Carnegie Mellon SAMS Program: Everything High School Students Need to Know in 2026

TL;DR: The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program (Science and Arts Mentorship Studies) is a selective, tuition-free pre-college program at Carnegie Mellon University designed for underrepresented high school students with strong STEM or arts interest. It is highly competitive, residential, and produces a program certificate rather than a published research paper. Students who want a guaranteed, verifiable research outcome for their college application should consider RISE Research alongside or instead of SAMS. Our deadline is closing soon.

Introduction

The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program has operated for over 50 years, making it one of the longest-running pre-college access initiatives at a top-ranked research university. Carnegie Mellon University consistently ranks among the world's leading institutions for computer science, engineering, and the arts, and SAMS reflects that reputation by offering a rigorous academic experience to students who might not otherwise access it.

The challenge is real: most students who apply to the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program do not get in. Acceptance is limited, eligibility is specific, and the program runs only once per year. Students who do not meet the eligibility criteria, or who are not accepted, often have no clear next step for building the kind of research credential that top universities actually want to see on a college application.

RISE Research fills that gap. RISE is a selective 1-on-1 mentorship program where high school students in Grades 9 to 12 conduct original, university-level research under PhD mentors from Ivy League and Oxbridge institutions, and publish that research in peer-reviewed academic journals. Whether or not a student is accepted to SAMS, RISE produces a verifiable, externally validated research outcome that appears directly in the Common App. You can explore RISE admissions outcomes to see what that means in practice.

What Is the Carnegie Mellon SAMS Program and Who Is It For?

The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program is a free, residential pre-college program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is designed for high-achieving students from underrepresented backgrounds who demonstrate strong academic potential in STEM or the arts. Students must be rising juniors or seniors in high school to be eligible.

SAMS stands for Science and Arts Mentorship Studies. The program is run by Carnegie Mellon University's Office of Undergraduate Admission and has been operating since 1968. It is fully funded, meaning there is no tuition cost for accepted students. The program runs for six weeks on Carnegie Mellon's Pittsburgh campus.

During SAMS, students take college-level courses, work with CMU faculty, and engage with the university's academic community. The program targets students from groups historically underrepresented in higher education, including first-generation college students and students from low-income households. Eligibility requires students to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

The program covers a range of academic tracks including computational biology, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and the arts. Students live on campus, attend classes, and participate in enrichment activities designed to prepare them for the college application process and university-level academic work.

Official information is available at the Carnegie Mellon University SAMS page: cmu.edu/pre-college/academic-programs/sams.html. For students in the Pittsburgh area looking at additional research pathways, see our guide to research programs for high school students in Pittsburgh.

How Competitive Is the Carnegie Mellon SAMS Program?

The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program is extremely competitive. Carnegie Mellon does not publish an official acceptance rate for SAMS, but the program accepts a small cohort each year from a national applicant pool. Students who are accepted typically have strong GPAs, demonstrated interest in STEM or the arts, and clear evidence of academic ambition. Eligibility is also restricted: only U.S. citizens and permanent residents who meet the socioeconomic and demographic criteria may apply.

A strong SAMS application includes academic transcripts, teacher recommendations, and personal essays that demonstrate intellectual curiosity and potential. Students who have already engaged in independent research, science fair projects, or academic competitions tend to stand out. The program is looking for students who will thrive in a college-level academic environment, not just students with high grades.

Because eligibility is restricted to U.S. residents and the cohort is small, many high-achieving students are not eligible or are not accepted even with strong applications. RISE Research accepts students based on research readiness and genuine intellectual curiosity, with no geographic restriction. RISE carries a 90% publication success rate, meaning the outcome is not dependent on a single competitive application decision. You can review the RISE mentor network to understand the caliber of guidance students receive.

What Does the Carnegie Mellon SAMS Program Actually Involve?

The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program is a six-week residential experience on CMU's Pittsburgh campus. Students attend college-level courses in their chosen academic track, work directly with CMU faculty and graduate students, and complete coursework that mirrors the rigor of a first-year university curriculum.

A typical week in SAMS includes lectures, lab sessions or studio work depending on the track, group projects, and academic advising. Students also participate in college preparation workshops covering topics like the application process, financial aid, and writing personal statements.

The program does not produce a peer-reviewed published paper. Students receive a program certificate upon completion, which confirms their participation and the courses they completed. That certificate has genuine value: it signals that a student was selected for a competitive, university-affiliated program and performed at a college level. However, it is not an externally verified research contribution in the way that a published journal article is.

For college applications, a program certificate documents participation. A published research paper documents a specific intellectual contribution that has passed peer review. Admissions officers at top universities can verify a published paper independently. That distinction matters when applications are reviewed at institutions where every credential is scrutinized. See the RISE publications record to understand what a published high school research paper looks like in practice.

How Does the Carnegie Mellon SAMS Program Compare to Doing Research with RISE?

These are two different paths toward the same goal: a meaningful academic credential for a college application. They suit different students in different circumstances.

The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program is residential, free, restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and targets students from underrepresented backgrounds. It provides six weeks of immersive academic experience at one of the world's leading universities. The output is a program certificate and the experience of college-level coursework. Spots are extremely limited.

RISE Research is fully online, open to any student in Grades 9 to 12 regardless of location or background, and produces a peer-reviewed published paper in an independent academic journal. The program runs for 10 weeks with 1-on-1 mentorship from PhD-level researchers. RISE mentors are published in 40 or more academic journals. The publication appears directly in the Common App Activities section as a verifiable, externally validated credential.

