2026 Best Summer Programs
An increasing number of selective colleges now scrutinize how applicants spend their summers during high school. In response to this trend, thousands of providers鈥搃ncluding both universities and private companies鈥搊ffer academically-themed summer programs for teens. These programs vary from free-to-extremely expensive, and highly-selective-to-open enrollment. With such a bevy of options, teens will likely need expert guidance in order to successfully locate an ideal-fit program that will fully support their future academic and career dreams.聽
To answer this need, our list of the Best Summer Programs is here to serve as your comprehensive guide. For your convenience, the list is sortable by discipline and location and contains relevant data and information about each recommended program.
- 6-7 weeks at your own pace
- Hands-on real-world projects
- Join our diverse sisterhood for a lifelong alumni network
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Residential -
Online - Session Length: 2 or 6 Weeks
- Application Deadline: Rolling
- Eligibility: 9-12th Girls
High School Honors Science Math and Engineering (Michigan State)
- East Lansing, MI
- In depth experiences in engineering majors
- Students spend time with engineering faculty
- Demonstrations and hands-on activities with team-based problem solving
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 1 Week
- Cost: $1099
- Application Deadline: June
- Eligibility: 10-12th
- Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, 12th
Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
- Various Locations
- Eight-week paid summer internship.
- Mentorship by a local fisheries and aquatic science professional.
- Hands-on experience in marine or freshwater setting.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 8 Weeks
- Application Deadline: January 25th
- Eligibility: 12th + Graduates
Jackson Lab Summer Student Program
- Bar Harbor, ME or Farmington, CT
- Immersion in genetics and genomic research.
- Students develop and present an independent research project.
- Available in two locations: Bar Harbor, ME or Farmington, CT.
- A stipend of $7000 + R&B
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Residential:
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Online:
- Session Length: 10 Weeks
- Application Deadline: January 26th
- Eligibility: 18
Research Science Institute (MIT)
- Cambridge, MA
- Cost-free science and engineering program.
- Features a six-week research internship.
- Students are mentored by experienced researchers.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 6 Weeks
- Application Deadline: December
- Eligibility: 12th
The Ross Mathematics Program
- Columbus, OH + more
- Primary focus on number theory.
- Students spend ten hours per day in class and small-group discussions.
- Build capacity for abstract thought and critical thinking.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 6 Weeks
- Application Deadline: March
- Eligibility: 15-18
- National multicultural journalism program.
- Students produce multiplatform news packages for the program鈥檚 news site.
- Includes workshops, hands-on training, and field trips.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 1 Week
- Application Deadline: January 11th
- Eligibility: 11th, 12th
Notre Dame Leadership Seminars
- Notre Dame, IN
- If you are admitted students’ tuition, housing, and meals will be paid by the University.
- Students confront complex global issues in class.
- Service-learning opportunities are part of the experience.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 10 days
- Application Deadline: January 21st
- Eligibility: 12th
Science Internship Program (SIP)
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Students are inserted into real, existing UCSC research projects.
- Receive one-on-one mentorship.
- Past projects have been completed in areas from biomolecular engineering to literature.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 8 Weeks
- Application Deadline: February 27th
- Eligibility Rising 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Scripps College Student Research Internship
- Claremont, CA
- Focused on translational medical research.
- Students become proficient in presenting scientific concepts.
- Work with a primary mentor on an area of interest.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 10 Weeks
- Application Deadline: March 30th
- Eligibility: 16
- Eligiblility: At least 16 years old by start of internship
Simons Summer Research Program (Stony Brook)
- Stony Brook, NY
- Students are matched with a faculty member and join a research team.
- Attend special workshops, tours, and events.
- Culminates with research abstract and poster.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 6 Weeks
- Application Deadline: February 5th
- Eligibility: 12th
Summer Leaders Experience (U.S. Military Academy)
- West Point, NY
- Immersion into academic, military, and social life.
- Receive mentorship from current West Point cadets.
- Explore a variety of academic disciplines.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 1 Week
- Application Deadline: Arpil 15th
- Eligibility: 12th
Summer Seminar (U.S. Air Force Academy)
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Experience life as an Air Force Academy cadet.
- Explore academic offerings and facilities.
- Participate in application-related workshops.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 1 Week
- Application Deadline: January 15th
- Eligibility: 12th
Summer Seminar (U.S. Naval Academy)
- Annapolis, MD
- Immersed into Naval Academy life.
- Students attend academic and leadership workshops.
- Participate in athletics and extracurricular activities.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 1 Week
- Application Deadline: March 31st
- Eligibility: 12th
The Summer Science Program
- Mulitple
- Students work in teams on a real research project.
- Astrophysics, biochemistry, bacterial genomics, and synthetic chemistry projects available.
- Extensive collaboration with peers and faculty members.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 5 Weeks
- Application Deadline: February 19th
- Eligibility: 12th
Telluride Association Summer Seminar
- Multiple Locations
- Students build an inclusive community and practice democratic decision-making.
- Strengthen community through transformative justice.
- Two programs: Critical Black Studies and Anti-Oppressive Studies.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 6 Weeks
- Application Deadline: Dec 3rd
- Eligibility: 11th, 12th
- Faculty-mentored residential program.
- Academics include math, physics, chemistry, and engineering design.
- Students participate in workshops, site visits, and field trips.
