7 Brown University Pre-College Programs

Want to challenge yourself this summer? Brown University pre-college programs let you test your interests and academic abilities in a new environment. You can typically also get a taste of independence and a chance to experience life on a college campus and interact with peers around the world.

In this article, we’ll talk about the school’s seven pre-college programs and give you an overview of what to expect if you apply.

• What Are Brown University’s Pre-College Programs?
• Summer@Brown
• Summer@Brown Online
• Brown Experiential Education
• Brown Environmental Leadership Labs
• Leadership Institute
• STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders
• Pre-Baccalaureate
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Are Brown University’s Pre-College Programs?

Brown University offers high school students seven pre-college programs that let them experience college-level academics online, on campus, or off campus. Here’s a quick look at these programs:

We’ll discuss these programs in more depth in the following sections below.

Summer@Brown

• 2025 program dates: Varies, starts on June 22
• Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18 by June 15, 2025
• Program cost: Starts at $2,960 (for commuters) and $3,584 (for residential)

Summer@Brown gives you a genuine taste of college life, both academically and socially. This Brown University pre-college program is built around the principles of Brown’s Open Curriculum, which emphasizes student-centered learning and intellectual exploration. You can choose from over 200 non-credit, college-level courses.

You’ll be expected to put in a college-level workload, which includes about three hours of in-class time and an additional 2 to 3 hours of out-of-class work daily. Rather than just lecture-style teaching, you’ll experience active participation, discussion, and hands-on learning.

If you choose the on-campus option, you’ll live in Brown’s dorms, supervised by current college students who act as residential advisors. This provides a sense of independence and allows you to form close bonds with your peers.

Beyond the classroom, this Brown University pre-college program also offers educational and social activities. These include college success workshops on topics like time management, the college application process, and personal leadership development. You’ll also get to participate in campus events, student organizations, and off-campus trips to local attractions.

Summer@Brown is for you if you’re a high-achieving and motivated high school student who’s looking to experience what college is like. You’ll particularly experience an Ivy League campus environment and Brown’s Open Curriculum model. At the end of the program, you’ll receive a Digital CeCertificate of Completion. If you complete a 2-week or longer course, you’ll also get a Course Performance Report.

Summer@Brown Online

• 2025 program dates: Varies, starts on June 23
• Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18 by June 15, 2025
• Program cost: Starts at $3,218 (for 2 weeks)

Want to still experience college-level academics but can’t commit to going to Brown for the summer? That’s okay, you can apply to Summer@Brown Online instead.

This Brown University pre-college program offers over 50 courses that also reflect the principles of the Open Curriculum. These courses are offered in three formats to accommodate different learning styles and schedules: entirely asynchronous, mostly asynchronous with optional live sessions, or blended with required live sessions. These options let you learn at your own pace while still having opportunities to interact with your instructor and peers.

Aside from coursework, you can also expect to engage in informative activities and workshops, which can include interactive webinars focused on topics like college admissions and essay writing.

The online format of this Brown University pre-college program encourages self-discipline, time management, and personal responsibility.

Summer@Brown Online is best for you if you’re highly motivated but also want a flexible, college-level academic experience. Since the program is online, there are more chances that you’ll get to interact with international high school students, broadening your worldview.

Similar to the on-campus Summer@Brown, you get a Digital CeCertificate of Completion and a Course Performance Report (if your course is 3 or more weeks long).

Brown Experiential Education

• 2025 program dates: June 30 to July 11
• Eligibility: Students completing grades 10 to 12, ages 16 to 18 by June 15, 2025
• Program cost: $7,912

The Brown Experiential Education (BEE) programs are designed to be an immersive and rigorous academic experience that physically and mentally connects learning with the surrounding environment. These Brown University pre-college programs help you understand the interconnectedness of various subjects. By linking your studies to real-world locations, you can see how different fields (like history, art, and policy) influence one another.

You’ll also be pushed out of your comfort zone and experience different cultures. This encourages self-awareness, critical thinking, and a better understanding of global perspectives. You’ll develop independence and responsibility by navigating a new environment and managing your time. Of course, you’ll also have the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of peers and instructors from around the world

For 2025, BEE program destinations are Barcelona and Oxford.

If you choose Barcelona, you should have at least two years of prior Spanish language study. That’s because this Brown University pre-college program will focus on practical communication, improving your ability to speak, write, and understand Spanish in everyday situations. You’ll also learn Spain’s history by looking at architectural sites like the Temple of Augustus, the Sagrada Família, and the Camp Nou stadium.

Meanwhile, if you choose BEE Oxford, you’ll be exploring public policy by analyzing political actors, institutions, and the broader global context in which policies are created. You’ll visit sites like the Bodleian Library and the Palace of Westminster. You’ll also hear from field experts and Oxford University professors, gaining insights into topics like UK politics and European policy directly from those who work in government.

Brown Environmental Leadership Labs

• 2025 program dates: Varies, starts on June 22
• Eligibility: Students completing grades 10 to 12, ages 16 to 18 by June 15, 2025
• Program cost: varies per location, starts at $4,504

The Brown Environmental Leadership Labs (BELL) program combines environmental studies, ecology, and leadership to develop “socially responsible leaders” who can address complex 21st-century challenges.

As an experiential program, you’ll spend less time in a traditional classroom and more time on hands-on activities. In fact, in a typical day, you can expect to do lab work, field observations, and classroom discussions with leadership workshops.

In this Brown University pre-college program, you’ll be expected to reduce the use of your personal cellphone to be more present and engaged with your surroundings and fellow students. However, your family will be given the number of a program cell phone, which is held by on-site staff.

