The Summer Institute for the Gifted, now run as the Institute for the Gifted by Summer Discovery (Musiker Discovery Programs), offers academic summer sessions for gifted and talented students in grades 1 through 12 on university campuses including Yale, Cornell, UCLA, Bryn Mawr and Fairfield. Its proprietary STEAM+ curriculum combines science, technology, engineering, maths, arts, humanities, fitness and recreation with social and cultural activities, taught in same-grade groupings at 8:1 (elementary and middle) to 10:1 (high school) student-to-staff ratios. Sessions are offered as residential, commuter or day, with full-day and half-day options at select campuses; lunch is provided on all campuses. Admission requires proof of eligibility, such as 95th-percentile test scores or documented gifted-program participation.
The practical details
We list only what the camp itself publishes, and programs change — dates, prices, ages and availability can all move after we check. Confirm the details on the camp’s own website and contact Summer Institute for the Gifted directly before you register or pay. Last checked August 2026.
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Google Reviews
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★Lucy GhazviniPay to play- worst program ever. No supervision and a dangerous place to send your children. Don't send them to Dartmouth campus.
★★Zijian JinI went to the Summer Institute for the Gifted this year at Yale, and I would not recommend it. The residential councilors, teachers, and other faculty were extremely nice, as well as the students. However, that is the only thing good about this camp. Even though the teachers are nice, you can learn everything from a short tutorial online for free, instead of paying $9000. Furthermore, you are not allowed to contact your teachers after the camp (one teacher got fired for leaving his personal email), which just screams total money grab to me. In conclusion, the faculty and students at the camp are really nice, but I think it is extremely overpriced, especially given the fact that you can learn everything they teach at SIG online anyways. (If this camp's price is let's say $2000-$3000 instead of $9000, then I would have given at least a 4 star review)
★Ava BalgaritsuI went to this camp for 2 years, and I honestly wouldn't recommend it. Sure, there is a lot of learning, and hands on experiments, but there's nothing there that you couldn't get from a youtube tutorial or some quick research online. Some of the staff are quite qualified, however, many really aren't engaging and seem to lack the needed qualifications to teach. Additionally, the diversity the camp boasts is really just a couple international students, and the camp is extremely overpriced. $16,000 just for a three week camp. And that doesn't even include residential. In my opinion, just save your time, and find some other camp.
★RobertStay away from the camp at Fairfield University. Poorly ran, zero supervision with the kids. Qualifications doesn't seem to matter who attends. The same experience is available at any summer camp for a fraction of the cost. Bottom line, total money grab
★★★★★Marian Wmy son went to the summer residential program 3 years from 5th to 7th grade. It was the best experience as he met other kids like himself- it gave him self confidence and the chance to explore very interesting subjects while having fun