TRUE FAQs, curated by students over the years, are filled with useful information to help you transition. The FAQs are organized into five sections: Degree Requirements, Academic Support, Pre-Brown Transfer Credit, Course Registration, and Research and Fellowships.
Undergraduate Orientation
Frequently Asked Questions for Incoming Transfer, Veteran, RUE, and Visiting Students
Breadcrumb
Degree Requirements
To graduate with a Brown Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) or Bachelor of Science (Sc.B.) degree, students must successfully:
- Complete at least 30 credits, 15 of which must be earned at Brown. A maximum of four credits from summer courses (taken at Brown or elsewhere) and Winter Session courses (taken at Brown only) may be applied toward this requirement. Approved study at another institution may also count toward transfer credits and thus toward this degree requirement. All students must complete at least one concentration to graduate from Brown.
- Besides completing at least one concentration and earning at least 30 course credits, students must demonstrate competence in writing and fulfill the enrollment requirement. Thus, students must take two approved writing courses. Transfer students who matriculate as sophomores and juniors can use an unassigned non-Brown English, Literary Arts, or Comparative Literature course credit to satisfy the first writing requirement. Both sophomore and junior transfers must complete a second English, Literary Arts, Comparative Literature, or an approved Writing-Designated (WRIT) course at Brown to satisfy the second part of the writing requirement. Transfer students who matriculated at Brown as juniors are exempted from the first part of the writing requirement but must satisfy the second part. Please note that approved alternatives to a Second Writing-Designated Course are permitted in select concentrations: see the following link for more information https://www.brown.edu/go/writing requirement. To search for courses that will satisfy the writing requirement, visit Courses@Brown, scroll to the bottom of the page labeled “Curricular Programs,” and check the box labeled “Writing-Designated Courses.” Also, if you click a course and scroll to the section labeled “Curricular Programs,” eligible writing courses will say “Writing - Designated Courses (WRIT).”
- Lastly, Brown students must be enrolled for eight full-time regular semesters of instruction, four of which must be in residence at Brown during fall and/or spring semesters. Approved study during the school year at another institution in the United States or abroad may also count toward this requirement. Students who complete four summer and/or winter session courses at Brown and have completed all other degree requirements may request a waiver of the enrollment requirement for the eighth semester.
- Brown offers 80 standard concentrations that lead to either the Sc.B. or the A.B. degree.
- All students must complete at least one concentration to graduate from Brown.
- All students must declare a concentration using Advising Sidekick (ASK).
With support from a faculty advisor, students may apply to complete an independent concentration of their own design if standard departmental offerings do not match their interests. The first IC proposal must be submitted by the last deadline of your 5th semester. For most students, this will be November 1st of junior year. Please note this is a strict deadline, and exceptions are only made for extenuating circumstances. All proposals must receive FINAL approval by the end of the 6th semester. Submission deadlines for the 2025-26 year are September 1st (ONLY for students submitting a revision), October 1st, November 1st, February 1st, March 1st, and April 1st. Visit brown.edu/go/ic for more information.
Please note: Brown does not offer minors. However, the Undergraduate Certificate Program provides interdisciplinary pathways. Students need to declare a concentration before declaring a certificate. Visit this link for more information.
A good starting point for learning more about concentrations is Focal Point, which lists all the concentrations offered. If you click on any of the concentrations, you can read more about them and their specific requirements. On Focal Point, you will also be able to see who the advisors are for each concentration; reaching out to concentration advisors can be a great way to find out more about the concentration and to get a feel for what the department is like. Another good place to look is on specific departmental websites for more information about the different programs that each department offers. Your TRUE peer advisor and the TRUE leadership team can also be great resources!
All students must declare a concentration using Brown Advising Sidekick (ASK). Always check the department website of your intended concentration to ensure that you have completed all the steps required to file (some concentrations require you to schedule a meeting with a concentration advisor or manager and submit extra paperwork before declaring via ASK).
