Brown Pre-College vs Columbia Pre-College: Which Program Is Right for You?
Two Ivy League pre-college summers with different shapes: Summer@Brown offers individual one- to three-week courses you can combine, while Columbia's NYC Residential Summer is a set three-week session in New York City. Pick Brown for flexibility in length and subject, Columbia for a fixed block of daily classes in the city.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of Brown University Pre-College Programs and Columbia University Pre-College Programs. A blank row is a fact we do not hold — not a zero, and not a no.
| Brown Pre-College | Columbia Pre-College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $3,096–$17,935 | $2,700 |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced | Dates not announced |
| Grade eligibility | Grades 8–12 | Grades 9–12 |
| Format | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island, United States | New York City, New York, United States |
| Program dates | Not listed | Not listed |
| Application destination | precollege.brown.edu | precollege.sps.columbia.edu |
| Organizer | Brown University | Columbia University School of Professional Studies |
Brown Pre-College vs Columbia Pre-College: the short answer
Both are Ivy League summer programs you pay for, for high school students of roughly 14 to 18, with no credit or formal grades. Brown is the flexible one: over 230 Summer@Brown courses in 1-, 2- or 3-week on-campus blocks (or a 5-week hybrid), priced per course — in 2026, $3,748 for one week, $5,786 for two or $8,372 for three living on campus — with need-based Sibley Scholarships for eligible students living in the U.S. while funds last. Columbia's NYC Residential Summer is a set three-week session in New York City with over 70 courses and about four hours of class each weekday, at $12,838 per session plus an application fee and a $3,500 deposit credited toward the cost. Brown admitted on a rolling basis until May 22, 2026; Columbia's residential deadlines for 2027 are February 1 for early registration and March 1.
Program details
These are the current details stored for each program. A blank cell means the catalog does not hold that detail.
| Brown Pre-College | Columbia Pre-College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to attend | Per course, living on campus: $3,748 for 1 week, $5,786 for 2 weeks or $8,372 for 3 weeks; commuting costs less. | $12,838 per session for summer 2027, including housing, dining and fees, as an estimate subject to trustee approval. |
| Application fee | $80, non-refundable, paid by card with the application. | $80, not included in the program cost. |
| Deposit | $500, non-refundable, to enroll in a course. | $3,500, non-refundable, credited toward the program cost. |
| Financial aid | Need-based Sibley Scholarships, awarded first-applied, first-awarded until funds run out. | Not stated. Columbia's cost, deadline and residential program pages describe fees and deposits but mention no financial aid. |
| Who can apply | Students completing grades 9 to 12, aged 14 to 18 by June 14, 2026. | Rising 9th through current 12th graders; residential students must be 15, and a 15-year-old must turn 16 by December 31. |
| International students | Admitted, but no scholarships for international students in summer 2026. | Welcome; a visitor (B) visa is enough because the program is not for credit. |
| Class time | Three hours of class daily, five days a week, plus two to three hours of work outside class. | About four hours of class every weekday, with a two-hour midday break. |
| What you receive | A digital certificate of completion; a Course Performance Report for courses of 2 weeks or longer. | A Columbia Certification of Participation and an evaluation letter on your performance. |
| Program dates | Summer 2026 ran June 15 to July 25. | Summer 2027: Session A June 28-July 16, Session B July 20-August 6, or both (6 weeks). |
| Deadline, most recent published cycle | Rolling until Friday, May 22, 2026, or until courses fill. | Session A: early registration February 1, 2027; general deadline March 1, 2027. |
Inside Brown Pre-College
Brown lets you build your own summer: take a 1-, 2- or 3-week course, or stack several, living on campus or commuting, with three hours of class a day plus two to three hours of work outside it. The program does not set your schedule beyond class — learning to manage your own time is part of the point — and there are no formal grades or credit; you get a certificate and, for longer courses, a performance report.
Inside Columbia Pre-College
Columbia's residential summer is a fixed three-week block, or six weeks if you take both sessions, on the Morningside campus: about four hours of class every weekday, split around a two-hour midday break, with activities, outings and weekly special events on Fridays and Saturdays. Resident advisors live in the halls. You finish with a Certification of Participation and an evaluation letter.
Choose Brown Pre-College if…
- You want a one- or two-week option. Brown offers 1- and 2-week on-campus courses; Columbia's residential sessions are 3 weeks.
- You live in the U.S. and will need aid. Brown's Sibley Scholarships are need-based and awarded in order of application until funds run out.
- You are 14. Brown takes students aged 14 to 18; Columbia's residential program starts at 15.
Choose Columbia Pre-College if…
- You want to spend the summer in New York City. Columbia's residential students live on its Morningside campus in New York City.
- You want a set structure. Columbia's residential program is a three-week block with about four hours of class each weekday.
Applying next cycle: what to do now
| Brown Pre-College | Columbia Pre-College | |
|---|---|---|
| Decisions released | In most cases within 15 business days of a completed application. | About 3-5 weeks after your application is complete. |
Applying to Brown Pre-College
- An essay of 250 to 500 words on one of two prompts, plus an optional supplementary essay.
- Your complete grades for this year and last; unofficial transcripts or portal screenshots are fine.
- A recommendation is optional, but Brown strongly suggests one in certain cases, such as inconsistent grades.
Applying to Columbia Pre-College
- An unofficial transcript, a recommender and your top 2 courses of interest.
- You apply to the program, not to a specific course.
- Courses often fill before the deadline, so apply early.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Brown's prices and dates are for summer 2026; it had not posted 2027 figures when we read the site.
- Columbia's residential program page lists the same $12,838 under a summer 2026 heading, with a different application fee from its cost page; we quote the cost page, which says summer 2027.
- Brown charges per course, so two courses cost two course fees.
- Neither publishes an acceptance rate; both review applications on a rolling basis and courses can fill.
Brown University Pre-College Programs
Summer@Brown: over 230 courses in 1-, 2- and 3-week on-campus sessions and a 5-week hybrid.
Columbia University Pre-College Programs
Over 70 courses spanning a dozen subject areas, in three-week residential sessions on Columbia's campus.
Full Columbia Pre-College details, FAQs, and application link
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Brown Pre-College or Columbia Pre-College?
Brown Pre-College: $3,096–$17,935. Columbia Pre-College: $2,700. Confirm each figure on the program's official page before budgeting.
Can I apply to both Brown Pre-College and Columbia Pre-College?
The application destinations are evaluated independently. Brown Pre-College: precollege.brown.edu. Columbia Pre-College: precollege.sps.columbia.edu. Review each provider's current instructions before assuming either application is open or compatible with the other.
Which is better for college applications, Brown Pre-College or Columbia Pre-College?
We do not rank enrichment programs by admissions value. Use the comparison to assess whether each program's documented constraints fit your situation, and check the details that decide it for you on each program's official page.
What grades can apply to Brown Pre-College and Columbia Pre-College?
Brown Pre-College: Grades 8–12. Columbia Pre-College: Grades 9–12. Eligibility can change between cycles, so confirm it on each program's official page before applying.
Related comparisons
Brown Pre-College vs Columbia Pre-College is 1 of 56 comparison pages. No other comparison page shares either program yet.
How we count
Our comparison list has 56 pairs covering 91 catalog programs. Those numbers count this list only. They are not a ranking or the size of the full catalog.
We don't rank programs or name one of them the best.
When we don't list a cost, it is unknown, not free. Check the official page.
Catalog-wide numbers, and what each was counted out of, are on Statistics.