About

The Penn Summer Workshop for Young Writers at the Kelly Writers House is an intensive residential program for rising high school juniors and seniors. Hosted by the Kelly Writers House within Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences, the workshop immerses students in creative and critical writing on Penn’s Philadelphia campus.
During the 10-day session (July 5–15, 2026), students spend mornings in intensive personal essay workshops led by Penn faculty and afternoons in craft sessions covering genres like poetry, fiction, and screenwriting. Participants also engage in hands-on creative labs at The Common Press and digital recording in the Wexler Studio.

Admission is selective and based on a writing sample (8–10 pages), personal statement, transcript, and teacher recommendation. For the 2026 cycle, applications are due March 2. The program fee is $3,000, which covers tuition, housing in Penn’s college houses, and meals. Admissions are need-blind, and financial assistance (funded by the Maury Povich and Connie Chung gift) is available to U.S. citizens with demonstrated need.

The workshop blends collegiate-level craft with a tight-knit creative community, making it ideal for students eager to develop their narrative voice in an Ivy League environment while exploring Philadelphia's cultural landmarks. The workshop takes place in the Kelly Writers House, a multidisciplinary literary hub founded in 1995 that hosts hundreds of readings, seminars, publications, and community writing events each year—making it a rare university space dedicated to creative exchange and literary culture accessible to both Penn affiliates and the broader public.

For students who wish to pursue creative writing or experience the writing workshop process at a post-high school level before college, the Penn Summer Workshop for Young Writers offers one of the best opportunities available.