High school students interested in law often have limited opportunities to explore legal systems, courtroom procedure, constitutional analysis, and public policy before college. Pre-law summer programs for high school students help bridge that gap through structured seminars, mock trials, case analysis workshops, legal writing exercises, and debate-based instruction. Many pre-law summer programs for high school students also expose you to areas such as criminal law, civil liberties, technology law, human rights, and judicial reasoning. Depending on the program, you may work through appellate cases, participate in moot court simulations, analyze legal precedent, or study how statutes are interpreted in practice.
If you are considering law school or simply want exposure to legal reasoning and policy analysis, pre-law summer programs for high school students can help you build foundational skills in argumentation, evidence evaluation, research, and structured communication.
What do pre-law summer programs for high schoolers include?
Pre-law summer programs for high school students vary in structure, but most combine lectures, seminar discussions, simulations, and collaborative analysis. Many programs introduce you to foundational subjects such as constitutional law, criminal procedure, torts, civil rights, contracts, and legal ethics. You may also learn how to read and interpret judicial opinions, construct evidence-based legal arguments, conduct legal and policy research, deliver opening and closing statements, cross-examine witnesses in mock trials, and analyze constitutional disputes. Some pre-law summer programs for high school students also incorporate specialized topics such as intellectual property law, technology regulation, environmental law, international law, and public policy analysis. Others include courthouse visits, attorney mentorship, negotiation exercises, or advocacy workshops tied to real legal debates.
Below is a curated list of 15 pre-law summer programs for high school students. If you’re looking for additional opportunities, you can also explore our blog on pre-law spring programs for high school students here.
15 Pre-Law Summer Programs for High School Students
1. Georgetown Law Academy
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: $3,725 (residential) | $3,095 (commuter)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 21–27 | July 12–18 | July 26–August 1
Application Deadline: January 31 (early bird) | May 15 (final)
Eligibility: High school students (8–12th graders)
The Georgetown Law Academy introduces high school students to major questions in the American legal system through lectures, discussions, and case-based learning. As part of this pre-law summer program, you examine topics such as constitutional interpretation, criminal justice debates, sentencing practices, and the role of juries in the legal process. The curriculum also explores how legal institutions change in response to shifting social values and public opinion. Alongside classroom instruction from faculty and legal professionals, you participate in mock trials where you take on the role of attorneys in a hypothetical criminal case.
2. Yale Young Global Scholars – Politics of Law & Economics (PLE)
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: $7,000 | Financial aid and tuition waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Session I: June 21–July 3 | Session II: July 5–17 | Session III: July 19–31
Application Deadline: October 15 (early action) | January 7 (regular decision)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are 16-18 years old | Be a first-time participant in YYGS
Yale Young Global Scholars’ Politics of Law & Economics session approaches legal studies through an interdisciplinary lens that combines law, politics, economics, and public policy. Designed for high school students interested in governance and social systems, the program examines topics ranging from constitutional interpretation and human rights to market regulation and international cooperation. Seminar discussions encourage you to analyze contemporary issues such as political polarization, environmental policy, inequality, and the legal implications of artificial intelligence. Rather than focusing only on legal doctrine, the session emphasizes critical thinking and comparative analysis across different political and economic systems.
3. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies – Legal Studies: Critical Thinking for Courtroom Success
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,200 | Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Session One: June 15–26 | Session Two: July 6–17
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-11 at the time of application
This pre-law summer program centers on argumentation, evidence analysis, and courtroom-style reasoning. Through debates, role-playing exercises, and collaborative activities, you learn how to evaluate competing claims, anticipate counterarguments, and construct persuasive positions supported by evidence. The course draws on instruction connected to law, business, and education to develop critical thinking skills that apply both inside and outside legal settings. A major component of the program involves participating in a mock trial where students act as attorneys or witnesses in simulated courtroom proceedings.
