SelectiveCollege credit
University of Chicago: Pre-College Programs
Overview
A suite of residential, commuter, and online summer programs for high school students (grades 9–11) offering 1- to 8-week experiences in STEM, humanities, languages, leadership, and research. Programs include 1-week Enrichment tracks, 2-week Career Insight, 3-week Immersion, 4-week Practicum, and remote options.
At a glance
Deadline
Feb 1192 days
Sessions
Jun–Jul1–4 wk sessions
Formats
Commuter / Residential / Online
Location
Chicago, IL
Cost
$3,000–$6,999from $3,000
Entering grades
9th, 10th, 11th
Acceptance
Highly competitive; Enrichment and CPS-UC programs have limited spaces
Application requirements
Online Application
Complete application via PCS portal
High School Transcript
Unofficial transcript acceptable; all completed high school years (9–11)
Writing Sample
One graded/commented essay or research paper (typed, English prose)
Teacher Recommendation
One letter of recommendation from teacher; up to 3 letters allowed
Essays
Two short essays; prompts differ by program type
Parent/Guardian Confirmation
Required; email confirmation after student submission
Financial Aid Documentation (if applicable)
Parents' 1040s + W2s (U.S.) or tax forms + employer letter + bank statement (international); English translation required
English Language Competency
Superior level of English required; TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo optional if competence shown elsewhere
Minimum Age
14 years old
High School Enrollment
Must be enrolled in high school
Test Scores (Optional)
PSAT, PreACT, SAT, ACT, AP scores encouraged but not required
Additional Academic Info (Conditional)
Required only for Computer Science, Creative Writing, Data Science, Economics, Math, Physics, Quantum courses
Cost & sessions
Residential Enrichment $3,000; Career Insight $5,890 (residential) / $4,100 (commuter); Immersion $9,300 (residential) / $6,100 (commuter); 4 Week Practicum $15,200; Summer Online (3–5 weeks) $4,980; Language Institute (6–8 weeks) $8,550. Application fee $75 (waived for aid applicants). $1,000 non-refundable enrollment deposit required.
Financial aid
Need-based financial aid available on first-come, first-served basis for households under $125,000 (domestic) and international students in select programs. Partial awards only; aid covers program fee only (tuition, housing, dining), not travel, materials, or incidentals. Enrichment programs: full program fee waived for aid applicants; travel expenses covered for applicants with household income under $60,000. CPS-UC Scholarship: $800 program fee (income <$125,000) or $0 (income <$60,000) for commuter Chicago Public Schools students. Application fee waived for applicants from partner organizations (Garwin Foundation, Mawhiba, Minds Matter, OSSE, QuestBridge, Squash + Education Alliance, Success Academy, Summer of a Lifetime, UChicago CCR, UChicago C3).
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