What is the Wheaton College Summer Institute?
Summer 2025: June 15th - 28th
Apply Now for Summer 2025
Who Should Come to the Wheaton College Summer Institute?
The Wheaton College Summer Institute is perfect for you if you are an outstanding rising high school sophomore, junior, or senior looking for a pre-college summer program that will prepare you for college life and academic work, as well as offer opportunities to grow in your faith.
What Students Think:
"I learned to work diligently, operate independently, and learn passionately—but most of all, I learned to love God. He is the source of all goodness, and at WCSI, that goodness permeated every moment. I’m so grateful for my WCSI experience; if any student feels called to attend, they absolutely should." -Sophia, Summer 2024
"It truly was an awesome experience that gave me a little taste of life in college and has only excited me more as I’m entering this season of college applications." -Noah, Summer 2024
"The WCSI was an incredible two weeks of intellectual and spiritual growth where I have made lasting friendships and have loved watching the way that faith and learning can be integrated in the classroom. I was supported and cared for so well by the Wheaton staff and my professors. It is thanks to the WCSI that I am considering Wheaton as the college for me!" -Grace, Summer 2023
"The WCSI was an amazing experience: I made so many new friends, I got to experience college life for the first time, and everyone was so welcoming and kind. The campus was beautiful, and I really enjoyed visiting Chicago and going to get ice cream in downtown Wheaton. It was the best part of my summer, and I hope I can come back next year!" -Ava, Summer 2022
"It was just great to find a place where I felt I belonged." -Dylan, Summer 2022
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Experience life as a Wheaton College Conservatory student. Study with our faculty in private and group lessons, master classes, and performance opportunities, attend faculty recitals and student performances, and explore the Chicago arts scene.
What Makes the WCSI Stand Out from Other High School Summer Programs?
Unlike some college summer programs for high school students, the WCSI offers you the chance to actually live on campus and immerse yourself in the college experience - including staying in a residence hall, attending events and lectures, eating in our top-ranked dining commons, and learning in person from excellent Wheaton College faculty alongside students from around the world.
Rising Juniors and Seniors can choose from an exciting menu of courses from a wide variety of academic disciplines such as
- music
- Bible and theology
- art
- natural sciences
- business and economics
- literature
- philosophy
- language studies
- psychology
- mathematics
and more!
Rising Sophomores can also apply to the WCSI, but will need to provide an Academic Recommendation in addition to their high school transcript to prove readiness for a college level course.
During you stay on campus you will have the opportunity to meet with a Wheaton College counselor, be trained in college level writing, hear from our financial aid office and learn more about the Aequitas Fellows program as well as Wheaton’s “Christ at the Core” curriculum.
While at the WCSI, rising Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors take a college-level class with our exceptional faculty and get 2 college credits that will give you a head start in your college journey.
WCSI course credits will apply to elective degree requirements at Wheaton College; if transferred, they are also likely to meet elective degree requirements at other colleges/universities, but we advise checking with a college of your interest to confirm transferability. Note: course credit and grade will be provided on an official Wheaton College transcript.
If you are a rising senior participating in WCSI, you may apply for Wheaton College Admission through an expedited pre-early action application, and we’ll waive your application fee. You will also be notified of an admission decision through our Early Action I timeline!
All WCSI alumni who successfully* pass their Summer Institute course, and ultimately apply and enroll to the College as a first-year freshman student, will receive a $500 WCSI Scholarship renewable for four years. This $2,000 scholarship will be in addition to any other Wheaton Academic Scholarship and/or grant that may be awarded.
(If you attend the WCSI more than once, you will only receive one scholarship).
*Students who earn a failing grade in their course, drop or withdraw from their course or who have consistently acted in ways incongruous with the Wheaton College Student Handbook, have not successfully completed the WCSI and are thereby ineligible to receive the WCSI scholarship to Wheaton College.
Explore two of Shakespeare's greatest plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth, with English and Arena Theater faculty.
Admission Requirements
- Currently a rising high school sophomore*, junior, or senior
- Strong academic record (a transcript is required)
- Academic recommendation
- Apply early to secure course selection
*Starting summer 2024, rising sophomores will be allowed to register up for any of our summer courses (rather than just a select few) but will be required to submit a slightly more robust academic letter of recommendation. This letter will be requested as part of the application process.
International Students
The WCSI has had students attend from 15 different countries from around the world.
Wheaton College is pursing approval to host for the Wheaton College Summer Institute students through the F-1 visa program. Until this approval is in place, applicants requiring a visa to enter the United States will be responsible for independently securing a visa permitting travel and study.
For international students whose primary institute of education has English as its primary language of instruction, no evidence of English proficiency is required. However, students whose primary institute of education does not have English as its primary language of instruction are required to submit evidence of English proficiency.
This evidence can come in one of the following ways:
- TOEFL score of 80 or higher
- IELTS score of 6.5 or higher
- Duolingo score of 105 or higher
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Experience Living on a College Campus
If you really want to know what college life is like, there's no better way to find out than to actually live on campus.
A Note from Director Joshua Norton
The Wheaton College Summer Institute (WCSI) is a unique experience designed for rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors.