High school summer programs can serve as solid opportunities for students, and here’s why.
Participating in a summer program in a specific field can give you a chance to work on an advanced skillset, network with like-minded peers and industry professionals, and work on real-world problems!
These programs make for solid learning environments where you can explore subjects or skills that are not typically covered in standard high school curricula.
You can deepen your understanding and proficiency in areas such as STEM, arts, humanities, or entrepreneurship through hands-on projects, mentorship, and collaboration with peers who share similar interests.
With that here are 12 of the best summer programs that you can participate in in 2024:
1. Horizon’s Research Program
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and college applications. Apply here!
Location: Virtual
Application Date: May 21, 2024, for the summer cohort, and September 25, 2024, for the fall cohort
Program Dates:
- Summer seminar — June 24, 2024 — September 2, 2024
- Fall seminar — October 23, 2024 — February 19, 2025
- 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 couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
The Research Science Institute (RSI), sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and hosted at MIT each summer, offers an intensive research-focused experience for 80 exceptional high school juniors worldwide. Over six weeks, participants engage in fully-funded, college-level coursework and independent research in fields like computer science and other STEM disciplines.
The program begins with comprehensive STEM classes taught by distinguished faculty in the first week, followed by a rigorous five-week research internship. Under the mentorship of seasoned scientists and researchers, students undertake in-depth projects, culminating in the presentation of their research through conference-style oral and written reports. RSI is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate under 5%, making it a prestigious opportunity for talented young scholars to advance their academic and research skills.
Subject Areas: Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Humanities
Cost: No Cost
Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge MA
Application Deadline The deadline for 2024 is now closed. TBD for 2025.`
Note. There are different application processes for U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents and International Applicants. Look here for specific details!
Program Dates: 6 weeks from June to August as per previous year’s dates.
Eligibility:
- Students who are rising seniors (you will have to apply in the middle of your junior year). High school seniors are not eligible to apply.
- It is recommended that PSAT Math Scores be at least 740 (or higher) and Evidence-Based Reading/ Writing Scores be 700 (or higher). ACT math scores should be at least 33, and verbal scores should be at least 34. However, you can offset lower scores through recommendations, high school grades, and science activities.
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program, established in 1963, is an intensive 7-week research experience for gifted high schoolers. Participants collaborate closely with Texas Tech faculty mentors, specializing in various fields such as computer science.
A standout project from the 2023 cohort, spearheaded by student Sonnet Xu, focused on developing “An Interactive 3D Visualization Tool for Dynamic Synaptic Networks.” It aimed at advancing the analysis of brain synaptic networks through innovative data visualization techniques.
With an acceptance rate of less than 3% and a cohort size limited to 12 students, the Clark Scholars program is highly selective, representing a pinnacle of academic distinction. In addition to hands-on research, scholars engage in weekly seminars, discussions, and field visits, enriching their academic experience.
Being recognized as an Anson L. Clark Scholar carries significant weight in college applications, highlighting a student’s dedication to scholarly pursuits. Participants also receive a $750 tax-free stipend, underscoring the program’s support for academic excellence and research endeavors.
Subject Areas: Nutritional Sciences, Biology/Cellular & Microbiology, Computer Science, Neurobiology, Mechanical Engineering, History, Chemistry, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend of $750 provided.
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Application Deadline: The deadline for the 2024 program was February 15, 2024. TBD for 2025.
Program Dates: 6 weeks, from June to August as per previous year’s schedule.
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 17 years of age by the program start date and should graduate in 2024 or 2025 (U.S. and International).
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.
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, Medicine
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The main summer deadlines are March 15, April 15, and May 15
Program Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the Fall cohort from September to December, the Winter cohort from December to February, Spring from March to June
Eligibility:
- You must be currently enrolled in high school
- Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note. students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
- No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
5. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. These programs are designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni and you can expect a great, fulfilling educational experience. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship.
The AI Fellowship program will have students pursue their independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 12-15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. In the past, students have worked on research papers in the fields of AI & medicine, AI & finance, AI & environmental science, AI & education, and more! You can find examples of previous projects here.
Subject Areas: Computer science, AI, ML, Medicine, Finance
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Program dates: Various according to the cohort
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.
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) offers a competitive opportunity for 50 high school students to undertake a six-week research program within Stanford’s laboratories, collaborating with faculty, postdocs, and researchers. The program focuses on medically oriented research projects spanning disciplines such as bioengineering, stem cell research, genetics, neurobiology, immunology, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, and cancer biology.
