Applications and supporting materials (application fee, unofficial transcript(s), and letter(s) of recommendation) should be submitted through the online application.
Only complete applications will be reviewed. Applications are not considered complete until all required materials have been received.
The application should be submitted directly by the student. We do not accept applications submitted on the applicant's behalf by parents, guardians, or third parties. Falsification, forgery, any misrepresentation of any type will risk forfeiture of admissions and/or enrollment.
Materials List
Nonrefundable application fee
The application fee is $80. Application fee payment must be made by credit card through the online application.
Transcript
An unofficial transcript is required for application review. Candidates offered admission must supply official documents prior to enrollment.
Transcripts must come in PDF format as provided by your school. PDF downloads of unofficial transcripts from student portals can be accepted only if they clearly show your full name, your school’s name, the full name of all courses taken, and all grades achieved in those courses.
If you are unable to obtain an unofficial copy of your transcript, please request to have an official copy sent from your school. It should be sent from a school official’s professional email to hsp-apply [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu. It can also be mailed to our office at the address listed on this page. Official transcripts being submitted via email should be sent by a school official to hsp-transcripts [[at]] columbia [[dot]] edu.
Current 8th and 9th grade students must supply their most recent report card.
Current 10th–12th grade students must supply their final transcript for grades 9–12 plus their most recent report card for the current school year.
Transcripts
Applicants must submit a transcript for the US equivalent of grades 9-12. We require grades starting 4 full academic years before your anticipated high school graduation date.
Transcripts must be in English or come with an official translation. International students not graded according to the U.S. grading system should provide a grading key with the transcript. Applicants are recommended to use NACES for such services.
English Language Proficiency Test Scores
We do not require English language proficiency test scores; however, students should be completely fluent in English. Applicants who are not native English language speakers should objectively assess their English comprehension, writing, and speaking skills.
Our classes are academically rigorous and may require students to feel comfortable using technical and specialized vocabulary depending on the course. One of the core foundations of our program is class participation through active discussions, both in an online chat format and when called upon to speak in class. Students should be able to engage in classroom fast-paced discussions and read all materials and assignments without any translation assistance.
Watch this video to learn how to complete the Academic History portion of the application:
All programs require a teacher recommendation. Recommenders submit a form within the online application—they are not asked to supply a letter. Once you add and save their information (name, title, and school email address) an email is sent to your recommenders with a link to our recommendation form.
Students applying to NYC Residential Summer and NYC Commuter Summer must also provide a school counselor recommendation.
Applicants may submit their applications before we receive their recommendations.
For more information on recommendation requirements, please see below.
Applicants must designate an instructor who teaches in a field closely related to the applicant's curricular preferences, currently works at their school, and has taught them in class. The recommendation must describe the student's qualification to engage in concentrated study.
Current 8th grade students must supply a recommendation from a middle school teacher.
Current 9th–12th grade students must supply a recommendation from a current teacher in their high school.
Students applying to NYC Residential or NYC Commuter Summer must submit a recommendation by an academic advisor, school counselor, principal, or headmaster who works at their current school, commenting on the student's intellectual ability, level of maturity, and motivation.
If you previously participated in an Academic Enrichment program, you can disregard the recommendation requirement as we have your prior recommendations on file.
The academic recommendation can come from the student's primary instructor. If the instructor is a parent or legal guardian, their email address must match the email address provided in the parent information section of the application.
Watch this video to learn how to complete the Recommendations portion of the application:
