Application/Acceptance Letters

Applications are open now!

For questions, please contact the Project Manager – Email: hillman.academy@pitt.edu | Office #: ‪412-624-5904

Information Sessions

We will host webinars to go over information about the program and application. Click the date to register.

Webinar 1 – January 8th

Webinar 2 – TBD

Both webinars cover the same information. 

Eligibility

We accept applications from all high school students, but preference is given to rising juniors and seniors. Applicants must be in good academic standing. No applicant is guaranteed admission to The UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Academy.

Applicants must be at least 15 years of age or older at the start of the program on June 16th, 2025, to qualify for admission to computational sites: CompBio, COSBBI and Surgery sites. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age or older to qualify for placement in the CB, TDX, Pathobiology, ICI, VISION, or WCRC sites.

We no longer offer housing, free or paid, to the program. Out-of-region students and families will have to find and provide their own housing. In the past, students have stayed with local family members or arranged for local short-term housing. The CoSBBI site, which has in-person, hybrid, and remote projects, is an alternative for students who may not be able to make it to campus daily.

Participation in the program is free. We do offer stipends to qualified students to participate in the program if from an underrepresented in Biomedicine background. More information can be found HERE.

The Hillman Academy holds its scholars to a high level of integrity. We expect scholars to act as honest, cooperative, and hard-working colleagues who are open to new ideas and challenges.

Those who are accepted into The Hillman Academy must agree to do the following:

• Honor the academic and ethical standards set forth by The University of Pittsburgh.
• Attend the full seven- or eight-week program (June 16th – August 1st). Absences will not be excused unless written notification is submitted to and approved by program management prior to June 1, 2025, or in the case of medical/family emergencies. Attendance for the first and last weeks of the program is mandatory. Scholars will be excused for Juneteenth and July 4th.
• Report promptly to daily activities and events. The Hillman Academy is a full-time program, and we expect that students will spend 30-35 hours per week doing research. If accepted students should not have other classes, jobs, or other programs that interfere with this research. 
• Understand that The Hillman Academy may at any time dismiss a scholar whose conduct jeopardizes the community or is otherwise unacceptable.

Students who are accepted into an in-person program may need to obtain and provide proof of vaccination in accordance with University, Hospital, or Lab policies. 

Application Deadline and Materials

The application for the Hillman Academy will open in November and close in February.

Applicants will be required to:

• Fill out an application form online
• Write two short essays
• Get recommendations from at least one (max: two) reference(s)
• Submit a resume
• Submit an unofficial or official high school transcript
• Parent or Guardians contact information and digital signature

PDF files are the preferred format for submitting documents. Instructions on how to save docs as a .pdf can be found HERE. A pdf converter can be found HERE.

Specific instructions are on the application.

Program Dates

Dates of the Application: December 2024 – February 16th, 2025 

Tentative Dates of Program: June 16 – August 1, 2025

Resume Examples

Don’t have a resume yet? Or do you want to update your old one? Check out these helpful links on creating a high school resume.

• Sample Resume for High School Students
• High School Resume Examples and Writing Tips
• Example Student-Teen Resume

References

As part of your application, we ask for at least one reference from people who can reflect on your academic and professional capabilities – especially in the area of science. Teachers and guidance counselors are good examples of people who can provide such references.

As a courtesy, you should always seek permission from your desired references to include them in your application before you submit your application. This way, they will know to expect correspondence from The Hillman Academy asking them to speak on your behalf. Furthermore, you should always follow up with your references once your application is submitted to ensure that they receive all the necessary materials and may submit them by the deadline. (NOTE: References will be sent an email to submit their recommendation. This email can be blocked, so please tell them to check their Spam folder if they do not receive the email.)