University of Chicago Summer Session Young Innovators Program

Days start around 9 a.m., and in 2026 the listed class time ran until 6:30 p.m. UChicago describes a typical one-week day as lectures, discussions or workshops in the morning, then a campus tour, a trip into the city or a hands-on activity in the afternoon.

For Young Innovators that means seminars on careers in bioengineering, renewable energy, startups and venture capital, coaching sessions on your team's pitch for making an American city more sustainable, tours of campus labs and sessions on applying to selective colleges. You'll also visit Invenergy's Chicago headquarters for an office tour and a panel with people working across the industry, and everything builds to your team's 10-minute live pitch. Evenings bring activities planned by the residential staff, or simply free time with the people on your floor.

The seminars are led by a mix of UChicago and industry people: staff from the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, UChicago's career advisers for entrepreneurship and STEM, UChicago faculty and professionals from Invenergy. Invenergy and Polsky Center staff also coach the teams as they develop and practice their pitches. UChicago doesn't publish a class size or staff-to-student ratio for the program, and Nick Madgett is the named contact for questions about it.

You need to be in 9th or 10th grade, at least 14 and interested in careers in innovation and entrepreneurship. UChicago doesn't publish how many students it takes or an acceptance rate, although the 2026 session filled and later applicants were considered from a waitlist.

You apply through the same Summer Session application UChicago uses for all its pre-college programs. Test scores aren't required, and a counselor or teacher can send an optional nomination on top of your recommendation. Here's what the application asks for.

• Transcript

  An unofficial high school transcript, and 9th graders also send their 8th-grade grades.

• Two essays

  Up to 500 words on why you chose the program and how it fits your interests and plans, and up to 300 words on what your perspective or background brings.

• Writing sample

  A typed essay or research paper in English with your teacher's grade and comments. Lab notes and math sets don't count, so if you have nothing suitable you'll need to write a paper and have a teacher review it.

• Recommendation

  One letter from a teacher in a subject related to the program.

• Parent confirmation

  UChicago won't review your application until a parent or guardian answers the confirmation email it sends after you submit.

In 2026 the program cost $3,000, plus a $75 application fee, and UChicago hasn't published a 2027 price yet. For students applying only to one-week Enrichment programs, UChicago waives the program fee for households earning $125,000 or less, and for households at or below $60,000 it also covers domestic round-trip travel, as funds allow.

You have to ask for aid in the application before you submit it, because awards can't be made after a decision. Enrichment-only applicants don't need to upload tax documents, and applying for aid also waives the application fee. UChicago describes this support for domestic students, and travel from outside the U.S. isn't covered.

If you're admitted, you pay a non-refundable $1,000 deposit within a week to hold your place and the balance within four weeks. In 2026 the rest of the fee could be refunded only until 4 May 2026, so check the date before you pay. On top of the fee, budget for travel, pocket money for outings and health insurance, since students in one-week programs must have their own valid U.S. health insurance.

Everyone lives on campus, and the rule that shapes daily life is the curfew: students must be inside the residence hall from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and sign in with a resident assistant (RA) every night. Missing sign-in leads to disciplinary action and a call to parents, and a student can only be out past curfew with an adult if a parent files a release form at least 24 hours ahead.

• Staff on the floor

  RAs, who are UChicago undergraduates or recent graduates, live on the same floor as students, and the residential director and assistant directors can be reached 24 hours a day.

• Housing

  In 2025 students under 18 lived in Woodlawn Residential Commons, separate from older students, in single or double rooms with a 24-hour front desk and ID checks at the door.

• Medical care

  UChicago's Medical Center is on campus, staff contact parents in an emergency, and parents sign a medical treatment release after admission. A student who has to leave for health reasons must be collected by a parent within 48 hours, at the family's cost.

• Arrival

  A staff member meets Enrichment students at the airport and takes them to the shuttle.

• Zero tolerance

  Having, using or being around alcohol or drugs means immediate dismissal.

You leave with a certificate, as long as you attend every day, and the experience of building and delivering a team pitch in front of professionals. The program carries no academic credit and no grade.

As a registered pre-college student you can also join UChicago's Admissions Academy, a series of college admissions workshops from its Office of College Admissions on topics such as essay writing and how applications are reviewed. Later on, students who have completed a Summer Session program can apply to UChicago in their final year of high school through Summer Student Early Notification, a binding early decision option. It's an application route, not a promise of admission.