Rutgers Pre-College Summer
New Brunswick, United States
About Rutgers Pre-College Summer
Rutgers Pre-College Summer Programs is the high school arm of the Office of Summer and Winter Sessions at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. It's based at the Rutgers–New Brunswick campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Rutgers says it has run pre-college programs since 1993. The office runs three routes. Summer Academies are one-week residential programs on a single topic, such as engineering, pre-law or physical therapy. Summer Scholars lets U.S. students take up to two real undergraduate courses for credit, online, hybrid or in person. Summer Session lets graduating seniors who aren't starting at Rutgers take courses as visiting students. In 2026, the Academies were open to students finishing 10th or 11th grade, aged 16 to 18, with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Most academies were non-credit and ended with a Rutgers Pre-College digital badge. Two of them, Building Leadership Strategies and Physical Therapy, carried 1.5 college credits. The Summer 2026 Academies application has closed, and Rutgers asks families to join its email list for news about Summer 2027.
Teaching style
Rutgers runs the Summer Academies as short, intense topic weeks, and it compares the pace to a college-level introductory seminar. A typical day mixes lectures, workshops, lab or facility visits, guest speakers and group project time. Each week ends with final presentations and a closing ceremony. The Physical Therapy sample schedule, for example, includes an anatomy lab and a field trip to the Rutgers Doctor of Physical Therapy program in Newark. Most of the work happens during the day, though students may get short readings or assignments in the evening. Rutgers says most academies have 25 to 30 students. Summer Scholars works differently. Students join regular Rutgers undergraduate courses with graded coursework and sit alongside Rutgers undergraduates. Courses run in person, hybrid or online. Online courses either meet live at set times (synchronous) or run at your own pace against weekly deadlines (asynchronous). Rutgers says attendance at in-person courses is typically mandatory, so you can't switch to joining online if a course overlaps your school year.
Reputation & Succeed take
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, describes itself as a leading national research university. Rutgers says it was established in 1766, which makes it the eighth-oldest higher education institution in the United States, and that it has more than 70,000 students. It cites U.S. News & World Report as ranking it a top 15 U.S. public university. For the pre-college programs, Rutgers shares stories from past students. One is Soumita, who attended the Engineering Academy in 2024 and was later admitted to the Rutgers University School of Engineering. These are stories Rutgers chose to publish, not independent reviews.
Our take
In Succeed's view, Rutgers Pre-College is a solid choice if you want a supervised first taste of college at a large public research university, or real Rutgers credit while you're still in high school. The programs are clearly organized, the safety rules are strict, and the credit options are genuine undergraduate credit. The trade-offs are cost and flexibility. In 2026, a non-credit academy cost $2,899 for one week, and most academies award a digital badge rather than credit or a grade. Rutgers doesn't cite any college saying how it treats the badge in admissions. The $500 deposit isn't refundable, and refunds on the rest of the balance are limited. Admission is rolling, and by the end of the 2026 cycle several academies had filled, including both Physical Therapy weeks. Rutgers itself says taking part doesn't guarantee admission to Rutgers. If you have a favorite topic, we'd suggest applying as soon as the application opens. If you're paying extra for credit, check first that your future college will accept it.
The three Rutgers routes differ mainly in credit, housing and who can join. Summer Academies last one week, are residential and are mostly non-credit, and they're open to both U.S. and international students. Summer Scholars gives full undergraduate credit for up to two courses, but it offers no housing and is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Summer Session is only for graduating seniors who aren't starting at Rutgers, and it allows up to 14 credits as a visiting student. Rutgers also lists Rutgers–Newark Summer Edge as a separate partner program for high school students.
Who this provider suits
Who should choose them
This may suit you if you're 16 to 18 and finishing 10th or 11th grade, and you want to spend a supervised week living on a big university campus while you explore one subject. It also fits U.S. students who want to take real Rutgers courses for credit and can study online or travel to New Brunswick each day. New Jersey residents get lower credit fees, so the credit options cost them less. High-achieving U.S. students from lower-income families can apply for the Joyce VanTassel-Baska Endowed Scholarship, which offered up to $2,680 for 2026 Summer Scholars.
Who it may not suit
Who should skip it: students under 16, because every route has a minimum age of 16. Graduating seniors can't join the pre-college programs and can only use Summer Session. If you're starting at Rutgers in the fall, you can't use Summer Session either. International students can attend the Academies but not Summer Scholars. If you need housing while taking credit courses, Summer Scholars won't work, because it has no housing. In 2026, the Academies ran only as residential programs, so there was no commuter option. Families who need flexible refunds should also think carefully, since the $500 deposit is non-refundable and nothing is refunded within two weeks of the start date.
Contact
Frequently asked questions
Programs by Rutgers Pre-College Summer
ProgramAstronomy & Astrophysics Summer Academy
Organized by Rutgers Pre-College Summer
Dates
July 2026, 2 sessions
Duration
One week per session (two weeks if both sessions are taken)
ProgramBuilding Leadership Strategies Summer Academy
Organized by Rutgers Pre-College Summer
Dates
July 2026, 2 sessions
Cost
From $162
Duration
One week
ProgramCollege Readiness Summer Academy
Organized by Rutgers Pre-College Summer
Dates
12 Jul – 18 Jul 2026
Duration
1 week
ProgramDesign, Invent & Prototype Summer Academy
Organized by Rutgers Pre-College Summer
Dates
26 Jul – 01 Aug 2026
Duration
1 week
ProgramEngineering Summer Academy
Organized by Rutgers Pre-College Summer
Dates
July 2026, 2 sessions
Duration
1 week
ProgramMarketing & Product Innovation Summer Academy
Organized by Rutgers Pre-College Summer
Dates
25 Jul – 01 Aug 2026
Duration
One week
ProgramPhysical Therapy Summer Academy
Organized by Rutgers Pre-College Summer
Dates
July to August 2026, 2 sessions
Duration
One week
