Online summer humanities programs for high school students provide an accessible way to explore subjects such as literature, history, philosophy, art, and cultural studies in greater depth. These programs can help you develop skills in reading, writing, research, and critical thinking – tools that are valuable across academic and career paths. Because they’re online and take place in the summer, they’re accessible from anywhere and often more affordable than in-person options that run in the school year.
If you’re interested in the humanities, you can also use these programs to strengthen your understanding of specific topics, engage with new perspectives, and prepare for future college coursework. Some programs may also include discussions with faculty or independent research projects, helping you refine your interests.
We’ve compiled a list of 15 online summer humanities programs for high school students that you can consider exploring:
1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Cost: Starts at $2,990. Financial aid is available.
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students who 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
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week research experience where high school students work 1-on-1 with Ph.D. mentors to develop an independent research paper. While the program spans many disciplines, it also supports humanities topics like history, philosophy, international relations, and political theory.
You dive deep into your chosen subject, build research and writing skills, and may submit your work to journals or competitions. If none of the listed topics fit what you’re looking for, you can also customise your project. For more information on how to apply, you can check out this link.
2. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Cost: $5,950 (financial aid available)
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September)
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply.Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here
The Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP) is a trimester-long research opportunity where high school students work 1-on-1 with a professor or Ph.D. mentor to produce a 20-page research paper. It supports both qualitative and quantitative research, with subject tracks in areas like political theory, philosophy, and economics.
By the end, you’ll write a 20-page research paper that you can submit to journals. You receive detailed feedback, a recommendation letter, and support for potential publication.
3. Economics for Leaders Virtual
Cost: $900
Application Deadline: Varies by session. Check details here
Program Dates: Multiple sessions from June to August
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors.
Economics for Leaders Virtual is a selective program where high school students learn to apply economic thinking to real-world challenges while building leadership skills. Taught by university-level economics professors and leadership instructors, the program blends lectures, interactive sessions, and group problem-solving.
You’ll explore topics like opportunity cost, market structures, and policy decision-making—all while engaging in activities that develop collaboration and communication. The virtual format makes it accessible while still offering a rigorous, community-based experience.
4. William & Mary Pre-College Online Program – Constitutional Law: We The People
Cost: $1,495
Application Deadline: Varies by session. Check details here
Program Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the summer. Check dates here
Eligibility: For students ages 13 and up
The William & Mary Pre-College Online Program – Constitutional Law: We The People summer course is tailored for high school students interested in law or government. It covers key topics like constitutional interpretation, federalism, the Bill of Rights, and major Supreme Court cases.
You explore how the U.S. legal system works and why debates over the Constitution persist. The course includes mentorship, video lessons from law professors, and a final project analyzing a Supreme Court case. You also earn a certificate of completion at the end of the program.
5. Beloit College – Summer Language Program
Cost: $4,400 (7-week program), $2,200 (3.5-week program)
Application Deadline: May 16
Program Dates: June 16 – August 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
The Beloit College – Summer Language Program is an intensive, online language immersion program open to high school juniors and seniors. In just two months, you can complete up to two semesters of college-level language coursework.
Taught by experienced CLS faculty, the program emphasizes fluency in languages critical to national security and includes virtual cultural experiences for deeper understanding. If you’re looking to strengthen your language skills, the flexibility and academic rigor offered by this program can be useful.
6. Harvard University: Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Program Dates: Self-paced program
Eligibility: All high school students
Harvard University: Rhetoric – The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking is an online course that teaches students how to craft compelling arguments and analyze persuasive techniques. Using speeches by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy, you’ll explore rhetorical structure and style.
You will learn to use rhetorical devices, identify logical fallacies, and write effective opinion pieces and speeches. If you’re interested in law, politics, or communication and this course can help build skills for public speaking, debate, and writing.
7. Brandeis University Summer Courses: Survey of Economics (Remote)
Cost: $3,700
Application Deadline: May 23
Program Dates: June 4 – July 3
Eligibility: All high school students are eligible
Brandeis University Summer Courses – Survey of Economics provides a broad introduction to both microeconomics and macroeconomics. You will explore core economic concepts, models, and terminology while examining how these tools apply to practical issues like business decisions and public policy. The course is ideal for those seeking a practical understanding of economic reasoning and serves as a strong foundation for more advanced study in economics.
Through lectures, discussions, and problem sets, you’ll learn how economists evaluate trade-offs, allocate resources, and assess the impact of government intervention. Whether you’re interested in finance, law, international relations, or public service, this course equips you with analytical skills essential for interpreting complex economic issues.
8. Notre Dame Pre-College Online Program Law: Thinking Like a Lawyer
Cost: $1,495
Application Deadline: Varies by session. Check details here.
Program Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the summer. Check dates here.
Eligibility: For students ages 13 and up
Notre Dame Pre-College Online Program – Law: Thinking Like a Lawyer gives high school students an early introduction to legal reasoning and analysis. You’ll learn to apply the IRAC method across areas like criminal, constitutional, sports, and intellectual property law.
The course explores how legal systems differ globally, the function of international law and the UN, and the role of lawyers in various contexts, from protecting intellectual property to ensuring fair play in sports. You’ll compare constitutional frameworks, evaluate judicial philosophies, and complete a capstone project. You will also earn a Certificate of Completion from Notre Dame.
9. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)’s Behavioral Economics
Cost: $1,365 for June sessions and $1,433 for the July session.
Application Deadline: Apply by June 3 to start the week of June 16. Apply by June 17 to start the week of July 14.
Program Dates: June 16 – July 3 and July 14 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12.
