Admissions / Application

Applicants to the Neuroscience Graduate Program at Brown University or the Brown-NIH Graduate Partnership Program are expected to have an undergraduate degree in a component discipline of neuroscience such as biology, psychology, neurobiology, chemistry, physics, applied mathematics, engineering, or computer science. The Neuroscience Graduate Program and Graduate Partnership Program do not have any specific course requirements for successful admission. Students who are admitted without sufficient background in certain topics will be encouraged to take the appropriate introductory level courses at Brown and fill the gap in their scientific knowledge before enrolling in more advanced courses in that subject area. We encourage applications from members of underrepresented minority groups and those with disabilities. More information about programs at Brown University designed to enhance diversity in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences can be found here.

Application Procedure
All applications must be submitted online. Candidates interested in applying for the Neuroscience Graduate Program at Brown University must complete an online application at the Brown Graduate School website. Candidates interested in applying for the Brown-NIH Graduate Partnership Program must complete an online application at the NIH Graduate Partnership Program website. Any student wishing to apply to both the Neuroscience Graduate Program and the Brown-NIH Graduate Partnership Program will need to submit an application to both Brown University and the NIH.

Checklist of Materials Needed for Application

• Application
• Personal Statement - All applicants are required to submit a personal statement. The statement should help us understand who you are, what motivates you, and what you hope to gain from a PhD. You should also include a description of your research experience, current research interests, and explain why you are applying to the Neuroscience Graduate Program at Brown. You should limit your statement to no more than 500 words. The document should be uploaded in pdf format.
• Graduate Record Examination Scores for the General Aptitude Test - The GRE reporting code for Brown University is 3094 and the department code for Neuroscience is 0213. October, 2011, is the latest examination date to allow for results to be available for the application. Test results are valid for 5 years.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Score - International students must submit scores of the TOEFL unless they have completed their undergraduate studies in the United States, another country with English as its principle language, or attended a baccalaureate-granting institution that has its primary instruction in the English language. The TOEFL reporting code for Brown University is 3094 and the department code for Neuroscience is 30. Test results are valid for 3 years.
• Undergraduate transcripts (and others where applicable)
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Application Fee of $75 - US citizens or permanent residents who can demonstrate either financial need or participation in certain specialized programs may apply for an application fee waiver.

All Neuroscience Graduate Program and Brown-NIH Graduate Partnership Program students are fully supported during their time in graduate school. No forms requesting financial support need to be submitted.  A writing sample is not required, though it can be submitted via the application process.

Any material that cannot be submitted online should be mailed to:
Brown University Graduate School
Box 1867
47 George Street
Providence, RI 02912

Deadline
All applications materials must be submitted by Monday, December 5, 2011.

Interviews
Interviews for prospective students applying to the Neuroscience Graduate Program will be held on February 23-25, 2011. Interviews for those applying to the Brown-NIH Graduate Partnership Program will take place on February 27-28, 2012 at Brown University and February 29-March 1, 2012 at the NIH.

“Walk in our shoes: Join the Neuroscience Graduate Program"