Brown University’s cost of attendance and undergraduate tuition for the 2025-2026 academic year is $71,700.[1] The cost of attendance falls between $95,984 and $97,284, depending on whether a books and materials allowance is included for your financial situation.
Fortunately, Brown is committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need with aid for eligible students. Find out more about Brown University’s cost of attendance, financial aid options, and how to plan your educational future.
Brown’s Cost of Attendance: Undergraduate
Brown’s cost of attendance is broken down into direct or billed charges on the student account and indirect allowances that the university uses to budget typical expenses that are often paid out of pocket.
The direct or billed charges for Brown include:[2]
- Tuition: $71,700
- Mandatory fees: $2,950
- Housing: $10,410
- Food with the university meal plan: $8,104
- The subtotal of these direct charges is $93,164
The indirect estimated expenses include:[3]
- Personal or miscellaneous: $2,820
- Books and course materials: $1,300
- Travel: Varies by location
The Book/Course Material Support (BCMS) Program helps scholarship-eligible students cover expenses for books and required course materials. Most students eligible for a scholarship will be part of the BCMS, and their books and materials will be covered by the university.[4] Because of this, the expense of books and materials is not always included in the cost of attendance in the financial aid offer.
The total cost of attendance without the separate book allowance is $95,984. With the $1,300 book allowance for students not in the scholarship BCMS Program, the total cost of attendance is $97,284.
Miscellaneous personal expenses include items like clothing, laundry, toiletries, cell phone service, educational supplies, and other incidentals. This is estimated to ensure students have an accurate budget and enough need-based aid.
The cost of attendance budget includes allowances for travel. Transportation is estimated based on the home address, so the cost may be higher or lower than the estimate. Students have to pay for travel to and from Brown.
All students must have health insurance, which is available through the university. Students who are covered by a family plan can submit a waiver. Brown does offer a Health Insurance Scholarship to cover the plan for eligible students without adequate coverage.
Brown’s Cost of Attendance: Graduate
Brown’s graduate programs work a little differently. Doctoral students are offered five years of guaranteed financial support, including health services and tuition remission, while the financial aid for master’s students is determined by the individual program.
For 2025-2026, the standard master’s per-course rate is $8,962. Some programs have higher or lower rates per course and different numbers of required courses that can affect the overall tuition costs. Here are some costs per course for programs:[5]
- Engineering Masters Tuition: $9,877
- Biomedical Engineering Masters Tuition: $8,962
- Data Science Masters Tuition: $9.851
- Public Health Masters Tuition: $8,259
- Health Informatics and Artificial Intelligence Masters Tuition: $8,962
The graduate cost of attendance also includes mandatory fees per term, such as a $45 Activities Fee, a $618 Health Services Fee, and an estimated health insurance premium at $4,944 annually, which is also waivable with comparable coverage.
Professional master’s programs with accelerated or cohort models have a similar per-course structure. Here are some example programs and tuition:
- Online Masters in Management: $7,500
- Online Masters of Data Science, Policy, Governance & Society: $7,500
- Online Masters of Public Health: $5,434
For Ph.D. programs, costs are estimated for the full year at $71,700.[6] Students are responsible for several fees, including the Graduate Student Activities Fee at $90, the Health Services Fee at $1,236, and the one-time Academic Record Fee at $100.
The Alpert Medical School has its own cost of attendance. Full-time tuition is $73,150 with additional fees for health services and other services, but medical students are also responsible for the National Board Exam Prep Fee in their second year at $449.[7]
Brown Need-Based Aid
Brown meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all graduates without loans in the package under the Brown Promise. Families can still choose to borrow, but Brown doesn’t package loans to meet need.
Estimated aid is based on the parents’ taxable and untaxed income, including regular wages, interest, dividends, business income, farm income, pension and annuity distributions, rental income, royalties, trust income, business or rental property losses, capital losses, and untaxed interest or dividends.[8]
Brown also looks at parent assets, such as trust funds, educational savings plans, investments, business net worth, and cash in savings and checking. Other considerations include the number of family members in the household, the number of children currently enrolled in college, non-custodial contribution, and student income and assets.
For families earning under $60,000, the expected parent contribution is $0. For the Class of 2029, 49% of students received need-based aid, and the average family responsibility was $32,160.[9]
Does Brown Offer Institutional Scholarships?
As an Ivy League school, Brown does not offer merit aid based on academic, athletic, or talent. Eligibility for aid is entirely based on need, but students have the option of outside scholarships.[10] Student employment and work-study programs are also available to help students with personal expenses.
Some of the notable scholarships include:
- Davis United World College (UWC) Scholarship: Need-based scholarship for students who have graduated from a UWC school and are attending a partner college or university.
- The Gates Scholarship: A highly selective scholarship for outstanding minority high school seniors from low-income households.
Brown Need-Blind Admissions
Starting in the fall of 2025, Brown will not consider the applicant’s ability to pay as a determining factor in the admission decision.[11] This “need-blind” admission allows U.S. citizens or permanent residents, undocumented, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and international students to be considered for admission, with the university meeting 100% of their demonstrated financial need.
Any transfer applicants or students admitted prior to the fall of 2025 are subject to the need-aware aid policy, regardless of anticipated graduation date.
Cost Estimators and Calculators
Brown offers several cost estimators and calculators to plan your budget. The MyinTuition Quick Cost Estimator has a few short questions to get a ballpark estimate of what one year at Brown will cost your family without the need for complex tax forms.
If you want a more personalized financial picture, Brown’s Net Price Calculator is more detailed and includes a wider range of financial information for a more accurate estimate. There are plenty of resources to understand the estimates and cost of attendance for different programs, including a Loan Repayment Calculator and employment options.
Budgeting and Ways to Save at Brown
Brown University tuition and costs can be intimidating, but a smart budget can help you reduce your out-of-pocket totals.
- Base a budget on Brown’s estimated costs: The university’s published cost of attendance categories are based on realistic estimates. Use them to create a one-page budget and adjust for your actual costs (housing type, at-home meals, travel, etc.) with your estimated aid and family contributions.
- Check for BCMS support: If you receive a University Scholarship, check your eligibility for BCMS to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses. If you’re not eligible, price check early and look for used or rental books, library reserves, or faculty-approved alternatives to save.
- Use public transportation: Your Brown University ID acts as a RIPTA UPass, giving you free rides on any Rhode Island bus or trolley.[12]
- Plan part-time employment: Brown recommends 10-12 hours a week during the term to earn some extra money for personal or miscellaneous costs, travel expenses, or outside meals.[13]
- Stack outside scholarships: Outside scholarship opportunities can help with the costs at Brown. Browse and apply for scholarships and report them to the university. Any scholarship money reduces your employment expectation first before institutional grants, so you can still receive generous aid while freeing up some time.
- Use the financial tools: Plug your numbers into the Net Price Calculator and Bill Estimator to better understand your likely bill for attending Brown.
Get into Brown
Brown is a renowned Ivy League university with a highly selective process. If you’re planning to apply to Brown, InGenius Prep college admissions counseling can ensure you stand out in a sea of applicants and make the most of your financial aid opportunities. Schedule your free consultation today!