Dive into Neuroscience
This Summer with IYNA

Join a global cohort for a month-long journey into the brain—featuring expert-led lectures, hands-on problem solving, and real-world science skills.

REGISTER ›

This year's application has opened!
Please fill it out by May 15th, 2026, at 11:59 EST.

Program Timeline

Mar 01
2026
Applications Open
Summer program applications are now available. Start your journey into neuroscience with IYNA's comprehensive summer program.
May 15
2026
Application Deadline
All applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST. Late submissions will not be considered.
May 30
2026
Acceptance Notifications
Selected participants will receive acceptance emails with program details and next steps.
June 22
2026
Program Begins
Welcome to the IYNA Summer Program! Join your cohort for the first session and begin your neuroscience journey.
Aug 01
2026
Program Concludes
Final presentations and program wrap-up. Celebrate your achievements and join the IYNA alumni network.
Aug 08
2026
IYNA Summer Course Symposium
Celebrate the culmination of the summer with presentations, networking, and recognition of outstanding work from participants across all tracks.

Previous Summer By The Numbers

1300+
Applications
400
Capstone Track Acceptances

Track Details

Capstone Track Participant Track
Flexible attendance
No homework required
No project component
Full Lecture Access
Full summer immersion
Mandatory lectures & small-group sessions
Regular homework assignments
Research-focused capstone project

Offered Courses

Neuroscience I
This beginner-friendly course covers core principles of neuroscience:
  • Cell biology of the nervous system
  • Nervous system signaling
  • Sensory systems
Neuroscience II
For students with prior experience—explore advanced topics like:
  • Neurodevelopment
  • Cognition
  • Neurological diseases
Includes reading and analyzing journal articles.
Dual Enrollment
Enroll in both Neuroscience I & II with mixed tracks. You can be in Capstone Track in one course and Participant Track in the other—but not Capstone in both simultaneously.
  • Capstone Track in Neuro I + Participant Track in Neuro II
  • Participant Track in Neuro I + Capstone Track in Neuro II
  • Strong time commitment required

Testimonials

Frequently Asked Questions

The application for this program launches at the beginning of March and the due date is May 15th, 2026, at 11:59PM EST. Notices of acceptance or rejection will be sent out in early June. Students must confirm participation in the program and submit initial registration materials by June 15th.
June 22nd, 2026 to July 31st, with an optional Symposium on August 8th.
Notices of acceptance or rejection will be sent out in early June. See "What is the application process?" above for full timeline details.
There is no limit on the number of people we accept on the Participant Track—we will accept any number of curious applicants that indicate a passion for neuroscience. However, due to faculty limitations, we will only be able to accept a limited number of applicants onto the Capstone Track for both Neuroscience I and Neuroscience II.
Please note that we currently are unable to translate lectures, and recitations will be conducted in English. On the Capstone Track, students are required to participate in recitations and lectures, which will be most helpful if your English is proficient. As a collaborative program, we recommend having proficient English (speaking and writing) to maximize the value of peer-to-peer interactions. All homework and assignments must be submitted in English. Any use of AI-based translation software is banned and will result in removal from the course.
Visit our website! If you have any additional questions, please refer to "If I have any additional questions, where should I direct them?" below.
Absolutely! If you participated in Neuroscience I the previous summer, we highly recommend moving forward to Neuroscience II, which will rely heavily on skills gained during Neuroscience I. However, if you have already completed Neuroscience II, we do not recommend repeating the coursework again.
On the Capstone Track, the full schedule of classes and recitations is expected to span 20–25 hours per week. If you can balance your other activities with this schedule, we recommend the Capstone Track. If you'd prefer a more relaxed schedule with no attendance, recitation, or final project requirements, we recommend the Participant Track.
A basic understanding of high school biology is essential for Neuroscience I. We highly recommend completing Neuroscience I before moving onto Neuroscience II.
Yes, in a limited capacity. Dual enrollment means you may be on Participant Track in one course and Capstone Track in the other—for example, Neuroscience I Capstone Track and Neuroscience II Participant Track. You cannot be in both Capstone Tracks at the same time.
We respectfully ask that applicants refrain from receiving assistance from large language models or AI tools. We will thoroughly check all received applications for use of artificial intelligence.
Before contacting our team, please make sure you have thoroughly read through this FAQ. If you have more detailed questions about what the course entails, this will be included in the Student Handbook, which you will receive if you are accepted. For other questions, please direct them to our team at iyna_students@youthneuro.org or the #youth-neuroscience-questions channel in our Discord Server. During high volume periods, responses may take up to 48–72 hours.
Paste the word "ASTROGLIA" at the beginning of your "why do you want to participate in our summer course?" essay in your application. Applications that do not contain this word will not be considered for the Capstone Track.