Most pages on this site walk you through merit scholarships: hit a GPA, hit a test score, get a check. Brown doesn’t work that way. There’s no merit aid here at all, not for valedictorians, not for athletes. What Brown does instead is meet 100% of your family’s demonstrated need with grants instead of loans, skip your home equity entirely, and cover full tuition for most families earning $125,000 or less. For a lot of middle-income families, that makes this Ivy cheaper than their state flagship. The catch is that every dollar runs through the CSS Profile, so the paperwork is the scholarship application.
🏆 Free tuition for most families earning $125K or less; $0 parent contribution under $60K with typical assets
Average Net Price
$26,256/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
None: Brown awards aid on need only
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
9 opportunities
4 automatic · 1 competitive · 4 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
Under $60K income: $0 parent share. Up to $125K: tuition covered
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-required (SAT or ACT)
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Nov 2 • FAFSA: Feb 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Need-based: tuition covered up to $125K, full cost under $60K, plus QuestBridge Match
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA & CSS Profile
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Brown University (Read This First)
Testing is required again. Brown brought back the SAT/ACT requirement starting with the 2024-25 cycle. It superscores both tests, but you have to send something.
The Early Decision aid deadline is one day after the application. ED applications are due Nov 1, and the CSS Profile and FAFSA are due Nov 2. The CSS Profile doesn’t open until Oct 1, so ED families get about a month to pull it together.
“$0 parent contribution” has an asset test too. It’s for families under $60,000 income and under $100,000 in assets. The good news: Brown doesn’t count your home equity or retirement accounts as assets.
Divorced or separated? Both parents file. Brown requires a CSS Profile from each parent, not just the custodial one.
Outside scholarships can’t pay the parent share. They replace what your student is expected to earn first, then reduce Brown’s grant. Great for your kid’s summer, not for your bill.
QuestBridge Match is binding. Match with Brown and you’re going to Brown. Brown’s QuestBridge materials are due Nov 1.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? No. Brown University is test-required for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 34-36; SAT: 1470-1550.
Average net price? About $26,256/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Brown University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Brown University has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $1,900 to $4,900 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$97,116
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$77,652
Housing & meals (typical)
$19,464
Total billed cost
$97,116
Average federal net price: $26,256 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
What Families Actually Paid at Brown, by Income
Brown’s sticker price is close to $100,000 a year once you add the $2,878 personal expense estimate. Almost nobody on aid pays that. Here’s the federal data for first-year students on aid (2023-24, the most recent year reported):
Family Income
Average Net Price
$30,001 to $48,000
$2,031
$48,001 to $75,000
$5,858
$75,001 to $110,000
$16,219
$110,001 and up
$44,937
Kitchen-table version: if your family earns under six figures and doesn’t have a lot saved outside retirement, Brown is very likely cheaper than you think. Run Brown’s own estimator before you rule it out.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Brown University
Does Brown really cost almost $100,000 a year?
On paper, yes. For 2026-27, Brown lists tuition at $74,568, fees at $3,084, housing at $10,710, and food at $8,754, which comes to $97,116 billed. Add the $2,878 personal expense estimate and you get $99,994. That’s the starting point for the aid math, not what most aided families pay.
Is tuition really free at Brown if we make under $125,000?
For most families, yes, as long as your assets are typical for your income. Brown guarantees that grants and scholarships will add up to at least full tuition. Fees, housing, and food aren’t part of that promise, but most families in that range still get need-based aid toward them.
What does a “$0 parent contribution” actually cover?
For families with total income under $60,000 and assets under $100,000, Brown’s grants cover standard tuition, fees, housing, and meals, so your student starts with a $0 bill. Brown also lowers the summer earnings expectation by $1,000 to help with personal costs.
Does Brown count our house or our 401(k)?
No. Brown ignores equity in your primary home and money in qualified retirement plans like a 401(k), 403(b), or IRA. It does count cash, savings, investments, other real estate, and business net worth. If you own a multi-family home you live in, only the part your family lives in is excluded.
Does Brown charge out-of-state tuition?
No. Brown is private, so every student pays the same rate no matter where they live. There’s no reciprocity program and no out-of-state premium to worry about.
