15 Free College Summer Programs for High School Students
As a high school student, participating in a college summer program is a great way to expose yourself to the industry you’re keen on exploring. These types of programs give you the chance to gain hands-on experience while working in your preferred industry and developing important contacts that will prove useful in the future. Most universities and colleges offer these summer programs for high school students for free, and some of them even come with a stipend.
Attending summer programs for high school students for free is a great way to learn more about your preferred industry and see what a potential career in that field would look like. It’s also sure to impress college admissions officers and show your dedication to learning. Since there’s such a variety of college summer programs for high school students for free out there, we’ve taken care to put together a selection of 15 of the best free college and university programs for high school students for you to check out!
1. Carnegie Mellon University AI Scholars Program
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: June 21 – July 19
Eligibility: High school juniors at least 16 years old by the start date. Must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or DACA-registered
Carnegie Mellon University’s AI Scholars is one of the top summer programs for high school students for free. It is a fully-funded, four-week program that gives rising high school seniors the chance to explore artificial intelligence while on campus. As a participant, you’ll take part in college-level courses, engage with project-based learning, and attend lectures on computing and artificial intelligence.
A key feature of the program is a lecture series with distinguished faculty members, where concepts like the fundamentals of AI, new technology, and ethical concerns surrounding AI will be discussed. You’ll also get to go on field trips to AI industry leaders, participate in group research projects, and showcase your newly learned skills in a capstone group presentation at the AIS closing symposium.
2. Internships at the Biological Field Station at SUNY Oneonta
Location: SUNY Oneonta, NY
Stipend: $3,000
Cohort Size: 1-3 positions open
Application Deadline: March 26
Program Dates: 9 weeks, with flexible start dates depending on when students finish school
Eligibility: High school students located in New York aged 16
SUNY Oneonta provides outstanding New York State high school students with the opportunity to attend a nine-week summer research internship. As the program is extremely competitive, the department annually admits only one to three candidates for an engaging opportunity that gives them hands-on time in the Central BFS Laboratory.
Throughout the program, you will engage in various research skills, including but not limited to laboratory analysis, interpretation of data, fieldwork, and scientific writing. Past interns have collected water samples, plant and fisheries surveys, fish dissections, among other scientific experiences. The internship culminates in a poster presentation where you will make your findings known to mentors, the BFS faculty, and peers. For those interested, former publications are available.
3. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: 5%
Application Deadline: February 7
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; 16 by the start of the program
The Simons Summer Research Program is an ultra-competitive opportunity that gives high school students the chance to engage in actual research projects dealing with several key disciplines within a six-week engagement. Throughout the program, Stony Brook Faculty mentors will engage participants at the forefront of various levels of investigation, like the formulation of hypotheses and conclusions from the experiments and analysis.
At the end of the program, you will present your findings at the final research symposium, while also enhancing your public speaking and presentation skills. The experience of this immersion not only deepens your scientific understanding but also fosters meaningful mentor-mentee relationships. You will be able to develop a strong foundation in scientific methods.
4. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program
Location: Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: There is a $40 application fee that can be waived for families with an income under $80,000. Minimum stipend of $500
Acceptance Rate: Less than 3%
Application Deadline: February 22
Program Dates: June 9 – July 31
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; 16 years old by the start of the program
Another one of the top summer programs for high school students for free is The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program. It is an eight-week selective program for high school students with a deep interest in hands-on medical research. With less than a 3% acceptance rate, it accepts only about 50 students per year. As a participant, you can choose from one of the following eight specialized fields: Cancer Biology, Neurobiology, Immunology, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Cardiovascular Biology, and Genetics and Genomics.
Based on your choice, you’ll engage in extensive laboratory research while mentored by accomplished scientists. The program starts with morning lectures in the first few weeks, followed by hands-on laboratory work in the afternoons. For the majority of the experience, you will undergo full-time research that digs deep into your field. In the last two weeks, you will prepare a research poster that you will present to an audience consisting of peers, teachers, family members, and even the Stanford community.
