Need-based Scholarships

We offer need-based scholarship assistance for all of our programs. In order to be considered for a need-based scholarship, we must receive a completed application for scholarship assistance and supporting income documentation by the application deadline. For U.S. residents, this should be your parents' 2024 1040 tax return. Please note that our pre-college programs are not eligible for aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Scholarships are determined based on family finances. There are no income cut-offs for scholarship assistance; all are welcome to apply.

Scholarships do not cover travel to and from campus, cost of textbooks and course supplies, personal expenses, or other expenses related to online coursework including computers or WiFi access. Scholarship awards are non-transferable between pre-college programs.

We do offer scholarship assistance for international students. International students applying for a scholarship need to provide official documentation, in English, of their parents' total yearly income. This can include a letter from your parents' employers or other official government documentation.

We reserve the right to request further documentation regarding family income, as needed.

How to Apply

When completing your program registration or application online, you will indicate your interest in applying for a scholarship and will then be automatically prompted to complete your scholarship application.

• For Early College Scholars, Exploration Courses, High School Summer Kickstart, and Middle School Summer Challenge, scholarship applications are reviewed as received and you will receive a response between 7-10 business days.
• For High School Summer Launch, High School Summer Institutes and High School Summer Scholars Program, scholarship applications are not reviewed on a rolling basis and there is no advantage to applying early. Scholarship decisions are released to admitted students along with admission decisions on April 8, 2026.

Application Fee Waiver Request

We are happy to waive our $50 application fee when it presents a financial hardship. Please review the information below to see if you qualify for an application fee waiver. If you do qualify, simply indicate so on your program application that you qualify for a waiver.

If you meet any of the following requirements you qualify for an application fee waiver:

• You receive or are eligible to receive an ACT or SAT testing fee waiver.
• You are enrolled in or eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program (FRPL).
• Your annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
• You are enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families (e.g., TRIO programs such as Upward Bound).
• Your family receives public assistance.
• You live in a federally subsidized public housing, a foster home or are homeless.
• You are a ward of the state or an orphan.
• You can provide a supporting statement from a school official, college access counselor, financial aid officer, or community leader.

Returning Student Discount

A 10% discount is automatically awarded to students who have previously attended an A&S Pre-College Program and are admitted to a new program the following year. Those receiving the returning student discount are also eligible to apply for need-based scholarships using the application described above.

WashU Employee Discount

A 10% discount is automatically awarded to all admitted students of benefits-eligible WashU employees. In order to qualify for the discount, a student must be admitted and be a dependent child both by relation (birth, legally adopted, or step-child) and financially to a benefits-eligible WashU employee. This information is verified during the program application process. Those receiving the WashU employee discount are also eligible to apply for need-based scholarships using the application described above.