Georgetown University Summer Programs Economics Policy Academy

Classes run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, in a morning and an afternoon block of lectures, labs or off-site visits, with the last hour set aside for a discussion section or work on your capstone project. Georgetown's sample day starts with breakfast between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m. and breaks for lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Evenings are looser. Dinner runs from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and from 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. there are optional events, free time and residential activities under staff supervision until curfew. Georgetown's campus-life list includes movie and game nights, college readiness workshops on essays and resumes, and outings to places like the Smithsonian museums and Nationals baseball games, although it says activities change from year to year.

You leave with a Certificate of Participation and a research-based poster on a theme from the program, which you work on during the afternoon capstone hours. The Academy is noncredit, so there's no college credit or Georgetown transcript to send anywhere. The poster is the more useful thing to keep, since it's your own research on a policy question that you can talk about or build on back at school.

Any 8th to 12th grader in good standing with at least a 2.0 GPA can apply. Georgetown weighs your grades, the courses you've taken, a school reviewer form and a personal statement, and it admits students on a rolling basis. It gives no cohort size or acceptance rate. One application covers every Academy, so approval lets you register for Economics Policy or any other Academy with space, including back-to-back sessions.

The reviewer form should ideally come from your school counselor, although an advisor, teacher or principal who can confirm your GPA also works. Homeschooled students can't use a family member or paid tutor as their reviewer. International students don't need TOEFL scores, but Georgetown recommends English strong enough to follow complex texts and argue a view on a topical issue, which matters in a program built on discussion.

Applications go through Georgetown's Academies application portal, and an offer alone doesn't guarantee you a place.

1. 1

   Submit the Academies application with your personal statement by 31 January 2027 to skip the $50 fee, or by the final deadline of 15 May 2027, after which applications are reviewed case by case.

2. 2

   Your chosen school reviewer gets an automatic email asking them to complete the reviewer form once you submit.

3. 3

   Expect an emailed decision within three weeks of Georgetown receiving your complete application.

4. 4

   By the 9 June 2027 enrollment deadline, register for the residential or commuter section in the student portal and pay full tuition by credit card. Paying is what secures your seat, and seats go first come, first served.

5. 5

   Complete your Student Life Forms through CampDoc seven weeks before the program starts, which is around 9 May 2027, and submit your GOCard photo by 20 June 2027, a week before the 27 June 2027 start.

In 2026 the residential option cost $9,085, covering tuition, housing and 19 meals a week, while commuting cost $7,085 for tuition alone. Georgetown says all rates are subject to change, so check the 2027 price when you register. On top of that comes a $50 nonrefundable application fee unless you apply by 31 January 2027, and international students pay a $135 health insurance fee. Commuters can buy an optional meal plan from Georgetown Dining.

Commuting is only allowed if you live with a parent, guardian or a responsible adult they name, close enough to reach campus in 45 minutes or less at any time of day, rush hour included. Georgetown's decision on this can't be appealed.

Need-based scholarships exist but are limited and pay tuition only. You must already be admitted to apply, and for 2027 the Academy scholarship application is due to open in late December 2026, with a 2 March 2027 deadline. Refunds shrink quickly once you've paid. To get everything back, you need to withdraw at least three weeks before the 27 June 2027 start, which works out to 6 June 2027.

Resident counselors live in every residence hall and supervise all students, with one on duty in each hall throughout the day, and commuters are assigned a resident counselor too. Evenings run under residential life supervision until curfew, and the campus leave rules for Academies are set out in Georgetown's Academy Welcome Packet, which is worth reading before you book.

Georgetown's Protection of Minors Policy covers everyone working with under-18s. Campus police patrol regularly, and outside office hours families can call them to reach the program's staff member on duty. The alcohol and drug rule is strict. Having, using or even being around alcohol or drugs means immediate dismissal from the program and the residence halls, and Georgetown's terms say dismissed students get no refund. Georgetown also expects students to handle their own time, sleep, meals and laundry.