Do You Have a Strong Interest in a Career in Physics? The International Summer School for Young Physicists Could be for You

The International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP) is an opportunity for Canadian and international high school students to focus on theoretical physics and physics studies for two weeks. The International Summer School for Young Physicists is intended for students who are passionate about theoretical physics and who plan on studying physics in college.

The International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP) has been around for 18 years and has produced over 800 alum from 60 countries. The program is for Canadian and international high school students and takes place in Waterloo, Ontario in Canada.

The International Summer School for Young Physicists provides a brief college-level experience, from the intense studying and working to living on a university campus, high school students get a taste of college and university life while creating friendships and diving into physics with top scientists.

Students will be able to hear from  Perimeter scientists and be mentored by physicists, to learn about the career path offers, to listen to important presentations, and more. Admissions counselors want to know how you spent your time off, and it’s important to prove you were continuously learning while school was out of session, the International Summer School for Young Physicists is a great way to have a good time while being immersed in physics.

Not only does this summer program allow for intense studying in a subject you’re passionate about, but it gives students a glimpse into college life, working on a topic you are interested in while entering into an alumni group that can help you in the long run. If this specific summer program isn’t for you because you aren’t from Canada or you don’t want to study physics, explore others here.

To continue learning about the benefits of the International Summer School for Young Physicists, if you are eligible to apply, how to apply and how AdmissionSight can help when it comes to your academic guidance for the getting into the program and beyond, continue reading.

About The International Summer School for Young Physicists

According to the International Summer School for Young Physicists website, “the program aims to super-charge potential Einsteins and Curies with a blend of classical and modern physics and hands-on activities.”

Albert Einstein was a theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, Marie Curie was a physicist who discovered various elements and was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. the International Summer School for Young Physicists aims to inspire and create world-changing scientists and physicists, just like Einstein and Curie.

The International Summer School for Young Physicists focuses on classical and modern physics, theoretical physics is included in modern science and is incredibly important to basic research and fundamentally understanding the universe and ideas.

The International Summer School for Young Physicists is run by the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. The Perimeter Institute is a scientific training, research, and educational institute for foundational theoretical physics, it is the largest research institute for theoretical physics. The Institute is a nonprofit that includes the Governments of Ontario and Canada and aims to not only conduct thorough research but inspire and teach continuously.

The Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics was founded in 1999 in Waterloo, Ontario in Canada, where the program takes place. The mission of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is to advance the understanding of the universe through physics, at a fundamental level as well as to train the next group of physicists and scientists with hands-on programs led by current scientists and physicists.

The International Summer School for Young Physicists accepts 40 students each year to participate in the program, 20 students are from Canada and 20 students from around the world. Jump ahead to learn more about eligibility, applying, and cost.

This program is for international students, and remember it is astronomically more difficult to get into a top tier school as an international student, this program might be what is needed to prove to counselors you are a leader with direction who’s taken full advantage of opportunities.

Program Goals

In order to introduce students to a career in physics, the International Summer School for Young Physicists has various aspects that teach and demonstrate to students what physics is all about.

• The Perimeter Institute researchers hold presentations revolving cutting-edge theoretical physics topics including but not limited to, quantum mechanics, black holes, and dark matter
• The International Summer School for Young Physicists provides students opportunities to be mentored by international theoretical physicists in small group sessions
• Students are given mini-lessons on modern physics to expand their insights into Einstein’s ideas and the quantum nature of the universe
• Students are involved in hands-on labs, tours of research facilities, and other activities
• Students are reminded of their own potential as future researchers and scientists in theoretical physics

Remember, AdmissionSight believes the holy grail of your college application comes down to the personal statement, what better way to prove your narrative and experiences than having worked with international theoretical physicists on one when that’s what you want to be when you grow up?

A Day in the Program

The International Summer School for Young Physicists is a two-week intensive program, not every day is the same but the day can go from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM. In this timeframe, there are meals, lessons, mentoring sessions, presentations, social gatherings, and solo study time.

Subjects covered during the International Summer School for Young Physicists include quantum mechanics, special relativity, cosmology, general relativity, and black holes. Social gatherings include team building activities, as well as a physics field trip to Niagara Falls. Students stay at a nearby university student residence hall so they can experience university living, there are chaperones.

Do I get to Work with Scientists?

Students will interact with Perimeter scientists in the following ways:

• There will be a mentor Perimeter Institute physicist who will provide insight into what physics research is actually like by guiding the students through an open-ended, mind-stretching problem
• Physicists will give presentations on their specific fields of research for all students to attend, presentations are important because they provide real-life examples of success in research as opposed to just reading a textbook students get the in-person explanation
• Speed-mentoring forum where students are spoken to about life as a physicist
• Informal evening review sessions or gatherings with researchers

Am I Eligible to Apply?

