| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $7,401; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): Historical 2026 need-based grant aid after admission: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. The published 2026 financial-aid guidance promised to meet demonstrated need for admitted students, including possible travel aid and international participants. Confirm operative 2027 terms.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): Application fee: $0. SSP states that applying is completely free.; Historical 2026 need-based grant aid after admission: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. The published 2026 financial-aid guidance promised to meet demonstrated need for admitted students, including possible travel aid and international participants. Confirm operative 2027 terms.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | 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 |
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| Stipend or pay | Last year's cycle (2026): Historical 2026 limited lost-wages stipend: $3,000; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grade 11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher | Grades 10–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Ages 15–18; Requirement: Be a current high-school junior graduating in 2028 for the Summer 2027 cycle; Requirement: Be at least 15 but not yet 19 while the program operates; Requirement: Complete the credited coursework required by the chosen project by June; Requirement: Astrophysics: high-school physics plus precalculus, or calculus when physics is unavailable; Requirement: Bacterial Genomics or Cell Biology: biology plus Algebra II; Requirement: Biochemistry: biology, chemistry and strong algebra skills; Requirement: Be able to live and work intensively on an assigned campus for five weeks; Exclusion: Current freshmen, sophomores and seniors are not eligible; Exclusion: Self-study does not substitute for credited prerequisite courses; Exclusion: A project or campus preference is not a guaranteed assignment; Exclusion: The program is not a drop-in camp or individually arranged lab placement | 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 |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 5 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | 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 |
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| Location | Assigned university campus; 2027 sites not announced | Los Angeles, California |
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| Selection and application | Selection: SSP describes a holistic, contextual and need-blind admission process with limited capacity. It does not promise admission based on grades, prestige, test scores or ability to pay. Application materials: Student essays and contextual information requested by the portal | 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 |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-22Source 2 · checked 2026-08-22Source 3 · checked 2026-08-22Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-21Source 2 · checked 2026-08-21Source 3 · checked 2026-08-21 |
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