Brown University is a private Ivy League research university. It is a medium- sized, highly selective, coeducational institution located in an urban setting in Providence, Rhode Island.
Institutional type
Brown is classified as a private, nonprofit four-year university that offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. It is one of the eight Ivy League institutions, a group known for very high academic standards and low acceptance rates.
Academic profile
The university is recognized as a leading research institution while maintaining a strong emphasis on undergraduate teaching. It has an “open curriculum,” meaning undergraduates have unusual flexibility and no traditional core requirements, which gives it a distinctive liberal arts character within a research-university setting.
Campus and size
Brown is considered a medium-sized school, with total enrollment in the thousands rather than tens of thousands. It is primarily residential, with most undergraduates living on or near campus in Providence’s College Hill neighborhood.