Application

The application for the 2023 Hillman Academy is CLOSED! We are currently reviewing applications and will have decisions made and communicated by the middle of April

We are operating with the assumption that we will be in person for the summer of 2023. Based on circumstances and polices surrounding COVID-19 or other issues we will adjust the program as needed.

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

Information Sessions

We will be hosting 2 webinars to go over information about the program and application. Click the links to view.

Both webinars cover the same information, there is no need to attend or view both.

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 20th, 2023, to qualify for admission to CompBio, COSBBI and SURGERY sites. Applicants must be at least 16 years of age or older to qualify for placement in the CB, TDX, ICI, OPT, or WCRC sites.

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 7 or 8-week program (June 20th – August 4th). Absences will not be excused unless written notification is submitted to and approved by program management prior to June 1, 2023 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 the 4th of July.
Report promptly to daily activities and events. The Hillman Academy is a fulltime program and we expect that students will spend 30-40 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.

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 two references
Submit a resume
Submit a 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, 2022 – February 12th, 2023

Dates of Program: tentative dates, June 20 – August 4, 2023

Move in for residence hall students (if available): June 18, 2023

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.

References

As part of your application, we ask for two references 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 received 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.)

Apply Now