How to Get Into the Research Science Institute (RSI): 2027 Deadline, Selectivity, and the New Stanford Site
By Rona Aydin
What is the Research Science Institute (RSI)?
RSI is a cost-free summer program in science and engineering run by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE), a federally and privately funded nonprofit. Each summer, 100 high school students gather at MIT. In 2027 CEE is expanding RSI to Stanford for 50 more students (Center for Excellence in Education). Students spend one week in intensive STEM classes, then five weeks on an individual research project with a mentor, and finish by writing a paper and presenting at the RSI Symposium. CEE covers all educational, housing and dining costs.
| Detail | RSI 2027 |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) |
| Sites | MIT (100 students); Stanford (50 students, new in 2027) |
| Selectivity | Fewer than 2.5% of applicants |
| Applications | More than 2,500 US and 600 international each year |
| Eligibility | High school juniors who are 16 by July 1; seniors are not eligible |
| Cost | Free; $75 application fee, with waivers for financial need |
| Deadline | December 11, 2026, 11:59 pm; no late applications |
| Decisions | March 2027, all at once |
| Recommended scores | PSAT Math 740+ and EBRW 700+; ACT Math 33+ and verbal 34+ |
When is the RSI 2027 application deadline?
Applications for RSI 2027 close at 11:59 pm on December 11, 2026, and CEE says no late applications will be considered (Apply to RSI). Decisions go out to every applicant at the same time in March; there is no rolling admission. CEE advises submitting a few days early, because the deadline does not move for any reason, and recommenders and the school official who uploads the transcript also need time to finish their parts.
International students apply through their own country’s selection process where a sponsor takes part, so they should contact RSI to find out whether their country is participating and what its schedule is.
How selective is RSI?
CEE says RSI receives more than 2,500 applications from US students and 600 from international students each year and accepts fewer than 2.5% of applicants (RSI Application FAQs). CEE has not said how the 50 Stanford places will change that figure for 2027. Selection is holistic: CEE looks for superior achievement in mathematics, the sciences and verbal arts, leadership in science and math, and a record of competitions, coursework or research, and it reads each applicant in the context of the opportunities available to them.
In the view of Oriel Admissions, families should treat RSI as one reach program among several, not as the plan. The students it admits usually have years of serious STEM work behind them, and a strong applicant who is not chosen still has that work to show colleges.
What does the RSI application require?
US citizens and permanent residents apply directly to CEE; schools do not nominate or select students. A complete application includes:
- Essay responses about the student’s goals in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
- Recommendations from math or science teachers, or from a research supervisor if the student worked on a project of four weeks or more; CEE accepts up to three letters.
- The official high school transcript.
- All standardized test scores, including PSAT, SAT, ACT and AP. CEE strongly encourages applicants to take the PSAT.
- A list of honors and awards, and the $75 application fee or a fee waiver.
Prior research helps but is not required: CEE says about 10% of RSI students have no research experience. It also says students whose research interests are “purely aspirational” are less likely to be selected, so an applicant without a project should show real grounding in a field through courses, reading or independent work (RSI Application FAQs).
What happens during the RSI program?
RSI begins with a week of STEM classes taught by professors. For the next five weeks each student works on an individual project under a mentor who is a professor, scientist or researcher, matched to the interests in the application. Students cannot bring their own project or continue an earlier one. The program ends with a written research paper and a presentation at the RSI Symposium.
At MIT, about a dozen students each summer work on mathematics projects with graduate student mentors from the MIT Mathematics Department, which has taken part in RSI since 1993 (MIT Mathematics). After the summer, CEE says the RSI Director writes college recommendation letters for all RSI students, and alumni join a network of more than 3,000.
How should a junior prepare before December 11?
With the deadline weeks away, the most useful steps are concrete. Confirm recommenders now and give each one specific examples of work they saw. Gather every test score, since CEE asks for all of them. Write the essays about a specific problem, paper or project the student has worked on, and show the work rather than describing a love of science; CEE gives that same advice. In the experience of Oriel Admissions, the essays that stand out explain what the student tried, what went wrong and what they learned, in plain language a scientist outside the field can follow.
Students with a deep interest in mathematics can also apply to PROMYS or SUMaC, and students drawn to laboratory research can apply to the Summer Science Program, the Simons Summer Research Program or the Clark Scholars Program. Our guide to the most prestigious summer programs for high school students compares all of them, with every 2027 deadline.
How does RSI compare with other top summer research programs?
| Program | Published size or selectivity | Cost | 2027 deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI | Fewer than 2.5% of applicants; 150 places in 2027 | Free | December 11, 2026 |
| PROMYS | About 80 students; no rate published | Free under $80,000 family income; at most $8,000 (2026) | End of February 2027 |
| Summer Science Program (SSP) | About 700 admitted in 2026; no rate published | Free at $75,000 income or less; $11,800 full fee (2026) | Domestic deadline expected February 2027 |
| SUMaC | 40 residential and 64 online students (2026) | $8,950 residential (2026); need-based aid | Not yet posted |
| Simons Summer Research Program | 60 of 1,864 applicants in 2026 (3.2%, by our calculation) | No tuition | February 5, 2027 |
| Clark Scholars Program | 12 scholars; no rate published | No program fees; $750 stipend | February 15, 2027 |
Families weighing the top tier can also see our guides to MITES, MIT’s free summer STEM program for juniors, and the Ross Mathematics Program.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Research Science Institute (RSI)
The Center for Excellence in Education says RSI receives more than 2,500 US applications and 600 international applications each year and accepts fewer than 2.5% of applicants. CEE has not said how the 50 new Stanford places will change that figure for 2027.
Applications for RSI 2027 close at 11:59 pm on December 11, 2026. CEE does not consider late applications for any reason, and decisions are released to all applicants in March 2027.
Yes. CEE is expanding RSI to Stanford for 50 students in 2027, alongside the 100 students who attend at MIT each summer.
Yes. RSI is cost-free for all participants, with educational, housing and dining expenses covered. The application fee is $75, and CEE may waive it for students with financial need.
No. RSI is for students with one year of high school remaining, so students apply in the middle of junior year. Seniors are not eligible, and applicants must be 16 by July 1 of the program year.
No. CEE says prior research helps but is not required, and about 10% of RSI students have none. Applicants without research should show real grounding in a field through courses, reading or independent work.
CEE recommends PSAT Math scores of 740 or higher and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores of 700 or higher, or ACT math scores of at least 33 and verbal scores of at least 34. Lower scores can be offset by strong recommendations, grades and science activities.
CEE says the RSI Director writes college recommendation letters for all RSI students, and the research paper gives readers concrete work to evaluate. Oriel Admissions advises treating RSI as one reach program among several, since admission to RSI does not guarantee admission to any college.
Sources: Center for Excellence in Education (Research Science Institute), Apply to RSI, RSI Application FAQs, MIT Mathematics Department (RSI). Comparison table: official program sites. All read October 26, 2026.
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a Princeton-based college admissions consulting firm advising families nationwide on elite university admissions strategy. Our team brings deep expertise across every dimension of the application, and our distinctive 360 approach develops strategy, positioning, activities, essays, and interviews as one coherent whole. To discuss your family’s admissions strategy, schedule a consultation.
