What Is the Clark Scholars Acceptance Rate? 2026 Data + How to Get In
Updated: 6th November, 2026
TL;DR
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a seven-week, paid summer research program at Texas Tech University. Texas Tech doesn't publish an acceptance rate, but it takes only 12 students each summer. You must be 17 by the first day, with no exceptions, and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The 2027 deadline is February 15, 2027. If you want mentored research that fits your schedule, look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It pairs you 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor.
What is the Anson L. Clark Scholars Program?
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a seven-week summer research program at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. It has run for more than 30 years and has served over 350 students. Each summer, 12 rising high school seniors and recent graduates work on research projects with university faculty.
Clark Scholars is unusual because it pays you. There's no program participation fee, Texas Tech provides room, board, and meals on campus, and you can earn a $750 stipend once you complete a successful research project report. You still cover the application fee, travel to Lubbock, personal expenses, and medical expenses.
The program also runs weekend activities, and it welcomes gifted students in almost any area, including the natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and fine arts. Texas Tech picks the research areas each summer, so check the current list before you apply.
What's the Clark Scholars acceptance rate?
Texas Tech doesn't publish a Clark Scholars acceptance rate or the number of people who apply. The official site only says the applicant pools are very competitive and that the program takes 12 students each summer.
You can still get a feel for the odds. Here's an estimate, not an official number. If 300 students applied, 12 spots would mean about a 4% acceptance rate. If 600 applied, it would be about 2%. We chose those applicant counts as examples, because the real count isn't public.
Texas Tech also says the average SAT score of its 12 scholars is usually in the 99th percentile. That describes past groups. It isn't a minimum score or a promise of admission.
Clark Scholars at a glance: length, cost, and who can apply
This table pulls the main facts from the official site. Dates are for the 2027 program. The $25 application fee comes from the 2026 cycle page.
Detail | Information |
Host | Texas Tech University |
Location | Lubbock, Texas |
2027 program dates | June 20 to August 5, 2027 |
Length | Seven weeks |
Cost to attend | No program participation fee |
Application fee | $25 (listed for the 2026 cycle) |
Stipend | $750 after you complete a successful research project report |
Housing and meals | On-campus room, board, and meals |
Who can apply | Rising high school seniors and recent high school graduates |
Minimum age | 17 by the program start date, no exceptions |
Citizenship | U.S. citizens and permanent residents |
Number of scholars | 12 per summer |
Application opens | January 2, 2027 |
Application deadline | February 15, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time |
Decisions | No later than the first part of May |
Is the Clark Scholars Program prestigious?
Clark Scholars is a competitive, respected program because it gives 12 students a seven-week research experience with university faculty. You aren't just sitting in lectures. You carry out a project and write a research report.
The money side stands out, too. A covered room and board plus a stipend is rare for a summer opportunity. A project like this can also give you something real to talk about in a college essay or interview, as long as you can explain what you learned.
How hard is it to get into Clark Scholars?
It's hard, mostly because there are only 12 spots. Texas Tech says it chooses scholars based on academic accomplishments, teacher recommendations, and career objectives. Here's what that means for you:
The group is tiny. Many strong students will be turned away because there isn't room.
Grades and scores matter. The usual 99th percentile SAT average suggests a very strong academic group.
Your file must be complete. Texas Tech doesn't accept extra materials beyond the required parts, and late test scores won't count.
The age rule is strict. You must be 17 by the first day, and you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Who is eligible to apply to Clark Scholars?
You can apply if you're a rising high school senior or a recent graduate, you're 17 by the program start date, and you're a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The age rule trips up the most people, so start there.
How old do you have to be?
You must turn 17 on or before June 20, 2027, the first day of the 2027 program. Turning 17 later in the summer doesn't count. Texas Tech says there are no exceptions and won't answer emails asking for one. If your birthday is June 19, 2027, you're eligible. If it's June 21, you're not.
Which grade and graduation year?
You attend the summer before your senior year or the summer after you graduate. If you finish 12th grade right before the summer program, you can apply.
Do you need to be a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Check all three requirements before you spend time on the application.
What does your Clark Scholars application include?
The application has six parts, and all of them are due February 15, 2027. Texas Tech asks you to upload documents as PDFs.
Online application and essays. You create an account, save each section as you go, and answer short essays. The prompts and character limits are posted early, so you can start before the application opens.
High school transcript. You upload it, and unofficial copies are fine. You can also upload AP score reports.
Standardized test scores. You enter SAT or ACT scores and upload a report. If those won't be ready by the deadline, a PSAT or PACT score is the minimum.
Three recommendations. At least two must come from teachers. The third can come from a teacher, research mentor, principal investigator, or volunteer organization. Recommenders fill out an online questionnaire instead of writing a letter.