To declare a concentration on ASK, click the “Degree Progress” >“Declarations” tab. Select “Add New Concentration,” answer the essay prompts, determine when you will take each concentration’s requirements, and fill out your courses in the ASK menu when prompted.
The following guidelines will help you decide which concentration choices are right for you:
- Seek advice from several sources: talk to faculty, academic advisors, deans, and upper-class students.
- Browse Focal Point, Brown's director of undergraduate concentrations, to better understand various concentrations and their requirements. Your intended concentration may also have an affiliated Departmental Undergraduate Group (DUG), a group of students interested in cultivating a sense of community in a concentration that can provide insight into a course of study.
- Review departmental requirements for concentrations you are considering or visit the Curricular Resource Center (CRC) if you are considering applying for an Independent Concentration.
Feel free to visit a concentration advisor before declaring. The list of requirements and the names of the director of undergraduate studies (typically the primary concentration advisor) are published for each concentration in Focal Point.
Choosing a double concentration allows you to focus your studies in two specific areas, though all Brown students are encouraged to take courses across various disciplines. As an undergraduate, you must declare an additional concentration no later than your seventh semester. Double concentrating is not for everyone; only 20% of Brown students pursue this option. You might consider double concentrating if you have intellectual passions that span two distinct areas of study and if fulfilling the requirements for both concentrations still leaves room for a wide range of courses in other fields. Seek advice from several sources: talk to faculty, academic advisors, deans, and upper-class students. Browse Focal Point, Brown's director of undergraduate concentrations, to better understand various concentrations and their requirements. For more information, please visit this link.
This is an option for students pursuing a concentration in a humanities or social science field and a second concentration in a life or physical science field to graduate with a single, combined Bachelor of Arts-Bachelor of Science (A.B.-Sc.B) degree, which requires at least 38-course credits and 10 semesters of enrollment. (The Dean of the Faculty's website lists academic departments, centers, and programs, and their respective divisions. Not included on this list are Engineering (physical science), Biological Sciences (life sciences), and Public Health (life sciences)). Students who follow this path organize a five-year program of study in which the work for the single, combined degree proceeds concurrently.
Students interested in pursuing this five-year option must declare their intentions before the end of their fifth semester. For more information, please visit this link.
The standard course load at Brown is four credits each semester. Full-time students may enroll in a maximum of five credits each semester. Students may take three credits a semester, but doing so will not bring them below good academic standing.
All Transfer students are expected to complete four courses in their first semester. RUE and Veteran students may seek a course load reduction to take less than four courses. RUE and Veteran students interested in seeking a CLR should consult with the TRUE Program Advisor.
Brown does not offer minors. However, Brown offers a few undergraduate certificate programs that allow structured engagement and require 4-5 courses. Visit brown.edu/go/undergradcertificates for more information.
A minority of students (approximately 20% each year) choose to double concentrate, and an even smaller number (typically fewer than five in a given year) decide to triple concentrate if they are equally passionate about multiple academic fields.
Many students also choose to do an unofficial minor by taking a series of classes in a specific field of interest but do not receive any official recognition from the University. More info: brown.edu/academics/college/degree/doubleconcentrating
Please note that students can only earn one certificate. If you pursue a second concentration, you cannot earn a certificate.
TRUE students who enter Brown with 4th- or 5th-semester standing must declare a concentration in their first term at Brown. Thus, second-semester sophomores and junior transfers must declare their concentrations within their first semester at Brown.
First-semester sophomore transfers must declare their concentrations within their second semester at Brown (spring semester). Second concentrations cannot be declared after the student’s penultimate semester of enrollment.
RUE and Veteran students must declare a concentration in their 4th semester.
Declarations are made on Advising Sidekick (ASK).
Academic Support
The TRUE Program Advisor is the main point of contact for TRUE Students in the College. If you need enhanced academic support, the TRUE Program Advisor is available for academic advising every week. Click here to view advising appointments and drop-in hours.