Will my student have to take out loans?
Not as part of the aid package. Under the Brown Promise, Brown meets your full demonstrated need with grants and a campus work expectation, with no loans. Families can still choose optional loans to cover their own share.
Why don’t books show up in the cost of attendance?
Most students on Brown University Scholarship get required books and course materials free through the Book/Course Material Support (BCMS) program, so Brown leaves books out of their budget. Students outside BCMS get a $1,300 book allowance instead.
Is health insurance included?
No. Brown requires every student to have health insurance, and it isn’t in the cost of attendance. If your student is on need-based aid and has no comparable coverage, Brown’s Health Insurance Scholarship pays for the student health plan.
October 1: The CSS Profile opens. Start gathering tax returns now.
November 1: Early Decision applications and QuestBridge Match materials are due.
November 2: Early Decision CSS Profile and FAFSA are due.
January 5: Regular Decision applications are due.
February 1: Regular Decision CSS Profile and FAFSA are due.
Parent rule of thumb: get your aid forms in by the deadline and you get an estimated aid offer with the admission decision. Miss it and you could be comparing schools without knowing Brown’s real price.
Automatic Need-Based Aid at Brown University
Brown has no automatic merit scholarships. What’s automatic here is need-based aid: file the CSS Profile and FAFSA on time, and Brown builds your grant package with no separate scholarship application. Grades and test scores get your student admitted. Your family’s finances decide the price.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Brown University Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Early Decision aid forms (CSS Profile + FAFSA): Nov 2 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Private outside scholarships first replace your student's summer earnings and campus work expectations. Only after both are covered does Brown reduce its scholarship, dollar for dollar. Outside money can never be used to cover the parent share. Federal and state grants work differently: they replace Brown University Scholarship dollar for dollar from the start.
💡
Strategic Detail
Brown does not offer merit or athletic scholarships. Every institutional dollar is based on financial need, and Brown meets 100% of demonstrated need without putting loans in the package (the Brown Promise). Need gets filled in a set order: a standard student work expectation first, then any federal and state grants, then Brown University Scholarship covers the rest. Brown leaves equity in your primary home and qualified retirement accounts out of the asset calculation, and it considers financial need separately from admission for most applicants.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: About half of each class. 51% of the Class of 2030 received need-based aid. Families under $60,000 income with typical assets have a $0 parent contribution, families up to $125,000 with typical assets have tuition covered, and families above that still receive aid when the CSS Profile shows need. Federal data for 2023-24 puts the average net price for aided first-years at about $26,256.
Full TuitionAutomatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyincome based
Full Tuition Scholarship (Family Income $125K or Less)
📅 Deadline: Early Decision aid forms (CSS Profile + FAFSA): Nov 2 ✓ Renews
Full Tuition
need-based grant (tuition only)
✔ Stackable
⚠ Family income $125K or less with typical assets
🎓 All UndergradTotal family income of $125,000 or less with typical assets for that income level.
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a floor, not a bonus. Brown makes sure your University Scholarship plus any federal grants, state grants, and outside scholarships add up to at least full tuition. Outside awards still replace your student's work and summer earnings expectations first, so they keep their value, but they can never be used to cover the parent share.
💡
Strategic Detail
Tuition only. Fees, housing, and food are not part of this guarantee, although most families in this income range still receive need-based aid toward them. Brown lists $74,568 (2026-27 tuition) as its minimum scholarship commitment for most families under $125,000. "Typical assets" is a judgment the Office of Financial Aid makes after reviewing your full file.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families with total income of $125,000 or less and assets that are typical for that income level. Brown counts adjusted gross income plus untaxed income, and it leaves retirement accounts and equity in your primary home out of assets. Federal data for 2023-24 shows families earning $75,001 to $110,000 paid about $16,200 a year on average after grants.
Full RideAutomatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyincome based
$0 Parent Contribution Direct Cost Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Early Decision aid forms (CSS Profile + FAFSA): Nov 2 ✓ Renews
Full Ride
tuition, fees, housing, and food
✔ Stackable
⚠ Family income under $60K and assets under $100K
🎓 All UndergradTotal family income under $60,000 and assets under $100,000.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside scholarships first replace whatever summer earnings and campus work expectations remain. Beyond that, Brown reduces its own grant dollar for dollar, so talk to the Office of Financial Aid about the one-time computer purchase option before an outside award gets absorbed.
