Find the answers to our most commonly asked questions below.

There are several ways in which students are selected to participate in the NSLC. Teachers, counselors, and NSLC alumni nominate outstanding high school students from across the United States and around the world. Candidates may also be selected from one of several national talent identification surveys, including the College Board Student Search Service and the ACT EOS.

Interested students who possess a strong academic record and have demonstrated leadership potential may also apply for admission to the NSLC on a merit basis.

Applications are considered on a rolling basis. As programs fill quickly each year, students are encouraged to apply for admission at online here to speed the application process and help ensure first choice of session.

COVID-19 vaccination and booster policies for Summer 2023 will vary by each individual partner university.

The only universities currently requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters for Summer 2023 are UCLA and Yale University.

All other NSLC locations are not requiring COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters.

UCLA will allow vaccine exemption requests to be submitted, though approval is not guaranteed. Yale University is currently not allowing any exemption requests.

Enrolled students and parents should refer to myNSLC throughout the spring to view the most up-to-date information related to campus COVID-19 policy. New information will be posted to your profile as we receive it from the university.

For a full description of our COVID safety policies, please visit our COVID updates page by clicking here.

Summer 2023 Cancellation Fees and Refund Policies

The following cancellation fees apply to payments made during 2022/2023 Academic Year.

If Student Cancels…Cancellation Fee
By April 1No cancellation fee. Full refund.
April 2 to 30-days before program start date50% of your program’s tuition.
All tuition paid up to 50% of the total tuition is non-refundable.
Within 30 days of program start date100% of tuition paid.
All tuition paid is non-refundable.

If you choose to cancel your enrollment, you have the following options:

Option 1: Cancellation

  • No refunds will be given within 30-days of the session start date.
  • Cancellation fees are based on the date of cancellation (see above chart.) The remaining funds paid during the current academic year will be refunded.
  • All cancellations must be submitted in writing (email is acceptable).
  • If a session is running, the Student Protection Plan fees for accepted students are non-refundable.

Option 2: Pre-Registration for 2024

  • Apply these funds toward Pre-Registration for 2024.
  • You will be given early access and choice of our 2024 dates and locations.
  • Students who transfer their deposit to Pre-Registration will lock in 2023 tuition rates for 2024. Any funds eligible for return in 2023 will remain refundable through February 1, 2024.
  • Student will be charged a cancellation fee each year they cancel. The fee will be deducted from the payments made during the corresponding academic year.
  • Note: if you are unable to attend next year, any cancellation fees paid in the previous year, remain non-refundable.

The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) is committed to providing our world-class summer enrichment programs in an environment that supports the health and well-being of all participants, while taking every appropriate action to prevent the spread of COVID.

With over 30 years of experience in providing summer programming, the NSLC is well-prepared to make the necessary adjustments to our programming to adhere to the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), our university partners, and local health authorities.

The NSLC successfully held its summer programs on-campus in 2021 and 2022. We will continue to monitor the situation related to COVID, along with the evolving public health guidelines and best practices related to hosting events and residential summer programs in 2023.

For a full description of our COVID safety policies, please visit our COVID updates page by clicking here.

Since 1989, The National Student Leadership Conference has been the premier provider of career-focused leadership conferences. Tens of thousands of high school students from across the globe have come to the NSLC for an unparalleled opportunity to meet with and learn from world leaders, academic experts and their peers. Each summer program helps students develop their own leadership potential while exploring some of today’s most exciting professions.

We encourage students who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership ability to apply to our academic summer leadership programs. Students must currently be enrolled in 6th-12th grade. Students may attend the NSLC through the summer following their high school graduation. A completed Grade Verification Form is required for students who did not receive an invitation.

NSLC is a truly unique experience. No matter which program you attend, you will gain essential leadership skills while learning about group dynamics, team building, goal setting, communication and conflict resolution. Additionally, you will gain a true insider’s perspective into a future career. You will also enjoy exclusive field trips, engaging academic activities and discussions with national and world leaders. College admission officers find participation in the NSLC and earning college credit while in high school of interest when evaluating applications. The NSLC experience is one that our students say they will “remember forever.”

While your invitation included a recommended application deadline, the NSLC operates on rolling admissions. We continue to evaluate applications as long as space is available. Because many of our sessions fill by late March, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to ensure your first choice of program and session.

At the NSLC each day is different and varies by specific conference, but each conference does include several components each day.

For example:

  • Classes/Topic lectures
  • Off campus briefings and tours
  • Guest speakers
  • Simulations
  • Relaxation/social event
  • Leadership exercises/workshops

Please take a look at the sample schedules for each program to see more specific examples of daily activities.

The safety of our participants is our first concern. Our Directors have decades of experience administering programs for students. The student to staff ratio is approximately 9 to 1. Our administrative staff, faculty and Team Advisors stay on campus with the students. Male and female students are housed in separate housing facilities and/or floors. During the day, students are with their groups and supervised by our trained Team Advisors; in the evenings they have mandatory floor checks by their assigned Resident Advisor who sleeps on the same floor.

