Brown University admission requirements for international students match those for US applicants: the Common App, Brown’s own supplemental essays, SAT or ACT scores (required again since the 2024-25 cycle), two teacher letters, a counselor letter and school report, your transcript and an $80 fee or a fee waiver. Brown also strongly recommends an English test if English is not your first language or your school did not teach in English.
The reason so many international students now look at Brown is money. Starting with students who entered in fall 2025, Brown reads international applications need-blind, so asking for aid does not count against you, and it meets the full demonstrated need of every admitted student who applies for aid on time. Brown admitted 5.65% of applicants to the Class of 2029. For fall 2027 entry, Early Decision closes on 1 November 2026 and Regular Decision on 5 January 2027. I checked the details below on Brown’s own pages on 29 October 2026.
Brown ranking and headline numbers
U.S. News released its 2027 Best Colleges edition on 22 September 2026, and Brown’s own news office reports a No. 16 position among national universities, a rank it shares with Rice, Vanderbilt and Washington University in St. Louis. In the same edition Brown was No. 1 for writing in the disciplines and No. 3 for undergraduate teaching, which says more about the classroom experience than the headline number does.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| U.S. News rank | #16 (tie) National Universities, U.S. News 2027 edition |
| Acceptance rate | 5.65% (Class of 2029) |
| Early Decision acceptance rate | 17.9% (907 of 5,055, Class of 2029) |
| Cost of attendance 2026-27 | $99,994 |
| Aid for internationals | Need-blind, meets full demonstrated need |
| Testing | SAT or ACT required |
| Application fee | $80 or fee waiver |
Brown acceptance rate and class profile
Brown received 42,765 applications for the Class of 2029 (fall 2025 entry) and admitted 2,418, an overall acceptance rate of 5.65%. Regular Decision was much harder at about 4%, while Early Decision admitted 907 of 5,055 applicants, or 17.9%. The admitted class came from 89 countries, with Canada, China, the United Kingdom, India and South Korea sending the most students. It was also the first class chosen under need-blind admission for international students.
Brown does not set minimum SAT or ACT scores. It reads results in context, including your school, your family’s circumstances and your access to test centres. Brown publishes its Common Data Set each year; the class numbers here come from Brown’s Class of 2029 announcement as reported by the Brown Daily Herald.
Brown tuition for international students in 2026-27
International students pay the same charges as US students. Brown’s Office of Financial Aid lists this cost of attendance for a first-year student in 2026-27:
| Cost item (2026-27) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $74,568 |
| Fees (includes $100 one-time record fee) | $3,084 |
| Housing | $10,710 |
| Food | $8,754 |
| Direct charges subtotal | $97,116 |
| Personal expenses | $2,878 |
| Books and course materials | $0 for most aid recipients; $1,300 otherwise |
| Travel | Allowance based on home address |
| Total (as listed by Brown) | $99,994 |
Brown’s student health insurance costs $5,283 for the year from 15 August 2026, and it is added to your cost of attendance if you do not waive it. If you do not have coverage that meets Brown’s standard, budget for it unless your aid letter includes it.
Brown scholarships for international students: how need-based aid works
Brown gives no merit scholarships. All of its aid is need-based, and the rules for international students are simple:
- Brown is need-blind for first-year international applicants who entered from fall 2025 onward, so whether you ask for aid does not affect the decision.
- Brown meets 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students, but only if you apply for aid when you apply for admission.
- Aid is paid into your student account against tuition, fees, housing and meals, and can help with books, travel and personal costs. It does not cover vacation or summer living costs.
- International students admitted before fall 2025 stay under the older need-aware rules for their whole time at Brown.
Brown also advises overseas applicants to know exactly where any family contribution will come from, because US visa rules limit off-campus work. For other Ivy League aid models, our Yale scholarships guide is a useful comparison.
Aid forms and deadlines
- CSS Profile: Brown’s code is 3189. The Profile for this cycle opened on 1 October 2026. Each parent completes it if parents are divorced or separated.
2. No ISFAA: Brown does not accept the ISFAA or a paper CSS Profile.
3. No Profile fee waiver from Brown: Brown does not offer CSS Profile fee waivers, so check the College Board’s own waiver rules.
