All of the following opportunities are for high schoolers (ones also available to undergrads are noted). Please note that information might be slightly out of date, since this list was not compiled recently — be sure to check each program’s specific website for the most up-to-date information.

STEM Opportunities

1. Research Science Institute

  • Program length: Six weeks, summer
  • Location: MIT (Cambridge, MA)
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: Students “with one year remaining before graduation from high school”
  • International students: Yes, but there’s a separate application process
  • Applications components needed: Essay responses, two recommendation letters, official high school transcript, standardized test scores
  • Link: https://www.cee.org/programs/apply-rsi

2. National Institute of Health (NIH) High School Summer Internship Program

  • Program length: There’s multiple specific dates (typically eight weeks in length, though), typically summer
  • Location: Multiple different locations depending on specific subprogram
  • Cost: Free; you get a monthly stipend
  • Grade levels: High school juniors or seniors
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Resume/CV, List of coursework and grades, cover letter, names and contact info for two references
  • Link: https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/hs-sip
  • The NIH also has the HiSTEP and HiSTEP 2.0 summer programs

3. Stony Brook University Simons Summer Research Program

  • Program length: Six weeks, summer
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: High school junior
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Must be nominated by high school, transcript/grade report, online application, two recommendation letters
  • Link: https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/simons/about/about.php

4. Texas Tech University Clark Scholars Program

  • Program length: Seven weeks, summer
  • Location: Texas Tech University
  • Cost: Free; they give you a stipend, too
  • Grade levels: “Applicants must be at least 17 years of age by the program start date, and should graduate in 2022 or 2023”
  • International students: Yes
  • Applications components needed: Online application, essays, high school transcripts, standardized test scores, three recommendation letters, list of top 5 activities; more info here
  • Link: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/honors/academicsandenrichment/affiliatedandhighschool/clarks/

5. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program

6. Michigan State University High School Honors Science, Math and Engineering Program (HSHSP)

  • Program length: Seven weeks, summer
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: N/A
  • Grade levels: Students entering 12th grade
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Personal essay, second essay, online application, two recommendations, official high school transcript, standardized test scores, optional financial aid section; more info here
  • Link: https://education.msu.edu/hshsp/

7. MIT MITES

  • Program length: Six weeks, summer
  • Location: MIT (Cambridge, MA)
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: Apply during the fall semester of your junior year in high school
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Online application; more info here
  • Link: https://oeop.mit.edu/programs/mites

8. MIT MOSTEC

  • Program length: Six months; June to December
  • Location: Online
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: Apply during the fall semester of your junior year in high school
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Online application; more info here
  • Link: https://oeop.mit.edu/programs/mostec

9. MD Anderson King Foundation High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences

10. UT Southwestern Medical Center STARS Summer Camps

  • Program length: Varying lengths depending on specific camp, summer; specific camps’ info here
  • Location: TBD (either online or at the UTSW campus)
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: DFW-area high schoolers (there’s two middle school camps, too, the Middle School Camp and the Biology Camp)
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Online application, high school report card, transcript, standardized test scores, teacher evaluation form; specific application requirements here
  • Link: https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/sites/stars/

11. UT Southwestern Medical Center STARS Summer Research Program

  • Program length: Eight weeks
  • Location: TBD (either online or at the UTSW campus)
  • Cost: Free; you get a stipend, too
  • Grade levels: “Applicants must be at least 16 years old by June 1, before the Summer Research Program for Students begins, be currently classified as a junior, and be enrolled in high school”
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Online application, CV/Resume, transcript, standardized test scores, prompt responsse (essay), report card, two letters of recommendation
  • Link: https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/programs/stars/programs/summer-research-opportunities.html

12. Penn State Business Opportunities Summer Session (BOSS)

  • Program length: One week, summer
  • Location: Virtual
  • Cost: Free to attend, but there’s a $50 registration free if you are accepted
  • Grade levels: High schoolers
  • International students: Penn State-surrounding most liklely, since you have to provide transport to/from
  • Applications components needed: Personal statement/information, scholarship statement of financial need by guardian (if applicable), high school transcript and school profile, standardized test scores, letter of recommendation
  • Link: https://www.smeal.psu.edu/diversity/business-opportunities-summer-session-boss