4. Penn Carey Carey Law School Pre-College Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $9,899 (residential) | $6,299 (commuter) | Scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 12–31 (residential) | July 13–31 (commuter)
Application Deadline: Rolling | Early application is encouraged
Eligibility: High school students
The Penn Carey Law School Pre-College Academy gives high school students exposure to the structure and pace of a first-year law school curriculum. During the program, you study foundational legal subjects, including contracts, constitutional law, criminal law, and torts, while developing skills in legal reasoning and analytical writing. Instruction includes the Socratic Method, with students participating in discussions led by law faculty and practicing legal professionals. In addition to foundational coursework, the program explores specialized fields, such as environmental law, intellectual property law, corporate law, and privacy law.
5. Columbia University Pre-College Programs – Constitutional Law
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $12,838 (residential) | $6,381 (commuter) | Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer A: June 29–July 17 | Summer B: July 21–August 7
Application Deadline: May 11
Eligibility: High school students
Columbia’s Constitutional Law course examines how constitutional interpretation shapes government authority, civil rights, and public policy decisions in the United States. You study issues such as freedom of speech, affirmative action, gun control, federalism, and the separation of powers through discussions grounded in Supreme Court decisions. The course emphasizes close reading and interpretation of legal opinions, helping students understand how constitutional arguments are constructed and debated. Moot courts and structured debates require you to defend legal positions using evidence and constitutional reasoning.
6. Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY/University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 21–July 25
Application Deadline: December 3
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are 15-17 years old
The Telluride Association Summer Seminar approaches legal and social questions through intensive study in the humanities and social sciences. Rather than focusing on courtroom procedure, the program asks high school students to examine how power, privilege, and social structures influence political and cultural systems. Seminar discussions draw from history, literature, politics, art, and related disciplines, with students engaging in close reading, analytical writing, and collaborative discussion. Outside the classroom, students collectively make decisions about community life, giving you experience with democratic processes, conflict resolution, and transformative justice practices.
7. Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program – Legal Studies
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 | Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Session I: June 21–July 2 | Session II: July 5–17 | Session III: July 19–31
Application Deadline: January 7 (early) | February 11 (regular) | April 1 (late)
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are 16-19 years old
Harvard’s Pre-College Summer Program includes several legal studies courses that introduce high school students to different areas of law through college-level discussion and analysis. Topics may include constitutional law, civil liberties, intellectual property, social media law, legal history, or the relationship between law and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. Classes are structured around discussion-based learning rather than traditional grading systems, encouraging students to engage actively with legal concepts and contemporary debates. Some courses focus on how laws shape public institutions and individual rights, while others examine ethical questions connected to media, sports, or technology.
8. Stanford Law School and Envision – Intensive Trial Program
Location: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Cost: $5,699 | Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 24–July 3 | July 6–15 | July 17–26
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
The Intensive Law and Trial Program introduces high school students to courtroom procedure through simulated legal cases and trial-based activities. During the program, you work on either a prosecution or defense team, preparing arguments, questioning witnesses, and analyzing evidence in a mock case. The curriculum emphasizes oral advocacy, ethical reasoning, and the development of strategic arguments in a courtroom setting. In addition to trial simulations, students examine case studies and participate in discussions led by faculty and legal professionals.
9. ACLU National Advocacy Institute
Location: ACLU National Advocacy Institute, Washington, D.C.
Cost: $3,500 | Need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 20–29
Application Deadline: March 2 (early) | April 13 (regular) | May 11 (final)
Eligibility: Rising sophomores to graduating seniors aged 15–18
The ACLU National Advocacy Institute focuses on the relationship between law, public policy, and grassroots advocacy. In this program for high school students, you learn directly from lawyers, policy advocates, organizers, and civil liberties professionals about how legal strategies and advocacy campaigns operate in practice. Sessions explore issues connected to civil rights, free speech, censorship, immigration, technology regulation, and other contemporary legal debates. The program also includes hands-on advocacy activities, such as lobbying, public campaigns, and communication efforts tied to current policy issues.