💡
Strategic Detail
Scholarships and grants equal to standard tuition, fees, housing, and meals, so your student arrives on campus with a $0 balance. Brown also cuts the summer earnings expectation by $1,000 for $0 parent contribution students, which works out to $500 per semester beyond direct costs to help with personal expenses. Required books are covered separately through the BCMS program.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Brown's highest-need students: families with total income under $60,000 and assets under $100,000, as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. Federal data for 2023-24 shows families earning $30,001 to $48,000 paid about $2,000 a year on average after grants.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Sidney E. Frank Scholars
📅 Deadline: Early Decision aid forms (CSS Profile + FAFSA): Nov 2 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ US citizens and eligible non-citizens with the highest need
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
First-year Frank Scholars have no work expectation, so that year an outside scholarship can only replace the summer earnings expectation. Anything beyond that reduces Brown University Scholarship dollar for dollar. Brown suggests asking the sponsor to defer the extra to a later year, when it can replace the work expectation, or using it once toward a computer purchase.
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by a $100 million gift from Sidney E. Frank (Class of 1942) in 2004, the largest gift in Brown's history. Frank Scholars are the highest-need students in each class. In the first year, the usual campus work expectation is replaced with a University Work Scholarship credited to the bill (Brown's own example: a $2,950 work expectation becomes a $2,950 credit). Your student can still take a campus job; it just isn't required. From sophomore year on, the normal work expectation returns.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
The neediest admitted students who are US citizens or eligible non-citizens and enter through Early Decision or Regular Decision. The Financial Aid Committee selects Frank Scholars, and families find out in the aid offer letter.
Data last verified Oct 12, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
How the math works: Brown takes the cost of attendance, subtracts what it expects your family to pay, subtracts a standard amount your student is expected to earn (campus work plus summer earnings), then subtracts any federal or state grants. Brown University Scholarship fills whatever is left. The Full Tuition and $0 Parent Contribution awards above aren’t extra money stacked on top. They’re guarantees about how big that package will be for families under $125,000 and $60,000.
Automatic Aid: FAQs (Brown University)
Is there a separate scholarship application at Brown?
No. The CSS Profile (Brown code 3189) and the FAFSA (school code 003401) are the whole application. Brown may ask for tax documents through IDOC. If you don’t get that request, Brown already has what it needs.
Who gets the Full Tuition Scholarship?
Families with total income of $125,000 or less and typical assets for that income. Brown makes sure grants and scholarships cover at least full tuition ($74,568 for 2026-27). Fees, housing, and food are handled by regular need-based aid.
Who gets the $0 Parent Contribution Direct Cost Scholarship?
Families with total income under $60,000 and assets under $100,000. Brown covers standard tuition, fees, housing, and meals, so your student arrives owing nothing on the bill.
What makes someone a Sidney E. Frank Scholar?
Frank Scholars are the neediest admitted students who are US citizens or eligible non-citizens. You can’t apply for it. Brown picks them during aid packaging. The big perk is that first-year students have no campus work requirement, because Brown replaces it with scholarship money.
Does Brown aid renew all four years?
Yes, but you reapply every year. If your income or family situation changes, your aid can change too, in either direction.
Does a high GPA or test score get us more money at Brown?
No. Brown awards nothing for academics or athletics. Two families with the same finances get the same aid whether their kid has a 1450 or a 1590.
Brown has no competitive merit scholarships. No named full rides for top students, no essay contests, no National Merit package. The only competitive path to a full package is the QuestBridge National College Match, and even that runs on financial need.
✅ How Different Kinds of Money Work Together at Brown
Money Source
Does It Add Up?
Brown Parent Translation
Brown University Scholarship
The base
Fills whatever need is left after your family share, your student’s work and summer earnings, and any government grants.
Pell and state grants
Replaces
Every dollar of government grant lowers Brown’s grant by a dollar. Still file the FAFSA, because Brown expects you to claim them.
