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Carnegie Mellon Summer Academy for Math and ScienceSAMS

SAMS is Carnegie Mellon's six-week residential math and science program for rising seniors, running for more than 25 years. It is fully funded, so students pay only for travel. It strongly encourages applicants underrepresented in STEM, and applications must include financial documentation.

Citizens or green-card holders
Free

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Size and selectivityRate not published

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Eligibility: Citizens or green-card holders
Cost: Free
Latest deadline: Feb 1, 2027

CMU SAMS at a Glance

Host: Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College Programs, led by the university's Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion
Field: Math and STEM: quantitative seminars in math, laboratory techniques in biology, chemistry and physics, and a collaborative STEM research project advised by faculty or graduate students (2026 topics included biophysics, polymer chemistry, medical devices and game design)
Grades and age: In 11th grade at the time of application, between 11th and 12th grade in summer 2027; at least 16 years old by the program start date (June 26, 2027)
Citizenship and residency: US citizens or permanent residents only; international students cannot apply. SAMS strongly encourages applicants raised in homes where English was a second language, attending high schools with historically low admission rates to top-tier institutions, who are first-generation college students, or who come from lower-income families.
Cost: Fully funded and merit-based; there is no cost beyond travel to and from Pittsburgh. Students cannot pay their own way. Applicants must submit financial documentation (tax documents or a NACAC Application Fee Waiver signed by the high school guidance department), and the review of this documentation is part of the holistic evaluation.
Dates and format: Three parts: a required virtual Jumpstart before arrival (portions of June 21 and 22 in 2027); a six-week, residential-only program, June 26 to August 7 in 2026, ending with a research symposium on the final Friday; and ongoing virtual engagement afterward. On campus, students take math and science courses, work on a collaborative research project, attend college essay workshops and complete a credit-bearing college transition course.
Application dates: The 2027 deadline is February 1, 2027, with decisions released April 1, 2027. Admitted students may not take part in any other program, virtual or in person, whose dates conflict.
Application materials: Online application; unofficial transcript; standardized test scores; two recommendation letters, one from a current math instructor; two essays: one of 300 to 500 words on what the student hopes to gain, and one of two SAMS-specific prompts (no more than 1,000 words); financial documentation.
Size and selectivity: Carnegie Mellon does not publish application counts, the number admitted or an admission rate. The program has run for more than 25 years.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · cmu.edu/pre-college/academic-programs/sams.html

About CMU SAMS

SAMS is a six-week residential math and science program run by Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College and led by the university’s Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion; it has run for more than 25 years. It serves rising seniors: after a two-day virtual Jumpstart, students come to the Pittsburgh campus for math seminars and laboratory techniques courses in biology, chemistry and physics, complete a collaborative research project advised by faculty or graduate students, and present at a research symposium on the final Friday. The 2026 program ran June 26 to August 7.

SAMS is fully funded; students pay only for travel to Pittsburgh and cannot pay their own way. It is open only to US citizens and permanent residents, and applications are due February 1, 2027, with tax documents or a signed NACAC Application Fee Waiver. SAMS states that reviewing financial documentation is part of its holistic evaluation and strongly encourages applicants who are underrepresented in STEM, first-generation or from lower-income families. It does not publish application counts or an admission rate.

On campus, students also attend weekly college essay workshops, finish a draft of their Common App personal essay before the program ends and take a credit-bearing college transition course. For students who fit its focus, SAMS combines STEM training with college preparation.

How to Apply to CMU SAMS

One recommendation must come from a current math instructor. Stay in touch with your math teacher during the fall of junior year and send the request a month before the deadline.
SAMS reviews financial documentation as part of the holistic evaluation and does not allow students to pay their own way. Read the examples of demonstrated financial need on the official site before applying to judge whether the program fits.
The second essay can run up to 1,000 words, on either a challenge faced in a math or science class or a STEM solution to a problem in your community. Describe the specific process and outcome.

Application Support for CMU SAMS

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CMU SAMS: Frequently Asked Questions

What status does an Irvine student need to apply to SAMS?

The student must be a US citizen or permanent resident, in 11th grade at the time of application and at least 16 by the program start date. A student in Irvine on a student visa is not eligible.

Does SAMS cost anything?

No. SAMS is fully funded, and students pay only for travel to and from Pittsburgh. Students cannot pay their own way, and the application requires tax documents or a signed NACAC Application Fee Waiver.

Is SAMS a good fit for an Irvine student from a higher-income family?

Such a student can apply, but it calls for careful thought. SAMS says all eligible students are welcome to apply, while it strongly encourages applicants who are underrepresented in STEM, from lower-income families or first-generation college students, and its holistic evaluation includes a review of financial documentation. EDUBUS suggests that students outside these groups also prepare applications to programs that do not weigh financial need in admission.

When is the SAMS deadline?

The 2027 deadline is February 1, 2027, and decisions come out April 1. Admitted students may not attend another summer program with conflicting dates.

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