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Carnegie Mellon Summer: Pre-College Computational Biology
Overview
A 4-week residential or commuter program integrating laboratory biology with computer science and coding. Students explore metagenomics, DNA sequence alignment, genome assembly, and machine learning through hands-on computational biology research.
At a glance
Deadline
Feb 181 days
Sessions
Jun4 wk sessions
Formats
Residential / Commuter
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Cost
$7,000+from $10,750
Entering grades
9th, 10th, 11th
Acceptance
Holistic review; competitive admissions. Most admitted students are juniors, though sophomores are encouraged to apply.
Application requirements
Academic Average
B (3.0/4.0) or better
Minimum Age
16 years old by June 20, 2026
Application Form
Online application required
Transcript
Unofficial transcript
Test Scores
Optional: PSAT, SAT, ACT, or SAT Subject Tests
Letter of Recommendation
One letter required
Essays
Two essays (300–500 words each): (1) What you hope to gain from Pre-College Programs, (2) Why interested in Computational Biology
Preparatory Materials
Completion of foundational coding preparatory materials from Programming for Lovers required before program begins
Equipment
Must bring own laptop computer
Cost & sessions
Residential: $10,750; Commuter: $8,041. Application fee $50 (non-refundable), enrollment deposit $800 (non-refundable, or $100 for scholarship recipients). Includes tuition, housing (residential), dining, CMU ID Card with Arts Pass, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit.
Financial aid
Full scholarships available for students demonstrating financial need. Scholarship applications must be submitted by Early Deadline (February 1). International students are not eligible for scholarship consideration. Students receiving scholarships pay $100 enrollment deposit instead of $800.
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