UW Academy
The UW Academy is the premier early university entrance program for high school students in Washington State. A small cohort of up to thirty-five academically advanced and highly motivated students are admitted to the UW Academy each year. Students apply to the UW Academy during their 10th grade year, and if accepted, withdraw from high school at the end of 10th grade to enroll as freshmen at the University of Washington. The UW Academy is not a Running Start program. Academy students may not be enrolled simultaneously at high school and at the UW, and Academy students do not earn a high school diploma. This has not hindered Academy students in securing internships or jobs during university nor in gaining admission to graduate or professional schools after graduation.
“The UW Academy provides a unique gateway into one of the nation’s premier research universities. For
Washington’s brightest young scholars, it is an opportunity not to be missed.”- Mark Emmert, President, University of Washington
The UW Honors Program
UW Academy students are directly admitted into the UW Honors Program, which offers the personalization of a small liberal arts college in a midst of a major research university. Students in the Honors Program fulfill their UW general education
requirements through the Honors core curriculum and complete Departmental Honors. The Honors core curriculum is interdisciplinary, flexible, and incorporates an international perspective in addition to emphasizing critical problem solving, energetic discussion, and demanding reading and writing.
Academy Students’ First Year
Students enter the UW Academy through the Bridge Program, which is designed to ease the transition from 10th grade to university. Bridge begins with Academy Camp, an overnight adventure in mid September where students meet one another, older Academy students, and UW Academy staff. In the week following camp, students attend workshops on college student survival skills and tips for success led by Academy staff and students. Bridge continues into Fall Quarter with two required Academy courses: a weekly seminar designed specially for Academy students and an English composition course
that is linked to the seminar. The goal of the Academy courses is to provide students with a common experience and an opportunity to bond as a group while also helping them to develop college-level writing, reading, and discussion skills. Academy classes are taught by professors who love teaching young, bright students and who work closely with Academy staff to understand students’ special needs and requirements. In addition to the Academy courses, students enroll in general UW courses and Honors Program courses beginning their first quarter at the UW. During Winter Quarter, students are encouraged to take a seminar instructed by the Robinson Center’s Academic Counselor where they explore majors, meet departmental advisors, and learn about campus resource centers and opportunities, including undergraduate research and foreign study. Academy students also have regular required advising appointments with the Robinson Center’s Academic Counselor during their first and second years at the UW. Social programming is offered to encourage community both within the first year cohort and among cohorts.
Admission to the UW Academy
Admission to the UW Academy is competitive. We are looking for students who love to learn, who actively seek out academic challenges, and who have the personal motivation to succeed at university two years early. Selection for the program is based on standardized test scores (ACT with Writing exam or SAT Reasoning Test), high school grades, required essays, and teacher recommendations. There is no minimum high school GPA or ACT score required to apply to the UW Academy. Admitted students tend to have excellent test scores and grades. For the incoming class of 2008, the average ACT composite score was 31 (range of 26-35) and the average GPA was 3.96 (range of 3.73-4.0). Students planning on applying to the UW Academy should take the ACT with Writing exam or the SAT Reasoning Test in the fall or winter of 10th grade. Applications are typically available in October and due in March. Offers of admission are made in early May. Apply Now
Fees
Academy students pay regular UW tuition and fees directly to the University. Financial aid is available, but students should complete a FAFSA by mid-February to be eligible for the maximum amount of financial aid. Academy applicants are automatically considered for a handful of merit-based scholarships offered by the UW Honors Program.
Questions
Academy staff are available to answer your questions about the program. Please contact us at email hidden; JavaScript is required or 206.543.4160.
Upcoming Information Nights & Visit Days for Prospective Students
Are you curious about the UW Academy? Join us for an Information Session to learn more about the program and the admissions process, and to hear from current Academy students about what it is really like to come to college early. Information Sessions will be held on November 9 and January 11 at 7 PM in Johnson Hall Room 102.
Applicants and their parents may also join us for a Visit Day this winter. Visit Days begin at 9:30 AM in the Honors Program Suite (Mary Gates Hall Room 211). Following a conversation and Q&A with Academy and Honors staff, visitors will tour the Honors Program, Robinson Center, and select parts of campus with a recently graduated Academy student. The day ends with visitors sitting in on a session of a UW lecture course. Visit Days conclude at 12:30 -1:30 PM, depending on the end time of the lecture. Visit Days will be held on Jan. 20, Feb. 3, Feb 17, and March 3. RSVP for a Visit Day by emailing email hidden; JavaScript is required. Space is limited, and priority will be given to current grade 10 students.