Opportunities for high school students.
Summer programs, internships and research, competitions and scholarships, with what each one costs, who can apply, when it closes and how much it really helps a college application.
181 opportunities, 94 free · Links and programs checked October 18, 2026 · By Lokesh Pampatti, founder of Clarity Prep
Most lists of “opportunities” are ads: the programs that show up first are the ones that pay to be there. This one is the list we use with our own students, including the expensive programs, so you can see which ones admissions readers take seriously and which ones just have a famous campus on the brochure.
181 of 181 shown
ProgramFreePittsburgh, PA
Carnegie Mellon University AI Scholars
Carnegie Mellon University
Intro to AI and machine learning for rising seniors from underrepresented backgrounds, at no cost.
Our take: The free, selective CMU program. Not to be confused with the paid CMU Pre-College tracks.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Amazon
Scholarship and internship for students pursuing computer science.
Our take: $40,000 over four years plus a guaranteed paid Amazon internship after freshman year. For low-income seniors planning to major in CS or engineering.
Research & internshipsFreeBrooklyn, NY
NYU Tandon School of Engineering ARISE
NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Ten-week research program with a stipend for NYC students.
Our take: Free, paid research in NYU labs for New York City public and charter school students.
Research & internshipsFreeLaurel, MD
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory ASPIRE
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
Mentored STEM internship at APL for juniors and seniors.
Our take: Unpaid mentorship in a national lab, during the school year or summer. Commuting distance to Laurel, MD is the real requirement.
ProgramFreeCambridge, MA (some tracks online)
Beaver Works Summer Institute
MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Project-based engineering program for rising seniors. Admission runs through an online course you complete in spring.
Our take: Free and hands-on: autonomous cars, drones, cybersecurity. You have to finish an online prerequisite course first, so start in winter.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Breakthrough Prize Foundation
Global video competition for ages 13–18.
Our take: A three-minute video explaining a scientific idea. The winner gets a $250,000 scholarship; finalists are a real distinction. Thousands enter, so make it genuinely good.
Research & internshipsFreeCambridge, MA
Broad Summer Scholars Program
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Six weeks of research at the Broad with a stipend.
Our take: Paid genomics research for Massachusetts rising seniors. If you live near Boston, this is a top-tier free option.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Cameron Impact Scholarship
Bryan Cameron Education Foundation
Full-tuition merit scholarship for seniors with a record of leadership and service.
Our take: Full four-year merit scholarship, 10–15 recipients, no income requirement. Almost nobody knows about the May junior-year window.
Research & internshipsFreeLubbock, TX
Clark Scholars Program
Texas Tech University
Seven-week intensive research program with Texas Tech faculty. Free with a stipend.
Our take: Twelve students a year, a $750 stipend, any field including humanities. Age 17 by the start date.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Achievement-based scholarship for seniors with a leadership and service record.
Our take: Atlanta-based, $20,000, 150 scholars from about 100,000 applicants. The first-round form is short, so the odds are bad but the cost of trying is low.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
College Prep Scholars Program
QuestBridge
Junior-year program for high-achieving, low-income students, feeding into the National College Match.
Our take: For low-income juniors. Winning gets you essay coaching, campus visits, and a leg up in the National College Match senior year.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
College Scholarship Program
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
One of the largest need-based merit scholarships in the country.
Our take: Up to $55,000 a year for high-achieving seniors with financial need (family income roughly under $95,000). Comes with advising through college.
ProgramFreeGermany
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange
U.S. Department of State / German Bundestag
Government-funded academic year exchange to Germany.
Our take: Fully funded year in Germany with a host family. No German required. You give up a year at home; for the right student that is the point.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Congressional App Challenge
U.S. House of Representatives
Build an app, submit a demo video, compete within your district.
Our take: One winner per congressional district, so your odds are far better than a national contest. Winners are recognized by their representative and shown in the Capitol.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Coolidge Scholarship
Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation
Full-tuition merit scholarship awarded to juniors, usable anywhere.
Our take: Full ride to any U.S. college, applied for as a junior. A handful of winners a year; the finalist and senator tiers are also real distinctions.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Davidson Institute
Scholarships for students 18 and under who have completed a significant piece of work in their field.
Our take: $10,000 to $50,000 for a significant completed project. Only worth it if you have graduate-level work; if you do, few things read better.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Dell Scholars Program
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
Scholarship with wraparound support for low-income students in college-readiness programs.
Our take: $20,000 plus a laptop, textbook credits, and support staff through graduation. You must be in an approved college-readiness program (AVID, Upward Bound, etc.) and Pell-eligible.
ProgramFreeOnline
Distance Math Program
Georgia Tech School of Mathematics
Georgia Tech mathematics courses delivered to Georgia high schools for students who have exhausted their school's math.
Our take: For Georgia students who have finished AP Calculus BC: Georgia Tech math (Calc III, linear algebra, and beyond) through dual enrollment. A rare and specific signal.
ProgramFreeGeorgia colleges and universities
Dual Enrollment
Georgia Student Finance Commission
State-funded college coursework for eligible Georgia high school students, taken for both high school and college credit.
Our take: Georgia pays for real college courses while you are in high school. Cheapest rigor available; pick courses that go beyond what your school offers.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Emory Scholars Program
Emory University
Merit scholarship program at Emory, with an early application requirement.
Our take: Full and partial merit scholarships at Emory. You have to apply by mid-November, which is earlier than Regular Decision.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
U.S. Department of Education FAFSA
U.S. Department of Education
The federal financial aid application.
Our take: Not a scholarship, the door to all of them: Pell Grants, work-study, HOPE, and most institutional aid depend on it. File it the week it opens.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Foundation Fellowship
University of Georgia
UGA's premier undergraduate scholarship, with the Bernard Ramsey Honors Scholarship as the second tier.
