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International Applicants

The application deadline and overall process for international applicants is the same as for U.S.-based applicants as of this year. Be sure to thoroughly review the Admissions FAQ and other ‘Apply’ pages for useful information for all Summer Science Program applicants.

This page includes some additional helpful tips if you are a student who:

  • is not a U.S. citizen nor US green card holder (regardless of school location)
  • is a U.S. citizen attending school outside the U.S.

Visas

  • Most non-U.S. citizens will need a visa to enter the U.S. for the Summer Science Program. In legal terms the Summer Science Program is “pleasure” or “tourism,” not “studying” nor “business”. Summer Science Program is a non-credit enrichment program, like a summer camp. Therefore we do not issue the I-20 form required to obtain an F-1 Student Visa. Whatever document(s) you would need to enter the U.S. as a tourist (typically a B-2 Visitor’s Visa) will be sufficient. A foreign national already in the U.S. needs no additional paperwork to attend Summer Science Program. 

    IMPORTANT: International applicants who are not able to enter the U.S. are not permitted to apply to Summer Science Program. If you do not have a valid visa to enter the U.S., apply NOW for a U.S. B2 tourist visa. If you are not able to obtain a visa before the application deadline of Feb. 16, 2024, your application will not be complete and will not be considered. If you choose to apply for a visa, you are accepting the risk that you will not receive it before Feb 16 or that you receive it and then will not be admitted to SSP.

    Note: a limited number of spots are reserved for non-U.S. citizens. Many more Chinese and Indian nationals apply than we can accommodate.

Official Transcript

  • An official transcript is a document created by your school(s), listing the courses you have taken, and the grades (marks) you have received.
  • We need that information for all of grades 9, 10 and 11, even if you attended those grades at different schools. If you changed schools, we need a transcript from each school. Your current school may send copies of the transcripts from prior schools.
  • Transcripts must be “official,” meaning printed and signed by the school. We prefer that your school send the transcript directly to us through the submission form in the application, by email, or by courier. Alternatively, the school may print the transcript, seal it in an envelope, and give it to you to send to us by courier. Do not email the transcript yourself; that would not be “official.”
  • If your transcript does not include your current coursework in progress, you must send that, including any grades received this school year. If your school does not generate a ‘report card’ or interim report, please ask a teacher or school official to send a list of your current coursework, and expected grades or general statement on your progress this year.
  • If your transcript is in a language other than English, Spanish, or French, please have it translated by a school official or translation service.
  • Cambridge exam scores are not a transcript.

Miscellaneous

  • For Summer Science Program 2024, we are not collecting nor considering standardized test scores in the application. However, if you are a non-U.S. citizen whose primary home language is not English, you will see the opportunity within the application to share exam scores that demonstrate your English proficiency. 
  • Although English proficiency exam submission is not required for admission, these exam scores can increase our confidence in your preparation for our instructional setting. Examples of such exams may include TOEFL, IELTS, DET, English/Reading SAT or ACT subscore, and others. 
  • If you are an exchange student who will return to your home country between the end of your school year and the start of SSP, be sure your current visa will not expire before the Summer Science Program ends. You likely will not have time to apply for and receive a new visa before the Summer Science Program starts which would make it impossible to attend. We do not allow students to arrive late for any reason. 

“the educational experience of a lifetime” … since 1959

SSP International is a nonprofit offering inspiring science immersion experiences. Founded in 1959, its mission is to provide opportunities to accelerate learning, doing and belonging in science. SSP International’s flagship program is Summer Science Program, a leading education experience for exceptional high school students in astrophysics, biochemistry, genomics and more.

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