Key Takeaways
- These 15 programs span a wide range of humanities disciplines, from journalism at Princeton’s PSJP and Medill-Northwestern to creative writing at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio and historical research at The Concord Review’s History Camp.
- Acceptance rates for several of these programs are extremely competitive, with Telluride’s Summer Seminars admitting only 3 to 5% and the Adroit Journal Mentorship Program accepting around 8%, so a strong application matters as much as meeting eligibility criteria.
- Costs vary considerably, from fully free options like Telluride’s Summer Seminars and Princeton’s Summer Journalism Program to premium residential experiences like UPenn’s Global Culture and Media Academy and The Concord Review’s History Camp, which run over $6,000.
- Many of these programs culminate in a tangible, portfolio-worthy output, such as a published research paper, a multi-platform news magazine, or a polished creative writing manuscript, giving you something concrete beyond a certificate of completion.
- Several programs, including PSJP and Notre Dame’s Leadership Seminars, combine academic instruction with long-term college admissions support, extending their value well beyond the summer session itself.
If you’re a high schooler drawn to history, literature, philosophy, media, or global affairs, a summer humanities program can be one of the most direct ways to test that interest against real academic rigor. For students who know they want to study the humanities in college, or who are still deciding between the humanities and other fields, this kind of hands-on exposure tends to clarify things fast. It also gives you material for college applications that goes beyond grades and test scores.
What do competitive humanities programs for high schoolers include?
Most competitive humanities programs give you a preview of how scholars in the humanities actually work: reading widely, building arguments from evidence, and defending your ideas in discussion rather than just absorbing lecture content. These programs typically train you in specific technical skills like source evaluation, archival or field research, argumentative writing, textual analysis, or media literacy, depending on the discipline. You can expect direct instruction from university faculty or subject-matter experts, delivered through lectures, seminars, or small discussion groups. You’ll usually work toward a tangible output, whether that’s a long-form research paper, a policy proposal, a short film, or a capstone presentation, produced under the guidance of instructors who give you feedback along the way.
With that in mind, here are 15 competitive humanities programs for high school students worth considering.
If you’re looking for a broader set of options, our Top 20 Humanities Programs for High School Students guide covers additional programs worth exploring.
15 Competitive Humanities Programs for High School Students
1. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; $750 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: Rising and graduating high school seniors (17+)
This intensive program allows high school students to engage in hands-on, one-on-one research under the direct mentorship of university faculty. While heavily recognized for STEM, the program regularly hosts select scholars executing advanced research projects in humanities fields like history, philosophy, and economics. You learn advanced literature review methods, data analysis, and academic writing formatting rules. The experience culminates in a formal research report and an internal symposium presentation. You’ll also gain full access to university libraries, advanced research centers, and academic software packages.
2. Telluride Association Summer Seminars (TASS)
Location: Cornell University, NY, and the University of Maryland, MD
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3-5%
Dates: June 21 – July 25
Application Deadline: December 3
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are 15-17 years old
This competitive humanities program centers on text-based discussion and critical theory through two distinct academic tracks: Critical Black Studies and Anti-Oppressive Studies. You participate in daily three-hour seminars led by university professors, replacing traditional grading with intensive faculty feedback. The curriculum emphasizes democratic community building, group self-governance, and systemic analysis of historical or cultural frameworks. The writing assignments focus on deep textual analysis and the production of evidence-backed analytical essays. Overall, you’ll develop college-level critical thinking, historical analysis, and oral argumentation skills.
3. Notre Dame Leadership Seminars
Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: $75 application fee + $150 enrollment fee (application fee waivers and travel expense aid are granted in extreme cases)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~150 students
Dates: July 18 – 29
Application Deadline: Late January
Eligibility: Academically advanced rising high school seniors (16+) with demonstrated leadership abilities who are planning to attend college
This program introduces high-achieving students to global humanities issues through tracks focused on business, global affairs, technology, or philosophy. You engage in discussion-centered forums, examine texts under university professors, and complete collaborative capstone presentations. The coursework focuses on policy analysis, ethical reasoning, and understanding international conflict resolution models. You’ll learn how to interrogate primary source documents and construct complex arguments about structural societal changes. The seminar environment mirrors a graduate-level roundtable, building group rhetoric and debate skills.
4. Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP)
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~35-40 students annually
Dates: Year-long
Application Deadline: January (Round 1), March (Round 2), May (Final round)
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors with a 3.5+ GPA who are from limited-income backgrounds
This comprehensive journalism intensive trains students in the core mechanics of professional reporting, media literacy, and non-fiction narrative writing. You attend lectures led by professional journalists, cover live local news events, and analyze historical media bias. The program focuses on technical skills like investigative interviewing, cross-referencing public records, and AP-style news writing. You’ll apply these techniques by producing a comprehensive, multi-platform newspaper published at the end of the summer. Long-term college admissions mentorship and academic counseling are provided throughout the subsequent senior year.
