| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $7,401; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 application fee: $85. Nonrefundable.; Enrollment deposit: $1,000. Nonrefundable and applied to the total.; Course materials and academic field trips: $300. Required 2026 fee.; Program and health-center fees: $429. $325 program fee plus $104 health-center fee.; Residential room and board: $3,440. Shared room and specified meals; not available as an option to international students because they must reside.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 internship stipend: $5,600; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 7–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Residency: Domestic and international high-school students; Requirement: Complete at least grade 9 before the program; Requirement: Pursue a rigorous high-school curriculum; Requirement: Attend every class from the first day with no late arrival; Requirement: International participants must obtain required immigration documents and meet health-insurance requirements; Exclusion: Late arrival or partial attendance was not allowed; Exclusion: International applicants could not choose commuter status; Exclusion: Admission to the summer program does not constitute or guarantee USC undergraduate admission | Residency: Participants from around the world are welcomed; Requirement: Students currently in grades 7–11 who will enter grades 8–12 in 2027; Requirement: No GPA requirement stated by the programme | Ages 15–18; Citizenship: U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident; Residency: Located in DC, Maryland, or Virginia within commuting distance of the museum for the full program; Requirement: Currently enrolled in high school at the time of application; Requirement: Age 15-18 at the start of the internship; Requirement: Write and converse fluently in English; Requirement: Available for the fixed eight-week, 24-hour-per-week schedule; Exclusion: Applicants outside commuting distance; Exclusion: Applicants who cannot attend the full fixed schedule; Exclusion: Family members and friends may not serve as the required recommender |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Starts July 11, 2027; Ends July 24, 2027; 2 weeks (2027 cycle) | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 23, 2026; Ends August 14, 2026; 8 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Los Angeles, California | Spartanburg, South Carolina | Washington, District of Columbia, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Rolling admission based on academic preparation, essay, recommendation, transcript, and course capacity; popular classes can fill early. Application materials: Applicant-written 300-500 word essay; One online recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or mentor | Unconfirmed — check official site | Selection: Selective; applicants rank projects, but a ranked department or project is not guaranteed. Application materials: Four statement-of-interest responses of 250 words each; One confidential recommendation from a non-family recommender |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-10Source 2 · checked 2026-10-10Source 3 · checked 2026-10-10Source 4 · checked 2026-08-21 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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