Back to Programs
PROMYS

PROMYS

PROMYS (Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists)

OpenScienceSTEMSummer Program

About the Program

PROMYS (Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists) is a six-week residential summer program at Boston University designed to encourage strongly motivated high school students to explore the creative world of mathematics in depth. Founded in 1989, the program admits approximately 80 high school students each year, including about 60 first-year participants and 20 returning students, alongside roughly 25 undergraduate counselors who mentor students in small groups of three to four. Number theory serves as the central framework for mathematical exploration, with returning students pursuing advanced seminars and original research projects. The program is guided by six faculty members, including three Boston University mathematics professors, and features guest lectures from professional mathematicians, academic scientists, and industry professionals. PROMYS is part of a broader family of programs that includes PROMYS Europe, PROMYS India, and PROMYS Italia.

The official student facts and application page, checked November 4, 2026, confirm June 27–August 7, 2027, a January application launch and an end-of-February 2027 application deadline with exact date TBD. Decisions are expected at the end of April 2027, also TBD. The application page still lists the historical February 27, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST cutoff; this is not a 2027 deadline. Its March 3 recommendation and March 15 aid references are undated within the older instructions, so no 2027 year is inferred.

The financial-aid page states the current full/partial need-based policy and free tuition, room and board for qualifying domestic families below USD 80,000 adjusted gross income; international aid is case-by-case. Its contribution table and USD 8,000 maximum charge are explicitly 2026, and a 2027 fee has not been verified. Current application guidance says Mehta fellowships for students in India are no longer available and directs those needing aid to PROMYS India; it continues to list Yongren fellowships and the aid page lists Breakout fellowships. No subsequent-cycle dates were verified.

Eligibility

PROMYS is designed for strongly motivated high school students who are passionate about mathematics. Students must not be enrolled as full-time college or university students. The program actively encourages applications from underrepresented groups in STEM, particularly female students and those from minority backgrounds. Use of AI tools or other internet answers on the application problem set is strictly prohibited. Must be at least 14 and no older than 18 years old by the program start date Must have completed at least 9th grade (or equivalent) by the program start date

Eligible Countries

citizenship, residency permanent, other residency: All countries Open to high school students worldwide. International students are eligible and may apply for financial aid on a case-by-case basis.

How to Apply

The 2027 application is scheduled to launch in January, with deadline at the end of February 2027; exact dates are TBD. Published application components are problem-set solutions, recommendation, transcript/report card and short-answer application. The linked page still includes 2026 specific deadline details and undated recommendation/aid dates; these do not confirm 2027 cutoffs.