Free Summer Programs for High School Students
EC Finder currently lists 345 free summer programs for high school students. Of these, 63 offer virtual participation and 335 list a specific application deadline. Examples include 2026 U.S. Innovator Challenge, 826 Valencia Young Authors' Workshop, and AAJA JCamp.
- 345
- listed
- 307
- free
- 63
- virtual
- 335
- with a listed deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are free summer programs for high school students?
- Free Summer Programs for High School Students are curated extracurricular listings for high school students. Each listing includes eligibility, cost, and deadline details where known, so you can compare options and find the right fit for your college application profile.
- When are the application deadlines?
- 335 of the 345 summer programs listed here have a specific deadline month noted. Deadlines vary by program, so check each listing for exact dates.
- Are these summer programs free?
- Yes, this page only shows free opportunities. EC Finder also lists both free and paid options if you want to compare.
- Can I participate virtually?
- Yes — 63 of the 345 summer programs listed here offer virtual or online participation.
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2026 U.S. Innovator Challenge
The U.S. Innovator Challenge is an invitation-only national innovation competition hosted by Innovation World where top K-12 inventors from across the United States present their inventions virtually, with winners advancing to a global innovation event.
826 Valencia Young Authors' Workshop
Free, intensive summer writing camp in San Francisco where high schoolers learn craft techniques from professional teaching artists.
AAJA JCamp
Free 6-day multicultural journalism camp for sophomores/juniors, fully covered.
Academy of Art University Pre-College Art & Design Experience (PCADE)
Free, college-level pre-college program in San Francisco where high schoolers study animation, game design, fashion, fine art, photography, and filmmaking.
ACS National Chemistry Olympiad Study Camp
Invitation-only training camp for top USNCO performers preparing for International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).
ACS Project SEED
Paid summer research internship in chemistry and biochemistry labs for economically disadvantaged students with a $4,000 stipend.
ACS Project SEED - Northern California Sites
National, highly structured chemistry internship placing low-income HS students into real chemistry labs; many placements in Bay Area universities and companies.
Adventist Health Central Valley Healthcare Pathway Program
A selective 4-week healthcare exposure program run by Adventist Health Central Valley in which a physician personally selects two small cohorts of high school students for hands-on exploration of healthcare careers and clinical environments.
AFA CyberCamps
Summer cybersecurity camps run by the Air & Space Forces Association at sites nationwide. Standard and Advanced camps introduce networking, operating-system security, and hands-on defense skills, often used as an on-ramp to CyberPatriot.
AFRL Scholars Program
A paid eight-week summer research internship that places upper-level high schoolers directly with Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and engineers at sites across the U.S. to work on real research and technology projects.
Air Force Association CyberCamp
A free week-long residential summer camp for high schoolers hosted by the Air Force Association at partner universities nationwide (including the University of Pittsburgh), covering cyber hygiene and systems administration and culminating in a hands-on vulnerability-finding competition; a feeder program into CyberPatriot.
Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference
An all-expenses-paid week in Washington, D.C. for 51 high school juniors (one per state plus D.C.) who show promise in journalism, featuring newsroom visits and panels with working journalists; each Free Spirit Scholar also receives a $1,000 college scholarship.
ALA Girls Nation
American Legion Auxiliary program in which two graduating-senior delegates ("senators") from each state's Girls State program travel to Washington, D.C. for a seven-day mock legislature, writing and debating bills, campaigning for office, and visiting Capitol Hill and national landmarks; the 2026 session runs July 18-25.
ALA Girls State
A week-long leadership and civics program run by the American Legion Auxiliary in which rising senior girls build and operate a simulated city and state government.
Alonzo King LINES Ballet Summer Program
Ballet/contemporary dancers train intensively in technique and improvisation under company faculty and guest choreographers, culminating in a public showcase.
American Anthropological Association Virtual High School Internship
A four-week virtual spring internship run by the American Anthropological Association in which high school students research contemporary anthropological scholarship and adapt it into public-facing content for a 6th-12th grade audience, alongside a rotating secondary project focused on accessibility or public education.
American Cancer Society High School Cancer Research Program
A two-week virtual summer program (part of ACS's CICRT initiative) in which rising sophomores through seniors interested in cancer research or health professions complete case studies with the eCLOSE Institute, receive career-development support, and earn a $500 stipend.
American Legion Auxiliary CA Girls State
Female-identifying juniors sponsored by local Auxiliary units spend a week building and running a mock state government.
American Legion Boys Nation
One of the most selective civic-education programs in the country: two delegates chosen from each state's American Legion Boys State program (about 100 nationally from a pool of 20,000+ Boys State participants) travel to Washington, D.C. to serve a week as mock U.S. senators, drafting bills, holding committee hearings, and meeting elected officials.
American Legion Boys State
A week-long, sponsor-funded citizenship and government simulation where rising senior boys elect officials and run a mock state government to learn how democracy functions in practice.
American Legion CA Boys & Girls State (coed)
Coed week-long simulation of CA state government at Sacramento State; students campaign, legislate, and run mock judicial/executive branches.
Aquarium of the Pacific VolunTEEN Program
Selective teen volunteer program training in marine science/public speaking, Long Beach.
Art for All Teen Program – UC Santa Cruz Institute of the Arts and Sciences
Art for All is a five-week summer program in Santa Cruz where rising juniors and seniors explore socially engaged art, visit museums and murals from Santa Cruz to San Francisco, and learn about arts careers through hands-on projects and mentorship; participants receive community-service hours or a small stipend.
Audubon Youth Leaders (California)
Paid internship where CA high schoolers develop leadership skills, do hands-on native-habitat restoration, and complete a youth-led conservation action project at an Audubon center.
Bank of America Student Leaders
Juniors/seniors work a paid 6-8 week summer internship at a local nonprofit, then attend a Leadership Summit in Washington, DC alongside Bank of America leaders.
Bar Association of San Francisco Law Academy
Yearlong legal curriculum leading into a paid six-week summer internship at law firms/public interest orgs.
BAVC Media Youth & Emerging Media Makers (Climate Warriors)
San Francisco Bay Area filmmaking/media-arts intensive where high schoolers create social-impact media projects, including a climate-justice documentary program.
Bay Area Cyber League Summer CyberCamps
Low/no-cost, in-person cybersecurity bootcamps (Intro, Intermediate, Advanced) hosted at Bay Area community colleges in June–July 2025. Topics include cyber hygiene, ethical hacking, cryptography, digital/network forensics, web security, and Linux fundamentals.
Baylor College of Medicine SMS Summer Research Program
An eight-week Houston-based lab internship for students who completed Baylor's Saturday Morning Science program, giving them full-time mentored research experience in an active BCM laboratory plus weekly professional-development sessions.
Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (BAIR) High School Summer Program
Free 1-week program at UC Berkeley covering machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, and AI ethics. Mentored by Berkeley graduate students.
Berkeley Lab Experiences in Research (EinR)
Research placements at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab with many projects involving modeling, computation, and data analysis in scientific contexts.
BizWorld Young Entrepreneur Success (YES!) Program
A free 10-12 week mentorship program from BizWorld for young entrepreneurs ages 16-22 with an early-stage business idea or venture. Participants receive one-on-one mentorship from industry professionals, networking opportunities, and access to funding resources; past cohorts have generated over $3 million in combined revenue.
Brain Camp @ UCSF)
A 1-week immersive camp run by UCSF medical students. Curriculum is 100% neuro: sheep brain dissection, cranial nerve exams, and neuropathology.
Broad Summer Scholars Program
A highly selective, tuition-free six-week Broad Institute program pairing Boston-area rising seniors with genomics scientists to conduct original research in areas like cancer biology, computational biology, and infectious disease.
Brookhaven National Laboratory High School Research Program (HSRP)
A competitive six-week commuter research program at Brookhaven National Lab where students who have completed 11th grade work directly with scientific and engineering staff on real DOE-mission research projects.
Buck Institute for Research on Aging (Summer Scholars)
Located in Novato. Research focuses on molecular biology of aging. Projects involve significant genetics work (CRISPR, gene expression).
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium High School Summer Docent Program
Selective summer docent training for students entering grades 10-12 at the City of Los Angeles's Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro. Trainees learn Southern California marine life and then create educational projects and lead guided tours, camp classes, and aquarium experiences for the public.
CAL FIRE Camp Cinder
CAL FIRE's free four-day, three-night residential camp for girls ages 15-17 exploring firefighting careers. Led by women firefighters, campers train in hose work, vehicle extrication, water rescue, wildland line-cutting, and leadership, at camps in Redding and San Luis Obispo.
Cal Poly Pomona GenCyber Summer Camp
A free week-long residential camp funded by NSA's GenCyber program. Held each summer at Cal Poly Pomona, it introduces cybersecurity basics including operating systems, network security, forensics, and hands-on cyber labs for high school students and teachers.
CalArts Community Arts Partnership Summer Arts (CAPSA)
A free four-week summer arts program in Los Angeles County run by CalArts faculty, alumni, and students, offering high schoolers tuition-free instruction across the disciplines taught at CalArts.
California Academy of Sciences Careers in Science (CiS) Intern Program
Paid multi-year internship for SF students conducting fieldwork with Academy scientists.
California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA)
Month-long residential intensive across 8 arts disciplines; admitted students earn "California Arts Scholar" status and Governor's Medallion; some win Herb Alpert Foundation scholarships.
California Youth Leadership Forum (YLF)
A free, week-long residential leadership program in Sacramento for California high schoolers with disabilities. Delegates take part in workshops, mock legislative sessions, and guest speakers covering self-advocacy, postsecondary education, career readiness, and public policy.
Californians for Justice - Oakland Youth Organizing
A grassroots youth-power organization training Oakland high schoolers (with focus on LGBTQ, foster, low-income, and immigrant youth) as community organizers, through weekly meetings, a five-week Summer Youth Leadership Academy, a fall Leadership Bootcamp, and a statewide spring retreat.
Caltech Earthquake Fellows
A selective Caltech Seismological Laboratory program pairing Pasadena/Alhambra-area 10th and 11th graders with earthquake scientists for roughly 130 hours across spring Saturdays and a summer weekday block. Fellows build their own Raspberry Shake seismometer, analyze real earthquake data, take field trips, and present findings at a culminating event.
Caltech Summer Research Connection (ZTF track)
6-week research placement for Pasadena USD students analyzing real Caltech telescope survey data.
Caltech YESS (Young Engineering and Science Scholars)
Intensive 6-week summer program for underrepresented students in STEM; includes physics research and mentorship.
Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars
Fully-funded 4-week residential program combining classroom AI, faculty research, industry engagement.
CERN High School Student Programme
3-week summer internship at CERN (Geneva) for students 16+; work with particle physicists on cutting-edge experiments.
CFI Education Young Curators Program (Mill Valley Film Festival)
A free, four-week online program for grades 9-12 held on Fridays in July, where students watch short films from around the world, engage in critical discussion, and collaborate as a jury to curate the youth-produced shorts program presented at the Mill Valley Film Festival.
CHOP Neurology High School Scholars Program
A paid five-week internship at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia pairing sophomores through seniors with a neurologist or neuroscientist mentor for a research project, clinical shadowing, and a final poster presentation. Program is paused for 2026, set to resume July 2027.
CIRM SPARK Program
Statewide, paid six-week California stem cell and regenerative medicine research internship for high schoolers, run at eleven partner institutions across CA.
CLYLP Bay Area Institute (California Latino Youth Leadership Program)
Three‑day civic‑leadership and public‑policy institute for Latino high school students from the Bay Area focused on higher education access and California policymaking; includes workshops, speakers, and policy simulations.
Code@TACC Cybersecurity AI
A free, residential week-long summer camp at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (UT Austin) for rising 11th and 12th graders, exploring online safety, networking, mobile security, cryptography, cloud computing, and cyber ethics.
Colonial Williamsburg Public Archaeology Institute
A free, highly selective one-week summer program (two sessions, 10 students each) for students entering grades 9-12, working alongside Colonial Williamsburg archaeologists excavating Custis Square, learning artifact identification, site recording, and interpretation, and concluding with a guided public site tour.
Colorado Youth Corps Association Conservation Crews
Statewide coalition of eight accredited youth conservation corps that hire and train Colorado teens (ages 14+) for paid summer and year-round crews doing trail building, habitat restoration, and wildfire mitigation work.
Columbia Political Review High School Essay Contest
Annual essay contest hosted by Columbia University's undergraduate political journal. Prompts focus on contemporary political issues and public policy; winning essays may be published in the Columbia Political Review.
Columbia Zuckerman Institute BRAINYAC
Places NYC high schoolers in Columbia neuroscience labs to work one-on-one with scientist mentors on ongoing research, entered via partner-organization nomination.
Constituting America – "We the Future" Contest (Civics & Constitution)
National contest on U.S. constitutional principles with categories like essays, PSAs, short films, and songs about founding documents and civic values. Very political/civics-oriented.
Coriell Institute Summer Experience for High School Students
A paid four-week internship in Camden, NJ where high schoolers rotate through Coriell Institute's biobanking, stem cell, and molecular biology labs, learning techniques like karyotyping and DNA extraction before presenting their work.
Coro Northern California – Exploring Leadership
Transformative 6‑week summer civic leadership fellowship in San Francisco with leadership training, an internship placement at a nonprofit, business, or government agency, and a community action project; Fellows receive a stipend and work on real community issues.
CreaTV San Jose Summer Documentary Institute
A five-week documentary filmmaking and leadership program at CreaTV San Jose, run in partnership with San Jose Works, where teens ages 13-18 research community topics in small groups and produce 5-7 minute mini-documentaries screened publicly at CreaTV.
CS@Mines High School Summer Internship & Programming Project
Colorado School of Mines hosts high school students for summer computer science research internships (scholarship-funded at $20/hour for selected applicants, with topics including AI, robotics, cybersecurity) and a 5-week virtual computer programming project program ($200) where students build a CS project in teams. Priority application deadline April 10.
CSHL DNA Learning Center STARS STEM Program
Full-scholarship, two-week summer molecular biology and bioinformatics research experience for grades 10-12 at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's DNA Learning Center.
CSUSB GenCyber Summer Camp
A free, residential GenCyber summer camp at California State University, San Bernardino. 60 high school students spend one week on campus studying cybersecurity and AI through labs and mentoring. Includes college prep and dual-enrollment cybersecurity course.
CU Anschutz Department of Pediatrics Summer Research
Summer research opportunity for high school seniors (must be 18+ at start of program) at Children's Hospital Colorado and the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, working in faculty labs on developmental biology and pediatric medicine projects. Application typically due February 1.
Data Science Institute Summer Lab (University of Chicago)
A paid eight-week summer research program in which Chicago-area high school students are paired with a UChicago Data Science Institute mentor to conduct applied data-science research across domains such as public policy, climate, and biomedicine.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science – Teen Science Scholars
Selective paid internship that places 20 high schoolers from underserved or underrepresented backgrounds into the Museum's Science Division each year, doing real scientific work alongside Museum scientists and exploring museum and STEM careers. Includes a stipend of about $1,800 per session plus professional development in public speaking and college planning.
Diablo Ballet Summer Intensive
Intermediate/advanced ballet students train daily in technique, pointe, variations, and contemporary styles over a 4-week audition-based intensive.
Dickinson College Commentaries High School Online Internship
A six-week unpaid virtual internship for rising high school juniors and seniors who have completed Latin 3, contributing to the Dickinson College Commentaries website by editing vocabulary and notes, adding media, and creating content for classical Latin and Greek texts (Catullus, Vergil, Augustine, and others) alongside professional classicists.
Discover Actuarial Science (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
A free three-day residential program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for high school sophomores and juniors with strong math skills, in which student teams solve a real-world business problem using actuarial methods and meet practicing actuaries at their workplaces.
Duke Cell Biology Academy (CeBA)
Paid 6-week summer research program for Research Triangle-area high schoolers to conduct mentored cell and molecular biology research in Duke University labs.
Duke Clinical Research Institute STAR Program
A summer program at the Duke Clinical Research Institute that exposes high school and college students to clinical research methods and the operations behind large-scale medical studies.
Duke University Neuroscience Experience (DUNE)
A full-time paid summer neuroscience research internship at Duke University for Durham-area sophomores and juniors, pairing students with faculty mentors in active Duke neuroscience labs plus professional-development workshops.
Earthwatch Girls in Science
A 7-day Earthwatch field research expedition for high school girls from underserved schools and communities, led by female scientists to build mentorship connections and interest in STEM and conservation careers.
Earthwatch Ignite
Earthwatch program offering 12-14 day field research expeditions across the U.S. that pair high school students from underserved schools and communities with practicing scientists on live conservation research projects.
Earthwatch Teen Expeditions (Ignite Fellowship)
Fully-funded field research expeditions run by the nonprofit Earthwatch Institute that place high schoolers alongside professional scientists studying conservation topics like wildlife, climate, and habitat protection.
EDIT AI Summer Internship Program
A hybrid computational research internship where high school students with prior machine learning exposure use Python and AI/ML techniques to analyze biomedical data such as pathology images and genomic sequences, mentored by researchers at partner sites including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Emory Pre-College Neuroscience Program
A two-week program on the science of the brain, memory/cognition techniques, neurological disease, prosthetics, and brain-machine topics.
