Current Status: Application opens December 8th, 2025

April 27 – May 9, 2026, Northeastern University, Boston MA in person

Organizers: Olga Vitek

Sponsors: Fragmatics, Biognosys, and Barnett Institute for Chemical and Biological Analysis, Northeastern University

Day-Based Tuition Fees (Continuing for 2026)

May Institute tuition fees are based on the total number of course-days a student is accepted for. All of this year’s courses are 1, 2, or 3 days long. To simplify planning, we are considering the Frontiers in Computational Methods meeting a single day course. Tuition fees can be estimated using the total number of course days and the table below. There is no cost to apply to May Institute. Accepted students will be notified of their total amount due and instructions for payment when decisions are released.

Participants can choose any subset of courses, provided that they have sufficient prerequisites. It is not possible to simultaneously register for two courses conducted at the same time. Tuition includes course materials, refreshments, and a program dinner. Participants should organize their own travel, lodging and meals.

Applying for a tuition waivers

We will not be able to offer travel fellowships this year. However, a limited number of tuition fee waivers are available for:

1) students and postdocs affiliated with academic, nonprofit institutions, and

2) staff research scientists affiliated with academic labs

If you are unsure if you meet the criteria for a waiver, please reach out to us at mayinstitute@ccs.neu.edu with details about your current position and institution. The exact amount of each student’s tuition fee waiver will depend on the number of qualified applicants, and will be announced together with the decision of acceptance. Applicants must submit their application before the February 17, 2026 deadline to be considered for a tuition waiver. If a waiver is granted, students must accept their placement and pay any remaining tuition dues (for partial waivers) by the March 16, 2026 payment due date for their waiver to remain active.

You will have the opportunity to apply for a fee waiver as part of the application. The following documents are required to be considered for a waiver:

(1) an image/PDF of your institutional photo ID

(2) brief letter of support from the advisor or PI (PDF)

These documents can be uploaded at the time of application via the application form, or emailed to mayinstitute@ccs.neu.edu.

Key Dates

December 8, 2025: application opens

We will post the application link here.

February 17, 2026: decisions released

Initial decisions for applications submitted before this date will be sent out. Applicants who are accepted will receive their tuition amount and instructions to pay. Applicants can accept their spot by paying their tuition. Spots are held until March 16, 2026. We will continue to accept applications, but will not be able to offer tuition wavers. Approximately 80% of applicants were accepted in the past. Decisions will be released on a rolling basis for applications submitted after this deadline.

March 16, 2026: tuition due date

Accepted applications have until March 16, 2026 to pay their tuition. Payment of tuition notifies us that applicants accept their placement. Payment is accepted by credit card only, with no refunds. Applicants who have not paid their tuition by this date are no longer guaranteed their spots.

After March 16, 2026: waitlisted applicant decisions

We will offer final decisions to waitlisted applicants at (or before) this time.

Contact: May institute organizers mayinstitute@ccs.neu.edu