If you’re a high school student in Texas eager to explore college-level academics, pre-college programs offer a structured and accessible way to deepen your interests and build real-world skills. These summer programs cover fields like engineering, medicine, computer science, business, and the humanities, giving you hands-on experience and exposure to campus life early on.
Texas is home to many universities that offer pre-college programs across subjects each year. If you’re a high school student based in Texas, or a student looking to apply to one of the universities below for an undergraduate degree, a pre-college program is something you should consider!
Pre-college programs are academically rigorous and designed to simulate the structure and pace of college courses. You can attend lectures, participate in labs or research, and work closely with faculty and peers.
In this list, we’ve highlighted 11 pre-college programs for high school students in Texas that stand out for their academic depth, university affiliation, and opportunities for advanced learning.
1. University of Houston MohanLab Summer Internship
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free; no stipend provided
Program Dates: June 2 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (current 11th graders)
The MohanLab Summer Internship at the University of Houston offers a focused introduction to biomedical research for high school students interested in disease biology. Over 9–10 weeks, you’ll work closely with researchers in Dr. Chandra Mohan’s lab, contributing to projects on autoimmune conditions and cancer diagnostics. The program starts with focused lab training in essential experimental techniques, then shifts to mentored research with graduate students or postdoctoral researchers. Although the internship is unpaid, some projects have resulted in published papers, and there may be opportunities to continue working with the lab during the school year.
2. Houston Bar Association CIS Summer Legal Internship Program
Location: Law firms and legal institutions across Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; paid stipend provided
Program Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Varies depending on opportunity
Eligibility: Academically strong high school juniors and seniors attending at-risk schools in Houston
The HBA CIS Summer Legal Internship places you in a Houston law firm or legal organization for eight weeks of structured exposure to the legal field. You’ll begin the program with an orientation at South Texas College of Law, where you’ll hear from attorneys and legal professionals and get an overview of what to expect. As an intern, you’ll participate in enrichment activities at places like the District Attorney’s Office, the District Clerk’s Office, and federal courts. You’ll also receive mentorship throughout the program and gain direct experience with day-to-day legal work, from case research to observing court proceedings.
3. Young Leaders Institute (YLI)
Location: Asia Society Texas Center, Houston, TX
Cost: Registration fee to hold your spot. Need-based scholarship available
Program Dates:
- Session 1 (South Korea’s Global Impact): June 23 – 27
- Session 2 (International Security): July 14 – 18
- Session 3 (The Future of Energy): July 28 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 31
Eligibility: High school students in the Greater Houston area
Asia Society Texas’s Young Leaders Institute (YLI) is a week-long summer program that helps you explore global challenges while developing leadership, research, and public speaking skills. Every session centers around a unique theme, covering topics such as Japan’s global impact, climate initiatives, and international human rights. You’ll collaborate in small groups to investigate complex global issues, draft policy proposals, and present your ideas at the end of the week. The program emphasizes real-world problem-solving through debate, teamwork, and guided mentorship from Asia Society staff and guest speakers.
4. NASA Johnson Space Center – Texas High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS)
Location: Virtual and on-site at Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Program Dates: 10-month-long program; November–March (online), July 28 – August 1 (residential)
Application Deadline: Early October
Eligibility: Texas high school juniors who are U.S. citizens
Texas High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) is a multi-phase program that begins with an online course during the academic year and can lead to a competitive summer engineering experience at NASA. During the fall and spring, you’ll complete coursework focused on planetary science, aerospace engineering, and NASA missions. The online component includes design challenges, discussion forums, and optional weekend engineering activities. Students who excel in the online portion are invited to join a summer team-based project where you’ll collaborate on designing a human mission to the Moon or Mars. High-performing participants may be selected for a residential program at Johnson Space Center, where you’ll refine your designs and experience life at NASA firsthand.