4. IDOC documents: if the College Board asks, upload your parents’ 2025 tax returns, a non-filer statement or an employer statement of 2025 earnings.
5. Iran and North Korea: applicants who cannot use the Profile email financial_aid@brown.edu for an alternative.
| Aid deadline | Date |
|---|---|
| Early Decision | 2 November 2026 |
| Regular Decision | 1 February 2027 |
Brown admission requirements for international students: the application parts
- Common App: Brown takes applications through the Common App only.
2. Fee: $80 non-refundable, or a fee waiver.
3. Brown supplement: Brown’s essays and short answers, completed in the Common App.
4. Transcript and school report: sent by your counselor or another school official.
5. Counselor recommendation: a separate item from the school report.
6. Two teacher recommendations: from teachers of major subjects. If you are considering a Bachelor of Science or the medical programme, at least one should be from a maths or science teacher.
7. SAT or ACT: required; Brown superscores.
8. English test: strongly recommended if English is not your first language or school language.
9. Mid-year grades: due 27 February or as soon as possible after your first term.
10. Optional extras: music or visual art portfolios through SlideRoom (4 November for ED, 7 January for RD). Brown’s checklist also lists a video introduction.
11. Programme essays: extra essays for the eight-year Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) and the Brown and RISD dual degree.
English requirements
Brown says students must be proficient in English before admission and strongly recommends a test for applicants whose first language is not English or who were not taught in English at secondary school. These are the minimum scores Brown expects:
| Test | Expected minimum |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT (taken before January 2026) | 105 |
| TOEFL iBT (taken January 2026 or later) | 5.5 |
| IELTS | 8.0 |
| Duolingo English Test | 130 |
| Pearson Test of English | 75 |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency | 191 |
Brown does not accept MyBest scores. If you self-report, official reports are due in May 2027, and an expired score will not be accepted, so send it before it expires.
Brown deadlines for fall 2027 entry
Deadline warning
Brown’s Early Decision deadline is 1 November 2026 at 11:59 p.m. in your own time zone, and the ED aid deadline is 2 November 2026. Submit the CSS Profile on time or Brown cannot give you an aid decision with your admission result.
| Step | Early Decision | Regular Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Application deadline | 1 November 2026 | 5 January 2027 |
| CSS Profile deadline | 2 November 2026 | 1 February 2027 |
| SlideRoom portfolio | 4 November 2026 | 7 January 2027 |
| Decision release | Mid-December 2026 | Late March 2027 |
| Reply | Binding | 1 May 2027 |
How to write the Brown supplemental essays, with a sample opening
Brown’s prompts change slightly each year, so read the version in your Common App. For 2026-27, admissions advisers summarise four prompts: how you would approach Brown’s Open Curriculum (about 150 to 250 words), how an aspect of your upbringing has shaped you and what you would bring to Brown (about 150 to 250 words), something that brings you joy (about 100 to 150 words) and the class you would teach if you could teach anything (about 100 to 150 words).
- Open Curriculum: Brown has no general education requirements. Show that you would use that freedom with a plan, naming two or three areas you want to connect.
- Upbringing: pick one specific setting, habit or person, not your whole life story.
- Joy: keep it light and real. Small and specific beats grand and vague.
- Teach a class: this is where your curiosity shows. A class on something odd you know well works better than a safe academic topic.
Sample opening, for illustration only:
“My grandmother measured rice with an old milk tin, and for years I thought every kitchen in Ibadan used the same unit. Building a converter for her recipes was my first piece of code.”
What happens after you apply
- Track your portal: Brown confirms receipt and shows missing items in its applicant portal.
2. Grades: ED applicants send first-quarter grades as soon as they are available; everyone sends mid-year grades.
3. Decision: ED letters arrive in mid-December, RD letters in late March.
4. Aid: if your CSS Profile and documents arrived on time, a provisional aid decision comes with your admission.
5. Enrolment: RD admits reply by 1 May. Final school report and transcript are due by 30 June, and official English scores by May 2027.
6. Visa: Brown issues the I-20 once you enrol, and you then apply for the F-1 visa.
Common mistakes international applicants make
- Assuming need-blind means the aid forms are optional. You still have to file the CSS Profile by the deadline.