Enterprise for Youth: Paid Internship Program
A San Francisco nonprofit's paid internship placement program for high school juniors and seniors, offering roles across industries such as tech, retail, healthcare, and small business. Interns complete 75 hours (about 12 hours/week) with weekly professional development workshops and job coach support.
Explorations in Neuroscience Summer Camp – Ohio State University
A week-long day camp at Ohio State University College of Medicine for high school juniors and seniors interested in the brain and spinal cord, featuring hands-on lab sessions, clinical presentations, and faculty research discussions.
Exploratorium – High School Explainer: PACE Program
The Exploratorium's High School Explainer: PACE Program is a paid museum internship where 17-21-year-olds facilitate exhibits, perform demonstrations, assist visitors, and support the core Explainer program, gaining deep exposure to science communication and museum careers.
Family House Summer High School Volunteer Program
Summer volunteer program serving families of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital patients, helping with activities and support for families staying at Family House.
Farm Bureau Foundation Gold Cup Award (Sonoma County Fair)
An annual award from the Farm Bureau Foundation of Sonoma County given to a graduating 4-H or FFA member who exhibited at the Sonoma County Fair, based on a mock job-interview competition judging leadership, citizenship, project work, and academic achievement. The winner receives a $2,500 scholarship and their 4-H club or FFA chapter receives an additional $500.
Fermilab Friends Summer Internship
Summer research internship at Fermilab for students interested in particle physics and accelerator science.
Fire Hacks 2026
A free one-day in-person hackathon for high school students hosted by nonprofit CodeStarters at Zoho HQ in Pleasanton, CA, featuring a dedicated AI Track where students build AI apps, agents, and copilots with mentor support.
Foundation for Teaching Economics – Advanced Economics for Leaders
Week-long residential program for students who've completed HS/AP economics, covering college-level micro/macroeconomic theory alongside leadership development.
Foundation for Teaching Economics – Economics for Leaders
Selective residential/live-online summer program where sophomores/juniors learn to integrate economic reasoning into leadership decisions using FTE's Five Economic Reasoning Principles.
Foundation for Teaching Economics – Entrepreneurship in the Global Economy
Week-long FTE summer program where students explore how economic systems support innovation, developing their own business idea, pitch, and funding plan.
Fox Chase Cancer Center Immersion Science Program
Free Philadelphia-based laboratory training program for high schoolers 16+, including a hands-on molecular biology training lab and an advanced Summer Fellows research track.
Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
A paid eight-week Seattle-based cancer research internship for 11th-12th graders with little to no prior research experience, opening with two weeks of lab-technique training before mentored work in a Fred Hutch research group.
Galileo Camps – Summer Staff (Counselor/Instructor)
Galileo is a Bay Area-based summer camp network; high-school juniors and seniors can work or intern on staff supporting art, design, and STEM camp sessions, building leadership and classroom-management skills while earning pay.
Garcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces - Summer Research
7-week paid research at Stony Brook University; polymer physics and materials science projects for HS students.
GenCyber Camps
NSA- and NSF-funded free, one-week cybersecurity camps hosted at universities across the country covering internet safety, cryptography, ethics, network scanning, and core security principles. No prior experience required.
GenCyber Forensics Camp – Norwich University
A free week-long GenCyber pre-college program at Norwich University for rising sophomores through seniors, using gaming, modeling, and simulation to teach digital forensics tools while students build and keep a mini computer.
GenCyber Summer Camp – Baylor University
A free five-day cybersecurity summer camp for students completing grades 8-12, hosted by Baylor University and McLennan Community College in Waco, TX, featuring hands-on exercises, industry speakers, and a closing team competition.
GenCyber Summer Camp – Illinois State University
A free, NSA/NSF-funded residential summer camp at Illinois State University where high schoolers entering grades 9-12 learn cybersecurity fundamentals and IoT security through hands-on labs while experiencing college life.
GenCyber Summer Camp – Purdue University Northwest
A free, five-day NSA/NSF-funded GenCyber camp for high schoolers at Purdue University Northwest covering cybersecurity awareness, network security, cryptography, ethical hacking labs, and cyber forensics.
GenCyber Summer Camp – University of West Florida
A free five-day GenCyber camp at the University of West Florida for rising 7th-12th graders (age 13+), introducing cybersecurity first principles, Linux fundamentals, and career pathways through hands-on activities.
GenCyber Summer Camp (Rochester Institute of Technology)
A free, NSA-funded GenCyber day camp at RIT for rising 8th-12th graders covering cyber ethics, online safety, and cybersecurity defense fundamentals, with a dedicated GenCyber for Girls session alongside the co-ed session.
GenCyber Summer Camps (Northern California locations)
NSA/NSF-funded free camps at various NorCal colleges (SJSU, Sacramento State, Cabrillo). Topics: ethical hacking, digital forensics, cryptography, cyber hygiene.
GeneLab for High Schools (NASA Ames)
Summer program at NASA Ames analyzing spaceflight genomics data with a capstone symposium competition.
Generation Human Rights (GenHR) Student Internship
A remote internship with the nonprofit Generation Human Rights in which high school and university students help develop human rights education curricula, conduct research, and support organizational projects.
Genetics Immersion Program (University of Michigan)
A free six-week summer research program in which high schoolers are paired with a Ph.D. or postdoctoral mentor in the University of Michigan Department of Human Genetics to design and run an original genetics research project, with a stipend, free transportation, and daily meals provided.
GetSET (SWE Santa Clara Valley)
A four-year outreach program of the Santa Clara Valley Society of Women Engineers in which 25 incoming high school freshmen are selected annually to attend an intensive week-long summer program with over 50 hands-on engineering and science workshops led by volunteer women engineers, returning each summer through senior year.
Getty Museum Teen Gallery Guides
Paid interns learn to research and lead gallery talks/tours at the Getty Center/Villa, building public speaking and art-history skills with museum professionals.
Gilder Lehrman History School
A free summer program offering live, interactive history courses taught by Gilder Lehrman master teachers, with a track for high school students in grades 9-12 alongside elementary and middle school levels.
Girls Inc. of Alameda County Eureka Program
A multi-year STEM, sports, and leadership pipeline for girls from under-resourced East Bay communities, combining a summer intensive with school-year programming to build confidence in math and science through hands-on activities and near-peer mentors.
Girls Inc. of Metro Denver – Summer Internship Program
Career exploration and workforce development program for Denver-area high school girls, placing them with employers across healthcare, business, technology, nonprofit, and government sectors, plus professional development workshops, mentorship, and resume/interview prep. Runs early June through late July.
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program
Free 2-week program for rising 10th-12th grade girls to learn coding, robotics, and web design while building sisterhood and exploring tech careers.
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program (Physics/Comp Focus)
2-week free program introducing coding and computational physics concepts to young women.
GRIPS at Stanford
GRIPS is a roughly 8-week research-intensive program placing HS students in Stanford labs; similar rigor to SIP/SIMR.
HEAL Internship Program (Alameda Health System HealthPATH)
A clinical-rotation workforce internship for Oakland high schoolers at Alameda Health System's Highland Hospital, exposing students to fields like emergency medicine, pediatrics, and nursing, with elective school credit and a stipend or scholarship for successful completers via the OUSD partnership.
Heal the Bay – MPA Watch Internship
Ten-week summer internship at Heal the Bay's Science, Policy, and Outreach Department in Santa Monica, California. Interns conduct field surveys at Marine Protected Areas, contribute to coastal conservation research, and gain experience in environmental social science and policy. Unpaid with a transportation stipend; runs early June through early August.
Hiller Aviation Museum Aviation Camp Teen Volunteer Program
A free volunteer role at the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos where teens age 13+ help run weekly aviation summer camps for younger kids, gaining aviation and STEM knowledge, public-facing experience, and community service hours.
HOBY California – Northern California Leadership Seminar
HS sophomores attend a multi-day leadership seminar on ethical leadership, civic responsibility, and service.
Hoover Institution Student Fellowship
Selective fellowship at Stanford's Hoover Institution where students work with scholars on economic policy research projects.
Hoover Institution Summer Policy Boot Camp
Intensive 4-day residential program at Stanford for college students and recent graduates focusing on U.S. policy, economics, and governance taught by Hoover fellows, with free meals and housing.
HudsonAlpha Biotech Academy
A four-week summer program for teacher-nominated high schoolers focused on genetics, genomics, and biotechnology.
Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
An eight-week paid summer mentorship sponsored by the American Fisheries Society that pairs high school students with local fisheries professionals for hands-on aquatic and fisheries science fieldwork.
iCLEM (Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology)
6-8 week paid biotech internship in Emeryville labs, heavy wet-lab work (chemistry + microbiology + biofuels); very selective and supports low-income students.
International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL)
Global olympiad in linguistics and language puzzles; you reach it by performing well in your country's qualifying contest (e.g., NACLO for US/Canada).
