25 Best Summer Programs for High School Students

Summer is a great time for high school students to explore their interests, gain new skills, and prepare for college. There are countless summer programs available, and it can be difficult to know which one to choose. In this blog post, we will provide a list of the 25 best summer programs for high school students.

best summer programs for high school students

Why Summer Programs are Important for High School Students

Summer programs are essential for high school students because they provide opportunities for academic enrichment, personal growth, and career exploration. These programs allow students to experience college life, make new friends, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, summer programs can help students build their resumes, improve their chances of getting into college, and gain a competitive edge in their future careers.

List of 25 Best Summer Programs for High School Students

As you consider your options for this upcoming summer, take a look at our list below and see what piques your interest. There are so many great summer programs for high school students to choose from — and the offerings below are some of the best! From taking college-level courses to backpacking in another country to interning for NASA, this list has an option for everyone.

best summer programs for high school students

Interested in learning how students can build impactful AI projects? Enter your email below for updates on program information, curriculum, & more!

   
  1. Harvard Summer School

    At Harvard Summer School, high school students can challenge themselves with college-level academics by taking courses in various subjects, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

    https://www.summer.harvard.edu/

  2. Yale Young Global Scholars

    Yale Young Global Scholars is an academic enrichment summer program for high school students to explore courses in science, social science, and humanities.

    https://globalscholars.yale.edu/

  3. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes

    Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offers intensive courses in subjects such as creative writing, computer science, and engineering for pre-college students.

    https://spcs.stanford.edu/

  4. Broadreach

    Travel the world with Broadreach’s summer programs in marine biology, scuba diving, sailing, vet medicine, marine conservation, and other subjects in locations around the world.

    https://www.gobroadreach.com/

  5. Abbey Road Programs

    Abbey Road provides educational and recreational summer programs for high school students to pursue language immersion and cultural immersion programs in various locations around the world.

    https://www.goabbeyroad.com/

  6. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

    Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth offers online and in-person courses in various subjects for academically advanced students in grades 2-12.

    https://cty.jhu.edu/

  7. Brown University Pre-College Programs

    Brown University hosts pre-college programs courses for high school students to navigate the complexities of balancing college and social life (without grades) in various subjects, including engineering, entrepreneurship, and international relations.

    https://precollege.brown.edu/

  8. National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)

    As the leader in outdoor education, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Offers wilderness expeditions and leadership training for teens.

    https://www.nols.edu/en/

  9. Oxbridge Academic Programs

    With the Oxbridge Academic Programs, high school students can immerse themselves in some of the world’s greatest cultural centers by participating in academic summer programs in various subjects in locations around the world.

    https://www.oxbridgeprograms.com/

  10. Georgetown University Summer Programs for High School Students

    Georgetown’s Summer Programs consist of credit-bearing college-level courses in various subjects, including business, international relations, and political science.

    https://scs.georgetown.edu/departments/21/summer-programs-for-high-school-students/

  11. Cornell University Summer College

    Cornell offers courses in various subjects, including architecture, business, and veterinary medicine.

    https://sce.cornell.edu/precollege

  12. Inspirit AI Scholars Program

    Inspirit AI offers live online artificial intelligence summer programs that expose high school students to fundamental AI programming skills and guides them to build a socially impactful AI project, developed and taught by Stanford and MIT graduates.

    https://www.inspiritai.com/liveonline

  13. Bank of America Student Leaders

    Bank of America Student Leaders is a program that provides paid summer internships and leadership training for high school juniors and seniors.

    https://about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/student-leaders

  14. Rustic Pathways

    Adventure seekers can explore the world through outdoor activities, cultural immersion, and service with Rustic Pathways.

    https://rusticpathways.com/

  15. University of Pennsylvania Pre-College Program

    High school students can experience the Ivy League with the University of Pennsylvania Pre-College Program, which offers courses in various subjects, including business, law, and medicine.

    https://www.sas.upenn.edu/summer/programs/high-school

  16. School of the New York Times

    With NYC as your home and classroom for the summer, budding journalists can learn from some of the world’s greatest writers and thinkers in this journalism and media summer program for high school students.

    https://nytedu.com/pre-college/

  17. New York University (NYU) Summer Programs for High School Students

    Experience academic life at NYU in one of the 50+ programs offered for middle and high school students in spring and summer across courses in various subjects, including art, business, and theatre.

    https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/high-school-and-middle-school-programs.html

  18. University of Chicago Summer Session

    High school students can immerse themselves in the UChicago academic experience by taking classes in various subjects, including economics, psychology, and physics.

    https://summer.uchicago.edu/pre-college-students

  19. NASA Internships and Fellowships

    High school students can contribute to agency projects, guided by a NASA mentor, by participating in summer internships and fellowships for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

    https://intern.nasa.gov/

  20. Smithsonian Student Travel

    Join Smithsonian Student Travel experts to experience the world through the Smithsonian lens.

    https://smithsonianstudenttravel.org/

  21. Emory Pre-College Program

    The Emory Pre-College Program offers courses for high school and pre-college students in various subjects, including business, medicine, and law.

    https://precollege.emory.edu/

  22. Boston University Summer Term

    High school students can earn college credit, discover new subject areas, and perform research at the Boston University Summer Term.

    https://www.bu.edu/summer/high-school-programs/

  23. University of Notre Dame Leadership Seminars

    University of Notre Dame provides a unique two-week program offering that focuses on leadership and ethics.

    https://precollege.nd.edu/leadership-seminars/

  24. Carnegie Mellon University Summer Pre-College Programs

    Take Carnegie Mellon courses as a high school student in various subjects, including computer science, engineering, and design.

    https://www.cmu.edu/pre-college/

  25. Summer Discovery

    Summer Discovery connects high school students to 300+ courses at 10+ prestigious universities and colleges in the US and UK with the goal of crafting a perfect program for every student.

    https://www.summerdiscovery.com/

best summer programs for high school students

Join a summer program for high school students

Plan to join one of these best summer programs for high school students, and tell us about your experience!

About Inspirit AI

AI Scholars Live Online is a 10 session (25-hour) program that exposes high school students to fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build a socially impactful project. Taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford, MIT, and more, students receive a personalized learning experience in small groups with a student-teacher ratio of 5:1.

Interested in learning how students can build impactful AI projects? Enter your email below for updates on program information, curriculum, & more!

   
Previous
Previous

What Should I Write My College Essay About?: 15 Tips and Strategies for Writing Your College Application Essay

Next
Next

How to Get Into Stanford: Tips for High School Students Applying to Stanford University