Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island · Private · 7,226 undergraduates · brown.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test required
Send an SAT or ACT score
Admit rate
6.3%
of 42,774 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1470 to 1550
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$103,990Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Brown University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
6.3% of applicants admitted
Reach
It admits only 6.3% of applicants, so it's a reach for everyone.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$103,990
a year in 2027-28, from a $103,990 sticker price
What to do with your 1520
Send your score
This college requires an SAT or ACT score.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test required
You must send an SAT or ACT score.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
- No alternative tests in place of SAT/ACT. In rare cases where an applicant is unable to take the SAT or ACT, Brown asks them to explain in Additional Information and encourages other testing (AP, IB final or predicted, A-levels). First-year veterans applying via the veteran application are exempt (per CDS C8F).
Source: Standardized Tests | Undergraduate Admission | Brown University · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Decision · November 1, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Jan5Regular Decision · January 5, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
6.3%
of applicants were admitted: 2,710 of 42,774 for fall 2025.
Early Decision
Binding. 18% of early applicants were admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 77% of them sent SAT scores and 28% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1470 to 1550
Reading and Writing 730 to 770
Math 730 to 790
ACT composite 33 to 35
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160089%
- 1200 to 139910%
- 1000 to 11991%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$103,990
a year
- Tuition$77,550
- Fees$3,210
- Food and housing$20,240
- Transportation and other$2,990
Brown University published $99,994 for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$39
- $30,001 to $48,000$228
- $48,001 to $75,000$10,079
- $75,001 to $110,000$24,827
- Over $110,000$48,459
Financial aid
$68,640
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
0.2%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $22,364 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Required. It's a second, more detailed aid form some colleges use for their own grants.
- Aid priority date: February 1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP credit
Not given
AP scores may still place you into higher courses.
Placement for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Places you into |
|---|---|---|
| Art History | 5 | |
| Biology | 4 | BIOL 0200 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | MATH 0090 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | MATH 0090 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | MATH 0090 and MATH 0100 |
| Chemistry | 3 | CHEM 0100 |
| Environmental Science | 5 | ENVS 0490 |
| European History | 5 | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | FREN 0400 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | FREN 0500 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | GRMN 0400 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | ITAL 0300 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | ITAL 0400 |
| Latin | 4 | |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | ECON 0110 |
| Microeconomics | 4 | ECON 0110 |
| Physics 1 | 5 | PHYS 0030 |
| Physics 2 | 5 | PHYS 0030 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 5 | PHYS 0030 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | PHYS 0030 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | |
| United States History | 5 | |
| World History: Modern | 5 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
96%
Come back for a second year
99%
Typical earnings
$99,974
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Brown University$234,845
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 21 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Brown University. The Brown University logo is a trademark of the college.