5. Rice ELITE Tech Camp
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: $3,795 (residential), $1,695 (commuter)
Program Dates:
- Residential: June 22 – 28 | July 6 – 12 | July 13 – 19 | July 20 – 26
- Commuter: June 23 – 27 | July 7 – 11 | July 14 – 18 | July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students currently in grades 8–11
Rice ELITE is a hands-on tech and engineering program that introduces you to college-level problem solving through real-world STEM challenges. Across one week, you’ll work in small teams to build solutions using Python, C++, and machine learning tools while exploring topics like space systems, sustainable cities, and robotics. The curriculum centers on the engineering design cycle — from identifying problems to testing prototypes. In addition to technical instruction, you’ll attend sessions on communication, teamwork, and leadership.
6. PATHS-UP Young Scholars Program
Location: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Cost: Free; $2,000 stipend provided upon completion
Program Dates:
- June 9 – 27: In-person lab research at Texas A&M
- July 7 – 25: Weekly 1‑hour virtual seminars and mentorship
- July 31: Virtual research symposium
Application Deadline: April 4
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors (age 16+ by program start), U.S. citizens or permanent residents from Los Fresnos CISD, Sharyland ISD, or South Texas ISD
The PATHS-UP Young Scholars Program is a seven-week summer research experience at Texas A&M focused on biomedical imaging and healthcare technologies. You’ll work closely with engineering faculty and grad students on lab-based projects, gaining exposure to experimental design, data analysis, and technical writing. The program includes weekly seminars, research skill workshops, and collaborative discussions around healthcare innovation. You’ll also conduct a literature review and develop a final research presentation, which you’ll share at a virtual symposium.
7. My Introduction to Engineering (MITE)
Location: University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Cost: $100
Program Dates: Session 1: June 22 – 26 | Session 2: July 6 – 10
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: High school juniors
MITE is a week-long residential engineering camp where you’ll work in teams to tackle real-world challenges using engineering principles. Guided by UT Austin faculty and students, you’ll explore different branches of engineering through collaborative design activities, technical workshops, and industry-led sessions. The program places a strong emphasis on project planning, communication, and the application of math and science to engineering problems. It’s an entry point into engineering that helps you understand the field and develop practical teamwork skills.
8. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: Free + $750 stipend
Program Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: Typically in February
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (age 17+ by start date)
This seven-week research program at Texas Tech gives you the chance to conduct original research under the guidance of faculty mentors. You’ll work full-time in fields such as electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, cancer bioimaging, or computer science. Weekly seminars, faculty discussions, and field trips round out the experience. You’ll finish with a formal presentation of your research.
9. Explore Engineering Camp
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: $400
Program Dates: June 22 – 26
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Explore Engineering introduces you to seven core disciplines of engineering through lectures, group projects, and lab visits. You’ll stay on campus, attend hands-on sessions with Texas Tech faculty, and participate in discussions on college readiness, admissions, and financial aid. The week ends with a team project presentation, where you apply the concepts you’ve learned throughout the program.
10. UTSA Klesse College’s Engineering Overview Camps
Location: UTSA Downtown Campus, San Antonio, TX
Cost: $550 (day), $750 (overnight); financial assistance available
Program Dates: June 9 – 13 | June 30 – July 4
Application Deadline: Typically in June
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12
This week-long camp immerses you in the key engineering disciplines via hands-on activities, lab tours, and sessions led by faculty. You’ll delve into areas such as mechanical, civil, biomedical, and computer engineering, enhancing your problem-solving and teamwork skills. Whether you commute or stay overnight, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of studying engineering at UTSA and connect with fellow students who share your interests.
11. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,080; Financial aid is available.
Program Dates: July 16 – 27 | July 7 – 18
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–11
This two-week online program offers high school students the opportunity to delve deeply into a single academic subject, with over 50 courses available across diverse fields, including humanities, natural sciences, computer science, business, and engineering. You’ll participate in live sessions led by Stanford instructors and collaborate with peers from around the world in small, discussion-based classes. Each course emphasizes critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills through engaging lectures, projects, and interactive assignments.
Bonus summer programs for high school students in Texas –
1. Veritas AI
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions about the student’s background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility:
- You must be currently enrolled in high school
- Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
- No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June – August), Fall (September – December), Winter (December – February), and Spring (March – June).
Founded by Harvard alumni, The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here. Lumiere also offers UCSD credit upon completion!
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive 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 – University of Houston