How to Apply to Economics at Brown: Admission to the University Rather Than a Major, Declaring a Concentration by Mid-Sophomore Year, Standard Economics With Business and Public Policy Tracks, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Economics at Brown University is a concentration (Brown’s word for a major) in The College, offered by the Department of Economics. Students apply to Brown through the Office of College Admission and do not apply to economics separately. This guide follows Brown’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Business and computer science have their own guides on this site and are mentioned here only where they touch economics.

1. Economics degrees and tracks

• What the department offers: the Bulletin says the standard Economics concentration is the most popular, with an optional Business Economics track and a Public Policy track, plus three concentrations administered jointly with other departments: Applied Mathematics–Economics, Mathematical Economics and Computer Science–Economics. The Bulletin recommends the first two especially for students interested in graduate study in economics.
• Degrees: the department’s concentrations page lists the standard concentration, business track and public policy track as leading to the A.B.; one mathematically oriented joint concentration with A.B. and Sc.B. options (including a Mathematical Finance track, A.B. and Sc.B.); Mathematics–Economics with the A.B.; and Computer Science–Economics with the A.B. or Sc.B. The text we read does not label each joint program with its partner department; check the department page.
• Standard or joint: the department says to decide early between a standard concentration and a more quantitative joint concentration, because course choices differ (for example, most standard concentrators take ECON 1110 and joint concentrators take ECON 1130). It adds that a joint concentration is recommended for students who want a PhD.
• Honors: requires an honors thesis; see Section 2.
• STEM designation: not stated on the pages we read.
• Scale: the department says economics is one of the most popular concentrations at Brown and that about half of Brown students take some economics.

2. Admission and declaring the concentration

• Not admitted to a major: the admission page says the Common App’s Brown section asks for your top choices of concentration, that “there are no quotas among concentrations and we do not admit students by academic interest,” and that the information only helps admissions understand current preferences.
• When to declare: The College says you must declare no later than the middle of your fourth semester (usually the spring of sophomore year, before pre-registering for semester five); transfers arriving with fourth- or fifth-semester standing declare in their first term. Students may not register for fifth-semester courses unless a concentration has been approved by the deadline (entering fifth-semester transfers are excepted).
• Process: list taken and intended courses against the Bulletin requirements, discuss the plan with a concentration advisor, then submit the declaration (course list plus short answers) in ASK for the advisor to approve or return. The department says you must meet with an advisor before the declaration is approved.
• Entry conditions: the Bulletin, department and College pages we read state no GPA threshold, required course grades or enrollment cap; ask the department’s undergraduate program advisor.
• Changing: The College says you may change your primary concentration at any time if you can meet the new requirements by the end of your time at Brown; a second concentration must be submitted and approved before the end of the penultimate semester (typically the seventh).
• Honors: the Bulletin says that by the end of junior year students must have completed at least 70% of the concentration courses, earned an A or “S with distinction” in at least 70% of grades in the concentration (50% for the APMA–Econ, CS–Econ and Math–Econ joint concentrations) and found a faculty thesis advisor in economics. In senior year they enroll in ECON 1960 in both semesters, submit a proposal by mid-September and work in progress by mid-December, and obtain final advisor approval by mid-April.

3. Prerequisites and course sequence

• At application: the admissions pages we read do not list required high school courses for economics; ask Brown’s admission office.
• Standard Economics concentration (A.B.): ECON 0110 Principles of Economics; ECON 0170 Essential Mathematics for Economics (or MATH 0100 Single Variable Calculus, Part II, or a higher-level math course); ECON 1110 Intermediate Microeconomics (or ECON 1130, the mathematical version); ECON 1210 Intermediate Macroeconomics; ECON 1620 Introduction to Econometrics (or MATH 1620, APMA 1650 or APMA 1655); ECON 1629 Applied Research Methods for Economists (or ECON 1630 Mathematical Econometrics I); and at least five additional 1000-level economics courses. The table totals 11.
• Business Economics track: adds ECON 0710 Financial Accounting, ECON 1420 Industrial Organization, ECON 1710 Investments I and ECON 1720 Corporate Finance, plus two business economics electives; the table totals 12.
• Public Policy track: the same foundation, plus five public policy electives, two courses outside economics relating to public policy, and a senior capstone; the table totals 13.
• AP, IB and A-level: the Bulletin says qualifying AP, IB or A-level scores can place a student out of ECON 0110, but the student must then take an additional 1000-level economics course (the business and public policy tracks add one elective). The mathematics requirement can also be met with qualifying scores on those exams, but not with the mathematics department’s self-placement exam. The Bulletin lists no score cutoffs; ask the registrar or the department.
• Limits: at most one economics course numbered 1000–1099 counts, and the thesis course ECON 1960 does not count toward the concentration.
• Writing: the department says economics and joint concentrators must fulfil Brown’s WRIT requirements, which need not be met in concentration courses.
• Research and internships: the department page mentions TA, RA and tutor positions in its Econ DUG repository, which we did not read.