Participants receive training in laboratory safety protocols, research techniques, and the fundamentals of conducting rigorous scientific investigations. Under the mentorship of experts in cutting-edge laboratories, students engage in immersive learning experiences in medical research. The culmination of the program includes a poster presentation where students present their scientific findings, showcasing their academic growth and contributions to their respective fields of study.
Subject Areas: Medicine, Biotechnology, Diseases, and Genomics.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: There is no cost to attend but all applicants must pay an application fee. Participants receive a minimum stipend of $500 for the program with students receiving a minimum of $1,500. Neither meals nor housing is provided.
Application Deadline: TBD for 2025.
Program Dates: 8 weeks, typically from June to August.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors aged at least 16 with U.S. citizenship or permanent residency are eligible to apply!
The Telluride Association Summer Seminars (TASS) stands as a highly competitive summer program for high school students, boasting an acceptance rate of 3% to 5%. Over a rigorous 6-week period, TASS immerses participants in intensive academic exploration, emphasizing creative problem-solving, community engagement, and intellectual enrichment.
As a TASS participant, you engage in daily college-level classes totaling 3 hours, complemented by lectures, discussion sessions, and collaborative group projects with peers. The program also includes experiential learning activities such as organizing community service initiatives and managing a fixed budget for program-related projects.
TASS offers two distinct study tracks:
- TASS-CBS (Critical Black Studies) delves into the history, politics, literature, art, and cultural contributions of individuals of African descent.
- TASS-AOS (Anti-Oppressive Studies) examines systems of power and oppression — including white supremacy, patriarchy, and classism — and explores strategies for societal transformation through critical analysis and scholarly discourse in humanities and social sciences.
Subject Areas: History, Politics, Literature, Art
Location: University of Maryland, Cornell University, and University of Michigan
Cost: Free of cost
Application Deadline: January 3, 2024. TBD for 2025.
Program Dates: June 23 — August 3, 2024. TBD for 2025.
Eligibility: Open to all high school sophomores and juniors. TASS also encourages applications from students of color and underrepresented ethnic groups to help promote diversity and support underrepresented communities in each year’s cohort.
The High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP) at the NIH offers a unique opportunity for 11th and 12th-grade students to engage in immersive, full-time research and data analysis under the guidance of experienced mentors. Participants delve into diverse disciplines, spanning biomedical sciences, social sciences, and behavioral sciences.
The program is structured into two cohorts: HiSTEP, designed for rising 12th graders, and HiSTEP 2.0, aimed at current high school seniors. With a highly competitive acceptance rate of only 15%, admission to HS-SIP signifies its esteemed status and the invaluable hands-on research experiences it provides within the NIH environment.
Subject Areas: Social sciences, Behavioral sciences, Biomedical sciences
Location: NIH campuses across the country.
Cost/Stipend: No cost, $2,300 stipend per month
Application Deadline: TBD for 2025, typically in Feb
Program Dates: 8 weeks, typically from June to August
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors of high school who are at least 16 years old can apply.
The Youth Scholars Program (YSP) offers Massachusetts high school juniors transitioning to seniors a unique opportunity for hands-on research within Northeastern University’s esteemed Science, Engineering, and Health Sciences departments. This six-week immersive program is provided at no cost, providing participants with invaluable exposure to cutting-edge laboratory research.
Students engage in practical research experiences spanning a spectrum of disciplines, including agent-based modeling, model compression algorithms, battery chemistry, and cancer therapies. The program fosters direct collaboration with faculty members, participation in interdisciplinary seminars across various engineering fields, and involvement in tailored career counseling sessions.
YSP empowers young scholars to gain firsthand experience in scientific inquiry and contribute meaningfully to ongoing research efforts, reinforcing their academic pursuits and broadening their understanding of complex scientific methodologies and applications.
Subject Areas: STEM
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend provided
Application Deadline: The deadline for the 2024 program was Mar 15th, 2024. TBD for 2025.
Program Dates: Typically 6 weeks from Jun — Aug, dates for 2025 TBD.
Eligibility: High school juniors who are based in Massachusetts are eligible.
The SSP stands among the premier programs for high school students, offering participants the opportunity to collaborate in teams of three within specialized tracks: Astrophysics (focused on near-Earth asteroid orbit determination), Biochemistry (centered on research in fungal crop pathogens), and Genomics (exploring the evolution of antibiotic resistance). The curriculum integrates classroom lectures, hands-on lab sessions, and guest lectures, providing a comprehensive research experience.
