Everything students and families ask us.

Our in-person program is for high school students in Grade 11. Grade 10 and 12 students are welcome to apply and go on a waitlist. The application is completed online through our website. Can’t apply online? Contact us and we’ll work out another way.

The application requires a short essay (up to 400 words) responding to one of three prompts, a letter of recommendation from a teacher or someone at your school, and the signed Parent / Guardian Consent form (PDF). All three can be uploaded with the online application.

Our program is for you to gain new experiences and learn something new and exciting. You are smart enough, and you can do anything you set your mind to.

You will work closely with a university mentor and their team. They will get to know you, show you their work, and support you as you learn — in a new environment, with new equipment and resources. You will meet new people, make new friendships, and do some really cool things.

You can do this.

This is a valid concern, but we wouldn’t let it stop you from applying. You will know if you are accepted months before the trip, giving you plenty of time to inform your teachers and get your homework done.

There will also be downtime during the week to study and work on homework. Some of the other students may be working on the same material — you could even work together.

Applications close January 31, 2027, and decisions go out in February — months before the program, so you have plenty of time to tell your teachers and plan around exams.

When you apply, you tell us which weeks between May and August you can’t make. We then match you to a week and a research project that fit your interests. Students are placed at the campus best matched to their research interest, not the one nearest home — so the more weeks you’re free, the better your chance of a great match.

Thanks to our sponsors, donors, and fundraising efforts, students accepted into the VJKF Program are granted VJKF Program Scholarships. These scholarships cover the cost of travel, accommodation, meals, and attending the program along with campus activities.

The only costs not included are optional purchases — things from the university gift store or airport, or snacks outside of meal times.

For each program, students are met on arrival by someone from the VJKF team. The number of students at each program ranges from 10 to 30, and larger programs have more supervisors.

Our team takes student safety very seriously. That said, because this program is designed to show life as a university student, we will not have a direct eye on students 24/7. Students are responsible for arriving at breakfast, class, and dinner on time, and are required to travel in their group pair to and from classes. It can be arranged for a graduate student or mentor to accompany a student to and from their classes.

Yes. Students must be back and in their room by 10:00 PM each night.

You will receive a packet with information on the week as well as rules and expectations. The on-site coordinator will review all rules and expectations again at the beginning of the program week.

If arriving by plane, you and your student will have spoken with a member of our team throughout the application and travel accommodation process.

Our team documents a travel itinerary which includes pick-up and drop-off protocol. You and your student will know in advance who will be meeting your student at the airport, and they will carry a VJKF marker so the student knows who to look for.

Typically our group stays in university residence halls, on the same floor in the same area. Most residence halls will not actively be housing university students during our program.

There can be instances where other groups are at the university and staying in residence as well, and they can range across age groups. It’s likely we won’t be the only group staying in the residence hall.

Yes, the university will be open during the VJKF Program. It will not be as busy as during the fall and winter semesters, which run from September to April.

Yes — we want this process to go as smoothly as possible. Email info@vjkf.org to set up a meeting with our Program Director.