5. Child Health Research Internship by Children’s Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado School of Medicine
Location: Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
Stipend: $4,400
Acceptance Rate: Relatively selective
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: June 2 – August 1
Eligibility: High school seniors over the age of 18
The Child Health Research Internship is a combined opportunity offered by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado and the Child Health Research Enterprise at Children's Hospital Colorado. This internship offers participants practical experience in carrying out research into a host of different child health, mentor-led projects, mainly in the hospitals' laboratories.
Part of the program involves weekly workshops that provide supplementary learning to the research experience. By the end of the internship, you are expected to prepare a written report and give oral presentations or poster presentations of your findings. You will also write abstracts that can be submitted to local, regional, or national conferences for consideration.
6. The Johns Hopkins in Brain Science Program (JHIBS): Project Pipeline Baltimore
Location: Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD
Stipend: Hourly stipend of $15/hour (in-person)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 8 students
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors. Those living in Baltimore City can apply for the in-person program, while high schoolers across North America can apply for the virtual program.
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science is an eight-week summer research program that provides opportunities for enrichment in the neurosciences and promotes diversity. It gives highly qualified high school students from different backgrounds the chance to partner with top-ranked neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins University. At the same time, gaining hands-on research experience.
As a participant, you’ll take part in weekly professional and personal development sessions, scientific discussions, and specialized seminars that deepen your understanding of the field. The program is offered virtually and on-campus for students with different needs. Only eight students are selected to participate in this program and will receive an hourly stipend plus transportation reimbursement. At the end of your internship, your research efforts will culminate in oral or poster presentations. Some additional resources are provided here for those who may want to see examples of past research projects.
7. Honors College – The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; a $750 stipend
Cohort Size: 12
Application Deadline: February 24
Program Dates: June 22 – August 7
Eligibility: Students who are graduating in 2025 or 2026; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; at least 17 years old by program start
The Anson L. Clark Scholar Program at Texas Tech University selects only 12 outstanding high school students for the highly selective seven-week summer internship. As a participant, you will engage in hands-on research in any area, from the STEM disciplines and social sciences to the humanities, alongside your faculty mentor in the development of research projects. In addition to research, you will also participate in seminars, field trips, and networking that help enrich your academic experience.
8. NASA and UT Austin’s STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES)
Location: The University of Texas, Austin, TX
Cost: Free. Transportation scholarships are available for select students
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Application Deadline: February 22
Program Dates: July 5 – July 22; required virtual modules will open on May 1
Eligibility: Current U.S. high school sophomores or juniors; at least 16; strongly interested in STEM
The SEES program is a competitive opportunity for high school students enthusiastic about mathematics. It gives you the chance to work with NASA experts on space and Earth research, starting with an introduction through virtual learning modules where you will work with NASA satellite data and remote sensing tools to develop your skills in data analysis.
This internship combines online instruction with field experiences, culminating in an on-campus segment at UT Austin where you will engage in hands-on research. Emphasizing teamwork, data interpretation, and a better understanding of Earth systems, the program provides a comprehensive introduction to scientific inquiry. You’ll also get to go on field trips to places like the NASA Johnson Space Center and more. At the end of the internship, you will present your findings during the Virtual SEES Science Symposium, highlighting your contributions to real-world research.
9. Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC)
Location: New York City, NY
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Application Deadline: January (tentatively)
Program Dates: July – August (tentatively)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors residing in NYC nominated by BRAINYAC’s partner programs; preference is given to students living in upper Manhattan and the South Bronx
The BRAINYAC program at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute is a hands-on neuroscience research opportunity for high school students. As a participant, you will get to work side by side with mentors from Columbia's laboratories and gain hands-on skills in neuroanatomy, data analysis, and scientific communication. You’ll also be able to contribute to active research projects. In the process, you’ll develop an insider's view of the process of doing research and how scientific discovery occurs.
For admission, students are nominated via partnerships, like BioBus or S-PREP, to ensure they stay attached to a supportive local group. In this way, the nomination process creates a close-knit community of participants who learn not just about brain science but also about career options in research and medicine.