Our take: UGA's top scholarship: full cost, funded travel and research, about 25 a year. For Georgia students it is one of the best deals in the country. Requires the separate application.
ProgramFreeNew York, NY
Freedom and Citizenship
Columbia University Center for American Studies
Political philosophy seminar plus a year of college guidance for rising seniors.
Our take: Free, taught by Columbia faculty, followed by a year-long civic project. For low-income students near New York.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Global High School Investment Competition
Wharton Global Youth Program
Teams manage a simulated $100,000 portfolio and write a strategy for a fictional client.
Our take: Free, run by Wharton, with a written investment strategy judged by professionals. Semifinalist is a real line for a business applicant.
ProgramFreeBerry College, Mount Berry, GA
Governor's Honors Program (GHP)
Georgia Department of Education
Four-week residential program for Georgia's top sophomores and juniors across academics and the arts.
Our take: Free, statewide, and Georgia readers at UGA, Georgia Tech, and Emory know exactly what it means. Ask a teacher to nominate you in September.
Research & internshipsFreeUniversity and Army labs nationwide
High School Apprenticeships
Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)
Stipend-paid summer apprenticeships in Army-sponsored labs.
Our take: Paid research placements funded by the Army, many at universities near you. Less famous than NIH or NASA, which helps your odds.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships
Georgia Student Finance Commission
Georgia's lottery-funded merit scholarships for in-state tuition.
Our take: Georgia pays most (HOPE, 3.0 GPA) or all (Zell Miller, 3.7 GPA plus a 1200 SAT or 25 ACT) of tuition at public colleges. The most money most Georgia students will ever get for the least paperwork.
Research & internshipsFreeNew York, NY
HOPP Summer Student Program
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Eight-week research in Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program labs.
Our take: Paid cancer research at MSK for students 14 and up. Commuter only.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Horatio Alger Scholarship
Horatio Alger Association
National and state scholarships up to $25,000 for students who have overcome adversity.
Our take: For students who have faced real adversity and have financial need (household income under about $55,000). Junior-year deadline in late October; many eligible students never hear of it.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
Jackie Robinson Foundation
Four-year scholarship and leadership development for minority students.
Our take: Up to $35,000 over four years plus intensive mentoring for minority seniors with financial need. The support program is the real prize.
ProgramFreeVaries by year
Asian American Journalists Association JCamp
Asian American Journalists Association
Multicultural journalism training with working reporters and editors. Travel and housing covered.
Our take: All-expenses-paid and open to every background despite the host. Small cohort, real newsroom mentors.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Jefferson Scholarship
University of Virginia
UVA's flagship merit scholarship, by school nomination.
Our take: Full cost at UVA plus enrichment. Nomination comes from your high school, so the ask has to happen early.
CompetitionFreeRegional symposia → national
Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
JSHS / Department of Defense
Research presentation competition with regional symposia in every state and a national finale.
Our take: Present original research as a talk, not a poster. Fewer entrants than the science fair circuit, real scholarship money.
ProgramFreeCountries with significant Muslim populations
Kennedy-Lugar YES Abroad
U.S. Department of State
Year-long exchange to countries such as Indonesia, Morocco, Senegal, Malaysia, and Bulgaria.
Our take: Fully funded year abroad, same family as NSLI-Y. Serious commitment, serious signal.
Research & internshipsFreePrinceton, NJ
Laboratory Learning Program
Princeton University
Unpaid research placement with Princeton faculty in engineering and natural sciences.
Our take: Free, full-time research in a Princeton lab. No housing, so it is realistic only if you can commute. Age 16 and up.
ProgramFreeNotre Dame, IN
Leadership Seminars
University of Notre Dame
Ten days of seminars on global issues for rising seniors with strong records and leadership.
Our take: Free, about 100 students, one college credit. The paid Notre Dame Summer Scholars is a different program.
CompetitionFreeOnline
MathWorks Math Modeling (M3) Challenge
SIAM
Teams of 3–5 juniors and seniors solve an open modeling problem in 14 hours.
Our take: Free, team-based, and the finalists win real scholarship money. Applied math, not olympiad math; good for engineers.
ProgramFreeCambridge, MA
MITES Summer
MIT
Rigorous STEM coursework and projects at MIT for rising seniors. MITES Semester (online) and MITES Saturdays (Boston area) are the sibling tracks.
Our take: One of the few free MIT-run programs. For students from underrepresented or under-resourced backgrounds; if that is you, apply.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Morehead-Cain Scholarship
UNC Chapel Hill
Full four-year scholarship with summer enrichment at UNC.
Our take: The first merit scholarship in the country and still one of the best: full cost plus four funded summers. Out-of-state students can be nominated.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
National College Match
QuestBridge
Binding early match to 50+ top colleges with full scholarships.
Our take: For low-income seniors: rank up to 15 partner colleges and, if matched, get a full four-year scholarship with an early-decision commitment. Late September deadline.
ScholarshipFreePSAT/NMSQT at your school
National Merit Scholarship Program
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
Recognition and scholarships based on junior-year PSAT scores.
Our take: Semifinalist (top ~1% in your state) is a line every reader recognizes, and Finalist unlocks big automatic scholarships at many universities. The only prep is the PSAT.
ProgramFreeAbroad (Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian, Turkish, and more)
U.S. Department of State NSLI-Y
U.S. Department of State
Merit-based scholarships for summer and year-long language immersion overseas.
Our take: A full State Department scholarship to live abroad and learn a critical language. No prior language needed. Deadline is early fall, earlier than most.
Research & internshipsFreeNASA centers + virtual
OSTEM Internships
NASA
Paid internships at NASA centers for high school and college students.
Our take: Paid, and NASA on a résumé speaks for itself. Age 16 and up; apply to several projects, not one.
