The Brown Leadership Institute is a pre-college social justice leadership program run by Brown University's Pre-College Program. Students spend their days exploring complex social issues, practicing collaborative leadership, and developing an Action Plan they can bring back to their school or community.
Historical Summer 2026 format options:
| Format | Length | Dates (2026) | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| On campus (residential) | 2 weeks | Jun 21–Jul 2 or Jul 12–24 | $6,052 |
| On campus (commuter) | 2 weeks | Jun 21–Jul 2 or Jul 12–24 | $4,748 |
| Online | 4 weeks | Jun 22–Jul 17 | $5,778 |
On-campus students live in Brown residence halls and eat in dining halls. Online students access coursework through Canvas, Brown's learning management system.
Course topics:
Students choose one course of study. Past courses have included:
- Women and Leadership
- Leadership and Social Justice
- Leadership and Intercultural Communication
- Leadership in Changing Business: Social Entrepreneurship
- Leadership, Law and Social Movements
- More than a Game: Leadership and Social Change in Sports
- Reimagining Leadership: Art and Social Change
What students build:
Each student develops an Action Plan — a concrete proposal for addressing a social issue in their school or community — by program's end. Examples are available at Brown's website.
Skills developed:
Active listening, public speaking, problem-solving, teamwork, and socially responsible leadership. Students work in diverse peer groups with an interdisciplinary academic focus.
Completion recognition:
All students who complete their course receive a Digital Certificate of Completion. Students in 2-week or longer courses also receive a Course Performance Report.
Historical 2026 financial aid:
For 2026, need-based Sibley awards were limited to US citizens, dual citizens, permanent residents, refugees/asylees, DACA recipients residing in the US, and undocumented full-time US residents. Funds were first-applied, first-awarded until depleted. Brown explicitly excluded international students from summer 2026 scholarships and did not offer merit scholarships. These are not confirmed 2027 aid rules.
International students:
International applicants are welcome. On-campus participants typically enter the US on a B-2 visitor visa or through the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA); Brown Pre-College does not sponsor F-1 or J-1 student visas, though Brown can provide a letter confirming program participation upon request. The online format has no visa requirement.
Cycle check, November 4, 2026: The Apply page explicitly says Summer 2026 applications closed. It gives a January 14 opening, May 15 deadline and May 22 final decisions, with rolling review and possible earlier capacity closure. Admission does not enroll a student into a course; the 2026 policy permits one Leadership Institute course per summer across either format. The program page still shows 2026 dates and old waitlist/online availability wording; those notices should not be read as present enrollment availability.
The detailed calendar and prices corroborate the separate historical options above. The published 2026 age reference was 14–18 by June 14, 2026, completing grades 9–12. Student 2027 application/session dates, fees, eligibility and scholarship terms have not been verified; no dates or prices above are promised for 2027.