If you are in high school then summer break is a great time to take on a new challenge, learn something new, work on a research or passion project, or explore new interests. Ohio has a range of programs and internships that cater to all interests and skill levels.

Whether you're interested in STEM, social sciences, or the performing arts, or simply an ambitious student seeking diverse academic opportunities, Ohio has got you covered!

Note: Please keep in mind the following information is for 2023, though dates tend to be similar year on year.

Here are the 12 best programs for high school students in Ohio

1. Ladder Internship Program

Cost: $1490 (Financial Aid Available)

Location:  Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.

Application deadline: April 16 and May 14

Program dates: 8 weeks, June to August

Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates and gap year students!]

Ladder Internships is a selective program equipping students with virtual internship experiences at startups and nonprofits around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries, and each student can select which field they would most love to deep dive into. This is also a great opportunity for students to explore areas they think they might be interested in, and better understand professional career opportunities in those areas. The startups are based all across the world, with the majority being in the United States, Asia and then Europe and the UK. 

The fields include technology, machine learning and AI, finance, environmental science and sustainability, business and marketing, healthcare and medicine, media and journalism and more. 

You can explore all the options here on their application form. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship - the Ladder Coach serves as a second mentor and a sounding board, guiding you through the internship and helping you navigate the startup environment. 

Interns are offered one-on-one training in communication, time management and other such valuable skills and will also have the opportunity to attend group training sessions with other interns in their cohort. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.

2. NASA’s SCaN Internship Project (SIP)

Application deadline: TBA

Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old, have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and live within 50 miles of the center

Program dates: TBA but the summer program starts in early June and ends in August

Location: NASA Glen Research Center, Cleveland

Stipend: Unpaid

This 10-week internship will allow you to work in the Space Communication and Navigation department of NASA while being mentored by an experienced member of the organization. You will observe the center’s sophisticated technology and software and get practical experience by analyzing space communication systems and networks. A STEM background is not required for this program. At the end of the program, you will present your finding at an event where one student is given the unique opportunity to attend the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) meeting!

3. The Ohio State University’s 2023 Explorations in Neuroscience Internship

Application deadline: March 6

Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors, students from underrepresented minorities are encouraged to apply

Program dates: June 19 – August 4

Location: The Ohio State University

Stipend: Unspecified

Funded by the National Institute of Health, this program offers an end-to-end research experience in the fields of neuroscience and biomedical research. Neuroscience, Neurological Injury, or Neurodegeneration are three available tracks to choose from. You will conduct extensive research in a lab, be mentored by field leaders, learn the art of scientific writing, present your research at the end, and all while being paid. Highlights of this program are the hands-on research work as well as ample networking opportunities available.

4. The Ross Mathematics Program

Application deadline: March 31

Eligibility: 15 – 18 year old students

Program dates: June 11 – June 21

Location: Otterbein University, Westerville

Fee: $6000

Financial assistance: Need-based scholarships are available

This six-week residential program is ideal for those who would like to study Number Theory extensively. With ten hours of coursework per week, you will solve problem sets, write mathematical proofs, attend lectures and group meetings. The highlight of this program is the extensive depth at which this one subject is taught, covering sub-topics like Euclid’s algorithm, binomial coefficients, quadratic reciprocity and much more. This program is prestigious and therefore fairly competitive, having an acceptance rate of 20% in 2021.

5. University of Cincinnati’s Biology Meets Engineering Program (BME)

Application deadline: April 21, although the application reviewing begins on March 13

Eligibility: All high school students from underrepresented backgrounds

Program dates: June 1 – June 22 (Monday to Friday)

Location: University of Cincinnati, Uptown West Campus

Fee: Free

The BME is set apart from other programs because of its focus on interdisciplinary learning. Biology and engineering come together in this commuter program. It offers a unique opportunity where you will study animals' sensory behaviors and implement that information in robotics. The program has a college credit course option as well. Once completed, you are eligible to apply for the program's internship.

