If you’re a high school student interested in the humanities and want to explore research, develop critical thinking, and learn how to study culture and history, a summer research program is a good place to start. These programs let you work with sources like texts, artifacts, and archives, often alongside experts in history, literature, philosophy, and other fields.
Whether you want to analyze historical documents, explore cultural traditions, or tackle big questions in ethics and society, the programs below offer hands-on experience. You’ll build skills in research methods, analysis, writing, and presenting your work. These experiences can also help you figure out which area of the humanities fits your interests.
To help you get started, here are 20 humanities summer research opportunities for high school students!
20 Humanities Summer Research Opportunities for High School Students
1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $2,990. Financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Application deadlines vary by cohort. The deadline for the summer cohort is May 20.
Dates: The program runs in four cohorts: summer (June–August), fall (September – December), winter (December–February), and spring (March–June).
Eligibility: High school students with an unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) are encouraged to apply.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week opportunity for high school students to explore a topic of interest through an independent research project, guided by a Ph.D. mentor. The program covers a wide range of subjects in STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and includes workshops to help you develop strong research skills. By the end, you’ll complete a full research paper.
You’ll work closely with your mentor and get additional support from a writing coach to help shape and refine your topic. If you’re interested in the humanities, options include Psychology, Gender Studies, Linguistics, Classics, Sociology, History, Law, and Philosophy.
If the available topics don’t quite match your interests, you can also customize your project. For more details on how to apply, you can visit this link.
2. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Horizon Labs and Seminar courses both cost $5,950. However, need-based financial aid is available for Seminar courses and can cover up to 90%.
Application Deadline: March 23 (priority), April 20 (regular-I), May 18 (regular-II)
Dates: The summer cohort starts on June 16. Lab course schedules are flexible, but you must apply at least four weeks before your preferred start date.
Eligibility: High school students with a 3.67 GPA or higher can apply. Most are in 10th or 11th grade, though some tracks have specific prerequisites you can review here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in subjects like History, Political Science, Philosophy, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Data Science, and more, with over 600 topics to choose from. You can focus on either qualitative or quantitative research.
If you’re interested in the humanities, course options include Ancient History, Psychology and Emotion Regulation, Critical History, Philosophy of the Mind, and Political Theory and Philosophy. In the program, you’ll choose a research topic and method, then work closely with a mentor, typically a professor or PhD student from a top university.
By the end of the program, you’ll write a 20-page research paper that you can submit to journals. You’ll also receive personalized feedback, guidance, and a recommendation letter to help with your college or research goals. You can apply here.
3. Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY | University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: December 3
Dates: June 22 – July 26
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are between 15 and 18 years old at the start of the program.
The Telluride Association Summer Seminar is a six-week program for high school sophomores and juniors. It is fully funded so money won’t stop you from joining. You pick one of two paths. One looks at the history and culture of people of African descent. The other focuses on systems like patriarchy and white supremacy and how people work to bring change.
Each day you spend three hours in class with teachers. You read books and articles, watch films, see art, and write essays. You get feedback to improve your work. The program also includes public speaking practice and guest talks.
4. Penn Arts and Sciences Social Justice Research Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $9,949, plus a non-refundable $100 application fee. Students at public or charter high schools in the School District of Philadelphia may qualify for a Penn Summer Scholarship, which lets them attend the program for free.
Application Deadline: April 27
Dates: July 5 – July 26
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11 with at least a 3.5 GPA
At the Social Justice Research Academy, you’ll study social issues by looking at history, sociology, and politics. You’ll learn how to think about inequality and resistance in a deeper way. The program uses a liberal arts format with lectures, workshops, and group discussions. These are led by Penn faculty, Teaching Fellows, and guest speakers.
You’ll discuss topics like gun laws, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, poverty and its effects on children, and how history is told. You’ll also visit Penn’s Van Pelt Library and local sites such as Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church and the National Constitution Center.
You’ll work on a final project based on a topic you care about. It can be a research paper or something more creative. Past students have looked into AAPI representation in Hollywood, redlining, and the impact of COVID-19 on minority communities. Topics change each year, but often include both historical issues like labor movements and civil rights, and current ones like immigration, climate change, and social justice.
5. Stanford Summer Humanities Institute
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Tuition is $8,575, which covers accommodation, field trips, activities, and meals. Need-based financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: February 3
Dates: June 22 – July 11 | July 13 – August 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 and 11 who are minors when they apply
The Stanford Summer Humanities Institute is a three-week residential program where you’ll explore topics in sociology, history, literature, and politics. You’ll take one course based on your interests, which you’ll rank when you apply. Each course focuses on a specific topic, like The American Enlightenment, Books to Bollywood, Racial Identity in the American Imagination, or Ancient Rome and Its Legacies.
