FSI online is a six-week, fully virtual academic and co-curricular bridge program designed primarily for first-generation and/or low-income (FLi) students. FSI online gives students an early opportunity to

• Enroll in an online, credit-bearing Princeton course;
• Connect in structured exchanges with faculty, staff, and peers;
• And gain familiarity with various academic and co-curricular campus resources.

Through these experiences, students will be able to reflect upon the transition to college, learn to navigate University resources, establish early mentoring relationships with faculty, and develop the skills foundational to scholarly work. 

In short, you were invited because we are extremely excited about your clear dedication to scholarly learning, leadership, and community engagement and want to help make your transition to Princeton as productive and rewarding as possible. We believe that you will make use of an early exposure to Princeton’s resources in order to make meaningful contributions to the university community. 

We are particularly interested in providing this opportunity to students who have not yet had the chance to experience similar enrichment programs or mentorship experiences. In our holistic review of applications, we consider factors like intellectual curiosity, qualities of leadership and resiliency, the educational enrichment opportunities offered by the student’s high school, and familial educational background. While there is no simple formula for our process, Dean Gonzalez is happy to talk to you about whether and how the program might be a good fit. In the end, the decision to attend is yours to make—but we do hope that you join us!

FSI online enrolls about 70 students each year. 

This year, FSI online will run from July 7-August 23. 

Princeton Fall 2022 Orientation for the Class of 2026 is currently scheduled to begin with move-in on Friday, August 26, and continue through Monday, September 5.

Please refer back to our FSI academic experience page for more information on available courses and academic opportunities over the summer. 

By earning one credit over the summer, most FSI online alums give themselves the option of taking a reduced course load in a future term, should this prove useful or necessary. Students in the B.S.E. program normally alternate four-course and five-course semesters over their four years at Princeton; students in the A.B. programs take at least one five-course semester in their first two years.  FSI credit can be used to reduce their course load from five to four, or (in the case of A.B. students) from four courses to three during a semester.

In addition to our academic curriculum, FSI provides robust co-curricular programming for our scholars. This provides many opportunities for students to explore the seemingly boundless number of resources and opportunities at Princeton. By engaging with the many offices and resources that Princeton has to offer, FSI scholars get a head start on defining their pathways through Princeton, both as scholars and future campus leaders. Throughout FSI, you will participate in Meet and Greets, Office Hours, and workshops with university staff, faculty, and fellow students that will connect you with the many opportunities available at Princeton and ensure that you take the best advantage of them.

All FSI Online scholars will also be assigned to a “zee” (or advisee) group with a Virtual Community Advisor, an advanced undergraduate who will create community building and fun events each week. There will be 2 synchronous “zee” group meetings each week as well as two broader synchronous community events on Friday-Sunday. You can expect to spend about 6-8 hours in co-curricular activity each week.

No way! Without question, the primary focus of FSI is academic. But that doesn’t mean that Scholars don’t have fun. Our Virtual Community Advisers are experienced guides to all things Princeton, and will plan social activities throughout the week. These activities include scrabble tournaments, dance parties, trivia games, and more. Scholars report that the friends they make in FSI remain good friends throughout their years at Princeton, regardless of the majors they choose, the residential colleges in which they live, or the clubs and teams to which they belong. They tell us that being part of a tightly-knit, diverse cohort by the end of the summer is a welcome relief from a worry that almost every new student faces.

Yes! The program is designed as a fellowship opportunity, so for students who receive any amount of Princeton grant aid, there is no charge to attend: the entire cost of the program is free, including tuition and any course materials. In addition, you will receive a stipend to offset expenses during the summer. 

We hope that you will join us! Students who have attended FSI in previous summers believe that the program was instrumental in helping them thrive in their academic, co-curricular, and social lives at Princeton.

Our former participants are eager to share their experiences with you! We encourage you to speak to a participant in last year’s program if you have any questions and are setting up open Zoom Rooms for just this purpose!

FSI is an invite-only program. Given the popularity of FSI, spaces fill quickly. Although we will make every effort to accommodate all invited students, we cannot guarantee admission: acceptance is on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline for accepting the invitation is in May, so be sure to check your inbox for any emails or reminders from the FSI staff.

To reserve your space in FSI, please refer to the link you received in your personal invitation.

Given that FSI will be conducted virtually, you will need to have certain technological requirements, including reliable internet access, the ability to video conference, browsing capabilities, and access to google docs. These requirements can be met by the equivalent of a Chromebook, for instance. We understand, of course, that some scholars might not have reliable access to these technologies yet, and every scholar will receive a stipend to help offset these costs. We can also help you purchase a computer through Princeton’s Student Computing Initiative, through which you can buy a computer through a Financial Aid loan. However, scholars will need to participate from a location in which they can connect to the internet.

Yes. If you have a summer internship or job that you plan on participating in over the summer, you must communicate this immediately with FSI staff. It is possible that you can participate in both FSI and another summer opportunity, as long as that opportunity is not more than 20 hours/week. However, you must ensure that you are still able to meet all of the FSI hour requirements, attend class, and participate in co-curricular activities.

We very much hope that you will join us for what we know will be an exciting, challenging, and rewarding summer. If you have any questions about FSI, please contact us at any time. We are happy to talk with you about the decision.

FSI scholars are considered full University students and are able to access various academic advising, tutoring, and co-curricular resources over the summer. In order to facilitate student connection to these resources, our office hosts regular “meet and greets” with our campus partners such as the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, LGBT Center, and Residential College staff.