Summer Sessions

Application Information for Visiting Students

Find information on the application for visiting post-baccalaureate students and auditors below.

Information on the application for visiting undergraduates, high school students, and those who graduated high school in spring 2027 is available at https://summer.rice.edu/.

Rice University is pleased to offer the Summer Sessions. The summer program is an opportunity for currently enrolled Rice students and visiting students from other institutions (including rising high school juniors/seniors and recent high school graduates) to take college coursework for credit.

Courses will be available online and in person.

2027 Summer Blocks

The schedule of blocks can be found on the Summer 2027 Academic Calendar.

2027 Summer Course Schedule

The Summer 2027 course schedule is posted to Rice's Course Schedule. Any additions, changes, or cancellations to the schedule will be posted on this page as soon as we receive them. We encourage you to check the Course Schedule frequently.

2027 Summer Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fee rates for 2027 Summer Sessions are available on the Bursar's Office website. Billing and payment information can be viewed on the Bursar's Office website under Student Accounts.

Rice Undergraduate Summer Research or Internship Experience

Current Rice degree-seeking students may enroll in an organized summer undergraduate research or internship course for credit and not be charged tuition for up to 3 credit hours. For eligibility criteria, please see the following:

  • Students enrolled must be continuing, degree-seeking Rice students, and be enrolled at Rice for both the book-end Spring/Fall semesters of the summer research/internship year;
  • Some courses may require instructor approval, which will prevent students from registering for the course on ESTHER. Students will need to receive the instructor's approval for the course by completing an Undergraduate Special Registration (and Request for Registration Restriction Override) Form and returning it to the Office of the Registrar to process;
  • Departments must certify and submit standard letter grade credit;
  • The undergraduate research/internship course will have the same course number as the departmental academic year research course number; and
  • Credit hours are based on current hours for research/internship course credit:
    • 3 Credit Hour Course would require a minimum of 126 hours of research/internship experience
    • 2 Credit Hour Course would require a minimum of 84 hours of research/internship experience
    • 1 Credit Hour Course would require a minimum of 42 hours of research/internship experience
  • Research and internship courses that include international travel are not eligible for the waiver.

Financial Aid

Need-based financial aid will be available on a limited basis for undergraduate degree-seeking students who receive need-based aid during the academic year 2026-27. This will be a 50% discount on the Rice student tuition rate. The financial aid will be limited to two summers (up to 9 credit hours per summer) of Rice courses during an undergraduate student’s time at Rice and will not count toward the 8 semesters of need-based aid allowed by Rice’s financial aid policy. Financial aid requests for the summer term immediately following the student's eighth semester are limited to courses required for degree completion. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information by phone (713-348-4958) or email (fina@rice.edu).

Financial aid is not available for visiting students.

Enrollment Process for Rice Students

Currently enrolled Rice students should register online via ESTHER as per normal registration processes and procedures for courses they wish to register for. Please familiarize yourself with and adhere to all registration and payment deadlines as noted on the Summer 2027 Academic Calendar.

December 18, 2026: Summer 2027 registration opens in ESTHER

A Rice student who graduates in May 2027 is eligible to register for Summer 2027 courses as a Visiting Post Baccalaureate student only. Any credits earned for Summer 2027 are not eligible to be applied to a previously awarded degree. To register for Summer 2027 courses, these students should register themselves directly in ESTHER. If they are unable to do so due to their account being inactive, please email registrar@rice.edu.

Enrollment Process for Incoming Fall 2027 Rice Undergraduate Students

Only student-athletes and those enrolled in a formal pre-matriculation program at Rice (e.g., RESP, RISE) may take a summer class. All other undergraduate students must wait to enroll in the fall semester.

Students in the populations listed above should consult with their respective advisors for details on registration.

Enrollment Process for Non-Rice Students

All visiting students must follow the Enrollment Process for Non-Rice Students, as outlined below.

Please note that visiting students may not take courses on a pass/fail basis.

It is essential that visiting students be aware of and follow the deadlines listed on the Summer 2027 Academic Calendar. Course offerings are at the discretion of Rice and may be canceled at any time for any reason; should a class you wish to enroll in be canceled, we will assist you in finding a suitable alternative course.

December 18, 2026: Admission and registration process for (Summer 2027) visiting students officially opens (for visiting students, including visiting online and visiting high school students, to apply for Rice visiting student status). Registration is contingent on admission.

Visiting High School Students and Visiting Undergraduates (Including the 2027 High School Graduates)

  • Visiting high school students are high school juniors and seniors. These students can apply for visiting student status, enabling them to register for for-credit Rice courses during the summer semester. (If a student has completed high school before the course will start, the student should apply as a Visiting Undergraduate instead.)
  • Visiting undergraduates are students who are enrolled at another college or university and wish to register for for-credit Rice courses during the summer semester. (This population also includes students who have completed high school before the course will start.) Visiting undergraduates who wish to take courses during the fall/spring semesters should contact the Office of Admission.

Please see the Rice Summer Programs website for more information.

Visiting Post-Baccalaureate Students and Auditors

  • Visiting Post-Baccalaureate students are non-degree seeking students who have obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited college or university and wish to register for for-credit Rice courses. To apply as a Visiting Post-Baccalaureate, please follow the steps outlined here.
  • Visiting Auditors are non-credit seeking students who are interested in auditing a Rice course. Auditing students should identify themselves to the instructor and ensure that they meet the audit requirements of the courses as defined by the instructor. To apply as a Visiting Auditor, please follow the steps outlined here.

Please note the following application fees apply:

  • $75 for Visiting Post-Baccalaureate
  • $50 for Visiting Auditor

Admission to this program does not constitute admission to Rice University as a degree-seeking student.

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines for visiting students are posted on the Summer 2027 Academic Calendar. All application deadlines includes the receipt of all appropriate and required paperwork.

Where to Send Documentation (for Visiting Post-Baccalaureate and Auditors)

Mail ALL documents to this EXACT address:

Rice University Office of the Registrar, MS-57
Summer Sessions
6100 Main Street
Houston, TX 77005

You may also submit documents to visitingstudents@rice.edu or upload them using the Office of the Registrar's secure upload mechanism.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact ricesummeradvisor@rice.edu.

Information for Departments

Information for departments regarding administrative processes for Summer Sessions is available on the Summer Sessions information page for schools and departments.

Questions?

If you are a visiting post-baccalaureate or auditor, please contact the Office of the Registrar by phone (713-348-4999) or by email (visitingstudents@rice.edu).

If you are a visiting undergraduate or high school student, please contact Rice Summer Programs at ricesummeradvisor@rice.edu.