Arkansas offers a variety of programs aimed at enhancing the educational experience for high school students. Whether you're interested in science, technology, the arts, or leadership, there are opportunities throughout the state to explore your passions, build new skills, and prepare for your future. From research camps in the Ozarks to STEM initiatives and art workshops, these programs allow you to learn beyond the classroom and connect with like-minded peers.
In this blog, we’ll showcase 12 top programs in Arkansas for high school students. These opportunities are designed to challenge, inspire, and help you grow, whether you're looking to delve into scientific research, explore creative fields, or develop leadership skills.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in fields like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more. You can choose between quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Once you select your track, you'll work one-on-one with a professor or Ph.D. scholar from a top university. Your goal is to produce a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can submit to prestigious journals.
This program provides an in-depth look into specialized fields with expert guidance, along with a letter of recommendation and detailed feedback for future projects and college applications. Apply now for this unique research opportunity!
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, Data Science
Location: Virtual
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.
Application Deadline: May 21, 2024, for the summer cohort, and September 25, 2024, for the fall cohort
The Young Founders Lab, created by Harvard entrepreneurs, is a boot camp where you'll work solo or in teams to build a revenue-generating start-up. You'll collaborate with real founders from companies like Fintech Launch and Fair Opportunity Project.
The program covers business basics, ideation, market research, prototyping, growth strategies, marketing, and launching. It wraps up with a Demo Day to showcase your start-up.
Subject Areas: Business and entrepreneurship
Location: Remote
Program Dates: Vary based on cohort
Cost: $2,900 (4 weeks) | $3,500 (12 weeks). Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary based on cohort. Summer deadlines are usually in May/June.
Project CAVES offers gifted high school students a 7-day residential experience in cave science. This program includes hands-on studies in cave ecosystems, karst geology, bat populations, and hydrogeology, providing a unique learning opportunity outside the traditional classroom.
Hosted by Deer/Mt. Judea School District and funded by the Office of Gifted and Talented Education, the program selects 15 students through a competitive process. All costs, including tuition, room, board, and supplies, are fully covered.
Subject Areas: Geology
Location: Geological sites in the Ozarks.
Program Dates: June 9 to 15, 2024
Cost: Tuition, room, board, and instructional supplies are fully funded through a grant from the Office of Gifted and Talented Education. However, students are responsible for their travel to and from the camp and any personal expenses.
Eligibility: High school students with a strong interest in science, particularly in areas such as cave ecosystems, geology, and biology. Selection is based on an application process, with only 15 students chosen to participate.
Application Deadline: May 3, 2024
The University of Central Arkansas's Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies offers the Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp, a rare U.S. camp focused on international affairs and diplomacy. This camp combines classroom instruction with experiential learning, including workshops on international relations, UN fundamentals, and Model UN practices.
You will engage in UN General Assembly simulations, country representation in committee sessions, and competitions like the SDGs Poster Competition and Global Trivia. The camp concludes with an emergency UN General Assembly session to resolve an international crisis.
Subject Areas: International relations, Political Science
Location: University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas
Program Dates: TBA
Cost: Free
Eligibility: High school students
Application Deadline: TBA
The AI Robotics & Ethics Camp at the University of Central Arkansas is a free commuter camp for Arkansas high school students who have completed at least one computer science course. The camp focuses on programming and building AI-powered self-driving cars, while also exploring the ethical implications of these technologies.
Students will engage in hands-on activities and examine AI and robotics in popular culture through movies and stories. The camp ends with a showcase where teams present their projects and learnings.
Subject Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics
Location: University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas
Program Dates: June 17 to 21, 2024
Cost: Free
Eligibility: High school students
Application Deadline: April 19, 2024
6. SummerStage
The SummerStage Theatre Program is an eight-day residential summer camp for high school students offered for free through the Arkansas Department of Education’s AEGIS program. Hosted by TheatreSquared, this camp allows students to collaborate with peers from across the state to create and perform original theater works.
Participants work as both writers and performers, guided by professional playwrights, poets, directors, and actors. The program emphasizes nontraditional theater methods and culminates in a showcase of the ensemble’s original script. Students also explore creative writing, performance art, music, and visual art, developing technical skills and fostering creativity and collaboration in a supportive environment.
