Tuition & Financial Assistance
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Overview
Payment for Vanderbilt Summer Academy has two primary components:
(1) Application Fee & (2) Tuition.
(1) Application Fee: A $50 nonrefundable application fee is due at the time of application submission. Online applicants will submit the application fee via credit card or electronic check during the online application submission process.
(3) Tuition: Tuition is comprehensive. Please see the Tuition Timeline section below for more information about tuition deadlines.
| Session | Spring 2026 Mentor Immersion (10th-12th) | Summer 2026 Mentor Immersion (11th-12th) | Fall 2026 Mentor Immersion (10th-12th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $2,750 | $2,950 | $2,950 |
| Program Dates | January 24-May 29, 2026 | Session 1: May 7-August 4 Session 2: June 7-August 29 | August-December |
Fees & Tuition Costs
Tuition for this unique mentor experience is $2750 per student. Tuition costs cover the online meetings and access to the mentor for the length of the program. A $50 nonrefundable application fee should be included with the application to the particular mentorship cohort you are applying. This $50 nonrefundable application fee may be submitted online at the time of application submission. The application fee is nonrefundable regardless of a student’s placement or admittance in a mentorship program. Only the application fee is due when applying. You will receive a tuition statement via email if your student is admitted in a ranked mentorship experience. PTY does not collect full tuition until after a student has been admitted and placed with a mentor.
Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth is committed to making programs available to academically advanced students regardless of a family’s ability to pay the full tuition. Therefore, some need-based financial aid is available based on income for families with an Adjusted Gross Income of $105,000 or less, or with a severe hardship.
The PTY application review process is need-blind and does not consider financial status when placing students in courses.
When to apply for financial assistance
If you plan to apply for financial assistance, please indicate this on your application. Once indicated, you will be automatically asked to complete the financial assistance application as part of your program application.
Please note, your program application is not considered complete if you indicate that you are applying for financial aid and you do not upload the required documentation or provide the required information. We are unable to process your application until both the program and financial aid application are complete. Please plan accordingly.
What documents are needed to apply for financial assistance?
All financial aid applications must include a signed copy of your most recent federal income tax return. If you are divorced, only the custodial parent tax forms are required. During the application, families are required to upload one of the following forms: Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ.
If you believe your 1040/1040A/1040EZ does not provide an accurate or complete picture of your family’s financial need, you may include additional tax forms, including: W-2 Forms, Form 4562, Schedule A, Schedule C and/or F, Schedule D.
We ask that you remove all SSNs from any documents you upload in your application.
How is financial assistance determined?
All financial information provided is reviewed thoroughly with specific attention to adjusted gross income and number of dependents in the household. While we understand that there may be more factors affecting a family’s ability to pay tuition, at this time, these are the primary factors determining eligibility for financial assistance.
Other important information about PTY financial assistance
For PTY to provide program opportunities for as many students with financial need as possible, financial assistance awards for individual students will be limited to two courses per season. PTY has two operational seasons: academic year and summer.
Please note: If your financial situation significantly changes after being placed in a course for a program, but before the tuition deadline for the program, you may contact the PTY office (pty.peabody@vanderbilt.edu) in writing to request the possibility of submitting a late financial aid application. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis when there are significant and unpredictable life events that drastically change a family’s ability to pay tuition.
PTY is unable to offer financial assistance to international students at this time.
Payment plans are not available for fall and spring programs.