Private outside scholarships
Partly
They first replace your student’s summer and campus work expectations, so your kid works less. After that, Brown’s grant goes down dollar for dollar. They can never cover the parent share.
Employer tuition benefits
Mostly replaces
Treated as outside money. They can reduce summer earnings and work first; anything beyond that reduces Brown’s grant.
ROTC / VA benefits
Coordinated
Built into one package with Brown’s aid. Big help for families who don’t qualify for much need-based aid.
If your student is hunting for a merit full ride, Brown isn’t the place. If your family has real financial need, Brown’s need-based aid will usually beat most merit offers anyway, and QuestBridge is the one competitive door worth knocking on.
Full RideApp Requiredexternalneed based
QuestBridge National College Match (Brown Partner)
📅 Deadline: Brown Match requirements: Nov 1 · 📢 Results: QuestBridge notifies matched Finalists in early December; Brown follows shortly after with the official letter of admission and financial aid package. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
full_need_package
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside scholarships are coordinated with Brown's need-based package. They first replace work-study and summer earnings expectations, and only after those are covered does Brown reduce its own grant. Since most matched students have little or no parent contribution, outside awards mostly lower what the student has to earn.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the QuestBridge National College Match application by its late-September deadline. If you are named a Finalist and rank Brown, activate your Brown Applicant Portal, complete the Brown Questionnaire and Brown's short-answer questions, and submit the CSS Profile by November 1. SAT or ACT scores are required. An optional 90-second video introduction is encouraged.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
QuestBridge's National College Match is binding at Brown: if you match, you commit to attend and must withdraw every other application. Matched students are covered by Brown's need-based aid, which carries no loans, and for families under $60,000 income with assets under $100,000 that means tuition, fees, housing, and food. Students reapply for aid each year to keep the Match Scholarship.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High-achieving seniors from low-income households who apply through QuestBridge and are named Finalists. At Brown, families under $60,000 income with assets under $100,000 have no expected parent contribution.
Data last verified Oct 12, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Is the QuestBridge Match with Brown binding?
Yes. If your student matches with Brown, they commit to attend and must withdraw every other application. Only rank Brown if your student would truly be happy going there.
What are the QuestBridge deadlines for Brown?
The QuestBridge National College Match application is due in late September of senior year. Finalists who rank Brown then submit the Brown Questionnaire, the Brown short answers, and the CSS Profile by November 1. SAT or ACT scores are required.
Does Brown offer National Merit scholarships?
No. Brown doesn’t sponsor National Merit awards because it gives no merit aid. If your student wins a corporate-sponsored National Merit scholarship, Brown treats it like any other outside scholarship.
Is it still worth applying for outside scholarships if Brown will just reduce its grant?
Often, yes. Outside money first replaces your student’s summer and work expectations, which is real cash and time back for your kid. Brown also lets students use an outside scholarship once to buy a computer, which is a smart move if an award is about to exceed those expectations.
Is Brown a Stamps Scholarship partner?
No. Brown isn’t a Stamps partner.
Where should my student focus their essay energy?
On admission and outside scholarships. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder help with both.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The Stuff Brown Pays For That Nobody Asks About
At Brown, the hidden money isn’t donor scholarships buried in a portal. It’s the costs Brown quietly covers for students on aid, and families who don’t know to ask can end up paying for them out of pocket.
Books: Confirm BCMS before buying anything. Required books come free from the Brown Bookstore.
Health insurance: No comparable coverage? Ask about the Health Insurance Scholarship before paying for the student plan.
A computer: If an outside scholarship is about to exceed your student’s earnings expectations, use it once for a computer instead of watching Brown reduce its grant.
Research pay: UTRA and SPRINT Fellowships pay students to work with faculty, starting as early as first year.
Parent translation: none of this is on the sticker price, and all of it can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars a year.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards run alongside Brown’s need-based aid. Some are automatic for aid recipients, some need a quick extra step, and a few are for specific groups like veterans, student parents, and UWC graduates.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyneed based recipients
Book/Course Material Support (BCMS) Program
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ For Brown University Scholarship recipients
🎓 All UndergradBrown University Scholarship recipients.
