brown university undergraduate visit

Undergraduate Admission

Beyond the campus tour.

Get to know Brown virtually.

Visiting campus is a great way to get to know Brown University, but it’s not the only way to learn about the Brown student experience. Watch a virtual info session, take a virtual tour of campus, explore the Brown website and read more about how the Open Curriculum encourages students to take intellectual risks that prepare them to live and work in a globally connected world.

Attend a Virtual Info Session

Hear from students, staff and faculty in this series of videos that provide an overview of Brown, its Open Curriculum and academic offerings, the application process and financial aid opportunities.

Take a Virtual Tour of Campus

Explore College Hill virtually with real students guiding you along the way. “Walk” through campus and enjoy detailed views of Brown architecture and landscaping, as well as inside looks at more than a dozen buildings, including dining, residential, academic and athletic spaces.

Examine Brown’s Open Curriculum

Learn more about how the Open Curriculum allows students to be architects of their own education — crafting an educational path that challenges, inspires, provides meaning and guides them toward a life and career that do the same.

Go Beyond the Brown Campus

You can’t fully experience Brown without getting out into Providence a little — check out these tips and recommendations for what to do in the area while waiting for your student, or together once the campus tour is over.

Grab a bite

If you’re hungry or looking for a good cup of coffee, you’ll find a variety of culinary options along Thayer Street and in the nearby area, including student favorite East Side Pockets , which reportedly has the best falafel around, and Insomnia Cookies , known for its late-night cookie deliveries and iconic location in one of the street’s oldest buildings.

Visit a museum

You can also take in some local history and artwork by visiting a museum or gallery, including:

• Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology , 21 Prospect St.
• Lippitt House Museum , 199 Hope St.
• Cohen Gallery (Granoff Center), 154 Angell St.
• Bell Gallery (List Art Building), 64 College St.
• Rhode Island School of Design Museum , 20 N. Main St.

Go shopping

Shopping options abound in the College Hill area and nearby. Drop by the Brown Bookstore on Thayer Street for Brown University gear and reading materials. Wayland Square , a historic neighborhood on Providence’s East Side, offers a selection of independent retail shops, cafes and restaurants. And did you know the nation’s oldest indoor shopping mall is located here in Providence? In addition to its historical architecture, The Arcade Providence , 65 Weybosset St., features dining and unique retail shops.

Explore the city

Further afield, you’ll find a variety of scenic spaces to walk, sit and enjoy all that Providence has to offer.

• The Providence River Pedestrian Bridge connects the East Side, full of shops and dining options, to the Jewelry District, the city’s center of innovation. Complete with park space on both sides of the river, the bridge offers a fantastic view of the city skyline and is only a short walk down the hill from Brown’s campus.
• For sweeping views of the Providence Harbor and Seekonk River, check out India Point Park . You’ll find plenty of bike and walking paths for you to take in the scenery.
• Known as “The Jewel of the City” for its dramatic elevated view of downtown Providence, Prospect Terrace Park is located on Congdon Street just a few short blocks from the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center.
• Take a walk along Benefit Street and enjoy its vibrant collection of 18th- and 19th-century architecture, including beautifully restored houses, churches and museums overlooking the city's waterfront.

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Brown University

Visit Brown

Brown welcomes visitors year-round.

Come to Providence’s College Hill and get to know Brown firsthand.

The Admission Office offers tours and information sessions most weekdays and select Saturdays. Meet at the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center . Short on time? Pick up a self-guided tour and campus map any day. Most of Brown’s 235 buildings and facilities are within a few blocks of the campus center, the College Green.

There are many paths to Brown. Kennedy Plaza , the bus service hub, and the Providence Train Station, home to Amtrak and Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) service, are both downtown, just a short walk or taxi ride away from campus. T.F. Green Airport is 10 miles south in Warwick, RI.

Get driving directions and parking information . Please consult the current schedule of roadway improvements.

