Frequently Asked Questions

When applying, you have the option of choosing a first and second choice program. If your first choice has reached capacity, you will be automatically considered for your second choice. Only one application fee is required.

You cannot attend two programs occurring during the same time; however, it is possible to attend two programs occurring during two different session dates. Things to note about this option:

• Please contact our office immediately if you are interested in this option and we will assess program availability before you apply.
• If accepted to both programs, you must pay the full cost of both sessions.
• There is a full week in between the first session and the second. If you require room and board during that intersession week, an additional $1,800 will be charged.
• Only one application fee will be required for this option, but again please contact our office at summer@lmu.edu for further instructions before applying. 

Students must be between the ages of 14 and 18 at the start of the program. Additionally, 

• Students must have completed their first year of high school by the start of summer  
• Students must not have graduated high school by the start of summer

Some restrictions do apply:

• Some Beginning Screenwriting sections are limited to rising juniors and seniors in high school
• Film Production: Social Impact Filmmaking is limited to rising seniors in high school*

*Rising Seniors implies that a student will complete their junior year in May/June of 2025. Students applying to any college-credit courses must complete their junior year by the start of summer 2025 to attend.

No. We do not require test scores to be submitted for admission into LMU Summer Programs. 

Students applying to the Global Sports and Entertainment Academy must submit two (2) letters of recommendation. The first letter must come from one of your high school teachers. The second letter must come from a non-academic source who can speak to your leadership abilities and/or your interest in sports or entertainment. For example, a coach, club advisor, supervisor from an after-school job or volunteer efforts, etc.

Students applying to any other summer pre-college program are required to submit just one (1) letter of recommendation from either a teacher or a counselor who knows you well.

Application fee waivers are granted rarely and only in extreme circumstances. 

Additional fees may be assessed in the following areas:

• First Lost Access Card Replacement Fee: $20
• Additional Lost Access Card Replacement Fees after the first: $50

If you have any questions about additional fees and whether or not they apply to you, please call or email our office. If your program requires additional books or materials to be purchased, that information will be included in the acceptance packet.

Fees can be paid in one of two ways: online via credit card or by personal check mailed to our office. Please do not send cash as it will not be accepted.

Online:

• To pay online, please login to the account you created during the application process and follow the instructions.
• Payments can be credit or debit, but must be Visa, MasterCard or Discover only. We apologize, but we cannot accept American Express payments at this time.

By Personal Check:

• Please contact us at summer@lmu.edu as soon as possible to obtain the correct address for mailing a personal check

• Please make checks payable to Loyola Marymount University and include the student's name in the memo line.

As a reminder – checks must be received by the Summer Programs office on or before the deadline dates to be considered on time.

Rising: The term "rising senior" refers to a student who is moving between junior and senior year at the time the summer program will take place. If you are currently a junior and anticipate finishing junior year before summer 2024, you are a "rising senior."

Similarly, if a course description indicates that it will accept "rising juniors and seniors" in high school, that means students must have completed their sophomore or junior year by the start of summer 2025 to apply.

• The non-refundable $65 application fee is due to our office once you complete the online application. Applications will be considered once the application fee is received.
• The non-refundable $350 deposit is due to our office two weeks after receiving notice of acceptance into a program.
• The remaining program fee balance is due to our office by 11:59 p.m. on May 30, 2025.

Pre-College Programs offer both credit and non-credit course options. Please refer to individual course pages for further information on which classes offer credit.

While the actual amount of work outside of the classroom is dependent on the course you enroll in, you should be prepared to have a few hours of group work or independent study a night to prepare for the following day’s activities. Some afternoons or evenings, group and independent study may be replaced by off campus trips to local businesses or guest lectures from industry professionals. 

Just like an undergraduate course at LMU, class sizes are relatively small. Groups may range from 10-25 students depending on the course topic. Average class sizes are around 14 students.

A weekday schedule looks similar to the following – except on days when co-curricular or course trips off-campus are planned:

*Please note time frames are for reference only and are subject to change prior to students’ arrival on campus.

It wouldn’t be a true “sneak-peek” at college life if you didn’t get the experience of living with your peers, so we do require that all program participants live on campus during their two week session. 

