Exploring linguistics as a subject not only fosters a deeper understanding of languages but also sharpens critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and cultural awareness. An accessible way to do this is by joining a linguistics program. These programs focus on how speech is formed, how meaning comes across, and how languages evolve across time and communities.
Why choose a structured linguistic program?
Structured linguistics programs are designed to guide you step by step through these ideas. You might study sounds, sentence structure, meaning, or how language varies across regions and communities. The learning is organized and paced, which makes complex ideas easier to follow and understand.
These programs are helpful because they give you a clearer sense of what studying linguistics involves. They help you decide whether you enjoy analyzing language closely and thinking about communication in a detailed way, which can be useful before choosing future courses or college majors.
With that, here are 15 linguistics programs for high school students! If you’re also curious about how linguistics connects to academic research, you can explore our guide on linguistics internships for high school students.
15 Linguistics Programs for High School Students
1. National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)
Location: Abroad at various host-country schools and language institutes; virtual programs online
Cost: Full merit-based scholarship covering program costs
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Unspecified (highly competitive U.S. Department of State program)
Application Deadline: November 12; Virtual NSLI-Y application expected in May
Dates: Summer Abroad: 6–7 weeks; Academic Year Abroad: 8–10 months; Virtual NSLI-Y: 10‑week online program
Eligibility: U.S. high school students; prior language study not required
National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) is a U.S. Department of State program that supports intensive study of critical languages through full scholarships. You study languages such as Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, or Russian either abroad or through a structured virtual format. Summer and academic year options focus on daily language instruction, cultural immersion, and regular use of the language in real contexts. Prior language experience is not required, and the emphasis is on sustained learning rather than travel or sightseeing.
2. Summer Linguistic Institute for Youth Scholars (SLIYS) – Ohio State Linguistics
Location: Online live sessions, Ohio State University Department of Linguistics, Columbus, OH (virtual)
Cost: $550 per session (SLIYS 1 required, SLIYS 2 optional)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions beginning February 1 (tentatively)
Dates: SLIYS 1: June 8 – 12 or July 6 – 10; SLIYS 2: June 22 – 26 or July 20 – 24
Eligibility: High school students
Summer Linguistic Institute for Youth Scholars (SLIYS) introduces you to linguistics as a scientific field through live online instruction. You study core areas such as phonetics, morphology, and syntax, and apply these concepts through guided fieldwork with native speakers of unfamiliar languages. Daily interaction with researchers exposes you to how linguistic experiments are designed and interpreted. The program is structured to mirror how linguists collect and analyze data rather than how languages are typically taught.
3. High School Credit Program – Concordia Language Villages
Location: Language Villages campuses, Moorhead, MN area (overnight immersion camps)
Cost: Tuition-based (fees unspecified); earns high school credit
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Varies based on language
Dates: 2-week (90 hours) or 4-week (180+ hours) summer sessions
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12
Concordia Language Villages High School Credit Program offers full language immersion in an overnight camp setting. You spend either two or four weeks using the target language throughout daily life, from instruction to activities. Programs are designed for all proficiency levels and award accredited high school language credit based on duration. Learning takes place through constant exposure rather than classroom translation, with a strong focus on speaking and listening.
4. Summer Institute for Languages of the Muslim World (SILMW) – UIUC Linguistics
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus, Urbana, IL
Cost: Tuition per credit hour (non-degree rate), university fees, $50 internal fee per LING 110 course
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Registration typically opens in April. Deadline TBA
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA of 3.5+ (3.0+ for University Lab HS), counselor permission, transcript
The Summer Institute for Languages of the Muslim World (SILMW) provides intensive instruction in less commonly taught languages such as Arabic, Persian, and Swahili. You attend several hours of daily language classes alongside a course focused on cultural context. Learning extends beyond the classroom through structured activities that reinforce language use and cultural understanding. The program concludes with presentations that reflect your progress in language and cultural analysis.