In order to apply to the International Summer School for Young Physicists, students must reach these criteria:

• Have a passion and strong ability in physics and mathematics, proved in high school course grades and extracurricular activities
• Attendees intend to pursue studies in physics at the university level in the future; and
• In the final two years of high school
• Are 16-18 years of age at the beginning of the program
• Fluent in speaking, reading, and writing in English, the program is conducted in English

To read more about grade level exceptions visit here.

If you want to ensure your application is top-notch, contact us at AdmissionSight to see if we can help you guarantee a spot at International Summer School for Young Physicists with your application.

When applying, remember that this program is an intensive two-week summer program for students interested in pursuing a career in physics to explore their interests, which means that you will have a harder time getting in if you aren’t committed to physics. When applying it’s important to show your true interest and passion for theoretical physics and mathematics.

It’s also important that as a student you are well rounded in those subjects, going above and beyond classwork. If you aren’t sure about your application or whether or not you want to study physics, t’s a good idea to take part in extracurricular planning, before you apply to International Summer School for Young Physicists so you can plan on whether or not you must be focused or well rounded to get into the program.

As well as when applying, make sure you reach all eligibility requirements and work diligently on your application.

To participate in the International Summer School for Young Physicists, the program fee is $500 CAD. The fee doesn’t cover the entire program, the balance is paid for by the Perimeter Institute and sponsors and partners, but the fee covers different activities, accommodations, and meals. Canadian students have their travel covered by Perimeter while international students have to purchase their own airfare and insurance.

Financial aid funding is available for the fee and travel costs for both Canadian and international students, the financial aid information is available upon acceptance. If you’d like to learn more about financial aid when it comes to top tier schools, this resource is a helpful read.

How to Apply to ISSYP

It is free to apply to the International Summer School for Young Physicists(ISSYP), and there are seven steps in applying. There is a personal information form (similar to the personal statement, if you need assistance to read this article),  speaking about you, your interest, passions, etc. There are an extracurricular activity and essay portion.

There is a teacher assessment portion that a teacher at your high school completes and it is completely confidential. There is a reference letter to be submitted which the reference will have the choice to choose whether or not it is confidential. When applying you must upload a transcript or report card, you must fill out a consent form and your parents must as well.

If you cannot find answers to your questions about applying on the website, you may contact [email protected] for assistance.

Normally, the application for the International Summer School for Young Physicists(ISSYP) opens in late November or December with a March deadline and the program decisions are released in June with the program taking place in July.

Virtual International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP)

Due to the current pandemic, the International Summer School for Young Physicists (ISSYP) has moved to a virtual program for this summer. Normally, 40 students are able to experience the International Summer School for Young Physicists program, but this year they are opening it up to any teacher or student who wants to learn more about modern physics, research, discovery, and more. This is a great way to utilize downtime and to prove your interest in physics, which could help when it comes to your application next year.

The current pandemic has affected a lot of summer programs as well as college admissions. For all, you need to know about coronavirus and college applications, check out this page.

Other Programs

The Perimeter Institute offers other programs and awards for other students who either aren’t eligible for the International Summer School for Young Physicists or want to do more.

First is the Luke Santi Memorial Award which is for student achievement. This award is given each year in memory of Luke Santi who was a high school student who had a strong passion for research, did very well in school, and volunteered. Luke attended the International Summer School for Young Physicists while battling brain cancer, he passed away in 2007 and this scholarship is in memory of him.

To learn more about Luke and eligibility, visit this page.

The Perimeter Institute holds a conference each year for 200 women in high school who have a strong interest in science and physics. The Perimeter Institute provides speakers to help show attendees the rewards, challenges, and possibilities of a science or physics career.

To learn more about past speakers or registering for this event visit this page.

There are other opportunities that AdmissionSight provides for contests and competitions in the math, science, and STEM world, check those out here. As well as, check out the Blogs that AdmissionSight posts, many are on the subject of summer programs and other science activities and competitions.

In Conclusion

A career in physics research can be very meaningful, important, and world-changing, look at Albert Einstein. If you are passionate about a career in physics, specifically theoretical physics, the International Summer School for Young Physicists program could be a great opportunity to broaden your knowledge while gaining experience that is important for college admissions. If you need help in applying, contact us, and if you want to read more about the International Summer School for Young Physicists, visit their website.