General academic summer programs for high school students
General academic summer programs for high school students
Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Description: The Clark Scholars Program is an in-depth research program that is open to students 17 years and older in the following disciplines:
Biology/Cellular & Microbiology
Cancer Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Electrical and Computer Engineering
History
Mechanical Engineering
Physics
The program features one-on-one research with faculty, as well as weekly seminars, discussion, and field trips. The Clark Scholars Program is very competitive, with only 12 students accepted each year.
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: Free with on campus meals, room and board, and weekend activities provided.
Length: 7 weeks
Program Dates: June 22, 2025 – August 7, 2025
Application Opens: January 2, 2025
Application Deadline: February 24, 2025
Notre Dame Leadership Seminars
Description: Leadership Seminars is for current high school juniors who are academically gifted leaders in their school, church, local community, or other social organizations. Students participate in one of three seminars (sample topic: Global Issues: Violence and Peace in the Modern Age). Around 120 students are admitted each year—usually ranking in the top 10 percent of their class—and are eligible to receive one college credit.
Location: Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: $150 enrollment fee
Length: 10 days
Program Dates: July 19 – July 30, 2025
Application Opens: October 14, 2024
Application Deadline: January 22, 2025
Telluride Association Summer Seminars (TASS)
Description: TASS offers college-level, academic seminars for current high school sophomores and juniors that allow them to “develop critical reading and writing skills and explore the principles and practice of democratic community living.” TASS currently offers two seminars: Critical Black Studies and Anti-Oppressive Studies, and the program prioritizes group discussion, writing, reading, and self-governance. TASS is a new program replacing the highly selective TASP, which admitted around 5 percent of applicants.
Location: Various college campuses across the United States (2025 locations are Cornell University and the University of Maryland)
Cost: Free
Length: 5 weeks
Program Dates: June 22, 2025 – July 26, 2025
Application Opens: October 15, 2024
Application Deadline: December 3, 2024
Math summer programs for high school students
Math summer programs for high school students
(Note: Some programs in the following category also include math.)
Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists (PROMYS)
Description: PROMYS is a program for mathematically gifted students which focuses on “the creative side of mathematics.” Open to all high school students over 14 years old, students attend lectures, take advanced seminars, conduct research, and work on problem sets individually or in groups. Around 80 applicants are accepted each year, a quarter of whom are returning students.
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Cost: $7,000 (financial aid is available, and the program is free for families earning under $80,000 per year)
Length: 6 weeks
Program Dates: June 29 – August 9, 2025
Application Opens: Early January 2025. Exact date not yet announced. However, you can sign up to be notified here.
Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
Description: Ross students focus deeply on one subject, number theory, for the entire duration of the program and spend most of their days working on challenging problem sets. Ross aims to provide its participants with an initial step towards their own mathematical research. Open to all high school students, Ross typically admits around 20 percent of applicants—around 70 students each year.
Location: (2 sites in 2025): Otterbein University in Columbus, OH
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana
Cost: $7000 (financial aid available)
Length: 6 weeks
Program Dates:
Otterbein University in Columbus, OH, June 15 – July 25, 2025
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, June 15 – July 25, 2025
Application Opens: January 8, 2025
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
Description: SUMaC is a program for sophomores and juniors consisting of lectures, a guided research project, and group problem solving. Focused on pure mathematics, SUMaC students choose one of two course topics, both of which delve into mathematics topics from historical and contemporary research perspectives.
Location: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Cost: $7,000 (financial aid available)
Length: 3 or 4 weeks
Program Dates:
Session One: Online
June 16 – July 4, 2025
3 WeeksSession One: Residential
June 22 – July 18, 2025
4 WeeksSession Two: Online
July 7 – 25, 2025
3 WeeksNote: No residential option for session two.
Application Opens: Currently available
Application Deadline: February 3, 2025
Description: Mathcamp offers mathematically gifted high schoolers classes in advanced math, exposing them to undergraduate- and even graduate-level topics in pure and applied math. In addition to classes, students work on projects, either individually or in groups, culminating in a project presentation at the end of the session. Mathcamp doesn’t impose requirements or a set curriculum on students and, instead, offers them the freedom to self-direct their time and choose what they want to learn. Mathcamp is competitive, accepting 15 percent of students in recent years.
