Q: How do I complete the application?

A: Click here to view a step-by-step guide on how to complete your application. 

Q: When will I receive an admissions decision?

A: In most cases, admission decisions are made within 15 business days of receiving a complete application. Applications must include all supporting materials to be reviewed. 

Q: What does the Admissions team look for in an applicant?

A: We are seeking academically high-achieving students who provide a well-written application essay that highlights their intellectual curiosity, social maturity and self-motivation. We review applications holistically. When determining admissibility, we look at a number of factors including academic performance, motivation, interests and English language proficiency. 

Q: Is there an application deadline?

A: The general application deadline is May 9, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Q: What grade reports are required?

A: You must submit grades from the current academic year in addition to grades from the past academic year. Grade submissions must be in English and contain your full name and the academic term represented. Official transcripts are not required. 

Q: Am I applying to a specific program or course?

A: Your application is to Brown University’s Pre-College Program. If admitted, you will be prompted to submit a non-refundable $500 deposit and can then enroll in any open course, inclusive of all Brown Pre-College academic programs, provided that you are eligible based on your age and grade level. We recommend you consult our Course Catalog prior to submitting your non-refundable deposit to review course availability as well as age and grade level requirements.

Q: I attended last year. Do I need to create a new application each year?

A: Yes, students must submit a new application each year. Returning students can log in to precollege.brown.edu with the email and password they originally used to create their account. Please contact precollege@brown.edu with any questions about passwords or access.

Q: What level of English Language proficiency is required?

A: Students who participate in Brown University’s Pre-College Programs must have a strong command of the English language in order to succeed in academic study and safely and effectively navigate the campus and the Canvas learning management system. International students who don’t speak English as their primary language will be asked to submit either a Duolingo language assessment or TOEFL results as part of their application submission. Applications are not considered complete and will not be reviewed until these materials have been received. 

Q: What if I receive a request for additional materials?

A: If applications are submitted without required materials, the Admissions Committee will send a request for these additional materials. Applicants will receive email notification of this request and will be able to submit requested materials via their Student Portals. Applications will not be reviewed, and admissions decisions cannot be issued, until all required materials have been received by the Admissions Committee. 

Q: Do you offer courses for credit?

A: Brown University’s Pre-College Program courses are not for credit. Our seven-week, online Pre-Baccalaureate Program for rising and recently graduated high school seniors offers college credit.

Q: Will participating in Brown Pre-College help me when applying to Brown Undergraduate admission?

A: Pre-College is not a prospecting program for University undergraduate admissions. Successfully completing a Brown Pre-College course will demonstrate interest in an area of study for any undergraduate admissions office/process. For questions regarding Brown Undergraduate Admission, please contact their office directly by phone at 401-863-2378 or via email at admission@brown.edu.

Q: Are your online courses synchronous or asynchronous?

A: Brown University’s Pre-College Program’s online courses include Asynchronous, Mostly Asynchronous and Blended formats. Find more detailed information at Brown Pre-College Online.

All online students should plan to spend approximately two to three hours each day (about 15 hours per week) on a variety of course activities, to ensure they keep current with the associated work. 

Q: Is there an Attendance Policy?

A: Students are required to attend all classes. Staff cannot approve absences for standardized testing or other academic obligations unrelated to Pre-College. Absence or inactivity within your course may result in a dismissal from the program. Students dismissed for reasons of absence or inactivity will not be refunded.

Q: Will I be able to enroll in a specific course? 

A: We recommend admitted students confirm that their desired course is available prior to submitting their $500 non-refundable deposit. Admission does not guarantee enrollment in a specific course or academic program.

Q: Is there a deadline to accept my offer of admission and submit my deposit?

A: There is no deadline to submit your non-refundable deposit, however, your deposit must be submitted to enroll in a course. We recommend students deposit and enroll as soon as they’ve confirmed a course of interest is available. 

Q: My course of interest has reached capacity. Am I still able to enroll in the course?

