Are you a high school student in West Virginia looking for a chance to develop advanced skills and equip yourself with practical knowledge? If yes, then summer programs in the field of your interest are excellent opportunities for you.
West Virginia offers an array of summer programs in subjects ranging from technology and engineering to environmental sciences and creative arts. Each program is designed to help you deepen your expertise and technical knowledge while improving your ability to solve real-world problems. These summer programs include activities like field studies, lab experiments, creative workshops, and leadership exercises.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 13 summer programs for high school students in West Virginia in 2024-2025.
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, Data Science, and more
Location: Virtual
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts, including in the summer. Upcoming dates are:
- Winter seminar: December 2, 2024 onwards
- Spring seminar: March 3, 2025 onwards
- Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a few tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. November 10, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort, and February 9, 2025 for the spring cohort
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs in areas like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and psychology. You can choose either quantitative or qualitative research methods. After selecting your track, you’ll collaborate one-on-one with a professor or PhD scholar from a leading university to develop a 20-page research paper suitable for journal submission. The program provides specialized field knowledge, expert guidance, a recommendation letter, and feedback to improve future projects and college applications. Apply now for this unique opportunity!
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Location: Remote
Program Dates: June to August (summer). Fall, winter, and spring cohorts are also available
Cost: $2,990 (12 weeks) | $5,900 (16-20 weeks). Financial aid is available
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA
Application Deadline: Summer deadlines are usually in March, April, and May
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program, created by Harvard and Oxford researchers, allows high school students to work one-on-one with PhD mentors on an independent research project. You’ll get guidance to develop a college-level research paper, with additional support from writing coaches. You can choose subjects like mathematics, biology, data science, economics, psychology, business, gender studies, linguistics, environmental studies, philosophy, astrophysics, and more. The program ends with a symposium where you can present your research, with the potential for publication.
3. Veritas AI
Subject Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Finance, Medicine
Location: Remote
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including the summer
Cost:
- $2,290 for the AI Scholars program (10-week bootcamp)
- $5,400 for the AI Fellowship (12–15 weeks, 1:1 mentorship)
- $6,900 for both AI Scholars + Fellowship
- Need-based financial aid is available
Eligibility: High school students. Students applying to the AI Fellowship program must complete the AI Scholars program or provide evidence of previous experience in AI and Python
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. December 1, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Veritas AI, founded by Harvard graduates, offers two programs for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. The AI Scholars program focuses on collaborative learning in AI applications, while the AI Fellowship provides personalized mentorship from PhD experts for independent research projects.
In the AI Fellowship, you’ll examine AI’s influence on fields such as finance, medicine, and gaming, with opportunities to publish or present your work. Previous projects have explored AI in medicine, educational tools, and gaming algorithms. The program emphasizes technical skill-building and applying AI concepts to real-world challenges.
Subject Areas: Business, Entrepreneurship
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including the summer
Cost: The total cost to attend the 3-week program is $2,900. There is need-based financial aid
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. November 24, 2024 for the upcoming Winter cohort. You can access the application form here!
The Young Founder's Lab is a start-up boot camp led by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you'll build a revenue-generating start-up that tackles a real-world problem with guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and professionals from companies like Google and Microsoft.
Alongside developing your start-up, you'll engage in interactive classes on business fundamentals, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, and panel discussions. This program is a great chance to explore the business world in high school, offering a space to learn both theoretical and practical approaches to creating a successful business. Check out the program’s brochure for more details.
Subject areas: Technology, Business, Finance, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Healthcare and Medicine, Software Engineering, and more
Location: Remote
Program Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year, including the summer
Cost: Starting at $2,490. Financial aid is available
Eligibility: Open to all high school students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students!
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year. Summer cohort: May 12, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Ladder Internships is a selective program for high school students to intern with high-growth startups across various industries, including health tech, AI, and marketing. These startups have raised over a million dollars, with some founders being YCombinator alumni or former employees of companies like Microsoft and Google. During the 8-week virtual internship, you'll work closely with managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects, presenting your work to the company. The program also includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, plus group sessions with other interns.
Subject Areas: Forensic Science, Biology, Chemistry
Location: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Cost:$1,399
Application Deadline: Registration will open in mid-January 2025
Dates: This program offers 2 camps that are expected to run in June and July 2025
Eligibility: Students entering 11th or 12th grade in Fall 2025
The Forensic Science Summer Camp is designed to equip you with practical knowledge and techniques that forensic scientists use in their work through theoretical and experiential learning. This program covers fundamental topics like latent fingerprints, crime scene investigation, forensic biology, and forensic chemistry to help build conceptual clarity. It concludes with the Crime Scene Training Complex with mock crime scenes. This program is a great choice if you’re interested in pursuing forensic science, as it enhances critical thinking, lab skills, and investigative techniques.