Check out our events calendar to see what’s happening on campus the day of your visit, or get a sample of the Brown academic experience by visiting a class.

Spending the night? See our list of local accommodations .

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12 Things to See On Your Campus Visit to Brown

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Originally founded in 1764, Brown University is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution, and is also well-known as a member of the prestigious Ivy League . It maintains its stellar reputation and attracts tens of thousands of talented applicants each year by offering rigorous coursework, cutting-edge resources, and an open curriculum that encourages intellectual exploration.

As with any college, if you’re interested in applying to Brown, it’s a good idea to visit the campus if you’re able to do so. Brown’s admissions website offers a bevy of resources for potential applicants, and here at the CollegeVine blog , our Ultimate Guide to Applying to Brown University provides our expert advice on navigating the application process. However, visiting Brown in person allows you to get a better understanding of what life at the university is like and whether it is a good fit for you.

Whether you’re taking a tour, attending an information session, exploring on your own, or shadowing a current student, there is simply too much to see at Brown to fit it all into a short visit. However, we can offer a few highlights.

In this post, you’ll find a list of interesting sights on and off campus that you should consider making part of your schedule for your visit. These aren’t just fun attractions, though — they’re also windows into the student experience that can help you to decide whether life at Brown is a possibility that you’d like to pursue.

Want to learn what Brown University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take?  Here’s what every student considering Brown University needs to know.

Things to See on Campus at Brown

The main green.

Every school has some kind of main outdoor area where everything seems to happen. At Brown, this is the Main Green, site of everything from major concerts to juggling practice, sunbathing to political rallies, and on a nice day, even the occasional class session held outdoors.

The buildings that ring the Main Green are important pieces of life at Brown, and include classrooms, administrative offices, performance and lecture spaces, and even a few dorms. This is a place where you’ll find yourself spending a great deal of time if you become a Brown student.

The ‘Quiet Green’

Just off the main green, beyond University Hall and its administrative offices, you’ll find this additional green space. As its (unofficial) name suggests, the Quiet Green doesn’t usually bustle with activity like the Main Green. Instead, it’s a peaceful enclave where you’ll find students reading against the pillars of Manning Chapel, gazing up at campus landmark Carrie Tower, or chatting quietly on the grass with friends.

At the front of the Quiet Green, you’ll find Brown’s Van Wickel gates, which mark the formal entrance to the campus. These gates only open twice a year, to admit new first-years at matriculation and to bid farewell to graduates at commencement. Beyond the gates, College Street runs steeply downhill toward downtown Providence.

Faunce House/Stephen Roberts ‘62 Campus Center

Faunce House, located on the Main Green, has stood for many years as a hub of student life on Brown’s campus. However, its renovation and renaming in 2010 have given it new life as an updated campus center, as well as a visible facelift that adds modern touches to the 113-year-old building.

If you end up attending Brown, you’ll inevitably spend time at the Campus Center, whether it’s sipping a coffee at the Blue Room Cafe, taking care of business at various administrative offices, or studying in one of the lounges. Taking a look at this space can give you a good sense of what it really feels like to make Brown your home.

Pembroke Campus

Prior to 1971, female students at Brown were formally enrolled in the women’s college known as Pembroke College. When Brown went fully co-ed, Pembroke’s students and facilities were absorbed into Brown, but the former women’s college is still known as the Pembroke campus. (The name also lives on in Brown’s  Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women .)

Don’t let the name fool you — Pembroke is continuous with the rest of Brown’s campus, and becomes more so every year as new construction contributes to a more unified campus. A considerable number of first-years are assigned to live on Pembroke, and while it can be a little out of the way for students from the other end of campus, it has its own amenities and its own charm.

The Sciences Library

You can’t miss the SciLi , which stands fourteen stories tall in the middle of campus. Nowadays, only a few of its floors are dominated by traditional library stacks. On the other floors, you’ll find study spaces of many shapes and sizes, the offices of Brown’s science resource programs, and even a meditation room.