A: Admission does not guarantee registration in a specific course or program. When submitting your application, you are applying to Brown University’s Pre-College Program, not to a specific course or academic program. We recommend adding yourself to the waitlist for your course of interest and enrolling in an open course. 

Q: How does the waitlist work?  

A: Waitlisted students will be notified via email should a space become available for them in a course. Space will open on a rolling basis only if a currently enrolled student drops the course. Should students be offered a space in a waitlisted course, they have 48 hours to respond to the offer, prior to the space being offered to the next student on the waitlist. 

Q: I’ve enrolled in a course. What happens next?  

A: Once you have enrolled, you may view and manage the enrollment in your student portal course cart. Families can expect communication from our billing team regarding submitting payment for courses fees in mid-March and links to required forms starting in late January.

Q: Are the residence halls air conditioned? If not, may I bring an air conditioner with me?

A: While most Brown University residence halls are not air conditioned, we are pleased to offer cooling units within each residence hall room so that students can stay cool during their time on campus. Students are also welcome to bring a personal fan for their room. 

Q: How can I request an accommodation?

A: Students may request reasonable accommodations based on a learning, psychological, and/or physical disability, including medical conditions, temporary injuries, and significant food allergies. All reasonable accommodation requests will be considered; however, there may be limits to what can be provided without sufficient notice.

To request an accommodation, please complete the Medical Authorization & Health Form, which will be accessible after a student has been accepted and enrolled in a course.

If you have questions about your specific situation and whether it can be accommodated prior to enrollment, please email accessibility@brown.edu. We strongly encourage students to contact us as early as possible, and no later than three weeks before the start of the program

Q: I use an IEP/504 Plan in high school—can I use it in Pre-College?

A: Maybe! We encourage students with disabilities to request reasonable accommodations. Some high school accommodations may not apply directly (for example, most courses do not have exams so request for more time on tests is usually not required), but we strive to make our programs inclusive. Please indicate your request on your Medical Authorization and Health History Form and submit supporting documentation. Requests received by May 29th are most likely to be reviewed and implemented by your arrival; later requests may result in limits to what we can provide or face delays in implementation.

If you have questions about your specific course and whether the course has exams or tests, please email accessibility@brown.edu.

Q: Can I stay in the residence halls if I am taking more than one course this summer?

A: If the courses you are taking run consecutively, students are able to remain on campus the weekend between sessions, but they may be required to move to a new housing location for their next course. If there is a week or more between your courses you would not be eligible to remain on campus and should make plans to depart campus at the conclusion of your course and return when your next course begins.

Q: What kind of extracurricular activities will be available?

A: On-campus students will have the opportunity to participate in social and educational activities across campus. We will also host virtual extracurricular learning opportunities that are open to students studying online or on-campus. Days and nights on Brown’s summer campus are filled with workshops, affinity groups, activities and events that engage students. Learn more about student life programming here.

Q: Which vaccinations are required to attend an in-person program?

A: The following immunizations are required by Brown University Health Services and/or the Rhode Island Department of Health in order to attend a Brown Pre-College in-person program:

Chicken Pox (Varicella) 

• Two doses or prior date of infection if applicable 

MCV4, MenACWY (Meningococcal Conjugate) 

• One dose

Tdap  (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) 

• One dose within the last 10 years of your program start date (Note, the DTaP immunization does not satisfy this requirement)

MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) 

• Two MMR doses required: One at least 12 months after birth or later, and one at least one month after the first dose. Measles vaccinations must be complete at least 2 weeks prior to attending a pre-college program OR if Measles, Mumps or Rubella are given separately, two doses of Measles and Mumps are required, and one dose of Rubella

Hepatitis B

• At least one dose 

Covid-19 immunizations are not required to attend the program. 

Required vaccinations can change in the event of a public health concern.

Q: What if the required vaccinations are not available in the country in which I currently reside?

A. Some required vaccinations may not be part of the routine vaccination schedule in your country. All vaccinations are still required regardless of their availability where you live. Indicating a vaccine is “not available” does not satisfy our requirements, and your form will be rejected if it does not have proof a participant has received all required vaccinations. 