Despite its paid nature, the SSP is highly esteemed for its college-level research opportunities and networking prospects. With an acceptance rate of around 10%, the program is recognized for its rigorous academic standards and its ability to foster valuable scientific exploration among young scholars.
Subject Areas: Astrophysics, Biochemistry, and Genomics
Location: Five campus options including Purdue University, UNC Chapel Hill, University of Colorado, New Mexico State, and Indiana University
Cost: $8,800. Need-based financial aid is available, offering partially discounted fees as well as complete fee waivers
Application Deadline: February 16, 2024. TBD for 2025.
Program Dates: Mid-June to July (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and a few sophomores, who are at least 15 years old and have completed the required courses.
The Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Program (SSP) provides prestigious fellowships to talented high school and undergraduate students interested in undertaking independent research projects under mentorship in genetics and genomics. Annually, a select cohort of forty students is chosen to engage in designing experiments, analyzing data, and presenting their findings across diverse fields including bioinformatics, cancer research, genomics, immunology, and metabolic diseases.
Geared for intellectually curious students, the program offers a stimulating academic environment with a rigorous application process. Participants benefit from a generous stipend and gain access to invaluable research experiences that enhance their academic and professional portfolios. Participation in SSP is highly regarded and can significantly bolster students’ prospects for future academic endeavors and career pursuits.
Subject Areas: Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Cancer, Immunology, Metabolic Diseases
Location: The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine
Cost/Stipend: No cost, a $6,500 stipend is provided
Application deadline: TBD for 2025
Program Dates: 9 weeks, typically from June to August.
Eligibility: Seniors who have completed 12th grade and are at least 18 years old can apply!
The Simons Summer Research Program offers high school students an exceptional opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research spanning science, mathematics, and engineering disciplines. Participants are paired with mentors, integrated into research groups, and undertake focused projects that culminate in either a written abstract or a poster presentation. The program covers a diverse range of research areas, including biochemistry, computer science, geoscience, pharmacological sciences, astronomy, and more.
Through this selective program (with an acceptance rate of 8%), students gain hands-on experience with laboratory equipment and methodologies, immersing themselves fully in the research environment of a university. Admission requires a nomination from the student’s school and submission of two recommendation letters, underscoring the program’s esteemed reputation and rigorous application standards.
Subject Areas: Biochemistry, Computer Science, Geoscience, Pharmacological Sciences, Astronomy
Location: Stony Brook University, featuring commuter and residential options.
Cost: Free, although students are responsible for their own transportation and residential costs. At the program’s closing symposium, students receive a stipend award
Application deadline: February 1, 2024. TBD for 2025.
Program Dates: July 1, 2024 — August 9, 2024. TBD for 2025.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are at least 16 years of age
The highly selective program offers high school students a unique opportunity to engage in a year-long astrophysics project alongside esteemed scientists from the Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) or Harvard. Each year, a cohort of 10–16 students is divided into 5–8 teams, benefiting from personalized mentoring as they delve deeply into their research endeavors.
This mentorship program in astrophysics combines both virtual and in-person components, featuring workshops, lectures, and a culminating research symposium. At the symposium, participants present their findings through a poster presentation — an achievement that enhances resumes and strengthens college applications.
Subject Areas: Astrophysics
Location: Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA. Can be virtual as well.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A stipend is provided courtesy of the City of Cambridge.
Application Deadline: Applications for the 2024 SRMP Cohort are closed but expected to open in May 2024 for the 2025 SRMP Cohort.
Program Dates: September — May
Eligibility: Must be a Cambridge Rindge and Latin School student, but they are looking to broaden the scope of their program.
The MIT THINK Scholars program provides a unique opportunity for students who have developed a research proposal and seek expert guidance to advance their work in science, technology, or engineering. This competitive initiative selects six finalists to participate in an online program featuring weekly mentoring sessions, technical support, and funding up to $1,000. Additionally, scholars have the option for an immersive four-day visit to MIT’s Cambridge campus (with virtual participation available).
Despite its alignment with the school year, the program offers a rare chance to fully develop a research project from inception to completion under prestigious mentorship. Participation in this esteemed program not only showcases students’ academic prowess but also strengthens their college applications, underscoring their dedication to advancing knowledge and innovation in STEM disciplines.
Subject Areas: STEM
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A $1,000 budget will be awarded to 6 finalists with weekly mentoring, and a paid trip to MIT’s campus.
Application Deadline: January 1 of each year
Program Dates: Finalists are announced in February and projects are completed by that year’s summer in June.
Eligibility: All high school students can apply as individuals or in teams of two.
Bonus - Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.