15 College Credit Summer Programs for High Schoolers

Key Takeaways

• These 15 programs let you earn real transferable college credit from top universities like Harvard, Cornell, Stanford, and Yale, with credit loads ranging from a single course to as many as 12 credits depending on the program.
• Costs vary widely, from Harvard’s Secondary School Program starting around $4,180 to Boston University’s High School Honors at nearly $7,000, though most programs offer financial aid for eligible students.
• Program formats include residential, commuter, and fully online options at many universities, such as Cornell, UC Berkeley, and Emory, giving you flexibility in how you complete the coursework.
• Eligibility requirements differ significantly by school, with some programs open to current 9th and 10th graders while others, like Brown’s Pre-Baccalaureate Program and Yale’s Pre-College Program, are limited to rising or graduating seniors.
• If you’re looking for a research-focused alternative rather than credit-bearing coursework, Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs offers a mentored path toward a formal academic paper across 600+ specializations.

Earning college credit while you’re still in high school gives you a head start on university coursework before you begin your degree. College credit summer programs allow you to take undergraduate classes at a university, complete the same academic requirements as other students, and earn credits that may be transferable to your future college, depending on its policies. Many of these programs also include residential options, allowing you to experience campus life while studying.

What do College Credit Summer Programs for High School Students include?

College credit summer programs involve university-level coursework and academic activities designed for high school students. You’ll attend lectures and seminars, complete readings and written assignments, work on individual or group projects, and take part in discussions led by university faculty or graduate instructors. The curriculum is typically aligned with introductory college courses, so you’ll engage with concepts, methods, and terminology used in higher education. You will also have to complete graded coursework, which may include quizzes, exams, research papers, presentations, lab reports, or capstone projects. By the end of the program, you’ll have completed coursework comparable to an introductory college class. 

To help you get started, here is a list of 15 college credit summer programs for high schoolers.

You can also check out these guides to free pre-college programs and online pre-college programs for high school students!

1. Georgetown Summer College

Georgetown University Summer College allows you to enroll in undergraduate courses and earn Georgetown college credit before graduating from high school. You can choose from five-week on-campus courses, eight-week online courses, or combine both formats while studying alongside current Georgetown undergraduates. A typical course is 3 credits, and you can take up to 2 courses per session. Courses follow the same academic standards as the university’s regular curriculum, with lectures, class discussions, assignments, and assessments. Students who complete two courses in a session can earn a Summer Honors Intensive Certificate.

2. Harvard Secondary School Program

Harvard Summer School Secondary School Program lets you choose from more than 200 undergraduate courses, making it one of the broadest college credit options available to high school students. You can enroll in one or two 4-credit courses during the 4-week or 7-week session, earning 4 or 8 Harvard credits and an official Harvard transcript upon successful completion. Course options span subjects including computer science, economics, psychology, molecular and cellular biology, government, mathematics, environmental science, and creative writing. You can also participate in lectures, discussions, readings, written assignments, problem sets, laboratory work, or exams.

3. Cornell University Summer College

Cornell University Precollege Studies gives you the flexibility to earn between 3 and 12 Cornell credits through residential, commuter, or online programs while taking the same undergraduate courses offered to Cornell students. You can build your schedule from a wide catalog that includes subjects such as architecture, business, engineering, law, psychology, computer science, economics, government, animal science, sustainability, and hotel administration, depending on the term and course availability. Your grades are recorded on an official Cornell transcript, and the credits may be transferable to another university at that institution’s discretion.

4. Stanford University Summer Session

Stanford Summer Session runs as the university’s regular eight-week academic quarter, giving qualified high school students the chance to enroll alongside Stanford undergraduates and visiting students from around the world. More than 130 undergraduate courses are available across subjects including computer science, engineering, psychology, economics, biology, philosophy, and history. Academic schedules are built using Stanford units, with commuter students completing a minimum of 5 units and residential students 8 units. Classwork may include programming assignments, laboratory experiments, design projects, research papers, presentations, and examinations that follow the same expectations as Stanford’s undergraduate curriculum.

5. Brown Pre-Baccalaureate Program

Brown University Pre-Baccalaureate Program is a seven-week program that includes six weeks of instruction followed by a final week dedicated to exams, presentations, or final papers, depending on the course. Coursework includes lectures, readings, discussions, assignments, and independent study delivered through Canvas, Brown’s learning management system. You can take up to two online courses in subjects across the natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences, and humanities, with each course requiring approximately 25-30 hours of work per week. 

6. UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars

UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars is UC Berkeley’s pre-college summer program, where you will enroll in undergraduate Summer Sessions courses through residential, commuter, or virtual pathways. You can choose from hundreds of lower-division undergraduate courses offered in 6-, 8-, or 12-week sessions, with options across fields such as computer science, engineering, economics, psychology, data science, biology, political science, and the humanities. Depending on your preference, you can participate through the residential, commuter, or virtual track, all of which award the same university credit. 

7. University of Chicago Summer Session

The University of Chicago Summer Session includes several credit-bearing options for high school students, including the 3-Week Immersion, 4-Week Practicum, and Summer Online programs. The 3-Week Immersion awards 100 UChicago units (equivalent to 5 quarter hours or 3.3 semester credit hours), while the 4-Week Practicum awards 200 UChicago units (equivalent to 10 quarter hours or 6.6 semester credit hours). Course options span subjects such as creative writing, economics, philosophy, public policy, STEM, and biological sciences, with specialized research experiences like Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS) and Stones and Bones.

