SOAR Program Application 2026

The deadline has passed to apply for SOAR 2026.

Instructions

Thank you for your interest in the Seeking Opportunities at Rice (SOAR) program! SOAR is designed to support rising high school seniors who are first-generation college-bound, from limited-income families, live in rural or small-town areas, or may face barriers to visiting campus independently.

Please answer the questions in this section. A complete application form, as well as a list of documentation requirements, will appear based on your responses. You CANNOT save or return to this form, and you can only submit it once. Please review the entire application and all required submissions before beginning to ensure you have the necessary paperwork. If you would like to update your application after submitting it, please email us at soar@rice.edu.

The deadline to submit your application and supporting documentation is Friday, June 19, by 11:59 p.m. C.T.

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*)

Please affirm your eligibility to apply for the SOAR program:

*I affirm that I will be a first-year student in Fall 2027.

Yes

No

*I will be at least 17 years of age on or before August 28, 2026.

Yes

No

*Are you a QuestBridge College Prep Scholars applicant?

Yes

No

*Please provide your QuestBridge ID:

This application is open to Fall 2027 first-year students who will be at least 17 years of age or before on August 28, 2026. We invite you to visit our website for other opportunities.

QuestBridge CPS Applicants:

*Please check the box below to acknowledge Rice's use of your QuestBridge CPS application documents for your SOAR Application.

Yes, I will use my QuestBridge CPS application and supplemental materials as part of my SOAR program application.

No, I will complete the SOAR program application and supplemental materials from scratch.

SOAR Program Application Requirements:

Your QuestBridge College Prep Scholars application and essays will be utilized for your SOAR program application. To be eligible for SOAR, you must submit the following documents through this application. Please have these documents available prior to applying:

Unofficial Transcript: This must include all courses taken from grades 9-11 in one file.
Recommended Standardized Testing: If you would like your SAT, ACT, or AP scores considered, please ensure you have your score reports available.

SOAR Program Application Requirements:

To be eligible to apply for SOAR, you must submit the following documents through this application. Please have these documents on hand prior to applying:

Unofficial Transcript: This must include all courses taken from grades 9-11 in one file.
Recommendation Letter (Optional): A letter written on your behalf by a counselor, teacher, work supervisor, coach or community-based organization director.
Recommended Standardized Testing: If you would like your SAT, ACT, or AP scores considered, please ensure you have your score reports available.
Short Answer Response: We're interested in learning more about you. How has your environment influenced your development, shaped your goals or contributed to your academic achievements? Please share key experiences, challenges or factors that have had an impact on your personal journey and ambitions. (300 word limit)

Applicant Information

*First/Given Name

Middle Name

*Last/Family Name

Suffix

Preferred First Name (if different from your first name above)

*Sex

Gender Identity

What pronouns do you use?

*Birthdate

*Mobile/Cell Phone

*Email Address

*Confirm Email Address

*Mailing Address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

Click here if your Permanent Address is different from your Mailing Address.

Yes

*Permanent Address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

*What is the nearest airport to you?

*Will you be a first-generation college student (meaning neither of your parent(s)/guardian(s) graduated college with a bachelor's degree)?

Yes

No

Unsure

*Do you qualify for Free/Reduced lunch or an ACT/SAT waiver?

Yes

No

*Where does your annual household income fall?

If you would like to provide additional information regarding your financial situation, you may do so in the space below. This will only be used for contextual purposes.

*How did you hear about the SOAR program and Owl About Rice? (Check all that apply)

Please specify:

Demographic Information

*Citizenship

Dual Citizenship

*Citizenship Status

*Do you hold a current U.S. Visa?

*Have you been approved to receive DACA status?

*City, State/Province and Country of Birth

*Native language

*Primary language spoken at home

Fluency in other languages?
Select more than one by holding down the CTRL key (PC) or Command key (Mac)

Parent/Guardian Information

Parent/Guardian 1

*Parent/Guardian 1 Relationship

*Parent/Guardian 1 - Living?

