Pre-Baccalaureate

Brown University for-academic credit program for high school students.

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Pre-Baccalaureate

Brown University for-academic credit program for high school students.

The Brown University Pre-Baccalaureate Program is a highly selective program for rising or recently graduated high school seniors ready to undertake the rigors of credit-bearing, undergraduate study. Pre-Baccalaureate students — known as Pre-Baccs — enroll in classes alongside Brown undergraduates in the university’s Summer Session. Courses available to Pre-Baccs are those open to first and second-year undergraduates, and span the natural sciences and mathematics, the social sciences, and the humanities. The program attracts serious-minded students from across the country and around the globe. Their interests are as varied as the Brown curriculum, and they share a commitment to learning and serious study.

Summer Session courses are equivalent to semester-long offerings, compressed into a fast-paced seven-week summer schedule. There are six weeks of course-based instruction with one additional week to prepare for final papers and examinations. Pre-Bacc students may only enroll in no more than two online courses. 

All courses are taken for Brown University academic credit and may provide students with advanced standing once they enroll as an undergraduate in a college or university. In most courses, students are evaluated by an A, B, C or NC (no credit) grade. In some courses (noted in the individual course descriptions), students may instead choose to be evaluated on a satisfactory/no-credit basis (S/NC), rather than a letter grade. Please refer to Brown’s Academic Calendar for the due dates associated with grade option changes.  

Program Snapshot

Who

Rising or recently graduated High School Seniors, age 17 by June 14, 2026

What

7-week intensive credit-bearing program offering Brown Undergraduate Summer Session courses online. Students can expect 6-weeks of course instruction followed by the 7th week, which may be used for final examinations, final projects or course presentation depending on the course syllabus. 

When

June 15 to July 31, 2026 

Where

Online through Canvas, Brown’s Learning Management System

Why

  • Engage with scholars and learn essential academic skills.
  • Get a head start on your undergraduate degree by earning credit alongside Brown undergraduate students.
  • Explore the breadth and depth of Brown’s undergraduate curriculum and emphasis on student-centered learning.
  • Experience the satisfying challenges of college academics.
  • Immerse yourself in subjects you choose.

Experience

Online

Most of Brown University’s Summer Session courses are offered online in an asynchronous modality, which means students are not required to log in at a set time of day. Some of these courses will have synchronous meeting times that your instructor will determine with enrolled students. Classes are typically small, though some are larger, lecture-based courses. This range of class sizes provides students with varied learning environments. Combining all activities related to the class, which includes engagement in online activities, studying and reading, students can expect to spend an average of 25 to 30 hours every week for each course throughout the seven-week session, depending on the instructor. For example, course content may extend into the seventh week (often referred to as “reading week”) or this time might be spent preparing for examinations and/or a final paper. Outside of the classroom, Pre-Baccs have access to a range of virtual Pre-College Student Life programs. See Student Life: Your Virtual Community for more information.

Program Director

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