International Physics Olympiad (IPhO)
Invitation-only global competition for top national teams; experimental and theoretical exams.
International Psychology Olympiad (IPsyO)
A global competition in which high school students demonstrate psychology knowledge and research skills through a qualification test, a reading-based exam module, and a team-based research proposal presentation. Students from around 80 countries, including the US, have participated since its 2021 founding.
International Youth Neuroscience Association (IYNA) Ideaathon
Virtual competition where teams propose a solution to a neurological problem (e.g., "Design a better treatment for epilepsy").
Iowa Lyceum
Free week-long virtual philosophy camp from the University of Iowa.
Jane Street Academy of Math and Programming (AMP)
A free, five-week in-person summer program in New York City for graduating high school seniors who have experienced barriers to advanced STEM education, covering number theory, combinatorics, algorithms, Python programming, data analysis, and game theory, with all costs covered plus a $5,000 scholarship.
JBEI iCLEM (Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology)
Held at the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville. Focuses on synthetic biology and microbial genetics. Paid stipend provided.
JBEI iCLEM Program (Berkeley Lab)
Paid summer microbiology/biotechnology intensive for underrepresented students featuring hands-on biofuels research with a $3,000 stipend.
Jefferson Lab High School Summer Honors Program
A paid six-week research internship at Jefferson Lab where local high schoolers conduct mentored physics and engineering research alongside lab scientists.
John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize
Analytical essay contest with prompts in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law; judged for argumentation and writing quality.
Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science (JHIBS)
An eight-week Johns Hopkins summer internship placing high schoolers in neuroscience labs to work on projects related to brain imaging and neurological disease under faculty and postdoc mentorship.
Johns Hopkins Summer Academic Research Experience (SARE)
An eight-week paid biomedical research internship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine designed for high schoolers from low-income and under-resourced backgrounds, combining lab research with coursework in scientific writing, data analysis, and bioethics.
Juniper Institute for Young Writers (UMass Amherst)
A residential and online summer creative-writing program at UMass Amherst for motivated high schoolers, offering experimentation across genres in a pre-college setting.
Just The Beginning Summer Legal Institute (SLI)
Free week-long legal immersion for underrepresented students, with courthouse visits and attorney/judge panels.
K12 Photography Competition
A free national photography competition open to all U.S. students in grades PreK-12 (no enrollment at a K12-powered school required), judged on creativity, technique, composition, and storytelling, with cash prizes awarded in four grade bands including 9-12.
Kaiser Permanente KP LAUNCH
Paid summer internship. You must apply to the "Laboratory" or "Research" tracks to get exposure to medical genetics/pathology.
KALW Teen Podcasting Institute
KALW public radio's Teen Podcasting Institute is a paid summer fellowship where San Francisco Bay Area high school students learn reporting, interviewing, scriptwriting, and audio production to create episodes of 'tbh: by, about, and for teenagers,' a podcast broadcast on KALW. Fellows attend in-person workshops at KALW's San Francisco studio four days a week over six weeks and receive a stipend.
Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad
State Department merit scholarship sending U.S. high schoolers for a full academic year to live with a host family and attend school in a country with a significant Muslim population, building language skills and cross-cultural understanding.
Kode With Klossy
Free 2-week coding camps for young women and gender-expansive youth teaching web development, mobile app development, and data science.
Lamar University ChemE Summer Camp
Free week-long day camp introducing students who've completed chemistry and Algebra II to chemical engineering through labs, plant tours, and the ChemE Car competition.
Lawrence Berkeley Lab - Experiences in Research (EinR)
A 6-week paid summer internship at Berkeley Lab where students work on cutting-edge STEM projects alongside expert mentors, earning $500/week.
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab - Experiences in Research (EinR)
6-week, selective internship placing students in LBNL research groups (chemistry, materials, energy, etc.) with a weekly stipend.
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab High School Internship
Paid summer research internship at Berkeley Lab. CS students work on data analysis, machine learning for scientific computing, and visualization.
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab: Experiences in Research
Paid 6-week internship for Northern CA students on data science/computational research.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - High School Internship
Summer research internship at Berkeley Lab; projects in physics, materials science, and computation.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - Biotech Summer Experience
Two-week intensive biotech/experimental biology program with substantial lab work and molecular techniques, drawing on chemistry fundamentals.
Leadership in Civic Engagement – Monterey County Elections High School Summer Internship
Week-long summer internship at the Monterey County Elections Department. Students receive professional training, learn about election administration and civic engagement, and design youth outreach activities.
LegiSchool Civics Virtual Institute (Sacramento State & California State Legislature)
Four-week online summer institute for California high school students exploring state policy issues and the three branches of government. Includes discussions with officials, research on CA policy, and professional skills workshops; students receive a stipend upon completion.
LINC Summer High School Program — SEJI (Science & Environmental Justice Intensive)
3-week intensive where SF Bay Area teens study environmental justice and climate science at a Marin County field station and in San Francisco, earning a completion stipend.
LINC Summer High School Program — SOL (Summer of Outdoor Leadership)
6-week paid summer program where Bay Area teens build outdoor leadership and environmental education skills across Golden Gate National Parks sites.
LINC Summer High School Program (Parks Conservancy)
Environmental stewardship program with conservation service projects in Bay Area parks.
Living History Youth Summer Institute
Paid six-week Philadelphia program at the Museum of the American Revolution where high schoolers train in costumed historical interpretation.
LLNL Biotech Summer Experience
A 2-week intensive at Lawrence Livermore National Lab. You will sequence gene fragments from Landoltia punctata (duckweed) and publish data to GenBank.
LLNL Biotechnology Summer Experience
A free two-week program engaging students in an authentic molecular-biology/bioinformatics research project isolating, characterizing, and sequencing duckweed genes.
LLNL Manufacturing Workshop
A free, three-day hands-on workshop at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where students 16 and older learn 3D printing and computer-aided design, explore manufacturing and machining career pathways, and meet LLNL machinists and engineers.
LLNL SAGE (Science Accelerating Growth & Engagement)
A free, one-week day camp at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where Northern California high schoolers do hands-on STEM projects and meet LLNL scientists and engineers.
Local Summer Archaeological Field School (Foothill College)
Free 10-day field school teaching survey/excavation at Clear Lake, CA sites.
Lockheed Martin High School Internship Program
A paid 9+ week summer internship at Lockheed Martin Space's Sunnyvale, CA facility where students at least 16 years old work alongside aerospace scientists and engineers on real projects, plus mentoring, professional development workshops, and facility tours; applications open November through early January.
MACLA Teen Tech Center
Free San Jose program blending media arts (stop-motion animation, filmmaking, photography, illustration) with teamwork-based creative projects for teens.
Marin Shakespeare Company Teen Camp/Touring Company
Teen actors attend a conservatory-style summer intensive culminating in a fully produced Shakespeare play, or tour a Shakespeare production to schools/community venues.
Marine Science Careers + Internship Academy
Weeklong (and multi-week) academy where teens explore intertidal ecology, animal husbandry, lab investigations, and shipboard research aboard Ocean Institute vessels.
Mayo Clinic HERO (Healthcare Experience and Research in Oncology)
A two-week virtual Mayo Clinic program where Midwest high school students collaborate with peers on a genetics-based cancer research project and a patient case study to explore oncology and clinical care.
McCombs DYNAMC (Discover Yourself In Accounting Majors and Careers)
A free, week-long summer program at UT Austin's McCombs School of Business, supported by Ernst & Young, that introduces high school sophomores and juniors to accounting careers through faculty instruction, case competitions, mentorship, and campus life, with all costs covered.
McCombs Future Executive Academy (MFEA)
A free, six-day summer program at UT Austin's McCombs School of Business for high school sophomores and juniors interested in business and leadership, featuring interactive workshops, case competitions, and mentorship from current McCombs student leaders, with all costs covered.
MEET Kelley (Indiana University)
A free pre-college program at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business for rising high school seniors from underrepresented backgrounds, combining business instruction, campus activities, and a professional case competition, with tuition, housing, and food fully covered and travel scholarships available.
MGH Youth Neurology Education and Research Program (YNERP)
A paid summer research internship at Massachusetts General Hospital's Department of Neurology, pairing high schoolers with neurologist mentors on projects in brain imaging, cognitive neuroscience, and neurological disorders. Open only to students living or studying in Massachusetts.
MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute – Quantum Software
A rigorous MIT program combining an online prerequisite course with a four-week in-person summer session where students implement real quantum algorithms in Qiskit.
MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute – Serious Games Development with AI
A selective four-week in-person MIT summer program (following an online prerequisite) where high school students with Python proficiency build an AI-driven disease-outbreak simulation game, learning software development practices, UI design, and AI's role in game mechanics.
MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Prestigious 4-week STEM program at MIT with courses in AI, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, and quantum computing. Requires online prerequisite courses.
