At first glance, nursing may seem like a straightforward career—helping patients, working in hospitals, and assisting doctors. But there’s much more to the field than meets the eye. Nurses work in a wide range of settings, specialize in different areas of care, and require a mix of different skills on a day-to-day basis. If you’re a high school student considering pursuing a career in nursing, you should think about attending a nursing program for high school students. These programs offer a solid introduction to the field and allow you to understand what the profession is like before you take the next step.
Why should you choose a structured nursing program?
Nursing programs for high school students come in many forms: pre-college summer programs, internships, and volunteer programs. These structured programs provide a comprehensive introduction to nursing, typically featuring a combination of lectures, workshops, simulations, field trips, and other components. You can expect plenty of hands-on experiences, such as taking patient vitals, drawing blood, and administering CPR. There will also be networking opportunities for you to interact with nurses from various departments, through which you can get a better idea of the different career pathways out there. By the end of the program, you will walk away with a better understanding of nursing and clearer goals for yourself.
To help you get started, here are 15 nursing programs for high school students!
However, if you’d like a more hands-on experience in the medical field, check out this blog on paid medical internships.
15 Nursing Programs for High School Students
1. UC Irvine’s Summer Nursing Academy
Location: UC Irvine, Irvine, CA
Cost: $2,000; Scholarships are available for students with demonstrated financial need
Program Dates: July 13 – 17 (session 1); July 27 – 31 (session 2)
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students entering the 10th-12th grades in the fall
UC Irvine’s School of Nursing hosts this five-day camp to provide you with early exposure to the field of nursing. During the program, you will learn from credentialed nurses, explore the specialties within nursing, and learn skills like CPR, taking vital signs, and giving injections. You will also take part in realistic nursing simulations through the university’s Nursing Simulation Center. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to earn the American Heart Association Basic Life Support (CPR) and the American College of Surgeons Stop the Bleed certifications.
2. Georgetown University’s Nursing Academy
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Cost: $3,490 (commuter); $4,120 (residential); $50 application fee; Limited need-based scholarships offered
Program Dates: July 19 – 25
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students (15+) with a minimum 2.0 GPA
Georgetown University’s Nursing Academy is a weeklong program that introduces you to the fundamentals of nursing, including the field’s history, career pathways, ethics, and more. As a participant, you will learns about nursing through a combination of lectures, field trips, hands-on activities, panels, workshops, and group discussions. You will study topics within the biological, physical, and social sciences, and explore nursing specialties like adult-gerontology, acute care, family practice, anesthesia, and women’s health. You will also get clinical experience by working with a lifelike patient simulator and learn hands-on nursing skills.
3. UC Davis’s Summer Health Institute for Nursing Exploration and Success
Location: UC Davis, Sacramento, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Monetary completion award offered at the end of the program
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: March 9 – April 6
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who live and attend school within the Sacramento city limits
SHINES (Summer Health Institute for Nursing Exploration and Success) is a two-week summer program that focuses on nursing and explores the professional requirements of the field as well. You will learn about nursing through lectures, hands-on workshops, group exercises, simulations, and a service-learning project. You will be mentored by clinicians and professionals, and gain skills such as being able to find a pulse or wrap a sprained ankle. Alongside this, you will learn professional skills like building a resume, choosing a pathway to nursing, and writing a cover letter.
4. University of Washington’s Nurse Camp
Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 20 – 24
Application Deadline: February 15 – April 15 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors (16+) in Washington state
The University of Washington offers this free program in order to increase access to the field of nursing and create opportunities for students from all backgrounds. This is a day camp that offers a wide range of activities to teach you about nursing, including hands-on activities, CPR and HIPAA training, and opportunities to shadow nurses at the university’s hospital units. You will spend time in a simulation lab and learn about things like infection control, proper hand washing techniques, and how to take blood pressure and vitals. There is a component called “speed rounds” through which you will have a chance to speak to nurses from various departments, such as public health, emergency, forensics, and research.
