Five years, two degrees
Candidates complete about half their coursework at each institution and graduate with an A.B. or Sc.B. from Brown and a BFA from RISD.
Undergraduate · Brown
Brown|RISD Dual Degree: two applications, two evaluations, five years
The Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program is not a concentration chosen after arrival. It is a five-year programme that integrates liberal arts study with concentrated work in the fine arts, and its applicants must apply to both Brown and RISD, submit the same supplemental essay to each and be admitted by both. For an A-level or IB applicant with serious artistic work, the decision is whether a five-year, two-institution degree is worth the extra year and the separate evaluations. This guide covers what Brown's pages say; it did not read RISD's admission pages, and it states no portfolio standard.
Official information · read 31 October 2026, no entry-year label
What Brown says about Brown-RISD Dual Degree
Taken from Brown Undergraduate Admission's Brown|RISD page, the Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program's own page and Brown's Standardized Tests and International Applicants 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.
Apply to both institutions
Applicants apply to both Brown and RISD with the same Dual Degree supplemental essay, and only first-year applicants are eligible.
Admitted by both
Only students admitted to both institutions are considered, after separate evaluations by each.
Not combinable with PLME
Dual degree candidates are not eligible for the Program in Liberal Medical Education.
The SAT or ACT is required for Brown
Brown returned to requiring SAT or ACT scores from the 2024-25 cycle, and sets no minimum score.
Official sources
- Brown Undergraduate Admission: Brown|RISD Dual Degree Programadmission.brown.edu
- Brown|RISD Dual Degree Programrisd.brown.edu
- Brown Undergraduate Admission: Standardized Testsadmission.brown.edu
Read on 31 October 2026 on Brown Undergraduate Admission's Brown|RISD page, the Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program's own page and Brown's Standardized Tests and International Applicants pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. RISD's own admission pages, the portfolio requirements, the supplementary essay prompt, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The programme
What Brown's pages say the Dual Degree is
Brown's admission page describes a combined five-year programme in which students integrate liberal arts study with concentrated fine arts work, completing about half their coursework at each institution. The programme's own page says students choose a major at RISD and a concentration at Brown and are fully enrolled at both throughout. Candidates are considered only if both institutions admit them, and each evaluates separately. Brown's page does not describe RISD's portfolio requirements, which this guide did not read.
Is it the right route?
Dual Degree, or one institution
Brown describes the Dual Degree as a separate route. Avandy's comparison is general.
The Dual Degree fits if
your artistic work and academic interests are both serious, and you are willing to spend five years across two campuses.
Brown alone fits if
you want the open curriculum with art as one interest among many.
RISD alone fits if
your focus is studio work. This guide did not read RISD's pages.
Admission and testing
SAT or ACT for Brown, and A-levels and the IB named
Brown says it returned to requiring SAT or ACT scores for first-year applicants from the 2024-25 admission cycle, with no minimum score. For international applicants it says to plan to sit national and international examinations such as GCE A-levels and the International Baccalaureate and submit predicted or actual scores, with actual scores expected before matriculation. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Brown's.
Is your artistic practice central enough for RISD?
RISD evaluates separately; this guide did not read its requirements.
Are you willing to spend five years?
The programme is five years, not four.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Brown requires one of them.
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 requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 31 October 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Brown has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Brown for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read both Brown's and RISD's dual degree pages 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 University. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
How long is the Brown|RISD Dual Degree?
Five years, with students fully enrolled at both institutions throughout.
Do I apply to both schools?
Yes. Applicants must apply to both Brown and RISD and submit the same Dual Degree supplemental essay with both applications.
Can I apply after arriving at Brown?
Brown says only first-year applicants are eligible to apply.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Brown says it requires SAT or ACT scores for first-year applicants from the 2024-25 cycle, with no minimum score.
Does Brown mention A levels or the IB?
Yes. International applicants should plan to sit exams such as GCE A-levels and the IB and submit predicted or actual scores.
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-RISD Dual Degree
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their artistic portfolio, their academic interests and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.