Program dates: June 28 to July 24, 2026, on the Northwestern University campus in Evanston, IL.

Deadline: All materials must be received by 4 p.m. (U.S. Central Time Zone) on March 2, 2026. Letters to all applicants will be mailed on or before March 25, 2026.

Tuition: $5,000, including room and board.

Financial aid: The University has up to $100,000 in financial aid and scholarships available for 2026 students. Complete the financial-aid form if you are applying for financial aid or if you want to be considered for one of the named scholarships listed in the “about” link. Students who apply for financial aid automatically will be
considered for any of the named scholarships for which they qualify. (No need to complete the form if you are not applying for aid.)

Application: Here are the step-by-step instructions for submitting your application:

• Step 1:
  Download this “fillable” application form and enter the requested information. If you are applying for financial aid, also compete the financial-aid form. Save the completed form(s) as a pdf file on your computer.
  • Step 1a: If you are applying for financial aid, be ready to submit a copy of your parents’ 2025 federal income-tax return as a pdf file. If 2025 is not available, submit 2024. If you would rather submit the tax return on paper, send it to: Prof. Roger Boye, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, 1845
    Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60201.
• Step 2: Write an essay of between 200 and 225 words on why you would like to attend the Institute. Save it as a pdf file.
• Step 3: Prepare a list of your activities in the area of journalism and writing, including your experience in editing, reporting and writing news stories, editorials, and feature material (whether for the print, online or broadcast media). Save the list as a pdf file.
• Step 4: Submit up to three samples of your work in journalism. You can submit either links to the samples or you can submit a pdf of each sample.
• Step 5: Open this Financial Aid Application & Application for Admission 2026 form and follow the instructions for submitting the required items described above in steps 1 to 4.
• Step 6: Open this payment link to pay the program’s $55 application fee by credit or debit card. Please note: The application fee is nonrefundable.
• Step 7: Ask your school counselor to send the following items as email attachments to Prof. Roger Boye at r-boye@northwestern.edu
  • A transcript of your high school record including mid-year grades from current academic year;
  • Your grade-point average and, if available, class rank;
  • Standardized test scores, if available (PSAT, SAT, or ACT);
  • A school profile.

(If the counselor does not have access to test scores, you can send them by email attachment.)

Questions? Email Program Director Roger Boye at r-boye@northwestern.edu
or call at (847) 491-2069 (emails are much, much preferred).

Northwestern University does not discriminate or permit discrimination by any member of its community against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, marital status, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by law in matters of admissions, employment, housing or services or in the education programs or activities it operates.

Any alleged violation of this policy or questions regarding the law with respect to nondiscrimination should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, 1800 Sherman Avenue, Suite 4500, Evanston, IL 60201; 847-467-6165.