5. The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: $575 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~8%
Dates: June 15 – July 27
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school students (including graduating seniors and gap year students) with a relevant writing sample
This program pairs high school students one-on-one with established poets, novelists, and essayists to study the mechanics of creative writing. The framework relies on flexible, individualized correspondence where you exchange drafts and receive line-by-line editorial feedback. You’ll focus heavily on the creative processes of structural drafting, thematic coherence, and advanced mechanical revision. The program includes workshops in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction or memoir. You also gain exposure to the digital publishing industry, learning how literary journals evaluate submissions and manage copy-editing pipelines.
6. JCamp
Location: Hosting universities rotate annually
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~30 students
Dates: June 20 – 26
Application Deadline: January 11
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors
JCamp is a national, multicultural training camp run by the Asian American Journalists Association that introduces students to the demands of contemporary multimedia journalism. You’ll receive hands-on instruction from veteran news editors and executive media professionals. The curriculum focuses on cross-cultural communication, media law, ethical reporting standards, and broadcast production. You’ll be divided into editorial teams to report, film, and edit multi-platform news packages for a live public news site. The intensive format helps students build practical competencies in photojournalism, digital layout, and on-camera reporting.
7. Stanford Summer Humanities Institute (SHI)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: $8,850 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Session One: June 21 – July 10; Session Two: July 12 – 31
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: 10th and 11th graders (15+)
Led directly by Stanford faculty, this competitive humanities program explores foundational questions of the human condition through history, literature, and philosophy. You attend daily morning lectures and participate in afternoon graduate-style discussion sections. Depending on the course you pick, you may critique complex historical theories, read primary source documents, and evaluate literary texts. During the second half of the program, you’ll focus on creating an original, college-level research paper. You’ll develop skills in thesis formulation, proper citation practices, and independent research strategies using university databases.
8. Iowa Young Writers’ Studio (IYWS)
Location: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Cost: $2,500 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 or fewer students/class
Dates: 2-week residential sessions and 6-week online sessions
Application Deadline: February 1 (residential), April 20 (online)
Eligibility: 10th, 11th and 12th graders (residential) or incoming 9th graders and above (online) with relevant writing samples
Operating under the University of Iowa’s Magid Center for Writing, this program places students in intensive creative writing workshops led by graduates of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. You select a singular focus area, choosing between poetry, fiction, creative writing, playwriting, or television writing. The residential program relies on the traditional peer critique model, requiring students to read, analyze, and verbally review their peers’ manuscripts daily. You’ll study narrative structure, character development, metrical variation, and dialogue authenticity. It equips students with professional-level self-editing skills and techniques for overcoming creative blocks.
9. Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS)
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: $80-$95 application fee + $7,000 (need-based financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~15-20%
Dates: Session 1: June 21 – July 3; Session 2: July 5 – 17; Session 3: July 19 – 31
Application Deadline: January 7
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are 16-18 years old
YYGS immerses students in global affairs, policy analysis, and cross-cultural research methods on Yale’s campus. You attend faculty lectures on politics, science, or global challenges, break into small seminars, and live in Yale residential colleges alongside peers from over 150 countries. The program builds technical skills like framing research questions, synthesizing interdisciplinary sources, and collaborative problem-solving. You’ll apply these techniques by developing a group capstone project, presented and refined under the guidance of Yale-affiliated instructors over the two-week session.
10. Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop
Location: Kenyon College, Gambier, OH/Virtual
Cost: Summer Residential: $2,575, Summer Online: $995, Winter Online: $695 (financial aid is available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12-14 students/workshop
Dates: Several sessions across summer and winter
Application Deadline: December 18 (winter), March 1 (summer)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are 16-18 years old
This competitive humanities program is hosted by the Kenyon Review literary journal. You’ll engage with multi-genre workshops limited to 14 participants to ensure deep individualized attention. Instructors lead students through close readings of contemporary texts, using them as structural prompts for original creative work. The program focuses on developing descriptive precision, experimenting with narrative point-of-view, and mastering rhythmic prose patterns. You’ll practice talking about literature from a writer’s perspective, enhancing your overall critical literacy.
11. The Concord Review In-Person History Camp
Location: Fisher College/Commonwealth School, Boston, MA
Cost: $6,550
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 18 students/class
Dates: June 22 – July 3
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students (including rising 9th graders) with a preliminary research topic
This intensive workshop trains students in the core mechanics of historical research, source analysis, and long-form academic writing. You work in a fully-equipped research library, receive individualized coaching sessions with experienced historians, and study model essays published in The Concord Review. The program focuses on technical skills like formulating research questions, locating and evaluating primary and secondary sources, and structuring a sustained historical argument. You’ll apply these techniques by producing a detailed outline and opening draft of a comprehensive research paper, which you’ll continue developing over the following months with the possibility of submission for publication.