✚
Stacking & Combining
BCMS covers required materials directly instead of adding cash to your package, so there is nothing to coordinate with other scholarships.
💡
Strategic Detail
Brown pays for the books and course materials instructors require, and students pick them up at the Brown Bookstore at no cost. Because of that, books are left out of the cost of attendance on a BCMS student's aid offer. Students outside the program get a standard $1,300 book allowance instead. General supplies like notebooks, and electronics, are not part of BCMS.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most students who receive Brown University Scholarship.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyneed based recipients
Health Insurance Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Need-based aid recipients without comparable coverage
🎓 All UndergradBrown need-based scholarship recipients without comparable health insurance.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Added on top of your need-based package to pay for SHIP, which is not otherwise part of Brown's cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Brown requires every student to carry health insurance. If your family has no comparable coverage, go through the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) waiver step; once the waiver is denied, Brown adds scholarship funds to pay for the plan. Questions go to studenthealthinsuranceplan@brown.edu.
💡
Strategic Detail
Health insurance is not included in Brown's cost of attendance, so many families assume they are on their own for it. For students on need-based aid without comparable coverage, Brown adds scholarship money to pay for its Student Health Insurance Plan.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students receiving a University need-based scholarship who have no comparable health insurance, including students with no coverage at all.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Research Funding: UTRA and SPRINT Fellowships
📅 Deadline: Cycles run each semester and summer; current dates posted at utra.brown.edu Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stipends pay for work on a project. Ask the Office of Financial Aid how a stipend fits with your aid package before you accept.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the SPRINT Fellowship process: browse posted opportunities and submit a separate form for each one (up to five), usually with a cover letter, a resume, and a short statement on how you meet the qualifications. Applications are ranked, reviewed, and matched.
Selection criteria: Committees review proposals based on academic merit, clarity and feasibility of the project, and, for need-based components, the student’s financial need.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards (UTRAs) pay Brown students to work alongside faculty on research or course development, during a semester or over the summer. International UTRAs support summer projects abroad when the student and faculty mentor are both on site. UTRA is part of Brown's SPRINT Fellowship family, which funds hands-on learning on campus and around the world. The UTRA site does not publish award amounts.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Undergraduates in any year (first through fourth) and any field who apply to a posted faculty project. Students can submit up to five applications per cycle.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlystudent parents
Child Care Support for Undergraduate Students
📅 Deadline: Apply through Banner Self-Service; no deadline published ✓ Renews
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Student parents with a child age 0 to 6
🎓 All UndergradMust receive a University need-based scholarship, be enrolled at least half-time, and support a dependent age 0 to 6. Must be unmarried, or have a spouse who works at least part-time, studies full-time, is legally disabled, or is actively seeking work. A spouse cannot be a Brown employee or graduate student receiving the University's Child Care Subsidy.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Shows on the aid offer as Child Care Support and is applied directly to the student's billing account.
📄
How to Apply
Upload the Child Care Support Application as a document in Banner Self-Service. The Office of Financial Aid emails you once it has been reviewed, and the amount shows up in Banner Self-Service. Questions: (401) 863-2721 or financial_aid@brown.edu.
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $4,000 per academic year ($2,000 per semester) per household toward child care during the 9-month academic year. If actual child care costs are lower, the award matches the actual costs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Brown undergraduates on need-based scholarship, enrolled at least half-time, who are financially responsible for a child age 0 to 6.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
ROTC Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Set by each branch's national ROTC scholarship program; check the Army, Navy, and Air Force ROTC sites ✓ Renews
Full Tuition
full-tuition scholarship plus monthly stipend
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Brown lists ROTC alongside other outside funding. Outside awards first replace your student's work and summer earnings expectations, then reduce Brown University Scholarship dollar for dollar. For high-need families, ROTC mainly frees up the student's earning requirement; for families with little or no need, it can cover most of the tuition bill.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for your branch's national ROTC scholarship, usually during junior or senior year of high school. For Navy, pick the College of the Holy Cross as the host school and Brown as the school you will attend. Contact military@brown.edu or the host unit to set up cross-enrollment.