13. Cornell University CURIE Academy

  • Program length: One week, summer
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: $1450.00 (residential), but you can apply for a scholarships, and you also can receive a tuition waiver; more info here
  • Grade levels: “The focus is on rising juniors and seniors who may not have had prior opportunities to explore engineering, but want to learn more about it in an interactive atmosphere.”
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: Essay, high school transcript, high school profile, recommendation form, financial assistance form if needed; more info here
  • Link: https://sites.coecis.cornell.edu/curieacademy/

14. Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program (SIP)

  • Program length: Two weeks
  • Location: Virtual
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: “The Summer Immersion Program is for anyone who identifies as a girl, regardless of gender assignment at birth. Our programs also welcome students who identify as non-binary or gender nonconforming, who want to learn as a member of our Girls Who Code sisterhood. To apply, the student must be between the ages of 15-18 years old, must be able to commit to the entire 2-week program, and have a level of English proficiency sufficient to participate in the Program.”
  • International students: Yes
  • Applications components needed: Online application; “Girls Who Code does not ask for GPA, transcript, or any recommendations”
  • Link: https://girlswhocode.com/intl-virtual-sip

15. Carnegie Mellon Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)

  • Program length: Six weeks, summer
  • Location: TBD (typically at CMU)
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: High school junior (11th grade)
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: Online application, unofficial high school transcript, standardized test scores (optional), letters of recommendation, two essay prompts
  • Link: https://www.cmu.edu/pre-college/academic-programs/sams.html

16. MIT Women’s Technology Program (EECS or ME)

  • Program length: four weeks, summer
  • Location: TBD (Online or at MIT)
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: High school junior (11th grade); “women-focused”
  • International students: “Applicants must live in the U.S. year round”; more info here
  • Applications components needed: Online application, short answer questions, three personal essays, high school grades, teacher references, standardized test scores
  • Link: http://wtp.mit.edu/

17. NASA Texas High School Aerospace Scholars

  • Program length: Summer, “five-day virtual experience plus a two-day onsite to NASA’s Johnson Space Center”; total one year length (includes mentorship portion)
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: High school junior (11th grade)
  • International students: No; must also be a Texas resident to be considered; more info here
  • Applications components needed: Online application, personal info, more info on application portal here
  • Link: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/stem/High_School_Aerospace_Scholars.html

18. Columbia Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) Summer Research Program

  • Program length: Summer, six weeks
  • Location: Online for 2022
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: Rising high school seniors and college undergraduates
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: TBD
  • Link: https://www.dbmi.columbia.edu/summer/

19. Notre Dame Ross Mathematics Program

  • Program length: Six weeks, summer
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: $1500 but financial aid is available
  • Grade levels: “Ambitious pre-college students with interests in mathematics and science are invited to apply. First-year students range in age from 15 to 18 years old”
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: Online application, school transcripts, teacher recommendations, essays, previous math work
  • Link: https://rossprogram.org/

20. Program for Mathematics for Young Scientists

  • Program length: Six weeks, summer
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: $5500, but the program is free for domenstic US students whose families make less than $60,000 a year, financial aid is available for all students, though; more info here
  • Grade levels: “Be at least 14 years old, have completed 9th grade (or its equivalent), not yet enrolled as a full-time college or university student”
  • International students: Yes
  • Applications components needed: Solutions to a challenging problem set, letter of recommendation, high school transcript, application form, short answers
  • Link: https://promys.org/programs/promys/for-students/

21. NYU Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)

22. Emory University Winship Cancer Institute Summer Scholars Research Program

  • Program length: six weeks, summer
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: N/A
  • Grade levels: “Students must be 17 years old by June 1, 2022 to be eligible for the program and should be rising or graduating high school seniors”
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: Online application, recommendation letter, transcript, responses
  • Link: https://winshipcancer.emory.edu/education/pre-college-programs/summer-scholars.html

23. Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)

24. CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp (DDC)

  • Program length: Each camps are one week long, there’s many different camps
  • Location: TBD (typically at the CDC)
  • Cost: N/A
  • Grade levels: “Admission is open to high-school students during the summer before their junior or senior years and they must be at least 16 years old on the first day of the camp session to which they are accepted,” thus, sophomores and juniors can apply; more info here
  • International students: Yes
  • Applications components needed: Paper application to be mailed in, esssay questions, recommendation form; applications must be mailed in; more info here
  • Link: https://www.cdc.gov/museum/camp/detective/index.htm

  • 25. Dana Farber Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE)

  • Program length: 8-12 weeks, summer
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: Free; stipend, too
  • Grade levels: “Be a high school sophomore, junior or senior OR be a college freshman, sophomore, or junior;” more info here
  • International students: No; must be a “Be a MA resident or attend school in MA”
  • Applications components needed: Online application, statement of interest, official transcript or report card, resume/CV, letters of recomendation
  • Link: https://www.dfhcc.harvard.edu/research/cancer-disparities/students/cure-overview/

Non-STEM Opportunities

1. ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism Summer Journalism Institute

  • Program length: Two weeks
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: N/A
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Online application, a letter of recommendation, a high school transcript, and samples of work
  • Link: https://cronkite.asu.edu/community/high-school-programs/camps/ (scroll down to “Summer Journalism Institute”)

2. Asian American Journalists Association JCamp

  • Program length: Six days
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: “High school freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors with a strong interest in broadcasting, newspapers, magazines, photojournalism or online media are encouraged to apply”
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: N/A
  • Link: https://www.aaja.org/programs-and-initiatives/jcamp/

3. Princeton Summer Journalism Program

  • Program length: 10 days
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: “Intended for low-income students with excellent academic achievement who are committed to pursuing a career in journalism”
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: For Round 1 you need to complete the online application, unofficial high school transcript, two short responses, one longer article; more info here
  • Link: https://psjp.princeton.edu/

4. Dallas Museum of Art Teen Advisory Council

  • Program length: N/A
  • Location: Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas
  • Cost: Free, you’ll have to have transportation to/from the DMA, though
  • Grade levels: “DFW-based teens between the ages of 14 and 19 who have an interest in art, culture, community engagement, and museum work are invited to apply. You do not have to be an artist to apply! Applicants must be available during the school year to attend Thursday meetings twice per month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the DMA, with occasional events and programming on weekends”
  • International students: This is for DFW-based teens
  • Applications components needed: Contact info for you and your caregiver, a personal reference, three short answer questions
  • Link: https://dma.org/teenadvisorycouncil

5. Dallas Museum of Art Teen Ambassador Program

  • Program length: Summer, “The Teen Ambassador program operates June through August of each year. Teen Ambassadors must complete at least 20 hours of service with the Museum throughout the summer, and can volunteer up to 40 hours if their schedule permits.”
  • Location: Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas
  • Cost: Free, you’ll have to have transportation to/from the DMA, though
  • Grade levels: “DFW-based teens between the ages of 14 and 19 who have an interest in art, teaching, and developing leadership skills are encouraged to apply!”
  • International students: This is for DFW-based teens
  • Applications components needed: N/A
  • Link: https://dma.org/teenambassadors

6. USC Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement

7. Sadie Nash Leadership Project

  • Program length: Summer, six weeks
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: Free; “Participants are eligible to receive a stipend up to $300 at the end of the summer, based on their attendance in the program”
  • Grade levels: “Sadie Nash is committed to diversity and inclusion, meaning we serve all self-identified young women and gender-expansive youth (this includes young people who identify as trans, gender fluid, and gender non-conforming). There are no academic or skill criteria for admission into our programs. You must live in New York City or Newark, NJ and be enrolled in high school”
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: N/A
  • Link: http://www.sadienash.org/summer-institute

8. USC Bovard Scholars

  • Program length: Summer, three weeks
  • Location: TBD (Online or ay USC)
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: Junior (11th grade) in high school
  • International students: N/A
  • Applications components needed: Online application, Counselor Evaluation Form, transcript, optional recommendation letter; more info here
  • Link: https://bovardscholars.usc.edu/our-program/summer-residency/