If you’re visiting with a current student who can sign you in as a guest, don’t miss the chance to peek out the windows on the top floors. As a high-rise building that’s also on top of a major hill, the SciLi has incredible views of Brown’s campus and the entire College Hill area from windows facing in all directions.

Things to See Off-Campus While Visiting Brown

Thayer street.

As far as Brown students are concerned, this is the most important street around. It cuts directly through campus, is lined with restaurants, shops, and other amenities that students love, and is home to the Brown bookstore as well as various other university buildings. It’s always bustling with students, faculty, staff, and members of the greater Providence community.

Be sure to take a look at the impressive bus tunnel that allows Providence city buses to safely traverse the steep streets of College Hill during the treacherous winter months; it’s conveniently located right next to the ever-popular Starbucks. Brown students ride the bus for free, and from here, you can easily access the interesting and useful resources available downtown.

Wickenden Street

Located several blocks away from campus, in a neighborhood where many off-campus Brown seniors live, this street is packed with quirky restaurants, shops, cafes, and other fun things to do. It’s quainter, quieter, and less tourist-oriented than Thayer Street, and it strikes a nice balance between escaping the immediate campus bubble and visiting a familiar, pleasant space.

Benefit Street

If you’re looking for a quiet walk amid beautiful surroundings, check out the historical charm of Benefit Street. Just down College Hill from Brown’s central campus, this peaceful street is home to many unusual and historic homes, quaint brick sidewalks lined with trees, and other fascinating relics of the neighborhood’s past.

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Brown enjoys a special relationship with RISD, which is known as one of the best art schools in the United States. RISD’s campus is directly adjacent to Brown’s, and students from each of these colleges are able to take courses and use resources at the other college. There’s a lot of social overlap as well, so if you attend Brown, you very well may end up with friends from RISD.

RISD’s well-regarded art museum is a popular destination that’s big enough to have a wealth of interesting exhibits, but small enough to be seen in its entirety in a single afternoon. Every day, there are of course a number of other exhibitions, talks, and other events going on in the college’s galleries. Even if you’re not a prospective art major, proximity to RISD is a great and enriching benefit of being a Brown student.

Louis Family Restaurant

This local cafe , located on the fringe of Brown’s campus, gained some notoriety after an appearance on the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  Regardless of media attention, it’s a perennial student favorite, especially the morning after an all-nighter. During finals period, you’ll find a line of students snaking down the street well in advance of the 5 AM opening time. The “grilled muffin” (crisp on the outside and warm all the way through) is often a baffling menu item to newcomers, but it’s delicious — and a true taste of life at Brown.

Meeting Street Cafe

Tucked away on the corner of Thayer Street, near the Pembroke campus,  this small establishment  is particularly well known for its gigantic half-pound cookies, especially the eclectic “garbage” version. On a winter evening, you might find TAs holding office hours in the booths, students warming up after a trip to the downtown ice-skating rink, and quite a few people gawking at the elaborate cakes in the display window.

If you visit Brown on a weekend between April and November, you may be around for a special treat. Technically, WaterFire is a sculpture, first created by artist Barnaby Evans in 1994, but it’s a work of art that’s spread through the heart of downtown Providence, and — most importantly — it’s also an immersive community experience.

On various evenings throughout the warmer months, Providence is transformed by over eighty bonfires lit on platforms over the river, as well as musicians, dancers, and other performers. Small boats bearing torches, gondoliers, and a few lucky visitors drift quietly by as locals and tourists alike gather by the water. It’s a magical time and a treasured part of the arts scene in Providence.

For More Information

Are you interested in visiting or applying to Brown?