Academic deans are an excellent resource for students at Brown. Students are not assigned one academic dean; instead, there are many deans with whom students can book appointments. In addition to these deans, many other deans constantly hold open hours. If you have a general academic question, you should attend whichever office hour you can, as most deans are available to help you.
Please visit this page to book a Dean’s office hours. https://www.brown.edu/academics/college/speak-academic-dean
An exploratory advisor is a staff/faculty member, dean, or director assigned to each student from enrollment at Brown up until you declare your concentration. Your advisor is a great person to ask questions and build relationships with at Brown. Feel free to ask your advisor any questions about academics at Brown; if they don’t know the answer, they can point you in the direction of someone who does!
When you declare a concentration, you will receive a concentration advisor in the concentration department where you declare your concentration. This person will become your sole advisor and work directly with you to approve your concentration declaration. Students may also use advising resources such as Pre-Medical and Health Careers Advising, Law Careers Advising, or Business Careers Advising. Visit the Center for Career Exploration for more information.
Starting the week before orientation, you can find out who your exploratory advisor is by signing into your ASK account (ask.brown.edu) and looking to the left side of your home page under the heading “Advising.” Students must meet with their exploratory advisors throughout their first year of study or until they declare a concentration and then have a concentration advisor. Please meet with your advisor immediately if you have not already done so.
The Academic Tutoring Program provides no-cost small group (3-5 students) tutoring support for select introductory and intermediate STEM+ courses.
Visit brown.edu/sheridan/programs-services/academic-tutoring for more information.
The Writing Center is also an excellent resource for students who want help improving their writing. Brown’s Writing Center provides free individual and group writing support to any member of the Brown community. Writing Center staff assist students with all stages of the writing process, from finding a topic to drafting, revising, and final editing. Visit brown.edu/sheridan/programs-services/writing/writing-center for more information and visit brown.edu/sheridan/programs-services/writing/writing-center/consultations to make an appointment.
If you are interested in English Language Support, visit brown.edu/go/english-support; mentoring related to science at the Science Center, visit brown.edu/academics/science-center; or academic support related to mathematics at the Math Resource Center, visit brown.edu/academics/math/math-resource-center.
If you need academic support or accommodations, contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS). SAS coordinates and facilitates services for students (including graduate students) and visitors with medical, physical, psychological, and learning disabilities.
Students needing accommodations or services due to a disability or medical condition should contact Student Accessibility Services to discuss their needs and begin the registration process. Email SAS at seas@brown.edu or call 401-863-9588.
Visit brown.edu/campus-life/support/accessibility-services/ for more information.
Student Support Services (SSS) is another important resource that provides individualized support for students managing complex, complicated challenges that impact their ability to thrive academically, personally, and socially. Please visit brown.edu/offices/student-support/student-support-services for more information.
Once the College has processed your transcript from your previous institution, your transfer credits will appear on your Internal Academic Record (IAR), accessible via Banner:
“Student”> “Student Records”) and ASK (under “Advising”> “My Advising Info”
All transfer credits will be posted as unassigned and generally in specific subject areas. For example, a course with the “Math 210” code at your previous institution may appear as “MATH UASGN” on your Brown transcript. For courses that do not fall under a standard subject area at Brown (e.g., Marketing), you may find unassigned credits listed as NOSP for “no specific subject.”
If you hope to use one of your credits to fulfill a concentration requirement or a prerequisite (which you will need in the system to register for classes), you can request an equivalency review on ASK. Only request course equivalencies when you have identified a concrete need for equivalency (e.g. if you are pursuing a history concentration, there is no need to request equivalency for your MATH courses or other courses unrelated to your concentration).
