Space Explorers Program

The Space Explorers Program is a free, multi-year science enrichment program run by the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics (KICP) at the University of Chicago, with the university's Office of Civic Engagement, in Chicago, Illinois, for Chicago public high school students. Participants meet and work with astronomers and physicists, interact with university faculty, staff, students and labs, and take on college-level math and science coursework. The program includes weekly laboratories taught on campus, an overnight residential science retreat on the UChicago campus, and field trips and visits to research labs. Participants also get free college and career readiness support throughout the year, including tutoring, college application advising, and college and career exploration workshops. About 30 students in grades 9 through 12 take part each year. The 2026 application deadline was February 22, 2026.

Students in grades 9 through 11 who attend a Chicago public high school, including charter schools, can apply. Applicants need a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a demonstrated interest in and commitment to STEM-related coursework and activities, and participants are selected based on that interest and commitment. The next admissions period is expected to be announced in fall 2026.