ScholarshipFreePosse cities including Atlanta
Posse Scholarship
The Posse Foundation
Full-tuition leadership scholarship for students from Posse cities, who attend partner colleges in groups.
Our take: Full tuition at a partner college, going as a cohort of ten with training and support. Atlanta is a Posse city; ask your counselor about nomination before September.
Research & internshipsFreeBoston area (PRIMES) or remote nationwide (PRIMES-USA)
PRIMES and PRIMES-USA
MIT Department of Mathematics
Free year-long math and CS research program for high school students.
Our take: Year-long research with an MIT mentor. PRIMES-USA is the remote track for juniors anywhere in the country; the entrance problem set is the application.
ScholarshipFreeParticipating Georgia school systems
Georgia Student Finance Commission REACH Georgia
Georgia Student Finance Commission
Mentoring plus a renewable scholarship for eligible Georgia students, starting in 8th grade.
Our take: Georgia's needs-based program: a mentor and a coach through high school, then a $10,000 scholarship. Selection happens in 8th grade, so this is for younger siblings and middle schoolers.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Regeneron Science Talent Search
Society for Science
Nationwide competition for original research by high school seniors; 300 scholars, 40 finalists.
Our take: The oldest and most prestigious research competition for seniors. You need completed original research by November of senior year, which means starting as a sophomore or junior.
Research & internshipsFreeCambridge, MA
Center for Excellence in Education / MIT Research Science Institute (RSI)
Center for Excellence in Education / MIT
Six weeks of original STEM research with MIT and Broad Institute mentors, entirely free.
Our take: The most selective summer program in the country, about 100 students worldwide. If you have research already, apply; if not, this is not the place to start.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Robertson Scholars Leadership Program
Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill
Joint Duke–UNC full scholarship and leadership program.
Our take: Full ride at Duke or UNC with three funded summers and access to both campuses. Separate application in November.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Ron Brown Scholar Program
Ron Brown Scholar Fund
Scholarship and leadership program for African American high school seniors.
Our take: $40,000 over four years for Black seniors, plus a lifelong network. Small class, strong alumni community.
Research & internshipsFreeNavy laboratories nationwide
Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
U.S. Navy / Office of Naval Research
Navy research apprenticeship for students who have finished at least 9th grade.
Our take: Paid eight weeks in a Navy lab. Deadline is November 1, far earlier than most; U.S. citizenship required.
Research & internshipsFreeAustin, TX + remote work
SEES High School Summer Intern Program
NASA / UT Austin Center for Space Research
Earth and space research internship for rising juniors and seniors.
Our take: Free NASA-funded earth and space science research. Most of the work is remote; the two weeks in Austin are covered.
Research & internshipsFreeStony Brook, NY
Simons Summer Research Program
Stony Brook University
Hands-on research with Stony Brook faculty for rising seniors, with a stipend.
Our take: Real lab, real stipend, a poster at the end. You need a teacher nomination; ask in December.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Stamps Scholarship
Stamps Scholars Program (partner universities)
Full-cost merit scholarships at 30+ partner universities.
Our take: Full ride plus enrichment funds at partner universities, which include Georgia Tech and UGA. At most partners there is no separate form; you have to apply early.
Research & internshipsFreeStanford, CA
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Stanford School of Medicine
Eight weeks of hands-on medical research with a stipend.
Our take: Paid biomedical research at Stanford Medicine. No housing is provided, so Bay Area students have a practical edge.
Research & internshipsFreeStanford, CA
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program
Stanford School of Medicine
Five-week medical science and college-readiness program.
Our take: Free residential program for low-income Northern and Central California students interested in medicine.
Research & internshipsFreeNonprofits in your metro + Washington, DC summit
Student Leaders
Bank of America
Eight-week paid internship at a local nonprofit for juniors and seniors, plus a leadership summit.
Our take: Paid nonprofit internship plus a week in DC, and Atlanta is one of the markets. Deadline is mid-January.
ProgramFreePittsburgh, PA
Carnegie Mellon University Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
Carnegie Mellon University
College-level math and science coursework with CMU faculty, plus a project. Fully funded.
Our take: Free and genuinely rigorous. Built for students without easy access to advanced STEM; the application asks you to show that.
Research & internshipsFreeSeattle, WA
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Eight-week paid internship at Fred Hutch.
Our take: Paid cancer research internship for Washington rising seniors from groups underrepresented in science.
Research & internshipsFreeBethesda, MD and other NIH campuses
National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (SIP)
National Institutes of Health
Summer research internships in NIH labs. High school seniors can apply if they meet the age rule.
Our take: Paid research in an NIH lab. The separate high school track (HS-SIP) was folded into the main program, so it is now for graduating seniors who are 18 by the start, with a narrow exception for 17-year-olds who live near a campus. Check the age rule before you apply.
ProgramFreePrinceton, NJ + online
Princeton University Summer Journalism Program
Princeton University
Journalism intensive for low-income juniors, followed by a year of one-on-one college counseling.
Our take: Free, and the college-application mentoring that follows is as valuable as the program itself. Income-eligibility applies.
Research & internshipsFreeNew York, NY
The Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program
The Rockefeller University
Seven weeks of mentored research for students 16 and up.
Our take: Team-based research at one of the top biomedical institutions. Free, commuter, early deadline.
Research & internshipsFreeBar Harbor, ME and Farmington, CT
The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
The Jackson Laboratory
Independent research project in a JAX lab with a mentor.
Our take: Ten weeks of genetics and genomics research with a stipend and housing paid. Mostly undergraduates; a few rising seniors get in each year.
ProgramFreeCornell, Michigan, Maryland
Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
Telluride Association
Six-week college-level seminar on power, identity, and democracy. Everything is covered, including travel.
Our take: Free, seminar-style, and hard to get into. The essays are the application; start them in November.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
The Gates Scholarship
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Last-dollar scholarship covering the full cost of college for high-achieving, low-income minority students.
