University of Notre Dame Pre-College Programs Business: What is it Good For?

James Otteson, the John T. Ryan Jr. Professor of Business Ethics at Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, is the seminar's academic director. He also directs Mendoza's Business Honors Program, and his work covers business ethics, classical political economy and 18th-century British moral philosophy, with Notre Dame describing him as an internationally recognized expert on Adam Smith.

His recent books cover much the same ground as the course, including Honorable Business (Oxford, 2019), Seven Deadly Economic Sins (Cambridge, 2021) and Should Wealth Be Redistributed? A Debate (Routledge, 2023). Notre Dame says it keeps Summer Scholars classes small, although it doesn't publish a class size for this seminar.

The seminar is open to current high school sophomores and juniors who will be at least 16 by 1 August 2027, and Notre Dame makes no exceptions, citing its insurance and child-protection policies. Beyond that, it looks for strong academic standing, solid extracurricular activities, and applicants who are self-motivated, mature and keen to be part of the Notre Dame community.

International applicants who don't attend an English-speaking high school need an English test score, with Notre Dame listing minimums of 5.5 on the TOEFL, 7.5 on the IELTS, 55 on the PTE and 120 on the Duolingo English Test. Notre Dame doesn't publish an acceptance rate, so there's no figure to judge your chances by.

You apply through Notre Dame's Summer Scholars application, and your part must be submitted by 17 February 2027.

1. 1

   Ask a high school teacher to recommend you before you add their details, ideally one who can speak to your interest in this course.

2. 2

   Start the online application and add your counselor's and teacher's emails, which sends them requests for your transcript, school report, school profile and recommendation.

3. 3

   Write the two essays, which Notre Dame calls very important and suggests having a teacher, counselor or parent proofread.

4. 4

   Show your activities through the application's activities section, a resume or both.

5. 5

   If you have SAT, ACT or PSAT scores you'd like considered, upload them by 31 January 2027. Notre Dame encourages them but doesn't require them.

6. 6

   Submit by 17 February 2027 and pay the $75 application fee. If you need to change recommenders, do it before the deadline, because you can't afterward.

7. 7

   Follow up with your counselor and teacher, because Notre Dame makes it your responsibility to check that all their documents arrive by 17 February 2027.

The two weeks cost $5,200, which covers tuition, your room and meals, extracurricular activities and class field trips. On top of that there's a non-refundable $75 application fee, and travel to campus isn't part of the listed price.

If you're admitted, a $300 enrollment fee due by 23 April 2027 holds your place and counts toward the total, and the $4,900 balance is due by 14 May 2027. None of it is refundable once paid, so it's worth settling your summer plans before you send the enrollment fee.

Financial aid is limited and need-based only. Notre Dame offers some partial to full-tuition scholarships but no merit awards, and two grants cover tuition, room and board for students who qualify, one for Indiana residents and one for students in the Philadelphia area. To be considered, a parent or guardian fills in the Financial Aid Request Form by 17 February 2027, which is also how you ask for an application fee waiver, although Notre Dame grants those rarely and only in extreme circumstances. Admission decisions are made regardless of any aid request, and news of tuition aid comes with the admission letter.

Life on campus runs under close supervision by Pre-College staff and Resident Counselors. Students can't leave campus except on a scheduled, supervised activity or with a staff member or Resident Counselor as chaperone. Attendance at classes, meals, check-ins and scheduled events is required, students can't enter residence halls of the opposite gender or drive any vehicle, and visitors need written approval from the program's faculty director or associate program director.

Health care is largely the family's to arrange. Staff don't store or hand out medications, so students manage their own, parents are responsible for arranging any known medical or mental health needs at least 30 days before the start, and medical costs during the program fall to parents. A student dismissed for breaking the rules gets no refund, and the family pays for the trip home.

These rules come from Notre Dame's standards and policies for pre-college students, written for Summer 2026, so check for the 2027 version before you go.

Yes, if you complete all the program requirements you can earn one transferable credit with a Satisfactory (S) grade, and you order the transcript through Notre Dame's University Registrar. Notre Dame calls the credit transferable but doesn't say which colleges accept it, so check with any college where you'd want it counted.