Sc.B. or A.B.
Brown says the Sc.B. programmes prepare graduates for professional practice or graduate school in engineering and science, while the A.B. allows engineering to be combined with other interests.
Undergraduate · Brown Engineering
Brown Engineering: the A.B. and the Sc.B. are chosen after you arrive
Brown's engineering degrees are not separate first-year admission channels. Students apply to Brown through the Common Application, follow a shared engineering core in the first two years and choose a concentration, and with it either the professional Sc.B. or the more flexible A.B., at the end of the sophomore year. The Sc.B. is accredited by ABET in seven fields; the A.B. is designed for students who want to combine engineering with other interests. For an A-level or IB applicant the useful question is which structure you would choose when the time comes, and what the application itself asks of you.
Official information · read 31 October 2026, no entry-year label
What Brown says about Brown Engineering
Taken from Brown School of Engineering's Concentrations page and Brown Undergraduate Admission's International Applicants and Standardized Tests pages, read on 31 October 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Brown's pages for the 2028-entry details.
The concentration is chosen after sophomore year
Students take foundation courses in several engineering disciplines, with computer science, mathematics and sciences, and choose their concentration at the end of their sophomore year.
Six or seven specialised courses for the Sc.B.
The Sc.B. includes six or seven specialised courses and at least one capstone design or research project. The A.B. requires at least two specialised courses.
ABET accreditation for seven Sc.B. fields
Brown says the Sc.B. in Biomedical, Chemical, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Materials and Mechanical Engineering is ABET-accredited.
The SAT or ACT is required
Brown requires standardized test scores, either SAT or ACT, for first-year applicants, with no minimum score.
Official sources
- Brown School of Engineering: Concentrations (undergraduate)engineering.brown.edu
- Brown Undergraduate Admission: Standardized Testsadmission.brown.edu
Read on 31 October 2026 on Brown School of Engineering's Concentrations page and Brown Undergraduate Admission's International Applicants and Standardized Tests pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Brown's concentration pages for each engineering field, the University Bulletin's degree requirements, Brown's English-proficiency scores, deadlines and financial aid were not read, and the pages do not mention A-levels or the IB by name and are not stated.
How admission works
You apply to Brown, not to an engineering degree
Brown's admission pages describe a single Common Application with the Brown Member section, and its engineering pages describe choosing a concentration at the end of the sophomore year. Nothing on the pages read describes a separate first-year admission for the Sc.B. or the A.B., so this guide does not present them as application tracks. Decide what you would like to study, show it in your application, and keep both degree structures in view.
Sc.B. against A.B.
Two structures for different aims
Brown says its Sc.B. degrees include six or seven specialised courses in an engineering discipline, at least one a capstone in which students complete a major realistic design or research project, and prepare for professional practice or graduate study. The A.B. is designed to combine engineering studies with Brown's offerings in the arts, humanities and social sciences, with at least two specialised courses. Concentrations include Biomedical, Chemical, Computer, Design, Electrical, Environmental, Materials and Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Physics.
Sc.B. if
you want depth in one engineering discipline and a professionally accredited programme.
A.B. if
you want engineering as the base for entrepreneurship, technology management, public service, architecture, teaching or patent law, among others.
Either way
The first two years share an engineering core, so the decision can be taken once you have seen the options.
Testing and qualifications
SAT or ACT required; A-levels and the IB are not named
Brown requires standardized test scores, either SAT or ACT, for first-year applicants, will superscore either or both, and sets no minimum score. The pages read do not mention A-levels or the IB by name, and this guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Brown's.
Do you want to decide the degree later?
Brown's structure lets you choose a concentration after a shared core.
Is a professionally accredited Sc.B. important?
If so, check the concentration you expect to choose against ABET's list.
Is your mathematics and science preparation strong?
The core includes mathematics and physical and life sciences.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Brown's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Brown's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The shared core, the concentration choice after sophomore year and the SAT or ACT requirement: read 31 October 2026 with no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Brown has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, essay prompts, English-proficiency requirements and financial aid: not stated here
This guide has not read them. Check Brown for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read Brown's concentration pages for the engineering fields you are considering and plan the SAT or ACT.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Brown University or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Brown. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Do I apply separately to Brown Engineering?
The pages read describe one Common Application to Brown and a concentration chosen at the end of sophomore year.
What is the difference between the A.B. and the Sc.B.?
The Sc.B. prepares for professional practice or graduate school with six or seven specialised courses; the A.B. combines engineering with other interests and needs at least two.
When do I choose my concentration?
At the end of the sophomore year, after a shared engineering core.
Is the Sc.B. accredited?
Brown says the Sc.B. in seven fields is accredited by ABET.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Brown requires standardized test scores, either SAT or ACT, for first-year applicants, with no minimum score.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Brown's wording with no entry-year label. Check Brown's pages again when Brown publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Brown Engineering
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their mathematics and sciences, how they would weigh a professional Sc.B. against a flexible A.B. and the SAT or ACT, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.