Every student will be issued a standard access card and lanyard upon check-in to campus. Not only is this your ID card during your stay, but it is also your meal card and residence hall access card. It is imperative that students have this card on them at all times during the program length. If a card is lost, a replacement fee will be charged to the student.

Students who do not have their access card on them during meals will not be granted access to the dining hall.

Whether a student’s access card has gone missing or it is simply locked in a participant’s room, all students must find a Resident Advisor, Program Coordinator, or the Director of Summer Programs for assistance. If the card cannot be recovered, the RA or staff will begin the process for getting a new card coded and a $20 replacement fee will be assessed. An increased fee of $50 will be assessed if a student loses his/her access card a second time. We will do our best to notify parents/guardians of these charges in a timely manner and payment must be received before the student checks out on the last day of the program.

We do our best to match students with roommates who are close in age and have similar interests, but we do not allow specific roommate requests. 

An important part of the undergraduate experience is learning to live with people who may be different from you. Roommate changes will not be considered except in extreme circumstances. Our fantastic live-in team of Resident Advisors and Graduate Leaders are on hand to assist in any roommate mediation necessary to ensure a smooth transition and pleasant program experience.

Yes. Students are required to check in nightly at Palm South by 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Once checked in, students must remain on the designated program floors until final curfew, at which point they must return to their assigned rooms. Final curfew is at 12 a.m. Sunday – Thursday and 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Students are to remain in the residence hall until 6:30 a.m. the following morning. 

There will be occasional opportunities to leave campus; however, unaccompanied trips outside of the campus boundaries without Summer Program staff are not permitted. If students need something from off campus, they are asked to speak with a Resident Advisor or Summer Program staff member for assistance.

There are two designated times that parents/guardians can be on campus – arrival and departure. For everything in between, we ask parents and other family members to give students the space to grow into strong and independent individuals. In the case of a family emergency, parents are asked to call our office immediately to inform us of the situation before they come to campus.

No. For the safety of all building occupants, the only people who are allowed into the residence hall are those who are staying there. OneCard access is required to enter the building. Students who violate this policy will be subject to immediate disciplinary action and may be sent home if deemed appropriate.

Due to the short length of our two week program, off campus personal visits of any length will not be allowed. 

There are plenty of organized activities happening on and off campus in the afternoon and evening hours. Our dedicated RA team is responsible for planning and executing nightly programming to keep students engaged and entertained. Whether its pickup games at the Rec Center, outdoor movies on Lawton Plaza, or a heart racing LMU scavenger hunt, there’s always something exciting going on around campus.

All students, aged 16 and older, have access to the entire Burns Recreation Center, including weight room, open courts, fitness center, group classes, and pool given a Burns Recreation Use Waiver has been completed and returned by a parent or guardian. This form must be signed online and submitted to the Burns Recreation Office prior to the start of the session. Please note: It can take up to three business days to process the form and grant access to students. We recommend completing and returning the form as soon as it is available to avoid delays.

Students under the age of 16 must also have the waiver signed by a parent/guardian, but will only have access to the pool and open court spaces. 

Remember, group fitness classes are first come first served. LMU pool lane availability varies each day. Please check the monthly schedule before attempting to access the pool.

The university has its own department of Public Safety on site. Officers monitor the campus with around-the-clock patrols. Additionally, Summer Programs employs Resident Advisors and a Program Coordinator who live on site in the residence hall with program participants. They are trained to be attentive and responsive and to call Public Safety when needed.

The residence hall is accessible only to those residing in the building and individual rooms are accessible only to the student(s) staying in the room. Both are accessed via OneCard.

No. The online screenwriting program is intended to be remote and does not include an on-campus experience.

No. LMU Summer Programs cannot pick up or drop off students at the airport. For transportation from LAX to LMU, consider a shuttle service or rideshare options.

Yes and no. While day-to-day dress is typically informal, students are expected to be appropriately dressed at all times. Students will be informed by email prior to the start of their program if they need to pack specific attire for course related field trips. Campus classroom spaces run on the cold side, so we recommend bringing layers to stay comfortable. And remember to pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes for our weekend social trips!

Students are encouraged to bring their own computers, although options are available for those who are unable to do so. The William H. Hannon Library has an Information Commons that houses 86 computers for general use.

