Professional & Continuing Studies

47th Annual Delaware Governor’s School for Excellence

Governor’s School for Excellence

2027 DELAWARE GOVERNOR’S SCHOOL FOR EXCELLENCE July 11-16, 2027

The Delaware Governor’s School for Excellence is a one-week summer residential program that brings together academically and artistically talented Delaware high school students between their sophomore and junior year. Students live in residence halls on the University of Delaware’s Newark campus and attend either the academic program, consisting of discussions, lectures, debates and films revolving around a specific theme, or the visual and performing arts program, which provides tutorial instruction with a noted artist and culminates in a performance or public display of the students’ work. Students are nominated to participate in Governor’s School through their schools via a competitive application process. Delaware Governor’s School for Excellence is sponsored by the Office of the Governor of the State of Delaware in cooperation with the Delaware Department of Education and the University of Delaware’s Division of Professional and Continuing Studies.

See the Governor’s School in action

Get a firsthand look at the energy, collaboration and growth that define the Governor’s School experience as Delaware students learn, lead and connect.  

Read about past Governor’s Schools

Governor Matt Meyer speaks with students participating in the 2026 Delaware Governor's School for Excellence during a question-and-answer session at the University of Delaware.
Matt Meyer visits Delaware Governor’s School for Excellence — One hundred and thirty students at the 2026 Delaware Governor’s School for Excellence had the opportunity to engage directly with Gov. Matt Meyer.
Matt Meyer and Kyle Evans Gay in the Thompson Theater
Governor’s School for Excellence Welcomes Gov. Meyer and Lt. Gov. Evans Gay — Delaware’s top leaders engaged with over 130 future change-makers at the Thompson Theater, located in UD’s Roselle Center for the Arts, during the Governor’s School for Excellence.
A large group of young students gathers around the governor. Teens get summer crash course at 45th annual Governor’s School for Excellence — Students from 43 Delaware high schools got crash courses in kinesiology, artificial intelligence, marine sciences and more, and closed out their Governor’s School experience by pitching ideas to Governor John Carney.
Delaware Gov. John Carney speaks before high school students High school students pitch policy to the governor — At the 2023 Governor’s School, participants were challenged to identify pressing social problems, devise solid policy proposals, and then present their solutions to the governor — in person, face-to-face, no filter. Topics of the day’s discussion were written on the blackboard behind the governor and included climate change, gun violence, racial inequality and health care access.
Delaware Gov. John Carney speaking with Governor's School students At the 43rd Governor’s School, students offer advice on crucial issues — “It’s a great privilege to be able to serve as an elected official, but with that privilege comes a tremendous responsibility to work with the people that you represent to try to help them reach their own hopes and aspirations for themselves and their children,” said Carney. “The biggest challenge we face in my view is how are we going to prepare students like all of you to do the jobs of the future.”