MIT BWSI (Beaver Works Summer Institute) - Autonomous Systems
4-week residential program at MIT; combines physics (sensors, dynamics) with coding for autonomous systems.
MIT MITES Summer
Free, six-week residential STEM program at MIT for rising high school seniors (11th graders) from underrepresented or underserved backgrounds. Students take rigorous math, science, and humanities courses, complete a project, and live in MIT dorms. Highly selective; all costs covered.
MIT Research Science Institute (RSI)
Extremely selective 6-week residential research program; many students do physics/astrophysics projects with mentors.
MIT Women's Technology Program (WTP)
A free four-week summer program at MIT that introduces rising senior girls with strong math/science backgrounds but little prior exposure to engineering, through hands-on classes and projects in either EECS or mechanical engineering.
Morristown Festival of Books Teen Writing Contest
Festival‑associated contest celebrating teen writing; winners are recognized at the Morristown Festival of Books.
MSK HOPP Summer Student Program
A highly selective eight-week paid lab internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for NYC-area high school juniors, where students conduct an independent, mentor-supported cancer research project in a translational oncology lab.
MTC Bay Area High School Internship Program
A paid summer internship placing Bay Area high schoolers with regional transportation, city planning, and public works agencies across nine counties, where students gain hands-on experience in transportation and urban planning and present a capstone project.
Museum of Tolerance MOTivating Teens Program
Six-week Los Angeles teen internship where students build public-speaking and dialogue-facilitation skills while learning Holocaust history and museum education.
NABA Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP)
A free, week-long residential summer program from the National Association of Black Accountants held on partner college campuses, in which high school students attend workshops on accounting, finance, and entrepreneurship, tour accounting firms, and receive year-round mentoring, with tuition, housing, and materials fully sponsored.
NABJ JSHOP (High School Journalism Workshop)
Free multi-day workshop at NABJ's annual convention city with professional mentors.
NAIOP-Drexel Summer Real Estate Program
A 10-day residential program on Drexel's campus, run with the NAIOP commercial real estate association, introducing first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented rising high school juniors and seniors to careers across commercial real estate including architecture, development, brokerage, construction, and finance, through case studies and site visits to firms like FMC and Comcast.
NASA Ames (Moffett Field) - OSTEM High School Internships
Competitive NASA internships in research areas including materials and atmospheric science, which are chemistry-heavy; located in Silicon Valley.
NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internships
Paid internships across NASA centers (incl. JPL, Ames in CA) on engineering/aerospace projects.
NASA SEES (STEM Enhancement in Earth Science)
A competitive NASA-affiliated internship hosted by UT Austin's Center for Space Research for high school sophomores and juniors, combining online coursework with a two-week on-site research experience analyzing NASA satellite and mission data.
NASA SEES (STEM Enhancement in Earth Science) Internship
Free virtual NASA internship where students use real NASA satellite data and computational tools to study Earth science phenomena.
National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)
Fully-funded U.S. State Department scholarship that sends high schoolers to study critical languages (Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian, Turkish, Indonesian) through immersive summer or academic-year programs abroad, or through a virtual option.
National Student Leadership Conference – Business & Entrepreneurship
9-day residential program where students run business simulations, build and pitch a startup to investors, and study industry analysis at university campuses including UC Berkeley.
National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYO-USA)
Carnegie Hall's free, highly selective summer orchestra program for musicians ages 16-19, who complete a multi-week residency with professional musicians and then perform on an international tour.
National Youth Science Camp
Free 3-week science camp in West Virginia; students selected as state delegates with all expenses covered.
NatureBridge Summer Teen Program (Yosemite)
Teens ages 15-18 backpack and camp in Yosemite National Park while studying ecology and building leadership skills through NatureBridge's environmental education curriculum.
NCAR Pre-College Internship Program (PRECIP)
Six-week summer internship at the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado where high school students work on real research projects in atmospheric, climate, and earth-system science with scientists, plus workshops on writing scientific abstracts. Out-of-area students must have a parent/guardian/chaperone with them for the duration.
NEURO-RocHS
A paid six-week neuroscience research program pairing Rochester high schoolers with University of Rochester Del Monte Institute lab mentors for hands-on research and career-pathway exposure. Currently limited to Rochester City School District partner schools.
New York Math Circle High School Summer Program
A three-week program of deep mathematical thinking and problem solving beyond the standard curriculum, including applied mini-camps and contest prep.
NextGen High School Internship Program (Emory Human Genetics)
A paid summer internship in Emory University's Department of Human Genetics for rising high school juniors and seniors age 16+, combining foundational lectures with lab and clinical rotations to expose students from diverse backgrounds to genetics and biomedical careers.
NFB Youth Slam
A nationwide, week-long residential STEM program from the National Federation of the Blind that empowers blind and low-vision high schoolers to explore science and engineering, build leadership skills, and connect with blind mentors and peers. The next Slam runs July 25-31, 2027.
NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)
A paid summer research internship placing graduating high school seniors and older students directly in NIH labs across the country, working alongside NIH scientists on biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research projects.
NIST Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Prestigious federal research internship where high school juniors/seniors near NIST's Boulder, CO or Gaithersburg, MD campuses conduct hands-on chemistry research.
Non-Trivial Research Fellows
An 8-week online summer research fellowship for students ages 14-20 to develop an original research or policy project on high-impact issues including AI safety, with $1,000 in project grants available and no program fees; one of the most selective teen programs by application volume.
Norman Mineta Bay Area High School Summer Academy (MTC / ABAG)
Paid regional program introducing Bay Area high school students to public sector careers in transportation, planning, and regional policy (e.g., housing, climate). Legally more "public policy / urban governance" than pure civics, but very political science adjacent.
North Carolina Governor's School
The nation's oldest statewide residential summer program for gifted and talented students, offering rising juniors and seniors intensive study across the arts alongside academic disciplines at no cost to families.
Notre Dame Engineering Exploration High School Summer Camps
Free week-long hands-on engineering camps, including a dedicated Robotics Camp, hosted by Notre Dame's Engineering Innovation Hub for local high schoolers entering grades 10-12.
NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth)
Fully-funded overseas summer and academic-year language immersion programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State for high school students to study critical languages (Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Persian, Russian, Turkish). Includes intensive language classes, cultural activities, and homestay experiences.
NYU Tandon CS4CS (Computer Science for Cyber Security)
A free 4-week summer program for rising 10th–11th graders. Students learn Python programming and cyber fundamentals including white-hat hacking, cryptography, steganography, and digital forensics through lectures and labs. Held on NYU campus in Brooklyn with college credit option.
Ocean Discovery Institute — Ocean Leaders Program
Free 4-year marine science pathway starting the summer before 9th grade, San Diego.
Ocean Heroes Bootcamp
Weekend bootcamp (in-person + virtual) where youth ages 11-18 design and launch their own ocean-plastic-pollution campaigns with mentorship and follow-on grant support.
Pathways to Health Careers Academy (Charles R. Drew University)
Year-long LA pipeline program starting with a 4-week summer academy plus community internship.
PBS News Student Reporting Labs Summer Academy
Free, all-expenses-paid week near D.C. reporting real community stories with PBS/WETA mentors.
Penn Summer Science Initiative (PSSI)
Free, four-week materials-science-and-chemistry research course at the University of Pennsylvania's NSF-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center.
PG&E Powering Scholars Program
An in-person day program at PG&E's Oakland headquarters where up to 40 students in grades 10-11 from Bay Area counties spend two weeks in hands-on energy explorations, field trips to local energy sites, and networking with PG&E professionals, earning a $500 stipend and an iPad upon completion.
Physics Olympiad Summer Training Camp (MOP equivalent for Physics)
Invitation-only training camp for top USAPhO performers; preparation for International Physics Olympiad team.
Placer County Criminal Justice Pathways Summer Workshop
A District Attorney's Office program that introduces Placer County high schoolers to the criminal justice system through presentations, tours of the Santucci Justice Center, and hands-on activities with prosecutors and investigators.
Political Science Internships for High School Students in California – Ladder Internships Guide
Article compiling 15 real political internships in California (e.g., USC Center for the Political Future, state legislative offices, local government programs). Many are exactly the kind of public policy placements you're looking for.
Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP)
Year-long fully-funded college-prep and journalism program for high school juniors from limited-income backgrounds, run out of Princeton's Emma Bloomberg Center. Includes a multi-week hybrid summer intensive (online plus about 10 days residential at Princeton in late July to early August), tours of the New York Times, Bloomberg, and Huffington Post, sports and arts coverage, and a published student newspaper. All costs (including travel, housing, meals, and equipment) covered.
Project Pull – San Francisco Paid Summer Government Internship
Paid summer internship for SF high school and college students in city departments. Many placements relate to public policy, community engagement, city planning, or legislative work.