8. UCLA Summer College Immersion Program

The UCLA Summer College Immersion Program (SCIP) combines two UCLA credit-bearing courses with a structured residential or online experience designed for high school students. You can enroll in up to two pre-approved undergraduate courses (maximum 10 units) from disciplines such as astronomy, chemistry, communication, economics, psychology, political science, sociology, statistics, and world arts and cultures, while studying alongside UCLA students. The academic component is complemented by weekday co-curricular sessions focused on college readiness, academic success, and university life, making SCIP distinct from UCLA’s standard Summer Sessions.

9. Yale Pre-College Program

Yale Summer Session for Pre-College Students allows qualified high school students to complete two Yale College courses for a total of two course credits during a five-week summer term. The curriculum includes computer science, economics, English, history, mathematics, psychology, political science, environmental studies, and the sciences, with classes taught by Yale faculty and experienced instructors. Coursework may include seminars, laboratory work, essays, problem sets, presentations, and exams, depending on the subject.

10. Boston University High School Honors

Boston University High School Honors places you in Boston University’s Summer Term courses, where you’ll join undergraduate students in credit-bearing classes taught through the university’s regular curriculum. During the six-week program, you will earn 4 or 8 Boston University credits in subjects such as computer science, business, chemistry, economics, psychology, international relations, biology, philosophy, and writing. Courses include the same lectures, discussions, laboratory work, essays, projects, and exams completed by undergraduate students. 

11. Johns Hopkins Pre-College Programs

The Johns Hopkins Pre-College Programs feature two-week, credit-bearing courses across subjects such as Introduction to Surgery, Medical School Intensive, Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Psychological Profiling, Green Chemistry: The Science of Sustainability, Introduction to Laboratory Research, and Social Inequality and the Public’s Health. Each course combines academic study with field-specific activities, with on-campus students attending morning faculty lectures followed by afternoon presentations, guest speakers, excursions, and collaborative projects. Online offerings are primarily asynchronous and require approximately 15 hours of coursework each week, while residential sessions take place on the Homewood campus in Baltimore.

12. Emory Summer College Program

Emory Summer College combines undergraduate coursework with a six-week academic schedule that awards Emory University college credit upon successful completion. The program includes 100+ courses across fields such as business, public health, biology, chemistry, economics, psychology, political science, and literature. Before the term begins, Week Zero gives you access to course materials, assigned readings, and instructor communications so you can prepare for the semester. Most courses require 15-20 hours of work each week, including lectures, discussions, readings, written assignments, projects, and exams, with online classes blending live instruction and asynchronous coursework.

13. University of Pennsylvania Pre-College Programs

University of Pennsylvania Pre-College Program brings together undergraduate courses from Penn Arts & Sciences, the Wharton School, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of Nursing during the university’s Summer Sessions. Hundreds of credit-bearing courses are available each year in subjects such as business, economics, computer science, biology, psychology, mathematics, political science, history, and English, with offerings varying by term. Your work may include seminars, laboratory sessions, case studies, research papers, presentations, or examinations completed alongside Penn undergraduates and visiting students.

14. NYU Pre-College

NYU Pre-College offers you the opportunity to take undergraduate courses in areas including business, arts, social sciences, STEM, and humanities. Your work may include lectures, laboratory sessions, studio projects, research papers, presentations, or examinations. You can earn 2-8 college credits by selecting from more than 100 courses offered through schools such as the Stern School of Business, Tisch School of the Arts, Tandon School of Engineering, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, and the College of Arts and Science. 

15. George Washington University Pre-College: College Intensive Program

The George Washington University College Intensive Program enrolls you directly into 1,000- and 2,000-level undergraduate courses that follow the university’s regular summer term. Over six weeks, you’ll complete one credit-bearing course alongside other non-degree students while meeting the same academic expectations as enrolled undergraduates. Course availability changes each summer and spans disciplines offered across GW’s schools and colleges, allowing you to choose a subject that matches your academic interests. Successful completion adds the course to your official George Washington University transcript, and the credits may be eligible for transfer based on your future institution’s policies.

One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program

If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program, 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!

Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of college credit programs are available to high school students?

You’ll find a mix of formats, including large multi-week programs at universities like Cornell, Stanford, and UC Berkeley that let you choose from hundreds of undergraduate courses, and more focused two-week intensives like Johns Hopkins’ Pre-College Programs, which center on specific subjects like neuroscience or medical school preparation. Some, like Brown’s Pre-Baccalaureate Program, are fully online, while others, like Boston University High School Honors, offer both residential and commuter tracks.

Do you need a minimum GPA to apply?

Most of these programs do set a minimum GPA requirement, typically around 3.0, including Georgetown Summer College, UC Berkeley Pre-College Scholars, and Johns Hopkins Pre-College Programs. UCLA’s Summer College Immersion Program sets a notably higher bar at 3.8, so it’s worth checking each program’s specific academic threshold before applying.

How many college credits can you typically earn?

It varies considerably by program. Johns Hopkins and George Washington University offer as little as one credit per short course, while Cornell allows you to earn between 3 and 12 credits depending on your course load, and Boston University High School Honors offers up to 8 credits. Yale’s Pre-College Program caps at 2 credits total across its five-week term.

Image source: Georgetown University