You’ve never seen the University of Alberta like this before. 

It’s time to get away and experience a Top 5 university in Canada. Your adventure will include transportation, accommodations, and a whirlwind weekend of exciting events. 

Join us in Alberta’s capital city, Edmonton - Canada’s largest, northernmost metropolis. Here you’ll discover our breathtaking North Campus, nestled atop Edmonton’s lush river valley and just steps away from the iconic Whyte Avenue district.

You’ll have the chance to stay in residence, check out state-of-the-art facilities, learn about our 200+ programs, uncover hidden gems on campus, and experience UAlberta student life. We’ll also show you around our beautiful city!

Don’t miss your chance to get away to the U of A! 20 Grade 11 students will be selected for this unique experience. 

Applications close January 31, 2025.

Event Details

Who: Open to Grade 11 students throughout Canada

When: May 9 - 11, 2025

Where: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta

Event Schedule

Stay tuned - full schedule details will be shared with our lucky guests closer to the event!

Future Guests

We’re looking for well-rounded high school students from across Canada who want to experience the University of Alberta first-hand. Successful applicants will be contacted in Spring 2025.

Reimbursement Details

Participants will be reimbursed 100% of their travel up to a maximum dollar amount per region as reflected below. Region reimbursement is based on average travel prices to Edmonton.

Please find more detail here U of A Getaway | Undergraduate Admissions & Programs (ualberta.ca) 

Shad is for grade 10 and 11 students who want to live on a university campus, dive into hands-on STEAM and entrepreneurship learning, tackle a real-world problem, and make strides in their confidence, teamwork, and critical thinking skills. 

Shad2025 Details

Shad2025 has two program experiences: ShadOnCampus (live-in) and ShadAnywhere (digital). The ShadOnCampus (live-in) program also has Shad Unplugged and Shad A+ program options.

You are welcome to apply for one or all programs that you are interested in.

EXPERIENCES

Please complete a minimum of three sections and provide up to three examples in each section.

• Involvement with Groups or Communities

• Artistic Interests (including group or individual)

• Athletic Interests (including group or individual)

• Certifications/Scholarships/Awards/Other Recognitions

• Work Experiences (Paid / Unpaid / Volunteer)

• Family/Community Responsibilities

• Other areas of interest that aren’t covered in the above sections

ESSAY QUESTIONS

Please share more about you. Each essay should have a minimum of 100 words and maximum of 250 words:

1. Pick a subject (hobby, interest, project or activity) that means a lot to you and describe the impact it has personally had on you and/or others.

2. Tell us about a time you failed or struggled at something, or a time you overcame adversity. How did this experience help you grow as a person?

3. Tell us about a time you taught yourself something new. What did you teach yourself and what was your motivation? How did you go about your learning?

4. Every day we come across problems begging for a solution. Think about a time when you, or a community you are a part of, recognized a problem. Then, think about the initiative you took to create a meaningful solution. Identify the problem and who was most impacted by this issue & tell us how you went about solving the problem.

REFERENCE

Applicants are required to submit the name and email address for a Reference. Once submitted, that Reference contact receives an email from Shad Canada which includes a link to an online reference form. The Reference completes and submits directly to Shad Canada. References are confidential.

Share your name, address, contact and demographic information. This is important for communication and for any financial support requests.

When is it? Sunday, June 29 – Friday, July 25 2025

Where is it? Live-in experience at 20 campuses across Canada

Who can apply? Canadian Grade 10 and 11 students

How much will it cost? Learn about Shad’s program fee, financial assistance, and more

More questions? Check out our FAQ for participants and team members

Shad2025 applications close on December 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Shad Canada 

The Future Global Leaders program is designed for high school students ages 15-18. Try an academic course taught by UBC professors and affiliated instructors, get a taste of life at a top university, and prepare for your future beyond high school. Make friends from around the world as you explore your interests and passions.

Our two-week on-campus programs run in July and August. They feature academic courses and mini schools taught by UBC professors and affiliated instructors at a first-year university level – but without the exams!  

Get to know other students as you learn together in small classes and enjoy social and recreational activities on the beautiful UBC campus. Choose to live in a student residence on campus or commute daily to UBC Vancouver.  

