About

The National High School Institute (NHSI) Summer Playwriting Intensive at Northwestern University is a three-week, immersive program focused on playwriting craft and professional creative development. Held on Northwestern’s Evanston campus from June 28 – July 18, 2026, the intensive offers participants daily writing seminars and the opportunity to stage original work under the guidance of professional playwrights.

Mornings are dedicated to writers’ room-style seminars where students workshop 10-minute plays. Afternoons include electives such as directing, movement, or a TV pilot screenwriting class. The session culminates in a staged reading of participants’ work performed by professional actors.

The program is open to students graduating in 2027 or 2028. Applicants who have not previously attended an NHSI workshop must submit a draft of a 10-minute play. Tuition for 2026 is $5,000 (including room and board), and the regular application deadline is February 27, 2026. Financial aid is available, including training scholarships through the Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative, which have a separate deadline of February 13.

NHSI’s Playwriting Intensive offers a high-level creative apprenticeship within a premier research university, providing young writers with the professional tools to refine their voice and see their scripts come alive on stage. For students eager to explore or pursue dramatic writing at serious level, a summer at NHSI is one of the very best options to consider.