It's a wonderful opportunity to get college level coursework and understand the feel of a college schedule.”
'26 CPP Credit Courses Student
High school students can earn college credit this summer
Earn credit for the next phase in your education through our online and in-person college summer programs. You’ll learn from Northwestern-affiliated instructors who assume the same level of commitment and involvement from you that they do from university students. The expectations are high, the rewards long-lasting.
VIEW 2026 COURSES CONTACT AN ADVISER
Applications for Summer 2027 Programs will open early December 2026. Applications to our online enrichment are open year-round.
On-campus pre-college summer courses
One of the best ways to prepare for college is to get a taste of college life and academics; the on-campus summer program for high school students combines the challenge of for-credit undergraduate courses with the excitement of living in a Northwestern residence hall. Residential students may enroll in one or more 3- to 6-week class. Learn more about what life on campus is like during the summer program for high schoolers. Due to housing restrictions, residential students must choose courses that end before 8/6.
Chicago-area residents may also apply to the program as commuting students, eligible to enroll in one or more 3- to 10-week class.
On-campus courses include access to our "Wildcat Connect: Get Ready Series." This series adds a robust co-curricular component to your schedule with interactive workshops that will prepare you for successfully applying to college and integrate you into the Wildcat community!What students and parents say
Students and parents are thrilled with the experience they've received during Northwestern's summer programs for high schoolers.
This program is a good way for high school students to "trial run" what it means to "go away" to college and manage life and class requirements at the same time. Having interesting and relevant class topics really helps sell the program to the kids. We also wanted our child to have more experiences to draw on in his quest to help him understand what he wants to study and where.”
Online pre-college credit courses
The online college summer program for high school students is an opportunity to explore different subjects or get a head start on the major of your dreams. Choose from various asynchronous or synchronous courses according to your schedule and areas of interest.
In order to be considered a full-time student on an F-1 Visa, international students must take two credit classes.
Applying to Northwestern’s summer programs for high schoolers
In order to be successful in a college credit class, students must be self-directed, highly motivated, and possess excellent time management skills.
Applications for the summer program for high school students will require a personal statement, list of extracurricular activities, and an official transcript. Please see additional transcript information on the admissions page.
Notes on earning and applying credit
- College Credit Courses are only available to rising high school juniors and seniors.
- Each Credit Course is worth one credit unit, unless otherwise noted in the course description. One credit unit is typically equivalent to four quarter hours or two and two-thirds semester credit hours at other colleges. This information may be useful when you are an undergraduate student looking to transfer your Northwestern college credit unit(s) towards your undergraduate degree.
- Please note: You cannot be active in more than one program or take classes from a program other than that which you are enrolled in, with the exception of the non-credit Online Enrichment classes.
Talk to an adviser
The enrollment team will be happy to speak with you! Be sure to visit our FAQ page for answers to commonly asked questions regarding our summer programs for high school students.
Summer 2026 credit courses
Below are the 2026 summer classes. To filter for online courses, please search “online” in the search bar. Summer 2027 classes will be available late January 2027.
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