Whether you’re just starting your research or putting the finishing touches on your application, check out these helpful posts from the CollegeVine blog for more information and school-specific application tips:

• The Ultimate Guide to Applying to Brown University
• How to Write the Brown University Application Essays 2016-2017
• How to Write the Brown University Application Essays 2015-2016
• The Ultimate Guide to Applying to the Brown University PLME Program

Want access to expert college guidance — for free? When you create your free CollegeVine account, you will find out your real admissions chances, build a best-fit school list, learn how to improve your profile, and get your questions answered by experts and peers—all for free. Sign up for your CollegeVine account today to get a boost on your college journey.

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Office of Global Engagement

International visiting undergraduate exchange program.

Each year, the Office of Global Engagement welcomes visiting students from international partner institutions to spend one or two semesters as non-degree seeking exchange students at Brown University.

• International Exchange & Visitor Program

The International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange Program welcomes applicants who wish to enroll in undergraduate-level academic work during the fall or spring semesters. 

Applications for the International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange program are now open for Fall 2024 and Full Year 2024-2025.  

• Applications for Spring 2025 will open in May/June 2024.

Who May Apply :

• Current undergraduate students enrolled in a full-time, degree-granting program at one of Brown University's Exchange Partner Institutions are eligible for the International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange Program.

The Office of Global Engagement currently accepts applications from undergraduate students enrolled in degree-granting programs at the following institutions.

Exchange Partners for 2024-2025:

• Chinese University of Hong Kong
• École Polytechnique 
• Humboldt Universität, Germany
• Keio University, Japan
• Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden

Step 1 - Request Official Nomination from Home Institution

Notify the exchange coordinator at your home institution of your interest in applying to the Brown International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange Program. Prospective visiting students must request that their home institutions submit an official nomination to Brown's Office of Global Engagement prior to initiating their online application to Brown.

• Exchange Partner nominations should be sent to the Office of Global Engagement via email at [email protected]  

Step 2 - Submit Online Brown Visiting Student Application

Once nominated by your home institution, submit the online Brown Visiting Student Application in ViaTRM .  This will include biographical information, academic records, and an essay to describe your motivation to participate in the International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange Program at Brown University.

As part of the online application, you will be asked to to have representatives from your home institution submit the following materials on your behalf:

• Official transcripts for all college courses and all courses currently in progress.
• A digital form from an exchange coordinator attesting that you are currently in good academic and judicial standing at your home institution.

Step 3 - Confirm Your Participation

If you are admitted to the program, you must confirm your participation in the program in Via TRM and attend a mandatory pre-arrival orientation for visiting international exchange students. 

In selecting visiting exchange students, we are particularly interested in your motivation for seeking visiting student status. You should demonstrate a strong record in all college work to date and must be able to present a specific academic reason for studying at Brown. You should be familiar with the offerings of the University and must indicate on your application the specific courses of study in which you would like to enroll.

Your decision to apply to Brown as an International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange student should be made only after you have thoroughly examined your academic and personal needs and Brown’s ability to meet them.

Please note that enrollment as an International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange student is approved on a semester-by-semester basis. This program is not intended for students who are planning to apply to transfer to Brown as degree candidates.  

Semester I - September enrollment:

• Exchange Partner Nomination Deadline: March 1
• Brown Visiting Student Application Deadline: March 15
• Notification of Admission: April 1

Semester II - January enrollment:

• Exchange Partner Nomination Deadline: September 15
• Brown Visiting Student Application Deadline: October 1
• Notification of Admission: November 1

Students who are admitted to the International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange Program may not defer their admission, but are welcome to re-apply in the semester preceding the preferred date of entry.

There is no financial assistance available from the University for visiting students, except for those in Exchange Partner programs with special financial arrangements.

Visiting students will have access to all Brown University facilities, including libraries, athletic facilities, and special lectures.

Please consult the Bursar’s website for information on tuition and required fees.

Visiting students are expected to live in on-campus housing.    

