The application is open from early September through the January 15 deadline. 

Unofficial transcripts of all prior academic coursework at higher education institutions must be submitted with applications. Official transcripts are required prior to matriculation. 

Three (3) letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with your academic and/or professional potential, or two (2) for current Brown undergraduates.

Applications may be submitted before the deadline without all three letters, though an admission decision will not be released until all materials are received and verified. 

1000-word personal statement that gives your reasons to pursue graduate work in the field of your study. The statement should include examples of your past work in your chosen field, your plans for study at Brown, issues and problems you'd like to address in your field, and your professional goals.

Applicants are asked to submit a short statement (no more than 200 words) that comments on their training, policy, research, and/or management experience in using any type of data, both qualitative and quantitative.

English language exams (TOEFL or IELTS) are required from non-native English speakers who did not earn a degree from an institution where English was the sole language of instruction.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required, though applicants may submit optional GRE scores to be considered. To do so, be sure to request official GRE scores to be sent to Brown University. The Brown University Institution Code is 3094.

A non-refundable fee of $100 is charged for processing each application received by the Graduate School. This fee must be paid when the application is submitted. An application will not be processed unless the fee is paid.

Application Fee Waivers

1) The Application Fee is automatically waived for:

• Current Brown undergraduates
• Active duty U.S. Military personnel, as well as U.S. Military veterans. Please be sure to list your status within the application.
• Domestic applicants who have participated in certain programs/events/conferences listed within the application.

2) If you would like to request an Application Fee Waiver based on high-financial need:

Application fee waiver requests can be found within the application and will be considered if they are accompanied by documentation of need. Acceptable forms of documentation are FAFSA, a letter from a college/university financial aid office, receipt of GRE or TOEFL fee waiver, unemployment verification, or other forms that provide significant documentation of financial hardship. 

The fee waiver request form must be submitted no later than three days before the application deadline. Applicants will be notified by email regarding the outcome of their request and should not submit their application until receiving notification about their waiver.

All students, including U.S. citizens and international students, are eligible for application fee waivers.