*Parent/Guardian 1 - First Name

*Parent/Guardian 1 - Last Name

*Parent/Guardian 1 - Birthplace
City, State/Province and Country

*Parent/Guardian 1 - Occupation

*Parent/Guardian 1 - Highest level of education completed

Parent/Guardian 1 - College(s) attended, if any
Please include years of attendance

Parent/Guardian 2

*Parent/Guardian 2 - Relationship

*Parent/Guardian 2 - Living?

*Parent/Guardian 2 - First Name

*Parent/Guardian 2 - Last Name

*Parent/Guardian 2 - Birthplace
City, State/Province and Country

*Parent/Guardian 2 - Occupation

*Parent/Guardian 2 - Highest level of education completed

Parent/Guardian 2 - College(s) attended, if any
Please include years of attendance

School Information

*Current School
Enter your school's name or CEEB code. Next, select your school from the resulting list. If you are homeschooled or your school is not listed, please enter six zeros (000000) in this field.

*Cumulative GPA

*Grading Scale (ex. 4.0, 5.0, etc)

*This GPA is

*Does your school rank its students?

*Class Rank

*Class Size

Senior Year Coursework

List your current and upcoming senior year coursework below. Use the Add Course link to add additional courses. If you are unable to list all senior year coursework in the space provided, please prioritize listing core academic courses (e.g., English, math, science, social science, or foreign language).

DeleteCourse _ID_
*Course Title *Course Department (English, Math, Science, etc.) *Course Schedule

Add Course

Standardized Testing

While it is not required, we recommend applicants submit SAT or ACT exam scores. You also have the option to include any AP test scores. Students who are unable to submit test scores or prefer not to submit test scores will receive full consideration in the selection process.

Please indicate if you would like for Rice to consider any of your SAT, ACT or AP scores with your application:

SAT Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW)

SAT Math

ACT Math

ACT Science

ACT English

ACT Reading

AP Exam

SAT EBRW

SAT EBRW Test Date

SAT EBRW Score

SAT Math

SAT Math Test Date

SAT Math Score

ACT Math

ACT Math Test Date

ACT Math Score

ACT Science

ACT Science Test Date

ACT Science Score

ACT English

ACT English Test Date

ACT English Score

ACT Reading

ACT Reading Test Date

ACT Reading Score

AP Exams

*AP Number

Select your AP exam subject and provide the score received. Use the Add Exam link to add additional exam scores.

DeleteAP Exam _ID_
AP Test Date AP Test Date AP Exam Subject AP Exam Score Test Status (hidden)

Add Exam

Activities

Briefly list any honors or awards received during high school, either from your school or other organizations.

*List and describe the activities you participated in during high school. Try to include the following:

The position(s) you held
Your responsibilities
The time commitment
The impact of your work

Community-Based Organizations

To add additional Community-based Organizations, click the Add CBO link.

DeleteCommunity Based Organization _ID_
Organization Name

Add CBO

Work Experience

If applicable, list and describe the paid work you participated in during high school. Try to include the following:

Your work responsibilities
The time commitment
The impact of your work experience

Additional Information

*First Choice Academic Interest

Second Choice Academic Interest

Third Choice Academic Interest

*Have you ever visited Rice University?

*When did you visit?

*Of the topics listed below, which three are of the most interest to you?

*Tell us what interests you most about Rice.

Upload Your Materials

Please upload the following documents now with your application.

Unofficial Transcript: This will need to include all courses taken from grades 9-11 grades in one file.
Recommendation Letter (Optional): A letter written on your behalf by a counselor, teacher, work supervisor, coach or community-based organization.
Short Answer Response: We're interested in learning more about you. How has your environment influenced your development, shaped your goals or contributed to your academic achievements? Please share key experiences, challenges or factors that have had an impact on your personal journey and ambitions. (300 word limit)

Please upload the following documents now with your application.

Unofficial Transcript: This will need to include all courses taken from grades 9-11 grades in one file.

*Upload your unofficial high school transcript here:

(Optional) Upload your recommendation letter here:

*Upload your short answer response here:

Rice University is committed to equal opportunity in education and employment. Rice does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or veteran status.

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