Our take: Full cost of attendance for 300 Pell-eligible minority seniors a year. Mid-September deadline; start the essays in summer.
Research & internshipsFreeOnline
THINK Scholars
MIT THINK
Student-run program that funds and mentors high school STEM projects.
Our take: You propose a project; MIT students mentor it and fund up to $1,000. The proposal is a real piece of writing; give it weeks.
ProgramFreeWashington, DC
U.S. Senate Page Program
United States Senate
Pages carry messages and support Senate floor operations while attending page school. Ages 16–17.
Our take: Paid, live in DC, work the Senate floor. Every senator sponsors a handful; reach out to yours early and directly.
CompetitionFreeOnline
USA Computing Olympiad
USACO
Algorithmic programming contests in four divisions, open to anyone.
Our take: Free, online, self-paced, and Gold or Platinum division is one of the clearest CS signals there is. Start in Bronze as a freshman.
ProgramFreeVaries by state
Your state's Governor's School
State education departments
State-funded honors programs for top students, in academics and the arts.
Our take: Most states run one, most are free, and all are competitive. Georgia's is GHP (listed separately). Find yours.
CompetitionUnder $1kAt your school
AMC 10/12 → AIME → USA(J)MO
Mathematical Association of America
The standard American math competition sequence. High scores on the AMC qualify you for AIME, then the olympiad.
Our take: Taking the AMC is not the signal. Qualifying for AIME is, and USAMO is elite. If you are serious about math this is the ladder everyone climbs.
ProgramUnder $1kValencia, CA
California State Summer School for the Arts
CSSSA
Four-week arts intensive at CalArts across seven disciplines.
Our take: State-subsidized for California residents and very competitive. Out-of-state students can attend at full cost.
CompetitionUnder $1kAt your school
American Association of Physics Teachers F=ma → USAPhO
American Association of Physics Teachers
The U.S. physics olympiad sequence.
Our take: Qualifying for USAPhO from F=ma is the meaningful step. Needs a teacher willing to proctor.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool team → district qualifier → nationals
National Speech & Debate Tournament
National Speech & Debate Association
The national championship of high school speech and debate.
Our take: Qualifying to Nationals from your district is a recognized achievement. Consistent competition through the season is how you get there.
ProgramUnder $1kNew York State campuses
New York State Summer School of the Arts
NYSSSA
New York's subsidized summer arts schools.
Our take: State-funded, audition-based, for New York residents. Ballet, orchestra, choral, dance, theatre, media, visual arts.
CompetitionUnder $1kRegional → state → international
Regeneron ISEF (via your regional fair)
Society for Science
The world's largest pre-college science competition, fed by affiliated fairs.
Our take: You get there by winning your regional and state fair. Even a state-level award is a real line; ISEF itself is a big one.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Awards in 28 categories of art and writing for grades 7–12. Fee waivers available.
Our take: The oldest and most recognized award for teen artists and writers. A Gold Key at the regional level is worth listing; a national medal is a headline.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
The Concord Review
The Concord Review
Publishes serious academic history essays by secondary students worldwide.
Our take: The only quarterly journal publishing high school history essays, and admissions offices know it. A 5,000-word research paper is the entry fee.
CompetitionUnder $1kThrough your local ACS section
U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
American Chemical Society
Two-stage chemistry olympiad run by ACS local sections.
Our take: Local exam, then the national exam for top scorers. Reaching the national exam is the line worth having.
CompetitionUnder $1kAt your school
USA Biology Olympiad
Center for Excellence in Education
Open exam → semifinal → national finals.
Our take: Semifinalist (top ~10%) is the threshold that shows up on applications.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
National YoungArts Foundation YoungArts
National YoungArts Foundation
National competition across ten artistic disciplines.
Our take: The top arts award for ages 15–18, and the only path to the U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. If you are a serious artist, this is the one.
Research & internshipsCost variesNew Mexico, Colorado, Indiana, and others
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Summer Science Program
Immersive team research program with a 60-year track record.
Our take: Need-blind admission and a sliding-scale fee down to zero. Astrophysics, biochemistry, genomics, or synthetic chemistry, in a team, at full intensity.
Program$1k–5kUC Davis, Irvine, San Diego, Santa Cruz, LA
COSMOS — California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science
University of California
Four-week residential STEM program across UC campuses, with clusters in specific topics.
Our take: For California students this is the one to get. Out-of-state applicants are admitted at a higher cost and lower odds.
Program$1k–5kEast Lansing, MI
High School Honors Science, Math and Engineering Program
Michigan State University
Full-time research placement for rising seniors, with a final presentation.
Our take: Seven weeks in a real lab with an MSU researcher, small cohort, long track record. Underrated.
Program$1k–5kIowa City, IA (also online)
Young Writers' Studio
University of Iowa
Two-week creative writing workshops from the home of the Iowa Writers' Workshop.
Our take: The most respected high school writing program in the country. Admission is on the writing sample alone.
ProgramOver $5kRotating campus
Canada/USA Mathcamp
Mathematics Foundation of America
Five weeks of advanced mathematics with a flexible schedule and a famously close community.
Our take: Choose-your-own-classes format, college and graduate-level topics. Strong need-based aid, including full rides.
ProgramOver $5kInterlochen, MI
Interlochen Arts Camp
Interlochen Center for the Arts
The largest and best-known summer arts program in the country.
Our take: For serious musicians, actors, dancers, writers, and visual artists this is a known name. Audition or portfolio required.
ProgramOver $5kBoston, MA
Boston University PROMYS
Boston University
Six weeks of immersive mathematics built around a daily problem set and exploration, not lectures.
Our take: Number theory taught by discovery; alumni go back as counselors for years. Full aid is real, so cost should not stop you.