Selection criteria: Selection is conducted by the respective service and emphasizes academics, leadership, physical fitness, and officer potential.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Brown has no ROTC unit on campus, so students cross-enroll at partner schools: Army ROTC with Providence College's Patriot Battalion (classes at Providence College or Bryant University), Navy ROTC (including the Marine Corps option) at the College of the Holy Cross, and Air Force ROTC with Detachment 340 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. ROTC scholarships typically cover full tuition and pay a monthly stipend in exchange for a service commitment after graduation. Brown reviews completed ROTC courses for credit under its transfer credit rules, and every ROTC course appears on the transcript.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who win an Army, Navy, or Air Force ROTC scholarship through national selection (or contract later in college) and can handle weekly training at the host campus on top of a Brown course load.
Data last verified Oct 12, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Money the college does not control. Federal programs, city promise funds, foundations, and employers. The college may help you apply, but someone else writes the check, and these almost always stack with the college's own awards.
Outside MoneyFull TuitionApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlymilitaryveteran
Veteran Benefits (Yellow Ribbon and Brown Veteran Initiatives)
📅 Deadline: Rolling: send VA paperwork to Financial Aid after admission ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
mandatory tuition and fees (veterans also get full cost of attendance)
✔ Stackable
⚠ Veterans and dependents using eligible VA benefits
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
All VA benefits, including the housing allowance, book stipend, and Yellow Ribbon funds, are coordinated with University and federal aid as one package. Veterans must use every eligible VA benefit before University funding applies. Chapter 35 dependent benefits count as an educational resource and cannot replace the parent contribution.
📄
How to Apply
Get admitted or enrolled, apply for benefits with the VA, send your Certificate of Eligibility or Transfer of Entitlement to the Office of Financial Aid, and file the FAFSA. Report any Chapter 35 benefits to the Office of Financial Aid.
Selection criteria: Determined by VA benefit eligibility and Brown’s need-based financial aid calculations.
💡
Strategic Detail
For 2026-27 Brown supports an unlimited number of Yellow Ribbon recipients. Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, Brown's Yellow Ribbon scholarship, and VA matching funds together cover 100% of mandatory tuition and fees for eligible undergraduate veterans and dependents of eligible veterans. Student veterans also get need-blind admission, and Brown replaces their expected student and spouse contributions with VA benefits, University Scholarship, and federal grants so the full cost of attendance is covered. That full-cost piece does not extend to dependents. Students do not need to qualify for need-based aid to get these benefits.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Undergraduate veterans using the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), plus dependents using transferred entitlement. Brown also works with Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31) and Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35).
Outside MoneyAutomaticuwc graduates
Davis United World College (UWC) Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Early Decision aid forms (CSS Profile + FAFSA): Nov 2 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ United World College graduates only
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Davis Scholar funding stacks with Brown's institutional need-based aid and applies toward meeting your demonstrated need. Any other outside scholarships you bring in are coordinated the same way as any external award at Brown — they first reduce work-study and summer earnings expectations before affecting institutional grant funding.
💡
Strategic Detail
Brown is a partner school in the Davis United World College Scholars Program. UWC graduates who enroll at Brown get need-based grant support funded by the program, built into their Brown aid package. Eligibility comes from the UWC diploma itself, so there is nothing to apply for at Brown beyond the normal aid forms.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Graduates of United World College (UWC) high schools who enroll at Brown as first-year students.
Data last verified Oct 12, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Do I have to apply for free books at Brown?
There’s no separate scholarship application. Most students on Brown University Scholarship are part of BCMS automatically. Just confirm with the Office of Financial Aid before buying books elsewhere.
How does the Health Insurance Scholarship work?
Brown requires every student to have insurance. If your student is on need-based aid and has no comparable coverage, Brown adds scholarship money to pay for its student health plan. Email studenthealthinsuranceplan@brown.edu with questions.
What do veterans get at Brown?
A lot. For 2026-27, Brown supports an unlimited number of Yellow Ribbon students, covering 100% of tuition and fees for eligible veterans and dependents. Student veterans also get need-blind admission and their full cost of attendance covered. That last part doesn’t extend to dependents.
Can ROTC students attend Brown?
