The Princeton Summer Journalism Program

The Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP) is a free, year-long journalism and college preparation program at Princeton University for high school juniors from limited-income backgrounds. Students apply during junior year and participate from the summer after junior year through the end of senior year. The summer portion is a hybrid intensive running from late June through early August. It begins with virtual classes, online workshops and lectures, and weekly reading and reporting assignments, then ends with a residential stay on Princeton's campus. During senior year, each student works one-on-one with a personal college adviser. Every part of the program is required. Students pay nothing; PSJP covers housing, meals and travel for the in-person portion and does not accept payment from families. The program selects 40 students a year. It does not guarantee Princeton admission or give scholarships.

Students must be full-time high school juniors with a permanent U.S. address who plan to attend college in the U.S., hold at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA, and have an interest in journalism. They must also meet one financial condition: family income of $65,000 or less, eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch, or eligibility for an SAT or ACT fee waiver. Students on B, F, J or M visas and those living abroad are not eligible. First-generation college students receive priority, and applicants outside the GPA or income limits may explain their circumstances. The application for the 2027-2028 program opens in mid-November 2026, with three rounds running from November through May.