Frequently Asked Questions

SLAI will be taking place solely in person, on Carleton’s campus, for the summer of 2025. We look forward to welcoming Summer Carls to live and learn on campus during the 3 weeks of the institute (July 12 – August 1, 2025).

Visit the Summer at Carleton page for more information about life on campus, and check out our programs for 2025

All incoming participants, students, faculty, and staff are strongly recommended to get vaccinated for COVID-19. This vaccination will no longer be required for SLAI participants.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will be expected to inform SLAI professional staff of their illness and follow CDC guidance on isolation and masking.

We will continue to follow COVID-mitigation protocols.

Please reach out to our office at summer@carleton.edu with any questions about our COVID policies for the summer.

Though both the Summer Liberal Arts Institute and the Carleton Liberal Arts Experience are summer programs for high school students, there are some key differences. Both programs are immersive, residential programs that focus on the liberal arts and each requires their own application to be considered for admission. When you apply, double check that you are applying to the correct program!

For 2024, there will be two rounds of applications. The first round deadline is February 3rd, and our second round deadline is March 3rd.

View the requirements for your application type to make sure you have submitted all necessary documents before the deadline.

Admission decisions will be sent through email approximately 1 month after the application deadline. Our review process is lengthy, as we have faculty and SLAI staff thoroughly review each application. After review, all decisions are made by an admissions committee. We appreciate your patience as we collect documents and review applications.

Our pre-college programs are built for motivated and high-achieving students. We are selective in our application process, as students are reviewed by Carleton faculty and staff before their application is discussed by the admission committee. Some programs are more competitive than others, so please reach out to our office at summer@carleton.edu if you have questions about a specific program.

View our Costs page for further details and to view our cancellation policy. Scholarships are available for students with financial need.

Yes! SLAI prioritizes the elimination of social and financial barriers that can impact access to high quality educational opportunities. Therefore, applicants with financial need are strongly encouraged to apply for scholarship support. If you question your eligibility for a need-based scholarship, please contact our office at summer@carleton.edu.

The program courses will keep students challenged and busy to emulate a college academic experience. Students should expect to have homework each night of the program on top of class and research during the day. If this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry! We have teaching assistants and dedicated faculty to help you.

Each faculty member has different work expectations, so it is difficult to say the total amount of work that will be assigned. However, successful completion of the 3 week program awards the student 6 Carleton credits, a fact the faculty take very seriously when considering their projects and assignments.

Students applying for the Humanities program can identify their research preferences within the application. Upon acceptance and confirmation of attendance, students in the Computer Science program will be able to fill out a research preference form. While we aim to put every student in their first choice, we cannot guarantee placement in your first choice.

Along with housing, meals, and laundry, all program activities and field trips are included in the cost of tuition to level the playing field for students. Students still often bring extra spending money for small trips to downtown Northfield or for shopping during free time. If spending money is out of reach for you, we encourage you to reach out to SLAI staff at summer@carleton.edu, and we will help arrange a solution.