Free Summer Programs Programs for High School Students

Every program on this page costs $0 to attend — cost should never be the reason a strong student skips summer programs opportunities.

Funded summer programs programs are often more selective than paid ones precisely because someone else is paying; treat their deadlines seriously.

165 verified programs match this page; 30 of the featured listings are completely free; 2 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• Telluride Association Sophomore Seminars (TASS) — Telluride Association: Explore a free summer program for rising juniors focused on Black experience, leadership, and humanities. Build critical thinking skills and strengthe
• Beaver Works Summer Institute — MIT: Elite summer program for high schoolers in Grades 10-11 focused on STEM fields like drones and cybersecurity. Gain hands-on experience and boost colle
• Clark Scholars Program — Texas Tech: Elite summer research program for high school juniors and seniors. Gain hands-on STEM experience, earn a $750 stipend, and boost your college applicat
• Virginia Governor's School Programs — State of Virginia: Transform your summer with Virginia Governor's School Programs! Free in-person leadership and STEM opportunities for 10th-11th graders to boost skills
• Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences — PA PGSS: Transform your STEM skills with this free, 5-week summer program at Carnegie Mellon. Gain hands-on experience and boost your college applications thro
• American Legion Boys State — The American Legion: Premier week-long government simulation program where high school juniors create a mock state government. Free, highly selective, and one of the most
• Girls Who Invest Summer Intensive Program — Girls Who Invest: Highly selective free 4-week summer program placing high school girls and nonbinary students at top investment management firms for training in financ
• MIT Women in Stem Research Program Pre-College Summer Program — MIT Women in Stem Research Program: Pre-college program at MIT Women in Stem Research Program for high school students focusing on stem.
• Johns Hopkins Global Health Leaders Conference — Johns Hopkins University: Global health leadership conference at Johns Hopkins for high school students interested in medicine and public health.
• Johns Hopkins Pre-College Program — Johns Hopkins University: Pre-college programs at Johns Hopkins University for high school students in Baltimore.
• Columbia University PreCollege Programs — Columbia University: Pre-college program at Columbia University for high school students focusing on real world experience in variety of classes at ivy league.
• College Greenlight Free and Low Cost Pre-College Programs — Apply College Greenlight: Curated directory of free and low-cost pre-college programs for high school students seeking affordable summer opportunities.
• SMASH (Summer Math and Science Honors Academy) — Kapor Center: Free 3-year summer STEM program for underrepresented students; highly selective
• National Youth Science Camp — National Youth Science Foundation: Free month-long science program for state delegates. Two students selected per state for intensive STEM immersion experience.
• Mississippi Governor's School — Mississippi Arts Commission: Arts-focused residential summer program for MS students.
• Mayo Clinic Summer Research Fellowship — Mayo Clinic: Clinical and biomedical research at world-renowned medical center.
• Salk Institute High School Research Scholars — Salk Institute for Biological Studies: Research program at iconic Jonas Salk's institute.
• Fred Hutch Cancer Center Summer Research Program — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center: Cancer and immunology research at leading research center.
• Louisiana Governor's Program — Northwestern State University: Transform your leadership skills in this free Louisiana summer program for 10th-11th graders. Gain hands-on experience and boost your college applicat
• Air Force Academy Summer Seminar — USAFA: Transform your future with this free summer program! Explore leadership, aerospace, and character development in a hands-on academy designed for high
• West Point Summer Leaders Experience — U.S. Military Academy: Experience a free week-long summer program at West Point focused on leadership development, military training, and hands-on learning. Boost college ap
• U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar — USNA: Explore leadership and military training at this free summer program for high school juniors. Build skills, gain hands-on experience, and strengthen c
• WPI Summer Programs — Worcester Polytech Institute: STEM summer programs at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for rising 10th through 12th graders.
• Wentworth ImpactLab Pre-College Program — Wentworth Institute of Technology: Hands-on pre-college program at Wentworth Institute of Technology for rising juniors and seniors.
• Wake Forest University Pre-College Program — Wake Forest University: Pre-college online immersion program at Wake Forest University for students ages 13 and up.
• Veritas AI x Sports Deep Dive — Veritas AI + Sports: Specialized AI program combining artificial intelligence with sports analytics for high school students.
• Veritas AI Program — Veritas AI: AI and machine learning program for high school students in grades 9-12 with project-based learning.
• Vanderbilt STEM Education and Outreach Programs — Vanderbilt University: STEM programs at Vanderbilt University including research, camps, and workshops for middle and high school students.
• UW-Madison Pre-College Programs — UW - Madison: Pre-college and youth programs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for students ages 6-18.
• UVM PreCollege Summer & Year-round — University of Vermont: Pre-college programs at the University of Vermont with college credit for juniors and seniors.

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