The Brown PREP runs from June 1st through May 31st. Upon acceptance, each PREP scholar is matched with a faculty mentor based on their individual goals and placed in their lab for the duration of the program. Over the course of the year, each scholar will lead their own research project that will be overseen by their faculty mentor. Scholars will also be matched with a program director advisor and a graduate student peer mentor, creating a well-rounded and comprehensive support system for each student. PREP Scholars are expected to spend 75% of their time on research. In addition to research, scholars are required to take a Brown University course (graduate or undergraduate level), attend an academic conference and participate in monthly PREP peer mentor lunches, professional development workshops, regional networking events and other programming. View a recent example of our yearly calendar of PREP activities. PREP Scholars receive a stipend of $36,000 for the twelve month-period for living expenses.

Upon completion of PREP at Brown, the majority of our scholars have been admitted to PhD programs, many of whom were awarded fellowships such as the NSF GRFP and HHMI Gilliam Fellowship. Others were admitted to Masters programs, accepted RAships or transitioned directly to industry.

Current and Past PREP Scholars

Brown PREP faculty trainers are associated with the Division of Biology and Medicine, The Warren Alpert School of Medicine, The School of Public Health, and the Graduate School. They are a collaborative group of individuals from diverse backgrounds; accomplished and well-funded with laboratory and classroom based expertise in the sciences; utilize multidisciplinary approaches in research and teaching; and have a proven track record of training and mentoring. Numerous Brown PREP faculty mentors are also training faculty on other multidisciplinary training grants that support graduate research, such as the Brown IMSD Program, the Pre-doctoral Training Program in Trans-Disciplinary Pharmacological Sciences, and the Postdoctoral Comparative Effectiveness Development Training Award. 

View List of PREP Faculty

The Brown PREP program is intended for students who have expressed interest in pursuing doctoral level training, who need to strengthen their content knowledge and skill preparedness in order to be competitive for graduate training.  We will identify trainees from diverse backgrounds who have an awareness of graduate school process, experience overcoming obstacles, the ability to work effectively in a team and demonstrated a knowledge and understanding of doctoral level training that will lead to research-based careers in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Additional requirements include:

• You must be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident.
• You must have received a baccalaureate degree in a biomedically-relevant field from an accredited U.S. college or university no more than 36 months prior to the start of Brown PREP.
• You must not be enrolled in another degree program at the time the PREP program begins.
• You must intend to apply to at least five doctoral programs, including Brown, during Brown PREP or within one year of beginning the program.

Online application

The application components of the Brown PREP should include:

1. Statement of purpose that describes a strong commitment to pursue biomedical research and doctoral level training including previous research experience, research interests (including specific names and departments of faculty you would like to work with) and why the Brown PREP program will enhance your chances of getting into a PhD graduate program;
2. Two letters of recommendation that specifically address the applicant’s commitment to research and capacity for success in a research career; 
3. Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV); and 
4. Current transcripts to provide information on applicant’s academic preparation.

Deadline

The application deadline for the 2025-2026 academic year is February 3, 2025.

Application Opens

September 3, 2024

Questions? 

Email PREP@brown.edu.