3/17/2020 Update
Letters informing students if their applications were forwarded to the state level have been mailed. The VDOE has not communicated changes to the acceptance timeline (letters from the state are mailed in early April) due to the closure of Virginia schools. Updates will be posted and students will be informed via the email of any changes.
Students interested in applying for the Summer 2021 programs should look for updates at the end of September or beginning or October 2020. Information meetings are held at each school; see your school point-of-contact for more information.
Virginia Summer Residential Governor's Schools are programs for current 10th and 11th grade students. The programs are sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education and draw students from across the Commonwealth. Each program lasts approximately one month and is held at a Virginia college/university. The programs are free for students (except for a nominal student activities fee that can be waived based on need). The following programs are available:
Held at Radford University, the Humanities program gives the students the opportunity to further their understanding of topics such as anthropology, economics, history, literature, media, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology. The program accepts approximately 200 students per year.
Visit the HGS site for more information.
The Agriculture program at Virginia Tech is ideal for students interested in biological sciences. Majors include Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Animal Science, Food Science, and Plant Science. The program accepts approximately 100 students per year.
Visit the AGS for more information.
Lynchburg College hosts the MST program, provides students with the opportunity to explore topics in anatomy and physiology, astronomy, computer programming, geology, hydrology, hypermedia, physics, and upper-level mathematics. Approximately 160 students are accepted each year.
Visit the MST site for more information.
Virginia Commonwealth University sponsors the MHS program, where students have the opportunity to explore topics in biology, chemistry, computer science applications, environmental science, forensics, medicine, and physics. This program only accepts 26 students each year. Students should only consider applying for this program if they have prior experience in working, volunteering, and/or studying in a medical setting. (Students who do not have this experience but are interested in medicine and health should consider applying for Agriculture to focus on biological sciences.)
Visit the MHS site for more information.
Students in the VPA program study alongside Humanities Students at Radford University. Students may audition for the program to study in the art areas of instrumental music (55-60 students), vocal music (20-25 students), visual art (45-50 students), dance (20-25 students), or theater (45-50 students).
Students will have their opportunity to expand their artistic skills and technical knowledge of their art form. Students applying for VPA must audition at a local PWCS audition in order to be considered for the state audition in January.
Visit the Radford VPA site.
The VIMS (Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences) mentorship program is hosted by Christopher Newport University. Students investigate coastal law, fisheries, marine resources management, and wetlands ecology. The program accepts 6 students per year. Students should have prior experience studying marine sciences outside of school curriculum and should be able to demonstrate use of a research design such as the one required by the Virginia Junior Academy of Science (VJAS) or the International Science and Engineering (ISEF) competitions.
Visit the VIMS site for more information.
The number of students accepted to each program are statewide. More information about the programs and the application process can be accessed through the links of the left of this page.