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Vanderbilt Summer Institutes

A two-week program for high school juniors and seniors, ready to jump into advanced courses.

Vanderbilt Summer Institutes (Two-Week)

A two-week program for high school juniors and seniors, ready to jump into advanced courses. Led by faculty at Vanderbilt, you’ll explore subjects in-depth and push your intellectual boundaries. You’ll also experience college life, connect with students from around the world, and enjoy social activities in Nashville. VSI is your chance to get a taste of university-level academics, make lasting connections, and have an unforgettable summer.

The VSI Experience

  • The VSI Experience

    VSI programs provide the perfect balance of an intensive academic environment combined with a community-driven residential experience at one of the leading universities in the nation. At VSI, students join peers from around the world stretching their intellectual boundaries through choice-based classes. Together, students enjoy learning and connecting with peers and engage in on-campus and community activities in the heart of Music City.

    VSI students take accelerated courses with instructors drawn from the wealth of talented scholars here at Vanderbilt University and from within the Nashville community. VSI courses are designed to be accelerated to meet the needs of gifted and high-ability students. With up to six hours a day devoted to academic learning, this program provides for a satisfying level of focus and depth. Because courses are accelerated, we ask applicants to submit eligibility materials to determine if an accelerated course would be a good academic fit for the student.

    While Vanderbilt Summer Institutes are academically focused, additional recreational programming offers organized activities for social-emotional balance. Outside the classroom, VSI students participate in a variety of evening activities, explore extracurricular enrichment activities, and enjoy free time to make new friends. Learn more about life outside of class on the Residential Life page.

  • Why VSI?

    We recognize that families have many choices for summer academic programs. Here are some aspects of VSI that set it apart:

    • Access to Scholars. Vanderbilt content experts teach most of our courses, so students will work with leaders in academic disciplines.

    • Personalized Attention. Each course has a dedicated instructor and teaching assistant, and each student is assigned to a small proctor group within the residential community.

    • Opportunities for Personal Development. From recreational activities to informal conversations about college life and information sessions with admissions representatives, VSI celebrates the whole person!

    • Campus Living. VSI students reside in a state-of-the-art first-year residence hall designed for social interaction with a community of like-minded peers.

    • Caring Staff. Our program staff is a dynamic team of carefully selected, fully trained individuals, who are passionate about supporting advanced learners.

    • Diverse Community. Within recent years, PTY has hosted students from 46 states and 25 countries, providing students the opportunity to meet other young scholars from around the world.

  • Academics

    Vanderbilt Summer Institutes offer a challenging introduction to the academic rigors of college life. Students will enjoy the excitement of in-depth, accelerated study of a fascinating subject within a community of intellectual peers. Our courses are filled with wide-ranging, interdisciplinary topics, such as nanotechnology, biomedical ethics, and philosophy, history, and medicine.

    Regardless of where their interests take lie, we have courses designed to provoke ongoing discussion and learning. Above all, VSI will uniquely challenge and foster students’ abilities in a supportive and engaging environment.

    The Vanderbilt Summer Institutes course curricula is designed to meet the intellectual needs of advanced students.

    Vanderbilt Summer Institutes are:

    • Accelerated and unique, offering students the opportunity to explore areas of study not typically available elsewhere

    • Fast paced and rigorous with an emphasis on critical and creative thinking

    • Drawn from a broad range of disciplines in order to maximize the potential for interdisciplinary study

    • Rooted in the rich academic and cultural environment of Vanderbilt University and the surrounding Nashville community

    Vanderbilt Summer Institutes offers the opportunity to explore exciting new areas of study—in and out of the classroom. Many courses offer visits to campus libraries, laboratories, archives, and studios, not to mention occasional field trips to off-campus resources that Nashville provides. The innovative curricula allow the students to learn through hands-on activities, real-world scenarios, laboratory experiments, lively group discussions, and self-directed projects.

    With approximately six hours a day devoted to academic learning, VSI courses allow for a satisfying level of focus and depth. And while the course work can be exciting and intensive, outside of class, students will be able to fully enjoy the social and recreational activities Vanderbilt Summer Institutes has to offer.

  • International Students

    To apply to VSI, international students must complete all of the items on the How to Apply page as well as the steps below. All materials in the application and supporting documents must be submitted in English.

    Vanderbilt considers you an international student if you are a citizen of any nation other than the United States of America. You are not considered an international student if you are a dual U.S. citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident, refugee/asylee, or a U.S. citizen living abroad.

    English Language Proficiency Examinations

    VSI welcomes international applicants. Because of the fast-paced nature and use of specialized discipline-specific vocabulary of our courses, VSI is not a good fit for students who are not yet comfortable with reading, writing, and speaking in English. For this reason, demonstrated proficiency in English is required for applicants whose first language is not English. In addition to test scores or a portfolio application, students whose first language is not English should submit official results of the TOEFL, TOEFL Special Home Edition, IELTS, PTE Academic, or Duolingo English Test.

     Minimum recommended score
    TOEFL iBT100
    TOEFL Essentials10.5
    International English Language Testing System (IELTS)7.0
    Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)70
    Duolingo English Test (DET)130

    Vanderbilt does not require English language proficiency examination scores if you have completed three of your last four educational years in a majority English-speaking curriculum. The test requirement will also be waived if a student has scored a 26 on the ACT English section or above 630 on the SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing section.

    While English language proficiency scores are preferred, students without these scores may submit an English-language portfolio which should include a short description of past English language studies or speaking experience and a letter of recommendation from an English teacher. We may also request a phone or Skype interview at the discretion of the VSA admissions team.

    Please also note that any supporting documents in your application not originally in English must be accompanied by a certified translation.

    Financial Assistance/Payment Plans

    PTY is unable to offer financial assistance to international students.

    PTY also offers all families the option to set up a monthly payment plan for their student’s summer tuition. After receiving an admissions notification, families interested in setting up a payment plan can do so in their SchoolDoc account. More information will be provided in the admissions notification email.

    Payment plans allow families to pay equal installments each month leading up to the Payment Plan Tuition Deadline of June 1, 2026. Payment plan options are not available for those who receive an admissions notification after May 1, 2026. If on a payment plan, no refunds are provided for previously paid installments if a student requests a cancellation

    HEALTH INSURANCE

    All VSI students are required to have health insurance. Prior to attending VSI, you will be required to submit proof of health insurance. The parent is responsible for any out-of-pocket expenses that the insurance doesn’t cover. If desired, short-term health insurance is offered by many U.S. companies.

    VISA

    Most students come on a visitor or tourist visa since they are not students in a college program. We, however, suggest calling immigration for further information. VSI is unable to advise you regarding the type of visa you will need or to provide supporting letters other than the typical emails provided regarding program admissions.