Subject Areas: Theatre, Writing
Location: University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas
Program Dates: July 6 to 13, 2024
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Open to Arkansas residents who are rising 10th, 11th, or 12th graders at public or private high schools or homeschooled students at the same grade levels.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2024 (applications are accepted until the program is full, but early application is encouraged due to limited spots)
The Water & Wilderness: Plugged into Nature camp is a two-week summer program for Arkansas students entering grades 10 through 12. Funded by the Arkansas Department of Education's AEGIS program, this free camp offers an immersive experience in field biology, allowing students to disconnect from digital devices and explore diverse Ozark habitats.
You will work with field scientists on research activities like tracking reptiles, monitoring bats, studying birds, and examining aquatic life in the Kings River. The program includes discussions on conservation literature, Socratic Circles on naturalist writings, reflective journaling, a capstone glade field study, a canoe trip, and an overnight camping experience.
Subject Areas: Biology
Location: Ozark Natural Science Center (ONSC), Ozark Plateau, Arkansas
Program Dates: Dates for 2025 are to be determined
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Open to Arkansas students entering grades 10-12 in the upcoming academic year.
Application Deadline: May 24, 2025
The University of Arkansas offers five-day architecture camps designed to introduce high school students to the dynamic world of architecture. During these camps, you'll learn fundamental design principles through hands-on projects, tours, presentations, and discussions. Led by the experienced faculty of the Fay Jones School of Architecture, the program provides an opportunity to explore architecture early on.
Subject Areas: Architecture and design.
Location: University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Bentonville, and Little Rock; and virtual
Program Dates: June 10–14, June 17–21, and June 24–28, 2024
Cost: Free to $750
Eligibility: High School Students
Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 are closed. TBA for 2025.
The Engineering Scholars Program aims to boost the number of students pursuing engineering in Arkansas by offering hands-on projects, plant tours, and interactions with industry professionals. This one-week residential summer program provides high school students with academic and lab sessions across various engineering fields, including robotics. Along with practical engineering exposure, the program also offers counseling and advising sessions to help you plan your high school coursework and prepare for a successful college career in engineering.
Subject Areas: STEM
Location: University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Program Dates: June 16 – 22, 2024
Cost: NA
Eligibility: 8th-11th graders
Application Deadline: May 15, 2024.
Bonus Options:
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program, founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers, lets high school students work one-on-one with PhD mentors to develop an independent research project in their chosen field. You’ll receive guidance to produce a college-level research paper and additional support from writing coaches.
You can select from subjects like mathematics, biology, data science, economics, psychology, business, gender studies, linguistics, environmental studies, philosophy, astrophysics, engineering, and more. The program concludes with a symposium where you can present your work and potentially get published.
Subject Areas: STEM, humanities, and social sciences
Location: Remote
Program Dates: June to August (summer). Fall, winter, and spring cohorts are also available.
Cost: $2,990 (12 weeks) | $5,900 (16-20 weeks). Financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA
Application Deadline: Summer deadlines are usually in March, April, and May.
Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard alumni, connects high schoolers with startups and nonprofits worldwide. You can choose from fields like computer science, AI, journalism, sustainability, healthcare, and more. As an intern, you'll contribute to real projects and present your work at the end of the program.
The program offers one-on-one mentoring in skills like communication and time management, along with group training sessions. You'll work with startup managers and receive support from a dedicated Ladder Coach, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.
Subject Areas: Startups, multiple subjects
Location: Remote
Program Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year.
Cost: Starting at $1990. Financial aid is available
Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students!
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year. Summer cohort: April 14, 2024 (Regular Admission 1) | May 12, 2024 (Regular Admission 2).
3. Veritas AI
Veritas AI, founded by Harvard graduates, offers two key programs for high schoolers interested in artificial intelligence. The AI Scholars program emphasizes collaborative learning in AI applications, while the AI Fellowship provides personalized mentorship from PhD experts for individual research projects.
In the AI Fellowship, you’ll explore AI’s impact on fields like finance, medicine, and gaming, with opportunities to publish or present your work. Past projects have covered AI in medicine, educational tools, and gaming algorithms. The program focuses on building technical skills and applying AI concepts to real-world problems.
Subject Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Finance, Medicine
Location: Remote
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year. Upcoming Summer dates can be found here.
Cost: $2,290 for the AI Scholars program (10-week bootcamp)
- $5,400 for the AI Fellowship (12–15 weeks, 1;1 mentorship)
- $6,900 for both AI Scholars + Fellowship.
- Need-based financial aid is available.
Eligibility: High school students. Students applying to the AI Fellowship program must complete the AI Scholars program or provide evidence of previous experience in AI and Python.
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort. September 8th for fall. December 1st for winter.
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.