Everything you need to know about applying, attending, and making the most of your Eagle Summer experience.
An overview of the Eagle Summer Pre-College Program at American University.
Eagle Summer is American University’s pre-college program for current high school students. Held on AU’s main campus in Washington, DC, the program gives students the opportunity to take college-level courses taught by American University faculty as they explore a future career and degree program.
Each course features a balance of presentations, lectures, guest speakers, and experiential hands-on learning — including field trips throughout the Washington, DC area.
Eagle Summer 2026 offers two 12-day residential sessions:
Each session includes a minimum of 10 academic class meetings, plus afternoon and evening programming.
Eagle Summer is held on American University’s main campus at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016. Students live, eat, study, and attend class entirely on campus, with scheduled field trips to institutions throughout Washington, DC.
We do not guarantee that attending Eagle Summer will affect your application to American University as a regular undergraduate student. However, participants are welcome to include their Eagle Summer experience when applying as an undergraduate, and the program demonstrates academic initiative and a genuine interest in AU.
All Eagle Summer courses are taught by American University faculty — the same professors who teach AU undergraduates and conduct research in their fields. Courses also feature guest speakers from government, industry, and nonprofit sectors throughout Washington, DC.
Find out who can apply and what requirements must be met to participate in Eagle Summer.
Eagle Summer is open to current high school students who will be entering grades 9–12 in the fall following the program. Students must meet the minimum age requirements for their selected session.
Yes, international students are encouraged to apply to Eagle Summer. International applicants must meet the following additional requirements:
Please contact us at info@eaglesummer.org for guidance on the international application process.
Some Eagle Summer courses may have prerequisites to ensure students are prepared for college-level content. Any prerequisites are course-specific and will be listed on individual course pages. During registration, you may be asked to confirm eligibility before completing enrollment.
Details on how to register, program fees, payment, and cancellation policies.
The Eagle Summer 2026 program fee is $5,995 per session. This covers:
Registration for Eagle Summer 2026 is available online. To register:
Registration operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged.
Yes. Payment can be made in full at the time of registration or divided into monthly installments up to 30 days before your session start date. Full program fees must be received before the session’s final payment deadline. Students with outstanding balances will be automatically dropped from the course. Attendance is not guaranteed until all tuition and fees are fully paid.
Yes. At the time of registration, applicants are required to pay a non-refundable enrollment deposit to secure their place in the program. This deposit is applied toward the total program fee. Please refer to the registration page for the current deposit amount.
The enrollment deposit is non-refundable. For cancellations made more than 30 days before the program start date, a partial refund of remaining fees may be available. Cancellations made within 30 days of the program start date are not eligible for refunds. Please contact info@eaglesummer.org for full details on our cancellation policy.
At this time, Eagle Summer does not offer financial aid or scholarship assistance. The program fee of $5,995 covers all tuition, housing, meals, course materials, guest speakers, and field trips. We encourage families to explore external scholarship opportunities through their school, community organizations, or private foundations that support educational enrichment programs.
For questions about payment plans or other financial considerations, please contact us at info@eaglesummer.org.
Information about Eagle Summer courses, curriculum, and academic credit.
Eagle Summer offers courses across four of American University’s schools and colleges:
Not all courses are offered in both sessions. Please review the session-specific course listings before registering.
While Eagle Summer courses are non-credit programs, students have the opportunity to enroll in an online college credit option that complements their experience on campus.
The in-person courses are designed to give high school students a college-level academic experience and to help students explore potential degree programs and career paths — not to generate transferable college credit. Participants will receive a certificate of completion upon finishing the program.
To receive college credit, students must add on the online college credit option to complete once they return home.
Each 12-day session includes a minimum of 10 intensive academic days. The daily schedule is structured around two key blocks:
Field trips to Washington, DC institutions are scheduled throughout each session and are integrated into course content.
Each session is built around one core course. The intensive 12-day format is designed to give students a deep, immersive experience in a single subject area. Students interested in multiple disciplines are encouraged to consider enrolling in both Session I and Session II, which offer different course selections.
What to expect when living on American University’s campus during Eagle Summer.
All Eagle Summer participants live in on-campus residence halls at American University’s main campus in Washington, DC. Housing is included in the program fee. Students are supervised by Residential Advisors (RAs) throughout the program.
Incoming Eagle Summer students are matched with roommates based on information provided during the registration process, including gender, age and zip code.
Yes. All meals during the program are included in the $5,995 program fee. Students with food allergies or specific dietary needs should indicate this during registration so that AU Dining can make appropriate accommodations. Students will be asked to bring funds for 2-3 meals eaten off campus while on field trips.
Eagle Summer’s afternoon and evening programming is designed for holistic development beyond classroom learning. Activities may include:
Students will receive a detailed schedule at registration day.
Yes. All students are supervised by trained Residential Advisors (RAs) throughout the program, including evenings and weekends. Each RA group consists of 16–20 students. RAs serve as students’ primary resource for day-to-day questions, concerns, and support during their stay on campus.
What to know about getting to and from American University for Eagle Summer.
Students should plan to arrive on the first day of their session and depart on the final day. Specific arrival and departure times, along with check-in locations, will be sent to registered students via email approximately two to three weeks before the program begins.
American University is easily accessible from all three major Washington, DC area airports (Reagan National, Dulles International, and BWI). The campus is also served directly by the Washington Metro (Red Line, Tenleytown-AU station). Detailed directions and transportation options will be included in your pre-arrival information packet.
Eagle Summer Pre-College will run shuttles to/from Reagan National Airport (DCA) only. Summer staff will be station in baggage claim and escort students to/from campus on a chartered bus. Students may purchase a shuttle on their student portal once they are accepted into the program.
A detailed packing list will be sent to all registered students before the program begins. In general, students should bring:
After registering, students will receive emails with information about required forms, including:
All required forms must be completed by the specified deadlines to participate in the program.
Important policies that apply to all Eagle Summer participants.
All Eagle Summer participants are expected to abide by American University’s student conduct policies and the specific rules outlined in the Eagle Summer program agreement. This includes respectful behavior toward peers, faculty, staff, and AU property, as well as compliance with all curfews and residential guidelines.
Students who violate program policies may be dismissed from the program without refund, and parents or guardians will be notified immediately.
Students are permitted to bring and use personal devices (phones, laptops, tablets) during Eagle Summer for academic work and personal communication with family. Device use during class time is at the discretion of the course instructor. All students must follow AU’s acceptable use policies when connecting to the campus network.
All students must submit a completed health and medical form prior to arriving on campus. In the case of a medical emergency, students will be transported to the nearest appropriate medical facility and parents or guardians will be notified immediately.
Off-campus movement is restricted to program-sanctioned field trips and excursions, which are supervised by Eagle Summer staff. Independent off-campus travel is not permitted without explicit written permission from a parent or guardian and approval from program administrators. Student safety is our highest priority throughout the program.
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Special Note:
As part of our commitment to excellence, non-academic components of Eagle Summer Pre-College, including residential life and student/parent communication, are managed by EngageU, a third-party organization with over 30 years of experience running experiential pre-college programs such as the National Student Leadership Conference.