15 Animal Science Summer Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 4 hours ago
- 9 min read
Summer programs are an effective way for high school students to explore academic interests and gain early exposure to college-level learning. They provide practical skills, professional mentorship, and valuable networking opportunities. Participating in a selective summer program can also boost your college applications by showing admissions officers that you were selected for a competitive opportunity.Â
For those interested in animals and science, animal science summer programs for high school students offer a chance to understand veterinary medicine, wildlife biology, and animal behavior. Through research, clinical practice, and fieldwork, you’ll gain exposure to animal anatomy, diagnostics, and toxicology, exploring varied career paths in animal science. We have compiled a list of the 15 best animal science summer programs for high school students, carefully curated based on their rigor, quality of mentorship, and reputation. Whether you’re considering veterinary medicine, zoology, or wildlife conservation, these programs can help you build the foundation for a future in animal science.Â
15 Animal Science Summer Programs for High School Students
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type (full financial aid available)
Dates: Varies by cohort: Summer, Fall, Winter, or Spring | Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive one-on-one research opportunities across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high school students with PhD mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper. You can choose research topics from subjects such as animal science, psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here. You can also check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.Â
Location: UT College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN
Cost: No cost
Dates: June 9 – July 11
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 | Must be a legal resident of Tennessee and enrolled in a Tennessee high school or homeschooling program | Must be 16 years old
The Veterinary Summer Experience Program (VSEP) at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine is a six-week summer program designed to give high school students a real-world look at veterinary medicine. Here, you’ll shadow professionals at a local veterinary practice for five weeks and attend one week of educational programming on the University of Tennessee campus, engaged in lectures, labs, and clinical rotations. The program emphasizes exposure to veterinary careers, diagnostics, clinical work, and the full scope of the profession.
Location: University Of Minnesota, College Of Veterinary Medicine, MN
Cost: $15Â
Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the year, including summer and spring
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Middle school and high school students
The VetCamp at the University of Minnesota is a flexible, entry-level program for students interested in studying veterinary science. Hosted by the College of Veterinary Medicine, the program offers shorter modules (typically three hours or a day) where students work with simulated animals, play a Careers Game to identify the types of veterinarians required for various cases, and participate in a Toxicology Board scenario.
Location: Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL
Cost: $1,975
Dates: June 14–19
Application Deadline: Registration opens early January
Eligibility: Students entering 10th, 11th or 12th grade
This one-week residential program at Eckerd College provides high school students with an immersive introduction to animal studies and research in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida. You’ll participate in citizen-science wildlife research surveys on and off campus, attend classes led by Eckerd faculty, and visit local aquaria, zoos, or shelters to learn about animal husbandry, enrichment, and research. You will develop skills in quantitative analysis, critical thinking, and communication, while exploring the diverse ways to approach animal studies.
Location: University of Georgia, Athens, GAÂ
Cost: $1,000
Dates: May 31–June 6
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Must be 16 years old | Must be in 10th, 11th or 12th grades
The VetCAMP, offered by the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, is a week-long summer program for high school students interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. You’ll engage in learning activities at the veterinary teaching hospital, diagnostic labs, and the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center. Hands-on activities may include simulations, exposure to clinical workflows, and mentoring sessions designed to help you understand your future competitiveness in veterinary careers. You’ll also go on a veterinary medicine field trip and participate in workshops preparing you for vet school.
Location: Antigua, Guatemala
Cost: There is no information available
Dates: August 2–15Â
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: All attendees must have either attended the Congress of Future Medical Leaders or submit GPA verification | High school students must have a 4.0 GPA, and undergraduate students must have a 3.5 GPA, current or cumulative
FutureVets is an advanced overseas learning experience for students interested in exploring veterinary medicine. You will shadow veterinarians in hospitals and wildlife sanctuaries, observe surgeries in the O.R., work with live animals and cadavers in anatomy and lab sessions, and engage in diagnostics and rehabilitation of both small and large animals, including exotic species. You will participate in rotations and gain exposure to clinical lab research, nutrition, and anatomy.Â
Location: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Day Campers $750/week | Overnight Campers: $750/week and an additional $250
Dates: Week 1: July 6–10 | Week 2: July 13–17
Application Deadline: April 6
Eligibility: Must be a U.S or U.S Territories Resident | Must be 15 years or older | Rising high school sophomore, junior, or senior
VetCAMP is a five-day summer camp by the Veterinary Professions Advising Center at North Carolina State University for students interested in veterinary medicine. You’ll tour the College of Veterinary Medicine, learn the basics of a small animal clinic, and gain experience with horses, sheep, and pigs at the NC State Animal Education Units. You'll also work in suture and dissection labs, and learn about NC State majors. The program is competitive and emphasizes exposure to veterinary careers, animal science, and pre-vet preparation.
