Brown Environmental Leadership Labs (BELL)

What this program actually is

Brown Environmental Leadership Labs (BELL) is a summer program run by Brown Pre-College. It's built for 9th grade–12th grade students who want to combine remote and in-person work with Brown Pre-College on work in your field of interest.

There's no cost to participate — the program covers what it needs to.

Who it's for

Programs like this get the strongest applications from students who can point to a specific reason they want this one — not just "any research program" or "any internship."

• Students in 9th grade–12th grade — check the official page for exact grade cutoffs before applying.
• Open to students nationwide (and often internationally — verify on the official site).

Typical day-to-day in programs like this

The following describes what participants generally do in summer programs of this shape — not a confirmed schedule for Brown Environmental Leadership Labs (BELL). Always check the official program page for the actual activities.

• Take structured coursework alongside peers who care about the same thing you do.
• Complete a project or capstone that you can point to in future applications.
• Build a small, real network of students and instructors you can stay in touch with.

How to apply well

Selection is competitive but not unrealistic. A thoughtful application usually beats a decorated one.

• Start with the deadline: N/A. Work backwards — most students underestimate how long recommendations and essay drafts take.
• Read the official page twice before writing anything. Note the exact prompts and word counts.
• Answer the actual question. Reviewers read hundreds of essays; specificity beats polish.
• Submit at least 24 hours before the deadline. Portals crash. Files fail to upload. Give yourself the buffer.

Cost, funding & logistics

Cost and logistics kill more applications than eligibility does. Sort these out before you get emotionally invested.

• Format: Hybrid — some remote, some in-person components.
• There's no cost to participate — the program covers what it needs to.

After the program

The most valuable thing you leave Brown Environmental Leadership Labs (BELL) with is usually not the credential — it's the two or three people you met and the one concrete thing you made. Keep in touch with your mentors and peers; they're the beginning of a professional network in your field of interest.

Add the program to your resume, but also write down (for yourself) what specifically you learned, what you'd do differently, and what question you now want to answer next. That reflection is what turns a summer into a direction.