Join us to find out more about summer 2025 at our information session, Saturday January 14th, 5-6pm Pacific Time 

Registration opens February 4, 2025

• Session 1: July 7-18, 2025

• Session 2: July 21 - August 1, 2025

• Session 3: August 4 - 15, 2025

Find a full list of the courses offered and more information on their website HERE.

McGill Summer Academy (MSA) is back for 2025! Applications are open until Mar 1, 2025.

MSA – Session 1: July 6-19, 2025

MSA – Session 2: July 20- Aug 2, 2025

Pathways to Neuro and Health Sciences

Through a series of lectures, case studies, simulations, experiments, and debates, we will explore the complex structure and function of the human nervous system. We will outline some of the stories of McGill scientists that led to major breakthroughs in understanding the brain.

Brain development will be traced to examine how the nervous system develops from a single cell. We will contrast how the neonatal brain differs from an adult brain and how it continues to change as we get older.

Students will then survey different systems in the brain that encode and process sensory information to help us feel and understand our world. After this survey, we will illustrate how the brain creates a motor response that allows us to move and speak.

Understanding Migration, Global Citizenship and Diasporic Resistance

This course delves into the multifaceted phenomenon of global migration. Students will explore historical, social, economic, and political debates using a cosmopolitan lens to critically interrogate key concepts and approaches to the study of migration. 

Students will engage in critical discussions, analyze case studies, and explore different perspectives to develop a comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding migration. Key topics will include: the causes and consequences of migration, the role of states and international organizations in shaping migration policies, and constructing human rights from below.  

A significant aspect of the course will be a citizens’ assembly simulation which encourages students to collaborate and participate in the democratic process in constructing the parameters for their learning about migration. The assembly will allow students to build and demonstrate skills such as critical reading, presentation and public opinion polling through a dynamic, team-based environment. Students will learn the philosophy of cosmopolitanism, a worldview that emphasizes global citizenship and interconnectedness. 

By engaging real-world complexities that shape migration policies, this course addresses the challenges faced by migrants, the impact of migration on national culture and diasporic identities, and the debates surrounding acculturation in so-called host societies. Overall, this course will emphasize the importance of empathy, accountability, and solidarity that is necessary to foster inclusive societies. 

What is Explore?

Explore is an intensive French-immersion program that is offered during the spring and summer. If you are interested in learning or improving French and travelling to a new part of Canada, then Explore might be the perfect program for you.

Explore Students aged 13 to 15. Application deadline: Feb 5, 2025

• Summer sessions available

• Program length is 19 to 21 days

• Stay on campus or with a local host family

• Make new friends from across Canada while experiencing another part of the country

• Peers will be matched by language proficiency

Key reasons why people love to Explore

• Learning French

• Experiencing francophone culture and way of life

• Connecting with others from across Canada and making friends

• Traveling to another part of the country

• Opportunities to continue learning French in a professional context with the Languages at Work program.

Exploring language and culture through social and travel experiences has never been this rewarding. For some, it’s life-changing!

Please check the website for more details regarding this program.

Explore – Official Languages Programs (englishfrench.ca) 

The HYP program is an opportunity to experience a slice of life in King’s Foundation Year Program (FYP), Canada’s pre-eminent great books program.

FYP students spend their first year of university on a chronological odyssey through the ages, from ancient civilizations to the modern era, reading the works that have shaped our world. Students grapple directly with primary texts from ancient epics and religious texts to the most seminal works of philosophy, literature, and politics, as well as tracing developments in art, music, architecture, and science. Students build a comprehensive cultural map by becoming acquainted with the traditions of thought that have helped set our present horizons.

For nine days in July, high school students are invited to experience what it would be like to be part of such a program, immersed in a world of big ideas, with peers from across Canada who are passionate about the same things. Each year, the HYP program will pick up on a thread in the FYP curriculum such as love, truth, beauty, power, or justice, and will include a workshop from King’s other undergraduate specialization journalism.

Just like FYP students, HYP students either live in residence or participate as day students, eat together in Prince Hall, attend morning lectures by a cast of experts on the subject matter, and participate in small group discussions to deepen understanding. In the afternoons and evenings students take part in co-curricular workshops and activities and visit local sites. For students coming from outside the region, it’s a chance to see what their life in Halifax could be like and build confidence about going away to university. The group is led by an academic and a team of upper year King’s students.