Location: A different college campus each year
2025 Location: Lewis & Clark in Portland, OR
Cost: $6,600 (financial aid is available, and the program is free for families earning under $100,000 per year)
Length: 5 weeks
Program Dates: June 29 – August 3, 2025
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: February 26, 2025
Science and research summer programs for high school students
Science and research summer programs for high school students
Research Science Institute (RSI)
Description: RSI pairs scientific coursework with a research internship to allow students to “experience the entire research cycle from start to finish.” Students work on individual research projects under the mentorship of veteran scientists and present their findings at the program’s conclusion. RSI accepts 80 students each year.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Length: 6 weeks
Program Dates: Not listed
Application Opens: Closed for 2025
The Summer Science Program (SSP)
Description: SSP is an immersive, research-based program that has been running since 1959 and is governed and operated by its own alumni. Students choose one of four programs—Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Genomics or Synthetic Chemistry—and participate in classroom work, lab sessions, guest lectures, and field trips. Open to current sophomores and juniors, admission to SSP is competitive, with an acceptance rate around 10 percent.
Location: Various college campuses across the United States (2025 locations include New Mexico Tech, University of Colorado–Boulder, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, Purdue University, and Indiana University)
Cost: $9,800 (financial aid is available, and the program is free for most families earning under $75,000 per year)
Length: 39 days
Program Dates: Program will start mid-late June. Precise dates for 2024 not announced yet.
Application Opens: December 12th, 2024
Application Deadline:
January 24th, 2025 (For International Applications)
February 21st, 2025 (For Domestic Applications)
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Description: At SIMR, students perform medical research with Stanford faculty and researchers. Students choose from one of eight research areas and are subsequently assigned to a corresponding lab where they receive one-on-one mentorship. Open to current juniors and seniors, SIMR heavily favors applicants from the Bay Area, as it does not provide housing. Around 50 students are accepted each year.
Location: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Cost: Free with a stipend (stipend amount varies but is $500 minimum)
Length: 8 weeks
Program Dates: June 9 – July 31, 2025
Application Opens: December 15th, 2024
Application Deadline: February 22nd, 2025
Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES)
Description: MITES is for academically talented rising seniors—often from underrepresented or underserved backgrounds—who are interested in careers and advanced degrees in science and engineering. Students take five courses as well as participate in admissions counseling sessions, lab tours, and social events.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Length: 6 weeks
Program Dates: Programs begin in mid-June 2025 but exact dates vary.
Application Opens: November 2024
Application Deadline: February 1, 2025
Michigan State University High School Honors Science/Engineering/Mathematics Program (HSHSP)
Note: Program is suspended for 2025.
Description: Established in 1958, HSHSP is an in-depth research program for high school juniors designed “to help students develop a deeper understanding of the process of inquiry.” Students spend the majority of their time working on a research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor, though seminars, classes, and special activities are also part of the program. HSHSP admits approximately 24 applicants each year.
Location: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Cost: $4,000 (financial aid available) + $25 Application Fee
Length: 7 weeks
Program Dates: June 16, 2024 – August 3, 2024
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: March 1, 2024
Simons Summer Research Program
Description: Simons is a hands-on research program in which students participate in an existing research group or lab and take on a project under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Participants also attend weekly faculty research talks and participate in special workshops, tours, and events. Students must be current juniors and must be nominated by their high school in order to apply. Simons is highly selective, admitting around 5 percent of applicants.
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: Free
Estimated residential costs for 2024: $2781.50 (includes $600 meal plan; and $61.50 Student Health Services Fee)
Length: 7 weeks
Program Dates: June 30, 2025 – August 8, 2025
Application Opens: December 1, 2024
Application Deadline: February 7, 2025
Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
Description: SAMS is for current sophomores and juniors from underrepresented backgrounds who wish to “develop mastery of critical concepts in higher-level collegiate math and science” while earning college credit. SAMS includes classroom instruction, hands-on projects, and professional and academic development workshops.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free
Length: 6 weeks
Program Dates: June 21st – August 2nd, 2025
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline:
Preferred Deadline: February 1, 2025
Final Deadline: March 1, 2025
Research in Science and Engineering Program (RISE)
Description: RISE is a program for rising seniors that consists of two tracks: Practicum and Internship. Internship students conduct individual research projects in a university lab under the guidance of a mentor, while practicum students collaborate on group neurobiology research in a structured environment overseen by an instructor. RISE is selective, accepting around 9 percent of applicants.
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Cost: $9,461 residential; $6,185 commuter (financial aid available) + $60 application fee
Length: 6 weeks
Program Dates:
Residential June 30, 2024 - August 9, 2024
Commuter July 1, 2024 - August 9, 2024
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: February 14th, 2025
The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
Description: The Jackson Laboratory Student Summer Program is a genetics and genomics research program for undergraduates and high schoolers who are 18 and have completed grade 12 at the time of participation (i.e., current seniors can apply). Students spend the summer immersed in an independent research project under the supervision of a mentor, presenting their findings at the end of the program. Admission is highly competitive—just 40 students, or around 3 percent, are chosen each year.