Project SEED Summer Research Program (CS Track)
ACS-sponsored paid summer research program for economically disadvantaged students. Some labs focus on computational chemistry and bioinformatics.
Project TRUE (Wildlife Conservation Society / Fordham University)
A paid summer and fall urban ecology research internship at the Bronx Zoo where NYC high school sophomores and juniors conduct field research alongside Wildlife Conservation Society scientists and Fordham University students.
Reagan Foundation – Great American Leadership Program
Residential leadership program studying presidential leadership through workshops, crisis simulations, and Reagan Library access.
Redbird Risk Management Challenge
A free week-long residential program at Illinois State University's Katie School of Insurance and Risk Management where high school seniors form teams to manage a simulated corporation through risk scenarios, learning actuarial and risk-management fundamentals; next held in 2027.
Research Mentorship Program (RMP)
Six-week university-level summer research program pairing top HS students with UCSB faculty/grad mentors across disciplines, including environmental science and environmental policy.
Research Science Institute (RSI)
Free, fully-funded six-week MIT research program with mentors across all fields including cognitive/behavioral science.
Rice University Center for Environmental Studies Summer Program
A free, weeklong overnight residential program on Rice University's campus for Houston-area high schoolers, exploring environmental storytelling, climate justice, and contemporary environmental challenges through arts-based practice, faculty sessions, and field trips.
Richmond Art Center Summer Youth Art Cohorts
Free studio-based summer arts program in Richmond, CA pairing teen artists with professional teaching-artist mentors across media like zines, printmaking, and wearable art.
Rockefeller University Summer Neuroscience Program (SNP)
A free, two-week intensive neuroscience course for New York City public high school students, led by Rockefeller University graduate students, featuring interactive lectures, scientific paper analysis, original experiment design, brain dissection, and lab tours.
Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
An ultra-selective, tuition-free seven-week research program where NY/NJ/CT high school juniors and seniors join lab teams at Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell for hands-on biomedical research under scientist mentors.
Rocky Mountain Conservancy High School Leadership Corps
Eleven-day immersive outdoor experience in Rocky Mountain National Park for Colorado high school students. Half the time is spent on conservation and recreation field projects, the other half on personal and professional development with a focus on careers in public lands and conservation. Funded through Rocky Mountain National Park license-plate sales and the National Park Foundation.
Rosie the Riveter Trust Youth Education Programs (Rosie's Service Corps)
Richmond, CA nonprofit program using WWII home-front history to give underserved middle/high schoolers trade skills, career mentoring, and service experience.
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) – District 5150
Free multi-day leadership camp for Bay Area HS students (Marin, SF, San Mateo) on citizenship, ethics, and community leadership.
RSI - Research Science Institute (MIT)
One of the most selective global research programs; 6-week residential at MIT with original research in many fields including chemistry.
Sacramento County DA Criminal Justice Youth Shadow Day
A one-day job-shadowing event held by the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office where current or incoming Sacramento County high schoolers are paired with prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, investigators, and judges to see the criminal justice system firsthand.
SAGE Camp - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Science Accelerating Girls Engagement (SAGE) is a free, 1-week residential camp at LLNL for NorCal public high-school girls with rigorous STEM exposure.
SAGE Camp (Berkeley Lab/SLAC/LLNL)
Free 1-week STEM camps at National Labs exploring careers in science with hands-on projects and job shadowing.
Salk Institute Heithoff-Brody High School Summer Scholars
A prestigious, paid eight-week internship at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies where high schoolers work one-on-one with Salk scientists, including in neuroscience labs, on original research. Open to San Diego County residents.
San Diego Natural History Museum High School Internship
School-credit internship rotating through Paleontology, Entomology, and Botany departments.
San Mateo Medical Center Seasonal Teen Volunteer Program
Seasonal volunteer program at San Mateo Medical Center including wayfinding and clinic support, with summer and year-round options available.
Santa Clara University Summer Engineering Seminar (SES)
A free, five-day residential program at Santa Clara University's School of Engineering for current high school sophomores and juniors, with priority for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students, featuring workshops in bioengineering, civil/sustainable/environmental engineering, computer engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and mechanical engineering.
Scripps Research Alcohol Research Center – HS Mentorship Program
A neuroscience-focused mentorship program offering both a virtual Summer Journal Club and an in-person lab research track exploring how alcohol and drugs affect the brain.
Scripps Research Translational Institute – Student Research Internship
The Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) Student Research Internship is a voluntary 10-week summer research program for highly motivated high-school (16+), college, and professional-school students. Interns work with a multidisciplinary team on translational science in genomics, computational biology, and mobile/digital health, design an independent project with a mentor, and present their findings at institute research meetings.
Seattle Children's Research Institute Research Training Program
Free, paid four-week lab immersion for Seattle-area 10th/11th graders covering biochemistry, immunotherapy, gene editing, and infectious disease research.
Sewanee Young Writers' Conference (University of the South)
A highly selective two-week residential summer conference admitting a small fraction of applicants, with small workshops in fiction, poetry, songwriting, literary nonfiction, and fantasy.
SFFILM Youth Filmmaker Camp
Teens learn storyboarding, screenwriting, cinematography, sound, and post-production from pros, creating and screening a short film by camp's end.
SFMOMA Paid Summer Internships
Paid summer internships at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art across departments like education, curatorial, and design; some roles suitable for older teens close to graduation.
SFNOMA Project Pipeline
A free week-long architecture and design immersion for middle and high schoolers in San Francisco and Oakland, where students work in a studio with practicing architects to design a real project for a real site, tour buildings and firms, and present a final proposal.
SFUSD Summer Internships – Industry Partners
SFUSD's Summer Internships connect San Francisco high-school students with paid positions across career sectors (tech, health, arts, business, public sector) through partner organizations and city agencies.
Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors — Teen Peak Challenge
Urban teens take part in outdoor outings (hiking, backpacking, kayaking) designed to build environmental stewardship and self-reliance, culminating in a multi-day peak-climb challenge.
Simons Summer Research Program
A highly selective six-week residential research program at Stony Brook University pairing rising high school seniors with faculty mentors for hands-on original research in science, math, or engineering, culminating in a poster symposium.
Simons Summer Research Program (Stony Brook)
Free 7-week program pairing juniors with faculty mentors across science/engineering, including Physics & Astronomy.
Simply Neuroscience Synaptic Hacks
Annual hackathon focused on neurotechnology and computational neuroscience.
SIMR - Bioengineering Track
8-week paid internship. The Bioengineering/Bioinformatics track is heavy on computational modeling of biological data.
SJSU Cyber-AI Summer Camp
A free week-long summer program (July 21–25, 2025) at San José State University for Bay Area high schoolers. Students delve into cybersecurity and AI through hands-on labs and projects. Hosted by SJSU's cybersecurity and AI departments.
SJSU Cybersecurity Summer Camp
San José State University week-long camp covering Linux commands, network security, threat detection, and ethical hacking. Collaboration among SJSU engineering and information programs.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Summer Internship
Paid research internship at Stanford's SLAC for HS students interested in particle physics and accelerator science.
SMASH Academy
A three-year, tuition-free STEM college-prep program for high-potential students of color, girls, and first-generation youth. Combines a five-week summer intensive at a Bay Area (Oakland) campus with year-round academic support through high school graduation.
Smithsonian NMNH Summer High School Internship Program
A paid summer internship at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History where students ages 15-18 work 24 hours a week on museum projects, go behind the scenes, and explore both science and non-science museum careers.
SMUD High School Internship Program
A paid six-week summer internship with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District for juniors and seniors (2.5+ GPA) attending schools in SMUD's rotating service-area districts, offering placements including engineering alongside IT, vehicle mechanics, and other utility career tracks at 36 hours per week.
SPARC – Summer Program in Applied Rationality & Cognition
Free, highly selective Bay Area program in probability, decision theory, and quantitative reasoning for talented high schoolers interested in rationality and cognitive science.
SPICE – Summer Program in Computational Psychiatry Education
A free eight-week NYC program at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai introducing high schoolers, especially from underrepresented STEM backgrounds, to computational psychiatry and neuroscience research.
SRVEF Summer Imagineering – High School Mentor
The San Ramon Valley Education Foundation's Summer Imagineering Program hires high-school mentors to assist adult instructors in week-long STEM/STEAM classes for elementary and middle-school students. As a mentor, you help run hands-on projects in science, technology, engineering, art, and math, support small groups, and model problem-solving and teamwork. You must commit to one full week at a time (morning or afternoon session) during June or July, and you're interviewed and selected by the program manager. This is a strong local leadership and teaching EC that shows STEM outreach and community impact.
St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program
A paid eight-week summer research program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for Memphis-area rising seniors, who pair with a mentor on a lab, epidemiology, clinical, or data-science project related to childhood cancer.