• Visiting students will be assigned an academic advising dean who will support them with course registration, academic advising, and academic support services. 
• Please note that enrollment in some courses may require the permission of the instructor.
• Transfer credits for courses successfully completed during an exchange semester are subject to the policies and approval processes of the home institution.

Chris Van Booven , Assistant Director of Global Programs

• In accordance with United States immigration laws, all students accepted to the International Visiting Undergraduate Exchange Program must enroll in full-time study during their time at Brown.
• This program is not intended for high school graduates who wish to spend a gap year or gap semester at Brown, nor is it intended for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree. 
• Please note that students applying to transfer to Brown may not apply simultaneously to both the transfer program and the visiting undergraduate student program. 
• Undergraduate students from Tougaloo College who are interested in spending a semester at Brown University as a visiting exchange student should visit the Brown-Tougaloo Semester Exchange Program website for guidance on submitting an application.

Undergraduate Financial Aid

Cost of attendance.

• Estimate Cost & Aid

Knowing the costs associated with a Brown education can help students and families from all income levels plan ahead and find appropriate financial support.

Please review all the information to better understand costs at Brown and the allowances that are estimated and used in determining an aid applicant’s demonstrated financial need.  Be aware that direct or billed charges may change based on a student’s enrollment status, housing and/or meal plan selection, or fees related to program or other institutionally available options.

2024-25 Academic Year

These figures represent the estimated costs for an incoming first-year full time student for the academic year, including the fall and spring semesters (see chart below for additional situations):

Individual Expenses

Additional individual expenses not included in the Cost of Attendance may include: clothing for the New England climate, computer expenses, additional trips home during the academic year, etc.

Additional Situations

Depending on a student’s housing/living situation and/or enrollment, allowances within the Cost of Attendance may change.  The following chart breaks out the allowances for different living situations.

Living expenses include allowances for both housing and food.  Students attending classes at Brown University, weather living locally off campus or on campus or being charged by Brown for a meal plan or for residential hall or not being charged, are provided the same allowance.  These allowances are based on the standard charges for housing and food during the academic year.

** Please refer to Student Financial Services  for a breakdown of actual tuition and fee charges.

Regardless of a family’s financial situation, attending college is a major investment. The Cost of Attendance represents a combination of direct charges and estimated indirect expenses. It is important to plan for these.

Direct or Billed Costs

Direct or billed costs are charges billed directly to student accounts (bills) each semester such as tuition, mandatory fees, and room and meals. 

Indirect Estimated Costs

Indirect estimated costs do not appear on student accounts (bills) and vary based on the individual student. These costs include books, personal expenses and possibly travel. Students may experience different levels of indirect expenses; however, the values listed represent allowances provided for the academic year.

Student Health Insurance Plan and Other Individual Expenses

A student’s health and other individual expenses are not included in the Cost of Attendance. For example, students are required to have health insurance while attending Brown. If a student does not waive the University's health insurance plan, the Cost of Attendance will include an additional component for this charge.  Other additional individual expenses may include: clothing for the local climate, computer purchase , additional trips home during the academic year, etc.

There are other expenses that may be included in the Cost of Attendance which can be added to allow for loan eligibility.  You should speak with someone in the Office of Financial Aid to discuss possible funding options.  These expenses include the higher cost of a study abroad program, disability-related expenses, federal student loan fees, and costs for professional licensure, certification, or a first professional credential.  Please be aware that timing of loan processing is limited towards the end of a semester; generally, loans are not able to be processed within the last two weeks of the semester that a student is enrolled and seeking loan funds.

Students with child/dependent care expenses should review the information for child care support .  Students who do not qualify for this support or who have additional expenses beyond the support, should speak with a representative in the Office of Financial Aid to discuss financing options.

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Liberty University names Morse Tan Senior Executive Director of Center for Law & Government

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April 2, 2024 : By Office of Communications & Public Engagement

The Center for Law & Government in Liberty University’s Helms School of Government was established as a training ground for tomorrow’s leaders to learn how to engage the culture and impact law and policy in America. The center has become an arena for thought and debate as it provides opportunities for faculty and students in research, analysis, and the formation of sound conservative policy at all levels of government.