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 3 Weeks
- Application Deadline: March 2nd
- Eligibility: 11th, 12th
- Eligibility: Rising 11th & 12th
Young Women’s Institute (Indiana University)
- Bloomington, IN
- Exposes women to business career opportunities
- Explore a real-world business case projects
- Build leadership and communication skills with like-minded peers interested in business
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Residential
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Online
- Session Length: 1 or 2 days
- Application Deadline: March 20th
- Eligibility: Females, 11th, 12th
- Eligbility: Females, Rising 11th & 12th
Garcia Scholars (Stony Brook University)
- Stony Brook, NY
- Students design original research projects.
- Past students consistently win recognition for their research.
- Can continue during the academic year in the Mentor Program
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Residential Options
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Online Option
- Session Length: 7 Weeks
- Application Deadline: February 23rd
- Eligbility: At least 16
COSMOS (University of California)
- Various Locations, CA
- Exposure to advanced topics.
- Each student chooses a 鈥渃luster鈥� of science and math courses.
- Available on 6 UC campuses.
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Residential
-
Online Option
- Session Length: 4 Weeks
- Application Deadline: February 6th
- Eligibility: CA Res, 9th-12th
- Intensive seven-week summer research program.
- Offers weekly seminars, discussions, and field trips.
- Research areas include natural sciences, economics, and Engineering.
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Residential
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Online Option
- Session Length: 7 Weeks
- Application Deadline: February 16th
- Eligibility: Rising 12th + Graduates; must by 17
Boston University RISE/Practicum
- Boston, MA
- Students conduct laboratory research alongside BU faculty.
- Two tracks offered: Internship and Practicum.
- Research areas include many science and engineering disciplines.
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Residential
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Online Option
- Session Length: 6 Weeks
- Application Deadline: February 4th
- Eligibility: 12th
Frontiers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Worcester, MA
- Students select a CS course as well as a humanities course.聽
- Covers areas like JavaScript, HTML, and networking.聽
- Also offers a number of fun social activities in the evenings.
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Residential
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Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 2 Weeks
- Application Deadline: April
- Eligibility: 10th, 11th, 12th
Nasher Sculpture Center Summer Institute
- Dallas, TX
- Learn about careers in art.聽
- Explore artworks at The Warehouse and Nasher Sculpture Center
- Create hands-on projects focused on the ideas of modern and contemporary art
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Residential
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Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 5 day
- Application Deadline: May
- Eligibility: 10th, 11th, 12th
Georgia Tech Pre-College Design Program
- Atlanta, GA
- Students complete a project that can be used in future portfolios.聽
- Students visit office and design firms in Atlanta area
- Transcript and essay required for admission.
- Four unique online and residential courses are available
- Psychological Profiling is a featured course
- Participants earn one college credit for completing the course
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Residential
-
Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 2 Weeks online, 5 Weeks Residential
- Application Deadline: Rolling online, March Residential
- Eligibility: 10th, 11th, 12th
- The experience is fast-paced, rigorous, and highly collaborative.
- Topics vary each year.
- All students complete and present a capstone project.
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Residential
-
Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 2 Weeks
- Application Deadline: March
- Eligibility: 11th, 12th
Penn Carey Law Pre-College Academy
- Philadelphia, PA
- Get a glimpse of the first-year law experience.
- Intro to the American legal system as well as complex legal issues.
- Visits to law firms and courtrooms are part of the experience.
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Residential
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Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 3 Weeks
- Application Deadline: Rolling
- Eligibility: Age 15-18
Emory National Debate Institute Summer Programs
- Atlanta, GA
- The signature program: Policy Debate, has been offered since founding in 1966
- No prior debate experience required.聽
- Prepares students to join high school debate teams in the future.
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Residential
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Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 2 Weeks
- Application Deadline: May
- Eligibility: 10th, 11th, 12th
ASU Summer Programs
- Phoenix, AZ
- Logic, Leadership, and Life Skills program is one of many curricular options.聽
- Residential, commuter, and online options available.聽
- Programs vary in admissions difficulty.
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Residential
-
Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 3鈥�10 Days 1 week
- Application Deadline: March/April
- Eligibility: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Summer Game Studio at Clark University
- Worcester, MA
- Students learn game art and animation, motion capture, testing, and production.
- Structured lectures and discussions as well as studio time.聽
- Collaborate with team to create an original game.
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Residential
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Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 2 Weeks
- Application Deadline: Rolling
- Eligibility: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
- Taught by full-time faculty from the School of Cinematic Arts and the School of Design
- Students collaborate to create a computer game.
- Students must be from the Chicago area or secure their own housing.
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Residential
-
Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 1 Week
- Application Deadline: June
- Eligibility: 10th, 11th, 12th
USC Cinematic Arts Summer Program
- Los Angeles, CA
- Taught by SCA’s renowned faculty of acclaimed industry professionals
- Residential and commuter options available聽
- Dive into the beauty and magic of film, television, animation, and game design
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Residential
-
Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 6 Weeks
- Application Deadline: May
- Eligibility: Age 16+
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
- Palo Alto, CA
- Residential and online options.聽
- Abstract Algebra and Number Theory or Algebraic Topology tracks available.聽
- Strong grades, recommendations, and essays a must for admission.
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Residential
-
Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 4 Weeks (residential); 3 Weeks (online)
- Application Deadline: February
- Eligibility: 11th, 12th
MathILy at Bryn Mawr College
- Bryn Mawr, PA
- Students engage in high school and college-level discrete mathematics.聽
- Topics often include combinatorics, knot theory, and topological graph theories.
- Runs 7 hours per day, 6 days per week.
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Residential
-
Online Option
- Min. Session Length: 5 Weeks
- Application Deadline: April
- Eligibility: Age 14-17
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