Stanford AI4ALL
Free 2-week virtual AI program for rising 10th graders focused on increasing diversity in AI. Covers machine learning, ethics, and hands-on projects.
Stanford Applied Cyber Summer Workshops
Stanford's cybersecurity club hosts workshops covering practical skills in analyzing, exploiting, and defending computer systems. Open to Silicon Valley high school students.
Stanford Chemistry IFSS Summer Research
Intensive 8-week research program where high school students work in Stanford chemistry labs on cutting-edge research projects with graduate student mentors.
Stanford GRIPS (Genomics Research Internship Program)
The "Gold Standard" for high school genetics. You work in a lab for 8 weeks on computational genetics and genomics projects.
Stanford IFSS - Inspiring Future Scientists Through Shadowing (Dept. of Chemistry)
Two-week, intensive program shadowing Stanford chemistry researchers; includes lab tours, seminars, and small projects, considered quite rigorous for short duration.
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
8-week full-time biomedical/chem research internship with Stanford faculty; extremely competitive, strong track record for top colleges.
Stanford K-12 Programs – Quantitative/Data Components
Directory of multiple Stanford K-12 programs including summer research and internships with quantitative and data science components for high school students.
Stanford K-12 Programs with Quantitative Components
Directory of multiple Stanford K-12 programs including summer research and internships with quantitative and data science components for high school students.
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP)
5-week residential for low-income/first-gen students. Includes Neuroanatomy labs and hospital internships.
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes – Capital Markets and Investments
Two-week live-online Stanford course covering how capital markets function and how investors evaluate securities, combining lectures with applied problem sets.
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes – Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Two-week live-online Stanford course where students study how entrepreneurs identify opportunities and build business models, in intensive daily sessions.
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes (Topics in Psychology)
Online, non-credit course on methodological/theoretical foundations of psychology as part of Stanford's Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes.
Stanford SIMR - Neurobiology Track
You must select the "Neurobiology" institute on your application. This matches you with a faculty mentor for 8 weeks of hands-on research. Extremely competitive (<5% acceptance).
Stanford Young Investigators Program
Summer research program at Stanford where high school students work with faculty on economics and social science research projects.
STARS at Cold Spring Harbor
While based in NY, they offer virtual bioinformatics training where you use algorithms to analyze DNA sequences.
STARTALK
A National Security Agency-funded network of free or low-cost summer programs hosted at universities nationwide that teach critical-need languages such as Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and Korean to K-12 students.
STARTALK Chinese Immersion Program (Appalachian State University)
A free, NSA-funded STARTALK program for rising 9th-12th graders with little or no prior Chinese exposure, combining virtual pre- and post-camp activities with a three-week residential immersion in Chinese language and food culture at Appalachian State University.
STEM Stars Scholarship (The Actuarial Foundation)
A four-year, $20,000 scholarship and mentorship program from The Actuarial Foundation for high schoolers strong in math who are interested in the actuarial profession, including a free weeklong Summer Intensive Workshop, actuary mentorship, networking, internship/job-shadowing opportunities, and exam-prep resources continuing through college.
Student Conservation Association (SCA)
The largest provider of hands-on youth conservation programs in the U.S. High schoolers can join short-term summer conservation crews doing trail building, habitat restoration, and wildlife protection in national parks and community green spaces.
Student Leadership Academy – The National WWII Museum
A hybrid summer program combining online coursework with a six-day, behind-the-scenes visit to The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, open to current high school freshmen through seniors and fully scholarship-funded for accepted participants, with optional college credit.
Summer Academy of Actuarial and Mathematical Sciences (SAAMS) – Morgan State University
A free, four-week hybrid summer academy for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in mathematics, actuarial science, or computer science, combining virtual coursework with an on-campus residential final week, career development, and a stipend for participants.
SUMMET – Summer Mines Engineering and Training
Free residential program at Colorado School of Mines for rising high school seniors who are prospective first-generation college students, providing a college-life preview through engineering, science, and technology workshops on the Mines campus in Golden, Colorado.
Tar Teens Internship (La Brea Tar Pits / NHMLAC)
Tar Teens is a paid internship for high school juniors and seniors who live in or attend school in Boyle Heights or Hancock Park, run by the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County at La Brea Tar Pits. Interns develop and present an original paleoscience project to museum visitors while gaining hands-on exposure to fossil research, collections, and public science communication across a spring-into-summer program.
Team OCEAN – Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Volunteer kayak interpretive naturalist program that trains high schoolers and adults to educate paddlers about responsible wildlife viewing and marine protection along Cannery Row in Monterey and Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing. Requires a five-week spring training (evening seminars plus Saturday field sessions) before summer shifts begin.
Tech companies - High School Intern Programs
Companies like Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon offer select high school internship programs. Extremely competitive but provide real-world software engineering experience.
Teen Conservation Leaders
Service-learning program where teens train in marine biology/conservation topics, then rotate through guest engagement, animal care support, or engineering tracks as summer volunteers at the Aquarium.
TeenLife Political Science Summer Programs Directory
Directory listing dozens of political science and government summer programs (college-based, D.C.-based, etc.), including many the above and more. Good for discovering extra options if you want more than UCLA/NSLC/Cal Poly.
Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
Free, fully-funded summer humanities seminar for high school sophomores and juniors hosted by the Telluride Association. Two tracks: TASS-CBS (Critical Black Studies) and TASS-AOS (Anti-Oppressive Studies). About five weeks of intensive seminars with college instructors plus democratic community life. All tuition, books, room, board, and field trips covered.
Temecula Youth Entrepreneur Program (YEP)
Two-week summer program for Inland Southern California high schoolers to learn entrepreneurship fundamentals and develop a business concept.
Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts
A three-week tuition-free summer intensive for rising Tennessee juniors and seniors to develop pre-professional skills in music, ballet, theatre, filmmaking, or visual art.
The Bronfman Fellowship
A highly selective national fellowship for 26 intellectually curious Jewish 11th-graders each year, centered on pluralistic Jewish text study and cross-cultural dialogue with a parallel group of Israeli peers. Fellows attend a free immersive summer program in Israel and the U.S., then continue with monthly virtual sessions and winter/spring seminars through 12th grade.
The Jackson Laboratory (JAX)
Famous for mouse genetics. They occasionally offer virtual high school programs or remote bioinformatics internships.
The Nature Conservancy LEAF Program
Paid summer conservation internships for urban high school students, offering hands-on stewardship work and career exposure with The Nature Conservancy at sites across the country.
The Stock Market Game
National online investing simulation in which students manage a virtual $100,000 portfolio of stocks, bonds, and funds using real market data over a multi-week session.
Touro University California High School Summer Program
6-week hybrid program for Northern CA students exploring healthcare careers; earns college credit.
U.S. Air Force Academy Summer Seminar
Selective free week-long program at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs where high school juniors live in cadet dorms, eat at the cadet dining facility, tour academic and research labs, and participate in admissions and leadership workshops. 2026 sessions: June 2-6, June 8-12, June 15-19. Applications open December 1 and close January 15.
U.S. Cyber Challenge (Cyber Quests & Camps)
A national STEM initiative to identify cyber talent. High school students compete in Cyber Quests (online CTF-style rounds) to qualify for free week-long Cyber Camps at federal cyber centers. Camps include lodging and are by invitation.
UC Berkeley ATDP Secondary Division (Social Psychology/American Culture & Society)
Six-week enrichment program offering courses like Social Psychology and American Culture & Society on campus or remotely.
UC Berkeley Cybersecurity Clinic Summer Intensive
Advanced program for high school students covering network security, cryptography, ethical hacking, and hands-on labs with Berkeley mentors.
UC Berkeley Haas Summer Entrepreneurship Residency
Two-week residential program where students develop an original idea into a full business plan through Haas faculty lectures and workshops, pitching to judges on the final day.
UC Davis AIFS High School Summer AI Tech Camp
A free day camp hosted by UC Davis's AI Institute for Food Systems (AIFS) that introduces high schoolers to AI concepts such as remote sensing, mapping, and machine learning applied to sustainable agriculture. Taught by UC Davis faculty; no prior coding experience required.
UC Davis Health Summer VolunTEEN Program
An 8-week summer volunteer program (6-week minimum commitment) placing high school students in UC Davis Health hospital and outpatient departments such as Patient Transportation, Radiology, and Neuroscience Specialties to explore healthcare careers.
UC Davis SHINES (Summer Health Institute for Nursing Exploration and Success)
A free two-week immersive nursing exploration program at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing for Sacramento-area high school juniors and seniors, featuring simulation labs, career-pathway sessions, ethics discussions, and mentoring, with priority for certain partner high schools.
UC San Diego Future Leaders Summer Program
Three-week residential program with mock diplomacy simulations on global challenges, producing policy research reports for pre-collegiate credit.
