Colleges With Fly-In Programs 2026
If you have ever wondered how to visit your dream school when a flight, hotel, and three days of meals add up to more than your family can spend, fly-in programs are the answer. They are one of the most underutilized opportunities in college admissions, and applying to them can pay off in three different ways: a fully funded campus visit, a guaranteed application fee waiver at many schools, and a meaningful boost in demonstrated interest at colleges that track it.
This guide walks you through what fly-in programs are, who should apply, what you stand to gain, and a complete list of programs confirmed active for the 2026 to 2027 admissions cycle.
What Are Fly-In Programs?
A fly-in program is an immersive multi-day campus visit that a college fully or partially funds for prospective students who would not otherwise be able to afford the trip. Most programs run two or three days, place you in a residence hall with a current undergraduate host, and pack your schedule with class visits, conversations with professors and admissions officers, financial aid workshops, social events, and time exploring the campus and surrounding area.
The term "fly-in" is a bit of a misnomer. The vast majority of these programs cover all forms of travel, including air, train, bus, and ground transportation, plus all meals and on-campus or hotel lodging. A handful of schools instead offer reimbursement programs (you book your own travel, they refund you up to a set amount) or "drive-in" versions for students living within a few hours of campus.
Fly-in programs are not the same as admitted student weekends. Admitted student events like Princeton Preview or Harvard's Visitas happen in April and are open only to students who have already been accepted. Fly-in programs target prospective students, mostly current high school seniors, in the fall before they apply.
Who Should Apply?
Fly-in programs were created to address a structural inequity in admissions. Wealthy applicants can fly cross-country to tour a dozen colleges, while students from low-income, first-generation, rural, or under-resourced backgrounds rarely set foot on a single elite campus before submitting their applications. To level that playing field, most fly-in programs prioritize:
First-generation college students (neither parent holds a four-year degree)
Students from low-income or limited-income households
Students from rural communities or small towns
Students from historically excluded racial or ethnic backgrounds (where legally permissible after the 2023 SFFA decision)
Students attending Title I high schools or schools with limited college counseling resources
Undocumented and DACA students living in the United States
LGBTQIA+ students (at certain programs)
Students with disabilities
A few programs have broader eligibility. Tufts Voices, for example, accepts any rising senior attending high school in the U.S., though it draws heavily from the priority groups above. Reimbursement-style programs at Bryant, College of Idaho, University of Evansville, and Luther are open to all applicants regardless of background.
If your STEM credentials are exceptional and you come from a background that fits any of the priority categories, the engineering and science fly-ins at Caltech, MIT, Columbia, Olin, Harvey Mudd, and Washington University in St. Louis are especially worth your time.
Why You Should Apply
The travel coverage is the obvious benefit, but the strategic value goes deeper.
You see the school for real. Brochures and Instagram tours flatten every campus into the same aspirational gloss. Three days on the ground tells you whether the dining hall is actually walkable from your dorm, whether students seem happy, and whether you can picture yourself there. Several Cosmic clients have crossed schools off their lists after a fly-in, and that is a win, because it saves you an application fee and lets you focus on better fits.
You get a fee waiver. Trinity College, Tufts, Brown STARS, Harvey Mudd FAST, Claremont McKenna, Yale in MOHtion, Columbia, and several others guarantee a fee waiver for everyone who applies to the program, whether you are admitted to the fly-in or not. At schools where application fees run $75 to $90, that adds up.
You signal demonstrated interest. Schools like Tufts, Tulane, Washington University, Case Western, Lehigh, and Boston University track demonstrated interest as part of their admissions review. Attending a fly-in is one of the strongest possible signals you can send. Even applying and not being selected counts.
You meet admissions officers. You will spend real time with the people who will eventually read your application. They will remember you. Several programs offer optional admissions interviews during the visit (Haverford and Harvey Mudd are explicit about this).
You connect with current students. Your overnight host, the student panelists, and the cultural center staff become a network you can lean on when writing your "Why this school?" essay.