12. Reynolds Young Writers Workshop
Location: Denison University, Granville, OH
Cost: $1,700 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students/group
Dates: June 19 – 28
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors
This residential program functions as an intensive, multi-genre creative writing workshop for a small cohort. You’ll spend your mornings in small group labs studying the formal elements of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction prose. Afternoon sessions include specialized masterclasses and individual writing blocks for project development. The structure emphasizes creative experimentation, structural prose analysis, and constructive group feedback loops. You’ll also interact closely with visiting authors, learning about contemporary publishing trends and professional portfolio management.
13. Sewanee Young Writers Conference
Location: The University of the South, Sewanee, TN
Cost: $2,600 (limited financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 28 – July 11
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: 9th to 11th graders with relevant writing samples
Set on a historic mountain campus, this conference guides high school students through the structural elements of creative writing under the tutelage of professional authors. You select a single genre track, such as poetry, fiction, playwriting, or creative nonfiction, for your primary workshop focus. The course emphasizes deep text mechanics, stylistic experimentation, and the development of a distinct narrative voice. Daily schedules feature workshop critiques, lectures on craft, and individual feedback sessions with instructors. Overall, you’ll learn how to transform raw drafts into polished pieces suitable for submission to national literary magazines.
14. Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute
Location: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Cost: $5,000 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 90 students
Dates: June 28 – July 24
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
Also called Medill Cherubs, this competitive humanities program mirrors the pacing of a modern professional newsroom. You’ll learn the foundational skills of print, digital, broadcast, and photojournalism from university faculty and visiting media professionals. The coursework focuses on news judgment, fact-checking methodology, audio-video editing, and journalistic ethics. You’ll also leave campus to complete real-world reporting assignments in the surrounding community, writing on strict deadlines. The program culminates in the production of an extensive online news magazine showcasing student-produced long-form pieces and video packages.
15. UPenn Global Culture and Media Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $10,050 (Philadelphia public or charter school students may be eligible for scholarships)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 11 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students with a 3.5+ GPA
This three-week residential academy trains students in the mechanics of intercultural communication, ethnographic observation, and media analysis. You attend daily lectures and seminars led by Penn faculty and guest speakers, examine how culture is represented and contested across film, language, and digital media, and engage in structured class discussions and reflection exercises. The program focuses on ethnographic data collection, sociolinguistic analysis, and critical reading of academic texts. You’ll apply these techniques by designing and presenting a group research project on a contemporary intercultural or media issue to your cohort at the end of the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of competitive humanities programs are available to high school students?
You’ll find a mix of formats, including journalism-focused programs like Princeton’s PSJP, JCamp, and Medill-Northwestern, creative writing workshops like the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio and Sewanee Young Writers Conference, and interdisciplinary academic programs like Stanford’s Summer Humanities Institute and Yale Young Global Scholars. The Concord Review’s History Camp and Notre Dame’s Leadership Seminars round out the list if you’re more interested in historical research or policy and global affairs.
Do you need a writing sample to apply?
It depends on the program. Creative writing and journalism-focused programs, like the Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program, the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, and the Sewanee Young Writers Conference, generally require a relevant writing sample as part of the application. Broader academic programs, like Yale Young Global Scholars and Stanford’s Summer Humanities Institute, don’t require a writing sample specifically, though they still expect strong academic performance.
What makes these programs so competitive?
Acceptance rates vary widely but are generally low across this list. Telluride’s Summer Seminars admit only 3 to 5% of applicants, and the Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program accepts around 8%. Selectivity typically comes down to a combination of strong academic records, a compelling writing sample where required, and a competitive application, since most of these programs receive far more applications than they can accept.
Are there free options available?
Yes, a few programs on this list don’t charge tuition. Telluride Association Summer Seminars, Princeton’s Summer Journalism Program, and JCamp are all free to participate in, and PSJP in particular is specifically designed for students from limited-income backgrounds.
Which programs focus specifically on journalism?
If journalism is your main interest, Princeton’s Summer Journalism Program, JCamp, and the Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute are the most directly relevant options, all covering reporting, media ethics, and multi-platform news production. These differ from broader humanities programs like Yale Young Global Scholars, which touch on media and policy but aren’t built specifically around journalistic training.
Which programs let you work one-on-one with a professional writer or mentor?
The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program is built entirely around one-on-one correspondence with an established poet, novelist, or essayist, offering more individualized feedback than a group workshop format. The Concord Review’s History Camp also provides individualized coaching sessions with experienced historians, though the focus there is on historical research rather than creative writing.
When should you apply?
Deadlines for these programs are spread throughout the fall, winter, and spring, so it helps to plan ahead. Telluride’s Summer Seminars have one of the earliest deadlines at December 3, followed by JCamp (January 11) and Yale Young Global Scholars (January 7). February and March bring a wave of deadlines, including Stanford’s Summer Humanities Institute (February 2), the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio (February 1 residential), and the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop (March 1 summer). PSJP uses a multi-round process running from January through May, so it’s worth applying in an earlier round if you’re eligible.
Image source: Yale University