- Using the ISFAA. Brown does not accept it.
- Submitting a TOEFL MyBest score or letting an English score expire before May 2027.
- Writing an Open Curriculum essay that praises “flexibility” without saying what you would study.
- Applying ED without first running Brown’s cost estimates with your parents.
- Applying to PLME without reading its separate essays and eligibility rules carefully.
Costs that aid doesn’t cover
- Vacation and summer living costs. Brown’s international aid page says aid cannot be used for these.
- Visa and SEVIS fees, and your first flight.
- The CSS Profile fee if you do not qualify for a College Board waiver.
- Test fees and score reports for the SAT, ACT and English tests.
- Winter clothing and set-up costs in Providence.
Brown graduate admissions for international students
Brown’s Graduate School handles PhD and most master’s applications, while the medical school, the School of Public Health and the School of Professional Studies run their own processes. Graduate English test rules differ from the undergraduate guidance, so read the Graduate School’s language proficiency page. Funding differs between PhD and master’s programmes, so read each programme’s funding page before applying.
Majors and campus life at Brown
Brown sits on College Hill in Providence, Rhode Island, a small New England city about an hour by train from Boston. Its Open Curriculum lets you design your own course of study, and you can take courses on a satisfactory or no-credit basis. Brown is strong in the humanities and writing, economics, computer science and the life sciences. The PLME links an undergraduate degree with Brown’s medical school in one eight-year programme, which is why many pre-medical students look at Brown first.
Brown compared with similar universities
| University | U.S. News 2027 | Acceptance rate | Cost 2026-27 | Aid for internationals | Testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | #16 (tie) | 5.65% (Class of 2029) | $99,994 | Need-blind, full need | SAT/ACT required |
| Penn | #7 | 5.4% (CDS 2024-25) | $99,082 | Need-aware, full need | SAT/ACT required |
| Columbia | #12 (tie) | 3.85% (Class of 2028) | $99,774 | Need-aware, full need | Test-optional |
| MIT | #1 | 4.6% | $92,760 | Need-blind, full need | SAT/ACT required |
Brown is one of a small group of US universities that are need-blind for international students and meet full need. For more need-based options, including smaller colleges, read our Amherst College financial aid guide.
Who should apply to Brown
Brown suits students who want to shape their own education and can show that in their essays. It is a strong choice if you need full financial aid, because your request for aid will not count against you. It also suits pre-medical students who are interested in the PLME and willing to make a very strong case early.
Think carefully if you want a structured curriculum with clear required courses, or if your English scores sit well below Brown’s expected minimums, which are higher than those at many peer schools. Brown’s IELTS expectation of 8.0, for example, is above what Penn or Columbia asks for.
FAQ on Brown admission requirements for international students
Is Brown need-blind for international students?
Yes. Brown has been need-blind for international first-year applicants since fall 2025 entry, and it meets full demonstrated need for those who apply for aid at admission.
What is the Brown acceptance rate?
Brown admitted 2,418 of 42,765 applicants to the Class of 2029, a rate of 5.65%. Early Decision admitted 17.9%, while Regular Decision admitted about 4%.
How much does Brown cost per year for international students?
Brown lists a 2026-27 cost of attendance of $99,994, with tuition of $74,568. Health insurance of $5,283 is added if you do not waive it.
What IELTS score does Brown require?
Brown expects an IELTS score of 8.0. It also lists TOEFL 105 (or 5.5 on the new scale), Duolingo 130 and PTE 75.
Sources and updates
I checked this guide on 29 October 2026 against Brown Undergraduate Admission (first-year application checklist, international financial aid and English proficiency pages), the Brown Office of Financial Aid (first-year international aid instructions and the 2026-27 cost of attendance), Brown Student Financial Services (2026-27 tuition and fees), and Brown’s news release on the U.S. News 2027 rankings. Class of 2029 figures come from the Brown Daily Herald’s report of Brown’s announcement, and the 2026-27 essay prompts are taken from published adviser summaries, so confirm the exact wording in the Common App. I will update this page if Brown changes its deadlines, costs or testing policy.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