You sometimes get an essay shortcut. Amherst's Access to Amherst program lets you use your A2A application essay in lieu of Amherst's supplemental essay. Swarthmore's Discover program offers a similar substitution. That is a meaningful workload reduction in the fall.
Confirmed Fly-In Programs for 2026 to 2027
Below is a comprehensive alphabetical list of programs running for the 2026 to 2027 admissions cycle, recruiting current rising seniors and high school seniors who will apply for fall 2027 enrollment. Dates and deadlines are based on each school's official admissions website as of May 2026; we recommend verifying directly before applying because some programs release final dates in late spring.
Amherst College: Access to Amherst (A2A) Three-day overnight September 26 to 28, 2026. Open to rising seniors with priority for first-generation and historically excluded students. All expenses covered. Application deadline mid-August 2026. The A2A essay can substitute for Amherst's supplement.
Babson College: Access Babson Two-day overnight in October 2026 with travel, lodging, and meals covered. Targets high school seniors facing educational opportunity challenges. Application deadline late July or early August 2026. Strong fit for entrepreneurship-minded applicants.
Barnard College: Barnard Bound Available in both in-person overnight and virtual formats in fall 2026. Targets first-generation students and women's college applicants from low-income backgrounds. Application deadline July or August 2026.
Bates College: Prologue to Bates Three-day overnight October 11 to 13, 2026. Open to all U.S. and Puerto Rico seniors with all expenses covered for those needing financial assistance. Application deadline August 2026.
Boston University: Boston University Overnight One-night overnight in late October 2026 conjoined with Fall Visit Day. Targets seniors residing in greater Boston, NYC, or Philadelphia. Lodging and meals covered. Application deadline late September 2026.
Bowdoin College: Explore Bowdoin Two sessions: September 17 to 19 or October 22 to 24, 2026. Targets low-income, first-generation, rural, and undocumented seniors. All expenses covered. Application deadline mid-August 2026.
Brown University: STARS Senior Fly-In Three-day overnight September 27 to 29, 2026. Targets rural and small-town seniors with strong academic records. Fully funded. Application opens late May 2026. All applicants receive a Brown fee waiver.
Bryant University: Travel Reimbursement Visit Program Self-scheduled year-round visit. Reimburses up to $250 of travel costs, with another $250 credited if you enroll. Open registration to all seniors and transfers.
Bryn Mawr College: Lantern Scholars Program Multi-day overnight in September 2026 with travel, lodging, and meals covered. Targets low-income and first-generation rising seniors at this women's college.
Bucknell University: Journey to Bucknell Three-day overnight October 1 to 3, 2026. Targets seniors with diverse perspectives, GPA of 3.5 or higher, and residence near Baltimore, NYC, Philadelphia, or D.C. Application priority deadline mid-September 2026.
California Institute of Technology: Caltech Up Close (CUC) and WiSTEM WiSTEM runs August 6 to 7, 2026 for women in STEM. CUC runs in October 2026 for STEM-promising seniors from disadvantaged backgrounds. Both fully funded. WiSTEM application opens mid-May; CUC deadline early August. Highly recommended for STEM applicants.
Calvin University: Entrada Scholars Program Four-week residential summer 2026 program for racial and ethnic minority juniors and seniors. Most expenses covered, plus a $6,000 to $10,000 renewable scholarship if you enroll at Calvin.
Carleton College: Taste of Carleton (TOC) and Carleton Liberal Arts Experience (CLAE) TOC is a three-day fly-in in late September 2026 for first-generation, rural, low-income, or non-native English speaking seniors. CLAE is a week-long summer program July 5 to 11, 2026 for rising seniors of African American descent. TOC deadline late July 2026.
Carnegie Mellon University: Celebration of Belonging Overnight Restructured into an admitted-student overnight tied to April Turn Tartan. CMU does not currently host a publicly advertised prospective-senior fly-in; Celebration of Diversity Series for prospective students is virtual only.
Case Western Reserve University: Diversity Overnight Two sessions in October and November 2026 with transportation covered. Verify continuation status before applying because CWRU dissolved its DEI office in early 2025.
