Apply to UVA Advance

To be eligible for the program, a student must be in good academic standing with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.5 in a college prep curriculum and be a rising high school junior or senior in the summer of 2025 (students must be at least 15 years of age by the first day of the program and no more than 18 years of age by the last day of the program). 

We look for applicants with strong academic abilities, effective communication skills, demonstrable maturity and independence, and who bring a range of experiences, backgrounds, and interests to the program cohort. 

Applications for Summer 2025 have closed. Applications for summer 2026 will open in early winter.

Applications for Summer 2025 have closed. Applications for summer 2026 will open in early winter.

The following materials must be submitted to be considered for admission to UVA Advance:

1. Online application 
2. High school transcript - unofficial transcript(s) from all high schools attended*
3. One letter of recommendation completed by high school teacher or administrator 
4. Short essay, 350-500 words, responding to ONE of the following prompts:

Write about a time you failed at something. What was it? Why do you think you failed? How did you respond to failure?

Write about a situation or event that caused you to think of yourself as a "young adult" rather than as a child or adolescent. What was the event, and how did you handle it? How did the situation and your response impact you?

*For rising juniors applying before first-semester grades for sophomore year are available, please be prepared to provide an updated transcript before admission. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

• English is the language of instruction at the University of Virginia. If your first language is not English and the language of instruction at your home institution is not English, you will be asked to enter your most recent TOEFL or IELTS scores as part of the online application form. At the discretion of UVA Advance, a phone or video interview with the program director may be required.
• Admitted international applicants who do not already hold a U.S. visa status that allows full-time enrollment will need to qualify for F-1 or J-1 status prior to enrollment. Admitted international applicants who accept their offer of admission will be prompted to submit a New Student Request through the International Studies Office. Permanent Residents are required to submit a copy of their green card and confirmation of lawful presence form through their application status page.