Admissions · United States
Brown University Acceptance Rate: Admissions Statistics and TOEFL & IELTS Requirements
Brown admitted 6.3% of first-year applicants for fall 2025: 2,710 of 42,774, according to its Common Data Set.
Brown University TOEFL and IELTS requirements at a glance
| Applying for | TOEFL iBT | IELTS Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate (first-year) | TOEFL iBT5.5 for tests taken January 2026 and later; 105 on the 0–120 scale for tests taken before January 2026 (minimums expected in most cases). | IELTS Academic8.0 |
Full requirements and official sources · Check your TOEFL band with a free mock test
Brown publishes its Common Data Set as an interactive dashboard from the Office of Institutional Research, with the 2025-26 edition (fall 2025) and the 2024-25 edition (fall 2024) available; earlier editions are not on the site. Below are those two cycles, the early decision, residency, wait-list and transfer figures Brown has published, and the TOEFL and IELTS scores it expects.
Figures read from official sources on · LingoLeap Admissions Research
Brown University acceptance rate by year
Brown acceptance rate by round and applicant group
| Group | Cycle | Rate | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision | Fall 2025 entering class | 17.9% | 907 admitted of 5,062 ED applicants source |
| Early Decision | Fall 2024 entering class | 14.4% | 898 admitted of 6,251 ED applicants source |
| Rhode Island residents | Fall 2025 entering class | 11.3% | 63 admitted of 559 source |
| Out-of-state (US) | Fall 2025 entering class | 6.9% | 2,243 admitted of 32,351 source |
| International | Fall 2025 entering class | 4.1% | 404 admitted of 9,861 source |
| Rhode Island residents | Fall 2024 entering class | 10.0% | 59 admitted of 591 source |
| Out-of-state (US) | Fall 2024 entering class | 5.6% | 2,103 admitted of 37,382 source |
| International | Fall 2024 entering class | 4.4% | 475 admitted of 10,919 source |
| Yield (admits who enrolled) | Fall 2025 entering class | 63.4% | 1,719 enrolled of 2,710 admitted source |
| Yield (admits who enrolled) | Fall 2024 entering class | 65.2% | 1,719 enrolled of 2,638 admitted source |
| Transfer | Fall 2025 | 4.7% | 154 admitted of 3,306 source |
| Transfer | Fall 2024 | 7.2% | 215 admitted of 2,987 source |
What the numbers mean
Brown's acceptance rate was 6.3% for fall 2025 (2,710 of 42,774) and 5.4% for fall 2024 (2,638 of 48,904). The rise came from fewer applications, not more admits: applications fell by about 6,100 while admits rose by 72. Brown's Common Data Set dashboard offers only these two editions. Its Admission and Financial Aid Factbook gives 51,316 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class and a selectivity of 5%, but only as a whole percentage and without an admit count, so this page does not compute a one-decimal fall 2023 rate.
Early Decision is binding, closes on 1 November and is Brown's only early plan; the Common Data Set answers No to early action. Brown admitted 907 of 5,062 ED applicants for fall 2025 (17.9%) and 898 of 6,251 for fall 2024 (14.4%). ED admits made up a third of the fall 2025 admitted class (907 of 2,710). The early pool is self-selected, so the ED rate should not be read as the effect of applying early.
International applicants were admitted at 4.1% for fall 2025 (404 of 9,861) and 4.4% for fall 2024, against 6.9% and 5.6% for out-of-state US applicants. Brown reports the number of students admitted from the wait list (295 for fall 2025, 118 for fall 2024) but marks the number offered and accepting a place as N/A, so no wait-list rate can be calculated. Transfer applicants were admitted at 4.7% for fall 2025 (154 of 3,306) and 7.2% for fall 2024 (215 of 2,987).
Brown says English proficiency must be achieved before admission and highly recommends a test for applicants whose first language, home language or language of instruction is not English. The minimum scores it expects in most cases are TOEFL iBT 105 for tests taken before January 2026 and 5.5 for tests taken from January 2026, IELTS 8.0, Duolingo 130, PTE Academic 75 and Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 191.
Brown University TOEFL and IELTS requirements
Minimums for international applicants from the university's own pages. Since 21 January 2026 TOEFL iBT reports a 1–6 band score; the notes give the older 0–120 equivalent where the university states one. Convert TOEFL and IELTS scores.
Undergraduate (first-year)
TOEFL iBT: 5.5 for tests taken January 2026 and later; 105 on the 0–120 scale for tests taken before January 2026 (minimums expected in most cases).
IELTS Academic: 8.0
Highly recommended for applicants whose first language, primary home language or language of instruction throughout secondary school is not English; Brown says proficiency must be achieved before admission. Also accepted: Duolingo 130, PTE Academic 75, Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 191, and TOEFL iBT Home Edition. MyBest scores are not accepted. Official score reports are required on enrolment for self-reported results.
Brown Undergraduate Admission: English proficiency · checked 26 October 2026
Check your score against Brown University
Take a free 2026-format TOEFL mock test for a 1–6 band estimate, then compare it with the minimum above and with other universities' requirements.
Free TOEFL mock testSign up free to submit your answers for scoring · no credit card
FAQ
What is Brown's acceptance rate?
Brown admitted 2,710 of 42,774 first-year applicants for fall 2025, an acceptance rate of 6.3%, according to its Common Data Set. The rate was 5.4% for fall 2024 (2,638 of 48,904).
What is Brown's early decision acceptance rate?
Brown admitted 907 of 5,062 Early Decision applicants for fall 2025 (17.9%) and 898 of 6,251 for fall 2024 (14.4%). Brown has no early action plan.
What is Brown's international acceptance rate?
Brown admitted 404 of 9,861 international first-year applicants for fall 2025 (4.1%) and 475 of 10,919 for fall 2024 (4.4%).
What is Brown's transfer acceptance rate?
Brown admitted 154 of 3,306 transfer applicants for fall 2025 (4.7%) and 215 of 2,987 for fall 2024 (7.2%).
What TOEFL score does Brown require?
Brown expects a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 105 for tests taken before January 2026 and 5.5 for tests taken in January 2026 or later, in most cases. It highly recommends, rather than requires, an English test for applicants whose first language, home language or language of instruction is not English, and does not accept MyBest scores.
What IELTS score does Brown require?
Brown expects a minimum IELTS score of 8.0 in most cases. It does not publish a minimum for each section.