A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Accepted into Leangap

If you’re reading this guide, it’s because you want to be among the top 4% of applicants accepted into the best summer program out there: Leangap.

In this program, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from mentors who’ve made it in the real world as seasoned entrepreneurs, developers, marketers, and CEOs. You’ll also get to network with young talent from around the globe. If you’re serious about your future, you should apply to Leangap today.

⏰ Apply by the early deadline of January 5, 2026, to maximize your chances of admission!

This guide will help you understand what our admissions team looks for—and how to answer in a way that’s clear, specific, and truly you. It’s not a template or a set of “perfect answers.” Think of it as a roadmap to help you put in the work and submit a strong, authentic application!

What is Leangap?

Leangap is a four-week startup summer program that helps teenagers develop life skills and succeed in a world that demands more than textbook knowledge. It’s where you’ll train your voice, share your ideas, and build the resilience and adaptability to accomplish your goals in high school, in college, and in the job market.

You’ll be challenged to step out of your comfort zone: making decisions, putting your skills to work, failing, and learning. Through Leangap, you’ll have access to some of the top minds in the industry as your mentors and gain invaluable experience that will help you grow beyond school—embracing setbacks as part of the process to discover what you’re capable of.

Leangap also prioritizes students’ mental health, integrating weekly sessions with our in-house psychotherapist, who is available to all teams in both programs. Students face real challenges, but they’re never left alone—they learn healthy strategies to navigate them, gaining self-awareness that lasts long after the program ends.

How can you increase your chances of being accepted?

The Leangap application process is highly competitive! Here are some tips to increase your chances of acceptance.

1. Apply early: If you apply by the early deadline, you’ll be compared to a smaller pool of applicants, increasing your chances of admission.
2. Write thorough and thoughtful responses: We pay special attention to students who take the time to write comprehensive answers. You have up to 2,000 characters per question—use them! Our admissions officer loves reading your unique stories and learning how you became involved in your activities.
3. Demonstrate strong English proficiency: All classes at Leangap are in English, so a strong understanding of the language is crucial for effective communication.
4. Show passion and dedication to an activity or project: We enjoy reading about what motivates you, what you're proud of, and the impact you've made.
5. Show initiative and teamwork: At Leangap, we go beyond traditional education. We look for individuals who take initiative, are go-getters, and work well with others.
6. We want to hear from you in your own words: Please be aware that AI-generated content can be detected and will lead to rejection.

We mean it: Use AI tools only to check your grammar. Be genuine. Don’t let an algorithm define you—you have a unique story to tell!

❗ AI-generated content is detectable and will lead to rejection if discovered.

The application process: What to expect and how to prepare

Every year, we receive around 2,000 applications from talented individuals, including international students, provided they are proficient in English. Your application will be divided into four main sections:

• General Information
• Your Background
• Program Choice
• Financial Aid

Leangap’s application is designed to be completed directly by students. If your parents or college counselors wish to access the questionnaire, they can sign in through their own category in our system.

Avoid using the same email address for different accounts, as this may cause errors in the application process.

That said, here’s our most important advice:

• Read the instructions carefully.
• Don’t apply if you’re just looking for a way to “fill time” over the summer.

General Information

All information provided will be kept secure in accordance with our privacy policy. This information helps us address you correctly, identify your legal guardians, contact you, and determine if you’ll need any special assistance.

Your Background

The following questions help our admissions team evaluate both who you are now and who you want to become during Leangap. You’ll be asked to answer each question in at least three sentences.

⚠️ One-word answers will result in automatic rejection.

This isn’t a step-by-step script for answering every question. It’s a guide to help you approach the application thoughtfully—so you can respond in your own words and show your real thinking.

We want to know if you’re a good fit for the program just as much as we want to know if the program is a good fit for you. You’ll be asked:

1. What's the latest thing you did that you are proud of?

Your answer will reveal recent initiative, follow-through, and what you value most. This is where our admissions team sees what you choose to celebrate about yourself right now—and how you turn ideas into action.