ProgramOver $5kOhio and Indiana campuses
Ross Mathematics Program
Ross Program
Intensive number-theory program in the PROMYS tradition (PROMYS grew out of Ross). Aid available.
Our take: "Think deeply about simple things." The admissions problems are the point; spend real time on them.
ProgramOver $5kStanford, CA + online
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies
Proof-based mathematics for students who want to see what research-level math looks like.
Our take: The one Stanford summer program that is actually selective. Abstract algebra or topology at real depth.
ProgramOver $5kLenox, MA
Tanglewood Institute
Boston University
Classical music intensive alongside the Tanglewood Music Festival.
Our take: The Boston Symphony's summer home. If you are a classical musician aiming at conservatories, this is a real line.
ProgramFreeYour state
Boys State / Girls State
American Legion / American Legion Auxiliary
Week-long mock state government for rising seniors, run in every state.
Our take: Sponsored, so it costs you nothing, and the selection is the achievement. Boys Nation / Girls Nation is a real distinction.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Diamond Challenge
University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship
Global business and social venture pitch competition for high school students.
Our take: Free pitch competition with $100,000 in total prizes. A real venture idea beats a clever one.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Equitable Excellence Scholarship
Equitable Foundation
Scholarship for seniors who have made a difference in their community.
Our take: $5,000 or $25,000 for community impact. It closes after a fixed number of applications, so early beats good.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation
Renewable $40,000 scholarship for seniors who demonstrate leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship.
Our take: $10,000 a year for four years, about 40 recipients. Leadership and character essays; a strong fit for student-government types.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
HSF Scholar Program
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Scholarships and support for students of Hispanic heritage.
Our take: $500 to $5,000, thousands of awards a year, and the Scholar designation comes with conferences and career support.
Research & internshipsFreePlacements near you
Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
American Fisheries Society
Summer mentoring program in fisheries and aquatic science, with a stipend.
Our take: Paid ($3,000) fieldwork with a fisheries biologist, placed near where you live. Underapplied.
CompetitionFreeOnline
John Locke Institute Essay Competition
John Locke Institute
Essay competition in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law.
Our take: Popular on admissions forums and run by a for-profit summer school. A shortlist or a prize means something; entering does not, and a "commendation" is given to many.
ProgramFreeOnline + select cities
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy
Two-week coding camps (web, mobile, data science, machine learning) for young women and gender-expansive students ages 13–18.
Our take: Free, beginner-friendly, well-run. Same note as Girls Who Code: an entry point, not a finish line.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Live Más Scholarship
Taco Bell Foundation
Video-based scholarship for ages 16–26.
Our take: A two-minute video about your passion, no grades or essays. $5,000 to $25,000; unusual because it rewards students the traditional forms miss.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Most Valuable Student Scholarship
Elks National Foundation
Large national scholarship competition run through local Elks lodges.
Our take: 500 awards from $1,000 to $50,000 a year, judged on need, leadership, and scholarship. Real money with a mid-November deadline.
CompetitionFreeSchool team → state → national
National Economics Challenge
Council for Economic Education
Team economics quiz competition with a national finale.
Our take: The only national econ competition of note. Two divisions so AP students and beginners compete separately.
ScholarshipFreeLocal post → state → national
National High School Oratorical Contest
The American Legion
Constitutional oratory competition with scholarships at every level.
Our take: A prepared speech on the Constitution plus an assigned topic. Local rounds are small; state champions win real scholarships and go to nationals.
CompetitionFreeRegional → national finals in Washington, DC
National Science Bowl
U.S. Department of Energy
Team quiz competition for high school students.
Our take: Fast-buzzer science trivia at a high level. Winning your regional is the achievement; nationals is all-expenses-paid.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Ocean Awareness Contest
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Annual creative competition for ages 11–18.
Our take: Art, writing, film, music, or poetry about the ocean and climate, with real scholarship awards. Good for a creative student who cares about the environment.
ProgramFreeOnline
Pathways (summer program)
Girls Who Code
Free virtual summer program (it replaced the Summer Immersion Program) with tracks like web development, data science and AI, game design and cybersecurity, for high school girls and nonbinary students.
Our take: A good free start if you have not coded before. Common enough that the value is what you build next, not the line itself.
CompetitionFreeSchool team, teacher-led
Solve for Tomorrow
Samsung
STEM competition for public school teams solving a local community problem.
Our take: A teacher has to enter your school. State winners get technology packages; national finalists get real money and press.
CompetitionFreeState → national → Stockholm
Stockholm Junior Water Prize (U.S.)
Water Environment Federation
Research competition for water-related science and engineering projects.
Our take: For a water-related research project, the state round is very winnable. The national winner goes to Sweden.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Student Contests
The New York Times Learning Network
Rotating contests in editorial writing, reviews, podcasts, photo essays, and more.
Our take: Free, frequent, and winners get published by The New York Times. The editorial, review, and STEM writing contests are the most useful.
ProgramFreeNew York, NY and Newark, NJ
Sadie Nash Leadership Project Summer Institute
Sadie Nash Leadership Project
Six-week leadership and social justice program with a paid stipend.
Our take: Free with a stipend; for young women and gender-expansive youth in NYC and Newark.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Technovation Girls
Technovation
Technology entrepreneurship program and competition for girls ages 8–18.
Our take: Build an app and a business plan around a community problem, in a team of girls with a mentor. Free, well-structured, global.
ScholarshipFreeLocal VFW post → state → national
Voice of Democracy
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Audio-essay scholarship competition open to grades 9–12.
Our take: A recorded 3–5 minute essay. Local posts often get few entries, so the first rounds are very winnable; the national winner gets $35,000.
Research & internshipsFreeAthens, GA
University of Georgia Young Dawgs
University of Georgia
UGA's high school internship program, placing students in campus units and labs.