To fill out an equivalency review, go to Advising Sidekick (ASK), under Student Petitions > Transfer Credits > Equivalency Review, to locate and complete the equivalency review form to initiate the process to have the transfer credits evaluated for reassignment. The form will ask for a copy of the syllabus from the class at your prior institution, so you need to have that on hand. You should also go through Courses@Brown (cab.brown.edu) to identify the Brown course you believe is equivalent. Once the form is submitted, you will be notified when your equivalency request has been reviewed, or you will be contacted by a departmental administrator who might ask for more information.
If you seek to satisfy concentration requirements with coursework from your previous institution, contact a faculty advisor for recommended guidance. They will likely instruct you to seek an equivalency review for your unassigned credits in ASK, but we ask students to consult with an advisor first to confirm this is required. For more information, please see the question, “What is the process for evaluating unassigned transfer credit for Brown course equivalency and assignment?”.
Brown has a four-semester residency, so sophomore transfers may have the option to study abroad.
Please consult your academic advisor and the members of the Undergraduate Study Abroad, studyabroad@brown.edu
For junior transfers, we encourage you to consider a summer study away option or the Brown winter session courses when offered. Consult a Study Abroad advisor about studying abroad, and check out the aforementioned website or email studyabroad@brown.edu for more information.
Also, see the Swearer Center’s study abroad and fellowship opportunities.
Pre-Brown Transfer Credit
Once the College has processed your transcript from your previous institution, your transfer credits will appear on your Internal Academic Record (IAR), accessible via Banner:
“Student”> “Student Records”) and ASK (under “Advising”> “My Advising Info”
All transfer credits will be posted as unassigned and generally in specific subject areas. For example, a course with the “Math 210” code at your previous institution may appear as “MATH UASGN” on your Brown transcript. For courses that do not fall under a standard subject area at Brown (e.g., Marketing), you may find unassigned credits listed as NOSP for “no specific subject.”
If you hope to use one of your credits to fulfill a concentration requirement or a prerequisite (which you will need in the system to register for classes), you can request an equivalency review on ASK. Only request course equivalencies when you have identified a concrete need for equivalency (e.g. if you are pursuing a history concentration, there is no need to request equivalency for your MATH courses or other courses unrelated to your concentration).
To fill out an equivalency review, go to Advising Sidekick (ASK), under Student Petitions > Transfer Credits > Equivalency Review, to locate and complete the equivalency review form to initiate the process to have the transfer credits evaluated for reassignment. The form will ask for a copy of the syllabus from the class at your prior institution, so you need to have that on hand. You should also go through Courses@Brown (cab.brown.edu) to identify the Brown course you believe is equivalent. Once the form is submitted, you will be notified when your equivalency request has been reviewed, or you will be contacted by a departmental administrator who might ask for more information.
If you seek to satisfy concentration requirements with coursework from your previous institution, contact a faculty advisor for recommended guidance. They will likely instruct you to seek an equivalency review for your unassigned credits in ASK, but we ask students to consult with an advisor first to confirm this is required. For more information, please see the question, “What is the process for evaluating unassigned transfer credit for Brown course equivalency and assignment?”.
Brown has a four-semester residency, so sophomore transfers may have the option to study abroad.
Please consult your academic advisor and the members of the Undergraduate Study Abroad, studyabroad@brown.edu
For junior transfers, we encourage you to consider a summer study away option or the Brown winter session courses when offered. Consult a Study Abroad advisor about studying abroad, and check out the aforementioned website or email studyabroad@brown.edu for more information.
Also, see the Swearer Center’s study abroad and fellowship opportunities.
Course Registration
You can add or drop classes on Courses@Brown throughout the shopping period. Add/drop deadlines are published on Brown’s Official Academic Calendar.
Last day to add a course without a late fee:
Fall 2025: Tuesday, September 16th at 5pm EDT
Spring 2025: Thursday, February 19th at 5pm EST
The last day to add a course with a late fee, change from audit to credit, or change a grade option declaration-
Fall 2025: Tuesday, September 30th at 5 PM EDT
Spring 2026: Wednesday, February 18th at 5pm EST
Most capped classes have a waitlist. You can request an override in Courses@Brown with a comment explaining your interest in the course (many students recommend that you mention you are a transfer or RUE student in your override request).
