For the 2026-27 academic year, the University estimates students’ total cost of attendance will be $99,984. This includes $97,116 in direct tuition and fees and an approximated $2,878 in indirect expenses — costs a student may pay to attend Brown that are not paid directly to the University.
With the natural variation in indirect costs and the University’s estimated cost of attendance just $16 away from six figures, some students will likely be paying over $100,000 to attend Brown next year.
The Herald spoke with seven Brunonians — and Dean of Financial Aid Sean Ferns — to get a sense of how indirect expenses factor into Brown’s total cost.
Next year’s $97,116 in direct costs accounts for “tuition, mandatory fees, housing and food,” according to Dean of Financial Aid Sean Ferns.
Indirect fees vary among students and include “books, personal expenses and, in some cases, travel,” Ferns wrote in an email to The Herald.
Ferns noted that the indirect costs are only an estimate, as they vary from student to student. Travel expenses, for example, differ among students based on “the wide variety of geographic locations from which Brown students come to campus,” Ferns wrote.
When estimating the expenses that students will incur, Ferns wrote that Brown’s Office of Financial Aid considers information from initiatives like the Books and Course Material Support Program and the International Travel Pilot Program, as well as regional cost of living data.
“The goal is to provide a realistic budgetary framework that covers essential costs — such as laundry, personal care and local transit — while maintaining compliance with federal ‘reasonable cost’ standards,” determined by the U.S. Department of Education, Ferns explained.
Individual expenses, which may include costs spent on clothing for the winter climate, computer expenses or additional travel, are not included in either the University’s direct or indirect costs.
As a Boston native, Alejandro Gonzalez ’27 said he was already equipped with clothing to suit the cold Providence winters. But his friends who are from warmer regions had to make some initial clothing investments before coming to college, he said.
“Because Brown is such a diverse community, if people are coming from other places, they might have to spend more money,” Gonzalez added.
For Christine Peng ’27, $3,000 seems accurate, but she told The Herald that her expenses vary year-to-year. She mentioned that her laptop broke one year and replacing it was an expensive addition to her indirect costs.
Luca Cassina ’29 mentioned the expense of dorm room necessities as pushing his total costs above the University’s estimate, while Sophia Joya ’29 cited the cost of off-campus food.
But Ethan Carey ’29 believes he spends a little less than the University estimates. He told The Herald that he doesn’t usually “buy a lot of stuff beyond what is mandatory,” and although travel is expensive, he doesn’t believe it adds up to $3,000.
Kiera Decesare ’28 told The Herald that the indirect fees estimate seems in line with her finances, but because she is from Florida, her travel costs may be a bit higher than students from other areas.
Cassina is from Italy and thinks that for international students, in particular, the estimate is inaccurate. He said that the recent dismantling of Brown’s Travel Pilot Program — which previously covered the cost of one round-trip flight per school year for international students on financial aid — will impact international students’ costs of attendance.
Starting next academic year, in place of the Travel Pilot Program, eligible students will receive travel support that is based on the student’s home region and airfare data collected through the Pilot Program.
Cassina said he does not think this new strategy of providing financial support based on region makes sense. He noted that one of his friends lives in southern Italy, while he is in the north, so “the price range is really big.”
In a previous statement to The Herald, Associate Dean of the College for International Students Chia-Ying Pan wrote that the University remains committed to meeting international students’ demonstrated financial need.
Ferns wrote that the distance a student lives from Brown does factor into the amount of aid for indirect costs they receive, noting that “the estimated allowance for travel expenses depends on the student’s home address and is based on a regional average,” but the actual travel fees “may be higher or lower for the individual student.”
Beyond what the University considers indirect costs, Decesare noted that the cost of “social stuff” — including Brown-sponsored events, concerts and eating out — adds up. Alex Lim ’27 also thinks there is an “invisible social cost” to attending Brown. The costs “sneak up on a lot of people, including myself,” he added.
He said that while the University does a good job hosting free events, there are many other social activities that require students to pay to participate.
Gonzalez said he thinks that many of the activities students participate in to have their desired life at Brown increase expenses, “especially cafe culture.” To hang out with friends in Providence, “there is some barrier to entry” since most activities have associated expenses, he added.
In an email to The Herald, Ferns reiterated that Brown meets “100% of each student’s demonstrated financial need.” He explained that, given the increased cost in attendance for the upcoming academic year, the Office of Financial Aid is “projecting an increase of $6.5 million in scholarship funding.”
Ali Schapiro is a senior staff writer for University News, covering admissions and financial aid. She is a freshman from New York City and plans to concentrate in English. In her free time, she enjoys vintage shopping, playing tennis, and doing New York Times crossword puzzles.