Our take: Internships across UGA departments for Georgia juniors and seniors. Unpaid, commuter, and a real look at a university from the inside.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Young Writers Awards
Bennington College
Poetry, fiction, and nonfiction awards for grades 10–12.
Our take: Free to enter, judged by Bennington's writing faculty, real cash prizes. One of the cleaner writing awards.
ProgramFreePartner schools + online
Youth Entrepreneurship Programs
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
Entrepreneurship education and startup competitions, mostly through schools.
Our take: Free and practical. Its World Series of Innovation competition is a low-lift way to show initiative.
CompetitionUnder $1kTeam; national finals near Washington, DC
American Rocketry Challenge
Aerospace Industries Association
The world's largest student rocketry competition.
Our take: Design, build, and fly a rocket to a target altitude with a raw egg aboard. Top 100 teams go to finals; a small team can do this without a school program.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
Conrad Challenge
Conrad Foundation
Multi-phase innovation and entrepreneurship competition for ages 13–18.
Our take: Invent a product in aerospace, energy, health, or cyber and defend the business case. Finalists pitch at the Innovation Summit.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
Air & Space Forces Association CyberPatriot
Air & Space Forces Association
National youth cyber defense competition.
Our take: Cybersecurity in teams, online rounds through the fall and winter. Platinum tier and national finals are the lines that count.
CompetitionUnder $1kChapter → state → international career development conference
DECA Competitive Events → ICDC
DECA Inc.
Business and marketing competitive events through school chapters.
Our take: Membership is nothing; placing at state or qualifying for ICDC is something. Written events (business plans) beat role-plays as evidence of work.
CompetitionUnder $1kChapter → state → national
FBLA Competitive Events → National Leadership Conference
Future Business Leaders of America
Business competitive events through school chapters.
Our take: Same as DECA. Top-ten at nationals is a line; attending is not.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool or community team
FIRST Tech Challenge
FIRST
Smaller-scale robotics competition for grades 7–12.
Our take: Smaller and cheaper than FRC, so it is realistic to start a team yourself. Founding one is a stronger story than joining one.
CompetitionUnder $1kAthens, GA
Georgia Science and Engineering Fair
University of Georgia
Georgia's state science fair, an ISEF-affiliated competition.
Our take: Georgia's path to ISEF. You qualify through your regional fair first; ask your science teacher in the fall which one your school uses.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
COMAP HiMCM
COMAP
Teams write a modeling paper on a real-world problem over several days.
Our take: The high school version of the college modeling contest. Outstanding designations are rare and mean something.
ProgramUnder $1kYour state
HOBY Leadership Seminar
Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership
Leadership seminar for sophomores, one nominee per high school, with a service commitment after.
Our take: The nomination is the honor; the seminar is short. Follow through on the 100 service hours it asks for and it becomes worth listing.
CompetitionUnder $1kChapter → state → international
HOSA Competitive Events → International Leadership Conference
HOSA — Future Health Professionals
Health science competitive events through school chapters.
Our take: For pre-med students without a HOSA chapter, starting one is a better story than joining. Placing at state or ILC is the achievement.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool team; qualify through the season
NAQT High School National Championship
National Academic Quiz Tournaments
The national quiz bowl championship.
Our take: Qualifying for HSNCT is the line. Fun, and reads as intellectual breadth rather than depth.
CompetitionUnder $1kRegional → national at UNC
National High School Ethics Bowl
Parr Center for Ethics, UNC
Teams discuss ethical case studies before judges.
Our take: Collaborative rather than adversarial, so it rewards actual thinking. Small circuit; a national berth stands out.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool team → state → national
National High School Mock Trial Championship
NHSMTC
Teams argue a case before real judges and attorneys.
Our take: A state title sends your team to nationals. For a pre-law applicant this is the most direct evidence there is.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool → regional → state → national (College Park, MD)
National History Day
National History Day
Year-long research competition on an annual theme.
Our take: Original historical research as a paper, exhibit, documentary, website, or performance. Reaching the national contest is a genuine humanities credential.
CompetitionUnder $1kState → international
NCF-Envirothon
National Conservation Foundation
Team competition across soils, aquatics, forestry, wildlife, and a current issue.
Our take: Field-based environmental science in teams of five. Underused by students who list "environment" as an interest.
ProgramUnder $1kAbroad
Rotary Youth Exchange
Rotary International
Club-sponsored short-term and long-term exchanges in 100+ countries.
Our take: Clubs sponsor most of the cost. Less famous than the State Department programs; still a real year abroad.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool team → regional → state → national
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad Inc.
Twenty-three events spanning biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and earth science.
Our take: Team-based and school-run, so the signal is medals at state or national, plus any leadership you take on.
ProgramUnder $1kOnline
The Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program
The Adroit Journal
Online mentorship pairing young writers with established poets and prose writers.
Our take: One-on-one with a published writer, online, low cost with waivers. Best value in youth writing.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool team → regional → state → national
United States Academic Decathlon
USAD
Nine-member team academic competition on an annual theme.
Our take: Ten events including speech, interview, and essay. Teams need students at every GPA level, which is unusual and useful.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool or community team
VEX Robotics Competition
Robotics Education & Competition Foundation
Robotics competition with a world championship each spring.
Our take: Same story as FIRST: role and results, not membership. Worlds qualification is the line.
ProgramCost variesPartner campuses + online
AI4ALL Summer Programs
AI4ALL (university partners)
AI education programs for underrepresented students, hosted by universities around the country.
Our take: Quality depends on the host campus; several are free. Read the specific site before assuming.
CompetitionCost variesSchool or community team
FIRST Robotics Competition
FIRST
Build a 120-pound robot in six weeks and compete regionally and at the championship.
Our take: The team exists at your school or it does not. If it does, what matters is your role: lead a subsystem, run outreach, mentor rookies. Dean's List is the individual honor.
