If you’re a high school student in NYC looking for free summer programs to build your skills, this blog is for you! Whether you have a specific goal or want to explore new subjects, a summer program can help you gain experience and demonstrate initiative. It can also provide insights into your academic interests before choosing a college major.
These programs provide opportunities to work with professionals, learn about different fields, and build a network. Depending on the program, you may develop collaboration, communication, problem-solving, presentation, and research skills. Many universities and research centers in NYC offer fully funded programs that provide educational opportunities outside the standard school curriculum. These programs are often selective and can strengthen your college applications.
Here’s our curated list of 14 free summer programs in NYC covering fields such as marketing, finance, medicine, engineering, architecture, ecology, history, and more.
1. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: The program is tuition-free, but participants who choose on-campus housing must pay $2,360.25 for accommodation and meals, plus at least $500 for additional meal expenses. A stipend is provided, but the amount is not specified.
Application Deadline: February 7
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old and are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Simons Summer Research Program offers high school students the chance to conduct independent research in STEM fields. You can select your top three areas of interest or preferred mentors. Research fields for 2025 include Biomedical Informatics, Computer Science, Atmospheric Sciences, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Neurobiology, Orthopaedics, Geosciences, Astronomy, Math, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Medicine, Pharmacological Sciences, and more. A full list of research fields and available mentors for Summer 2025 can be found here.
You will work with a faculty mentor, join a research group, and develop a project while learning about experiment design, lab techniques, and research methods. The program also includes faculty talks, workshops, lab tours, and special events. As part of the program, you will prepare a research abstract and create a poster for the final symposium. The program has a competitive acceptance rate of 5%.
2. NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Cyber Security for Computer Science (CS4CS)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Tuition is fully covered by a scholarship
Application Deadline: April 15
Dates: The program runs from July 14 to August 8, with a virtual orientation on June 27 via Zoom from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Eligibility: NYC residents currently in 10th or 11th grade
NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Cyber Security for Computer Science (CS4CS) introduces high school students to cybersecurity and computer science, regardless of prior experience. The program covers topics such as ethical hacking, digital forensics, privacy, cryptography, steganography, and data protection in the cybersecurity industry.
You will learn software tools and techniques to detect cyber threats, investigate their origins, and explore ciphers used to secure networks while developing coding skills. The program also covers behavioral science aspects of cybersecurity, including phishing scams and identity theft. Additionally, you will participate in Irondale, a mandatory improv-based program led by theater-teaching artists to improve communication and public speaking skills.
3. Wave Hill Forest Project
Location: Wave Hill, Bronx, NY
Cost/Stipend: The program is free, and participants will receive a stipend of about $2,275 through the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
Application Deadline: February 28
Dates: July 7 – August 15
Eligibility: New York high school students who are at least 16 years old and authorized to work in the U.S.
Wave Hill is a public horticulture garden and cultural center that offers the Forest Project, a summer program for New York City high school students to learn about ecological restoration and urban ecology. You will gain hands-on field experience and engage in field-based coursework while working in small crews to develop restoration plans for assigned woodland sites.
Under the guidance of an experienced crew leader, you’ll take part in woodland restoration and research. You’ll participate in activities like removing invasive species, stabilizing eroded slopes, and documenting the restoration process of disturbed woodlands. As an intern, you’ll also enroll in a college course on restoring New York City’s natural areas, conduct group projects involving data collection and field research, and attend guest lectures to learn about careers in conservation science.
4. New York City School Construction Authority’s (SCA) High School Summer Internship Program
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: The program is free, and students are paid $16.50 per hour for 30 hours per week during the six-week internship.
Application Deadline: March 7
Dates: The internship lasts six weeks, with the exact duration depending on the intern’s placement and assignment. For Summer 2025, it runs from July 7 to August 15.
Eligibility: New York City public high school students who are eligible to work in the U.S. and available for the full six-week program can apply. A student’s school GPA will be considered in the selection process.
The SCA Summer Internship Program (SIP) provides six-week paid internships for NYC public high school students with SCA departments and business partners across the city. The program introduces students to careers in fields such as architecture, engineering, construction management, urban planning, IT, business, and public administration while offering experience in civil engineering and career mentoring.
As an intern, you’ll work four days a week with your host organization and attend educational programming one day a week. Assignments vary based on the company, department, and student’s skills. The program includes workshops, a design challenge, and panel discussions. Internships are in person, with hours from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Before starting, you will complete a 10-hour OSHA construction safety training based on your internship assignment. You will also be supervised by a college mentor to ensure progress. A signed parent consent form is required for construction site visits. Current job postings can be viewed here.
5. Boyce Thompson Institute’s High School Research Program
Location: Cornell University campus, Ithaca, NY
Cost/Stipend: There is no cost to participate, and high school researchers receive a $4,200 stipend for the program, paid monthly.