4. Deadlines, materials and fees

• Two plans: Early Decision (binding) is due November 1 with decisions in mid-December; Regular Decision is due January 5, with decisions “by early April” on the first-year page and “late March” on the checklist — Brown’s pages differ; reply by May 1. Early Decision applicants may not apply to another institution’s early decision, single-choice early action or restrictive early action plan, and those denied in Early Decision may not reapply in Regular Decision. The pages show no year; check that the dates are for fall 2027.
• Platform: the Common Application plus the Brown Member section. Early Decision applicants also complete the Early Decision Agreement signed by the applicant, a parent or guardian and the counselor.
• Materials: School Report, transcript and counselor recommendation; two teacher recommendations from major academic subjects (science, social studies, mathematics, a world language or English); if you are considering the Sc.B., at least one recommendation should come from a math or science teacher; first-quarter grades for Early Decision applicants; midyear report and transcript (due February 27); final report and transcript for enrolling students (June 30).
• Essays: the page lists four: how you will use Brown students’ characteristics to approach the Open Curriculum (150–250 words), how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you (150–250), what class you would teach (100–150), and something that brings you joy (100–150). The same page’s PLME and Brown | RISD sections refer to “the three essays required of all first-year applicants,” so the page is inconsistent; follow the prompts shown in the Common App.
• Testing: since the 2024–25 cycle Brown requires the SAT or ACT for first-year applicants and superscores either or both. The SAT Essay and ACT Writing are optional. There is no minimum score and scores are read in context. Scores may be self-reported but official scores are required on enrollment. Early Decision testing must be completed by the last October test date and Regular Decision by the last December test date. Codes: SAT 3094, ACT 3800.
• Application fee: $80, non-refundable; students eligible for programs such as free or reduced-price lunch or TRIO receive an automatic waiver, and others may request one.
• Interview: not described on the pages we read.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Cost: Brown is private, and the pages show no in-state or out-of-state split and no economics fee. The cost page (academic year not stated) lists tuition $74,568, fees $3,084 (including a $100 academic record fee for first-time students), housing $10,710 and food $8,754 for direct charges of $97,116, plus $2,878 in personal expenses, for a total of $99,994. Most students receiving University scholarships are in the Book/Course Materials Support program, so books and required materials are covered; for others the allowance is $1,300. Travel is estimated by home address.
• Aid: admission is need-blind, Brown meets 100% of demonstrated need and, through the Brown Promise, has eliminated packaged loans. Brown states that every student receiving aid has no loans in the package, that most families earning under $60,000 have a $0 parent contribution, and that 51% of the Class of 2030 received need-based scholarship or grant aid.
• In-state preference: none is described on the pages we read.
• Aid forms and dates for domestic applicants: not read on the pages we used; ask Brown’s Office of Financial Aid.

