interests. That said, more than half of Brown’s undergraduates choose the arts as a co-curricular interest, making performing arts groups a popular activity on campus. Brown also has many athletic offerings, including numerous intramural and varsity sports teams.
The university also hosts some must-see destinations. Brown is home to the John D. Rockefeller Library — known as “the Rock” — as well as the John Carter Brown Library, an independent center for advanced research in history and the humanities. Students are close to the RISD Museum in Providence, which houses an impressive collection of art and design from around the world. It’s one of the largest university art collections in the country.
Additionally, many notable alumni from Brown have made their mark in politics, business, the media, and the arts.
Where is Brown University located?
Brown University is located in Providence, Rhode Island.
What is Brown University known for?
Aside from being an Ivy League school, Brown is known for its Open Curriculum, which gives students the flexibility to pursue a personalized course of study without having to fulfill core curriculum requirements.
What is the acceptance rate for Brown University?
During the past four admissions cycles, Brown University’s acceptance rate has been around 5%-6%, making it an extremely competitive school for admission.
What does Brown University look for in students?
Brown not only seeks students who are high achievers academically, they also look for students who dive deep into their interests and have contributed to their schools and communities.
How many students attend Brown University?
The student population at Brown University is approximately 11,000 students total — about 7,200 of whom are undergrads.
Students interested in gaining admission to highly selective universities like Brown can benefit from college admissions counseling. An experienced college admissions counselor can guide students through every stage of the college admissions process, from early college prep to finalizing and submitting their applications. Do plenty of research so you can pick an admissions counselor who brings out the best in you.
IvyWise admission experts have helped thousands of students gain admission to their top-choice schools, including Brown University. If Brown is one of your dream schools, schedule an Initial Consultation today to learn how we can help give you the best chance of admission.
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It’s graduation day. Seniors are walking down aisles with eager smiles. Amid the excitement, relief, and pride, however, some parents are worried about their pending financial future. Families with students admitted to highly selective private institutions that do not award merit-based aid (such as the Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, and several prestigious liberal arts colleges) will have to pay nearly full price. For some families, that means shelling out more than $40,000/year.