Application Deadline: March 31 (tentative, based on the previous year’s program)
Dates: June 30 – August 7
Eligibility: Current high school students who live near Ithaca, NY year-round, are at least 16 years old by the program’s start date, and have not graduated before the program begins
The Boyce Thompson Institute’s High School Research Program provides high school students with hands-on experience in plant science research. You will work on research projects involving bioinformatics, wet lab experiments, and fieldwork in collaboration with Cornell University and the USDA. Over 6–7 weeks, you will be paired with a graduate student or postdoctoral mentor, along with a faculty mentor, to work on a project aligned with your interests and background. The program includes projects in plant science, plant biotic interactions, bioinformatics, plant molecular biology, and biological engineering of plant systems.
Depending on the project, you may work in fields, labs, greenhouses, or on computers. The program will also introduce you to scientific careers, undergraduate and graduate programs, and international research environments. You will write a research proposal, engage in peer reviews, and develop scientific communication skills. At the program’s conclusion, you will present your research at the annual George and Helen Kohut Symposium.
6. The Met High School Internship Program
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: There is no cost to participate, and interns receive a stipend per New York State minimum wage law, totaling $1,100, paid in one installment.
Application Deadline: March 7
Dates: June 21 – August 8
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 and 11, or those working toward a High School Equivalency degree, who live in or attend school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
The Met High School Internship Program provides paid opportunities for high school students to engage with art, museums, and creative professionals. This program helps you develop professional skills and networking skills through hands-on work experience. You will work directly with Museum professionals in fields such as editorial, education, scientific research, photography, marketing, social media, conservation, and more. During your time at The Met, you will explore how your interests align with different museum roles, gaining insights from both peers and professionals.
Throughout the internship, you’ll spend 10 to 20 hours per week observing, assisting, and being mentored by a staff member in one of the Museum’s departments. Your placement will be based on your interests and the department’s ongoing projects. You can learn about the various departments here. You will have the opportunity to practice working in a museum field under the guidance of a Met staff member while exploring your interests. The program also offers chances to network with peers and professionals and participate in Career Labs and workshops led by experts in the arts, museums, and creative fields.
7. Wildlife Conservation Society | Bronx Zoo Project TRUE (Teens Researching Urban Ecology)
Location: WCS Headquarters, Bronx, NY
Cost/Stipend: There is no cost to participate. Summer interns receive $750 plus a MetroCard or $16 per hour through SYEP, while fall interns receive $350.
Application Deadline: March 7
Dates:
- Summer Program: June 30 – August 21
- Fall Program: September 13 – December 20; with an additional Saturday for final presentations
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors living in the Bronx who are comfortable working in both indoor and outdoor environments
Project TRUE, led by the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo Education team in collaboration with Fordham University, is an urban ecology research program. It provides high school students training in scientific research, science communication, and college preparation. You will work in teams with Fordham undergraduate mentors and receive additional support from WCS staff. The program includes a summer research component followed by a fall session with field trips, lessons, and workshops.
You’ll design and conduct ecological research projects using tools such as camera traps, plant surveys, collection nets, and point counts. Research topics include mammal distribution, water quality, bird community composition, and invasive species management. You’ll learn various data collection and analysis methods while developing science communication skills. Through hands-on field research, you’ll gain experience with the scientific process and present your findings to peers, scientists, and the public.
8. NYU’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) Program
Location: The program features remote workshops and in-person lab research at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering in Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Tuition is fully covered by a scholarship, and participants receive a stipend of at least $1,000 upon completing the program
Application Deadline: February 21
Dates: June 2 – August 18
Eligibility: NYC students who will have completed 10th or 11th grade by June 2025
New York University’s ARISE program provides educational opportunities for students interested in engineering and related fields. It begins with four weeks of remote evening workshops, followed by six weeks of in-person research in NYU faculty labs with mentoring from graduate or postdoctoral students starting in early July.
You will take part in classroom sessions, hands-on experiments, college advising, and workshops on lab safety, ethics, data collection, and college admissions. The program covers interdisciplinary STEM fields such as Chemical Engineering, Bio- and Molecular Engineering, Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, and Robotics through research lab experiences. You’ll receive mentorship from NYU faculty and present your research at a colloquium. ARISE admits 76 to 80 students each year. More details on Summer 2025 research opportunities can be found here.
9. New York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program
Location: New York Historical Society, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: The program is free to attend, and interns will receive a $700 stipend upon completion.
Application Deadline: The application deadline for the summer cohort is March 30. Applications for the academic year internship open in late May.
Dates: The Student Historian internship is offered twice a year: one session during the academic year and another in the summer:
- Summer Internship: July 8 – August 14
- Academic Year Internship: Late October – early June
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders who live and attend school in the New York City metro area, including NYC’s five boroughs and parts of New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
The New York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program provides high school students the opportunity to use the society’s resources for research and create digital projects for public education. You will meet with staff to learn about the museum, library, and digital humanities fields, and collaborate with peers to enhance your research, communication, and digital skills. You will focus on the New York Historical Composite Nation exhibition and related collections to explore Frederick Douglass and his contemporaries’ vision for America, examining its relevance today. Working in groups, you’ll create blog posts and digital humanities projects for The New York Historical’s Teen Blog.