Additionally, you should email the professor to request a spot on their course waitlist. Once a space becomes available, the instructor will refer to their waitlist and give the first student the override code needed to register for the class.
Students should attend the first class if they would like to enroll in the course. Many instructors only grant overrides after the start of the semester when they have a sense of who has attended the class and is still interested in enrolling.
When registering, students can decide whether to take the class for an A, B, C, or NC letter grade (G) or satisfactory/no credit (S/NC). You can choose to take any course S/NC.
Some courses are mandatory S/NC and cannot be taken for a grade. However, this is noted with an asterisk on a student’s transcript. Instructors may enter a grade of “S with distinction” if a student has earned the equivalent of an “A” in the course. An “S with Distinction” will not appear on an internal academic record or official transcript (so students will not know if they have earned an “S with Distinction” unless they ask the Registrar’s Office). Still, they count towards Phi Beta Kappa and may be counted toward honors in the concentration.
Taking an S/NC course is extremely common at Brown and is a great way to take a class you’re interested in without the added concern about the particular grade you earn in the course.
Visit here for more information on grade options.
Yes. Students can audit any course by taking a class but not receiving credit or a grade. The course will appear on their transcript and is counted as one of the five courses they can take in a semester.
Some instructors require auditors to complete some or all assignments for the class. The last day to add a course (including the late fee), change from audit to credit (or vice versa), or change a grade option declaration (i.e., change a course from letter grade to Satisfactory/No Credit (S/ NC) or vice versa):
Fall 2025: September 30th at 5 PM EDT
Spring 2026: February 18th at 5 PM EST
As a TRUE student, choosing courses involves balancing the number of semesters to sample Brown’s course offerings, completing a concentration, and fulfilling all other Brown degree requirements. If you already have a good idea of the area(s) you wish to concentrate on, familiarize yourself with the requirements and take one or two related courses. Certain concentrations like engineering and computer science have many required courses.
Students entering as sophomores also have opportunities to participate in smaller, seminar-style courses with other students of similar semesters standing through sophomore seminars (to find, use the “Sophomore Seminar” filter in CAB). It is highly recommended that a sophomore consider taking a seminar designed to facilitate engaged discussion and active participation. Visit this link for more information.
Classes frequently have reviews from past students on a website called Critical Review. It is worthwhile to check the critical review for classes you are interested in to see how students rated the professor, the course, the assignments, and more.
Research & Fellowships
There are plenty of opportunities for undergraduates to get involved in research on campus. A great place to start is with your concentration advisor because policies on undergraduate research vary by department. If you still need a concentration advisor, you can speak with your academic advisor or an advisor in the department where you hope to do research. Often, it is as simple as looking through Researchers@Brown to find professors whose research interests you and email them to express your interest. Even if they do not have any opportunities available for you, they can direct you to a colleague who does. Students can also engage in independent studies, conducting research under the guidance of faculty members.
You can also take a CURE-designated course, which allows you to engage in research as part of a course. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) allow students to engage in research experiences that cultivate their investigative skills, sense of discovery, and interest in STEM and the social science field.
In addition, you can apply for funded experiential learning opportunities through opportunities sponsored by the College. Please see https://www.brown.edu/academics/college/undergraduate-research/
Brown sponsors several fellowship and grant programs that support undergraduate research during the summer or academic year. Many of our awards are designed to facilitate faculty-student research collaborations, including SPRINT Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards (SPRINT|UTRAs), Research at Brown (RAB) Grants, and the Royce Fellowships.
Fellowships at Brown offers holistic, inclusive advising to guide and support you in identifying and applying for a fellowship or scholarship. Meet with staff in the Fellowships Office to explore opportunities that fund domestic and international research and travel, teaching and public service, and post-baccalaureate degrees.