Discover Brown University Programs Made for Summer Exploration
Brown University is a world-leading research institution, an Ivy-League school, and the seventh-oldest university in the USA. Founded in 1764, it was one of nine colonial colleges established before the American Revolution!
Brown was the first US university to allow equality in admissions and teaching regardless of students' religious backgrounds.
Today, Brown is in the top 20 on US News and World Report university rankings, is highly regarded for its medicine, computer science, and math programs, and… Brown also has incredible pre-college summer time opportunities for academic and experiential learning with programs based in North America and Europe that will give you a taste of college life and Ivy League learning.
Let's explore six tremendous and very different programs at Brown University that offer high school students a lot to pick from for outstanding summertime learning...
1. Brown University Pre-Baccalaureate Summer Learning (online format only)
If you want a rigorous academic program designed to give you a head start on your undergraduate degree, Brown’s Pre-Bacc program is one great way to ward off your senior-year summer blues and get the ball rolling on earning real college credits!
“The program attracts serious-minded students from across the country and around the globe. Their interests are as varied as the Brown curriculum, and they share a commitment to learning and serious study.”
Brown University Pre-Bacc program offerings and restrictions:
- Age requirements: Applicants must be 17 or 18 years old (reaching age 17 by the time summer begins, in mid-June).
- Online classes only: Although some of the many courses offered in this program can also be studied on campus, students who enroll in the Pre-Bacc program can only attend online.
- Course offerings: Choose from a wide array of freshman and sophomore courses across all major disciplines.
- Program term & course load: Pre-Bacc students complete the equivalent of a full-semester course in just 7 weeks! So, the pacing is compressed and accelerated. Enrollment is limited to two courses maximum.
- Credits: All courses are taken for Brown University credit and may provide students with advanced standing once they enroll as an undergraduate in a college or university.
- International Students: Students from the US and around the globe attend each summer, but evidence of English language proficiency is required.
- Cost: $4,882 (2023 prices) for one course; $9,618 for two courses.
In this program you will join a community of young scholars, enjoy access to a vast undergraduate curriculum, get rigorous online instruction, and connect virtually with Brown students and other summer-only participants from around the US and the world.
If you’re ready to leapfrog pre-college, and start earning real college credits and get a taste of Ivy-League learning with online flexibility, then learn more now about the Brown pre-baccalaureate summer program.
2. Summer at Brown Program
The Summer at Brown program is an all-around, has-it-all pre-college summer experience that gives students a true taste of college life in a prestigious learning environment steeped in Ivy-League beauty and traditions.
And, while the courses give you a real taste of the academic rigor of college, they don’t come with the stress of formal grading and credits.
Who can apply? Students in grades 9 through 12, ages 14 to 18.
This program offers four attendance options to choose from: Residential, Commuter, Hybrid or Online.
Course duration ranges from one to six weeks.
What’s to study and what’s to look forward to?...
- Choose from courses across a broad spectrum of disciplines
- Experience a summer with the academic rigor and individual independence that are staples of college life
- Be part of a community of motivated learners from around the US and around the world
- Take in the sights and sounds of summertime at an Ivy-League campus (if you pursue the residential study option)
From Medical and Health Sciences, to Visual and Creative Performing Arts or Business, Economics and Legal Studies, you have over 300 courses to choose from in this fully immersive program!
If you enroll in the on-campus program, in addition to learning about your topics of interest, you’ll be diving head-first into social events and activities, including workshops, enjoying plenty of opportunities to get to know peers and work out that study-life balance!
Costs vary based on the enrollment option you choose.
You earn a certificate of completion for a two-week or longer course.
Find out more about campus life at Brown here. For flexibility and fun, the Summer at Brown program definitely deserves a spot on your summertime options shortlist!
3. Experiential Education in Rome, Italy
Room with a View anyone?...
Has the idea of travel in Europe been something that intrigues you?
Would you like to learn about a different culture, discover marvels of European art, architecture, and history, and start learning a new language while you’re at it?
If so, then Brown University’s fantastic Experiential Education: Rome is a perfect choice for you.
Running for two weeks in the summer, this discovery-oriented travel abroad program is the perfect way for motivated and wanderlust-driven students to experience the riches of European and Mediterranean culture and savor all that Rome has to offer.
- Get a guided exploration of Rome and its many artistic, historic, and architectural marvels…
- Immerse yourself in the life, language, and culture of Italy in the company of other motivated learners but without the pressure of traditional academic workloads…
- Gain a certificate of completion and course performance report…
You will be aged 16-18 (in grades 10-12) at the time of application and will stay at the Intercollegiate Centre for Classical Studies (the centro), which is a beautiful and quiet location close to the Vatican City and downtown Rome.
Your program itinerary includes many incredible historical site visits — including trips to the Colosseum and Saint Peter Basilica.
Open to international students; financial aid options are available.
If you simply long for a summertime in Europe with experts who’ll guide your discoveries of Rome, then please take a closer look at Brown’s Experiential Education Program in Rome and apply before it’s too late!
4. BELL (Brown Environmental Leadership Labs)
We weren’t kidding when we said Brown has summertime options for just about every interest possible.
The summer menu also includes a program perfect for motivated students interested in social change and natural and environmental science leadership.
The BELL (Brown Environmental Leadership Lab) programs are a fantastic way to learn about the environment in beautiful natural settings.
Participants choose from among several outdoor locations across the US and get robust and rigorous explorations of topics in environmental and natural science, as well as practical leadership skills.