The internship runs twice a year: once during the academic year and once in the summer. Each session includes 25 interns. Activities include meeting with museum and history experts, touring galleries, collaborating in groups, analyzing primary sources, conducting research, improving writing, participating in tech workshops, and taking field trips. You will create a final digital project as well.
10. Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Participation is free, and students will receive a $1,200 stipend upon completing the program.
Application Deadline: February 7
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 14 years old by June 2025, have a 3.5 GPA in science subjects, are legally authorized to work in the U.S., and live within 25 miles of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
The Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) is a selective summer internship for high school students interested in biomedical sciences. Over eight weeks, you will engage in biomedical or computational research in a Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) lab. You’ll be paired with a mentor who will guide you and help you develop technical skills. You will work on a self-directed project that contributes to the Principal Investigator’s research goals and participate in lab meetings and program sessions, interacting with researchers across MSK.
Research areas include Cancer Biology, Drug Development, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Immunology, Genomics, and Engineering. In addition to lab work, you’ll participate in events that provide insight into translational medicine and research. These events are organized by various MSK programs, including the Office of Scientific Education & Training, clinical departments at Memorial Hospital, and Human Resources.
11. YES in THE HEIGHTS Program
Subject Areas: Cancer Research, Cancer Biology, Scientific Training
Location: Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: There is no cost to participate, and participants will be paid for eight weeks of full-time work at 35 hours per week.
Application Deadline: December 13
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Eligibility: High school students aged 14 or older who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and part of groups underrepresented in the biomedical workforce, as defined by NIH Guidelines
The YES in THE HEIGHTS program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) is a selective summer internship for high school and undergraduate students to increase STEM participation among underrepresented youth. This two-year program takes place over two summers, is funded by the National Cancer Institute, and offers hands-on cancer research experience with mentorship from researchers and physicians to address cancer health disparities.
You will be matched with a faculty mentor whose research aligns with your interests. You will also participate in a weekly Cancer Biology Journal Club, where you’ll present and discuss cancer research articles. The eight-week summer program includes orientation, scientific and professional training, creating an Individual Development Plan, submitting a scientific abstract, and, for second-year participants, delivering an oral presentation.
12. Environmentor – Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity (RISE) Research Mentorship Program
Subject Areas: Environmental Science, Conservation, Research
Location: RISE, Far Rockaway, NY
Cost/Stipend: The program is free, and participants may receive a stipend of up to $1,200 for their research work and participation.
Application Deadline: Applications for the summer 2025 program will open in early March
Dates: June 5 – August 15 (tentative, based on the previous year’s program)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11 who live on or attend school near the Rockaway Peninsula
Environmentor is a science research mentorship program for high school students that focuses on environmental conservation. You’ll be paired with scientists from local universities or research institutions to conduct supervised research. You will work on an individual project related to the Rockaway shoreline and Jamaica Bay. Research topics include air quality monitoring, bottlenose dolphin biodiversity, sea turtle and pinniped strandings, salt marsh restoration, and dolphin morphology.
The program offers a curriculum that combines research, hands-on skills training, mentorship, and community service. You’ll also receive water safety and CPR training and take part in activities such as biking, kayaking, and surfing. More information about past student projects can be found here.
If you’re looking for a virtual mentored research program open to NYC high schoolers in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, you should check out the following programs:
13. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Subject Areas: Neuroscience, Philosophy, Sociology, History, Environmental Health and Engineering, Political Theory, Behavioral Economics, and more
Location: Virtual
Cost: You can find the exact cost by submitting an interest form. Full financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort:
Dates:
- Spring: March 3 onwards
- Summer: June 16 onwards
- Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA of at least 3.67 on a 4.0 scale can apply. Most accepted students are in 10th or 11th grade. Some tracks have specific prerequisites, which can be reviewed here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in fields such as physics, pathology, data science, biomedical engineering, chemistry, political theory, neuroscience, and psychology. With over 1,000 high school students having participated, Horizon offers more than 600 research specializations to choose from. You can choose between qualitative and quantitative research methods.
After selecting a subject and research method, you will be paired with a professor or PhD scholar from a recognized university for mentorship. By the end of the program, you will complete a 20-page university-level research paper, which may be submitted to academic journals for publication. The program provides the opportunity to conduct specialized research with expert guidance, along with a letter of recommendation and detailed feedback to support college applications and future research. You can apply here!
14. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Subject Areas: Engineering, Business, Data Science, Physics, Gender Studies, Computer Science, Psychology, Economics, Environmental Science, Chemistry, and more!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $2,990. Financial aid is available!
Application Deadline: Application deadlines vary by cohort. The upcoming deadline for the summer cohort is March 9.
Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the fall cohort from September to December, the winter cohort from December to February, and the spring cohort from March to June.
Eligibility: High school students with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week opportunity for high school students to conduct independent research with guidance from a Ph.D. mentor. You will receive personalized support throughout the program, including assistance from a writing coach.
With mentor support, you will choose and refine a research topic, participate in workshops on research methods, and complete a detailed independent research paper. Available fields of study include data science, sociology, history, physics, chemistry, engineering, and economics. You can also customize your research topic based on your interests. More information about the application process is available here.
Image source: Stony Brook University