You’ll study with students from around the world who share your curiosity about how society works and how history shapes the present. Outside of class, you’ll join weekend activities and field trips, giving you time to connect with your peers and explore more of the Stanford campus and nearby areas.
6. Hoover History Lab’s TCR History Camp
Location: Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Boarding Students: $4,950–$5,250; Commuter Students: $3,950–$4,100
Application Deadline: Early: December 31; Final: February 28
Dates: July 21 – August 1
Eligibility: All high school students are eligible to apply.
The TCR History Camp at Hoover History Lab is an in-person program where you’ll work on a history research project from start to finish. You’ll come in with a topic you already care about, ideally something you’ve started reading about or even drafted. You’ll build your research and writing skills as you work toward a full paper between 4,000 and 8,000 words.
You’ll choose your own topic, so you can focus on something that really interests you. The program doesn’t follow a set theme, but it’s based at the Hoover Institution, which has archives on topics like war, peace, revolutions, political movements, law, and authoritarian regimes. The materials include both U.S. and international history, so you’ll have access to a wide range of sources while developing your research.
7. University of California, Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program
Cost: $12,474 (residential option) | $5,175 (commuter option). Limited need-based scholarships available, with priority for California residents.
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Application Deadline: March 17
Dates: June 16 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–11 with at least a 3.8 GPA can apply, and outstanding 9th graders may also be considered. You must attend an RMP Preparation Webinar before the program begins.
UC Santa Barbara’s Research Mentorship Program (RMP) is a selective summer program where high school students take part in college-level research. You’ll be matched with a mentor, usually a grad student, postdoc, or faculty member, and choose a research project from a wide range of fields.
If you’re interested in the humanities, options include History, Art, Geography, Film Studies, Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Feminist Studies, Global Studies, Music, and more. With your mentor’s support, you’ll learn research methods, explore career paths in research, and figure out your academic interests. The program features GRIT talks, a lecture series where UC Santa Barbara researchers share their work and new technology.
The program starts with a virtual orientation to meet your mentor and learn about available resources. Then, you’ll spend six weeks on campus, working 35–50 hours a week on your research project, depending on the topic. You’ll use the library, do fieldwork, gather data, and more. At the end, you’ll write a technical research paper, present your work at a symposium, and earn 8 college credits through two interdisciplinary courses: Introduction to Research and Presentation Techniques.
8. Fordham University’s New York Exploration of Art History Program
Location: Fordham University Rose Hill Campus, Bronx, NY
Cost: $4,800 (Residential program) | $3,673 (Commuter program). Need-based discounts are available.
Application Deadline: Residential program: April 30; Commuter program: May 15
Dates: July 21 – July 31
Eligibility: High school students who’ve finished their first year and have at least a 3.0 GPA can apply. No previous experience with the subject is needed.
Fordham University’s New York Exploration of Art History Program lets you study art by visiting museums and galleries across the city. You will learn about art from Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa and explore why people create and value paintings, sculptures, and architecture.
Classes take place at The Met and other museums. You will practice visual analysis, observation, writing, and research. The program also includes writing workshops and group activities. You will study how art has changed from ancient times to today.
You will learn how artists use form and materials to express ideas and how museums influence public understanding of art. By the end, you will know how to analyze and write about art and use research methods common in the field. The program accepts about 20 students.
9. Tufts University’s Pre-College Program—Leadership for Social Change
Location: Tufts University Medford / Somerville Campus, MA
Cost: $5,750; limited need-based financial aid is available
Application Deadline: May 1
Dates: July 6 – July 18 | July 20 – August 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are at least 15 years old
Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life runs a two-week summer program called Leadership for Social Change. The program starts with an orientation where you’ll learn about the schedule, policies, and safety rules. In the first week, you’ll study a social change framework and explore social inequalities through topics like education, community health, and neighborhood segregation.
In the second week, you’ll apply what you’ve learned by researching a social issue in your community. This could include policy research, identifying key players, and linking local problems to bigger systems. You’ll take field trips, hear from guest speakers, visit community groups, and join group discussions.
