12 Summer Programs for High School Students in Pennsylvania
Finding a great summer opportunity can be difficult. There are a lot of options to choose from in Pennsylvania so we’ve compiled some great opportunities to help you decide!
The opportunities range from paid to free (some even provide a stipend). There is something here for everyone.
Not seeing something you like? You can also look at the opportunities we’ve curated in psychology research, medical research, biology research, and virtual research. You can also check out our research program – Lumiere – which had 2100 students apply this past year! Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school
Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June).
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Application deadline: April 5
Eligibility: Students from grades 9 – 11, with a minimum 3.3 unweighted GPA,
Program dates: 2-week and 3-week programs available running between June and August
Location: The Wharton School, The University of Pennsylvania
Fee: $7,299 - $9,099
Financial aid: Several partial and full scholarships are available
The WGYP offers a number of different programs for high school students to explore business, leadership and prepare themselves for college. The 7 on-campus programs cover topics like product design, entrepreneurship, data science, and more. Leadership in the Business World is known to be highly selective while the Management & Technology Summer Institute offers college credit, both are well known programs. These are immersive experiences where you will learn from Wharton faculty and engage in a hands-on, interactive curriculum. WGYP features online courses too, as well as an Investment Competition that is free of cost.
3. Veritas AI
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship.
These programs are designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni and you can expect a great, fulfilling educational experience. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship.
The AI Fellowship program will have students pursue their own independent AI research project. Students work on their own individual research projects over a period of 12-15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. In the past, students have worked on research papers in the field of AI & medicine, AI & finance, AI & environmental science, AI & education, and more! You can find examples of previous projects here.
Location: Virtual
Cost:
$1,790 for the 10-week AI Scholars program
$4,900 for the 12-15 week AI Fellowship
$4,700 for both
Need-based financial aid is available. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Applications for fall cohort have closed September 3.
Program dates: Various according to the cohort
Program selectivity: Moderately selective
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit past experience with AI concepts or Python.
Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions pertaining to the students background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
Application deadline: January 31, after which applications are accepted on a rolling basis until May 1
Eligibility: Students with a minimum 3.3 GPA
Program dates: July 9 – July 29
Location: University of Pennsylvania
Fee: $5,500 for the ASL and Deaf Culture Academy, $9,700 for the rest
UPenn’s summer academies are three-week intensive programs that do a deep dive into a specific subject. Covering science subjects like physics, chemistry, coding, and social subjects like justice and media, this program uses a combination of theory and application to train students in a field of study. If you go to a School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school, you can apply for the Penn Summer Scholarship which gives you a chance to attend the academy free of cost!
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors from underrepresented/underserved communities
Program dates: July 1 – July 28
Location: Carnegie Mellon University
Fee: Free
You can spend four weeks working under Carnegie Mellon University faculty and leading researchers through this residential program in computer science. Offering a comprehensive look at the subject, you will study algorithmic components, problem solving techniques, basic data structures and even attend a math course. Additionally, you will also network with industry leaders and work on a group project for the final presentation, while preparing for college life. The Pre-College AI Scholars and Summer Academy for Math and Science programs are other free programs you can consider, with the latter being one of the more prestigious programs in the country!
Application deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors from underrepresented/underserved communities
Program dates: June 25 – July 8 for the residential program, July 10 – July 21 for the virtual program
Location: Lehigh University
Fee: Free
The SEI takes a lab-based, research-centric approach to STEM subjects, giving students significant practical experience. Topics are taken from a number of different disciplines, like 3D printing, robotics, nanoscience, bioengineering, environmental remediation and more. The curriculum includes lectures, team projects, and virtual field trips. Do keep in mind that students need to be nominated by their district to the Lehigh University School Study Council for this program.
Application deadline: February 8
Eligibility: Current juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years of age
Program dates: Starting from June 26, students must complete 4 weeks or 160 hours of work.
Location: MWRI or Magee-Womens Hospital
Stipend: Hourly minimum wage
Ideal for those interested in biomedical research, this medical internship focuses on reproductive biology, women’s health, and infant health. During the four-week commuter program, you will work on an individual research project under the mentorship of MWRI staff and present it by the end of the program. It uses a hybrid format where students are allowed to do part of the internship from home. Less than 8% of applicants have been previously accepted to the program, making it highly selective!
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Students entering 12th grade who have a strong interest in business
Program dates: June 18 – June 30
Location: Penn State University Park
Fee: Only a $50 registration fee is required, all the other costs are covered
Financial assistance: Aid is available for those who cannot afford the registration fee
Listed on Forbes as an innovative business program, BOSS is a two-week program hosted by Smeal School of Business at Penn State. The program teaches students the fundamentals of business while also preparing them for college life. You will live on the college campus and attend sessions on everything from accounting to business writing, proper etiquette and professional dress code. In the end, you will even have the opportunity to present a business you developed through the program!
Another great program in the same field is Drexel University’s Camp Business, which has a comprehensive curriculum on the basics of business.
Application deadline: February 17
Eligibility: Students in 10th and 11th grade
Program dates: June 12 – June 23
Location: Penn State Harrisburg
Fee: Free
Penn State Harrisburg offers this free, two-week STEM program for high schoolers to get a taste of hands-on work in the field. You will visit labs and other facilities, take part in experiments, attend discipline-specific workshops and learn how to give scientific oral presentations. The curriculum covers a number of topics from subjects like mathematics, chemistry, electrical engineering, biology and more.
Application deadline: Applications accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Students who have completed sophomore/junior year in June of the same year
Program dates: Four one-week sessions available during the month of July
Location: Lycoming College or Pennsylvania College of Technology
Fee: Participants will be sponsored by a local business/organization and only need to pay a $295 registration fee
Financial assistance: Available for the registration fee
The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education, a non-profit organization, hosts this week-long residential program where you will get to run a business! In teams of 16, accompanied by an adult mentor, you will take charge of an underperforming manufacturing company and compete with other teams to get the highest return on equity. Handling all departments from marketing and finance to HR, this residential program offers great practical experience.
Application deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and have a record of high academic achievement and an interest in mathematics and the sciences
Program dates: July 2 – August 5
Location: Carnegie Mellon University
Fee: Free, students only need to cover transportation costs
A highly competitive program to get into, the PGSS provides advanced academic study and research opportunities to gifted high school students. You will study five core courses (usually topics in mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, and biology), four elective courses, and one lab course. The curriculum also includes a team project that results in a formal scientific paper that could be published in the PGSS journal! Over the five weeks, you will also attend guest lectures, make important connections and learn using the sophisticated technology at Carnegie Mellon University.
Application deadline: Rolling applications
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Program dates: Session 1 from June 26 - June 30, Session 2 from July 10 - July 14, Session 3 from July 31 - August 4, Session 4 from July 24 – July 28
Location: Fallingwater, Pennsylvania
Fee: $1,200
Financial assistance: Limited full and partial need-based scholarships available
Fallingwater Institute's high school residencies offer students the opportunity to live and study art and architecture on Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Fallingwater property. The immersive, studio-based experience will give you the opportunity to work on drawing and design, explore Frank Lloyd Wright’s ideas and look into the intersection of design and nature. Apart from two studio sessions, the other two focus on portfolio prep and biophilic design respectively.
One other option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you are passionate about research, you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students that 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 PhD 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: Wharton's Global Youth Program logo