| Application deadline | March 1, 2027 (2027 cycle) | Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Cost | Last year's cycle (2026): $885–$12,135; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | $5,793 (2027 cycle) |
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| Financial aid | Last year's cycle (2026): Need-based scholarships: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Need-based financial assistance for application and program costs: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Based on family income, family size and available COSMOS resources. (2027 cycle) |
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| Expenses and aid conditions | Last year's cycle (2026): Nonrefundable application fee (Launch, Institutes, Summer Scholars): $50; Nonrefundable deposit after admission (Launch, Institutes, Summer Scholars): $500. Deducted from the total program cost.; Need-based scholarships: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site | Application fee: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Non-refundable; fee waivers can be requested.; Need-based financial assistance for application and program costs: Amount: Unconfirmed — check official site. Based on family income, family size and available COSMOS resources. (2027 cycle) |
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| Stipend or pay | Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: Summer I fellowship award/stipend: $4,000; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site; Catalog terms: Summer II fellowship award: $4,000; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Eligibility | Grades 10–12 (provider uses rising grades) | Grades 10–12 when applying; check the provider's rules for graduating seniors | Grades 9–12 (provider uses rising grades) |
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| Additional eligibility | Requirement: Open to rising grades 10–12; Requirement: Grade range depends on the program: Summer Launch for rising sophomores and juniors, Summer Institutes for rising sophomores through seniors, Summer Scholars for rising seniors; Requirement: The Young Scientist Program and the Tyson SIFT and TERA programs are for St. Louis-area students | Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 10–12 when applying; Requirement: Family annual income must not exceed 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, documented by a 1040, free/reduced lunch, SNAP/WIC, TRIO participation or SAT/ACT fee-waiver eligibility; Requirement: Must have completed at least one high school chemistry course; Requirement: Must demonstrate an interest in science and/or chemistry; Requirement: Students under 18 need a parent or guardian's permission; Requirement: In the 2026 cycle, graduating high school seniors were also eligible | Residency: California high school students only; Requirement: Open to rising grades 9–12; Requirement: Demonstrated academic excellence (a typical COSMOS student has a GPA of 3.5 or above) |
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| Session dates or duration | Catalog terms: 1–8 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 8–10 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site | Catalog terms: 4 weeks; 2027: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Format | In person / Online | In person / Online | In person |
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| Housing and supervision | Unconfirmed — check official site | Non-residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site | Residential. Supervision and housing details: Unconfirmed — check official site |
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| Location | St. Louis, MO | Participating university, government, and industry research sites; virtual projects may also be offered | Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, San Diego, Santa Cruz, CA |
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| Selection and application | Selection: Selectivity ranges from registration-based online courses to holistic selective residential programs and competitive paid research. WashU does not publish one umbrella application count, acceptance rate, capacity, waitlist, or rubric; each linked unit controls its process. Application materials: For selective Arts & Sciences programs: short essays, $50 fee or qualifying waiver, transcript, and one teacher recommendation; Separate local-residency, research, portfolio, financial, rural, or employment materials for other WashU programs | Selection: Local coordinators select among financially and academically eligible applicants based on performance, science interest, full-summer availability, site capacity/budget, safe commute, and mentor/project fit. ACS publishes no single current acceptance rate. | Selection: Each of six campuses accommodates roughly 160-200 students, and clusters typically enroll 20-25 with a commonly reported 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Admissions are competitive and based on academic merit relative to the selected topic, but applicant count and statewide acceptance rate were not published. Application materials: Online application with one personal statement; One teacher recommendation (two recommended) |
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| Official sources | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-08-20 | Source 1 · checked 2026-10-24Source 2 · checked 2026-10-24Source 3 · checked 2026-10-24Source 4 · checked 2026-08-22Source 5 · checked 2026-08-22Source 6 · checked 2026-08-22Source 7 · checked 2026-08-20 |
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