Your five most important activities. List honors, research, and activities from in or outside school. You can't submit a resume or a longer list. The service essay lets you describe one more.
On-time submission. Test scores that arrive after the deadline aren't accepted, and Texas Tech doesn't take supplemental materials.
When is the Clark Scholars application deadline?
The 2027 application opens January 2, 2027, and closes February 15, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. Texas Tech says decisions come no later than the first part of May.
Milestone | Timing |
Applications open | January 2, 2027 |
Application and recommendations due | February 15, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time |
Decisions | No later than the first part of May |
Program dates | June 20 to August 5, 2027 |
Don't wait for January to get ready. Ask your recommenders early, read the essay prompts, and gather your transcript and test scores. Recommendations are due the same day as your application, so a late teacher can sink your whole file.
Which research areas does Clark Scholars offer?
The official 2027 research areas are biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and economics. Texas Tech lists 12 proposed projects for the 2027 group, and you work on one with a faculty mentor.
The program also says it has welcomed students in the humanities and fine arts over the years. Don't count on a field being offered in a given summer. The research areas page is the best place to check before you apply.
Along with your project, you take part in weekly seminars, discussions, field trips, and social activities. Your final task is a research project report, and a successful report is what earns the stipend.
How can you strengthen your Clark Scholars application?
Focus on the three things Texas Tech says it weighs: academics, recommendations, and career goals. These tips help you show each one.
Show strong grades and real curiosity. Your transcript and scores should match the field you pick. Then explain which questions in that field interest you.
Pick your five activities carefully. You can't add a resume, so choose the five that show effort, initiative, and interest in learning. The most famous-sounding list isn't always the best one.
Ask recommenders who know your work. Choose teachers who can speak to your curiosity and work ethic. Tell them it's an online questionnaire, and give them time.
Make your essays specific. Skip broad lines about wanting a top college. Name a question or problem that made you curious, and say what you want to learn.
Finish the paperwork early. Before February 15, check that essays are done, transcripts and scores are uploaded, and all three recommenders have submitted. Double-check the age rule first.
Is the Clark Scholars Program worth it?
It can be, if you meet the rules and want a full summer of faculty-led research. Here's a fair look at the trade-offs.
Pros -
There's no participation fee, and Texas Tech covers on-campus room, board, and meals.
You can earn a $750 stipend after a successful research project report.
You spend seven weeks working with faculty in a group of only 12 students.
Past scholars have a record of strong academics, with an average SAT usually in the 99th percentile.
Cons -
With 12 spots and no published acceptance rate, you can't easily judge your odds.
You must be 17 by June 20, 2027, with no exceptions.
Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents can apply.
You must be in Lubbock for seven weeks and pay for your own travel, personal expenses, and medical costs.
Frequently asked questions: Clark Scholars Program
Is the Clark Scholars Program paid?
Yes, you receive a $750 stipend after you complete a successful research project report. There's no participation fee, and Texas Tech provides on-campus room, board, meals, and weekend activities. You still pay the application fee, travel to and from Lubbock, personal expenses, and medical expenses.
How old do you have to be for Clark Scholars?
You must be at least 17 by the first day of the program. For 2027, that day is June 20, 2027. Texas Tech says there are no exceptions, so turning 17 later in the summer doesn't count. You also need to be a rising senior or recent graduate and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Is Clark Scholars worth it for college applications?
It can be a strong addition if you want research experience. You spend seven weeks on a project with faculty and finish with a research report. No program guarantees admission to any college, though. What counts most is what you learn and can explain in your essays and interviews.
What research can you do at Clark Scholars?
The 2027 research areas are biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and economics. Your project depends on the area you pick and the faculty mentor you work with. Areas change by summer, so check the official research areas page before you apply.
Can international students apply to Clark Scholars?
Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents can apply, based on Texas Tech's published rules. If you're an international student without permanent residency, you don't meet that requirement. Texas Tech doesn't say it makes exceptions, so check with the program before you start an application.
What other summer research programs are there besides Clark Scholars?
Many universities run summer research programs for high school students, and each has its own age, location, and cost rules. For one example, read our guide to Rockefeller University's Summer Science Research Program. Compare deadlines early, because many fall in winter.
Can't meet Clark Scholars' age rule, aren't a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or can't spend seven weeks in Lubbock? Look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It pairs you 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor to build an independent research paper, with several start dates throughout the year. Apply here.
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics before beginning a PhD at Harvard Business School. A former McKinsey & Company consultant and former researcher, his research has been covered by the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, and the Washington Post. In his articles for Forbes, he writes on what students and professionals can learn from high school research, high school passion projects, critical thinking, and mentorship. At Lumiere, he leads a selective research program where students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper. Connect with him on LinkedIn.