10. Suffolk University’s Summer Public History Institute for High School Students
Location: Suffolk University, Boston, MA
Cost: The program costs $4,500, which covers housing, meals, evening activities, transportation, and admission for all site visits.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates: July 6 – July 18
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Suffolk University’s Summer Public History Institute is a two-week residential program where you will explore Boston’s colonial and Revolutionary history through site visits, museum tours, and discussions. Led by Suffolk faculty from the History and Art & Design departments, you will study historical research, museum studies, and digital interpretation while learning about America’s ongoing journey toward freedom and equality.
You will use Virtual Reality (Meta Quests) to create digital exhibits based on your experience, which you get to keep after the program ends. The program includes visits to historic sites like the Freedom Trail, Old North Church, Revolutionary Spaces, the USS Constitution Museum, the Concord Museum, and places tied to African American history. You will also meet Suffolk alumni working in Boston’s cultural institutions.
11. Belin-Blank Center’s Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP)
Location: Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Cost: $7,500, with an additional non-refundable $95 application fee. Financial aid, including merit-based and need-based scholarships, can cover up to 95% of the program’s cost.
Application Deadline: February 14
Dates: June 18 – July 25
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 and 11
The Secondary Student Training Program at the University of Iowa lets you work on hands-on research projects with university faculty. You’ll take classes, develop research skills, and create a project you’ll present as a poster.
If you’re interested in humanities, you can choose from areas like Anthropology, Psychology, Religious Studies, as well as Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, Business Analytics, Anatomy, and more. You’ll also have access to campus resources like libraries, study spaces, and computers.
You’ll be enrolled at the University of Iowa and earn 3 semester hours of credit when you finish. Your weekday schedule runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with evening activities like yoga, seminars, and improv.
12. New York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program
Location: New York Historical Society, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: The program is free, and interns get a $700 stipend.
Application Deadline: The deadline to apply for the summer internship is March 30.
Dates: The Student Historian Internship runs twice a year—once during the school year and once in the summer. The summer session runs from July 8 to August 14.
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10–12 who live and go to school in the NYC metro area, including the five boroughs and parts of New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey
The New York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program lets you explore American history using the Society’s resources. You will research and create digital projects that educate the public. You will work with staff to learn about the museum, library, digital humanities, and history fields.
The focus is on American history and digital humanities, with projects related to the theme “Our Composite Nation: Frederick Douglass’ America.” This program can count toward the extracurricular requirement for the NYSED Seal of Civic Readiness. The internship runs twice a year: during the school year and summer. Each session accepts 25 interns.
13. Camp Psych at Gettysburg College
Location: Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
Cost: $1,395. One to two full-tuition waivers are available.
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates: July 13 – July 18
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Camp Psych is a weeklong residential program where you explore how psychological science works. You’ll take part in hands-on research projects while learning key questions and methods in psychology.
Topics may include why people help others, how experiments are designed and run, how to collect and analyze data, how to summarize results and give presentations, and how research connects to issues like environmental sustainability.
You’ll attend lectures, join discussions, hear from guest speakers, work on projects, give presentations, and take part in social activities. Classes are small, with around 20 to 25 students per group. The program is designed to build your understanding of psychology while sharpening your critical thinking and analytical skills.
14. Museum of History and Industry’s (MOHAI) History Lab
Location: Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: There’s no cost to join the program, and you’ll get a $150 stipend for your work.
Application Deadline: May 23
Dates: July 21 – July 25 | July 28 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10-12
The Museum of History and Industry’s History Lab is a summer program for high school students interested in local history and storytelling. You’ll build research skills and find creative ways to share history. You’ll choose a local history topic based on a theme each session.
This year’s theme is “the power of history and the history of power.” You’ll explore questions like how power shapes how we study the past, how history influences our view of power, how historical stories change over time, and what drives social and political change. You’ll use MOHAI’s collection, go on field trips, work in galleries, and explore neighborhoods to learn.
You’ll also learn to share history online using digital tools and projects. Along the way, you’ll practice research, analysis, writing, and editing. By the end, you’ll complete a history project that will be published on the Rainy Day History website. The program accepts only six students.
15. Question Everything Program at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst campus, Amherst, MA
Cost: Free for all accepted participants
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates: July 13 – August 2
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors from Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts
Question Everything is a residential summer program for high school students run by the UMass Amherst Philosophy Department. The theme this year is Freedom and Liberty. You will explore ideas like inalienable rights, free will, moral versus legal rights, whether children have a right to liberty, when the government can limit freedom, and if incarceration can be justified.
You will also examine the connection between rights and free will. During the week, you will attend interactive sessions led by UMass professors. The program includes group discussions, role-playing, debates, games, and reading and writing activities. You will research a topic that interests you and share your findings with others.