Liberty has announced that Morse Tan, former Ambassador at Large for the U.S. State Department’s Office of Global Criminal Justice, has been named the center’s Senior Executive Director, beginning July 1. Tan previously served as co-chair of the center, alongside Joel Cox, interim dean of the Helms School of Government.

“The Center for Law and Government can represent and add value to Liberty in an array of ways,” Tan said, noting goals to enhance programs through public speaking, media appearances, and publishing efforts. “Through internal speaking and sharing, the center can elevate Christian thinking by edifying, equipping, and inspiring the Liberty community. Externally, this center can build strategic relationships with those in law and government, critically important areas of Christian engagement.”

Tan has been serving as dean of the School of Law since Jan. 1, 2022, and will be leaving that role to serve in the center. Tim Todd, Ph.D., will serve as interim dean.

Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Scott Hicks shared, “We are grateful for the dedicated service and impact that Dean Tan and the entire School of Law team have made in positioning the school to garner some of the highest rankings in its history.” He added, “We are excited that Dean Tan will be able to expand on the positive impacts he has made beyond the law school to benefit the broader university.”

The Center for Law & Government launched in 2017 and offers hands-on political experience for students through speaker series, trips to our nation’s capital, and other events throughout the year. The center promotes public policy that is consistent with the fundamental principles of American freedom: self-government, free enterprise, and the rule of law. The center will strive to create practical solutions to challenges in education, health care, business and economics, government regulation, national security, and other areas affected by public policy as it trains the next generation of men and women in statesmanship and public service.

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Apr 1, 2024, 4:14 PM

Former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog joined Professor Brett Benson’s Introduction to International Politics class last week, with Fayyad on Wednesday, March 27, and Herzog on Thursday, March 28. “I think this is the only university in the country that can host Salam Fayyad one day and the Israeli ambassador the next,” Morgan Ortagus , former spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State told students, as she led the conversation with Ambassador Herzog.  

Ambassador Herzog, a retired Israel Defense Forces brigadier general and senior military aide, has played vital roles in various peace negotiations with Arab nations for more than 30 years, including with Jordan, Palestine and Syria, and many other nations in the region.  

“Not everywhere is there a platform to exchange views,” Herzog echoed in his appreciation to the class for hosting his visit. “You can disagree with me and criticize policies, but I want to have a free discussion, and that’s not available everywhere, so thank you. “  

Fayyad, a distinguished fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution and a visiting senior scholar and Daniella Lipper Coules ’95 Distinguished Visitor in Foreign Affairs at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, visited the campus on Wednesday morning, interacting with students in several informal settings.  

“To move forward, we must trust that people are telling their truths and take them at face value,” Fayyad told students at an intimate gathering before he addressed the Introduction to International Politics class. “Nothing is gained by telling someone that their reality is not true. We can only make progress by trying to better understand that reality and finding goals we have in common to work together.”   

Students had the unique benefit of discussing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East with these two deeply knowledgeable practitioners and asked poignant, probing questions, ranging from Israel’s need to balance brokering peace with Palestinians and removing the threat of a repeated Hamas attack, to the role and effectiveness of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, to Fayyad’s philosophy as finance minister and prime minister and how his belief in the rule of law informed his leadership approach.  

The two visits are emblematic of Vanderbilt’s resolve to advance its educational mission and promote civil, respectful dialogue across difference. “The opportunity to meet former Prime Minister Fayyad and Ambassador Herzog provided all of us incredible insight into their roles as diplomats and statesmen,” said Max Perry, a Vanderbilt sophomore who is also an ambassador for the Open Dialogue Visiting Fellows Program . “The conversations,” Perry continued, “provided a tremendous occasion for students to use dialogue as a tool to navigate difficult topics.”  

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