# Northwestern Programs for High School Students

Northwestern reaches students through its Center for Talent Development courses and the Medill 'cherubs' journalism institute — one of the few pre-college programs with genuine name recognition in a professional field.

Medill's five-week newsroom summer is the standard credential for future journalists; CTD covers everything else from enrichment to accelerated academics.

6 verified Northwestern programs, 1 free. Official site: https://www.northwestern.edu

## Programs (6 total)

| Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Northwestern University Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/northwestern-summer-journalism) | Northwestern University | $6,000 | in_person | Grades 10–11 | 2027-03-02 |
| [Northwestern Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute (Cherubs) - Writing & Reporting](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/northwestern-medill-northwestern-journalism-institute-cherubs-writing-reporting) | Northwestern Medill | $6,200 | in_person | Grade 11 | 2027-03-02 |
| [Northwestern National High School Institute (Cherubs) - Journalism](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/northwestern-national-high-school-institute-cherubs-journalism) | Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-03-02 |
| [Northwestern Center for Talent Development](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/northwestern-center-for-talent-development) | Northwestern University | $4,500 | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2026-09-24 |
| [Northwestern CTD Equinox](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/northwestern-equinox) | Northwestern University | $4,500 | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling |
| [CTD Equinox Academic Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ctd-equinox) | Northwestern University - Center for Talent Development | $4,000 | in_person | Grades 10–12 | Rolling |

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Northwestern offer programs for high school students?

Yes — ExtracurricularHub lists 6 verified Northwestern programs open to high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. Northwestern reaches students through its Center for Talent Development courses and the Medill 'cherubs' journalism institute — one of the few pre-college programs with genuine name recognition in a professional field.

### Are any Northwestern high school programs free?

Yes — 1 of the Northwestern programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Funded programs are often the most selective, so apply early and to more than one.

### Which Northwestern deadlines are coming up soonest?

The next deadlines: Northwestern Center for Talent Development (September 24, 2026); Northwestern University Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute (March 2, 2027); Northwestern Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute (Cherubs) - Writing & Reporting (March 2, 2027). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the official Northwestern page.

### How competitive are Northwestern programs?

It varies widely within one organization — flagship selective programs sit alongside broad-access options. Read each listing's eligibility, and treat the selective ones as reach applications: apply to several programs across organizations rather than betting a summer on one.

## Related pages

- [Extracurriculars & Programs in Illinois for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/illinois)
- [Journalism & Media Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/journalism)
- [Writing Programs & Competitions for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/writing)
- [Summer Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/summer-programs)
- [All organizations](https://extracurricularhub.com/providers)
- [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars)

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