| Application deadline | February 1, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Free attendance; check separate expenses (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: $7,465; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: Need-based scholarship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Limited; only where family financial need can be reliably verified, including through partner schools and non-profit organizations.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | On-campus boarding: $0. Covered by program funders.; Food: $0. Covered by program funders. (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: Need-based scholarship: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Limited; only where family financial need can be reliably verified, including through partner schools and non-profit organizations.; Full-scholarship deposit (refunded after completing the program): Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 10–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site | Grades 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Residency: Texas high school students; Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 10–11 when applying; Requirement: Students enrolled in summer school during the program dates cannot participate (full-time attendance required) | Requirement: Open to grades 9–12; Requirement: Must demonstrate academic excellence and proficiency in English | Minimum age 16; Residency: San Diego County resident attending a REACH partner school; Requirement: Open to grades 9–12; Requirement: Completed the most recent semester of high school at a REACH partner school (Barrio Logan College Institute, Crawford, Del Lago Academy, Escondido, Hoover, Lincoln, Madison, Morse or Orange Glen); Requirement: At least 16 by the start of the pre-program boot camp; Requirement: At least one year each of high school chemistry and biology; Requirement: Minimum GPA of 3.0; Requirement: Commit to 40 hours per week, missing no more than 3 days; Requirement: Legally eligible to work in the United States, with a work permit if under 18; Requirement: Have not done the REACH summer internship before |
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| Session dates or duration | Starts June 20, 2027; Ends June 25, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Catalog terms: 10 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): Starts June 22, 2026; Ends August 7, 2026; 7 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | Online | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | Austin, TX | Online and available to high-school students worldwide | La Jolla, CA |
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| Selection and application | Selection: McCombs describes desired qualities but publishes no current applicant count, cohort size, acceptance rate, fixed GPA cutoff, identity quota, geographic quota, scoring rubric, interview process, or waitlist policy. Historical cohort figures must not be treated as a future guarantee. Application materials: Essay(s); One letter of recommendation | Selection: Pioneer uses holistic review of academic history, essays, interests, school materials, a video interview, and proctored timed writing. Decisions generally take six to eight weeks and may be admit, conditional, waitlist, or deny. The official pages publish no acceptance rate or automatic GPA/test threshold, and placement capacity varies by discipline. Application materials: Short essays on each interest area; Long essay; Video interview and proctored timed writing test (if selected to advance) | Selection: Only students at nine partner schools/programs were eligible in 2026. Finalists were interviewed and placements depended on laboratory/mentor capacity; no applicant total, cohort size or acceptance rate is published. Application materials: Virtual interview for finalists |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-08-20Source 5 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21 |
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