Subject Areas: Neuroscience, Neuroanatomy
Location: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Cost: $800, financial aid available
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates: July 14 – 20, 2025 (tentative, based on 2024 program dates)
Eligibility: High school students entering the 11th and 12th grades
Brain Camp by West Virginia University is a program for 11th and 12th graders interested in exploring the field of neuroscience. Through presentations and demonstrations facilitated by faculty and graduate students of the Department of Neuroscience, you’ll explore topics like basic lab safety, research ethics, and the scientific process. You’ll learn about neuroanatomy, the effects of light at night, addiction and drug use, the impacts of stroke, cognitive aging, brain plasticity, traumatic brain injuries, and more.
Subject Areas: Engineering, Innovation, Robotics, Coding
Location: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Cost: $425, financial aid may be available
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates: TBA for 2025. Three camps for high schoolers were offered in 2024:
- GirlGenius: June 24 – 28, 2024
- Innovation University: July 15 – 19, 2024
- RoboCode: July 29 – August 2, 2024
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9-12
The Engineering Challenge Camps at West Virginia University provide high school students the opportunity to understand how engineering and computer science impact daily life through hands-on learning. This program offers three 1-week camps with different curricula. The GirlGenius camp is tailored for female/non-binary students interested in exploring innovation in engineering. The Innovation University camp is designed for aspiring engineers to delve into innovation through hands-on projects, collaborative problem-solving, and cutting-edge technology across all disciplines of engineering. The RoboCode camp introduces participants to robotics and coding.
Subject Areas: STEM, Electronics, Forensic Science, Automobile Engineering, Robotics
Location: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
Cost: $600, scholarships available
Application Deadline: Dates for 2025 are TBA
Dates: June 9 – 14, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
Camp STEM is a week-long camp for high schoolers that includes various STEM classes, special projects, and field trips. The topics covered during this camp range from electronics, where you’ll learn how to build circuits and construct simple motors; forensic investigation, which explores the science behind fingerprints and blood spatter analysis; automobiles, where you’ll learn about engines, transmissions, brakes, exhaust systems, and electric cars, and robotics in which you’ll work with a team to design, build, and operate a robot as you compete against other students.
Subject Areas: Nursing, Healthcare, Medicine
Location: West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Beckley, WV
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: March 14, 2025 (tentative; based on 2024 program dates)
Dates: August 13 – 14, 2025 (tentative; based on 2024 program dates)
Eligibility: Students who will be entering 8th, 9th, or 10th grade and have a 3.0 GPA
The Junior Nursing Academy is focused on students interested in learning about the nursing profession. This day camp will teach you essential nursing skills, such as how to help patients and maintain a safe and sterile nursing environment under the guidance of real nurses. Each student will be paired with a professional nurse who will be their mentor for the camp. You will also get to visit hospitals, learn to take vital signs, and earn a CPR certification.
Subject Areas: Accounting, Technical Writing, Gender Studies, Film Studies, Agriculture, Anthropology, Computer Science, Criminology, Geology, Music, Philosophy, Public Relations, Sociology, Theater, and more
Location: West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV or virtual
Cost: $25 per credit hour for West Virginia residents and $75 per credit hour for non-resident students
Application Deadline: May 14, 2025 for Summer 2025
Dates: Dates for 2025 are TBA
Eligibility: High school or home-schooled sophomores, juniors, or seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0
The ACCESS Early College Program by West Virginia University (WVU) offers students on-campus, online, and dual-enrollment classes in a variety of subjects. Some of the on-campus courses include Accounting, Agriculture, Anthropology, Computer Science, Criminology, Geology, Music, Philosophy, Public Relations, Sociology, and Theater among others.
The program gives you the chance to earn credits before you graduate, and the accredited courses provided by WVU can be transferred to other institutions of higher learning across the U.S.
Subject Areas: Aquatic Science
Location: This internship places students in their hometowns within a reasonable commuting distance
Stipend: $3,000 provided
Application Deadline: January 19, 2025
Dates: Dates for 2025 are TBD
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or college freshmen in the classes of 2025 and 2026 who live and have residency in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada and will be at least 16 by the internship start date
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology program is an 8-week paid internship sponsored by the American Fisheries Society. This program is targeted toward students interested in fisheries and aquatic science. You will be matched with a fisheries and aquatic science professional in your area and engage in hands-on activities in a marine or freshwater setting. As an intern, the activities you will undertake include taking fish population surveys, establishing aquatic vegetation and fish habitat, electrofishing, snorkeling, examining specimens under a microscope, water quality testing, data processing, and helping with children’s educational programs, among others. You will be expected to submit biweekly time sheets, a mid-summer report, and a final report in order to complete the internship and receive a $3,000 stipend.
Subject Areas: Government, Leadership, Civic Service
Location: American Legion Auxiliary departments (states) across the country
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Deadlines depend on the state you apply in
Dates: June 9 – 15, 2025 for West Virginia (based on 2024 dates)
Eligibility: Female high school students who have completed their junior year
The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program offers high school students who have finished their junior year experience in government and political systems. Sponsored by local units of the American Legion Auxiliary, this program allows you to participate in a simulated government where you will be assigned roles within mock cities and political parties. Emphasizing hands-on learning, the program encourages you to connect with peers while developing your understanding of governance. It is designed for candidates with demonstrated leadership skills and a strong interest in government and current affairs.
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.