University of Chicago Summer Session
Chicago, United States
About University of Chicago Summer Session
The University of Chicago Summer Session runs pre-college programs for high school students. It's based on the university's Hyde Park campus in Chicago, Illinois, and it also teaches online. The in-person programs fall into four groups. Enrichment programs are one-week, non-credit residential programs. Many are aimed at a specific grade or group, such as students at rural or small-town U.S. high schools. Career Insight lasts two weeks and introduces career fields such as law, healthcare and technology. It earns a certificate, not credit. Immersion is a three-week undergraduate-level course taught by UChicago faculty and lecturers. It's graded and worth 100 units of UChicago credit. Practicum offers four-week research programs worth 200 units. Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS) takes place in campus labs. Stones and Bones is a paleontology program with the Field Museum that includes about ten days of fieldwork in Wyoming. Two programs run entirely online. Summer Online offers three- to five-week courses worth 100 units each. The Pre-College Summer Language Institute runs for six to eight weeks and is worth 300 units, and Summer Session says it covers a full year of a language. Summer Session also runs the CPS-UChicago Program, which lets advanced Chicago Public Schools juniors and seniors take College courses during the academic year. Its partner programs include in-person courses in Hong Kong.
Teaching style
Summer Session's credit courses move fast. It says each three- or four-week course equals a nine-week UChicago course. That means five to six hours of course activity a day, Monday to Friday. There's daily homework, such as reading or problem sets, plus longer projects, papers or exams. Courses are graded A to F. Some carry labels such as reading intensive or math intensive so you know what kind of work to expect. Attendance is required, and the rules say missing more than a day will significantly affect your grade. The one- and two-week programs are non-credit. Students who miss a day don't get a certificate. Online courses mix live Zoom sessions with readings, problem sets and discussion boards on Canvas, and each class has an instructor and a teaching assistant (TA). Participation counts toward the grade in every remote course.
Reputation & Succeed take
Summer Session's site supports its reputation with quotes from past students that it chose itself. An Immersion student from the Western Academy of Beijing praised the teaching. A Stones and Bones student valued taking part in real fieldwork rather than only classroom teaching. These are the organizer's own selections, not independent reviews. It's worth asking your school counselor or former participants what they've heard.
Our take
In Succeed's view, the main reason to choose UChicago Summer Session is real university coursework that ends with a real transcript. Its three- and four-week courses and its online courses are graded and recorded on a UChicago transcript. Summer Session notes that college applications, including the Common App, will require you to submit that transcript. That cuts both ways. A strong grade shows you can handle college work, but a weak one stays on your record. The receiving university decides whether to accept transfer credit. The courses also don't count toward graduation if you later enroll at UChicago. The application asks a lot. You need a teacher recommendation, a transcript, essays, a graded writing sample and a $75 application fee. Admitted students then pay a $1,000 non-refundable deposit within seven days. Need-based aid is a real strength. Summer Session says admitted students with household income of $125,000 or below are generally eligible. Its one-week Enrichment programs offer substantial funding, including round-trip travel for students who qualify. Summer Session advises students who need aid to apply by the priority deadline, because the number of awards is limited.
Who this provider suits
Who should choose them
This may suit you if you're in 9th to 12th grade and want to try undergraduate-level work before college. It's a good fit for students who enjoy heavy reading, discussion and daily homework, and who want a grade and credit to show for it. If you need financial help, look closely. Summer Session publishes aid levels by household income and runs funded Enrichment programs for specific groups, such as students at rural or small-town U.S. high schools. Chicago-area students in Career Insight or Immersion can commute, which costs less. For summer 2026, the commuter fee was $6,100 for Immersion and $4,100 for Career Insight.
Who it may not suit
Who should skip it: students who want a relaxed summer. Credit courses run five to six hours a day with daily homework. Summer Session says one or two days of class equal a full week of regular instruction. It's also a poor fit if you aren't ready for a grade to follow you, because the transcript goes into college applications. Summer Session offers no English as a Second Language (ESL) program or support. High school students living on campus sign in for a 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew every night, and families can't attend orientation. If you hoped to take several courses, admitted students get only one course or program for the whole summer.
Contact
Frequently asked questions
Programs by University of Chicago Summer Session
ProgramCareer Insight: Business and Entrepreneurship
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Dates
15 Jun – 25 Jun 2026
Location
Chicago
Duration
2 weeks
ProgramCareer Insight: Healthcare and Biological Sciences
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Dates
15 Jun – 25 Jun 2026
Location
Chicago
Duration
2 weeks
ProgramCareer Insight: Law and Social Impact
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Dates
15 Jun – 25 Jun 2026
Location
Chicago
Duration
2 weeks
ProgramCareer Insight: Technology and Innovation
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Dates
15 Jun – 25 Jun 2026
Location
Chicago
Duration
2 weeks
ProgramEmerging World Leaders
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Location
Chicago
Duration
1 week
ProgramLeadership, Engagement, and Discourse (UChicago LEAD)
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Dates
29 Jun – 10 Jul 2026
Location
Chicago
Duration
2 weeks
ProgramNew Horizons
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Dates
05 Jul – 10 Jul 2026
Location
Chicago
Duration
1 week
ProgramPre-College Summer Language Institute
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Location
Online
Duration
6 to 8 weeks
ProgramResearch in the Biological Sciences (RIBS)
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Location
Chicago
Duration
4 weeks
ProgramStones and Bones
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Location
Chicago
Duration
4 weeks
ProgramSummer Immersion Program
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Dates
June to July 2026, 2 sessions
Location
Chicago
Duration
3 weeks
ProgramSummer Online
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Location
Online
Cost
From $4,980
Duration
3-5 weeks
ProgramYoung Innovators Climate & Energy Program
Organized by University of Chicago Summer Session
Location
Chicago
Duration
1 week