High School Tuition

Program tuition includes housing, all on-campus meals, course materials, academic expenses, and activities. Tuition also includes chartered, air-conditioned motor coaches for off-campus briefings and tours. Note: Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the program as well as individual spending money for souvenirs, laundry, and a few off-campus meals during field trips and tours. Students will be held responsible for damage to rooms and lost room keys.

ProgramLengthTuition
Acting Intensive18 Days$6,995
Aerospace9 Days$3,795
Architecture9 Days$3,695
Biotechnology9 Days$3,895
Business & Entrepreneurship (Durham and San Francisco)9 Days$3,695
Business & Entrepreneurship (New Haven)9 Days$3,795
Cybersecurity9 Days$3,695
Data Science9 Days$3,695
Digital Arts & Design9 Days$3,895
Engineering (Baltimore, Durham, and San Francisco)9 Days$3,795
Engineering (New Haven)9 Days$3,895
Engineering Intensive18 Days$6,495
Environmental Science & Sustainability9 Days$3,695
Fashion Management9 Days$3,995
Film Intensive18 Days$6,495
Film Production & Scriptwriting9 Days$3,895
Forensic Science9 Days$3,995
Game Design9 Days$3,795
Intelligence & National Security6 Days$2,895
International Diplomacy9 Days$3,995*
Journalism9 Days$3,895
Law & Advocacy (Washington, D.C.)9 Days$3,795
Law & Advocacy (New Haven)9 Days$3,895
Law Intensive18 Days$6,495
Leadership & Service6 Days$2,895
Marine Biology9 Days$3,895
Medicine & Health Care (Chicago, Miami, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.)9 Days$3,795
Medicine & Health Care (Durham)9 Days$3,895
Medicine & Health Care (New Haven)9 Days$3,995
Medicine Intensive18 Days$6,495
Nursing9 Days$3,795
Political Action & Public Policy9 Days$3,695
Psychology & Neuroscience9 Days$3,895
Sports Management (Durham)9 Days$3,795
Sports Management (New York City)9 Days$3,945
Theater9 Days$3,995
Veterinary Medicine9 Days$3,895
*Students arrive in Washington, D.C. and then travel as a group to finish their program in New York. Group Transportation from D.C. to NYC is included in the tuition.

 

Middle School Tuition

Program tuition includes housing (if applicable), all on-campus meals, course materials, academic expenses, and activities. Tuition also includes chartered, air-conditioned motor coaches for off-campus briefings and tours. Note: Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the program as well as individual spending money for souvenirs, laundry, and a few off-campus meals during field trips and tours. Students will be held responsible for damage to rooms and lost room keys.

Residential Option: Residential students live on campus in a dormitory. This tuition includes room and on-campus meals. Students are housed with one or two roommates on a gender specific floor. The front desk of the dormitory is monitored 24-hours a day and NSLC staff live on the floor to provide supervision each night. A pillow, towel and bedsheets are included.

Commuter Option: Commuter students will check-in each morning between 7:00am-7:30am and check-out between 8:00pm-8:30pm each night. Commuter students are provided the same meals as residential students but the tuition rate does not include housing accommodations. Between 7:30am-8:00pm each day, we ask that students only be signed-out for medical or family emergencies.

ProgramLengthTuition
Residential6 Days$2,695
Commuter6 Days$2,295

Program tuition includes housing, all on-campus meals, course materials, academic expenses, and activities. Tuition also includes chartered, air-conditioned motor coaches for off-campus briefings and tours. Note: Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the program as well as individual spending money for souvenirs, laundry, and a few off-campus meals during fields trips and tours.

Students are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the conference. NSLC offers private shuttle service between a designated airport near each program and campus on the start and end dates of the program for a fee of $40-80 each way. Upon acceptance, you will receive instructions on how to sign up for the airport shuttle.

You will need to complete the Airport Transportation Request Form in time for us to arrange transportation. NSLC staff members will meet the students at baggage claim and then escort students directly to registration at the University or Conference Center via a private shuttle service.

Please note: Because of conference scheduling, students requesting transportation to/from the airport must arrive and depart within specific times. Please do not make travel arrangements before receiving your acceptance email.

In order to provide the best experience for each student, it is necessary to limit the number of participants in any given session. Once enrollment in a session reaches its capacity, students will be offered the opportunity to enroll on a waitlist. Each year, a small number of students will cancel prior to the start of a session. Once a cancellation is received, the NSLC will offer the space to a waitlisted student. Once offered a space, students will have 24 hours to confirm their enrollment before the space is offered to the next student on the waitlist. While the NSLC anticipates a few students will be offered spaces off the waitlist each year, there is no guarantee a space will become available.

It is not necessary to contact the NSLC Enrollment Office regarding your status on the Waitlist. If a space becomes available, the NSLC will contact you immediately. The NSLC highly recommends that students able to attend another session date that is open enroll in the open session to ensure their participation in the program.

In order to hold a space on the Waitlist, students must submit a deposit with their application. If a student is not eventually offered a space in the session, or is unable to attend the program when a space becomes available, the student’s deposit will be refunded in full.

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