BELL emphasizes community building and reflection. A big part of the program is developing an “Action Plan” for an environmental issue you’re passionate about. You’ll work on this plan with instructors and peers and apply it when you return home.

Specific locations offer different focuses:

• Florida Keys. Tropical marine ecology, coral reef restoration, and conservation.
• Eastern Sierras. Impact of humans on ecosystems and global climate change, using a remote science center as a home base.
• Rhode Island. Impact of humans on ecosystems and climate change in a different regional context.
• Alaska. Balance between cultural preservation, economic growth, and environmental stewardship, including interaction with Alaska Native communities.

This Brown University pre-college program is perfect for you if you’re passionate about environmental science, ecology, and leadership, and would love to engage in hands-on, field-based research and learning.

Leadership Institute

• 2025 program dates: Varies, starts on June 23
• Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18 by June 15, 2025
• Program cost: $5,788 (residential), $4,540 (commuter), $5,528 (online)

The Brown Leadership Institute is a specialized pre-college program that focuses on developing socially responsible leaders who can address complex, contemporary social issues.

Most pre-college programs tend to be more highly academic, but this particular program is specifically designed to cultivate a collaborative model of leadership and encourage social justice advocacy. It’s offered in both an on-campus and an online format to provide flexibility for students worldwide.

You’ll choose one specialized course among several. Examples of past courses include:

• Women and Leadership
• More than a Game: Leadership and Social Change in Sports
• Leadership, Law and Social Movements
• Reimagining Leadership: Art and Social Change

A big part of this Brown University pre-college program is hands-on experience. Through workshops, you’ll practice important leadership skills like active listening, public speaking, problem-solving, and teamwork. The program’s capstone is the development of a personal “Action Plan.” You’ll identify a social issue you’re passionate about and, with guidance from instructors, create a realistic and meaningful plan to address it in your own community.

If you choose the on-campus program, you’ll also be fully immersed in college life, living in Brown’s residence halls with your peers from the program and building a strong community. You’ll also have access to university dining halls and campus facilities, and free time to explore and work on assignments. All this helps you develop independence and time management skills.

Meanwhile, the online program works on a blended learning model with both asynchronous content and required live workshops. This format lets you engage with your peers and instructors regardless of your location, encouraging a global learning community. The online program also includes opportunities to work one-on-one with instructors.

STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders

• 2025 program dates: July 13 to July 25
• Eligibility: Students completing grades 8 to 9, ages 13 to 15 by June 15, 2025
• Program cost: $5,788

The STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders program introduces younger high school students to the rigor and excitement of college-level STEM academics in a supportive environment. You’ll choose one specific STEM course to focus on, then experience rigorous academic content and hands-on labs or field exercises.

A major component of this Brown University pre-college program is a research project or design challenge. At the end of the program, you’ll present this project in front of your peers, instructors, and family members, which also improves your ability to communicate complex scientific ideas effectively.

As a participant, you’ll live in Brown’s residence halls, eat in university dining halls, and balance academic responsibilities with social activities and supervised evening events. You can expect to spend your mornings in academic courses and have two afternoons a week for extended academics and research projects. If you successfully complete your course, you’ll receive a Digital CeCertificate of Completion and Course Performance Report.

This Brown University pre-college program is great for students who are passionate about STEM and want to explore a particular discipline in more depth through hands-on experience in a lab or field setting.

Pre-Baccalaureate

• 2025 program dates: June 16 to Aug 1
• Eligibility: Rising or recently graduated high school seniors, age 17 by June 15, 2025
• Program cost: $8,586 (1 course), $17,162 (2 courses)

The Pre-Baccalaureate Program is a highly selective online program designed for academically advanced high school seniors who are ready for the rigor of credit-bearing, undergraduate-level coursework. Unlike other Brown University pre-college programs, this is a true college experience, since you’ll enroll in actual Brown University courses alongside current undergraduates during the summer session.

However, this is an online program, and you’ll attend classes through Canvas, Brown’s Learning Management System. Despite being online, you’ll still have access to many of the same resources as actual undergraduates, like the Brown University Library and the Writing Center.

You’ll also have opportunities to build a community with peers and instructors through virtual social events and weekly webinars on topics such as the college application process and ACT and SAT prep.

In most courses, you’ll be evaluated with a traditional letter grade (A, B, C, or NC), and you’ll also have the option to receive a Course Performance Report.

This Brown University pre-college program is best for students who want to experience college-level academics in a low-risk environment before enrolling in an undergraduate program. Of course, it’s also great if you want to earn college credit.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are Brown pre-college programs worth it?

Yes, Brown University pre-college programs are worth it if you’re a motivated student looking for academic enrichment and a taste of college life. It’s also a great way to explore interests, build skills, and gain confidence for the college transition.

2. What is the Brown University pre-college program?

The Brown University pre-college program gives high school students an authentic taste of college academics and life. It offers programs in different formats (on-campus, online, and experiential) that allow students to explore academic interests, develop skills, and prepare for the college experience.

3. How prestigious is the Brown pre-college program?

The Brown University pre-college program is considered very prestigious because of its affiliation with an Ivy League university. On top of that, the program offers a challenging, college-level experience and attracts motivated students around the world.

Takeaways

• Brown University offers on-campus, online, and experiential pre-college programs that cater to students with different interests.
• Most of Brown University’s pre-college programs are non-credit—except for the pre-baccalaureate program, which lets you enroll in actual college courses alongside other undergraduates.
• Each of Brown University’s pre-college programs offers something unique to applicants. If you’re having a hard time choosing which one to apply to, consult with us, and we’ll help you identify which one aligns with your goals the most.