You will be required to submit a 250–500 word essay responding to one of the following prompts:

• Describe an experience, accomplishment or challenge that made you grow as a student. In what ways do you hope to continue your educational and personal growth at Brown Pre-College? 
• Our students come from a number of unique backgrounds and communities. Tell us something about your identity or background that has motivated or shaped your educational journey. In what ways do you hope to continue that journey at Brown Pre-College?

You may choose to submit a supplementary essay to address something not covered in other parts of the application. (For example, to provide information about your extracurricular activities, an explanation for inconsistent grades or other circumstances you’d like the Admissions Team to consider.)

This nonrefundable fee must be paid by credit card within the secure application form:

• Application fee when submitted by April 9, 2023: $65
• Application fee when submitted on or after April 10, 2023: $100

If you would like to apply for an application fee waiver, please visit the application fee waiver page to learn more.

Your academic records must be submitted with your application.

Please note: Official transcripts are not required, and academic records do not need to be submitted by a school guidance counselor. 

You must submit your complete grades from the current academic year in addition to grades from the previous academic year. Grade submissions must be in English and contain your full name as well as the academic term represented. 

Acceptable submissions may include, but are not limited to:

• Unofficial transcript
• Report card
• Progress report
• Marksheets
• Screenshot of grades from a school portal (it must contain your full name)
• Narrative assessment

Please include an explanation of the grading scale used by the school(s) if different from the U.S. grading system.

Within the application, you may provide the name and email address of a teacher, counselor, community leader or employer who can attest to your social maturity and academic performance. We strongly suggest you submit a recommendation if any of the criteria below pertain to you (If none of the criteria pertain to you, you do not need to submit a recommendation.):

• Summer@Brown program and will be under the age of 15 as of June 18, 2023
• STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders program and will be under the age of 14 as of June 18, 2023
• Any of the Brown Environmental Leadership Lab (BELL) programs
• Any of the Brown Experiential Education (BEE)  
• Have inconsistent grades — any grades of C or below

Please note that a recommendation is required to accompany all Pre-Baccalaureate Program applications.

Upon entering this information, an email containing a recommendation form will be sent to the recommender. 

Please note: If you indicate you will be submitting a recommendation, we will only accept our recommendation form and your application will not be considered complete until we receive the recommendation.

Applicants for whom English is not their primary language, should give serious consideration to their level of English language proficiency. Brown Pre-College provides both academic challenges typical of college-level study and opportunities to experience the social aspects of college life in the United States. A high degree of proficiency in English — equivalent to what would be expected of a first-year undergraduate — is crucial to having a successful experience. 

Students who participate in Brown’s Pre-College programs must have a strong command of the English language in order to succeed in academic study, involving the ability to:

• Speak clearly and coherently on a variety of topics
• Write clearly on a range of topics
• Listen and understand complex topics
• Read and understand detailed and lengthy texts on academic subjects
• Independently navigate a college campus in an urban environment
• Communicate effectively with peers in social settings

International students who do not speak English as their primary language will be asked to submit one of the following:

• Duolingo Test: Duolingo is an English proficiency test that can be taken online, on demand, in under an hour using a computer with a front-facing camera. The test includes a proficiency score, video interview and writing sample, which can be shared with the Division of Pre-College and Undergraduate Programs at Brown University. Certified results are available within 48 hours. 
• InitialView: InitialView is an unscripted live interview and open-ended writing sample that gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your interests and communication skills. InitialView records the conversation and shares the entire video and writing sample with the Division of Pre-College and Undergraduate Programs. InitialView does not score or rate applicants. Applicants complete the interview/writing sample using either a smartphone or a computer with a front-facing camera. InitialView materials are available in as little as 48 hours.

Important: Be sure to share your results with Brown University’s Division of Pre-College and Undergraduate Programs, not Brown University Undergraduate Admission. It may take up to three business days after you have shared your results with us for it to be reflected on your application checklist in your portal. Students may take the Duolingo Test or participate in an InitialView Interview prior to beginning an application or after submitting an application.

TOEFL and IELTS scores will not satisfy the evidence of language proficiency requirement. Upon review of your application, you may be invited to join a smaller subset of courses aimed at strengthening your ability to thrive in an academic setting in which English is the primary language.