UCGHI Summer Global Health Bootcamp
A free, two-week virtual bootcamp from the UC Global Health Institute where rising California high school seniors attend interactive lectures and case discussions with UC faculty and grad students on topics like climate/planetary health, gender and health justice, and infectious disease. Offered in place of UCGHI's full six-week research internship, which is paused for 2026 due to funding limits.
UCLA BrainSPORT Summer High School Internship
An in-person clinical research internship with pediatric neurologist Dr. Christopher Giza's team, where students assist with concussion and traumatic brain injury research through neuroimaging, cognitive testing, and patient recruitment.
UCLA NeuroCamp
A free, eight-day neuroscience program at UCLA's Brain Research Institute for Los Angeles County high school students in grades 9-12, teaching fundamentals of molecular neurobiology, neurophysiology, and neuroanatomy through hands-on lab techniques.
UCLA Neuroscience High School Scholars Program
A free UCLA program (Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research and Care) with virtual "Grand Rounds" seminars, an Alzheimer's-awareness peer club, and a selective Virtual Summer Program pairing students with mentored research.
UCSF AI4ALL
10-week SF-based summer research internship applying AI to biomedical research.
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco – Summer High School Volunteer (Summer Student Program)
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco's Summer Student Program is a volunteer opportunity where Bay Area high-school students (ages 16-18) support patients, families, and staff in a pediatric hospital setting while gaining job skills and exposure to healthcare careers. Volunteers commit to one three-hour shift per week for eight consecutive weeks, with mandatory orientations in June.
UCSF Fresno / SJV PRIME Summer Biomedical Internship (SBI)
A free 6-7 week summer research internship for Central San Joaquin Valley high school juniors, pairing students with faculty mentors at Fresno-area hospitals, clinics, and Fresno State for independent research culminating in a project presentation.
UCSF Fresno Doctors Academy & Junior Doctors Academy
A multi-week summer healthcare career-exploration program run by UCSF Fresno for Central Valley high school seniors from partner school districts, combining mentorship from health professionals, hospital and clinic shadowing at VA and community facilities, and personal-development workshops.
UCSF High School Intern Program (HIP)
Selective 8-week program at UCSF labs via Science & Health Education Partnership; includes bench research and seminars.
UCSF High School Intern Program (SEP)
Paid 8-week SF summer internship conducting original biomedical/health research.
UCSF Medical Center High School Summer Volunteer Program
Summer hospital volunteer program at UCSF for 16-17 year olds, with weekly shifts and exposure to healthcare environments at Parnassus and Mission Bay campuses.
UCSF PITCH Program
A three-week summer immersive program (Program for the Investigation and Training in Careers in Health) for first-generation and low-income rising 10th and 11th graders, pairing them with UCSF mentors to investigate health issues and present at a closing health symposium.
UCSF Science & Health Education Partnership High School Intern Program (HIP)
An 8-week paid summer research internship for SFUSD high school juniors, matching each student with a UCSF scientist mentor to conduct an original biomedical research project, plus college-counseling workshops and professional development.
UCSF SEP High School Intern Program
A highly competitive 8-week paid internship. You are placed in a UCSF research lab. Approximately 30-40% of placements are in Neuroscience or Neurology departments.
UCSF Summer Research Experiences in Neuroscience (SREN)
Specifically for students underrepresented in the sciences to gain authentic research experience in UCSF neuroscience labs.
UCSF Summer Student Research Program
Formerly CHORI, this is a rigorous 9-week program in Oakland. It focuses heavily on biomedical research, including genetic diseases (e.g., sickle cell, thalassemia).
United States Senate Page Program
A highly selective program in which junior-year high schoolers, sponsored and appointed by a U.S. senator, work full-time delivering documents and assisting with Senate floor operations in the Capitol while attending an accredited early-morning school.
University of Maryland Cyber Camp
A summer cyber camp for high school students run by the University of Maryland's cybersecurity center, offering hands-on introductions to cybersecurity concepts and hacking/defense skills.
University of Michigan BioMed Focus
An eight-week paid biomedical research internship at Michigan Medicine for Michigan high school juniors and seniors, combining full-time lab research with science-communication training and college-prep support.
University of San Diego GenCyber Summer Camp
A free GenCyber-funded day camp at USD (San Diego, July 25–29, 2025) for incoming 10th–12th graders. Campers learn cybersecurity basics including network security and cryptography through lectures and labs. Also open to STEM teachers.
University of Toledo Summer Biomedical Science Program in Bioinformatics
A summer bioinformatics program for high schoolers entering grades 10-12.
USC Bridge Institute BUGS Jr. Program
Paid summer research program pairing high schoolers with USC faculty labs across biological disciplines, culminating in a poster symposium.
USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future High School Summer Internship
A fully virtual USC summer research internship in which competitively selected high schoolers analyze environmental and sustainability legislation, attend speaker sessions, and produce a published policy assignment.
USC Marshall Pre-College – Exploring Entrepreneurship
Four-week USC program where students earn college credit studying entrepreneurship, take field trips to LA companies/VC firms, and pitch their own business concept.
USC Marshall Pre-College – Introduction to Business
Four-week USC Marshall program covering accounting, marketing, and strategy, including company visits and a final Capstone Case Competition pitching data-driven solutions.
USC Pre-College: Psychological Science and Society
Four-week residential course on cognitive, developmental, clinical, and social psychology with labs, guest lectures, and field trips; earns college credit.
USF CyberCamp
A University of South Florida summer cybersecurity camp for high schoolers delivered by USF Innovative Education, introducing core cyber concepts through hands-on activities.
USGS Volunteer for Science Program
Federal volunteer program placing supervised volunteers directly on USGS research projects.
UW ASM Materials Camp
Free day camp at the University of Washington introducing Seattle-area rising juniors to materials science and chemistry through hands-on lab work and field trips.
Van Andel Institute High School Graduate Research Program
8-week paid research experience for recent Grand Rapids-area high school graduates working in Van Andel Institute labs spanning genetics, epigenetics, and molecular biology.
Vanderbilt Aspirnaut Summer Research Internship
A six-week residential biomedical research internship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for high schoolers nationwide, who work full-time in a lab on projects ranging from kidney disease to cancer alongside paid room, board, and stipend.
Vanderbilt Research Experience for High School Students (REHSS)
A six-week immersive research internship that embeds rising seniors full-time in a Vanderbilt University or Vanderbilt University Medical Center research lab under a faculty mentor.
Vindolanda Trust Work Experience Placement
A structured work-experience placement for students aged 16-17 at the Vindolanda Trust's Roman Army Museum and Vindolanda Fort and Museum in Northumberland, England, including hands-on excavation assistance, post-excavation and artifact preservation work, and a final project, with opportunities to observe live digs.
Virginia Summer Residential Governor's Schools - Visual & Performing Arts
A tuition-free, weeks-long residential summer program on a Virginia college campus where junior and senior high schoolers pursue intensive study in visual and performing arts alongside seminars and performances.
West Coast Sports Medicine Foundation Summer Mentoring Camp
A free two-day mentoring camp in Manhattan Beach for CA high schoolers interested in sports medicine and athletic training, covering injury recognition and treatment, CPR/AED/First Aid certification, and career exposure with medical professionals.
WildCare Youth Hospital Volunteer Program
A San Rafael wildlife hospital and education center program where volunteers under 18 support wildlife-patient care through prep, cleaning, and enclosure work, gaining close exposure to wildlife rehabilitation.
Woods Hole Sea Grant O-STEAM Fellowship
Free week-long residential fellowship in Woods Hole, MA for Massachusetts high school sophomores and juniors, pairing them with WHOI researchers to explore ocean science and STEAM careers.
WPI Bioinformatics & Computational Biology (BCB) Summer Research Experience
A program where high schoolers apply math and CS to biological/medical problems through lectures, journal clubs, and lab work.
Yale Neuroscience Summer Scholars (YNSS)
An eight-week summer program covering neuroscience, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation, with didactic education, lab-technique training, and a supervised research project for New Haven Public Schools students.
Yale YCAS Young Scholars Program in Biostatistics and Clinical Research
An intensive two-week Yale School of Public Health summer program where Connecticut high schoolers strong in math learn biostatistics and R programming by analyzing real health science data in teams.
Young Adult Writers Program (YAWP) - GrubStreet
A Boston-area creative writing organization's teen program offering free Saturday writing sessions, seasonal writing classes, and a paid three-week Summer Teen Writing Fellowship in which teens work with published authors and receive an $800 stipend.
Young Founders Lab – SF Economics Internships (real roles)
Compilation of specific, real San Francisco economics internships, many of which are paid.
Youth Art Exchange (YAX) Summer Internship
Summer internship assisting teaching artists, supporting classes, and working with media like painting, collage, sculpture; strong focus on arts education and community engagement.
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