Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Program Details
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The Rutgers Summer Scholars program offers U.S. high school students the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in college-level academics at one of the nation's top research universities.
Approved students will get to enroll in up to 2 university courses with college-level coursework and grades, led by Rutgers–New Brunswick doctoral students and faculty members.
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Yes, all approved courses within the Rutgers Summer Scholars program are genuine credit-bearing undergraduate college courses.
Students will share classrooms with Rutgers undergraduate students, providing them with real exposure to a collegiate learning environment. Students will also earn college credits upon completion of their courses.
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Both.
Our approved course list contains a diverse range of course modalities to best fit your needs:
In-person
Hybrid
Online – Synchronous
Online – Asynchronous
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Synchronous online courses have scheduled meeting days and times with remote instruction. Students are expected to connect remotely during those times, using a web conferencing software.
In comparison, asynchronous online courses have no scheduled classes sessions. These courses have remote instruction with a regular schedule of work and assignments due throughout each week. Students are not required to be online at a particular time, and can complete their work at their pace by the assigned due dates. Rather, the instructor will provide materials–for example, readings, video content, presentations, lectures, assignments, and exams. Students will access these materials to satisfy the course requirements within the time frames specified by the instructor.
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No, Rutgers does not offer housing for Summer Scholars students during the Summer Session.
Application & Eligibility
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Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for the Summer Scholars program:
Current high school student between the age of 16 to 18
Seniors graduating in 2026 are ineligible for the program
Minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA
Must be a U.S. Citizen or a Non-Citizen Permanent Resident
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Completed online application
Most recent Academic Transcript
Letter of Recommendation from any teacher or individual who can speak on your educational or personal achievements
Completed Parent Permission Form
RUID (if student ever had one)
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Students can apply using the application link when it is open.
In the application, users must first create an account, validate their email. Once logged into their account, applicants should select the "Summer Scholars" program option.
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Applicants will receive a confirmation email once their application has been successfully submitted, which will then go under review by our team. Within 5-7 business days, an applicant will receive an email with their application decision.
All approved applicants will be registered for their requested course(s), assigned an RUID, and receive a term bill for their tuition and fees.
Costs & Payments
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Summer Scholars courses are priced per-credit and charged at the standard Summer Session tuition rate in addition to the $162 Summer Student Fee.
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Payment for registered courses must be made by the start date of the earliest course. For example, students registered for both sessions must pay the entire term bill or sign up for a payment plan by the start of the first class.
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Yes, Rutgers Tuition Payment Plans are available for Summer Scholars students to spread payment of tuition over a number of payments. Students must be enrolled by payment plan deadlines, more information can be found here.
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No. Once the add/drop period ends for summer, all students can only withdraw for partial or no refunds, according to Rutgers policies.
For the full withdrawal dates, please view the Dates and Deadlines.