Students can request letters by completing the STEM Recommendation Letter request form. Recommendation letters will be written from the STEM Director, with feedback from your instructor included in the letter.

For STEM Saturdays 2025-26, classes begin on October 18, and the entire program concludes on March 14. Check with each course, as the start and end dates vary.

For Summer STEM 2026, classes start Monday, July 6, 2026 and meet Monday - Thursday. In-person classes meet from 9 am to 3 pm.  In-person students arrive between 8:30 and 9 am and leave campus between 3 and 3:30 pm. Six-week classes start July 6, 2026. Three-week classes start July 6 and July 27, 2026.

In-person classes will meet at 41 Cooper Square in the East Village of Manhattan. The closest subway stops are the 6 at Astor Place and the R/W at 8th St/NYU. 

For our STEM Saturdays program, any student who is in the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade during the 2025-2026 school year may apply. Only students who reside in New York City or within its 5 boroughs are eligible for the STEM Saturdays program. However, students who have completed their 9th, 10th, or 11th grade and who are interested in applying to Summer STEM may live anywhere in the world! Lastly, students choose classes based on the grade they are in when they complete the application.

In-person classes are open to students who are able to commute to The Cooper Union campus at 41 Cooper Square, NYC. STEM Outreach does not sponsor visas for international students.

YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND OUR PROGRAMS FOR FREE IF YOUR HOUSEHOLD INCOME FALLS BELOW THE CURRENT NYC MEDIAN INCOME. PLEASE VERIFY IF YOU QUALIFY BY GOING TO: https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/area-median-income.page. Note that you must submit your most recent tax returns and/or evidence of income, in order to be considered for financial aid. 

The STEM Saturdays course fees for the 2025-26 academic year range from $2,000-$3,000/course.

For Summer STEM, we typically have both three-week and six-week classes. The fee for a six-week class will be published in mid-December. In 2025, the fee was $3,950.The fee for a three-week class will be published in mid-December.  In 2025, the fee was $1,950. Fees include all materials and access to software and technology. A fee waiver (partial or full) is available to those who qualify, but it is not guaranteed.

To apply, complete the financial aid form in the application. The financial form is submitted with the application and due on the same date. Preference is given to students from New York City Public Schools. You will be asked to provide your family federal tax forms. We prefer tax forms from 2025, but will accept 2024 if 2025 is not available. If you do not have tax forms, please email STEM Outreach at stem@cooper.edu. Note that you must submit your most recent tax returns and/or evidence of income, in order to be considered for financial aid. 

Low and moderate income families can apply for financial aid. Students whose family income is 100% of the New York Area Median Income or less can qualify for a full fee waiver.  Students whose family income is up to 120% of the 2025 New York Area Median Income or less can qualify for a partial or full fee waiver. Preference is given to students from New York City Public Schools. You or your parent's citizenship status does not affect your eligibility for a fee waiver. Note that not everyone who qualifies for financial aid will receive it, as we have limited spots for those eligible for financial aid. Note that you must submit your most recent tax returns and/or evidence of income, in order to be considered for financial aid. 

To apply, students complete an application, submit a high school transcript, engineer or sketch a prototype (more explained in the application) and write about it, and a letter of recommendation.  Go to https://connect.cooper.edu/portal/application-page-hs-options to start an application.

Go to https://connect.cooper.edu/portal/application-page-hs-options and start a Summer STEM application.  The Scholars application will be added to your Summer STEM application after you report your family income. 10th and 11th grade low- and moderate-income students are invited to apply to a 6-week Summer STEM class AND the Scholars program at the same time. The Cooper Next Scholars program is very competitive; however, if you are not selected, this doesn't impact your application to the Summer STEM program.

For Summer STEM, you must choose two classes. Selecting a first and second choice class increases the likelihood that a student will be accepted into their STEM class of choice.

Yes, recommendation letters will be needed for all STEM programs.  You can submit one recommendation letter. If you have a class grade that impacted your GPA or a gap in your high school transcript, we suggest requesting a letter from someone at your school who can address this issue. For more information on how to ensure you receive a great letter of recommendation, click here for some tips.

For STEM Saturdays, students will be emailed their acceptance letters at least 10 days prior to the start of the course.

Students will be emailed their acceptance letters to the Summer STEM program during the last week of April. This letter will include their class assignment, financial aid award, and Scholars information.  Students will need to complete their enrollment and pay the deposit (if required) to hold their spot in the class.

We do not permit students to change classes after a student accepts a class assignment. Changing classes prior to accepting a class assignment depends on the availability. Due to the limited number of spots in each class, we do not expect to be able to reassign students to a different class.  

No, our STEM programs do not provide housing.

A STEM class will have approximately 18-24 students. 

Yes!  Each session will have a final presentation on the last day of the program, from 1 pm to 4 pm. Students can invite guests to attend. More details will be shared during the program.

Yes, students can bring lunch to eat on campus or go off campus to purchase lunch.  There are many indoor and outdoor spaces on campus for students to eat lunch.

No, STEM students do not matriculate at The Cooper Union.  No credit is awarded for participating in any STEM classes. Students do receive a certificate of completion from The Cooper Union.  

An individual can not present or submit a team project to a fair or competition.  If a team wants to submit their project as a team, they should contact STEM@cooper.edu for instructions and support. 

Acceptance or rejection to The Cooper Union STEM programs do not affect entrance to The Cooper Union’s undergraduate program. However, your performance in our STEM programs is used as a factor in admission into the undergraduate program, if you apply.  Participating in our STEM programs provides evidence of a student's ability to do college-level work and demonstrates interest in The Cooper Union.  We encourage you to list your STEM class as an activity on your college applications.

The best way to reach us is by emailing stem@cooper.edu.