Location: The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME
Cost: Free with a stipend ($6,500)
Length: 10 weeks
Program Dates: May 31st – August 8, 2025
Application Opens: Late October 2024
Application Deadline: January 27, 2025 5:00pm EST
National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (SIP)
* Note: HS-SIP has been discontinued and merged with SIP.
Description: SIP gives students the chance to perform full-time research in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences. Students are given the opportunity to explore basic, translational, and clinical research at NIH facilities, working alongside scientists who are global leaders in the field. Eligible applicants must be seniors at the time of application and at least 18 years old by the start of the program. Unfortunately, the NIH does not provide housing.
Location: NIH campuses in Bethesda, Baltimore, and Frederick, MD. Limited numbers of positions are also available in Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; Phoenix, AZ; and Detroit, MI.
Cost: Free with a stipend ($2,530 - $2,840 per month)
Length: 8 weeks
Program Dates: Varies by program
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: February 19th, 2025 12pm (noon) EST
Business, economics, and tech summer programs for high school students
Business, economics, and tech summer programs for high school students
Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Description: Student Leaders assigns paid internships at local nonprofits to juniors and seniors interested in honing their community and business leadership skills. Participants also attend a one-week summit in Washington, D.C, where they meet with members of Congress and participate in projects and workshops focused on societal engagement. Around 225 students are chosen each year to participate.
Location: A nonprofit organization in your local area plus a 1-week summit in Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free with a paid internship
Length: 8 weeks
Program Dates: Not yet announced
Application Opens: October 14, 2024
Application Deadline: January 15, 2025
Leadership in the Business World (LBW)
Description: LBW offers current sophomores and juniors an introduction to business through classes with Wharton professors and visiting business leaders, as well as visits to company offices and team-building exercises. A highlight of the program is the opportunity for participants to create and present their own business plan to a group of venture capitalists and business professionals. Approximately 120 students attend LBW each summer.
Location: The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $11,399 (financial aid available)
Length: 4 weeks
Program Dates:
June 8, 2025 – June 28, 2025
June 29, 2024 – July 19, 2025
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline:
Priority deadline: January 29, 2025
Final deadline: April 2, 2025
Description: Economics for Leaders “teaches leaders how to integrate economics into the process of decision-making in a hands-on, experiential environment.” Students typically spend mornings attending economics lectures and afternoons and evenings in leadership workshops and exercises. Open to current sophomores and juniors, 25–40 students are accepted at each site. College credit is available.
Location: Various college campuses across the United States
Cost: $2,300 (limited financial aid available) $800 (EFL Virtual) + $35 application fee
Length: 1 week
Program Dates: Varies by location. See here.
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: Not listed
Description: The Young Women’s Institute offers young women an introduction to the world of business through workshops taught by Kelley School of Business faculty, the opportunity to design their own business case project, and presentations on business skills. The Institute is open to rising juniors and seniors. Virtual programs are open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Location: Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Cost: Free
Length: Varies by program.
Program Dates:
Rising Junior and Senior Program Start Dates:
June 13, 2025
June 27, 2025
July 11, 2025
July 25, 2025
Current Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors Virtual Program Start Dates:
November 18 – November 20, 2025
November 19 – November 21, 2025
Application Opens:
Rising Junior and Senior:
Varies based on program start date:
March 1 or April 1, 2025
Current Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors Virtual Program:
Varies based on program start date
August, 1 or August 5, 2025
Application Deadline:
Rising Junior and Senior
Varies based on program start date:
May 13, May 27, June 11, June 25, 2025
Current Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors Virtual Program:
Varies based on program start date:
November 1 or November 4, 2025
Description: LaunchX is an entrepreneurship program that supports students through the process of launching an actual startup. Students attend workshops, lectures, simulations, and panel discussions that help them locate a need in the market and create their own business to fill it. LaunchX is open to all current high school students and admits around 18 percent of applicants.
