Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) Programs
Loyola Marymount University, 5801 Smith Avenue, #400, Baltimore, MD 21209
About
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) Programs offer advanced day, residential, and online courses often not found in school, along with Educational Travel Programs. CTY day sites offer three-week courses where students come to campus on weekdays to attend classes, eat lunch, and participate in various activities, while CTY residential sites offer three-week courses where students live on campus while learning and making friends in an active, diverse, and inclusive community. CTY online courses provide rigorous and fun learning opportunities that foster discovery and innovation and connect students with a global community of peers, and Educational Travel Programs include experiences at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, New Jersey, and the Mount St. Helens Institute in Washington.
• Ages: 7–17 years old
• Schedule: Three-week day and residential course sessions; online courses and Educational Travel Programs offered on specific dates
Founded in 1979, the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth has fostered intellectual growth in exceptional students from all backgrounds and communities and has stood at the forefront of gifted education for more than 45 years. The Center for Talented Youth is a nonprofit academic center of Johns Hopkins University that serves advanced learners in grades 2–12 and is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. CTY is accredited for grades K through 12 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools.
The program describes itself as the world leader in gifted education and as a nonprofit academic center at Johns Hopkins University that remains committed to nurturing the unique talents of extraordinary elementary, middle, and high school students worldwide. CTY states that it is a diverse, welcoming community dedicated to advancing the field of gifted education through research on testing, programs, and other resources and support for academically advanced young students and their families. CTY reports that every program, course, and research initiative is informed by a commitment to helping advanced students become the leaders and problem-solvers of tomorrow.
Parents and students report a range of experiences with CTY programs. One in-person courses parent, Gloria R., says that after her child attended CTY, his teacher was amazed, he earned straight A’s, and he was prepared for a high honors class. Another in-person courses parent, Debby W., notes that her daughter enjoyed being in a college dorm with 25 girls taking number theory and astrophysics and that at CTY her daughter feels like she is “among her people.” A CTY Baltimore Emerging Scholars student, Blake H., says the class is different from regular classes because students decipher messages, have a lot of fun while learning, and do group work that makes them laugh. A CTY MAPS student, Ta’Ziyah O., describes CTY as a safe, engaging, rigorous, and fun learning experience that helped students develop a higher level of academic skills.
Several parents describe CTY Online Programs as an excellent addition to regular academic coursework, highlighting the convenience of taking high quality courses from virtually any location and the ability to access academic value from anywhere, anytime. Online Courses parents report that their children enjoy both the classes and the social programs, that their children became more self-reliant in learning, test-taking, and following timelines, and that the level of academic rigor exceeds what their children experienced in school, with one parent noting that their child is homeschooling with CTY as the main resource. Another Online Courses parent reports that CTY has saved their bright kids from boredom, supported one child in becoming an extremely accomplished musician, and helped another remain a joyful learner when other educational experiences were not challenging enough. Parents also mention intellectual stimulation from instructors, thought-provoking assignments, and comprehensive feedback, and one parent notes that their child has taken more than 15 CTY courses and has grown in independent thinking, time management, and confidence.
Students in the CTY Scholars Program describe it as providing support from high school through getting into the best college for them, and as something that gave them motivation and a goal to work toward. One CTY Scholars student, Aaliyah J., calls being part of the program the greatest thing she could have done, and another student, Carlos P., says that knowing someone was there to help him see beyond what he could see inspired him to push forward and continue working toward his goals.
Last updated March 15, 2026.
• Ages: 7–17 years old
• Schedule: Three-week day and residential course sessions; online courses and Educational Travel Programs offered on specific dates
Founded in 1979, the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth has fostered intellectual growth in exceptional students from all backgrounds and communities and has stood at the forefront of gifted education for more than 45 years. The Center for Talented Youth is a nonprofit academic center of Johns Hopkins University that serves advanced learners in grades 2–12 and is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. CTY is accredited for grades K through 12 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools.
The program describes itself as the world leader in gifted education and as a nonprofit academic center at Johns Hopkins University that remains committed to nurturing the unique talents of extraordinary elementary, middle, and high school students worldwide. CTY states that it is a diverse, welcoming community dedicated to advancing the field of gifted education through research on testing, programs, and other resources and support for academically advanced young students and their families. CTY reports that every program, course, and research initiative is informed by a commitment to helping advanced students become the leaders and problem-solvers of tomorrow.
Parents and students report a range of experiences with CTY programs. One in-person courses parent, Gloria R., says that after her child attended CTY, his teacher was amazed, he earned straight A’s, and he was prepared for a high honors class. Another in-person courses parent, Debby W., notes that her daughter enjoyed being in a college dorm with 25 girls taking number theory and astrophysics and that at CTY her daughter feels like she is “among her people.” A CTY Baltimore Emerging Scholars student, Blake H., says the class is different from regular classes because students decipher messages, have a lot of fun while learning, and do group work that makes them laugh. A CTY MAPS student, Ta’Ziyah O., describes CTY as a safe, engaging, rigorous, and fun learning experience that helped students develop a higher level of academic skills.
Several parents describe CTY Online Programs as an excellent addition to regular academic coursework, highlighting the convenience of taking high quality courses from virtually any location and the ability to access academic value from anywhere, anytime. Online Courses parents report that their children enjoy both the classes and the social programs, that their children became more self-reliant in learning, test-taking, and following timelines, and that the level of academic rigor exceeds what their children experienced in school, with one parent noting that their child is homeschooling with CTY as the main resource. Another Online Courses parent reports that CTY has saved their bright kids from boredom, supported one child in becoming an extremely accomplished musician, and helped another remain a joyful learner when other educational experiences were not challenging enough. Parents also mention intellectual stimulation from instructors, thought-provoking assignments, and comprehensive feedback, and one parent notes that their child has taken more than 15 CTY courses and has grown in independent thinking, time management, and confidence.
Students in the CTY Scholars Program describe it as providing support from high school through getting into the best college for them, and as something that gave them motivation and a goal to work toward. One CTY Scholars student, Aaliyah J., calls being part of the program the greatest thing she could have done, and another student, Carlos P., says that knowing someone was there to help him see beyond what he could see inspired him to push forward and continue working toward his goals.
Last updated March 15, 2026.
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