University of Notre Dame Pre-College Programs Entrepreneurial Immersion

The course is led by its academic director, John Henry, whose background is in web startups. He co-founded RateMyStudyAbroad.com in 2006 and sold it to GoAbroad in 2013, and he also founded an online retailer, Shipping Entertainment, and an online learning platform, CODEinCLASS. His consulting covered new-product development and launch for companies such as Zimmer-Biomet, along with intellectual property work for the Navy at Booz Allen Hamilton.

He has been a two-time semifinalist in Notre Dame's McCloskey competition and set up the Notre Dame Haitian Entrepreneur Business Plan Competition. Notre Dame says it keeps Summer Scholars classes small, but it doesn't publish a class size for this course.

If you complete all the program requirements, you can receive a Satisfactory (S) grade and one college credit that Notre Dame describes as transferable, and you order the transcript from the University Registrar. Whether another college counts that credit is up to that college.

The rest of what you take away is the work itself: a concept you've developed, tested with customers and prepared to pitch for funding. Notre Dame doesn't describe a final project or a pitch event for this course.

You need to be a high school sophomore or junior now, which makes you a rising junior or senior in summer 2027, and at least 16 by 1 August 2027. Notre Dame makes no exceptions to the age rule, citing its insurance and child-protection policies.

Beyond that, Notre Dame looks for strong academic standing, solid extracurricular activities and students who are self-motivated, self-disciplined and mature, and you're expected to show a sincere wish to be part of the Notre Dame community while you're there. Asking for financial aid doesn't affect the admission decision. International applicants who don't attend an English-speaking high school need a TOEFL (5.5+), IELTS (7.5+), PTE (55+) or Duolingo (120+) score. Notre Dame doesn't publish how many students it admits or an acceptance rate.

Admitted students pay $5,200 for the two weeks, on top of the $75 application fee every applicant pays, so $5,275 in all. The $5,200 is made up of a $300 enrollment fee due by 23 April 2027 and a $4,900 balance due by 14 May 2027, and it covers tuition, room and board, extracurricular activities and class field trips. Neither payment is refundable. Travel to and from campus isn't on Notre Dame's list, and any medical or mental health care during the program is billed to the family. If a student is sent home for breaking the rules, the family also pays for the trip home and gets no money back.

Financial help is limited and based on need only. Notre Dame offers some partial to full-tuition scholarships but no merit awards, and grants that cover tuition, room and board for qualifying students who live in Indiana (the Lilly Endowment grant) or the Philadelphia area. A parent or guardian applies through the Financial Aid Request Form by 17 February 2027, and aid decisions arrive with the admission letter. Application fee waivers are rare.

Under the rules Notre Dame published for summer 2026, students can't leave campus outside a scheduled, supervised activity unless a staff member or Resident Counselor goes with them, and the campus boundaries are defined street by street. Students also can't enter residence halls of the opposite gender, have visitors without written approval or drive any vehicle, and alcohol, tobacco and vaping are banned whatever a student's age. Students follow the Code of Conduct for Summer High School Residents and the residential handbook.

Staff don't store or hand out medication, so students manage their own, and parents must arrange any known medical or mental health needs at least 30 days before the program starts. Parents are responsible for their child before check-in and after check-out on the last day.

You apply through Notre Dame's enrollment portal.

1. 1

   Create an account on the portal and start the online application, which opened on 19 October 2026.

2. 2

   Ask a teacher to recommend you before adding their details, ideally one who can speak to your interest in this course, and add your counselor's name and email so Notre Dame can request your transcript, counselor report and school profile.

3. 3

   Write the two essays, which Notre Dame calls very important, and show your activities through the activities section, a resume or both.

4. 4

   Upload SAT, ACT or PSAT scores by 31 January 2027 if you want them considered, although they're encouraged rather than required.

5. 5

   Submit your application and pay the $75 fee by 17 February 2027, and if you need aid, have a parent or guardian send the Financial Aid Request Form by the same date.

6. 6

   Counselors and teachers get one extra week for their documents, but you can't swap recommenders after 17 February 2027, so check with them early.

7. 7

   If you're admitted, pay the $300 enrollment fee by 23 April 2027 to secure your place.