5. The Seacole Scholars Program
Location: Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI
Stipend: Paid (exact amount is not specified)
Program Dates: 40 hours/week from June – August
Application Deadline: Not specified; Applications open in November
Eligibility: Students between the ages of 16 and 19 who possess a Certified Nursing Assistant license
The Seacole Scholars Program is a paid employment opportunity for students who have already started their journey in nursing with a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license. This is a seven-week work opportunity during which you will spend four days a week working in the hospital’s nursing unit and gaining hands-on experience. You will also spend one day a week at Brown University, receiving health workforce and youth development training. Additionally, you will explore various career pathways in healthcare, receive advice from career experts, and get the chance to network with 80 other students who are part of the same cohort.
6. Seattle Children’s Hospital’s Summer Nurse Camp
Location: Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: February 23 – March 23
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 16 and 18 who live in the Puget Sound area
Seattle Children’s Hospital offers you the opportunity to explore pediatric nursing by immersing you in a professional healthcare environment and exposing you to real-world nursing practice. As a participant, you will have the chance to learn about nursing by shadowing nurses in a clinical setting and observing how they provide care and interact with patients. Clinical observation sessions could take place in a variety of areas, such as the cancer care unit, emergency room, neonatal intensive care unit, radiology department, pharmacy, and more. Aside from this, you will also attend education panels and hands-on labs, during which you will practice nursing skills on patient models.
7. University of Portland’s High School Summer Nurse Camp
Location: University of Portland, Portland, OR
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 13 – 16
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students (except graduating seniors) who are at least 16 years of age and can demonstrate their interest in nursing
The University of Portland School of Nursing & Health Innovations offers the High School Summer Nurse Camp to support and inspire students from diverse backgrounds interested in pursuing a career in the field. It is a four-day commuter program during which you will learn about infection control, hand washing techniques, taking blood pressure, administering injections, providing CPR, and more. The program includes a combination of clinical, academic, and community service activities, as well as sessions on how to apply to nursing schools and prepare for life in college.
8. Emmanuel College’s Summer Nursing Academy
Location: Emmanuel College, Boston, MA
Cost: $1,950
Program Dates: July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: Not specified; Early application is recommended due to limited space
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors (16+)
Emmanuel College’s Summer Nursing Academy is a weeklong, residential program that allows you to explore the field of nursing while also experiencing life on a university campus. During the program, you will learn from the university’s faculty, tour hospital facilities, gain hands-on skills, and earn certifications in CPR and Stop The Bleed. You will work in simulation labs, explore the inside of an ambulance, and learn how to pack wounds, apply tourniquets, put in IVs, and more. The program will also connect you with nurse specialists from many different areas, allowing you to explore the different career pathways in healthcare.
9. NSLC’s Nursing Program
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC, or University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $4,395 (Duke University); $4,195 (University of Michigan); Scholarships offered
Program Dates: Varies by location (multiple sessions offered)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students (ages 14-18) who have completed at least one year of high school
NSLC’s nursing program allows you to learn the fundamentals of nursing and understand how nurses support patients and medical teams in clinical environments. The program uses simulations and interactive workshops through which you will learn how to assess symptoms, monitor vitals, draw blood, study blood disorders, and administer medicines. You will learn the difference between adult and pediatric care, gain a CPR certification, attend lectures by experts in the field, and go on field trips to healthcare centers, science centers, and simulation labs. You will also learn about professional etiquette in a clinical setting and how to communicate with doctors and patients.
10. UH Future Nurse Academy
Location: Lakeland Community College, Kirtland, OH; UH Management Services Center, Shaker Heights, OH; Lorain County Community College Ridge Campus, North Ridgeville, OH
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Lakeland Community College: June 15 – 26; UH Management Services Center: July 6 – 17; Lorain County Community College Ridge Campus: July 20 – 31
Application Deadline: January 12 – February 19
Eligibility: High school students entering the 11th and 12th grades
University Hospitals is an academic medical center and community hospital network that offers this two-week summer program for high school students interested in nursing. The program prepares you for healthcare careers by teaching the best practices in health and wellness, current technologies in nursing, and soft skills like critical thinking and problem-solving. As a participant, you will engage with simulations and learn hands-on skills like drawing blood, inserting IVS, administering CPR, and even dissecting pig hearts. In 2024, 1,000 students applied for just 78 spots, which makes this a highly competitive program.