5. Exploring Topics in Linguistics – Columbia Pre-College
Location: Columbia University campus, New York City, NY (in-person commuter)
Cost: $2,880 tuition per session
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: April 2 (tentatively)
Dates: August 3 – 7
Eligibility: High school students based in NYC
Columbia Pre-College Exploring Topics in Linguistics introduces you to linguistics through a focused study of how language works. You examine sound systems, word formation, meaning, and sentence structure while exploring how language varies across cultures and social settings. Lessons draw on real examples from media, research, and daily communication. The course treats you as an analyst of language rather than a passive learner.
6. Beyond Words: Exploring Linguistics — Northeastern Accelerate Pre-College
Location: Northeastern University Boston Campus, Boston, MA (residential)
Cost: $7,095 tuition (includes housing, meals, materials, activities)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Dates: July 12 – 24
Eligibility: High school students
Northeastern Accelerate Pre-College Beyond Words Exploring Linguistics focuses on language as both a system and a social force. You study how language develops, how it shapes identity, and how it reflects power and culture. Instruction includes analysis of real speech patterns and contemporary linguistic debates. The residential format combines academic sessions with hands-on projects and guided discussion.
7. Pre-College Summer Language Institute – University of Chicago
Location: Virtual
Cost: $8,550 tuition; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: February 11 (Priority) or March 12 (Regular) (tentatively)
Dates: 6–8 week intensive sessions
Eligibility: Current 11th or 12th-grade high school students
The University of Chicago Pre-College Summer Language Institute allows you to complete an entire year of language study in one intensive online session. You learn an entire year of a modern or ancient language online in classes with current University of Chicago students, developing proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Beginning and intermediate intensive courses cover languages including Ancient Greek, French, German, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish. Each course delivers 300 units of credit, equivalent to three quarter-long courses with at least 90 contact hours. You complete the Summer Session application with a teacher recommendation, high school transcript, and a short essay.
8. Summer Language Institute – University of Mississippi
Location: University of Mississippi campus, Oxford, MS (residential or commuter)
Cost: Residential $3,150–$3,475; commuter $900–$1,200; earns 6 college credits
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Competitive; unspecified cohort size
Application Deadline: April 1 (tentatively)
Dates: June 26 – July 25 (move-in June 25) (tentatively)
Eligibility: High-achieving high school students meeting dual enrollment requirements
The University of Mississippi Summer Language Institute offers a month-long intensive study in Arabic or Chinese through daily instruction. You study Arabic or Chinese intensively for one month through the University of Mississippi’s Summer Language Institute, earning 6 college credits supported by UM faculty and tutors. In the Arabic program, you build proficiency and cultural competency from beginner level with immersive instruction emphasizing reading, writing, and conversation for real-world use. In the Chinese program, you develop conversational and written skills at beginner, advanced beginner, or intermediate levels through themed courses on life in China, the Silk Road, and traditions.
9. Linguistics Online Classes for Teens – Outschool
Location: Fully online live video chat classes
Cost: Varies by class (typically $10–$50/session)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Small groups; open enrollment
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Dates: Various ongoing classes; flexible scheduling
Eligibility: Teens ages 13 and up
Outschool Linguistics Online Classes for Teens offer live, small-group instruction focused on how language works. You join engaging live video chat classes taught by vetted, passionate teachers specializing in linguistics topics for teens. Classes build confidence through structured progress in understanding language structure, phonetics, syntax, semantics, and cultural aspects. You participate in interactive sessions exploring real-world applications like dialects, language evolution, or computational linguistics. Small group formats allow personalized feedback and peer discussion. Flexible scheduling accommodates teen learners worldwide.
10. Computational Linguistics – Stony Brook Pre-College Summer
Location: Stony Brook University campus, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: Tuition-based (unspecified)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Dates: 2-week summer program
Eligibility: High school students
Stony Brook University Computational Linguistics Pre-College Program introduces you to how human language is studied using computational tools. You work with faculty and graduate students to analyze language data using software commonly used in linguistic research. Topics include structure, sound systems, meaning, and language variation, with attention to how these ideas apply to technologies such as speech recognition and language processing. Team projects emphasize analytical thinking and structured problem-solving.