The entire campus is equipped with excellent Wi-Fi services. Students will receive instructions on accessing the Wi-Fi, free of charge, on their arrival.

Please note that LMU is not responsible for the damage, loss or theft of personal property. Students who bring their own computers and other personal items do so at their own risk.

No. Move in and move out dates and times are non-negotiable. If you need help planning your arrival or pickup times, please contact our office to speak with us further.

No. Please do not send any items ahead of your arrival as we do not have the ability to collect or store items for you. 

Yes mail service will be available for all Summer Programs students. A program specific mailing code will be generated in June. Please check back then for more information on receiving mail during your stay on campus.

For the most part, we have you covered during your time here, but you may consider bringing extra spending money for things like:

• Snacks from the campus vending machines
• Money to load on your Access Card for laundry
• Toiletries from the bookstore
• A souvenir from any social trip locations 

There are three ATMs located on campus for student convenience:

Cell phones are encouraged for personal calls home; however, phones will not be permitted in the classroom. During instruction time, phones must not be visible or audible. We reserve the right to take a phone if a student is asked to put it away and refuses. The phone will be returned at the end of class, but repeat violations may result in dismissal from the program.

If a student does not have a cell phone, arrangements can be made in advance with program staff for periodic calls home to parents/guardians. 

Students are asked to bring their own linen (sheets, pillow, pillow case, blanket and towels). Beds are extra-long twin size (dimensions 36”x86”).

The following resources are available to students wishing to wash laundry (bedding, clothing etc) during their stay at LMU:

Please note any remaining balance of funds left on a student Program Card at the end of the summer session cannot be refunded. For example, if you load $10 onto your card, but only use $5, you will not be refunded the additional $5.

The laundry cost is $1.25 to wash and $1.00 to dry. Extra time for the dryer can be purchased at an additional cost.

No. Students cannot bring vehicles to campus during their stay for summer programs. Please note that LMU has a strict parking policy that prohibits unregistered vehicles from being on campus. Any unregistered vehicles found will be cited and towed. 

A full packing list for each course is available on enrollment. In general, students should anticipate bringing:

• XL Twin Bed Linens - 36"x80"
• Pillow/Pillowcase and blanket
• Towels (bath and beach)
• Toiletries
• A shower tote (for transporting items to and from the showers)
• Shower shoes (old flip flops work great!)
• Sunscreen
• Workout clothes/swimsuit if you plan to use the Burns Recreation Center
• Laptops (optional for most programs but recommended). Please note: Laptops are highly encouraged for Screenwriting and Film Production programs. 

We have limited single rooms available this year. Single rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have been admitted to a 2024 program and wish to request a single room, please email us at summer@lmu.edu. Otherwise, students will be placed in a room with one roommate.

Please note, that while we can provide a limited number of single rooms, these rooms do not have private restrooms. All rooms available to Summer Program participants will be in first-year style accommodations with shared showers and restrooms and a shared common space. 

As of Thursday, May 18, LMU no longer requires COVID-19 vaccinations for students, faculty, or staff. This change is aligned with guidance from public health authorities and applies to the original dose and subsequent boosters (state and federal recommendations). 

Please note the following reminders and protocols: 

• We will continue to respect all community member's choices, including those who continue to wear masks or those who remain up to date on vaccinations.
• LMU recommends that students, faculty, staff, overnight conference guests, and contractors remain up to date on vaccinations.
• Please note that protocols vary in off-campus settings, so mask wearing and/or vaccinations may be required on some program-related field trips. We will alert participants as soon as possible if we are made aware of these requirements at one of our off-campus field trip sites.
• LMU will continue to provide free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 test kits during the program for participants who experience symptoms or who are known close contacts with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 while participating in the program and do not need hospitalization will be reassigned to a designated isolation space. This will allow them to receive care in isolation in that location until they can be picked up by a parent/guardian or designee. In that isolation room, the student will be provided all necessary and appropriate support, meals, and additional care. Because Pre-College students have limited time in their programs, and isolating students would make full and healthy participation in the program infeasible, parents/guardians should prepare a plan for picking up their student from campus within 48 hours of communication of a positive test result.

Families of students who need to leave campus because of COVID-19-related isolation will be entitled to a prorated tuition refund under our medical withdrawal policy.