| Application deadline | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Unconfirmed — check official site | Last year's cycle (2026): $3,900; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based fee and participant-travel assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. SSP committed to cover 100% of demonstrated need; exact award depends on family circumstances and may include participant airfare or other required travel.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): 2026 application fee: $0. Completely free to apply.; Need-based fee and participant-travel assistance: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. SSP committed to cover 100% of demonstrated need; exact award depends on family circumstances and may include participant airfare or other required travel.; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Stipend or pay | Last year's cycle (2026): 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 9–12; Grade timing: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Additional eligibility | Ages 15–18; Requirement: Be a current high-school junior; Requirement: Be at least 15 and not yet 19 during all program dates; Requirement: Complete for credit and a grade by June any high-school physics plus precalculus; Requirement: If the school does not offer physics, complete calculus for credit and a grade by June instead; Requirement: Commit exclusively to the entire assigned residential session; Exclusion: Current freshmen, sophomores and seniors; Exclusion: Self-study used in place of the required graded coursework; Exclusion: Applicants unable to attend the complete assigned session; Exclusion: Applying to more than one SSP project in the same cycle | Minimum age 14; Residency: Currently studying and residing in the United States; Requirement: Be at least 14 by program start; Requirement: Be a current high-school student; Requirement: Demonstrate good programming ability in Python, Java, C/C++, or another language; Requirement: Understand computer-science fundamentals; Requirement: Commit to the full-time six-week commuter or virtual schedule; Requirement: Provide one science, mathematics, or computer-science teacher reference; Exclusion: Applicants under 14 at program start; Exclusion: Applicants not currently studying and residing in the United States; Exclusion: Applicants unable to commit to the complete schedule; Exclusion: Applicants whose skills do not match available mentor projects |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 5 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 6 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person | In person / Online |
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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 |
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| Location | Albion, Milledgeville, McMinnville, River Falls, Waterville, Bethlehem, Galesburg, 2026 campus assigned after admission; campus list can change by cycle | Stony Brook, New York (commuter track), United States residency and study required; virtual track for students unable to commute |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Admission is limited and holistic. SSP reported about 700 participants admitted across every 2026 track, but did not publish Astrophysics application totals or a track-specific acceptance rate. Application materials: One required recommendation from a current school math or science educator; Optional second recommendation, preferably from a math or science educator | Selection: Mentors evaluate application strength and fit to limited project capacity; each accepted student receives a mentor assignment with the offer. Application materials: Essay of no more than two pages on a computing or data-analytics interest, motivation, programming skills, and past projects; One science, mathematics, or computer-science teacher recommendation submitted separately |
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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 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-08-20Source 2 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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