Rutgers Pre-College Summer Design, Invent & Prototype Summer Academy

On the sample schedule Rutgers publishes, you move into the residence hall on Sunday and meet the rest of your academy cohort. Monday to Thursday follow the same pattern, with breakfast at 8am, sessions from 9am to noon and from 1pm until dinner at 5:30pm, and a group activity at 7pm, such as a movie night, recreation or crafts. Friday is given over to final project presentations in the morning and afternoon, before a dinner and certificate ceremony at 6pm, and you move out on Saturday.

Rutgers lists most of the class blocks as TBA and says the schedule may change, so the published plan shows the shape of the week more than what each session covers. Rutgers says most of the work happens during the day, with the occasional short assignment or some project work in the evening. Most academies have 25 to 30 students.

For 2026, Rutgers took high school students finishing 10th or 11th grade who were 16 to 18, and you had to have turned 16 before the summer. You also needed a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and proficiency in English. The application was short. It consisted of an online form, a transcript showing at least two marking periods (an unofficial one is fine), a personal essay of no more than two paragraphs on why you want to attend and what you hope to learn, and a recommendation letter. The letter had to be sent directly by a teacher or anyone else who can speak to your achievements in or out of school.

Rutgers fills places on a rolling basis and says many academies fill quickly, so applying early matters more than the deadline itself. Once the academy is full, qualified applicants join a waitlist. Rutgers says complete applications get an emailed decision within two to three weeks, but it doesn't publish how many students apply or get in.

International students had an earlier deadline in 2026, 12 April. They also need an F-1 or J-1 visa, and when they apply they upload a copy of their passport, show proof of funding for the full period and have valid health insurance. Rutgers recommends at least a TOEFL score of 79, an IELTS score of 6.5 or a Duolingo English Test score of 105, and can arrange a phone or video interview if you have no score.

The 2026 price was $2,899 for the week, the same for New Jersey residents and out-of-state students, and it covered your room in the residence halls. Rutgers says its residential academies also include meals in the dining halls and evening activities. Because this academy carries no credit, there's no credit fee or student fee on top. Travel to and from New Brunswick isn't part of the listed fee.

Once accepted, you confirm your place with a $500 deposit that Rutgers never refunds, and in 2026 the balance was due by 1 June. If either payment is late, you lose your place and go onto the waitlist. Refunds of the rest of the balance are decided case by case. A scheduling clash or a place at another program doesn't count as a reason, and an emergency needs a formal written request, with no guarantee it will be approved. Nothing at all is refunded within two weeks of the start date.

International students on an F-1 or J-1 visa also pay for their visa and must buy health insurance through Rutgers, which Rutgers puts at about $60 for the week.

Students are supervised around the clock, with program assistants and resident assistants in the dorms, classes and evening activities, and nobody may leave campus unsupervised, even for food or a family visit. Staff work under the university's Protection of Minors Policy, which requires background checks, training and reporting of any suspected abuse.

• Rooms

  Students share two to a room in on-campus residence halls, usually with someone from the same academy, and single rooms are only given for a medical need.

• Food

  Students with allergies or medical dietary needs fill in a form and Rutgers Dining Services prepares labeled, pre-packaged meals for them each day.

• Rules

  Rutgers has zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs, and bullying or harassment can get a student sent home.

• Paperwork

  Medical, dietary, housing and waiver forms must arrive by the stated deadline, because students without them can't check in.

• Before arrival

  Families are invited to a Zoom orientation a few weeks before move-in covering safety, housing and packing, with a recording for anyone who misses it.

You leave with the experience of taking a prototype from first idea to a judged pitch, and with a Rutgers Pre-College Digital Badge, a credential issued through Accredible that you can add to college applications, a resume or LinkedIn. It isn't college credit, since this is one of the non-credit academies, so there's no Rutgers transcript or grade. Rutgers also says that taking part doesn't guarantee admission to Rutgers.