Claremont McKenna College: CMC Fall Preview Program Multi-day overnight in October 2026. Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented Class of 2027 students with priority to first-generation, rural, and low-income applicants. All expenses covered, plus a CMC fee waiver. Application deadline mid-August 2026.
Colgate University: Colgate in Focus (CIF) Three-day overnight in October 2026. Targets low-income, first-generation, and historically excluded seniors. All expenses covered for student plus one parent or guardian. Application deadline early September 2026.
College of the Holy Cross: Perspectives Overnight Program Two sessions: September 26 to 28 and November 7 to 9, 2026. Targets seniors from Title I, rural, urban, or first-generation backgrounds. All expenses covered.
College of Idaho: Fly-In Reimbursement Self-scheduled year-round visit. Reimburses up to $250 of travel costs. Open registration.
Colorado College: Discover Colorado College Three-day overnight October 3 to 5, 2026. Targets historically marginalized, first-generation, rural, low-income, or Title I seniors. Fully funded. Application deadline mid-August 2026. Showcases CC's distinctive Block Plan.
Columbia University: STARS Fly-In and Engineering Preview at Columbia (EPC) Both run as three-day overnights in October 2026 for student plus one parent. STARS targets rural seniors; EPC targets engineering-focused seniors. All expenses including air and rail covered. Application deadline mid-to-late July 2026. You may apply to only one. All applicants receive a Columbia fee waiver. EPC is one of the few engineering-specific Ivy fly-ins.
Connecticut College: Explore Weekend Multi-day overnight in November 2026 for seniors from underrepresented backgrounds. Travel, lodging, and meals covered. Application deadline mid-September 2026.
Dartmouth College: Dartmouth Bound and Indigenous Fly-In Program (IFI) Dartmouth Bound is a four-day summer 2026 program for rising seniors with priority to first-generation, low-income, rural, and under-resourced applicants. IFI is a multi-day overnight in October 2026 for Indigenous seniors. Both fully funded.
Davidson College: Access Davidson Two-day overnight in September 2026 for first-generation, rural, or low-income seniors. Transportation, meals, and lodging covered. Priority deadline August 1, 2026.
Denison University: Dialogue with Denison (DWD) Two-day overnight in late October 2026 for seniors from diverse backgrounds. Travel, lodging, and meals covered. Application deadline mid-September 2026.
Emory University: Emory LEADs Experience Hybrid program: monthly virtual sessions starting August 2026 plus a three-day in-person Leadership Retreat in mid-October 2026. Targets first-generation and underrepresented seniors. Travel, lodging, and meals covered for the in-person portion. Application deadline August 2026.
Hamilton College: Home at Hamilton (HOME) Two-day overnight in October 2026 for seniors with limited financial resources. All expenses covered. Application deadline early September 2026.
Harvey Mudd College: FAST and WiSTEM FAST (Future Achievers in Science and Technology) is a multi-day overnight for U.S. citizens or permanent residents from underrepresented STEM backgrounds. WiSTEM is a six-month program with virtual components plus an on-campus fly-in for women in STEM. Both fully funded; participants receive an HMC fee waiver and complete their admissions interview during the program.
Haverford College: Have-A-Look (HAL) Three-day overnight October 25 to 27, 2026 for seniors who have contributed to building diverse communities. All expenses covered. Application deadline August 2026. Includes optional admissions interview.
Johns Hopkins University: Senior Fly-In Two-day overnight in October 2026 for first-generation, limited-income, and underrepresented seniors. Travel, lodging, and meals covered. Application deadline early September 2026.
Kenyon College: Kenyon Educational Enrichment Program (KEEP) Two-and-a-half-week residential summer 2026 program for underrepresented students including students of color, LGBTQ+, first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities. Stipend provided.
Lafayette College: Our Beloved Community (OBC) Multi-day overnight in fall 2026 for underrepresented and economically challenged seniors. Housing and meals covered with travel financial assistance available.