11. Introduction to Linguistics – MIT OpenCourseWare
Location: Self-paced online access, MIT Department of Linguistics and Philosophy (virtual, free)
Cost: Free; no credit
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Open access (no enrollment required)
Application Deadline: None
Dates: Self-paced anytime
Eligibility: Open to all
MIT OpenCourseWare Introduction to Linguistics provides a full undergraduate-level overview of linguistics through freely available course materials. You study how language is structured, how it is acquired, and how it changes over time. The course includes recorded lectures, readings, and problem sets that allow for independent practice. While no credit is awarded, the material mirrors on-campus instruction and prepares you for further study in linguistics.
12. Introduction to Linguistics – UPenn Pre-College Online
Location: Online synchronous (virtual), University of Pennsylvania LPS Online, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $8,462 for 1 credit unit or $13,858 for 2 units + $100 fee
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Rolling until May 16 (tentatively)
Dates: Summer Session I: May 27 – July 2 (tentatively)
Eligibility: Current 10th/11th graders with 3.5+ GPA
University of Pennsylvania Introduction to Linguistics (Pre-College Online) gives you a structured overview of how human language works as a system. You study speech, writing, and meaning across languages, beginning with the biological foundations of language and how it differs from communication systems in other species. Core topics include sounds, word structure, sentence formation, and meaning, along with how these elements vary across the world’s languages. As the course progresses, you examine how languages change over time, how language families are reconstructed, and how social factors shape dialects and standards.
13. Language, Power, and Identity – Brown Pre-College
Location: Brown University campus, Providence, RI (on-campus)
Cost: $8,372 residential; $6,416 commuter
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Dates: 3-week summer session
Eligibility: High school students interested in language/social justice/sociolinguistics
Brown University Pre-College Language, Power, and Identity focuses on how language operates within social and political systems. You analyze how speech patterns, accents, and language norms shape access to power and resources. The course draws on sociolinguistic research to examine identity, discrimination, and institutional language use. Discussion and analysis form the core of the academic work.
14. Summer Language Institute (SLI) – University of Virginia
Location: University of Virginia campus, Charlottesville, VA (in-person for most; Arabic Level 2 online synchronous)
Cost: Tuition per credit hour (VA resident undergrad $484, non-VA $1,787) + $60 institute fee + $493–$553 comprehensive fee; no stipend
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: March 27
Dates: Full 8-week: June 15 – August 7; First half 4-week: June 15 – July 11; Second half 4-week: July 13 – August 7
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates, graduates, and high school students meeting requirements
In this program, you complete up to two years of language study in just 8 weeks through intensive courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, Russian, or Spanish. Formats include full 8-week, first-half 4-week, or second-half 4-week sessions tailored for study abroad prep, graduate research, international careers, or cultural exploration. Most programs are in-person on the UVA campus; Arabic Level 2 is online synchronous, and Chinese Levels 1–2 are in-person. Language proficiency certification is offered upon completion. Contact SLI Director Vera Abbate for details or virtual meetings. Past participants praise strong grammar, cultural focus, and relevance to study/careers.
15. Summer Language Institute – University of Maryland
Location: University of Maryland campus, College Park, MD (Session 1 in-person; Session 2 virtual)
Cost: $6,308 for most students; $7,523.66 for advanced Persian; includes tuition, campus fees, and program fees; scholarships available ($500–$1,500)
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Early bird: March 20 (for $200 discount); Priority: April 17 (for scholarship eligibility); Final: May 15 (domestic) or April 15 (international)
Dates: Session 1 (in-person): June 8 – July 8; Session 2 (virtual): July 13 – August 7; combined 9-week program
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and undergraduate/graduate students; placement testing determines level (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
The University of Maryland Summer Language Institute offers intensive language study in Arabic, Korean, or Persian through a hybrid in-person and online format spanning two sessions. You complete up to two semesters of college-level language study in just nine weeks, earning 10 transferable undergraduate credits (6 from Session 1, 4 from Session 2). Instruction emphasizes conversation skills, grammar, and reading ability alongside deep cultural learning of the target language region. You benefit from small class sizes with a minimum of 20 contact hours per week, native speaker language partners for additional speaking practice and tutoring, and proximity to Washington, D.C.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects related to linguistics and language studies, 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 – University of Maryland