Location: Various college campuses across the United States or online
Cost:
Online BootCamp Summer Program $1,995
Online Innovation Summer Program $4,995
Online Entrepreneurship Summer Program $6,995
USA In-Person Entrepreneurship 1: $9,995 (financial aid available)
Bay Area Entrepreneurship Summer Program $9,995 (financial aid available)
Additional $200 international fee for both on-site programs if you’re not from USA
Application fee (based on date you apply by):
November 15, 2024: $45
January 15, 2025: $60
March 5, 2025: $75
Length: 4 weeks
Program Dates:
USA In-Person Program:
June 16 – July 12, 2025
Bay Area Entrepreneurship:
July 13 – August 9, 2025
Online Entrepreneurship:
June 30 – August 1
Online Innovation:
June 9 – June 27, 2025
Online Entrepreneurship BootCamp:
June 30 – August 1, 2025
Application Opens: September 23, 2024
Application Deadline: March 5, 2025
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Programs
Description: Girls Who Code is a program for current sophomores and juniors who identify as female or non-binary and are inexperienced in computer science. Participants are introduced to many different areas of computer science, complete a final project in which they build their own product, and participate in workshops and lectures. They also gain exposure to the tech industry by connecting with female tech professionals.
Location: Tech companies across the United States
Cost: Free with stipends available for transportation and living expenses
Length:
Summer Immersion Program: 2 weeks (virtual)
Self-paced program: 6 weeks
Program Dates:
Pathways
June 30th – August 8th, 2025
Summer Immersion:
Round 1: June 7 - June 18, 2025 (U.S. students only)
Round 2: July 28 - August 8, 2025 (U.S. and international students)
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline:
Early Acceptance: February 26, 2025
General Acceptance: April 11, 2025
Journalism summer programs for high school students
Journalism summer programs for high school students
Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP)
Description: PSJP is a program for talented current juniors from low-income households. During PSJP, students attend workshops and lectures, tour leading news outlets, cover real events, and conduct investigations in preparation for the creation of their own newspaper, which is published on the last day of the program. Participants also get the benefit of college counseling with PSJP staff after they return home. PSJPS is competitive, accepting 40 students each year.
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost: Free
Length: 10 days
Program Dates: Exact dates not listed but online workshops begin in mid-July and the program finishes with a 10-day residential experience on Princeton’s campus in early August.
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: February 24, 2025
Cronkite Summer Journalism Institute (SJI)
Description: SJI is a broadcast and digital journalism focused program that gives students hands-on experience in a variety of areas of journalism, from reporting to production to camera work. Students also get to tour local newsrooms as well as work in state-of-the-art on-campus broadcast facilities.
Location: Arizona State University, Tempe Phoenix, AZ
Cost:
Sports Media: $899 (need-based scholarships are available)
Media: $799 (need-based scholarships are available)
Length: 2 weeks
Program Dates:
Sports Media:
June 8-13, 2025
Media:
June 15-20, 2025
Application Opens: Early January 2025
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
Description: JCamp provides students with workshops, field trips, and hands-on instruction from professional journalists in a variety of areas, including writing, photography, broadcasting, and more. Originally founded in response to a shortage of diversity in the media, JCamp emphasizes multicultural perspectives. Open to all current freshman, sophomores, and juniors, JCamp admits around 40 students each year.
Location: Georgia Public Broadcasting, Atlanta, GA
Cost: Free
Length: 6 days
Program Dates: Not yet announced
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: January 31, 2025
Creative writing summer programs for high school students
Creative writing summer programs for high school students
(Note: Some programs in the following category also offer creative writing.)
Description: At the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, students take a workshop and seminar in a single course of study—poetry, fiction, or a creative writing survey. In addition to sharing their writing and receiving critiques from teachers and peers, they also attend readings and other literary events. The Iowa Young Writers’ Studio is open to all students who have completed their sophomore year.
Location: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Cost: $2,500 (in-person) + $10 application fee (need-based financial aid available)
Length: 2 weeks
Program Dates:
Session 1:
June 15 – June 28, 2025
Session 2:
July 13, 2025 – July 26, 2025
Application Opens: January 20, 2025
Application Deadline: February 2, 2025
Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop
Description: Young Writers is a creative writing program for 16–18 year olds in which students spend five hours per day in multi-genre workshops. Participants also conference individually with their instructors, take genre-focused mini-workshops, and attend readings from visiting writers.
Location: Kenyon College, Gambier, OH
Cost: $2,575 (residential) $995 (online) (financial aid available)
Length: 2 weeks
Program Dates:
Residential:
Session One: June 22 – July 5, 2025
Session Two: July 13 – July 26, 2025
Online:
June 15 – June 20, 2025
Application Opens:
Residential:
Early January
Online:
Early March
Application Deadline:
Residential:
March 1, 2025
Online:
April 14, 2025
Arts summer programs for high school students
Arts summer programs for high school students
Description: Interlochen offers students in grades 3–12 courses in a variety of arts disciplines: creative writing, dance, film and new media, interdisciplinary arts, music, theatre, and visual arts (note that students must apply and be accepted for a specific discipline). Though the range of ages at Interlochen is wide, high school students form their own divisions of 10–16 students who live and dine together.