Your answer should help us understand your “why”—why you chose to invest your time in this activity and what it means to you. Walk us through your thinking and the decisions you made. Here’s another example:

2. What is the most important thing you want to learn at Leangap?

Your answer will reveal what you’re genuinely hoping to gain from the program.

This is the question where our admissions team will determine if your expectations align with what Leangap offers, as well as your motivation and self-awareness.

3. If you were accepted into Leangap, what practical skills would you provide for your team?

Your answer will highlight what you can actually do—from writing and design to coding, organizing, or analyzing data.

Here, our admissions team understands how you see yourself contributing to a startup team in a real, day-to-day way.

If you join the program, this same answer will give your mentors a hint about which skills to strengthen and which new ones to introduce you to. In other words, your mentors will help you develop your strengths and address your weaknesses.

4. Tell us about any extracurricular activities you are involved in.

Your answer will show how you choose to spend your time outside of class.

Our admissions team uses this to understand your commitment, consistency, and whether you already challenge yourself through clubs, projects, sports, arts, or other activities.

5. Which entrepreneurial type feels most like you?

Your answer will help us see where you naturally fit in a startup team. This is how our admissions team starts to picture you and how you might complement other students in your cohort.

You can describe yourself as one of the four entrepreneurial types: creative, analytical, technical, or strategic.

This selection is crucial because it will guide your teammates when they select their co-founders. That’s right—at Leangap, you’ll lobby for yourself after the top six startup ideas have been voted on, and you’ll want to work with people with diverse strengths to be able to create a feasible product in just four weeks.

6. Tell us what makes you a unique teenager.

Your answer will give us a sense of your personality, story, and perspective.

Our admissions team reads this to discover what sets you apart—your quirks, experiences, passions, or background that would bring something special to the group.

Program Choice

The only difference between the in-person and online programs is the format and schedule—the content, impact, networking, and outcomes remain the same.

To learn more about program dates and pricing, visit this page.

If admitted, you can choose your preferred program. However, switching from one to another later depends on seat availability.

Financial Aid

If your family’s income is less than $100,000 USD and you require financial aid, you can upload proof of eligibility in this section of the application.

Financial aid requests are reviewed separately by our Scholarship Team (not Admissions) and only after the student emails a request for review of the uploaded documentation. All submitted materials are securely deleted once a final decision has been made and communicated.

Please note that financial aid at Leangap is strictly need-based. Unfortunately, Leangap does not offer full scholarships—no exceptions are made.

What to do after you've been admitted

1. Pay your tuition to secure your spot! As Leangap processes applications on a rolling basis, our programs fill up by spring. Additional information and instructions will be sent to all admitted students as summer approaches, so don’t worry if you applied early.
2. Create a Discord account (if you don’t already have one) and wait for the invitation to your Class’s dedicated server. During the program, communication between co-founders and mentors happens on Discord.
3. You can also start networking with Leangap’s community by joining its network server, a place to connect with alumni and mentors from all years, as well as like-minded peers.
4. Prepare a short, 3-minute pitch for a startup idea you’d like to present in the first two days of the program. Your peers will vote for the top six ideas to develop over the summer.

👉 This could be your first step in turning an idea from a dorm project into a global movement.

Here’s how to come up with startup ideas:

1. Identify problems you face daily and find ways to solve them.
2. Explore industries you’re passionate about and look for opportunities to improve them.
3. Observe current trends and find creative ways to tap into them.

Evan Zimmerman, one of Leangap’s past Demo Day judges, shared advice for teen entrepreneurs on what differentiates successful startups from those that fail—don’t miss it!

Submit your application today

‼️ Leangap programs fill up fast—seats are typically full by March or April each year. If you’re ready to take the next step, submit your application now.

We hope this article helped you feel confident about completing your application. Best of luck—and if you have questions that weren’t covered here, email us at contact@leangap.org.