If you’re looking to build new skills and explore your interests, you should consider joining a free summer program in Arizona. These programs offer hands-on experience in areas like biomedical research, engineering, creative writing, and business leadership.
You’ll get the chance to conduct lab experiments, develop coding and design projects, refine your storytelling in writing workshops, and explore entrepreneurship through real-world challenges. Many of these programs also connect you with mentors who are experts in their fields, providing insights into professional tools and techniques.
To help you get started, we’ve rounded up 10 free summer programs for high school students in Arizona!
10 Free Summer Programs for High School Students in Arizona
1. Midwestern University’s Health Careers Institute for High School Students
Subject Areas: Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, Optometry, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant Studies, Occupational Therapy
Location: Midwestern University’s Glendale Campus, Arizona
Eligibility: Open to all Arizona high school students
Program Dates: July 10 – July 19
Application Deadline: April 1
Midwestern University’s Glendale campus offers a free 8-day Health Careers Institute for Arizona high school students interested in healthcare. You’ll explore fields like Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dental Medicine through interactive sessions with faculty and peers.
The program includes hands-on activities like clinical simulations, suturing, and lab work, giving you practical experience in medical techniques and patient care. You’ll also get mentorship from healthcare professionals, learning how to apply these skills in real-world medical settings.
2. Barrow Neurological Institute Summer Internship
Subject Areas: Biology, medicine, science
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Cost: Fully funded, with scholarships available.
Application Deadline: February 14
Program Dates: May 30 – July 3
Eligibility: Must be at least 16 years old and enrolled full-time in high school.
At the Barrow Neurological Institute, you’ll gain hands-on experience in neuroscience research while working in a professional lab setting. You’ll use advanced tools and software like MATLAB or Python to analyze data and study the cellular mechanisms behind neurological disorders.
Throughout the internship, you’ll learn lab techniques like microscopy and electrophysiology, review scientific literature, and sharpen your technical communication skills. You’ll also develop an independent research project, with opportunities to present your findings at competitions or pursue publication.
3. Mayo Clinic CARES
Subject Areas: Research, Health care
Location: Mayo Clinic, Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ, or virtual
Cost: Fully funded, with a stipend provided
Application Deadline: February 1
Internship Dates: In-Person Program: June 3 – 26 (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays)
Eligibility: Open to Arizona high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.
The Mayo Clinic’s CARES Program gives you hands-on exposure to healthcare careers. You’ll take part in hospital activities, shadow doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, and work closely with mentors to understand different medical roles and patient care practices.
Beyond clinical experience, the program helps you build many career skills. You’ll join workshops on college preparation, learn how to write resumes, and practice interview techniques tailored for medical and research fields.
4. Native American Science & Engineering Program
Subject Areas: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
Location: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors & seniors who are enrolled members or descendants of AI/AN or Native Hawaiian Tribe and have completed Physics, Chemistry, & Pre-Calculus with a “C” or better.
Program Dates: June 8-14
Application Deadline: March 14
The Native American Science & Engineering Program (NASEP) at the University of Arizona offers a unique summer experience for students interested in STEM, blending cultural understanding with academic and professional growth. You’ll take part in hands-on projects like building a computer from scratch and gaining practical skills in engineering and technology.
A major highlight is the field trip to Biosphere II, where you’ll explore ecological systems and environmental science through real-world observation. The program also connects you with indigenous professionals working at top companies like IBM and Raytheon, giving you networking opportunities and insight into STEM careers.
5. Business Careers Awareness Program, University of Arizona
Subject Areas: Business Management
Location: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Cost: Fully funded
Application Deadline: March 2
Program Dates: June 1 – 6
Eligibility: Current high school juniors can apply.
The Business Careers Awareness Program offers high school juniors from underrepresented backgrounds a chance to explore careers in accounting and business. You can choose between a one-day event or a week-long residential program at the Eller College of Management’s Dhaliwal-Reidy School of Accountancy.
During the program, you’ll work with business professionals on real-world projects, participate in workshops on financial analysis and strategic planning, and strengthen your presentation and teamwork skills. You’ll also build a strong professional network and gain a clearer understanding of different career paths in business and accounting.
6. KEYS Research Internship at the University of Arizona
Subject Areas: STEM
Location: BIO5 Institute, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Cost: No cost; Financial assistance is available for costs like meals and transportation
Application Deadline: December 13
Internship Dates: June 2 – July 18
Eligibility: Students must be at least 16 years old by June 2 and a U.S. citizen or legal resident with a minimum of one-year Arizona residency
The KEYS program at the BIO5 Institute offers a seven-week summer internship where you’ll build interdisciplinary skills in bioscience, biomedical science, data science, and environmental health research. You’ll start with a one-week training session to master key bioscience and data science techniques. Then, you’ll work alongside a University of Arizona researcher on a cross-disciplinary project. At the end of the program, you’ll present your research findings to an academic audience.
