The Latin American Phoenix Scholars program brings together top high school students studying across Latin America. This opportunity gives students an early taste of an exceptional college experience.
Top junior year students currently attending high school in Latin America are invited to apply for an opportunity to participate in a week-long enrichment program featuring interdisciplinary classes with leading faculty, tours of UChicago’s cutting-edge research facilities, and college application workshops. Students will also be exposed to the kinds of opportunities available in a large urban center for academic work and professional development through activities that showcase the city of Chicago. In the past, students have been able to attend improv shows, watch baseball games, ride on architecture boat tours, and eat at some of Chicago's most notable restaurants.
Program Contact: All questions should be directed to Giácomo Ramos at giacomor@uchicago.edu.
Application Requirements
Eligibility: Students who attend high school in Latin America, are currently in their junior year of high school, and are at least 15 years old at the time of the program, are invited to apply. Students in Brazil are eligible to apply if they are currently in their third year of high school, and will not graduate by Summer 2023. Brazilian students should still select “11th grade” as their current level of education.
Applications will be accepted online beginning January 3, 2023. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2023. All application decisions for this program will be released at the same time in mid-April. There is no application fee to apply.
Applicants must complete the Summer Session Application and all related requirements, which can be reviewed in the How To Apply section.
Application materials include:
- Online application
- Transcript (official or unofficial)
- Supplement & essays
- At least one teacher recommendation
- At least one parent confirmation email received
- Counselor nomination (see below)
Applicants will be asked to respond to the following essay questions in the application:
- Why did you choose the particular program/courses for which you have applied? How are they related to your current interests and future plans? Please be as specific as possible, and make sure your response covers each of the courses you elected. (Limit: 500 words)
- “Since its founding, the University has been committed to the idea that a culture of rigorous inquiry requires an environment where diverse perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas inform and stimulate intellectual exchange, challenge, and engagement.” -UChicago Office of the Provost. How does your perspective, experience or background contribute to this culture of inquiry in this program? What do you hope to gain or learn by engaging with peers from all over the U.S. or from different parts of the world? (Limit: 300 words)
Review the Application Overview pages for more detailed information.
In addition to the Summer Session application, applicants should seek a nomination from their current high school counselor as part of the application process. Nomination forms should be completed by the counselor. Any questions should be directed to Giácomo Ramos at giacomor@uchicago.edu.
English Proficiency Requirements
The University of Chicago Summer Session only admits students who have demonstrated a superior level of English language competency. Admission to this program is highly competitive. UChicago does not offer an ESL program for summer students. All students participating in this program are expected to be fluent in academic English, and there is no ESL support provided as part of this program.
- Applicants are invited to submit scores from any English proficiency examination they believe represents their English language ability. Applicants who choose to submit English proficiency scores may share either official or self-reported scores. Any applicant who provides self-reported scores may be required to submit official score reports if they are admitted and choose to enroll in the program.
- If an applicant feels as though mastery of the English language is already represented throughout the application, then they are not required to submit formal exam scores for this particular program. For the application, if you do not have any test scores to report, then please enter 555 for the section that requests Duolingo test scores and today’s date under "Test Scores" in order to submit the application.
Tuition & Fees
Costs for the program, inclusive of tuition, room, and board, are completely covered. If you require financial assistance to cover roundtrip travel, please complete the financial aid application, which is part of the Summer Session Application.
Course Dates
July 9 – July 14
First session: July 10
Final session: July 14
Arrive on-campus: July 9
Closing session and move-out: July 14