Program$1k–5kOnline + campus sessions
AwesomeMath Summer Program
AwesomeMath
Olympiad-style problem solving with an admission test. Multiple sessions.
Our take: Competition-math training, not research math. Right if AIME or USAMO is the goal.
Program$1k–5kUniversity campuses nationwide
Economics for Leaders
Foundation for Teaching Economics
Economic reasoning plus leadership training in a one-week residential format.
Our take: One week, moderately priced, a real economics curriculum. Good for a student deciding whether econ is the major.
Research & internships$1k–5kStony Brook, NY
Garcia Summer Scholars
Stony Brook University Garcia Center
Seven-week research program in materials science with an optional year-round continuation.
Our take: Polymer and materials research that often continues through the school year and into science fairs. There is a fee.
Program$1k–5kAnn Arbor, MI
Michigan Math and Science Scholars
University of Michigan
Intensive courses in math and science taught by university faculty.
Our take: Two-week deep dives taught by Michigan faculty. Reasonable cost for the category; scholarships exist.
Program$1k–5kGambier, OH + online
Young Writers Workshop
Kenyon Review
Two-week workshop for students who take writing seriously.
Our take: Well regarded, less selective than Iowa. Aid is genuinely available.
Program$1k–5kSewanee, TN
Young Writers' Conference
Sewanee: The University of the South
Two-week residential writing conference on the Sewanee campus.
Our take: Small workshops in fiction, poetry, playwriting, and nonfiction. A strong Southeast option.
ProgramOver $5kBoston, MA
Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive
Berklee College of Music
Berklee's flagship summer program for performers, songwriters, and producers.
Our take: Contemporary music at scale. Audition-based scholarships can cover a lot; it doubles as a Berklee audition.
ProgramOver $5kPhiladelphia, PA + online
Global Youth Program (LBW, Essentials)
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Wharton's pre-college business programs, from the flagship LBW to shorter Essentials courses.
Our take: Leadership in the Business World is the selective one and reads well. The other tracks are good classes at a high price.
ProgramOver $5kAmherst, MA
Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics
Hampshire College
Six weeks of collaborative, proof-based mathematics well past the standard curriculum.
Our take: Less known than PROMYS or Ross, similarly serious. Good option if those say no.
ProgramOver $5kCampus sessions + online
LaunchX
LaunchX
Entrepreneurship program where teams start a real business over the summer.
Our take: You actually build a company. Selective enough to mean something; expensive. Worth most if you keep the venture running after.
ProgramOver $5kBryn Mawr, PA
MathILy / MathILy-Er
MathILy
Discovery-based advanced mathematics in "braided" strands of topics.
Our take: Serious and playful at once. MathILy-Er is the on-ramp if you are newer to proofs.
Research & internshipsOver $5kOnline
Pioneer Research Program
Pioneer Academics
Structured online research program with faculty mentors and a final paper.
Our take: Online research with a professor, graded, with a credit option through Oberlin. It is paid, but more selective and more rigorous than most in this category.
ProgramOver $5kProvidence, RI + online
Rhode Island School of Design Pre-College
Rhode Island School of Design
Six-week studio program modeled on RISD's freshman foundation year.
Our take: You leave with a portfolio, which is the point for art and architecture applicants. Costly.
ProgramOver $5kPhiladelphia, PA
University of Pennsylvania Pre-College and Summer Academies
University of Pennsylvania
Subject-focused summer academies plus a broader pre-college program.
Our take: The Academies (biomedical research, neuroscience, etc.) are more selective than the general pre-college and produce real work. Still paid.
ProgramOver $5kPittsburgh, PA
Carnegie Mellon University Pre-College Programs
Carnegie Mellon University
Six-week pre-college programs, several of which produce portfolio work for arts applications.
Our take: The portfolio tracks (architecture, design, drama, art, music) are worth it for the work you leave with. The academic tracks are expensive classes.
ProgramOver $5kSanta Barbara, CA
UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program
UC Santa Barbara
Six-week mentored research program ending in a technical paper and symposium.
Our take: University research with a graduate-student mentor. Expensive; some aid. The paper you write is the takeaway.
ProgramOver $5kBoston, MA
RISE — Research in Science & Engineering
Boston University
Six weeks of university lab research (Internship track) or a research-methods course (Practicum track).
Our take: Real lab placement and a poster session. You pay for it, which readers know, but the work can stand on its own.
ProgramOver $5kIowa City, IA
Secondary Student Training Program
University of Iowa
Six weeks of mentored university research ending in a poster and paper.
Our take: Real research placement with a faculty mentor. Costly, but the output is a project you can talk about.
ProgramOver $5kNew Haven, CT
Yale Young Global Scholars
Yale University
Two-week interdisciplinary sessions with students from 150+ countries.
Our take: Selective and well-run with a real international cohort. Does not move your Yale application; need-based aid is generous.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Burger King Scholars
Burger King Foundation
Thousands of small scholarships for seniors, employees, and their families.
Our take: Mostly $1,000 awards, a huge applicant pool, and a quick form. Worth thirty minutes, not more.
ProgramUnder $1kWashington, DC
Citizenship Washington Focus
4-H
Civic education trip for 4-H members.
Our take: Inexpensive week in DC through 4-H. More meaningful as part of a sustained 4-H record than on its own.
ProgramUnder $1kAtlanta, GA
Georgia Tech CEISMC Summer P.E.A.K.S.
Georgia Tech CEISMC
Georgia Tech's K-12 outreach center runs week-long summer STEM programs for metro Atlanta students.
Our take: Week-long STEM camps on the Georgia Tech campus, priced for local families. Good exposure for younger students, not a résumé item.
Program$1k–5kOnline
Inspirit AI AI Scholars
Inspirit AI
Online AI courses and project mentorship for high school students.
Our take: A paid class taught by graduate students, not a selective program. Fine for learning; do not expect it to read as an achievement.
