Early Start FAQs

Purdue Early Start is an innovative opportunity for admitted students to complete up to 9 credits before the start of a student’s freshman year at Purdue. This program is designed to give students a jumpstart on their college career and put them on a pathway to success. 

Students who have accepted their offer of admission for Fall 2024 may request to switch to Early Start by submitting the “Early Start” form under the Reply Forms tab in their admissions application portal (when logging in, use the email address you provided on your admission application, not your purdue.edu address). A screenshot is included below. If you have any questions, please email us at thinksummer@purdue.edu. 

- Get ahead in your studies by completing up to 9 credit hours. Students in many majors can utilize one or more future Summer Sessions to increase return on investment by graduating early. 

- Add a second major or multiple minors without increasing time to graduation.

- A more relaxed and intimate environment will provide students a chance to adjust to college living and to the rigor of college-level classes.

- Develop supporting relationships that will last throughout your time at Purdue.

To learn more about the dates and deadlines for Early Start, please visit our Dates and Deadlines page.

If you are choosing to live on campus, you will live in an air conditioned room during the summer! While efforts will be made to keep students in the same room from July through May, some switches will need to occur. Students who must switch rooms will move to their fall assignment by August 5th to prepare your summer room for the fall semester.

Yes, Learning Community placements will be made during May and your academic advisor will help you plan summer and fall courses after the completion of Purdue 101.

International students who are, or will be, inside the United States and wish to participate in Early Start at the West Lafayette campus must enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours. No more than three credit hours delivered in an online or distance format may count toward the minimum enrollment requirement.  International students who want to complete on-campus summer classes must make a final decision by April 15th to facilitate the visa process.  

International students who opt to participate in Early Start from outside the United States, via the fully online format, may not enter the United States more than 30 days before the start of the fall 2025 semester.

A list of course options is available here. An academic advisor will help you plan summer and fall courses after the completion of Purdue 101.

Yes. Check out  this website for links to popular on-campus employment sites. 

Purdue 101 will begin in May. Students are automatically enrolled after they accept their admission.

You will be planning your Summer and Fall courses with the assistance of an academic advisor after your completion of  Purdue 101 . Students who have accepted their offers of admission will be enrolled in Purdue 101 automatically. You are also expected to register yourself for  Boiler Gold Rush (BGR)  – Purdue’s orientation week that takes place between the end of Early Start and the beginning of fall courses. Room and Board for the four days between housing contracts is included in the BGR fee.

During Early Start, you may have a car on campus. Early Start students may park in University Residences lots until August 9th without a permit. Students may also pay to park at meters across campus. However, students will receive a ticket for parking in A, B, or C spaces without the proper permit. As for the fall and spring semesters, you will have to meet certain criteria in order to apply for parking permit. More information can be found  here.

You can pay online at the  Bursar's Office website . More information can be found on our  Costs page . Also, we encourage you to review the summer add/drop calendar provided by the Office of the Registrar. 

While focusing on academics is important, it's also important to have fun during college! Students completing coursework on campus will have the opportunity to attend weekly campus events, enjoy the co-rec, and participate in activities hosted by University Residences, PSUB, and their peer mentor. 

Please call us at (765) 496-7193, or email us at  thinksummer@purdue.edu.