Summer Programs

Summer Programs

Experience the best of Penn this summer—on campus or online

Penn delivers the challenge of an Ivy League curriculum to academically talented high school students seeking a pre-collegiate experience—on campus and online. Students engage with leading faculty and build intellectual connections within accelerated two-, three-, or six-week Penn SAS High School Summer Programs.

Penn SAS High School Programs has collaborated with Summer Discovery for over 10 years. Summer Discovery helps to oversees administrative aspects of the summer programming. The University of Pennsylvania manages all academic programming, including the application process, advising, and course enrollment.

Summer 2025 applications will open December 1, 2024.

If you are a Philadelphia resident and attend a School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school, you may be eligible to attend Penn Summer Prep or a Summer Academy free of charge with a Penn Summer Scholarship.

Get more details about Penn SAS High School Summer Programs:

Summer Academies student

July 5 - July 26, 2025

  • Residential, non-credit program
  • Eligibility: Current 9th-11th grade students
  • International students welcome
  • Scholarship for select Philadelphia students

For three intensive weeks, these non-credit academies encourage students to dive deep into exploratory research in a specific subject area across the sciences, arts and humanities, such as biomedical research, chemistry, neuroscience, social justice, experimental physics, and global culture and media.

Learn about Summer Academies »

Penn Summer Prep

July 5 – July 19, 2025

  • Residential, non-credit program
  • Eligibility: Current 9th-11th grade students
  • International students welcome
  • Scholarship for select Philadelphia students

The two-week program offers non-credit, immersive study in disciplines across the sciences, arts, and humanities. Students choose two modules to focus their studies and benefit from the University’s rich educational resources.

Learn about Penn Summer Prep »

Pre-College Residential Program student

July 1 – August 9, 2025

  • Residential program
  • Undergraduate credit offered
  • Eligibility: Current 10th-11th grade students
  • International students welcome

The Pre-College Residential Program offers undergraduate courses in a wide array of disciplines taught by Penn faculty, staff, and visiting scholars. Students enroll for the full campus experience and reside in campus residence halls and are enrolled in on-campus courses alongside Penn undergraduates.

Learn about the Pre-College Residential Program »

Pre-College Online Program

Summer Session I: May 27 - July 2, 2025
Summer Session II: July 3 - August 8, 2025

  • Online program
  • Undergraduate credit offered
  • Eligibility: Current 10th-11th grade students
  • International students welcome

In the Pre-College Online Program, students enroll exclusively in online courses and participate from home alongside other undergraduate students.

Learn about the Pre-College Online Program »

Online Seminars

Session 1: June 9 - 27, 2025
Session 2: July 7 - 25, 2025

  • Fully online, non-credit program
  • Eligibility: Current 9th – 11th grade students
  • International students welcome

Online Seminars are three-week, subject-intensive online learning experiences and are led by University of Pennsylvania faculty and long-standing professionals in their field of study.

Learn about Online Seminars »

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