Applications to Ph.D. programs at Brown University are submitted to, and managed through, the Graduate School. For general information on the process of applying and to access the online application system, explore the Application Information section of the Graduate School website. The specific requirements for applications to Archaeology and the Ancient World can be viewed on the Graduate School's program page

We recommend reading through the Application FAQs on the Graduate School's website. We also provide more details and advice on the application itself in our What's on the application? FAQ answers.
 

On this page:

 

Where can you access the application?

The link to the online application, and information on how to apply, can be found on the Brown University Graduate School’s website, on their Application Components & Process for Doctoral and Select Master's Programs page. 

You won’t be able to see the application without creating an account and beginning an application. But don’t worry; we can’t see your application until you submit it! And there is no charge for creating an account or viewing the application. 
 

Should you submit your application early?

Yes, definitely, if you plan to apply for a fee waiver. Your completed application must be submitted 14 days in advance of the program’s application deadline in order to be considered for a fee waiver

If you’re not applying for the fee waiver, you should still plan to submit just a few days in advance. There is no need to submit it more than a day or two early -- just to allow for any problems with server overloads or other unforeseen (or unforeseeable) challenges. We do not review applications before the deadline, and the date that you complete the application is not a factor in admission.
 

Can we see your draft application?

No. We can’t see anything you’re working on until you submit the completed application. We can’t even see your name! 

Feel free to start an application without worrying if you’re not completely ready to complete it. You can save your work as you go along, so you can work on the application for several months before submitting it, if you’d like. 

In fact, it might be helpful to start it early, so that you can see what it looks like and what will be required, so that you can get ready. Also, you’ll need to have the application started in order to request your letters of recommendation, which you’ll want to do at least a month (or two!) before the deadline.
 

Are there interviews?

Yes, but only for finalists. We invite a short list of applicants to visit campus, usually in early March. This visit is a chance for us to get to know the applicants better, and vice versa. The visit includes a wide range of activities, from campus tours and presentations to one-on-one conversations with each faculty member. It is relatively informal, but we realize that only makes it marginally less nerve-wracking! We do try to make the visit as enjoyable and helpful as we can. We certainly find it fun, inspiring, and energizing to meet the applicants in person. 
 

What is the timeline for applying and for admissions decisions?

Early November:

Be sure to request your letters of recommendation and your transcript(s) early, to allow plenty of time for your referees to write these and enough lead time for the Registrar's office to process your request. While we can and do consider applications that are missing letters or transcripts, it puts those applicants at a huge disadvantage.

December 13-16:

Applicants who wish to request a fee waiver for the application must submit the application 14 days in advance of the program’s application deadline, which in our case falls on the first Monday in January. For more information on waivers, visit the Brown Graduate School's webpage on Fee Waivers.

January 2-5: 

Online applications must be submitted by midnight Eastern Standard Time. The online application automatically closes at midnight, and it will be impossible to submit anything after that. 

If possible, try to submit your application a day or two before the deadline, to allow for any problems with server overloads or other unforeseen (or unforeseeable) challenges. For example, we once were contacted by an applicant who was unable to submit his application by the deadline because a blizzard struck in his hometown, and he lost electricity and internet for several days -- including the day applications were due. (We gave him an extension!)

In an emergency, it is possible to contact Brown's Graduate School by phone or email, and ask for assistance. You should bear in mind, though, that all Brown offices are closed during the last week of December, through the first few days of January. 

Another reason to submit early is to allow time to apply for a fee waiver. Your completed application must be submitted 14 days in advance of the program’s application deadline in order to be considered for a fee waiver

As we mentioned above, we will read applications that are missing letters of reference or transcripts, so it is okay if any of these elements arrive a day or two after the deadline. But we do begin reading applications within a few days of the deadline, so it is much better if we receive everything by the first week in January. We understand that it is sometimes difficult for your letter writers to get letters submitted in time -- and that, no matter how many times you remind them, this is outside your control. And we sympathize! But the fact remains that these letters are very helpful to us when evaluating applicants, so do your best to provide your letter-writers with as much advance notice as you can.

January:

Applications are reviewed by every member of the Joukowsky Institute faculty. And, yes, we really do read everything, from personal statements to transcripts to reference letters. Honestly, it's the combination of all these materials that gives us the most complete picture of the applicants and allows us to form an impression of how they might benefit from our program.

We then meet together to discuss our impressions of the applications, and to determine a list of applicants to invite to visit campus. We do not admit anyone without meeting them first, and without giving them the opportunity to meet us and learn more about the program.

We usually select about 8-10 prospective students to invite to campus. Occasionally at this stage, we might choose to Skype or Zoom with applicants whose travel might be particularly difficult to arrange (e.g., applicants based in countries prohibited from traveling to the US).

Late January and early February:

Invites to campus are extended, usually via email, and travel arrangements are made.

Late February or early March:

Our campus visit for invited applicants is usually scheduled for the first or second weekend in March. We try to coordinate with similar programs at other universities so as to avoid scheduling conflicts for students interested in multiple programs, if possible.

The weekend's schedule changes somewhat every year. But students typically arrive late Thursday night or early on Friday, then leave on Sunday morning. We arrange hosting with our current doctoral students, and make sure all meals and transportation are covered. The visit allows time with faculty and graduate students, in groups and individually. It is an opportunity for both us and you to learn more about each other, and get an idea of whether the program would be a good match. 

Mid- to Late March:

The faculty confers and submits a short list of offers to Brown's Graduate School for approval. Once this review process is complete -- which takes one to three weeks after the campus visit concludes -- offers of admission are extended. 

Late March and early April:

Admitted students have until April 15 to let us know of their decision. (But we always appreciate being told as soon as possible!)