Top 12 Free Summer Programs for High School Students in 2025
Free summer programs are an excellent option for high school students to gain hands-on experience, develop practical skills, and explore potential career paths — all at no cost. These free programs, offered by prestigious organizations and institutions, provide valuable industry exposure and the opportunity to build meaningful connections without financial barriers. Some even offer stipends, allowing students to earn while they learn.
To help you take advantage of these incredible opportunities, we’ve curated a list of the top 12 free summer programs for high school students in 2025, including both in-person and virtual options, tailored to diverse academic interests and career aspirations.
1. MIT’s Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Application Deadline: January 14th for U.S. students. International students have a deadline of around February 11th
Program Dates: June 22 to August 2
Eligibility: Applications are open to high school juniors. Domestic and international students are eligible.
RSI is one of the most prestigious research programs in the world, owing to its excellent curriculum, the research opportunities it provides, and its association with MIT. It is a competitive, fully-funded program for high school students to gain hands-on experience in full research cycles.
In around 5 weeks, RSI exposes its students to lectures by world-renowned scientists (which have previously included Nobel laureates). Students receive their research project assignments from their mentors, begin working with advanced literature, and take part in laboratory techniques. Participants present their work in the form of papers and oral presentations, which are judged by an outside panel from Boston. 5 papers and 5 presentations will even be selected for special commendation during the last week of the program!
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Full financial aid is available. You can apply here.
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
3. Northeastern University’s Young Scholars Program
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Application Deadline: February 20
Program Dates: June 23 – July 31
Eligibility: This program is open to students who are permanent residents of MA and are entering 12th grade in the fall.
The YSP Program at Northeastern University offers future scientists and engineers a unique opportunity for hands-on research experience. As a participant, you will get the chance to work in laboratories in Northeastern University’s Colleges of Engineering, Science, and Health Sciences. Aside from this, high school students will also get to participate in a special seminar series to learn about advanced topics and will also be exposed to an overview of engineering education for Undergraduate Students presented by the Dean‘s Office of the College of Engineering.
4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: The program is fully funded!
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall of 2023.
Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation stands as a non-profit research program tailored for gifted students from low-income backgrounds. Stemming from the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, renowned for its extensive one-on-one research opportunities for high school students, the foundation provides the same access to independent research experiences at zero cost.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project.
At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can apply here! This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper.
5. Broad Summer Scholars Program
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA
Application Deadline: January 22
Program Dates: June 30 - August 9
Eligibility: Rising seniors who are US citizens, have good academic standing in the Science and Math courses, and are within commute distance to the Broad Institute
The Broad Institute is a non-profit biomedical research institute in Cambridge, MA. The Broad brings together faculty and scientists from Harvard, MIT, and Boston's leading hospitals to tackle ambitious problems related to human diseases, such as cancer, psychiatric disease, infectious disease, therapeutics, and more. The Broad Summer Scholars Program invites high school students with a strong interest in science to spend six weeks at the Institute.
As a participant, you are matched with Broad researchers to conduct original and current edge research projects in various areas of biology. You will be allowed to attend scientific talks and career sessions and present your research to the Broad community in a scientific poster session. An added bonus is the $3,600 stipend that you will receive!
6. MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering and Science (MITES) Summer
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: late June to early August (6 weeks)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are high school juniors
MITES Summer is a six-week, on-campus program that immerses high school students with strong academic records and a passion into a semester of college. You will get exposed to high-level math and science as well as electives that focus on problem-solving and application. The curriculum includes comprehensive courses in math, life sciences, physics, arts, and more.
Apart from academics, this program provides access to workshops, tours, and social events on campus and around Greater Boston. Students learn academic and social life skills and guidance on college applications as well as career opportunities.
7. UMass High School Health Careers Program
Location: UMASS Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA
Application Deadline: March 3
Program Dates: June 29 - July 25
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors from Massachusetts who are at least 16 years old.
