# UMass Amherst Online Pre-College Programs UMass Amherst's University Without Walls runs a slate of fully online pre-college programs each summer alongside its residential offerings. In summer 2026, online programs run in two- and three-week blocks between June 29 and July 31, combining live Zoom meetings (typically three to five per week) with project work on the university's Canvas platform. ## What You'll Do - Pick a focused program such as How Business Works; Programming for Aspiring Scientists: Python with Applications to Physics; Project Management for Future Innovators; Sport Management & Leadership Academy; Summer Design Academy; Primate Evolution, Ecology and Conservation; or Writing With Pictures - Join synchronous class sessions with UMass instructors and complete guided offline assignments between meetings - Collaborate with a small cohort of high school students from across the country - Present culminating work at the end of your session ## Who Should Apply Programs are open to rising high school sophomores through seniors. They suit students who want a real university's structured academic experience - with live faculty contact rather than self-paced videos - while staying home for the summer. A limited number of partial need-based scholarships are offered, including targeted awards for the Summer Design Academy and Sport Management & Leadership Academy. ## Outcomes Students finish with university-level project work, exposure to a field they may pursue in college, and familiarity with UMass Amherst faculty and expectations. Two-week online programs cost $1,985 and three-week programs $2,935 (plus a $45 application fee), with credit awarded for the credit-bearing options. Applications typically open in winter and close in spring as programs fill.