Location: Lees-McRae College, Banner Elk, NC
Cost: One Week: $2,000 | Two Weeks: $3,400
Dates: June 15–21 | June 22–28
Application Deadline: June 5
Eligibility: All students entering 11th or 12th grade (age limit is 15–17 years)
The Wildlife Science Summer Program at Lees-McRae College invites high school students to explore wildlife ecology, rehabilitation, and animal science in a mountain and field station setting. You’ll learn about plant and animal ecology and conservation at the Elk Valley Preserve and Field Station and the surrounding areas of western North Carolina, and about outdoor patient care and wildlife education at the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
Location: University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Cost: $400
Dates: June 9–12
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors (16 + years) | Must have spent or be spending time job-shadowing a veterinarian | A minimum GPA of 2.7
The Advanced Veterinary Academy at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine offers a focused four-day preview of veterinary training within the broader domain of animal science summer programs for high school students. The program is structured to simulate both veterinary school life and clinical rotations. You’ll attend lectures alongside first or second-year veterinary students, explore anatomy, radiology, toxicology, epidemiology, shadow clinicians during rounds, and scrub in on a surgery alongside clinical students observing critical procedures and complex cases.Â
Location: Oregon State University, Corvallis, ORÂ
Cost:Â $900
Dates: July 28–August 2
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility:Â High school sophomores/juniors who are 16+ years at the time of the program
The OSU Summer Veterinary Experience at the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine is a one-week residential program designed for high school students with a passion for veterinary medicine. As a participant, you’ll work under mentors and instructors to explore topics of basic sciences, animal and human health, and social sciences. This program offers hands-on labs including physical exam techniques, microscope work, and small-animal rehabilitation demonstrations. You’ll also receive guidance on undergraduate admissions procedures, attend career panel discussions, and conduct excursions and field trips.Â
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Cost: Varies | Program credit courses typically involve tuition + residential feesÂ
Dates: June 23 – July 11
Application Deadline: May 9Â
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors (ages 16–18)
The Veterinary Medicine: Science and Practice course is a rigorous, three-week summer residential course designed for high school students passionate about veterinary medicine. The course is taught at a college-level pace, equivalent to a full-semester curriculum. You’ll learn about anatomy, physiology, and clinical specialities, and study alongside Cornell undergraduates, earning three to eight college credits. Due to its rigour, it’s highly suitable for students who already have a strong foundation in science coursework and are committed to exploring a veterinary or animal science career path.
Location: Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island, and Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California
Cost: Residential: $7,259, Commuter: $6,459, Additional: $180 for Roger Williams University | Residential: $7,501, Commuter: $6,701, Additional: $180 for Loyola Marymount University
Dates: June 22 – July 11 | July 13 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 2
Eligibility: High school students (grades vary by campus)
The Zoology course at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth is a three-week rigorous course for high school students interested in the principles of comparative animal anatomy, physiology, and genetics, with a typical class size of 18-20. You’ll learn key concepts of zoology, such as characteristics of the animal cell, heredity, and evolution, and explore the digestive, nervous, immune, endocrine, reproductive, and circulatory systems of animals ranging from perch to rats through laboratory dissections. You’ll research animal behavior, environmental adaptation, husbandry and domestication, as well as the human impact on animal life. Through lab and field work, you’ll formulate research questions, gather and analyze data, and interpret results.
Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $1,200
Dates: For rising 10th and 11th graders: June 8-13 | For rising 12th graders: June 22-27
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students residing in Florida
The Gator Vet Camp Summer Program is a one-week residential experience designed to introduce high school students to veterinary medicine and animal science. You’ll tour the College of Veterinary Medicine, engage in clinical labs, practice skills under faculty and veterinary students, and explore lesser-known specialities such as wildlife, large-animal, and fish medicine. The program emphasises exposure, skill building, and college readiness, making it a strong and accessible option among high school students.
Location: Gann/Bentley, Waltham, MA
Cost: Three-Week Tuition: $2500 | Three-Week Residential Fee: $2097
Dates: July 6–24
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students
The Boston Leadership Institute’s Veterinary Medicine program spans three weeks and focuses on animal science, veterinary surgery simulations, research under veterinary specialists, and site visits (e.g., zoos, emergency pet hospitals). As a participant, you’ll perform mock surgeries, which might include learning organ transplant surgery with a surgeon or veterinary oral healthcare along with a practising veterinarian, and a lesson on zoonotic disease by a zoo animal specialist, along with visits to the Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine.
Location: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Cost: $4,295Â
Dates: June 13 – 21 | June 25 – July 3 | July 7 – 15
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
The National Student Leadership Conference High School Summer Veterinary Program, offered through NSLC’s partnership with the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, invites high school students to a week-long pre-college immersion into veterinary science and animal health. You’ll learn critical animal care skills through activities like anatomy workshops, where you learn internal bodily structures of sharks and fetal pigs, pathology and diagnostic labs, and clinical rounds. You’ll also attend guest lectures by professionals and participate in field trips and workshops on communication skills.
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.
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