6. International applicants

• Same application: there is no separate application for international applicants; you apply as a first-year or transfer student and list citizenship by the passport you will use to enter the U.S. Brown says about 14% of its students come from abroad.
• Testing: international first-year applicants also submit the SAT or ACT; the testing page points them to the English proficiency requirements.
• English tests: Brown highly recommends a test result for applicants for whom English is not the first language, a primary home language or the primary language of instruction through secondary school. Accepted: TOEFL (including Home Edition), IELTS, Duolingo English Test, Pearson Test of English and Cambridge English. Minimum scores “expected in most cases”: TOEFL iBT taken before January 2026, 105; January 2026 and later, 5.5; IELTS 8.0; Duolingo 130; Pearson 75; Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, 191. MyBest scores are not accepted; self-reported results need official reports (for fall 2027 entry, by May 2027), and expired reports are not accepted. The pages list no country-based exemptions.
• Aid: The international aid page says Brown is need-blind for international first-year applicants entering in fall 2025, and that students admitted before then stay under the earlier need-aware policy; it does not separately describe 2027 entry, so confirm with the aid office. To apply for aid, submit the CSS Profile (code 3189; open from October 1, 2026; Brown provides no CSS Profile fee waivers) by November 2, 2026 for Early Decision or February 1, 2027 for Regular Decision. The ISFAA and paper Profiles are not accepted, and you may be asked for parents’ tax returns or employer statements through IDOC. Other proof-of-funds requirements are not described on the pages we read.
• Documents and credential evaluation: the admission pages we read do not describe international transcript requirements; ask Brown’s admission office.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages we read do not mention the Gaokao and we found no China-specific page. The SAT or ACT is required for first-year applicants; whether Gaokao results may be sent as supplementary information is not published, so ask Brown’s admission office.
• Transcripts: the page says transcripts and the School Report must be submitted by the school counselor or another school official, and that official documents emailed or faxed by applicants themselves are not accepted. Requirements for Chinese transcripts, graduation certificates and translations are not described on the pages we read.
• English: see Section 6.
• International curricula: qualifying AP, IB and A-level scores can place a student out of ECON 0110 and satisfy the mathematics requirement (Section 3); whether they convert to credit on entry is not stated.

8. Transfer students

• Eligibility: for fall 2027 entry, applicants must complete two or four semesters (or three, four or six quarters) of full-time college work before September 2027; those with three semesters (five quarters) are eligible only for spring entry. Brown requires transfers to complete at least four semesters at Brown, so it cannot consider applicants with more than four semesters of college work. College courses taken in high school cannot be transferred. Spring entry is open only to U.S. citizens and permanent residents; international students may enter in fall only.
• Deadlines: the fall 2027 application is due March 1, 2027 (Transfer Common App plus Brown supplement); the mid-term report April 1; decisions come in mid-May; replies are due in late May; the final transcript is due June 15. Financial aid applicants submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by the application date.
• Materials: $80 fee or waiver; high school and all college transcripts; the College Report (Report of Good Standing); two instructor evaluations; the mid-term report. The SAT or ACT is optional for transfer applicants (the page says test-optional through the 2026–2027 cycle).
• Credit: Brown transfers liberal arts courses similar to its own; it gives no credit for AP scores, internships, summer-program courses, courses of four weeks or less, or self-paced courses. Credit is finalized after enrollment; the admission letter carries a preliminary estimate and the entry level (first-semester sophomore, second-semester sophomore or first-semester junior). Transfer credit is not concentration credit: the department decides after you arrive whether a course counts toward economics, and Brown advises checking the Bulletin to make sure you can finish the requirements in the semesters available. Contact the economics undergraduate program advisor about transfer credit.
• Minimum GPA: not published on the pages we read.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Submit the Common App and Brown supplement by November 1 (Early Decision) or January 5 (Regular Decision); the SAT or ACT is required; $80 or a fee waiver
• Economics is not chosen at admission and the high school courses it needs are not published; declare by mid-fourth semester
• If you need aid, follow the Office of Financial Aid’s instructions

International applicants (including China):

• Same timeline as domestic applicants; SAT or ACT required; submit an English test (minimums in Section 6); ask admission how the Gaokao may be used
• For aid: CSS Profile (code 3189) by November 2, 2026 (Early Decision) or February 1, 2027 (Regular Decision)

Transfer students:

• Complete two or four semesters first; apply by March 1, 2027 for fall entry; plan how your courses will count toward the economics requirements

Sources: Brown University, Bulletin: Economics; Economics department: undergraduate; Economics department: concentrations; The College: declaring a concentration; First-year applicants; How to apply; Eligibility guidelines; First-year checklist; Selecting academic interests; Standardized tests; International applicants; English proficiency; Tuition and aid; Cost of attendance; First-year international aid; Transfer; Transfer eligibility; Transfer calendar; Transfer credit; Transfer testing; Transfer checklist. The first-year timeline pages show no year, the transfer calendar gives 2026 and 2027 dates, and the cost page does not state its academic year; check Brown’s website to confirm everything is for fall 2027 entry.