10. UPenn Provost’s Summer Mentorship Program (SMP)
Location: Penn Carey School of Law, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 6–31
Application Deadline: March 22
Eligibility: Current 9th and 10th graders in Philadelphia with a 3.0+ GPA
The UPenn Provost’s Summer Mentorship Program combines career exploration with academic and professional skill development for high school students interested in fields including law. Participants are paired with professional school partners such as Penn Carey Law School to gain exposure to legal education and related career pathways through experiential learning activities. Alongside field-specific programming, the curriculum includes workshops on study strategies, time management, financial literacy, standardized test preparation, and college application writing. The program emphasizes mentorship and structured guidance designed to help students understand both academic expectations and professional environments.
11. Northwestern Debate Institute
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,500 (4 weeks) | $5,000 (6 weeks) | Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 28–July 25 (4 weeks) | June 28–August 8 (6 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 9th to 12th-grade students who rank academically near the top 30% of their class
The Northwestern Debate Institute focuses on policy debate, a format that emphasizes evidence-based argumentation, research, and extended analytical reasoning. In this intensive program for high school students, you study a single policy topic in depth while learning how to construct cases, evaluate evidence, and respond to opposing arguments in structured debates. Since policy debate relies heavily on research and documentation, you’ll spend significant time developing argument files and analyzing source material. Small lab groups allow for detailed feedback on speaking style, strategic thinking, and rebuttal techniques.
12. UCLA Mock Trial Institute
Location: University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $2,126 (in person) | $1,500 (virtual)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session A: June 21–27 | Session B: July 5–11 | Session C (virtual): August 2–8
Application Deadline: Varies by session and format
Eligibility: High school students aged 15–18 with a minimum 3.0 GPA
The UCLA Mock Trial Institute is a courtroom-focused program that trains high school students in trial advocacy through simulations and performance-based exercises. Instruction covers areas such as opening statements, witness examinations, objections, case theory construction, and closing arguments. The program emphasizes active participation through scrimmages, drills, and courtroom simulations designed to mirror competitive mock trial settings. Students receive individualized coaching in areas like courtroom presence, persuasive speaking, and legal strategy development.
13. Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program
Location: New York City
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship | $17-$22/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 24–August 27 | Check here for the complete timetable
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: New York City public high school students (ages 16+)
The Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program gives high school students direct exposure to legal workplaces through placements with law firms, nonprofit organizations, corporations, and government agencies. During the internship, you observe the day-to-day responsibilities of legal professionals and gain insight into how legal work functions across different sectors. The program also includes professional development training that introduces students to workplace expectations, communication practices, and career pathways connected to law. Since placements vary by organization, participants may encounter different aspects of legal research, administration, advocacy, or client services.
14. NSLC Law & Advocacy Summer Program
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $4,395 (Georgetown University) | $4,195 (University of Michigan) | Scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Several sessions across June and July (exact dates vary by location) | Check here
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: High school students
The NSLC Law & Advocacy Summer Program introduces students to courtroom procedure through simulations, debates, and case-based workshops. As part of this pre-law summer program, you examine how legal arguments are built by analyzing evidence, questioning witnesses, and applying constitutional principles to legal disputes. The curriculum places strong emphasis on advocacy skills, including persuasive speaking, ethical reasoning, and structured argument development. You also explore how precedent and judicial decision-making influence outcomes within the legal system.
15. NYU SPS High School Academy: Pre-Law Bootcamp
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $2,579 per course + $684 (optional housing and dining fees)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29–July 2 | July 6–10 | July 13–17 | July 20–24 | July 27–31 | August 3–7
Application Deadline: April 29 (residential) | June 12 (commuter) | March 14 (international student)
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders
NYU SPS’s Pre-Law Bootcamp introduces high school students to foundational legal concepts, litigation processes, and careers connected to the legal profession. The course combines lectures, discussions, and speaker panels to provide an overview of how the American legal system operates in practice. You study substantive areas of law alongside real legal cases that help illustrate courtroom procedures and legal reasoning. Discussions about courthouses, public interest organizations, and government agencies also expose students to different professional pathways within the field.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you want to explore legal systems, public policy, constitutional analysis, or political theory through independent research, 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: Telluride Association