Q: Do you offer International Scholarships and Application fee waivers?

A: Regrettably, our application fee waivers and scholarship opportunities are only open to students who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, refugees or asylees and students who hold undocumented or DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status and are enrolled in a U.S. school. If you are an international student seeking scholarship funds, you should speak to a school administrator in your country about possible sources of financial assistance for highly motivated students for this type of study.  

Q: I received an application fee waiver, does that mean I will get a scholarship?

A: Not necessarily. Consideration for a Sibley or PPSD Scholarship is a separate process which requires completion of a scholarship application and submission of any required forms by the specified deadline. Please see the Scholarship Opportunities webpage for eligibility, deadlines, and processes for applying. 

Q: There is a supplemental fee listed for my course. What is that for?

A: A small number of our courses have a supplemental fee. This fee is most commonly for the cost of lab materials, bussing and access to course-related medical sites or other supplies needed for the particular course. 

Q: I enrolled in my course, when/how can I pay for it?

A: Please do not attempt to pay for your course until you are notified to do so. You will receive billing information in mid-March (late May for Pre-Bacc) about how to make your payment. To get an idea of what to expect, please review our Financial Policies & Payment Information webpage. 

Q:  I am a parent/guardian and cannot sign into E-Bill to pay for my child’s program. What’s wrong?

A: Only students are initially able to access the E-Bill system. Parents/guardians will not be able to access the system until the student sets them up as an authorized user. Please follow the Pre-College Student Account Payment System Guide for assistance. 

Q. I just enrolled in a course. Why do my fees look wrong when I go into E-Bill to pay?

A. Information moves from our registration system (student portal) to our billing system once per day. Please allow our system to update overnight before attempting to pay. If your fees look incorrect after 24 hours, please reach out to precollegebilling@brown.edu for assistance. 

Q. I just paid my account balance, why does my checklist still show that my payment is incomplete?

A. Information moves from our payment system to the student portal checklist once per day. You can confirm a paid balance in the Student Account Payment System immediately, but it could take up to 24 hours for your student portal checklist to show that the payment is complete. If you have paid by Flywire or TransferMate, it will take at least several days for your payment to get through the system and for your checklist to update. This delay is expected and will not put your enrollment in jeopardy.

Q. Can I call you or send my payment information by email instead of signing into E-Bill to pay?

A.  No. For security's sake, we are unable to accept credit card or bank information by email or phone and cannot enter payment information on your behalf. Payments must be made by students or their designated authorized users.  

Q. I am no longer able to attend the Brown Pre-College Program, can I get a deposit refund?

A. No. The $500 deposit is non-refundable.

Q: How will I know if I successfully completed my course?

A: In the fall after you complete a Pre-College course, you will receive a designation of: ‘C’ (Certificate) or ‘NC’ (No Certificate) in your Student Portal. Successful course completion will result in a 'C', indicating that thestudent will receive a Digital CeCertificate of Completion. If you have received an ‘NC’, you will not receive a CeCertificate of Completion. 

Q: Who is eligible to receive a certificate?

A: Pre-College students who successfully complete a course are eligible to receive a certificate of completion, which will automatically be sent to their email address on file in early Fall. Digital CeCertificates can be downloaded and shared across a variety of platforms. 

As Pre-Baccalaureate students receive formal transcripts from the University, they do not receive Certificates of Completion. 

Q: What is a Course Performance Report (CPR)?

A: The CPR is an assessment, by the instructor, of a student's work within the course. It normally includes some comments focused on foundational aspects of the student's quality of engagement, as well as a brief narrative. 

Q: Who is eligible to receive a Course Performance Report (CPR)?

A: Pre-College students who complete in-person courses that are 10 days or longer and online courses that are three weeks or longer will receive a Course Performance Report (CPR) by early fall.

Q: When will I get my certificate and Course Performance Report (CPR)?

A: Digital CeCertificates and Course Performance Reports are typically made available to students in early Fall. 

