Our programs provide motivated students the opportunity to challenge themselves in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere. We offer a variety of credit and noncredit programs, as well as commuter, residential, and online options for students to choose the program that best fits their academic goals and summer schedule. Need-based scholarship assistance is available for all of our programs.
Residential Summer Pre-College Programs
For our residential programs, students live on campus in one of our top-ranked, air-conditioned residence halls. In addition to course work, students participate in specialized college readiness, community, and academic success activities.
High School Summer Scholars Program: A five-week residential program for rising high school seniors. Students enroll in one or two undergraduate courses for credit and study alongside undergraduates. This program is ideal for students who want to earn college credit, challenge themselves academically and explore courses in a specific major or subject.
High School Summer Launch: This one week residential program is for rising sophomores and juniors. Students will participate in a series of daily lectures, workshops, and seminars designed to build a strong foundation for future academic studies and prepare students for the college application process. This program is ideal for students who want a general introduction to college life and academics and are looking for a full pre-college experience in an accelerated format.
High School Summer Institutes: These one or two-week residential programs are for rising high school juniors and seniors. Students discover a new passion, or dive deeper into an existing one, through a noncredit, interdisciplinary environment. These programs are ideal for students who want to experience undergraduate curriculum without the pressure of a letter grade.
Online Summer Pre-College Program
Our Exploration Courses provide students the opportunity to experience WashU from home. Through these online, noncredit courses, students explore a topic or subject through a series of interactive activities, lectures and discussions with pre-college peers from around the world. This program is ideal for students who are looking for the flexibility of an online experience and want to build college readiness skills.
Commuter Summer Pre-College Program
Through our Early College Scholars Program, St. Louis area students have the opportunity to enroll in courses for credit and study alongside undergraduates at Washington University. Students may enroll in up to six units of credit per semester. Courses are the undergraduate-level courses in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics offered by the College of Arts & Sciences. Students commute to campus for courses.