10. MIT’s Research Science Institute
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $65 application fee (can be waived for need-based applicants)
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Application Deadline: December (tentatively)
Program Dates: June 22 – August 2
Eligibility: High school juniors; it is recommended to have the following scores: PSAT Math 740 or higher, Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 700 or higher, ACT math at least 33, and verbal scores at least 34
RSI is a summer research program that provides high school juniors with a unique combination of classes, independent research, and varying aspects of the sciences like physics, biology, math, and engineering. You’ll begin work within intensive, week-long college-level curricula in topics related to the STEM disciplines.
Under the guidance of practicing scientists and engineers, you will design and conduct research experiments and deliver oral and written reports on their projects. With only 70-80 students selected from one highly competitive international applicant pool, RSI is among the few fully-funded programs of its kind. It is widely regarded as a pivotal opportunity for students committed to careers in STEM.
11. MIT Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA & Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Application Deadline: March 12
Program Dates: July 13 – 26
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are U.S. citizens
LLRISE is a two-week program that offers opportunities for students in the eleventh grade to build small Doppler and range radar systems using problem-solving and hands-on approaches. The objective is to get students acquainted with the technology of radar by working one-on-one with scientists and engineers at MIT. As a participant, you will be guided through the mathematical understanding of radar systems with experts in the field. This is one of those summer programs for high school students for free that focuses on developing your practical engineering skills through real-world projects.
12. Northeastern University’s Young Scholars Program
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Application Deadline: February 20
Program Dates: June 23 – July 31
Eligibility: Rising seniors who are permanent MA residents and live within commuting distance of NEU; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Northeastern University's YSP Program provides young scientists and engineers with the valuable opportunity for hands-on research experience. You’ll get to engage in research projects in laboratories in Northeastern's Colleges of Engineering, Science, and Health Sciences and benefit from direct exposure to first-class scientific inquiry.
In addition, you will participate in a special seminar series that exposes you to sophisticated scientific themes. You’ll also be able to go on field trips to a variety of corporate and government sites like Biogen, the MIT Chemical Engineering Labs, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, and more. The program will also give you an overview of undergraduate engineering education presented by the Dean's Office of the College of Engineering to give an idea about academic and career pathways in the field.
13. Broad Summer Scholars Program
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: $3,600 + partial reimbursement for travel costs
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Application Deadline: January 22
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who attend an MA high school within commuting distance of Broad. Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or DACA-registered
The Broad Summer Scholars Program provides highly motivated high school students interested in science the chance to join the Broad Institute for six weeks. During this program, you will work closely with Broad scientists involved in research work regarding cancer biology, infectious disease, genomics, computational biology, and more.
For students with specific interests in genetics, BSSP has options for in-depth special research focus options, such as Genome Regulation, Cellular Circuitry, Epigenomics, and Medical and Population Genetics Research. You’ll also be exposed to various scientific career choices, participate in informative lectures, and present your findings during the scientific poster session hosted at the end of the program.
14. MIT’s Women’s Technology Program (WTP)
Location: Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 20 spots
Application Deadline: January 15
Program Dates: June 28 – July 26
Eligibility: Female-identifying high school juniors; permanent residents or U.S. citizens; applications from students who are African American, Hispanic, or Native American are strongly encouraged
MIT’s Women's Technology Program (WTP) is a rigorous and competitive program that introduces high school students to the principles of engineering at MIT with a four-week experience over the summer. This program is for students who excel in mathematics and science but have minimal or no experience in engineering. As a participant, you’ll get to attend hands-on classes, labs, and team-based projects and discover a potential career in engineering. The curriculum focuses on the engineering design process used in mechanical engineering.
15. UMass Turing Summer Program
Location: Amherst, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Application Deadline: Applications open February 1 (deadline not mentioned)
Program Dates: July 7 – July 25
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores in juniors enrolled in Western Massachusetts schools with a background in mathematics
The UMass Turing Summer Program provides high school students with a three-week immersive experience in Computer Science. This program introduces you to a wide variety of CS subfields and emphasizes its applications in the healthcare and energy sectors, among other areas.
Each day's schedule will be inclusive of two classroom sessions and one lab session for a well-rounded learning approach. You will work in Python to get hands-on experience in concepts of data analysis, data visualization, and sensing. This structure allows you to apply your knowledge to real-world problems.
If you’re looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI is founded by Harvard graduate students. Through the programs, you get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn AI & ML with us. You can apply here!
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