If you haven’t decided how to spend your summer, you may want to think about the possibility of participating in a summer program for high school students. These secondary school programs have worked to ensure one-of-a-kind experiences— from traveling abroad to online learning at Ivy League colleges.
Students will have the chance to explore new fields, make friendships with students from around the globe, and even earn college credit while in high school for the courses taken.
Summer Camps and Secondary School Programs for High School Students
No matter where you live or your interests, chances are that a program will be offered at a college near you. If summer programs interest you, you should act soon! Application deadlines come early in the year.Virtual Experience: American University High School Summer Scholars
This multi-week online program helps high school students pursue their interests in various topics. Each online course is one credit hour. Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a 3.0 GPA can choose one course from 14 subjects—Political Action and Public Policy to Oceanography.U.S. Advanced Cyber Academy
U.S. Advanced Cyber Academy is a new STEM program from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's newest STEM program. The program allows students (ages 15-18) to delve into the world of cyber technologies through blended hands-on experiences and challenges developed in cooperation with the FBI.Academic Connections at the University of California - San Diego
This three-week program helps prepare high-achieving high school students for success by allowing them to experience college-level academics. Students can immerse themselves in the study of a particular academic subject taught by graduate students and/or renowned faculty researchers within the field of study.American Collegiate Adventures
American Collegiate Adventures offers summer travel programs for high school students in the United States and abroad. The programs, which last one to five weeks, are detailed on their website.Academic Enrichment by Westcoast Connection
Westcoast Connection offers pre-college enrichment programs for high school students, which feature interactive courses, engaging instructors, and exciting day trips and excursions. With programs on the campuses of UCLA in Los Angeles, McGill in Montreal, Barcelona, and Florence, students can prepare for college and their future career paths in an inclusive learning and social environment. Upon completing summer courses, students will receive either a certificate of completion or college credit, available in select programs.Boston Leadership Institute
The Boston Leadership Institute is an award-winning summer STEM program for high-achieving teens. Students develop high-level research skills and subject matter expertise that strengthen credentials that are valuable for college admissions, interviews, and essays.Columbia College of Chicago – Summer at Columbia
This program offers college-level courses to students who have completed their sophomore, junior, or senior years of high school. Participants are interested in the fields of art, media, and communications. The courses transfer as electives to Columbia College of Chicago and other colleges or universities.Concordia Language Villages
Concordia Language Villages is a language and culture education program. An innovative approach, the program uses immersion techniques to teach language. Participants may choose from 15 world language programs.UConn Pre-College Summer
The UConn (University of Connecticut) Pre-College Summer allows rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors to live and learn at a nationally ranked public university campus through four challenging and intensive one-week sessions.Virtual: Cornell Summer College
Cornell Summer College offers three- and six-week pre-college programs for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Program participants can earn three to six college credits, work with world-renowned Cornell faculty, and experience college-level academics firsthand.Virtual/In-Person Experience: Early College Program Online Summer Institute - School of the Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has a summer online learning and in-person program in art and design. The program offers the opportunity to learn from faculty who also teach in their acclaimed undergraduate program.Earthwatch Institute – Teen Expeditions
The Earthwatch Institute, a nonprofit, has been running summer scientific research expeditions for high school students for almost 50 years. Students join academic researchers with an Earthwatch chaperone and 6 to 12 of their peers for 1-2 weeks to help collect data on everything from endangered sea turtles to climate change in the Arctic.Experience Christendom Summer Program
The Experience Christendom Summer Program (ECSP) attracts students from all over the country and various foreign countries. About 40-50 students attend the Front Royal, VA, campus for a week (Sunday through Saturday) and take part in academic, social, recreational, and spiritual activities led by current students as counselors.Harvard’s High School Programs
If you’re wondering what college is like, Harvard offers online programs for curious high school students. Harvard’s high school programs allow you to take real courses and earn college credit. Financial aid is available for qualifying students.Virtual/In-Person Opportunities: Immerse Education Programs
Immerse Education's summer programs offer in-person and online courses in various subjects throughout the United Kingdom and Australia. Students ages 11–18 from around the world learn at Cambridge, Oxford, London, and the University of Sydney campuses.Mathcamp
Mathcamp is an intensive, five-week “Virtual Mathcampus” in which students can explore various principles of mathematics. They learn about undergraduate and graduate-level topics while connecting with a diverse group of people who share a love of mathematics. Mathcamp is free to students with qualifying family incomes, and financial aid is also available.National Youth Science Camp
The National Youth Science Camp (NYSC) is an intense month-long camp for young scientists the summer after high school graduation. Students must demonstrate academic proficiency in mathematics or the sciences and have other documented leadership skills.Putney Pre-College Summer Programs
These pre-college summer programs have existed for several decades, so you know they provide a productive experience. Putney's pre-college programs are offered domestically, including at the Harvard and Colby College campuses. Their abroad camps occur in Oxford, Paris, Siena, Barcelona, and Tokyo.Virtual/In-Person Opportunities: New York Film Academy's Summer Film and Acting Camps
The in-person immersion workshops and online learning options range from four-week to full-year programs. Programs are designed to introduce students of all ages to the creative and technical demands of telling stories with moving images. Depending on their interests, students can write, direct, shoot, edit, and even star in short films.Summer Discovery Summer Study Programs
Summer Study Programs at various schools, such as Georgetown, UCLA, and Cambridge, combine academically challenging courses with the fun and excitement of campus and study abroad life. High school students can choose from various in-person and online programs, ranging from 2 to 6 weeks.Virtual/In-Person Experience: Summer Science Program (SSP)
For over fifty years, the Summer Science Program has enlightened selected high school students in advanced college-level astronomy, physics, calculus, and programming topics. In turn, students can develop intellectually while being challenged academically.Ross Summer: Summer Day and boarding
According to the site, Ross Summer is a “world-class program located in safe, idyllic East Hampton, New York." The summer program for students ages 12-16 includes a dynamic learning environment with athletic and recreational activities. This camp program starts on June 23 and ends on August 3.Virtual/In-Person Opportunities: Tufts Summer Study for High School Students
Tufts attracts top high school students who wish to pursue academic excellence while gaining a head start on their college careers. The programs offered to high school students include Coding 101, Studio Art, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, STEM, and more.Virtual Experience: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) – Launch Program
In the LAUNCH program for 9th and 10th-grade students, students will leverage state-of-the-art research and technology to solve current problems in various scientific fields alongside WPI’s renowned faculty. Students can step in the shoes of environmental scientists, lab chemists, computer scientists, and roboticists.Virtual Experience: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) – Frontiers Program
This online summer program is designed for high school students entering their junior and senior years. Program participants are challenged to explore the outer limits of their science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) knowledge with current laboratory techniques and explore unsolved problems across various disciplines.You Might Also Like
Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman is the Managing Editor and a writer at Fastweb. She has over 10 years of experience in higher education. Her direct work with college admissions teams, financial aid officers, college deans, ...
