Getting accepted into Brown as a transfer applicant is every bit as challenging as gaining admission directly out of high school. Yet, if you are sure that this unique and beloved Ivy is the perfect landing spot for you, it is absolutely still worth your time to apply. For those with exceptional college grades, genuine reason for hope exists. After all, Brown does actually accept around 150 transfers each year. This blog will share the Brown transfer acceptance rate as well other essential pieces of information like the Brown transfer deadline, the requirements/checklist for applicants, the Brown transfer decision date and much more.

Brown Transfer Acceptance Rate

Below we present the most current available Brown transfer acceptance rate as well as historical data.

In the fall of 2022, there were 2,828 transfer applicants and 149 individuals were accepted. This means that the Brown transfer acceptance rate is 5.3%. While gender-specific data is not yet available for the 2022 cycle, a look at the previous year reveals the following:

  • Male transfer applicants: 6.0%
  • Female transfer applicants: 2.7%

When trying to get the complete picture on how difficult it is to transfer into a given school, it is important to also look at historical data. Some colleges have wild fluctuations in transfer acceptance rate from year to year. Yet, this is not the case here. As you can see, the Brown transfer acceptance rate has been consistently under 8% for the last five years.

Historical transfer rates are as follows:

Year Acceptance Rate
2021 4.3%
2020 3.4%
2019 5.8%
2018 7.7%

Brown Transfer Deadline

The university offers a fall as well as a spring transfer option. The Brown transfer deadline for spring applicants is March 1. The deadline for fall applicants is October 1.

Brown Transfer Requirements

The Brown transfer requirements are as follows:

  • Completed Common App for Transfer
  • Final high school transcript
  • Official college transcripts
  • Mid-term report
  • SAT or ACT scores (optional in 2023)
  • College Report
  • Two letters of recommendation (third letter is optional)
  • Alumni interview (optional and available on a limited basis)
  • Supplemental materials for some programs
  • There are no interviews but students are encouraged to submit a 2-minute video introduction. This can be uploaded into the Brown Applicant Portal.

Students who have the best chance to gain admission to Brown have done the following:

  • In the process of completing at least one full year of credits.
  • Earned exceptional grades in their first year at a community college or 4-year university.
  • Possess special talents inside or outside of the classroom that set you apart from other high-achievers. Research, publications, academic competitions, or demonstrated leadership are just some of the avenues through which an applicant can make a compelling case for admission.

Brown Transfer GPA & SAT/ACT

Over the last three years, the average college GPA of accepted transfer applicants was between 3.93 and 4.0. This is a pretty clear indicator that Brown is looking for students with straight A’s. Those admitted in 2022 possessed a mid-50% ACT of 33-35 and the middle 50% of SAT was approximately 1510-1580.

Brown Transfer Writing Supplement

All transfer applicants must respond to the following four essay prompts.

  1. Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them while also embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar. (1500 characters)
  2. Brown’s culture fosters a community in which students challenge the ideas of others and have their ideas challenged in return, promoting a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society. This active engagement in dialogue is as present outside the classroom as it is in academic spaces. Tell us about a time you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond? (1500 characters)
  3. Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (1500 characters)
  4. The personal statement helps colleges get to know you better as a person and a student. Please provide a statement discussing your educational path. How does continuing your education at a new institution help you achieve your future goals? (1500 characters)

Brown Transfer Decision Date?

The Brown transfer decision date for spring enrollment is in early December. The transfer decision date for fall enrollment is in mid-May.

Final Thoughts – Brown University Transfer Acceptance Rate

Brown has admitted students from 137 different colleges and universities in the last four years. This includes other world-class schools like Duke, NYU, and Wesleyan. Other students hailed from schools such as James Madison, Syracuse, UMass, and UT Dallas. Some hailed from local or even faraway community colleges. The bottom line is that Brown University welcomes transfers from all types of sending institutions.

If you are 100% committed to leaving your current college, you’ll want to apply to other schools in addition to Brown University. Even if you have a 4.0, admission into Brown is far from a guarantee, so you’ll want to create a balanced list of institutions that include safety schools.

If you are looking for information on how to apply to Brown as a first year student, you may find the following blogs to be of interest:

Those searching for application info on other institutions may wish to visit our Dataverse pages/blogs:

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).