6. University of Cincinnati’s Women of Color Summer Engineering Camp

Application deadline: March 30

Eligibility: Open to rising 9th to 12th graders

Program dates: June 5 – June 9, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Location: University of Cincinnati, Main Campus

Fee: Free

Through this one-week commuter program at UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, you will learn the wide scope of the engineering and technology fields. The curriculum includes working on interactive STEM projects, meeting with professionals in the field, and engaging with various engineering corporations. While this program is free of cost, you will have to pay extra if you choose to stay overnight in the UC Dormitory. The university also offers a Men of Color Summer Engineering Camp.

7. Ohio University’s The High School Journalism Workshop

Application deadline: June 30

Eligibility: High school students above the age of 15

Program dates: July 11 – July 15

Location: Ohio University

Fee: $400

Organized by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, this program will train you in the basics of journalism and give you the opportunity to interact with professional journalists. You must choose one track from 8 options, including different platforms or areas of journalism like podcasting, photojournalism and sports. The program will also cover sessions on ethics and diversity as well as entertainment sessions.

8. P&G Research Scholar Program

Application deadline: May 5

Eligibility: Students entering sophomore or junior year who are interested in STEM

Program dates: June 12 – June 15

Location: Cincinnati

Fee: Free

For four days during the summer, you can work at the Research and Development department at P&G. The program offers a primarily shadowing experience through which you will examine the real-world application of STEM subjects and understand the process of building a consumer product. On completion of the program, mentoring opportunities will continue and you might even be able to return as a summer intern.

9. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s High School Senior Summer Internship Program

Application deadline: March 10

Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors

Program dates: TBA, the program is an eight-week summer internship

Location: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center

Stipend: $13/hour

This part-time internship will allow you to spend 20 hours per week with a mentor, shadowing them and conducting research for their projects. Each mentor belongs to a different clinical specialty, ranging from pediatric surgery to development biology and human genetics. You will also network with your peers, observe other areas of research, and get hands-on training sessions with computerized simulated patients! This program is known to be highly competitive.

10. Kenyon Review Young Writer’s Summer Residential Workshop

Application deadline: March 1

Eligibility: Open to 16 – 18 year old students

Program dates: Session 1 from June 25 – July 8, Session 2 from July 16 – July 29

Location: Kenyon College

Fee: $2,575

Financial assistance: Need-based financial aid is available.

Through this program, you can hone your creative and critical writing skills under the guidance of The Kenyon Review, an international literary magazine. In cohort sizes of 12-14 students, you will write in a variety of formats and attend workshops to share and discuss the writings. Individual conferences with a mentor will offer further guidance. You will even have the chance to attend a genre specific workshop! As a residential program, you will also get a taste of college life.

11. The Center for Architecture and Design’s High School Design Studio

Application deadline: TBA

Eligibility: Students from grades 9 – 12

Program dates: June 12 – June 23

Location: Knowlton School of Architecture at The Ohio State University

Fee: $590

Financial assistance: Scholarships available.

The Center for Architecture and Design is a non-profit organization that hosts this commuter program in design. While the primary theme for 2023 is Figure vs. Ground (applying the concept at different scales, from the layout of a room to that of a city), the coursework will also look at topics like architecture, engineering and interior design. Coupled with the immersive studio work, the program seeks to provide a collegiate-level experience.

And here are a few bonus programs for those of you who read this far!

12. OBAP’S ACE Academy

Application deadline: June 24 for the Columbus program, May 31 for the Cleveland program

Eligibility: Students between the age of 13 and 18,

Program dates: July 11 – July 15 for the Columbus program, June 26 – June 30 for the Cleveland program

Location: Programs available in Columbus and Cleveland

Fee: $100

Financial assistance: Limited fee waivers are available

As a student of the Aerospace Career Education (ACE) Academy you will get to explore the career options within aerospace and aviation while learning about the field. The curriculum includes the fundamentals of aerodynamics, aviation history, air traffic control procedures and the implementation of STEM subjects. The program is hosted by a non-profit organization called the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals.

One other option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are passionate about research and would like to do it from the comfort of your home, you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 2100 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

Image source: Ohio State University Logo