Humanities for Young People (HYP) is a residential summer program for bright and highly-motivated students from ages 15 to 17. It takes place at the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for one week each summer. Secondary school students from across the country will have the unique opportunity to work closely with scholars from a variety of disciplines. 

Program will take place July 6–14. Students depart July 14.

Residence Student Fee: $1550
Day Student Fee: $600

The $1400 residence student fee includes accommodation, meals, academic activities and materials, field trips, and evening events.

For local students, the $500 day student model includes all the above except accommodation and breakfast (day students eat lunch and dinner with the whole cohort).

Bursaries for financial need are available. Please contact us at hyp@ukings.ca for more information.

Spark Lab Program

York University’s Spark Lab Programs are week-long sessions designed for students in grades 9 to 12 who want more “hands-on” science. Using experiment-based learning, students explore physics, biology and chemistry through lab work. Escape the traditional classroom and learn science by doing science.

The Spark Lab Program does not require an application to attend. Registration can be completed online, and a residence option is also available.

For more information and to register, please visit: Spark Lab Summer Program (Grade 9-12) - Science Engagement Programs (yorku.ca) 

Helix Summer Science Institute invites students who are genuinely excited about science, technology, engineering and mathematics to apply. Accepting applications from across Canada and the world. We provide a series of week-long, non-credit, and intensive courses in advanced and interdisciplinary science topics. A residence option is available.

August 5–8, 2025 | Ivey Business School

In today’s rapidly evolving world, business is more than just an economic driver—it is a catalyst for innovation, leadership, and meaningful change. From addressing global challenges like sustainability and technological disruption to shaping the future of work, today’s leaders must think critically, adapt quickly, and drive impact. The John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program (SLP) is designed to equip the next generation of leaders with the skills and mindset needed to succeed in this dynamic landscape.

SLP is a four-day immersive experience for high school students passionate about business, leadership, and innovation. Hosted at the Ivey Business School at Western University, the program challenges students to develop leadership skills, engage in case-based learning, and tackle real-world business challenges alongside like-minded peers.

Program Overview

• Location: Ivey Business School, Western University

• Dates: August 5–8, 2025

• Overnight Experience: Students stay in Western University’s residence halls for three nights, experiencing campus life firsthand.

• Who Should Apply: High school students currently in grades 9 to 11, interested in leadership, business, and innovation.

What to Expect

Students will gain hands-on experience through case-based learning, interactive workshops, and team-based problem-solving. The program covers key topics such as entrepreneurship, global leadership, sustainability, and artificial intelligence, providing a well-rounded perspective on the evolving world of business. Students will also collaborate on a capstone project, applying their insights to a real-world challenge and presenting their solutions to industry professionals. Beyond academics, participants will stay in residence, engage in team-building activities, and connect with peers from across the world.

Why Attend?

• Learn from Ivey’s world-class faculty and industry experts

• Develop leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills

• Gain real-world business experience through case studies and interactive sessions

• Build connections with like-minded students and future business leaders

• Experience university life at Western University

• Strengthen your university applications and career readiness

Join us for an unforgettable experience and take the next step toward your future as a leader in business and beyond.

Application Details

Ready to take the next step in your leadership journey? The John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program offers high school students an unparalleled opportunity to develop critical business and leadership skills.

Application Requirements

We are seeking motivated, passionate, and dedicated students currently in grades 9-11, eager to embrace the challenges of a fast-evolving business world. Applicants will be evaluated based on:

• Leadership & Extracurricular Involvement – Active participation in extracurricular activities, showcasing your ability to lead and make an impact in your community or school.

• Statement of Interest – An opportunity to share why you're passionate about leadership, business, and innovation, and how you hope to apply what you learn at SLP.

Program Fee

There is a $350 participant fee to attend the program, which covers the cost of your accommodation, meals, and program materials. Financial assistance may be available; please contact us for more details if needed.

How to Apply

To apply, click the link below to submit your application. In the application, you will be asked to provide:

• Details about your extracurricular activities

• A statement of interest outlining your passion for leadership, business, and innovation

The application deadline is Monday, June 16th at 11:59 PM (EST).

Apply