The High School Health Careers Program (HSHCP) by the University of Massachusetts is a 4-week tuition-free residential program. In the program, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the vast number of careers in Biomedical Research, Biotechnology, and Healthcare. The program includes classes on Language Arts skills, Mathematics, Biology, Information Technology, and Cultural and Contemporary Health Issues.
Additionally, you are encouraged to interact with physicians and other healthcare progressions. Participants are required to complete a Health Disparities Research Project on a cultural group in Massachusetts. A stipend is provided to those who complete the program.
8. UMass Turing Summer Program
Location: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Program Dates: July 7 - July 25
Eligibility: Rising sophomores and juniors with a good background in mathematics. Previous experience in programming languages is desirable but not necessary
The UMass Turing Summer Program is an intensive 3-week experience designed to explore the world of computer science and its real-world applications. Through a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on lab work, you will dive into coding, data analysis, and visualization while learning how computer science intersects with fields like healthcare, energy, and artificial intelligence. Each day consists of two interactive classroom sessions and one practical lab session. You will also work on your problem-solving skills, computational thinking, and programming proficiency using Python.
9. Youth Neurology Education and Research Program
Location: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: July 1 – August 9
Eligibility: At the time of the program be a rising high school senior, recent high school graduate / rising college first-year, situated in Massachusetts.
The Mass General Youth Neurology Education and Research Program seeks to recruit students from underrepresented communities in neurological educational and research opportunities. It exposes students to a diverse set of neurologists and offers paid internships, which have a 40-hour commitment per week and may last up to 6 weeks for high school students.
After an onboarding bootcamp, you will engage in 1:1 mentoring and work under the mentorship of a faculty member on ongoing projects. You will also attend seminars and participate in networking opportunities with leading neurologists. You will also prepare and present final presentations on your project in front of the MGH Neurology Department.
10. The Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) Program - Summer Only
Location: Dana-Farber / Harvard Cancer Center, Boston, MA
Application Deadline: February 3
Program Dates: June 18 start date, the program can last from 7-11 weeks.
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors residing in Massachusetts
The Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) Program is a highly competitive, hands-on research internship focused on cancer research. by Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, this program provides students with valuable laboratory experience in some of the nation’s leading cancer research institutions.
Throughout the summer, you will work alongside top scientists and researchers, assisting in cutting-edge cancer research projects. In addition to hands-on lab work, students attend scientific seminars, participate in professional development workshops, and gain exposure to career pathways in biomedical science and oncology.
11. Tufts University Biomedical Engineering Research Scholars
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Application Deadline: Applications open February 12
Program Dates: July 1 - August 16
Eligibility: High school students from Massachusetts who are at least 16 years old.
The Tufts University Biomedical Engineering Research Scholars (TUBERS) Program is a 6-week summer initiative that allows high school students to engage in research at the Biomedical Engineering Labs at Tufts. As a participant, you will learn practical research techniques, experimental protocols, and how to test hypotheses, among other activities.
Students are encouraged to use their projects to participate in local and national science competitions, such as the Massachusetts State and Engineering Fair (in the spring), the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology (in the fall), and the Intel Science Talent Search (also in the fall).
12. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Students are matched with mentors within a 45-minute commute from their home
Application Deadline: January 19
Program Dates: 8 weeks during the summer (exact dates are flexible)
Eligibility: Must be 16 years of age and reside in the United States
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an 8-week summer internship for high school students interested in fisheries and marine sciences. Sponsored by the American Fisheries Society, you will be paired up with professionals in your local area through the AFS network.
While each internship will be unique to the student and their connected professional, Hutton scholars may expect to engage in multiple laboratory and field-based research. The list of potential activities includes electrofishing, public education, data analysis, laboratory analysis of fish age and growth, and much more. This opportunity not only allows you to gain practical skills on a project but also allows you to tap into the vast network of the AFS. The program culminates in an all-expenses-paid trip to the Hutton Scholars Summit, where students present their research and connect with peers and professionals.
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