College Profiles/ Brown University
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Brown University Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Providence, RI · 7,910 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Brown University for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Brown University admitted 5.4% of 48,904 first-year applicants in the 2024-2025 Common Data Set.[1] Early Decision applicants were admitted at 14.4%.[1] The middle 50% SAT range for enrolled first-years is 1510 to 1560.[1] The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $99,994.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $65,370.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 1, Regular Decision Jan 5.[3]
5.4%
Overall admit rate[1]
14.4%
Early Decision admit rate[1]
1510 to 1560
Middle 50% SAT[1]
$99,994
Cost of attendance, 2026-2027[2]
$65,370
Average need-based grant[1]
$9.5B
Endowment, FY2026[4]
Brown University at a Glance
- Location
- Providence, RI
- Type
- Private nonprofit
- Student to faculty ratio
- 6:1[1]
- Endowment
- $9.5 billion (FY2026)[4]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Required[3]
- Application
- Common App[3]
- First-year retention
- 98.8%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Brown University
The ConnectPrep take
Brown admits students to the College, not to a concentration,. Its process considers the whole person and reads test scores in the context of each student's background. Early Decision moves the odds: 14.4% of 6,251 ED applicants were admitted against 5.4% overall, about 2.7 times the overall rate. That pool is self-selected and often includes recruited athletes and legacies, so the real edge is smaller. The SAT or ACT is required again, starting with the Class of 2029, and with a middle 50% SAT of 1510 to 1560 we aim for 1560 and suggest a retake below 1535. PLME and the Brown|RISD Dual Degree are separate selective programs for first-year applicants. The mistake we see is a Dual Degree applicant trying to apply ED to both Brown and RISD, which is not allowed.
What to do this fall
- File the CSS Profile and FAFSA by Nov 2 for ED, one day after the application deadline.
- PLME applicants should finish the program essays now; they go in with the main application by Nov 1 for ED.
- Brown|RISD candidates may apply ED to only one school, and RISD's Regular Decision deadline is Jan 20.
- Retake the SAT or ACT this fall if your student is below 1535; Brown requires scores.
Applying to Brown University? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Brown University Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
48,904 |
2,638 |
5.4% |
| Early Decision[1] |
6,251 |
898 |
14.4% |
- Early Decision admits made up about 34% of all admitted students, so a large part of the class is filled before Regular Decision applications are read (ConnectPrep calculation from the figures above).
- The Early Decision admit rate is about 2.7 times the overall rate. Early pools are self-selected and often include recruited athletes and legacy applicants, so the true advantage for a typical applicant is smaller.
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 65.2%.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
740 to 780 |
| SAT Math[1] |
770 to 800 |
| SAT composite[1] |
1510 to 1560 |
| ACT composite[1] |
34 to 35 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[1] |
61% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[1] |
24% |
| Ranked in top 10% of high school class[1] |
89% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 1560 on the SAT, the 75th percentile here, or 35 on the ACT. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Brown University looks for
In its own words: Brown says its process considers the whole person and reviews test scores in the context of each student's background, consistent with its commitments to academic excellence, access, and diversity.[5]
Brown University Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Decision I |
Nov 1 |
mid-Dec |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 5 |
late Mar |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Brown University’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| PLME (Program in Liberal Medical Education) |
Nov 1 (ED); Jan 5 (RD) |
PLME applicants complete special program essays with the main application; dual degree (Brown|RISD) candidates are not eligible for PLME.[3] |
| Brown|RISD Dual Degree |
Brown Jan 5; RISD Jan 20 (RD); Nov 1 (ED to one school only) |
Requires separate applications to Brown and RISD plus a shared Dual Degree essay; you cannot apply ED to both schools, and you must be admitted to both.[6] |
| Arts supplements (SlideRoom) |
Nov 4 (ED); Jan 7 (RD) |
Music and visual art supplements are submitted through SlideRoom by Nov 4 for ED and QuestBridge and Jan 7 for RD.[3] |
See how Brown University compares with other colleges in the Northeast deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Brown University Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance (2026-2027)[2] |
$99,994 |
| Tuition[2] |
$74,568 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
48.2% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$65,370 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$68,926 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
100.0% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
5 students, average $21,278 |
Full-time on-campus: tuition $74,568, fees $3,084, housing $10,710, food $8,754, personal $2,878; travel allowance varies by home address and books ($1,300 standard) not included in the $99,994 total.[2]
- For a family that qualifies for need-based aid, the average grant would bring the $99,994 cost of attendance down to roughly $34,624 before loans and work-study. This is a ConnectPrep calculation for illustration; your student’s number depends on your family’s finances, so run the school’s net price calculator.
- Brown University states that it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.[7]
- Aid packages are loan-free.[7]
- Families earning $125,000 or less (typical assets) receive full tuition coverage; under $60,000 receive scholarships covering all expenses.[7]
- International students: Need-blind for all undergraduate international students starting with the Class of 2029.[7]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[8]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$0 (aid exceeded cost) |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$2,031 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$5,858 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$16,219 |
| Over $110,000 |
$44,937 |
| All aided students |
$25,184 |
Academics and Majors at Brown University
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Social sciences25%
- Computer and information sciences13%
- Mathematics and statistics10%
- Biological/life sciences9%
- Interdisciplinary studies6%
Signature programs
Open Curriculum
Students design their own course of study across departments, with up to three concentrations possible in four years.[9]
Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME)
About fifty first-years each year enter an eight-year combined undergraduate and MD program.[9]
Brown/RISD Dual Degree
A five-year program of about 15 students per year earning a Brown bachelor's and a RISD BFA; first-year entry only.[9]
Choosing a major and getting in
Applicants are admitted to the undergraduate College, not to a concentration; concentrations are declared by the middle of the fourth semester. PLME and Brown/RISD Dual Degree are separate first-year-only selective programs; applicants not admitted to PLME remain candidates for the College.[9]
Special admission paths
- Early Decision (binding).
- Program in Liberal Medical Education (8-year BA/MD).
- Brown/RISD Dual Degree (5-year, first-year applicants only).
- Resumed Undergraduate Education (RUE) for nontraditional students.
Brown University Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
98.8% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
77.1% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
95.7% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[8] |
$93,487 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[8] |
$11,428 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[8] |
14% |
Make Brown University a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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Brown University FAQs
What is the Brown University acceptance rate?
Brown University admitted 5.4% of first-year applicants (2,638 of 48,904), according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set. The Early Decision admit rate was 14.4%.
When are the Brown University application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Decision I Nov 1; Regular Decision Jan 5.
How much does Brown University cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $99,994. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $65,370. The school states it meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT score do you need for Brown University?
The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1510 to 1560 on the SAT and 34 to 35 on the ACT. ConnectPrep advises aiming for 1560, the 75th percentile. Testing policy for fall 2027 entry: Required.
Is Brown test optional?
No. Brown reinstated the SAT or ACT requirement starting with the Class of 2029, and it continues for later classes, with exceptions only when tests are not available to a student. Test optional remains for veterans, transfer, and RUE applicants. The middle 50% SAT is 1510 to 1560, so we encourage students to aim for 1560.
Can you apply to both PLME and the Brown|RISD Dual Degree?
No. Dual Degree candidates are not eligible for PLME. Both are selective programs open only to first-year applicants, and students not admitted to PLME remain candidates for the College. PLME essays go in with the main application, while the Dual Degree requires separate Brown and RISD applications plus a shared essay, and admission to both schools.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Brown University. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
