Stanford Summer Humanities Institute

Stanford Summer Humanities Institute is a three-week residential program where rising high school juniors and seniors explore the big questions at the heart of the humanities in seminars led by Stanford professors.

Become a Humanities Scholar

Grow as a scholar, writer, and global citizen this summer. Stanford Summer Humanities Institute empowers participants to gain a better sense of the world through exploring the humanities. Participants will engage with the breadth of topics within the humanities from politics to literature to philosophy.

Live in a vibrant, intellectual community on Stanford University’s campus for three weeks.

Stanford Faculty

Stanford professors lead all of the courses with Stanford Ph.D. graduate students, sharing their expertise and passions with participants.

Passionate Peers

Study alongside fellow participants interested in better understanding contemporary society and global history.

Unique Courses

Participants will be admitted to one of the courses they ranked in their application. These courses will offer in-depth exploration of the stated topic. Course topics range from Ancient Rome to the repatriation of museum-held artifacts, and more.

Discover Academic Freedom

Explore the humanities at a college level, investigate philosophical questions, and pursue exciting personal research topics.

Application Now Closed

Our application for the 2026 Stanford Summer Humanities Institute is now closed. To learn about future opportunities, join our mailing list.

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2026 Program Dates

Courses will be offered across two sessions. Each session runs for three weeks, with courses meeting Monday through Friday. Students participate in field trips and organized activities on the weekends. Participants will only be admitted to one course.

Session One

June 21, 2026 - July 10, 2026

The afternoon of Sunday, June 21, 2026 is the required move-in day and the morning of Friday, July 10, 2026 is the required move-out day. We cannot accommodate alternative move-in or move-out dates.

*Note: Due to the immersive nature of this program and limited duration of the program, class will meet as scheduled on July 4, 2026 during Session I.

Session Two

July 12, 2026 - July 31, 2026

The afternoon of Sunday, July 12, 2026 is the required move-in day and the morning of Friday, July 31, 2026 is the required move-out day. We cannot accommodate alternative move-in or move-out dates.

Attendance Policy

Participants must be fully involved in the program and should be present for all program activities. Students are required to arrive on designated arrival dates and times and remain until the end of the program. All activities, including co-curricular programming, are designed to provide participants with a well-rounded experience inside and outside of the classroom. Participants should only miss scheduled activities for health reasons, religious observances, or family emergencies. Due to the immersive nature of SHI, concurrent enrollment in other programs is not possible.

The Humanities Thrive at Stanford

Impactful Topics

Stanford faculty and staff talk about the impact of the humanities for high school students.

The goal of the Stanford Summer Humanities Institute is to bring together high school students who are particularly interested in the humanities so that they can experience what a humanities class and what humanities research is like at a strong research university.

Professor Dan Edelstein

French Department, Stanford University

Program Highlights

Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies (SPCS) inspires students from around the world to explore academically rigorous learning opportunities through online and residential enrichment programs. Committed to Stanford University’s ideals of academic excellence, SPCS fosters inclusive and accessible communities that enhance learning for the next generation of global citizens.