For high schoolers, making productive use of the summer break is an important factor in college admissions. Colleges like to see that students have used this time to explore and deepen their passions, as well as contribute to their wider communities.
Structured summer programs are one effective way to make sure your student is putting their best foot forward. (For other ideas, check out our webinar on summer programs.) Applications are now open for the vast majority of summer programs, and several have applications due in January.
Take a look at the list below for upcoming dates and deadlines:
Boston Leadership Institute
Boston Leadership Institute’s summer programs operate a rolling admissions policy with no final deadline. Applications are open now.
Brown Pre-College Program
Applications open on January 14, 2026, and are considered on a rolling basis.
- Final deadline:
- May 8, 2026
- Program website
Columbia Summer Immersion Program
- Early deadline for all programs:
- February 2, 2026
- Final deadline for residential programs & financial aid:
- March 2, 2026
- Final deadline for commuter & online programs:
- April 2, 2026
- Program website
Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program
- Early deadline:
- January 7, 2026
- Regular & financial aid deadline:
- February 11, 2026
- Late deadline:
- April 1, 2026 (or earlier if all course waitlists are full)
- Program website
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
The schedule for CTY summer courses is not yet available. Registration deadlines for CTY summer programs traditionally fall in early May.
MIT Summer Programs
Summer programs at MIT are run by partner organizations and have a range of application deadlines. Take a look at the program website to find the dates relevant to you.
New York Times Summer Academy
New York Times Summer Academy programs operate a rolling admissions policy with no final deadline. However, applications are open now, and students are encouraged to apply as early as possible to increase their chances of admission.
RISD Pre-Collegiate Programs
RISD’s Pre-College program operates a rolling admissions policy with no final deadline. However, decisions start to be released in “mid December,” so we recommend submitting applications as soon as possible.
Scholarship applications must be submitted before January 30, 2026.
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
- Final deadline for all programs:
- March 13, 2026
- Program website
Telluride Association Summer Seminar
- Final deadline for all programs:
- December 3, 2025
- Program website
UChicago Pre-College Programs
- Priority deadline for 2- to 3-Week Residential Programs and Remote Programs:
- February 11, 2026
- Final deadline for 4-Week Practicum:
- February 11, 2026
- Regular/Final deadline for 2- to 3-Week Residential Programs, Remote Programs, and 1-Week Enrichment:
- March 12, 2026
- Program website
Wharton Global Youth Program
- Priority deadline:
- January 28, 2026
- Final deadline:*
- March 18, 2026
- Program website
* If space remains in a specific program/session, applications will be accepted through the final deadline; however, if programs/sessions fill, the application will be closed and new applications will no longer be considered.
Yale Young Global Scholars
- Early deadline:
- October 15, 2025
- Regular deadline:
- January 7, 2026
- Program website
Looking for more guidance?
Our admissions experts can guide you through your summer program search and advise on all aspects of a successful application. To get started, please contact us.