Lehigh University: Diversity Achievers Program (DAP) Two-day overnight in October 2026 for seniors committed to a diverse campus, with priority for underrepresented and first-generation applicants. Travel, lodging, and meals historically covered. Application deadline mid-September 2026.
Luther College: Campus Visit Award Self-scheduled visit with a $1,000 renewable scholarship awarded upon enrollment. Travel reimbursement available for non-contiguous-state applicants.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Weekend Immersion in Science and Engineering (WISE) Three-day overnight in early-to-mid October 2026. Targets rising seniors from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds. All expenses covered including transportation. Application deadline early August 2026. Standardized test scores required. Highly recommended for STEM applicants.
Miami University (Ohio): Bridges Program Two-day overnights at multiple sessions in late October and November 2026 for first-generation seniors and students with demonstrated financial need. Round-trip transportation provided from select cities. Completers who enroll receive $2,500 to $5,000 scholarships.
Middlebury College: Discover Middlebury Three-day overnight in mid-October 2026 for financially constrained seniors and changemakers. All expenses covered. Application deadline early September 2026.
Mount Holyoke College: Mosaic Two sessions: late September and early November 2026 for seniors who champion diversity, equity, and inclusion at this women's college. Lodging, meals, and travel covered. Priority deadline September 30, 2026.
Northwestern University: START-UP Three-day fully funded fly-in July 9 to 11, 2026 for high-achieving rising seniors at rural or small-town high schools. Application closed for 2026; reopens January 2027 for the summer 2027 cohort. Entrepreneurship and innovation focus.
Oberlin College: Oberlin Overnight Two sessions in October and November 2026 for seniors committed to diversity. All expenses covered. Application deadline September 2026.
Olin College of Engineering: Olin MIX and Mingle Fly-In Two-day overnight in November 2026. Targets first-generation seniors and others for whom travel is prohibitive. Counselor nomination required. Travel, lodging, and meals covered. Nomination deadline September 2026. Excellent project-based engineering focus.
Pomona College: Perspectives on Pomona (POP) Three-day overnight in early October 2026. Targets underrepresented, first-generation, low-income, or marginalized seniors. Shuttle from local airports, lodging at nearby hotel, and all meals covered. Application deadline August 2026.
Reed College: Senior Scholars Program Yearlong engagement: virtual programming November to December 2026 plus spring 2027 campus visits for students admitted via Early Action or Early Decision. Designed for underrepresented and students of color but open to all. Application deadline November 1, 2026.
Rice University: SOAR and VISION Programs SOAR runs October to November 2026; VISION runs spring 2027. Both are tied to open house weekends. Travel, lodging, and meals covered for selected participants. Targets low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented seniors.
University of Rochester: Meliora Visitation Program (MVP) Two-night overnight in early November 2026 for seniors who could not otherwise afford a campus visit. Free travel, lodging, and meals. Application deadline mid-October 2026.
Smith College: Women of Distinction Program Two sessions in mid-October and early November 2026 at this women's college. Historically prioritized students of color and first-generation applicants. Housing, meals, and transportation covered. Note: the Department of Education opened a Title IX investigation into Smith in May 2026; verify status before applying.
Swarthmore College: Discover Swarthmore Two sessions: September 24 to 26 or October 22 to 24, 2026. Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented or DACA rising seniors with priority to first-generation and low-income applicants. All transportation, meals, and housing covered. Application opens May 2026, deadline late July. The Discover essay can substitute for Swarthmore's supplement.
Trinity College (CT): Bantam Bound Two-day overnight in November 2026 for first-generation, LGBTQIA+, and seniors of color. All expenses covered, plus a Common App fee waiver for all applicants. Application deadline mid-October 2026.
Tufts University: Voices of Tufts Two-day overnight in October 2026, plus a one-day virtual cohort. Open to any rising senior in the U.S. but draws heavily from first-generation, LGBTQIA+, low-income, students with disabilities, and rural backgrounds. All expenses covered. Roughly 300 spaces and 3,000 applications. Every applicant receives a Tufts fee waiver. Application deadline mid-September 2026. Strong engineering programming.
