Policy on Outside Funding
Receiving outside funding and tuition benefits is an excellent way to help reduce your need to work and/or borrow student loans while at Brown. When you receive outside funding, the Office of Financial Aid will reevaluate your financial aid package and account for the additional resource. Federal and state grants will be applied to your financial aid package and will replace University Scholarship.
Outside funding may also be used to reduce all or part of the following:
If your outside funding exceeds the total of your summer earnings and campus employment, you may ask the donor or organization to defer your award to another academic year. Your university scholarship will be reduced if the total outside scholarships you receive exceeds your summer earnings and campus job.
For details on reporting outside funding visit Brown’s website.
Policy on Health Insurance
Students may waive participation in the student health insurance program if they are covered under a parental or private plan that provides comparable coverage. If a student is eligible for Brown University Scholarship and is not covered under an insurance plan, they will be eligible for a Health Insurance Scholarship to cover this charge.
Policy on Travel Allowance
Students’ financial aid offers may include an allowance for travel expenses. This allowance is an estimate and students’ actual expenses may be different than the amount of the allowance. Students are not required to submit receipts or any documentation to the Office of Financial Aid to substantiate their actual expenses. However, if a student would like to explore the option of borrowing student loan funds to cover expenses that exceed the standard allowance, documentation must be provided.
Policy on Student Contribution
The figures listed for cost of attendance, summer earnings and work-study amounts are based on the 2024-2025 academic year. Costs for 2025-2026 are not yet available.
Brown's Summer Earnings expectation is reevaluated each year. For the 2024-2025 academic year, the minimum expectation is as follows:
First-year $2,700
Sophomore $2,900
Junior $2,900
Senior $2,900
Students may choose to replace their student employment expectation or their summer earnings contribution with a student loan.
Students are expected to contribute 25% of their savings annually toward their college expenses.
Requirements Associated with Maintaining this Award
Originally reported application figures will be confirmed prior to an initial aid offer. Students must reapply each year for financial aid in order to confirm eligibility and maintain the Match Scholarship. If in future years a family’s household earnings rise substantially above $60,000 or significant assets are acquired, the scholarship amount will be reduced. Additional expenses outside the normal academic year allowances, such as studying abroad, and/or summer/winter enrollment, will not increase University Scholarship. Renewal instructions will be available online by the end of the fall term.
Personal Expenses
The standard personal allowance is based on estimated costs incurred for personal expenses during the academic year including clothing, laundry, toiletries, cell phone expenses, entertainment, local transportation, additional educationally-related supplies, and other incidentals. The allowance can serve as a planning tool to help students determine how much money to have available for these expenses.
Books/Course Materials Support (BCMS Program)
The BCMS Program provides most students who receive University Scholarship with the opportunity to purchase required books and course materials free of charge in the Brown Bookstore.
Brown University's Financial Aid Overview
Brown University has a long history of providing educational opportunities to talented students of all backgrounds, and is strongly committed to partnering with families to make a Brown education affordable.
Financial need is evaluated by reviewing financial aid application materials and individual family circumstances. Factors such as total family income, household size, and the cost of having other household members in college are considered. The family's assets (savings, investments, real estate) may also be considered.
Families with parent total income less than $60,000 and assets less than $100,000 will not be expected to make a parent contribution toward the cost of a Brown education. Additionally, the Books/Course Materials Support Program provides most students who receive University Scholarship with the opportunity to purchase required books and course materials free of charge in the Brown Bookstore.
Students will have an expected contribution from summer work as well as a campus employment opportunity during the school year. Scholarship funds will cover costs outside of these anticipated student contributions. The Scholarship Details above provide the breakdown of costs and funding.
