Students can request letters by completing the STEM Recommendation Letter request form. Recommendation letters will be written from Summer STEM with feedback from your instructor included in the letter.

Classes start Monday, July 7, 2025 and  meet Monday - Thursday. In person classes meet from 9 am to 3 pm.  In person students arrive between 8:30 and 9 am and leave campus between 3 and 3:30 pm. Six week classes start July 7, 2025. Three week classes start July 7 and July 28, 2025.

In person classes will meet at 41 Cooper Square in the East Village of Manhattan. The closest subway stops are the 6 at Astor Place and the R/W at 8th St/NYU. 

Any student that is in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grade during the 2024-2025 school year may apply. Students choose classes based on the grade they are when they complete the application.

In person classes are open to students able to commute to The Cooper Union campus at 41 Cooper Square, NYC.  STEM Outreach does not sponsor visas for international students.

The fee for a six week class is $3950. The fee for a three week class is $1950.  Fees includes all materials and access to software and technology. Financial aid is available. 

To apply, complete the financial aid form in the application. The financial aid form is submitted with the application and due on the same date. Preference is given to students from New York City Public Schools. You will be asked to provide family federal tax forms. We prefer tax forms from 2024 but will accept 2023 if 2024 is not available.  If you do not have tax forms, please email STEM Outreach at stem@cooper.edu.

Low and moderate income families can apply for financial aid. Students whose family income is 100% of the New York Area Median Income or less can qualify for a full fee waiver.  Students whose family income is up to 120% of the 2024 New York Area Median Income or less can qualify for a partial or full fee waiver. For example, a family of four with a household income between $46,590 - $124,240 is eligible for full financial aid, while a family of four with a household income between $124,241-$155,300 is eligible for partial financial aid. Preference is given to students from New York City Public Schools. You or your parent's citizenship status does not affect your eligibility for a fee waiver.

To apply, students complete the Summer STEM Application, submit a high school transcript, engineer or sketch a prototype (more explained in the application), and write about it, and a letter of recommendation.  Go to https://connect.cooper.edu/portal/application-page-hs-options  to start an application.

Go to https://connect.cooper.edu/portal/application-page-hs-options and start a Summer STEM application.  The Scholars application will be added to your Summer STEM application after you report your family income. 10th and 11th grade low- and moderate-income students are invited to apply to a 6-week Summer STEM class AND the Scholars program at the same time. The Cooper Next Scholars program is very competitive; however, if you are not selected, this doesn't impact your application to the Summer STEM program.

Selecting a first and second choice class increases the likelihood that a student will be accepted into Summer STEM.

Yes, recommendation letters will be needed for Summer STEM 2025.  You can submit one recommendation letter.  If you have a class grade that impacted your GPA or a gap in your high school transcript, we suggest requesting a letter from someone at your school who can address this issue.

Students will be emailed their acceptance letters on April 24. This letter will include their class assignment, financial aid award, and Scholars information.  Students will need to complete their enrollment and pay the deposit (if required) to hold their spot in the class.

We do not permit students to change classes after a student accepts a class assignment. Changing classes prior to accepting a class assignment depends on the availability. Due to the limited number of spots in each class, we do not expect to be able to reassign students to a different class.  

No, Summer STEM does not provide housing.

A Summer STEM class will have 18-22 students. 

Yes!  Each session will have a final presentation on the last day of the program from 1 to 4 pm. Students can invite guests to attend. More details will be shared during the program.

Yes, students can bring lunch to eat on campus or go off campus to purchase lunch.  There are many indoor and outdoor spaces on campus for students to eat lunch.

Students are expected to arrive by 9:00 am and attend every class.  

Students may not schedule family vacations, another class, sports practices, or other activities during class time.

If a student is sick, they must notify the STEM Outreach office before class starts, preferably the evening prior to class. 

Students who miss more than two days may be unenrolled.  In these cases, qualifying students may be offered a place in the summer 2026 program.

STEM Outreach strongly recommends that students are up-to-date on all the vaccines required for their age including their Tetanus vaccination for all students attending classes at 41 Cooper Square.  All staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Summer STEM students and guests will no longer need to show proof of a vaccination against COVID-19. Students or staff that test positive for COVID-19 are required to inform The Cooper Union and isolate for 5 days, as advised by the CDC, before returning to class.

To maintain a safe environment at The Cooper Union, all students agree to follow The Cooper Union Code of Conduct for precollege students. A copy was included in the application. Students also agree to follow all STEM Outreach and university policies, rules for research laboratories. and work with the staff to create a safe, welcoming, and fun program for all. Additional information about health and safety measures will be sent to all accepted students and families.

No, Summer STEM students do not matriculate at The Cooper Union.  No credit is awarded for participating in Summer STEM classes. Students do receive a certificate of completion from The Cooper Union. Financial aid is available.

An individual can not present or submit a team project to a fair or competition.  If a team wants to submit their project as a team, they should contact STEM@cooper.edu for instructions and support. 

Acceptance or rejection to The Cooper Union Summer STEM Program does not affect entrance to The Cooper Union’s undergraduate program. However, your performance in Summer STEM is used as a factor in admission into the undergraduate program if you apply.  Participating in Summer STEM provides evidence of a student's ability to do college-level work and demonstrates interest in The Cooper Union.  We encourage you to list your Summer STEM class as an activity on your college applications.

The best way to reach us is by emailing stem@cooper.edu.