7. The Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors Program (JBMSHP)
Subject Areas: College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Calculus for Engineers I, Calculus for Engineers II
Location: Arizona State University (ASU), AZ
Program Dates: June 1 – July 11
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school students who are first-generation college-bound, from underrepresented groups in STEM, and/or from rural communities or Native Nations throughout Arizona
The Joaquin Bustoz Math-Science Honors Program (JBMSHP) lets you experience college-level math at ASU Tempe while earning three college credits. You’ll live on campus and take an intensive mathematics course with daily classes, homework, exams, and tutoring that mirror a real college environment. Through this program, you’ll strengthen your problem-solving, quantitative reasoning, and data analysis skills. You’ll also get exposure to advanced mathematical concepts used in fields like engineering, computer science, and economics.
8. Cybersecurity Internship at Arizona State University
Subject Areas: STEM, science, technology, research, chemistry, business
Location: Hybrid with mandatory in-person components on Tuesdays. The in-person commitments are held in the CTF lab at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ.
Cost: No cost; $1,800 stipend provided upon successful completion of the internship
Application Deadline: January 27
Internship Dates: May 27 – July 22 (8 weeks)
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in the Phoenix area at the time of the application are eligible.
The Cybersecurity Internship at Arizona State University is an eight-week research program where you’ll work on a project aligned with your interests, guided by a mentor. Past projects include code review tool comparisons, Python-based financial bot simulations, and social media ad scam analysis. You’ll attend weekly lab meetings to present progress, address challenges, and get feedback. The program ends with a final project presentation.
9. Phoenix College Maricopa ACE (Achieving a College Education) Program
Subject Areas: STEM, Mathematics, Science, Social Sciences, Humanities, Business
Location: Various locations across Phoenix, AZ
Cost: No cost
Application Deadline: During the high school sophomore year, PC ACE recruiters come to some of the high schools in the Phoenix Union High School District and give students ACE applications and information regarding PC’s ACE Program.
Program Dates: The ACE Program spans from the summer before a student’s junior year through their senior year of high school, providing continuous support and enrollment in college-level courses.
Eligibility: Here is the list of Phoenix high schools that can participate in this program. Students must be sophomores to be recruited.
The Maricopa ACE Program helps you prepare for college by enrolling in credit-bearing courses taught by Maricopa faculty before your junior year. You’ll take classes after prerequisites and placement tests and build skills in time management, academic planning, and financial literacy. The program offers cohort-based learning, regular check-ins, family involvement, and high school-college collaboration.
10. Summer Scrubs at College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona
Subject Areas: Biomedical sciences, public health
Location: College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ
Cost: Residential Camp: $500 (includes meals, room, and board) | Day Camp: $300 (includes meals, camp activities, scrubs) | The Healthcare Team: $250 (includes meals, camp activities, scrubs)
Application Deadline: March 2
Program Dates: Residential Camp: June 1 – 7 | Day Camp: June 9 – 13 | The Healthcare Team: June 16 – 20
Eligibility: Available for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Summer Scrubs at the College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona gives you hands-on medical experience. You’ll take part in medical simulations, clinical rotations, and interactive workshops to understand healthcare practices.
You’ll learn suturing, CPR, and anatomy lab techniques while practicing patient simulations to handle real-life medical scenarios. The program also includes guest lectures from healthcare professionals and college readiness workshops, offering insights into medical school admissions and career preparation.
Bonus- Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Founded by PhDs from Harvard and Oxford, Lumiere offers a selective research program designed for high school students like you. In this program, you’ll work one-on-one with a PhD mentor to develop your independent research paper, gaining hands-on experience in fields like social sciences, STEM, and humanities.
With Lumiere’s personalized approach, you’ll stay connected to the latest research advancements and build essential technical skills, whether you’re just starting out or already have some expertise. If you’re eager to explore interdisciplinary research and create work that stands out, Lumiere provides an ideal environment to help you grow and thrive.
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences
Location: Virtual
Cost: Lumiere Individual Research Program — $2,990 | Lumiere Premium Research and Publication Program — $5,900 | Lumiere Research Fellowship — $8,900.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The Summer Cohort I priority application deadline is March 9! You can apply here!
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply!
If you’re looking for a virtual mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from.
You can find the application link here.
Image source: The University of Arizona