Location: Interlochen Center for the Arts, Interlochen, MI
Cost: Varies by length, e.g. $1,950 for one week or $10,180 for six weeks (financial aid available for all sessions except one week)
Length: 1–6 weeks
Program Dates: Varies by session length
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: January 15, 2025 (Priority application deadline)
Note: Applications will continue to be accepted while space is still available.
Idyllwild Arts Summer Teen Programs
Description: Students ages 13–18 can apply to enroll in immersive workshops in creative writing, dance, fashion design, filmmaking, music, theater, or visual arts. The format of the program varies according to the discipline, but most culminate in a performance, reading, or exhibition. Note that certain disciplines are open to beginners while others require prior experience and portfolios or auditions to be accepted.
Location: Idyllwild Arts, Idyllwild, CA
Cost: Varies by length and program, e.g. $1,090 per week or $5,025 for four weeks (financial aid available)
Length: 1–4 weeks
Program Dates: Varies by selected program
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: Varies by program
Foreign language summer programs for high school students
Foreign language summer programs for high school students
National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)
Description: NSLI-Y is a study abroad program sponsored by the United States Department of State that offers intensive language instruction in eight less frequently learned languages: Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian, Russian, and Turkish. NSLI-Y “aims to guide students toward using language in their university and/or professional careers and to dedicate themselves to continued language learning far beyond their time on the program.” Highly structured and immersive, participants live with host families and participate in cultural activities.
Location: Various foreign countries in which students can study one of eight less commonly taught languages
Cost: Free (sponsored by the United States Department of State)
Length: 6–7 weeks
Program Dates: Not yet announced
Application Opens: Currently closed for 2025
Application Deadline: November 4, 2024
Wilderness summer programs for high school students
Wilderness summer programs for high school students
Student Conservation Association National Crews
Description: National Crews gives 15–19 year olds the opportunity to work on parks restoration projects and trail maintenance in crews of 6–8 students. Students live in tents, cook their own food, learn outdoor skills, and learn about ecology and the environment. Sites include national, regional, state, and local parks. National Crews is moderately competitive, accepting fewer than half of all candidates.
Location: National parks and public lands across the United States
Cost: Free (participants are responsible for their own transportation and gear)
Length: 2–5 weeks
Program Dates: Not yet announced
Application Opens: Not yet open for 2025
Application Deadline: Not yet announced
Volunteer and travel abroad summer programs for high school students
Volunteer and travel abroad summer programs for high school students
Description: Putney Student Travel has been operating for nearly 70 years and has a reputation for carefully planned programs that emphasize “community empowerment, cultural diversity, and environmental sustainability.” Putney Student Travel runs service-oriented trips for high school students to eleven different countries, as well as trips with other focuses, such as language immersion, mountain climbing, and zoology.
Location: 32 countries around the world
Cost: $5,090–$7,990 - for service-oriented programs (financial aid available) + $200 Application fee
Length: 13–29 days - for service-oriented programs
Program Dates: Varies by program
Application Opens: Rolling admissions (application is currently available)
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
Description: Rustic Pathways offers trips for 12–22 year olds that are designed with sustainability and local community development in mind. Offering a mix of service, adventure, and cultural immersion trips, Rustic Pathways programs “are intentionally designed to challenge students to think critically and experience personal growth” and are designed collaboratively with local partners according to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Location: 20 countries around the world
Cost: $2,595–$7,995 (for student programs), excluding airfare
Length: 12–22 days
Program Dates: Varies by program
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: Enrollments are on a first-come first-served basis
The Experiment in International Living
Description: Founded in 1932, The Experiment focuses on learning from foreign countries rather than teaching, and emphasizes cultural sensitivity, sustainability, and social responsibility in its programs. Offering service and non-service trips alike, program focuses vary from public health to the environment to language and cultural immersion.
Location: 14 countries around the world
Cost: Varies by location e.g. $6,350–$8,413 + airfare
Length: 3–4 weeks
Program Dates: Varies by program
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: Accepted on a rolling basis but applications received after February 15, 2025 are not guaranteed. January 15, 2025 deadline for The Leadership Institute: Climate Change in Costa Rica program.
Global Vision International (GVI)
Description: GVI runs programs focused on sustainable development and experiential education which are guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as well as the goals of local partners. GVI offers a selection of volunteer trips specifically for teenagers under 18, the majority of which focus on environmental conservation and community development.
Location: 10 countries around the world
Cost: Varies by program but typically ~$3,645
Length: 2 weeks
Program Dates: Varies by program
Application Opens: Currently open
Application Deadline: Varies by program
Page updated
Report abuse