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) – Behavioral Economics introduces high school students to how psychology and economics intersect to shape real-world decision-making. You’ll explore concepts like cognitive bias, choice architecture, and “Supposedly Irrelevant Factors” through classic studies by scholars like Tversky, Kahneman, and Cartwright.
The course combines theory with hands-on analysis, such as modeling decision-making for everyday scenarios like picking a college or dessert. Through individual and group activities, you’ll examine how behavioral economics influences policy, markets, and personal choices.
10. Columbia University’s Pre-College Online Summer Program: Writing the Future
Cost: $3,965
Application Deadline: For July sessions, the application typically closes in May.
Program Dates: July 7 – July 18
Eligibility: High school students.
Columbia University’s Pre-College Online Summer Program – Writing the Future, explores how dystopian and science fiction writing reflects current societal concerns and envisions possible futures. Through texts like 1984 and contemporary global works, you examine themes such as AI ethics, technological advancement, and historical influence on speculative fiction.
The course emphasizes writing development through essays, responses, and rhetorical analysis, with collaborative discussions enhancing critical thinking. By the end, you would have worked on your writing, analytical, and communication skills while considering why dystopian storytelling remains so powerful and relevant.
11. Summer@Brown Online: Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction
Cost: $5,314
Application Deadline: May 9
Program Dates: June 23 – July 28
Eligibility: Students completing grades 9 to 12, ages 14 to 18 years.
Summer@Brown Online – Behavioral Game Theory: Experiments in Strategic Interaction explores how and why people make decisions, both rational and irrational, in strategic situations. You start with traditional game theory to model rational behavior in scenarios like the Cuban missile crisis and “rock, paper, scissors,” then shift to behavioral economics to examine predictable mistakes such as overconfidence, temptation, and herd behavior.
The course blends economic theory with real-world experiments to help you understand human behavior, strategic thinking, and how policies can guide better decision-making. You’ll also gain experience designing your own experiments to test behavioral hypotheses and learn to interpret data through a psychological and economic lens. This foundation in behavioral game theory offers insight into topics like politics, business and everyday social interactions.
12. Yale University’s Summer Session: Medicine and the Humanities: Certainty and Unknowing
Cost: Tuitions: $5,270 + Technology fees: $85
Application Deadline: May 9
Program Dates: May 26 – June 27
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
Yale University Summer Session – Medicine and the Humanities: Certainty and Unknowing provides you with the opportunity to explore how narrative, philosophy, and literature intersect with the practice of medicine. Drawing on texts by authors like Atul Gawande, Lisa Sanders, and Mikhail Bulgakov, the course examines medicine not just as a science but as a human-centered practice shaped by uncertainty.
You will engage with themes like rationalism vs. romanticism, the philosophy of science, and the limits of medical knowledge, developing critical thinking, close reading, and reflective writing skills relevant to both medicine and the humanities. Through class discussions and analytical essays, you’ll consider the ethical and emotional complexities of diagnosis, patient care, and the clinician’s role in times of ambiguity. By the end of the course, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how the tools of the humanities – interpretation, storytelling, and ethical inquiry can enrich and complicate our approach to medicine.
13. Harvard University: PredictionX: Lost Without Longitude
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Rolling
Program Dates: Self-paced
Eligibility: Any high school student.
Harvard University – PredictionX: Lost Without Longitude is an online course that explores the history and science of navigation, focusing on how humans have determined their position without modern tools like GPS. You’ll study 18th-century navigation techniques, including the use of celestial bodies and mechanical timekeeping, and learn how key figures like John Harrison helped solve the “longitude problem.”
The course blends astronomy, history, and physics to help you understand how concepts like direction, speed, and time have shaped global exploration and scientific advancement. Interactive visualizations and short expert-led videos guide you through the challenges sailors faced and the scientific breakthroughs that followed. By the end, you’ll gain not only historical insight but also a clearer understanding of how scientific thinking evolves in response to practical problems.
14. Rice University Summer Sessions: Principle of Economics
Cost: Tuition: $1,200 per credit and Audited Courses: $500 per course
Application Deadline: May 12 for the May session and June 30 for the July session
Program Dates: May 19 – June 27 and July 7 – August 15
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Rice University Summer Sessions – Principles of Economics is an introductory course covering key topics in both microeconomics and macroeconomics. You’ll examine how supply and demand influence consumer and producer behavior, explore market structures, and apply economic concepts to real-world policy issues.
On the macro side, you’ll learn about national income, employment, inflation, interest rates, fiscal and monetary policy, and international trade. Irrespective of your academic background, this course can help you set a solid foundation in economic thinking and analysis.
15. Columbia’s Pre-College Summer Sessions- Globalization: Challenges in International Economics & Politics
Cost: $3,965
Application Deadline: For July sessions, the application typically closes in May.
Program Dates: Session A Online: July 7 – July 18 | Session B Online: July 21 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students.
In this course, you’ll explore how issues like populism, rising debt levels, and shifts in trade policy are reshaping international relations and national priorities. Case studies, peer discussions, and guest lectures will guide you through topics like foreign aid, sovereign debt, the role of non-state actors, and the influence of international institutions.
You’ll also examine how domestic political systems respond to globalization, using real-world examples to analyze the political economy of everything from social welfare to national security. You’ll build a deeper understanding of how economic pressures and political choices intersect, and develop skills to evaluate complex global challenges through multiple lenses. By the end of the session, you’ll be equipped to engage in informed debate on the future of globalization and its role in shaping international cooperation and conflict.
Image source – Columbia University
