High School Honors: Frequently Asked Questions

You need to be entering your junior or senior year of high school in fall 2026. Qualified juniors need to be in Honors and/or AP courses.

Most students live in the dormitory. However, you can commute from a relative’s home to campus as part of the High School Honors program. There is also the opportunity to enroll in several online courses through our High School Honors Online program.

Yes, international students are welcome to join the program, but you need to obtain an F-1 student visa in order to enroll in in-person classes. You can find more Information for International Students on our website.

Yes, you can take up to eight credits of online courses. The only exception pertains to residential students, who must take at least one course on campus. International students on a BU-sponsored visa must enroll in two in-person courses. For more information, please visit the High School Honors Online webpage.

You can find application instructions and a link to the online application on the How to Apply page.

Approximately 130 students attend the program each summer. Students live and participate in social activities with Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) and Academic Immersion (AIM) students. There programs are also comprised of 100-200 students.

Yes, once you create login credentials and can access the application form, you will submit your recommendation request on the Recommendations page. We strongly recommend you submit the recommendation request as soon as you have identified your recommender(s) – do not wait until you are ready to submit the entire application to request the recommendation. Teachers appreciate having as much time as possible to respond. Please note that the emailed recommendation form must be used and outside letters cannot be accepted. The recommendation consists of a series of multiple-choice questions and one open field response.

For summer 2026, we have adopted a standardized test-optional policy. Note that this does not apply to English language proficiency exams, which are still required for international applicants whose native language is not English. See our How to Apply page for further details.

Admission decisions take into consideration your high school grades, rigor of courses taken, standardized test scores (optional for summer 2026), personal statement, and one letter of recommendation. Attending students from recent summers had an average 3.76 unweighted GPA. Positive recommendations, involvement in extracurricular activities, and a well-written personal statement can also influence admission decisions. See the How to Apply page for details.

Your application is considered complete only after all required materials are received and verified by our office. We will contact you if any additional or corrected materials are needed to complete your application. You can check the status of your application at any time through your Applicant Portal. See the How to Apply page for details about application requirements.

Applicants will be able to check the status of their submitted applications at any time through their Applicant Portal.

Within three weeks of your application being verified as complete by our office, you will be notified of an admission decision.

You can either accept or decline our offer of admission, but we ask that you inform us of your decision within one week of receiving your offer of admission. Please note that attending students are required to pay a $1,000 nonrefundable deposit is required to secure a spot in the program.

Click here to view a full list of over 80 courses.

Your schedule depends on the courses you choose. You can find the days and times of courses listed at the end of each course description. Please visit the Calendar & What to Expect page for more information.

Class times vary in length depending on how many days per week they meet. The hours each class meets are listed at the end of each course description.

Residential students take two courses. At least one of these courses must meet on campus. Commuter students can opt to enroll in either one or two courses for a minimum of 4 credits. International students on a BU-sponsored visa are required to enroll in two in-person courses for 8 credits.

You can earn between 4 and 8 credits, depending on the number and type of courses you take.

Please see the Tuition, Aid & Payment page for a detailed description of the cost of attending High School Honors.

Yes, there is limited financial aid available. Please note that awards are based on a combination of need and academic merit. View our Tuition, Aid & Payment page to learn how to apply for financial aid. Students who enroll in only one 4-credit course (commuter or online) and international students are not eligible for financial aid.

There are several methods of payment. Please click here for a description of your options.

No, we do not offer them.

Most colleges will accept BU credit for courses in which students have earned a grade of C or higher. You should speak directly with schools you may attend for confirmation.

No, we do not travel as a group to visit area colleges, but you may arrange your own visits within the Boston area during your free time. You may not miss class or a mandatory activity to visit colleges in the area. We do offer a college workshop with the Boston University Admissions office.

High School Honors students are highly encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet to campus to access course materials and online platforms such as Blackboard Learn. If you have any questions or concerns about computer requirements, please contact us.

Yes, there is a curfew for residential students. Students must be in the dorm by 11 pm during the week (Sunday through Thursday) and midnight on weekends (Friday and Saturday). You are then free to visit with friends in the common areas until 1 am during the week and 2 am on weekends.

You are allowed to leave campus during your free time as long as you are accompanied by at least one other student in the program and let your program assistant know you are leaving. Residential students must be back in the dorm before curfew or the start of any mandatory activity. You may not leave the boundaries set by the program within the city of Boston without the permission of your parents and our program. These boundaries will be reviewed with students once they arrive on campus. Our program reserves the right to restrict your access to any part of Boston for security or other concerns.

If a parent or guardian is in town and would like to spend time with you, that visit must be scheduled during your free time when there are no activities planned. They are welcome to visit with you anywhere within our campus boundaries.

If you would like to visit your parent or guardian, relatives, or family friends (at least 18 years of age) within city limits, that visit must be scheduled during your free time when there are no mandatory activities planned. In addition, your parent or guardian must submit a Leave Request Form. This request must be received at least 72 hours before you are planning to leave campus and, for weekend leave requests, before 3 pm EDT on Friday. Requests are not reviewed on nights and weekends. Your parent or guardian will need to provide details about the visit, such as the time that you will be picked up and dropped off at campus, and the cell phone number of the relative or family friend (at least 18 years of age) you will be with. You are only authorized to leave once the Summer Term Pre-College Programs office gives permission and sends your parent or guardian approval via email.

Residential students must return to the dorm by curfew.

The full schedule of activities will be emailed to participants two weeks in advance of the program. You can find out more information about the types of activities we offer here.

Yes, there is a $25 fee each time you visit Student Health Services. There may be additional charges for medical supplies or immunizations. These charges will be billed to your student account. Bloodwork is billed directly to your insurance, so please bring your insurance information.

No. We believe that learning to live with someone new is an important part of the pre-college experience. Program activities and free time provide plenty of opportunities to hang out with friends, who will also be living in a residence hall on campus.

Boston University is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities have equal access to all opportunities the University has to offer. Disability & Access Services (DAS) works to provide services and support to ensure that students are able to access and participate in the opportunities at BU. Classroom, testing, housing, and dining accommodations may be requested through DAS. For more information, please visit the Admitted Students section of our website.

We are happy to help you. You can find all of our information on the Contact Us page.