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 Programs website.
We recommend reading through the Application FAQs on the Graduate School's website. We also provide more details and advice on the application itself on our About the Application page.
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 Apply for MFA or Doctoral Study at Brown 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.
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.
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.
Yes, but only for finalists. Small groups of faculty members interview a short list of applicants via Zoom, usually in mid- to late January. Interviews last between 15 and 30 minutes, and are intended to allow our faculty to learn more about students' research interests and experience, and to allow applicants to find out more about our program.
We then invite the admitted students 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. We try to make the visit as enjoyable and helpful as we can, so that applicants get a good sense of our program and can make an informed decision. We certainly find it fun, inspiring, and energizing to meet the applicants in person.
Late October or 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.
Before December 1
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 now falls on December 15. For more information on waivers, visit the Brown Graduate School's webpage on Fee Waivers.
December 15
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 as quickly as possible. 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.
Late December and 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.
Late January and early February
We meet together, usually in mid- to late January, to discuss our impressions of the applications and to determine a list of about 8-10 applicants to interview via Zoom or Skype. We do not admit anyone without talking with them first, and without giving them the opportunity to meet us and learn more about the program.
Based on those conversations, the faculty confers and submits a short list of offers to Brown's Graduate School for approval. Once this review process is complete (which could take between a few days and a few weeks), offers of admission are extended.
Invites to campus are extended to the admitted applicants, 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 at a hotel close to campus, 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.
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.)