Applicants must:

• Be 15–19 years old and have completed their sophomore year of high school by the program start date (July 6, 2026).
• Reside in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area for commuting.
  • If a student lives outside of the DC Metropolitan Area and is interested in participating in the program, the following requirements must be met:
    • For students under 18 years old:
      Students may attend if their parent(s)/guardian(s) attest that temporary housing and a supervising adult will be arranged for all times the student is not on campus.
    • For students 18 or 19 years old:
      Students may attend and are responsible for managing their own housing arrangements.
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Demonstrate academic readiness and personal maturity.

How to Apply:

The following materials will be required to apply to the program:

• Completed Cornell Brooks DC Summer Policy Institute application
• Resume (including achievements, extracurriculars, or prior pre-college coursework)
• School transcript(s)
• One letter of recommendation (principal, counselor, advisor, mentor, or teacher)
• A 500-word essay answering the writing prompt: Tell us about your background, interests, and how participating in the Cornell Summer Policy Institute would advance your goals. 

Apply for the Cornell Brooks DC Summer Policy Institute 

For questions or additional information, please email us at brookssummer@cornell.edu

• Participants who apply by April 30, 2026, will benefit from a discounted program tuition and fees of $5,300.
• Starting May 1, 2026, program tuition and fees will total $5,800.
• A non-refundable $500 deposit is due to secure a spot.

Apply for the Cornell Brooks DC Summer Policy Institute here 

Instructor: Sean Nicholson

Credits: Two college credit hours

Cornell Course Roster: PUBPOL 1350

U.S. Health Care Markets and Policy is a two-week intensive Cornell Brooks D.C. Summer Institute course designed for rising high school juniors and seniors who want to understand how the U.S. health care system really works.

Who pays for health care, and who decides what it costs? How are prescription drug prices determined? How do new medical technologies improve care, and at what price? In this course, students explore the complex marketplace behind American health care and the policies that shape it.

Students begin by examining the role medical care plays in improving health, along with the costs and benefits of innovations such as prescription drugs, medical devices, and new surgical techniques. The course then takes a closer look at the major players in the system—from patients, employers, and taxpayers to private insurers and public programs like Medicare and Medicaid; from hospitals and physicians to pharmaceutical and medical device companies—and how their incentives and decisions intersect.

Throughout the course, students develop tools for analyzing real-world health policy challenges, including expanding insurance coverage, controlling rising health care costs, improving quality of care, and understanding emerging applications of artificial intelligence in health care. Ideal for students interested in public policy, medicine, economics, or data-driven decision-making, this course offers a practical introduction to one of the most important policy issues facing the United States today.

Example Off-site Experiences: 

• Guided Tour of Children’s National Hospital
• Health Policy Trip to Capitol Hill with guest speakers

Instructors: Thomas E. Garrett and Marian Vidaurri

Credits: Two college credit hours

Cornell Course Roster: PUBPOL 1300

Democracy Policy in the World is a two-week intensive Cornell Brooks D.C. Summer Institute course designed for rising high school juniors and seniors who want to understand how democracy operates on the global stage.

How do democratic systems across different countries work with one another? What happens when democratic principles collide with power politics, global inequality, and political polarization? In this course, students explore the ideas, norms, institutions, and real-world challenges that shape democracy policy in today’s international system.

Students are introduced to foundational theories of democracy and examine how those ideas influence diplomacy and international policymaking. Through case studies and discussion, they analyze a world in transition, where rules-based international cooperation increasingly competes with power-based approaches, and where polarization exists both within countries and across regions.

The course emphasizes active engagement. Students build practical skills for analyzing policy issues, understanding diplomatic processes, and thinking critically about how democratic values can be supported around the world. Designed as a rigorous global citizenship training experience, this course encourages students to see themselves as informed, engaged participants in democratic life and prepares them to continue exploring democracy and international policy in their future studies and careers.

Example Off-Site Experiences:

• Class trip to the Inter-American Development Bank/World Bank
• Class trip to a Latin America/Caribbean embassy for a briefing on multilateralism 
• Class trip to Organization of American States Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression