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The Summer Science Program offers teens an exhilarating and inspiring immersion into hands-on experimental science. Working in teams of three, 36 participants and 7 faculty form a supportive “living and learning community” over 39 days. Each team completes a real research project, taking and analyzing original data. Afterward, they join a worldwide network of 2,500+ alumni of all ages. In 2023 we operated six programs:
SSP is an independent nonprofit, the only summer program operated, governed, and largely funded by its own alumni and former faculty … eloquent testimony to its impact on young people for more than six decades. Many alumni call it “the educational experience of a lifetime.”
SSP is open to current high school juniors (and a few truly exceptional sophomores) who have completed the pre-requisites by summer, and will be at least 15 years old, but not yet 19, during the program. (Too young? We can remind you later.)
Follow SSP on Instagram for application reminders and updates.
Learning science was fun and doing science was challenging, but really, I think the essence of SSP has everything to do with collaboration. Being in a room with 35 other highly motivated students inspired me to be an efficient teammate, an optimistic leader, a humble student, and a supportive friend. Working with the smartest people I have ever met, I achieved things I never thought I could do. SSP transformed me from a distant individualist to a passionate collaborator. And by doing so, I think it sent me on a path of success.
2024 dates coming soon.
Thursday, December 15, 2022 Applications open. | Friday, February 3 , 2023 Deadline for international applicants – all non-U.S. citizens and U.S. citizens attending school outside the U.S. | Friday, March 3 , 2023 Deadline for U.S. citizens and green card holders attending school in the U.S. |
Mid-March, 2023 International admission decisions released | Mid-April, 2023 U.S. admission decisions released | 2023 Programs will run mid June – end of July |
The Summer Science Program is an independent non-profit 501(c)3, operated in cooperation with its host campuses and affiliates California Institute of Technology, Harvey Mudd College, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