Q: How can I access my certificate?

A: Once available, students will receive an email with a link to download their credential from our trusted partner, CeCredentialTrust. Additional information can be found here.

Q: Does participation in Brown Pre-College result in a transcript?

A: Participation in Brown’s non-credit Pre-College Program does not result in a transcript. To demonstrate participation in the program, students may use their certificate(s) of completion and/or their Course Performance Report. 

Q: Can I complete the application with or for my student?

A: It is expected that applicants are largely completing the application process independent of parents, guardians, and counselors; this is frequently a formative experience for many applicants in that it is the first time they are independently working to aggregate information, and materials on their own behalf. The ability to work independently is a quality fostered throughout the application and enrollment process, and will be important as students participate in their Pre-College Program.

Q: Will I receive updates regarding my student's application?

A: Once an application has been submitted, our primary point of contact related to relevant next steps is the student. We typically send out email communications related to necessary additional application materials, admissions decision notifications, and enrollment information directly to a student’s email address. Admissions decisions are made available to students within their portals and students are directed there should they contact the Pre-College Program Offices.Please note that we are unable to disclose admissions decisions to individuals other than the applicant. Select communications are also sent to parent and guardian contacts, as designated by the student within their application form.

Q: What is the application process?

A: We’ve designed our application process to emulate the application process for applying to undergraduate institutions, requesting many of the same materials, such as an essay prompt, transcript(s), and a teacher recommendation. In doing this applicants familiarize themselves with the process of completing application form, compiling relevant materials, and following up to provide missing materials.

Q: What happens after a student is admitted?

A: Once a student has been admitted, they are next prompted to deposit, and to enroll in a course. Prior to selecting a course and enrolling, we encourage students to discuss with parents, guardians, and/or mentors, potential subjects which may be of interest to them. As courses fill on a rolling basis, we recommend that students enroll in their course of interest as soon as they have identified it. Though students are required to login to their Student Portal to enroll in a course, we welcome students, families, and mentors to review all courses offered in a given summer, as well as view information related to course content, dates, and availability, in our Course Catalog.

Q: How can a student enroll in a course?

A: The Pre-College enrollment process similarly emulates an undergraduate enrollment experience. After being admitted, in order to enroll in a course, a student must first submit a non-refundable deposit within their Student Portal. Once submitted, students are then able to navigate to the Course Catalog within their student portal, and enroll in any open courses for which they meet relevant age and grade requirements. Parents and guardians can learn more about the enrollment process here.

While students may indicate specific subject matter of interest in the application form, in the spirit of Brown’s Open Curriculum, students are able to enroll in course(s) with any subject matter as long as they are age and grade eligible.

Q: If admitted, is my student guaranteed a space in the course they want?

A: No. Admittance into Pre-College does not guarantee a seat in a specific course. Once a student is admitted, they can enroll in the course(s) of their choice that are open and place themselves on waitlists for courses that are fully enrolled. When your student reviews the course catalog, they may notice that some courses maintain a waitlist. Like in the undergraduate experience, some courses reach maximum capacity prior to being able to accommodate the number of students interested in enrolling. Though we are unable to adjust course capacities, we do maintain a waitlist to ensure that, should space become available within the course, students who have previously affirmed interest in enrolling a course will be offered the opportunity to enroll. Should space become available, students will be notified by email, and are provided with 48 hours to confirm whether, or not, they would like to enroll.

Q: How often will I hear from my student while they are in the program?

A: Students are busy with academics and extra-curricular activities. We recommend creating a communication plan together before arrival including method, timing and cadence of communication (daily texts at curfew, weekly calls in the morning, video chats at Noon etc.) that balances your peace of mind with your student’s independence.

Q: What is a typical day like for students on campus?