11. Hospice of the Valley’s Teens in Nursing Program
Location: Hospice of the Valley, Phoenix, AZ
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Not specified; 8 months during the school year
Application Deadline: Applications open in early July; The deadline has not been specified
Eligibility: High school students in the Phoenix, AZ Metropolitan area
Teens in Nursing is a volunteer program for high school students offered by Hospice of the Valley, a non-profit hospice organization. The program allows you to experience a professional healthcare environment and learn about nursing by working alongside nurses and other healthcare staff. As a volunteer, you will spend four hours a week working at a palliative care unit, under the guidance of a certified nursing assistant. One of the highlights is that you get to spend time and interact with patients. Additionally, you must attend nine hours of training and eight monthly meetings, which include education and volunteer peer support.
12. CompassRN’s Summer Nurse Camp
Location: TMC Innovation Factory, Houston, TX
Cost: $250; Tuition assistance available
Program Dates: June 23 – 25
Application Deadline: March 8
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
CompassRN’s Summer Nurse Camp gives you the chance to learn about nursing through real-world scenarios, using a combination of interactive simulations, workshops, and tours to labs and university campuses. You will learn how to monitor vitals, administer CPR, insert IVs, suture wounds, check pulses, tell the difference between resting and exercise pulses, and other similar skills. The camp includes a nurse fair, through which you will interact with 15 different nurses from unique specialties in the field, as well as a school of nursing fair to connect with colleges around the state.
13. Adelphi University’s Introduction to Nursing as a Career and Profession
Location: Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
Cost: $3,540
Program Dates: July 12 – August 1
Application Deadline: June 12; Rolling basis until the program reaches capacity
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Adelphi University’s Summer Nursing Program is a credit-bearing program for high school students who want to explore nursing. The program involves hands-on activities, CPR and Stop the Bleed certifications, and experience in clinical areas like nutrition, surgery, obstetrics, and public health. Through the university’s Clinical Education and Simulation Lab (CESiL), you will engage in realistic medical scenarios with manikins and learn how to administer medicines, address emergencies, and work in the ER, delivery, and pediatric rooms. Additionally, you will also go for clinical site visits at Long Island’s hospitals.
14. Kaiser Permanente’s Launch High School Program
Location: You will either work in a Kaiser Permanente Medical Center or a business office close to your home address
Stipend: $24/hour
Program Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 9
Eligibility: High school students (16+) who have a permanent residence in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente designated service area
Kaiser Permanente’s Launch High School Program is an internship program that provides you with work experience in the healthcare industry. There is little to no patient interaction in this internship, which focuses on administrative and supporting roles in healthcare environments instead. As an intern, you will be allotted to a certain department, project, or location; previous students have worked in nursing, internal medicine, administration, and patient care services. Aside from the practical work experience, you will also receive guidance from mentors and attend weekly workshops for personal and professional skill development.
15. Thomas Jefferson University’s Nursing STEP-UP
Location: Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (hybrid)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 30 – July 25; The first entire week will be virtual, followed by in-person sessions from July 7 – 25
Application Deadline: May 17
Eligibility: High school rising juniors and seniors
Thomas Jefferson University’s Nursing Summer Training and Enrichment Program (Nursing STEP-UP) is a free, hybrid summer program that provides you with an introduction to nursing as well as support for college preparation. During the program, you will learn the fundamentals of nursing and its various disciplines through classroom lectures, simulation experiences, student mentoring, field trips, and skill training. The program also includes sessions to help you with SAT prep, writing personal statements, submitting college applications, building a resume, and personal development.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like patient care, public health, medical ethics, or healthcare innovation, 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: UC Davis