Explore Your Passions

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes is a summer enrichment program that provides academically talented and intellectually curious students currently in grades 8–11 with intensive study in a single course.

Discover. Explore. Grow.

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes provides a taste of the Stanford classroom experience and challenges students with advanced content not typically found in the high-school curriculum.

Single-Subject Study

Our 30 summer courses provide in-depth and interactive exploration of academic material. Courses are ungraded and are not awarded credit. Courses are available in subjects including computer science, math, creative writing, philosophy, engineering, and more.

Global Focus and Real Connections

Bright peers from around the world create a truly special and unforgettable experience. Study and discuss academic topics alongside peers that share the same talents, interests, and curiosity.

Live Online Classes

With small class sizes, our online classes allow students to engage in every aspect of a course through real-time discussions in which instructors and students see, hear, and interact with one another.

Learn from Scholarly Instructors

Attend courses designed, created, and taught by instructors who are knowledgeable in their fields and passionate about teaching. Many courses highlight new areas of research and professional practice.

Now Accepting Applications

Our application for the 2021 Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes is now open. Begin your application today!

Apply Now

Still Planning Your Summer?

Explore some of our featured courses that are currently accepting applications for Summer 2021. Challenge yourself this summer with advanced coursework in an engaging online experience.

Highlights

8-11

Current Grade Level

30

Courses Offered Each Summer

15

Average Class Size

50

States Typically Represented

50+

Countries Typically Represented

Hear from Our Students

A participant lays on her bed, typing on her computer.

“I think that the experience of being fully challenged, not underestimated, and actually pushed to do my best, surrounded by other passionate students like me, was incomparable. It reminded me of why I love learning so much!”  

- Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes Participant, 2020

Find the Course that Excites You

In a common area, a participant uses a laptop during the program.

Two participants listen to their instructor and take notes in class.

Summer 2021 Course Catalog

Each year, we refine our course offerings to reflect the interests of our students, new research, and current events. Our instructors highlight new areas of research and findings to create an exciting learning opportunity for students.

Explore the Course Catalog

At Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies, we inspire—and are inspired by—intellectually curious students from around the world. In our inclusive learning community, this next generation of scholars engage in advanced subject areas and develop the skills to think critically, inquire deeper, and build connections that last a lifetime.