Brown University Complete Information
BROWN University
Transfer Applicants
Brown University is one of the most difficult colleges to get into in the United States. It offers a highly selective admissions process, and admission rates are low. However, Brown also accepts transfer students and provides scholarships to help pay for your education.
Eligibility
Transfer applicants must be at least 18 years old and have earned 30 credits from a regionally accredited college or university.
Transfer applicants must also have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on required courses to apply for admission. Citizens of a foreign country are only eligible to apply for fall semester entry.
Students who have already completed a bachelor's degree at another college are ineligible to apply as transfers.
Application Checklist
- College Report
- Submit the application fee. The $75 application fee can be paid online with a credit card, or you may pay by check or money order (make payable to Brown University).
- Complete an online application through Common Application or Coalition Application.
- All required documents must be submitted online through SlideRoom (the online document repository).
- Documents include Official high school transcripts; College Transcripts from every school attended during high school and beyond; SAT/ACT scores sent directly from the testing agency (SAT code: 4244; ACT code: 0987); TOEFL score if applicable; Teacher Recommendation Form(s), if applicable; Essay(s), if applicable.
Standardized Tests
You may wonder how to take the next step in your application process. Here are some tips for submitting your standardized test scores:
- Standardized Tests – SAT or ACT scores
- AP Exams – If you have taken advanced placement exams, you should send all official test scores to Brown University.
If you have yet to take any Advanced Placement exams, we recommend that you do so; however, if this is not possible due to scheduling conflicts or other reasons, we will accept self-reported scores instead.
Transfer Calendar
Transfer applicants can apply for fall, spring or summer transfer.
Spring Transfer Calendar:
March 1, 2023 Application Deadline
Application deadline for sophomore transfer applicants interested in spring 2023 entry. Your Transfer Common Application and Brown Supplement must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. (applicant’s local time) on this date. The other elements of your application may be received after this date.
March 1, 2023 Financial Aid
To ensure a financial aid notification is available at admission, students should submit the Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and their CSS Profile by this date. Transfer applicants seeking federal and institutional financial aid may complete both forms.
March 2, 2023 Music Supplement Submission Deadline
Music supplements can be submitted through SlideRoom. The deadline to create a SlideRoom account is March 2.
March 5, 2023 Video Introduction Submission Deadline
The deadline to submit a video introduction is March 5 for the spring application.
Early March 2023 Missing Materials Reminder
If required materials are missing from your application, you will be emailed a reminder to log in to the Brown portal to view what credentials have been received and what is still missing.
April 1, 2023 Mid-Term Report Submission Deadline
The Mid Term Report, found on the Common Application, should be uploaded through your Brown Applicant Portal. You should list your current courses and then ask each professor to provide a progress grade. Quarter system students should submit a Mid Term Report with grades for their winter quarter courses by April 1 and an updated Mid Term Report with progress grades for their spring quarter courses by April 17.
Mid-May 2023 Transfer Decisions Released
By mid-May, Transfer decisions will be released online. You will receive an email from Brown when your admission decision is available.
Late May 2023 Commitment Deadline For Transfer Applicants
Please note that Brown does not have an enrollment deposit.
June 15, 2023 Final Transcript Deadline
Enrolling transfers for the fall of 2023 must submit their final 2022-2023 college transcript by this date.
Early September 2023 Orientation
Transfer students arrive on campus for orientation and the start of fall classes.
Transfer Supplementary Materials
After you submit your application and essay, you will be prompted to submit transfer supplementary materials. These include:
Transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended (official copies are required)
Letters of recommendation from professors who know you well and can speak to your academic ability and potential for success in Brown's program(s). We recommend two letters but will accept three if necessary.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available for transfer students.
Not U.S. citizens may qualify for federal and state financial aid, including the Federal Pell Grant and Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA) loans.
Brown does not offer institutional scholarships to transfer applicants, but academic departments may have funds available for transfer students who meet their departmental requirements and deadlines for application.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credit is awarded for courses taken at another institution. To request transfer credits, please complete the online form and submit it to your academic advisor. You may also contact your academic advisor or our Transfer Credit Coordinator to discuss specific questions about your coursework.
The number of transfer credits that can be applied toward the degree depends on what type of degree you are pursuing:
- Bachelor’s Degree: Up to 20% of the total needed for graduation (120 semester hours)
- Master’s Degree: Up to 10% of the total needed for graduation (60 semester hours)
Courses must be comparable in content, rigour and level with Brown courses; they must not duplicate any previous work done at Brown; they cannot be in progress at another institution; they cannot have been audited without earning credit; they must have been completed within five years before enrollment into the program/major; and finally, there may be additional restrictions based on departmental policy or faculty discretion.