Program$1k–5kCampus rentals + online
Biomedical Workshops
Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research
Molecular biology and medicine workshops for high school students.
Our take: Open-enrollment lab workshops held on university campuses. The university is the venue, not the organizer.
Program$1k–5kBemidji, MN
Concordia Language Villages
Concordia College
Language immersion villages in 15 languages.
Our take: Immersion done well, and the four-week credit sessions are real. Open enrollment, so it reads as an experience, not an award.
Competition$1k–5kRochester, NY
GENIUS Olympiad
Terra Science and Education
International environmental-themed project fair with high finalist and medal rates.
Our take: You pay to attend after a light screening. Readers who know it weigh it well below ISEF or Regeneron.
Research & internships$1k–5kOnline
Ladder Internships
Ladder
Paid placement into remote startup internships.
Our take: You pay to intern at a startup. Cold-emailing twenty local companies costs nothing and reads better.
Program$1k–5kUniversity campuses
National Student Leadership Conference
NSLC
Career-themed summer conferences (medicine, engineering, law, business) on college campuses.
Our take: Nearly everyone who applies and pays can attend, and admissions readers know it. Spend the money on something you had to earn.
Program$1k–5kUniversity campuses
National Youth Leadership Forum
Envision
Career exploration forums in medicine, engineering, business, and national security.
Our take: The "nomination" letter is a marketing letter, not a selective honor. Same category as NSLC.
Research & internships$1k–5kOnline
Polygence
Polygence
Paid project-based research mentorship.
Our take: Same model as Lumiere. If you use one of these, the output has to stand on its own: a publication, a competition entry, something a reader can verify.
Research & internships$1k–5kOnline
Lumiere Education Research Scholar Program
Lumiere Education
Paid one-on-one research mentorship ending in an independent paper.
Our take: You pay a PhD student to mentor a paper. The paper can be real work, but admissions readers know the model.
Program$1k–5kHuntsville, AL
U.S. Space & Rocket Center Space Camp
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Week-long space and aviation camps, including Advanced Space Academy for ages 15–18.
Our take: Formative for a lot of engineers, and a good story in an essay. Not a credential.
ProgramOver $5kAmherst, Stanford, Oxford, and others
Great Books Summer Program
Great Books Summer Program
Seminar-style discussion of classic texts on college campuses.
Our take: Pleasant, open enrollment, host-campus names on the brochure. A reading vacation, not a credential.
ProgramOver $5kWilderness sites nationwide
Outward Bound Expeditions
Outward Bound USA
Backpacking, canoeing, climbing, and sailing expeditions with a leadership curriculum. Scholarships available.
Our take: Great for you; near zero as an admissions line. That is fine. Not everything needs to be.
ProgramOver $5kOxford, Cambridge, Paris, New York, and others
Oxbridge Academic Programs
Oxbridge Academic Programs
Summer courses on famous campuses, run by a third-party provider.
Our take: A private company that runs programs at historic campuses. A lovely summer; not an Oxford credential.
ProgramOver $5kAtlanta, GA
Emory University Pre-College Program
Emory University
Credit and non-credit courses for rising juniors and seniors on Emory's campus.
Our take: Metro Atlanta students can commute, which cuts the cost a lot. Still a paid class; neutral for Emory admissions.
ProgramOver $5kProvidence, RI + online
Brown University Pre-College Programs
Brown University
Hundreds of non-credit courses in a college setting.
Our take: Open enrollment. Take a course because you want the material; do not take it for the line on the application.
ProgramOver $5kBaltimore, MD + online
Johns Hopkins University Pre-College Programs
Johns Hopkins University
Summer courses and immersion programs for high school students.
Our take: Same category as Brown and Harvard: paid, open, a fine class, not a credential.
ProgramOver $5kDurham, NC + online
Duke University Pre-College Programs
Duke University
Academic enrichment programs for grades 6–12.
Our take: Open enrollment. Neutral for admissions, including at Duke.
ProgramOver $5kIthaca, NY + online
Cornell University Precollege Studies
Cornell University
Cornell courses for credit, on campus or online.
Our take: Credit-bearing and open. If you need a specific course, fine; as a signal it is neutral.
ProgramOver $5kCambridge, MA + online
Secondary School Program
Harvard Summer School
Take Harvard Summer School courses for credit alongside college students. Open enrollment.
Our take: The college credit is real. The Harvard name on your transcript is not what admissions offices think it is.
ProgramOver $5kNew York, NY + online
School of The New York Times Summer Academy
School of The New York Times
Two-week courses taught by journalists and industry professionals.
Our take: Brand name, open enrollment, high price. Fun; not a signal.
ProgramOver $5kWashington, DC + online
Georgetown University Summer High School Programs
Georgetown University
Pre-college academies and credit courses.
Our take: Open enrollment, DC location. The "Academies" are one-week camps with a Georgetown logo.
ProgramOver $5kNew York, NY + online
Columbia University Summer Immersion
Columbia University
Non-credit summer courses in New York or online.
Our take: Non-credit, open enrollment and expensive. Do it for New York, not for admissions.
ProgramOver $5kStanford, CA + online
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies Summer Institutes
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies
Single-subject intensives across STEM, humanities, and arts for grades 8–11.
Our take: Good classes. The Stanford name on it does not help a Stanford application, and readers know it is paid.
“Helps an application” is our read on how much an admissions reader is likely to weigh it: Strong means getting in or placing is a real achievement, Solid means it shows real interest and effort, and Light usually means most students who apply and pay can attend. It’s our opinion, not a ranking from any college, and a light one can still be a great summer.
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Every program here is real and links to its own official site. Dates, costs and rules change every year, so check the official page before you apply. Deadlines are shown as the months they usually close. Spot something out of date? Email sessions@joinclarityprep.com.