A: A typical day depends on the Pre-College Program and course that the student is enrolled in. All programs include students attending class daily, have the opportunity to participate in academic or co-curricular activities, eat meals in the dining hall and have free time to socialize or explore campus. They will have two touchpoints for attendance daily - class and evening curfew in the residence hall. Outside of these two touchpoints, students are free to explore campus, the city of Providence or the state of Rhode Island. There are exceptions to this structure, includingSTEM for Rising 9th and 10th graders, who have mandatory evening activities with student life staff and are not able to travel independently, and BELL RI students who form a living and learning community with a unique schedule. Unlike STEM 9/10 students, BELL RI students may have some opportunities to engage in campus wide activities or events. A typical daily schedule for each of these programs can be found on the program's webpage.

Q: How much work will my student have outside of class?

A: Depending on the program, students should expect 1 to 3 hours of homework or project work per class each day. Online students should expect 15 to 20 hours of work per week.

Q: Do students have to attend every class and activity?

A: Attendance and participation in all academic classes and student life residence hall meetings are mandatory. Student life events, activities and excursions are all opt-in. Students in BEE and BELL programs are expected to attend all aspects of the program, including academic lessons, site visits and evening workshops. 

Q: What measures are in place for student safety in on-campus programs?

A: Student safety and well-being are our top priorities. Students live in residence halls staffed by trained student life staff, including Resident Assistants (RAs), with required nightly check-ins. Multiple tiers of staff are on call 24/7 to provide support and for off-campus program-led excursions, students are always accompanied by staff.

In addition, Brown University maintains a number of campus-wide safety resources:

• Blue Light Phones: Located outside residence halls, across campus buildings and on free-standing poles. With the press of the red button, students are connected directly to Brown Public Safety and officers are dispatched immediately to the phone’s location. These phones are identified by an overhead blue light for easy visibility.
• Department of Public Safety (DPS): A fully functioning police department that patrols the campus 24/7, responds to emergencies, and works closely with students and staff to maintain a safe environment.
• Health Services: Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with an on-call nursing line available after hours.
• Emergency Medical Services: Brown’s campus is equipped with an ambulance and trained EMTs available 24/7 for emergencies on campus.
• Mental Health Support: All students have access to Protocall, a 24/7 mental health counseling hotline, in addition to program staff who can connect them with resources.

These layers of support ensure that students can focus on their academic and personal growth knowing help is always available.

Q: How are health concerns managed for students attending on-campus programs?

A: Brown has health services available, and staff are trained to respond to emergencies. Families should ensure medical forms and prescriptions are up to date before arrival.

Q: What if my student has dietary restrictions or allergies?

A: For students studying on campus, dining services offer a variety of options and can accommodate most dietary needs, including a vegetarian, kosher and halal station in the dining hall. We encourage families to note restrictions on their MAHF so our staff can contact them with more details about the dietary accommodations available on campus. For BEE and BELL students, all dietary accommodations requests will be considered, however, there may be limits as to what can be provided without sufficient notice. Students should submit the Dietary Support Form and Medical Authorization and Health History Form by the BEE and BELL forms deadline to allow for staff to plan accordingly.

Q: What is expected of me as a parent or guardian during the program?

A: Your role is to encourage independence, provide support from a distance, and empower your student to use campus resources. Parents are not expected to solve daily challenges on their student’s behalf and are instead asked to help their student learn to seek support when needed and self-advocate. Visit our Parent and Guardian page for more information.

Q: Can I visit my student during the program?

A: Students are encouraged to fully immerse themselves in the program community. While not prohibited, we request that any visits are limited and must follow program guidelines. If your student is enrolled in a BEE or BELL Program, families should contact the program director to inquire about visiting a student.

Q: What if I need to get in touch with my student urgently?

A: For students attending programs on campus, we have two required attendance touchpoints each day - class and evening residence hall curfew. Outside of this time, students may be anywhere across campus or even the state of Rhode Island. We encourage families to speak with their student prior to the start of the program to make a plan for how they will be communicating during the course of their program. In an emergency, you can contact the Pre-College Office, who will also attempt to reach your student at the next scheduled touchpoint, either class or residence hall curfew.

Q: Where can I find information regarding travel and Immigration status inquiries?

A: Please review this document for current information.