Step Up to STEM
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM)
Program overview
Talented North Carolina students currently in 8th grade who are interested in STEM and communications; participants continue as rising 9th graders (Cohort 1) and may return as rising 10th graders (Cohort 2)
Eligibility
Must be a current North Carolina 8th grader. For campus-specific eligibility, must live in an eligible NC county for the selected campus (ECSU, NCSSM-Durham, or UNC Pembroke). · North Carolina resident; must live in one of the eligible NC counties for the selected campus (ECSU, NCSSM-Durham, or UNC Pembroke). See program page for county lists.
Key details
- Organization
- North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM)
- Type
- Summer residential STEM program with academic-year virtual enrichment
- Location
- North Carolina; campuses at ECSU, NCSSM-Durham, and UNC Pembroke
- Format
- remote
- Eligible grades
- 8th grade (applicants), 9th grade (Cohort 1), 10th grade (Cohort 2)
- Application deadline
- February 3, 2027
- Cost
- Free
- Time commitment
- Summer session (6 days depending on campus/cohort) plus virtual enrichment workshops during the academic year
- Application status
- Not yet open; applications for Summer 2027 open December 1, 2026
How to apply
Apply on the program's own site. Details here were read from that page and can change — confirm them there before applying.