9. Telluride Association Summer Seminars, Critical Black Studies (TASS-CBS)

10. Telluride Association Summer Seminars, Antioppressive Studies (TASS-AOS)

11. Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America (LEDA) Summer Institute/Scholar Program

12. U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y)

  • Program length: Varies for summer or academic year programs; more info here
  • Location: Various locations
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: High schoolers, 9th through 12th grade, 15-18 years of age; more info here
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Personal information, essays, parent/legal guardian statement, recommendation, transcript; more info here
  • Link: https://www.nsliforyouth.org/nsli-y/

13. Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute, Quartz Mountain

  • Program length: 2 weeks, summer
  • Location: Oklahoma
  • Cost: Free; “all selected students automatically receive a full scholarship to the program,” to apply there are audition fees but you can get financial assistance for them if you qualify
  • Grade levels: Oklahoma high school students (Oklahoma residents), 9th-12th grade, must be at least 15 years old; more info here
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Online application, augition materials, interview
  • Link: https://oaiquartz.org/OSAI

14. YoungArts

  • Program length: Depends on specific program
  • Location: TBD
  • Cost: Free to apply
  • Grade levels: “Young artists in grades 10–12 or ages 15–18 on December 1, 2021 may apply”
  • International students: No; “Applicants must be either a United States citizen, a permanent resident or be legally able to receive taxable income in the U.S.”; more info here
  • Applications components needed: “Online application and requires an audition or portfolio, and payment of an application fee or fee waiver documentation”
  • Link: https://youngarts.org/apply/

15. Bank of America Student Leaders Program

  • Program length: Must work an eight week paid internship at a local nonprofit and then attend the summit in Washington, DC
  • Location: TBD based on public health
  • Cost: Free
  • Grade levels: “Currently be a junior or senior in high school, Live in one of the eligible markets listed, Be able to participate in an 8‐week paid internship at a local nonprofit/charitable organization and work 35 hours a week;” more info here
  • International students: No
  • Applications components needed: Online application, letter of recommendation, interview,
  • Link: https://about.bankofamerica.com/en/making-an-impact/student-leaders#fbid=ISmQxsoi6dj

Fly-In Programs

Per CollegeVine, “College fly-in programs are highly competitive college visitation programs for underrepresented students. Institutions fly students in to stay at their campuses for two or three days, allowing students who might not get a chance to visit otherwise to get a feel for the college and campus. In most cases, the college covers costs including transportation, room, and board or offer to reimburse you for some of your expenses associated with visiting their campus.” Please note that these are likely not all of the fly-in programs ever available — just the ones I was able to find the most information about. As always, be sure to check individual websites for the most up-to-date information.

1. Amherst College, Access to Amherst (A2A)

2. Barnard College, Barnard Bound

3. Bowdoin, Explore Bowdoin

4. Carnegie Mellon, Celebration of Diversity Series

5. Colgate University, Colgate in Focus Virtual Open House

6. Dartmouth College, Dartmouth Bound: Summer Program

7. Dartmouth College, Indigenous Fly-In Program

8. Davidson College, Access Davidson

9. Emory University, Cultural Outreach, Recruitment, and Education (CORE) Series

10. Washington University in St. Louis, WashU Preview

11. Wellesley College, VOICE

12. University of Pennsylvania, Penn Early Exploration Program

13. Reed College, Senior Scholars Program

14. Reed College, Junior Scholars Program

15. Smith College, Women of Distinction Program

16. Swarthmore College, Discover Swarthmore Program

17. Tufts University, Voices of Tufts Diversity Experience

18. Pomona College, Perspectives on Pomona (POP)

19. MIT, Weekend Immersion in Science & Engineering

20. Johns Hopkins, HOME: Hopkins Online Multicultural Experience

21. Williams College, Windows on Williams (WOW)

22. Hamilton College, PROMISE Program

23. Harvey Mudd College, Future Achievers in Science and Technology (FAST)

Misc.

MIT has a list of affiliated summer programs here.

Here are the summer programs for high schoolers that Harvard offers.

Yale’s pre-college programs can be found here, here (YYGS), and here (Drama).

UPenn’s summer programs for high schoolers are here.

Stanford has a lot of programs for high schoolers — find them here.

WashU’s programs can be found here.