The Brown Promise

Building on decades of enhancements to financial assistance, The Brown Promise replaces loans with scholarships in all University undergraduate aid packages.

Breadcrumb

Making Brown more affordable for students and their families

The best and the brightest students have multiple options when choosing where to attend college. When they think about where they can best develop their skills and realize their full potential, we want them to think “Brown.” Through the BrownTogether campaign, we are expanding upon a series of investments in financial aid that began with the implementation of need-blind admission in 2003. 

The Brown Promise, launched in 2018, raises Brown’s financial assistance programs to the next level by removing loans from all University-packaged undergraduate financial aid awards and replacing them with scholarships. Already, it has made it easier for students from moderate-income backgrounds to choose Brown and worry less about accruing debt that might limit their professional choices after graduation.

 

“ Before The Brown Promise, students from the lowest and highest income levels were matriculating at much higher rates than those in the middle. Now, the distribution is much more even across all income levels. ”

Jim Tilton Dean of Financial Aid

Since the advent of The Brown Promise:

  • More than 3,500+ students have had loans removed from their University-packaged financial aid awards.
  • Applications and the matriculation rate of students from moderate-income backgrounds have risen each year.
  • Brown has seen a 57% drop in the number of students incurring debt to cover the costs of attending Brown across all income levels.

The Brown Promise has increased our ability to compete for the most promising students, expand the socioeconomic diversity of our student body, and encourage students to pursue careers based on their interests rather than jobs chosen simply for the purpose of paying back loans. 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/deaFfvoJPDY

A Lasting Promise

 

How we're making it a permanent part of Brown's financial aid programs.

“ Because of the loans in my University-awarded financial aid package, I thought I’d only be able to stay at Brown for one year. But thanks to the Brown Promise, I will now have a career in a field I love and the peace of mind to concentrate on it. ”

Gaby Trevino ’21

Support The Brown Promise.

Make the dream of a Brown education possible for more remarkable students.

MAKE A GIFT

For information about specific financial aid giving opportunities, contact:

Shelley Roth P’17, P’20
Director of Development for Academic Initiatives
+1 (401) 863-6162
shelley_roth@brown.edu