16. TCR (The Concord Review) Online High School History Camp
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,650
Application Deadline: Early: December 31; Regular: February 28
Dates: 2-week sessions: June 9 – June 20 | July 7 – July 18 | July 21 – August 1 | August 4 – August 15; Summer Weekend Camp: June 22 – August 24 (Sundays)
Eligibility: All high school students
The TCR History Camp Summer Session is a two-week online workshop for high school students focused on historical research and writing. You will work from home with two instructors to write the first draft of a research paper on a topic you choose. Before camp, you will prepare by reading 3 to 5 books and using databases like eLibrary, JSTOR, EBSCO, Gale, and Congressional Quarterly to find primary and secondary sources.
During the workshop, you will get one-on-one coaching for each step: choosing a topic, creating research questions, finding and analyzing sources, building an argument, structuring the paper, and citing in University of Chicago style. Each day starts with two group Zoom sessions covering key research and writing skills.
17. UChicago’s Pre-College Summer Language Institute — Summer Intensive Intermediate Ancient Greek
Location: Virtual
Cost: The program costs $8,225, and need-based financial aid is available, ranging from $500 to $6,000.
Application Deadline: Priority: January 22; Regular: March 5; Extended: April 15
Dates: Several courses lasting 6 to 8 weeks are available between June 16 and August 8.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors
The University of Chicago’s Pre-College Summer Language Institute lets advanced high school students study languages with current UChicago students. You can start a new language or continue one. Courses cover modern and ancient languages.
The Summer Intensive Intermediate Ancient Greek course is for those interested in linguistics or research. You’ll read texts from classical authors like Lysias, Thucydides, Plato, Herodotus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Homer, while reviewing grammar and syntax. To take this course, you need at least one year of ancient Greek.
18. Leadership Institute at Brown University
Location: Offered in person at Brown University in Providence, RI, or online through Brown’s Canvas learning platform
Cost: $5,788 (residential) | $4,540 (commuter) | $5,528 (online)
Application Deadline: May 9
Dates: On-campus session: June 29 – July 11 | July 13 – July 25; Online session: June 23 – July 18
Eligibility: Students finishing grades 9–12 who are between 14 and 18 years old by June 15
Brown University’s Leadership Institute lets high school students explore social issues and build leadership skills. You can choose courses like Women and Leadership, Leadership, Law and Social Movements, Intercultural Communication, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Justice, or Art and Social Change.
You’ll read articles, work on case studies, hear from guest speakers, and take part in discussions, group projects, and writing assignments. The program ends with a final action plan where you pick a cause and create a strategy to address it using what you’ve learned.
19. Virtual Internship at the American Anthropological Association
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: The program is free to attend, but information about a stipend is not mentioned.
Application Deadline: March 31
Dates: June 23 – July 18
Eligibility: All high school students
The American Anthropological Association offers virtual internships for high school students interested in anthropological research. You’ll work on two projects: one involves researching current anthropology topics and rewriting them for students in grades 6 to 12. The second project changes each year but often focuses on accessibility or public education.
You’ll work with staff to simplify anthropology articles, making them easier for younger students to understand. Past projects have included creating research summaries, infographics, and informational videos on topics like migration and displacement, which you can review here.
20. Yale Young Global Scholars – Literature, Philosophy, & Culture (LPC)
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: A 2-week session costs $6,500, plus a non-refundable application fee of $75 to $90. Need-based financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Early: October 20; Regular: January 10
Dates: Session I: June 22 – July 4; Session II: July 6 – July 18; Session III: July 20 – August 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors who will be 16–18 years old by the first day of Session III and are graduating in May or June in the next two years can apply; only first-time participants in YYGS are eligible.
Yale Young Global Scholars is a two-week summer program where high school students explore college life and academic topics in STEM, social sciences, humanities, or mixed disciplines. The program features lectures, discussions, seminars, a capstone project with staff, and a hands-on symposium related to your chosen track.
If you choose the Literature, Philosophy, & Culture track, you’ll study how creativity and culture appear in texts and the arts. You’ll cover fiction, theater, film, philosophy, poetry, music, dance, and visual arts through international and interdisciplinary views.
The program builds your writing and speaking skills while encouraging reflection on how the arts and humanities address real-world issues. Sample lectures include the Trolley Problem, LGBTQ+ rights, and public architecture. Seminars explore topics like ethics, storytelling, stereotypes, and the meaning of truth.
Image source – Yale University