Tulane University: PreviewTU Multicultural Fly-In Two-day overnight in fall 2026 for first-generation and limited-income seniors. Both full and partial travel grants available.
Union College: Getting to Know Union (GTKU) Two-day overnight in mid-October 2026 for seniors from diverse cultural backgrounds. All expenses covered. Application deadline early September 2026.
University of Pennsylvania: Penn Early Exploration Program (PEEP) Three-week virtual program with two summer 2026 cohorts: July 15 to 29 or August 5 to 19. Targets first-generation, limited-income, and rural rising seniors. Application deadline May 26, 2026. Note: PEEP is virtual only, but it is included here because it is Penn's primary access pathway for prospective seniors.
University of Vermont: Discovering UVM (DUVM) Multi-day overnight in late October 2026 with multiple sessions. All programming, lodging, and meals covered, plus travel reimbursements up to $500. Application deadline September 2026.
Washington and Lee University: PATH to W and L Two sessions: September 20 to 22 or September 27 to 29, 2026. Targets first-generation Class of 2027 juniors from limited-counseling schools, free or reduced lunch eligible students, and undocumented or DACA students. All expenses covered. Application deadline August 8, 2026.
Washington University in St. Louis: WashU FLI-In Three-day, two-night summer immersion in June or July 2026 with tracks in Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, Art and Architecture, and Pre-Med. Targets first-generation and limited-income rising seniors. Round-trip travel, on-campus housing, and meals covered. Application deadline May 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
Wellesley College: Access the Wellesley Experience (AWE) Day-long drive-in program in October 2026 (not overnight) for seniors in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, southern New Hampshire, or southern Maine from low-income, historically excluded, or first-generation backgrounds at this women's college. All travel costs covered.
Wesleyan University: WesExplore Three-day overnight October 4 to 6, 2026 for seniors from underserved communities, Title I schools, and limited-income backgrounds. All expenses covered. Application requires a transcript, senior course list, and short essay. Deadline August 2026.
Williams College: Windows on Williams (WOW) Three-day overnight October 4 to 6, 2026. Targets seniors who could not otherwise afford a campus visit. Stay in dorms with current students; all expenses covered. Application deadline August 1, 2026.
Yale University: Yale in MOHtion Two-night overnight September 25 to 27, 2026 (verify final dates) tied to the Multicultural Open House. Targets seniors who would otherwise be unable to travel to New Haven. Stays in residential colleges with current student hosts; all travel, lodging, and meals covered. Selects 50 students. Application deadline July 1, 2026. No standardized test scores required for the program application.
A Note on Programs That Have Been Discontinued
A few programs that appear on older fly-in lists are no longer running for the 2026 to 2027 cycle. Vanderbilt MOSAIC was permanently discontinued in January 2026. The University of Chicago has not advertised a prospective senior fly-in for the cycle. Princeton, Harvard, and Stanford do not currently run prospective-senior fly-ins (their April programming is admitted-student only). Duke's prior diversity overnight has been restructured. If you see one of these on a third-party list, skip it and focus your energy on confirmed programs.
How to Apply Strategically
Most fly-in applications open between May and August 2026 and close between July and September 2026. That means your strategy should start now, in the spring of your junior year, with three concrete steps.
First, pull out your calendar and map every deadline relevant to you. The earliest deadlines are at WashU (May 15), Penn PEEP (May 26), Yale (July 1), and Columbia (late July). If you procrastinate past mid-July, you have already lost access to several of the strongest programs.
Second, identify which programs require counselor nominations. Olin requires nominations. Reed and Washington and Lee accept them. Email your counselor in spring to give them runway.
Third, treat fly-in applications as practice for your college essays. They are short, low-stakes, and the prompts often overlap with what you will eventually write for the Common App. Putting in real effort here pays off twice over.
If you want help choosing which fly-ins to prioritize, drafting your applications, or thinking through how a fly-in fits into your broader admissions strategy, schedule a free consultation with an admissions expert today.
