Admission to Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics is limited to rising high school juniors and seniors whose custodial parents or guardians established legal residency in North Carolina no later than December 1, of the application year. Selection is based on academic ability, science and mathematics motivation, and emotional maturity.
Consideration is given to students whose abilities are not accurately reflected in grades and standardized test scores, such as those for whom English is a second language and those who are hearing impaired or have cerebral palsy.
The program is not designed, however, to provide incentive for students whose academic performance reflects a lack of self-motivation or discipline.
An admissions committee, made up of professionals in education, science, and mathematics from across North Carolina, selects the finalists and alternates invited to participate in SVSM. Each finalist and alternate is assigned to a specific campus based upon the availability of the student's preferred academic program.
So that SVSM may serve as many students as possible, no participant may attend for more than one summer. High school sophomores who are admitted to both Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics may attend SVSM prior to their junior year at NCSSM. Students may also apply to both SVSM and the Governor's School. Students accepted to both SVSM and the Governor's School must choose between the two. However, former Governor's School participants can attend SVSM.