Yes, through partner schools. Army ROTC runs through Providence College, Navy ROTC (including the Marine Corps option) through the College of the Holy Cross, and Air Force ROTC through WPI. ROTC scholarships typically cover full tuition plus a monthly stipend.
Is there help for students who are parents?
Yes. Undergraduates on need-based aid with a child age 0 to 6 can get up to $4,000 a year toward child care, applied straight to their bill.
Honors at Brown University: Why There Isn’t an Honors College
Brown doesn’t have an Honors College or honors scholarships, and that’s on purpose. The whole school is built around what honors programs offer elsewhere: small classes, freedom to design your own path, and close work with faculty. Instead of a separate honors track, Brown has a few special programs worth knowing about.
The Open Curriculum: No general education requirements. Students pick their own classes across nearly 80 concentrations (Brown’s word for majors), and they can take any course pass/fail.
PLME (Program in Liberal Medical Education): An eight-year path from undergrad straight through Brown’s medical school. Very selective: about 50 students enrolled out of 4,687 applicants in the latest class.
Brown|RISD Dual Degree: Five years, two degrees, one from Brown and one from the Rhode Island School of Design. About 20 students enrolled out of 856 applicants.
UTRA research awards: Paid research or teaching work with faculty, open to students from their first year on.
Honors Scholarships & Fellowships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
Money Note: PLME and Brown|RISD don’t come with extra scholarships. Students in those programs get the same need-based aid as everyone else, so the aid forms matter just as much for them.
Honors: FAQs (Brown University)
Does Brown have an Honors College?
No. Brown has no Honors College and no honors scholarships. The Open Curriculum gives every student the flexibility honors programs offer at other schools.
Do PLME or Brown|RISD students get scholarships?
Not extra ones. Aid for these programs works like the rest of Brown: need-based only, through the CSS Profile and FAFSA.
Can students graduate with honors at Brown?
Yes. Many concentrations offer departmental honors, usually through a senior thesis or project. It’s an academic distinction, not a scholarship.
How do students apply to PLME or Brown|RISD?
Both are separate application options listed on Brown’s admission site, and both are far more selective than general admission.
Brown is a private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, and it stands out even among the Ivies for one big reason: students build their own education. Classes are small (69% have fewer than 20 students), the student-to-faculty ratio is 6 to 1, and professors teach undergraduates directly. It’s a school for kids who know what they’re curious about, or want the freedom to find out.
Nationally Known Program: The Open Curriculum: No required core classes. Students choose from nearly 80 concentrations or design their own, and they can take any class pass/fail. That makes it easy to double up on interests or try something new without risking the transcript.
Pre-Med and the PLME: Brown’s eight-year program from undergrad through medical school is one of the most sought-after in the country, and Brown reports an 81% medical school acceptance rate for its applicants.
Computer Science and Applied Math: Strong, popular, and research-heavy, with plenty of chances for undergraduates to work in labs.
Public Health and Neuroscience: Brown’s School of Public Health and its brain science programs give undergraduates real research access.
Economics and International and Public Affairs: Popular pathways into policy, law, and finance. Brown also reports an 81% law school acceptance rate.
Engineering: Brown’s School of Engineering is small compared with big tech schools, which means more one-on-one time with faculty.
Brown|RISD Dual Degree: A rare five-year program pairing a Brown degree with one from the Rhode Island School of Design, for students who want art and academics at full strength.
🔗 Official Brown University Links
Use Brown’s official resources below to check admission details, financial aid policies, costs, and key data. Always rely on these pages for final deadlines, aid terms, and official information.
Big picture? Brown flips the usual scholarship playbook. There’s no merit money to chase, so your student’s GPA and test scores only matter for getting in. Once they’re admitted, your family’s finances decide the price, and for a lot of families that price is shockingly low: free tuition for most families earning $125,000 or less, nothing from parents under $60,000, no loans in the package, and no penalty for the equity in your house.
The work here isn’t hunting for awards. It’s getting the CSS Profile and FAFSA done right and on time, especially for Early Decision, where the aid deadline lands the day after the application. Do that, run Brown’s net price estimator early, and don’t rule out an Ivy just because of the sticker price. For middle-income families, Brown can come in under your state school.
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