Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, is famous for its Open Curriculum, which lets students design their own course of study with very few required courses. For the Class of 2030, Brown received 47,937 applications and admitted 2,564 students, an admit rate of about 5.35%. Applications from international students rose by 16% that year, and about 14% of Brown’s students come from outside the USA.
Since the Class of 2029, Brown has been need-blind for international students too, so asking for financial aid won’t affect your chances. Nobody can guarantee you a place, but here are 10 things you can do that make a real difference, based on Brown’s own guidance. If you’re applying for a graduate degree instead, see the section near the end.
1. Take challenging courses and do well in them
Your school record is the most important part of your application. Take the most demanding courses available to you, such as AP, IB, A levels or your national board’s advanced subjects, and aim for top marks. If you plan to study science or engineering, take as much maths and science as you can. Your school sends your transcript, a School Report and a counsellor recommendation, and Brown will also ask for your midyear grades.
2. Take the SAT or ACT
Brown requires the SAT or ACT for first-year applicants, and it superscores both. There’s no minimum score, but most admitted students score near the top of the scale, so leave time to prepare and retake if you need to. Practise with our 50 free SAT practice tests and 50 free ACT practice tests.
3. Understand, and show you’d thrive in, the Open Curriculum
Brown’s Open Curriculum gives you great freedom, and Brown wants students who will use it well: curious, self-motivated people who will take intellectual risks and connect different fields. Before you apply, read about the concentrations (Brown’s word for majors) and courses that interest you. Then show in your application how you’ve already followed your curiosity, for example through independent projects, reading, research or combining interests in unusual ways.
4. Write four strong Brown essays
Brown’s supplement on the Common Application has four required essays for 2026–27. One, of 150 to 250 words, asks how certain personal qualities would shape your approach to the Open Curriculum. The others ask about you as a person, including a short answer about something that brings you joy. Write simply and honestly, and make each answer show a different side of you. Applicants to the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) or the Brown–RISD Dual Degree write extra essays.
5. Record an optional video introduction
Brown doesn’t offer interviews. Instead, you can send an optional short video introduction of up to about 90 seconds, a chance to show your personality and voice in a way that writing can’t. It doesn’t need to be polished or professionally made: talk naturally about something you care about. If you’re nervous on camera, practise a few times, but keep it relaxed and genuine.
6. Get two strong teacher recommendations
Brown asks for two teacher recommendations from major academic subjects, such as science, social studies, maths, languages or English. If you’re applying for a Bachelor of Science or the PLME, at least one should come from a maths or science teacher. Ask teachers who know you well and can describe your curiosity and how you work with others.
7. Decide on Early Decision or Regular Decision
Brown’s Early Decision deadline is 1 November, with decisions in mid-December. Early Decision is binding: if you’re admitted, you must attend, and you can’t apply to another university’s binding or restrictive early plan at the same time. The Regular Decision deadline is 5 January, with decisions in early April. The application fee is US$80, or you can request a fee waiver. If you’re talented in music or visual art, you can also send a portfolio through SlideRoom. Brown application checklist.
8. Make sure your English is strong
Brown highly recommends an English test if English isn’t your first language, and it says you must have the necessary English proficiency before you’re admitted. It accepts the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, PTE and Cambridge English exams. Aim for a high score, because Brown’s courses involve a lot of reading, writing and discussion. Practise with our free IELTS, TOEFL and PTE practice tests.
9. Apply for financial aid
Brown is need-blind for all first-year applicants, including international students, and it meets 100% of every admitted student’s demonstrated need:
- Brown’s aid packages don’t include loans, for any student, including international students.
- Families earning under US$60,000 a year with typical assets are expected to pay nothing.
- Families earning US$125,000 or less with typical assets pay no tuition.
Use Brown’s net price calculator to estimate your costs, and submit your aid forms by the deadlines on Brown’s financial aid website.
10. Plan for your US student visa
If you’re admitted, you’ll need an F-1 student visa. Brown will send you the I-20 form for your visa interview, and embassy waiting times can be long, so book as soon as you can. US student visa rules were changing in 2025 and 2026, so check with Brown’s international student office and the US embassy in your country for the latest advice.
Applying for a graduate degree at Brown?
Brown’s Graduate School offers PhD and master’s programmes in a wide range of subjects, and Brown also has professional schools such as the School of Public Health, the School of Engineering and the Warren Alpert Medical School. Each programme sets its own requirements and deadlines, usually between December and February. Most ask for a strong first degree, a statement of purpose, recommendations and, for some, the GRE, plus an English test for international applicants. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Brown turns down tens of thousands of strong students every year. Apply if you want to, but also apply to universities where your chances are good. Read our guides to the other Ivy League universities, including Yale, Dartmouth and Penn. Our guide to studying in the USA explains how US universities work, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from Brown’s official admission and financial aid pages and Brown News, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, aid policies and visa rules can change, so always confirm the details on Brown’s admission website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Brown University.