Yale Young Writers vs Kenyon Review Workshop: Which Program Is Right for You?
Both are short summer creative-writing workshops for high school writers aged 16 to 18, each with an online option. Yale's on-campus week is organized by genre and open to rising seniors; the Kenyon Review's residential workshop runs two weeks on the Kenyon College campus in mixed-genre groups and also takes rising juniors.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of Yale Young Writers' Workshop and Kenyon Review Young Writers Summer Residential Workshop. A blank row is a fact we do not hold — not a zero, and not a no.
| Yale Young Writers | Kenyon Review Workshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $1,380 | $2,575 |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced | Dates not announced |
| Grade eligibility | Grades 11–12 | Ages 16–18 |
| Format | Hybrid | In person |
| Location | New Haven, CT, United States | Gambier, OH, United States |
| Program dates | June 21, 2026 | Not listed |
| Application destination | apply.summer.yale.edu | kenyonreview.org |
| Organizer | Yale Summer Session | The Kenyon Review |
Yale Young Writers vs Kenyon Review Workshop: the short answer
Both are short summer creative-writing workshops for high school writers aged 16 to 18, each with an online option, and the useful differences are length, who can attend in person, and cost. Yale's on-campus workshop is one week in New Haven (June 21 - June 26 in 2026) for rising seniors only, organized by genre, at $3085 with housing or $2660 without; its online workshop also takes rising juniors, at $1380. Kenyon's residential workshop is two weeks at Kenyon College in mixed-genre groups, for rising juniors, rising seniors and recent graduates, at $2,575 including accommodations and meals, with need-based aid and no application fee; its one-week online workshop costs $995. Kenyon's residential deadline came first, on March 1, while Yale read applications on a rolling basis until April 1.
Program details
These are the current details stored for each program. A blank cell means the catalog does not hold that detail.
| Yale Young Writers | Kenyon Review Workshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to attend | On campus $3085 with housing or $2660 without; online $1380. | $2,575, covering tuition, accommodations, all meals and all activities; travel is not included. |
| Financial aid | Not stated. The YYWW dates, costs and application page and its FAQ cover payment but mention no financial aid. | Need-based aid, decided with admission; Kenyon is usually able to offer admitted students the amount they request. |
| Who can apply | On campus: rising seniors aged 16-18. Online: rising juniors or seniors aged 16-18. | Aged 16-18 at the time of the program and a rising junior, rising senior or recent high school graduate. |
| The workshop | Five workshop sessions in which you generate new stories, poems and essays. | Generative workshops in several genres — short stories, poems and essays. |
| Genre | Your writing sample must match the genre of the workshop you apply to. | Multi-genre: short stories, poems and essays in the same workshop. |
| Online option | Yes, for rising juniors or seniors aged 16-18. | A one-week summer online workshop for $995, covering tuition and all program activities. |
| Deadline, most recent published cycle | April 1, 2026, with rolling decisions released weekly. | March 1 at 11:59 pm PST; recommendation letters by March 7. |
| Coming back | Not stated. The YYWW pages we read set no rule for past participants. | Past residential participants cannot apply to the residential workshop again. |
Inside Yale Young Writers
One week in New Haven. Each day opens with a craft talk from a visiting writer, followed by a three-hour small-group workshop in your genre; before you arrive you read a book assigned to your section, and the week ends with a student reading. On-campus writers also visit Yale's museums for an ekphrasis writing exercise. Admission is rolling, and in 2026 most workshops were marked full and closed to further enrollment, so applying early matters.
Inside Kenyon Review Workshop
Two weeks living at Kenyon College, home of The Kenyon Review: dorm rooms, college classrooms and meals in Peirce Dining Hall. Workshops are generative — you write new stories, poems and essays and discuss the craft of writing and rewriting with instructors and peers — and the selection committee pays particular attention to your 300-word statement and your recommendation. Downtime is spent in the Village of Gambier.
Choose Yale Young Writers if…
- You have a week, not two. Yale's on-campus workshop ran June 21 - June 26, 2026; Kenyon's residential sessions are two weeks.
- You write in one genre and want to go deep in it. Yale's workshops are set by genre, and your writing sample must match the workshop's genre.
Choose Kenyon Review Workshop if…
- You are a rising junior who wants to be on campus. Kenyon's residential workshop takes rising juniors; Yale's on-campus workshop is for rising seniors only.
- You need financial aid. Kenyon offers need-based aid and charges no application fee; the Yale workshop pages we read do not mention aid.
Applying next cycle: what to do now
| Yale Young Writers | Kenyon Review Workshop | |
|---|---|---|
| When the program ran | June 21 - June 26, 2026. | Two sessions: June 21-July 4 and July 12-25, 2026. |
| Applications opened | January 16, 2026. | Early January, on Submittable. |
Applying to Yale Young Writers
- A 500-word writing sample in the genre of your workshop, uploaded as a Word document.
- A high school transcript and two letters from teachers, mentors or others who know your writing.
- Writers are enrolled in order of payment, and a delay can cost you your place.
Applying to Kenyon Review Workshop
- A 300-word statement, essay, story or poem about why writing has been meaningful in your life.
- A transcript (official or unofficial) and one letter of recommendation from anyone familiar with your writing.
- No supplemental materials are accepted.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Neither program had posted next summer's dates, prices or deadline when we read the sites; every figure above is from summer 2026.
- Kenyon quotes one letter of recommendation and Yale two, and Yale asks for a writing sample while Kenyon asks for a statement — plan different materials for each.
- Neither program publishes an acceptance rate on the pages we read.
Yale Young Writers' Workshop
A writing workshop for high school students, on campus or online.
Kenyon Review Young Writers Summer Residential Workshop
An intensive two-week residential workshop for motivated high school students who want to become better, more productive writers.
Full Kenyon Review Workshop details, FAQs, and application link
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Yale Young Writers or Kenyon Review Workshop?
Yale Young Writers: $1,380. Kenyon Review Workshop: $2,575. Confirm each figure on the program's official page before budgeting.
Can I apply to both Yale Young Writers and Kenyon Review Workshop?
The application destinations are evaluated independently. Yale Young Writers: apply.summer.yale.edu. Kenyon Review Workshop: kenyonreview.org. Review each provider's current instructions before assuming either application is open or compatible with the other.
Which is better for college applications, Yale Young Writers or Kenyon Review Workshop?
We do not rank enrichment programs by admissions value. Use the comparison to assess whether each program's documented constraints fit your situation, and check the details that decide it for you on each program's official page.
What grades can apply to Yale Young Writers and Kenyon Review Workshop?
Yale Young Writers: Grades 11–12. Kenyon Review Workshop: Ages 16–18. Eligibility can change between cycles, so confirm it on each program's official page before applying.
Related comparisons
Yale Young Writers appears in 1 of 56 comparison pages. Kenyon Review Workshop appears in 2 of 56 comparison pages.
How we count
Our comparison list has 56 pairs covering 91 catalog programs. Those numbers count this list only. They are not a ranking or the size of the full catalog.
We don't rank programs or name one of them the best.
When we don't list a cost, it is unknown, not free. Check the official page.
Catalog-wide numbers, and what each was counted out of, are on Statistics.