New Students

Application Process


Please check back in December 2024 for more information about the application for the Spring 2025 session.

If you have any questions please email stemacademy@jhuapl.edu.

The STEM Academy application is for NEW STUDENTS only. The application must be completed in a single session (meaning you cannot save a partially completed application and return to finish it later), so we want you to be prepared.

BEFORE YOU APPLY

1. Take a look at a preview of the application to avoid any surprises! Please note that there may be small changes or inconsistencies between the sample application and the actual application.

2. Review the course schedule to decide which class you would like to apply for (applying does not guarantee acceptance). New students may apply to take one course. Our course catalog provides more information about each course.

3. Prepare a 250-word paragraph that tells us about a project or accomplishment you are proud of. It does not have to be related to STEM. Be sure to include what you learned from your experience AND how you embodied our STEM Academy student code of conduct (GRIT: Good citizen, Resourceful, Innovative, Tenacious).. This paragraph must be written by the student applying.

Now you are ready to apply!

Complete and submit the online application.

After submitting your application, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know when you will hear back regarding the status of your application.

APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS

All applications will be reviewed after the application period closes. Students are not accepted on a rolling basis.

To maintain fairness, we follow a very strict selection process. The selection of applicants is based on their paragraph (250 words or less), previous and current participation in APL STEM programs, and participation in non-APL STEM programs. Student applications listing no previous STEM experience are weighted equally with those who have participated in non-APL STEM programs.

The five applicants with the highest total scores for each course will be selected for the course. The five applicants with the next highest scores will be placed on a waiting list until the first week of each session. The application process will end after the second week of each session. All students, regardless of acceptance, will be notified of their status via email at that time.

Because of the large volume of applications we receive, please do not call to check on the status of your application unless you have a specific issue.

ACCEPTANCE

Students accepted into a STEM Academy course will be notified via email. A PayPal invoice will also be sent via email to the primary parent email address listed on the application. If your adult does not receive the invoice within 24 hours, please check your junk mail or email us at stemacademy@jhuapl.edu.