Brown University sits on 143 acres atop College Hill in Providence. The University's 7,800 students, including some 1,700 graduate students, come from all 50 states and many foreign countries. Surrounded by historic homes and landmarks, the campus has 238 buildings, including the brand new 169,000 sq. ft. Sidney E. Frank Hall for Life Sciences. The Sciences Library houses approximately 500,000 volumes and provides access online to 4,500 biological and medical journals. Shuttle service links the campus to nearby affiliated hospitals and research buildings, such as the Laboratories of Molecular Medicine.

Brown offers extensive intramural athletics and recreation facilities include an indoor track; tennis, squash, and racquetball courts; and an indoor ice rink.  An active graduate student council sponsors regular social events.  The Auxiliary Housing Office helps students locate housing throughout the city.

The capital of Rhode Island, Providence, is a growing "Renaissance" city of arts and cross-culturalism. Over 14 percent of the city's 173,618 people are African Americans; 30 percent are Hispanic or Latino; and 6 percent are Asian. Home to a thriving arts community and a rich diversity of neighborhoods, Providence is widely regarded as one of the U.S.'s most successful examples of urban renewal. There are several theaters, including the Providence Black Repertory Company and Trinity Repertory Company, the Rhode Island School of Design art museum, diverse music venues, and a wide variety of restaurants (Japanese, Indian, Portuguese, Italian, Thai, Dominican, etc.)-all a short walk or trolley ride from College Hill. Good beaches, boating, hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing are also nearby. Providence also offers convenient bus and train service to Boston (1 hr) and New York (3 hr).