BEAM is designed to support students who would not otherwise have access to STEM enrichment opportunities.

Our primary admissions criteria are mathematical: Are you ready for BEAM’s programs?

More about how BEAM defines access:

Economic access

BEAM opens doors for students who love math. Admissions focus on math readiness first. For BEAM Summer Away, we also look at family income. Most BEAM students come from families who otherwise could not afford a program like BEAM. While many are the first in their families to attend college. 

We publish income ceilings by family size to guide families. These ceilings reflect the cost of living in New York City and Los Angeles. If your income is at or below the ceiling, please apply. If you are close, apply anyway. We review each family’s situation and consider special circumstances like recent job changes, medical bills, or debt.

Parent education

We understand that doors to STEM education and careers are more open to students who have parents with college degrees. A majority of students in our programs will be the first in their immediate families to attend college.

School access

We take into consideration that different schools provide different enrichment opportunities to students, such as after school clubs, math teams, and tailored STEM instruction. We prioritize students attending schools that either don’t provide these opportunities or can’t access those opportunities because of additional enrollment or participation costs.

Additional information on income

For a family of four, the ceiling is $96,450. Families at that level may need to meet certain internal conditions. You do not need to submit anything extra beyond the standard form. 

Use this chart as a guide. It shows the approximate income ceiling by family size. If your income is close to the number listed, you can still apply. We review each family’s situation. 

This page was last updated December 2025 and reflects BEAM’s policies for admissions to summer programs for summer 2026.