These programs are two weeks long, rich in outdoor vistas, and packed with learning. Students do studies on ecology, the environment, and leadership and discover tools for becoming a socially responsible leader.
Before the ten-day course has ended, you’ll develop a much more sophisticated understanding of climate change and environmental resilience, and explore leadership qualities you can use to put this knowledge into practice!
- Students in grades 10-12 can apply
- Costs range from $3727.00 to $6628.00
- A range of natural settings to choose from: Alaska, Florida, Rhode Island, or the Eastern Sierras
You’ll return home with a new appreciation of the natural world, but that’s not all…
With guidance from your outdoor education leaders, you’ll be formulating your own action plan for impactful environmental leadership and stewardship to continue developing and demonstrating your environmental leadership skills after the program ends.
If you want to spend summertime the way it’s meant to be, in a place of natural outdoor beauty teeming with ecological wonders, then maybe the Brown Environmental Leadership Labs are your ticket to outdoor adventure and learning that’s right up your valley… or river… or mountain!
5. STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders
Calling all rising 9th-grade and 10th-grade students with a passion for Science, Engineering, Technology or Math!
Would you excel at participating in a fortnight of team research projects, design-build challenges, and exciting experiments?...
Do you value the opportunity to get an academic head start in STEM disciplines that offer great opportunities for challenging and rewarding careers down the road?...
If so, then take a look at the STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders summer program at Brown.
- Study on campus at the Brown University Rhode Island Campus
- Experience two weeks of rigorous and hands-on STEM learning, with subject options you can choose
- Enjoy the support of a team of highly qualified academic mentors
- Bond with other motivated students your age, working in teams on a research project, experiment, or design challenge, culminating in a final presentation of your work
- Enjoy great educational guidance and earn your own certificate of completion
This program is highly competitive and costs $5218.00. It is a fantastic chance to experience both college life and academia as well as growing your diverse peer network of fellow STEM students. Apply now for next summer.
6. Brown’s Washington, D.C. Pre-College Academic Program
Are you interested in the cross section of subject areas in STEM and how things fit together?
Are you open to considering different global perspectives to 21st Century challenges in collaborative, future-oriented, scenario-based learning challenges?
If spending a week in the US capital learning about global challenges and viewpoints appeals to you, then apply for the Washington, DC-based Brown University pre-college academic summer program.
Here’s the key information to consider for Brown’s Washington DC program:
- Summertime pre-college programs that are one-week long
- pen to US and international students, grades 10 through 12 (inclusde rising 10th graders)
- Cost is around $4,000
- STEM-oriented academic modules and an interdisciplinary approach to learning
- Options to focus on topics in biology and medicine, computer science, engineering, and technology and innovation
- Residential learning program with financial aid options
“In this one-week course, you’ll divide your time between hands-on experiments in laboratories, in-class lessons where experienced scientists will guide you through the inner workings of viruses and breakthrough technologies, as well as field trips to museums that explore plagues throughout American history. Students will also have the opportunity to engage with peers enrolled in Bird’s Eye View of Machine Learning, Geospatial Data Analysis, and Python through lessons that integrate both course contents, site visits and community-building activities…”
6. Brown University Summertime Leadership Institute
Last but certainly not least among our selection of Brown summer programs is the much sought-after Brown Leadership Institute.
This amazing pre-college program is the perfect summertime go-to program for motivated students, grades 11 and 12, looking for an ideal way to develop and demonstrate leadership qualities before applying to college, especially for those with a passion for social change and social justice.
“All over the world, youth are advocating for change both locally and globally. Through the Brown Leadership Institute — no matter your current level of engagement — you’ll increase your understanding of complex social issues and your ability to advance social justice.”
To get an idea of how authentic and forward-looking the course topics are, here’s the kinds of leadership courses that have been offered in past years:
- Women and Leadership
- More than a Game: Leadership and Social Change in Sports
- Leadership, Law and Social Movements
- Leadership and Intercultural Communication
- Leadership in Changing Business: Social Entrepreneurship
- Leadership and Global Health
Program Options:
- Participate in on-campus learning — 2-week program
- Learn in an online format —- 4-week program
Given Brown’s reputation for academic excellence and rigorous instruction, the Brown University summer leadership institute is an exceptional way to boost your leadership skills and confidence. You’ll feel challenged, inspired, and supported while learning and stretching yourself in the company of other students your age with similar social justice commitments.
And… the end of this amazing leadership course may be only the beginning…
You’ll not only become well-versed in social justice and societal issues, but you’ll be able to develop an action plan of your own, with input and guidance from exceptional educators. Your action plan follows you home and gives you a strong foundation for developing and demonstrating the kind of initiative-taking and service-oriented leadership qualities that will make your college applications truly stand out.
Eligible students will be 15 to 18 years old — rising 10th graders through 12th graders.
Course costs range from about $5,200 (2 weeks, residential) to $5,300 (4 weeks, online).
Take the Next Step...
If you’re ready to stop aspiring to a leadership role and ready to live it, the Brown University Leadership Institute could be the catalyst that changes everything!
Don’t let summer pass you by!
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed researching all the options out there, consider looking no further than Brown University. It’s hard to imagine a school with a better reputation that also offers you so many incredible academic, socially engaged, and experiential learning opportunities!
If you want an overview of all the options for Brown’s summer programs, then take a look here. There are also scholarship options to support you in your application.
For more information on what it’s like on campus at Brown, take a look here.
Happy summer everyone!