RISE scholars are accepted to top universities at significantly higher rates than the general applicant pool. RISE scholars have an 18% acceptance rate to Stanford, compared to 8.7% for general applicants. At UPenn, the RISE scholar acceptance rate is 32%, compared to 3.8% for general applicants. These are outcomes driven by the strength of a published research credential, not a program certificate.

Many students pursue both: they apply to SAMS and complete RISE Research in the same academic year. RISE is not a replacement for SAMS. It is the option that produces a guaranteed verifiable output regardless of which selective programs a student is accepted into.

Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out if RISE is the right fit for your goals.

Many students use RISE Research as their primary research program, whether or not they also apply to the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program. Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out what is achievable in your timeline.

What to Do If You Do Not Get Into the Carnegie Mellon SAMS Program

Rejection from the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program is common and does not reflect your academic potential. The program accepts a small cohort from a national pool, and eligibility restrictions mean many strong students are never considered. Not being accepted does not close any door in your college application.

RISE Research is the strongest alternative for students who did not get into SAMS and want a research credential that carries weight in a top university application. RISE accepts students based on research readiness and intellectual curiosity. The program produces a peer-reviewed published paper, which is a stronger admissions signal than a program certificate from any pre-college program. With a 90% publication success rate and mentors from Ivy League and Oxbridge institutions, RISE delivers a verifiable outcome that selective programs like SAMS do not guarantee.

Other verified alternatives include Carnegie Mellon's other pre-college offerings, such as the CMU Pre-College Programs in areas like computer science and design, available at cmu.edu/pre-college. Students interested in research at other leading universities can also explore programs at peer institutions. See our guides to MIT programs for high school students and Harvard programs for high school students for additional context.

The most important step after a rejection is to identify a path that produces a real, verifiable academic output before you submit college applications. RISE provides exactly that.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Carnegie Mellon SAMS Program

How do I apply to the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program?

Applications for the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program are submitted through the CMU pre-college portal. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, rising juniors or seniors in high school, and meet the program's socioeconomic and demographic eligibility criteria. The application requires transcripts, teacher recommendations, and personal essays. Visit cmu.edu/pre-college/academic-programs/sams.html for the current application cycle details.

Start the application process early. Teacher recommendations take time to collect, and the personal essays for SAMS are substantive. Students who have already engaged in independent academic work, including research projects or academic competitions, tend to produce stronger applications.

Is the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program free or paid?

The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program is fully funded and free for accepted students. There is no tuition cost. CMU covers the cost of the residential program, including housing and meals on campus for the six-week duration. Students may need to arrange their own travel to and from Pittsburgh.

The free structure is one of SAMS's most significant advantages. It makes a high-quality, university-affiliated academic experience accessible to students who could not otherwise afford a pre-college residential program. This is central to the program's mission of supporting underrepresented students.

Does the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program help with college admissions?

Yes. Completing the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program demonstrates that a student was selected for a competitive, university-affiliated academic program and performed at a college level. Admissions officers at top universities recognize SAMS as a credible signal of academic readiness and ambition. It is a meaningful addition to a college application.

That said, a program certificate is one type of credential. A peer-reviewed published paper is a different type of credential: it is externally verified, independently searchable, and demonstrates a specific intellectual contribution. Students who combine a program like SAMS with a published research paper through RISE present a significantly stronger application profile. See RISE admissions outcomes for data on what published research produces.

What do I do if I do not get into the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program?

RISE Research is the first and strongest alternative. RISE produces a peer-reviewed published paper through 1-on-1 mentorship with PhD-level researchers, with a 90% publication success rate. That outcome is not dependent on a single competitive application decision. It is available to any student in Grades 9 to 12, regardless of location.

Rejection from SAMS is not a reflection of your potential. It reflects the program's limited capacity and specific eligibility requirements. The most productive response is to identify a path that produces a real research credential before your college applications are due. RISE provides that path. Book a free Research Assessment to find out what is achievable in your timeline.

Can international students apply to the Carnegie Mellon SAMS program?

No. The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program is restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. International students are not eligible to apply. This is one of the program's key limitations for a global student population.

International students targeting Carnegie Mellon or other top U.S. universities have strong options through RISE Research. RISE is fully online and open to students in any country. The published research output carries the same admissions weight regardless of where a student is based. Students from outside the U.S. who are targeting CMU can also read our guide on how to get into Carnegie Mellon with high school research for specific strategies.

Conclusion

The Carnegie Mellon SAMS program is a genuinely valuable opportunity for eligible students. It offers six weeks of college-level academic work at one of the world's leading universities, at no cost, and with direct faculty engagement. For students who qualify and are accepted, it is a strong addition to a college application.

RISE Research is the option for students who want a guaranteed, verifiable research outcome regardless of which selective programs they are accepted into. With a 90% publication success rate, 1-on-1 mentorship from PhD-level researchers, and a track record of producing scholars accepted to Stanford, UPenn, and other top universities at rates well above the national average, RISE delivers what selective programs cannot guarantee: a peer-reviewed published paper that appears in your Common App.

Explore RISE research projects to see the range of topics students have published in. Our deadline is closing soon. If you are a student targeting Carnegie Mellon or any top university and want a real research outcome on your application, schedule a free Research Assessment and we will tell you exactly what is achievable in your timeline.