16 Best Leadership Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 22 minutes ago
- 12 min read
Leadership is one of those skills that quietly influences everything you do, regardless of the field you choose later in life. It affects how you collaborate, how you solve problems, and how you take initiative when situations are uncertain. For high school students who want to start developing these abilities early, summer leadership programs provide a structured space to learn, practice, and grow.
What leadership programs are available to high school students? What will I gain from participating?
Among the many leadership programs available, the most impactful ones are usually the hardest to get into. These programs are competitive, with large applicant pools and limited seats, which allows them to maintain high standards and offer more focused experiences. Colleges recognize this level of rigor. Being selected shows that you were willing to challenge yourself and capable of standing out in a competitive setting.
Beyond the admissions value, these programs help you develop practical leadership skills that stay with you long after summer ends. You learn how to guide discussions, manage group work, handle responsibility, and reflect on your role within a team. You also gain insight into your strengths and areas where you can grow.
With that in mind, here are 16 of the best leadership programs for high school students to consider!
Note: You can also check out leadership camps hosted for high school students, as well as international leadership programs for high school students around the world.
16 Best Leadership Programs for High School Students
Location: London, New York, Singapore, or Online
Cost: Varies by format
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Summer 2026 (multiple two-week sessions across locations and formats)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; places are limited
Eligibility: Students aged 15–18 (14–18 for the virtual programme); strong English proficiency recommended.
TED Summer School is a two-week public speaking, communication, and leadership programme developed in partnership between Immerse Education and TED. Designed for motivated high school students, the programme helps participants discover meaningful ideas, develop them through structured reflection and practice, and communicate them with clarity and confidence. Across small-group sessions guided by expert tutors trained by the TED team, students learn core frameworks for idea development, storytelling, and presentation. The programme culminates in each student delivering a TED-style talk, which is recorded and shared as part of a personal portfolio, alongside a formal certificate and individual feedback. TED Summer School is ideal for students looking to build confidence, sharpen their thinking, and develop communication skills valued by universities and future careers. You can explore the TED Summer School programme and check full guidance on eligibility, application steps, and deadlines on the application page.
Location: FBI National Academy Associates, Inc., Quantico, VA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Typically <5%; 62 students
Dates: July 9 - 17
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors, aged 14-16 years by program start date, are eligible to apply
The Youth Leadership Program is an eight-day, highly selective experience where you are pushed into real leadership situations from day one. Your days are structured and intense. You spend time in classrooms, on your feet in physical training, and in hands-on exercises that test how you make decisions when things move fast or feel uncomfortable. You learn directly from law enforcement professionals who talk through real scenarios. You practice time management, ethical decision making, leading under pressure, and handling change. There is a strong focus on fitness, nutrition, and personal discipline. You also take part in safety demonstrations and visit civic and historic sites, including Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Capitol.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on the program type. Full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: Current high school students who show strong academic performance are eligible to apply
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a challenging research program that provides plenty of one-on-one research opportunities for high school students in a wide variety of subjects. The program pairs you 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 leadership, math, biology, psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 10–15%; 150 students
Dates: July 18 - 29
Application Deadline: October 15 - January 21
Eligibility: Current high school juniors entering their senior year in the fall are eligible to apply
University of Notre Dame’s Leadership Seminars is a ten-day program where you spend your time in small rooms talking, arguing, listening, and thinking hard. About 150 students are selected each year, all of whom have already shown leadership in school or their communities. You live on campus and, if you complete the program, you may earn one transferable college credit. Each seminar is discussion-based. You might spend one day unpacking how businesses affect society, another debating inequality in the U.S., or another wrestling with questions around AI, data, or democracy. There is also practical work around money and long-term investing.
Location: Local nonprofit organizations across the United States
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 300 students
Dates: Internship start dates vary by market. 8-week program, inclusive of the week spent at the Student Leaders Summit in Washington, DC
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors are eligible to apply
Bank of America Student Leaders is an eight-week paid program that places you with a local nonprofit, where you work regular hours and take responsibility for real projects tied to community needs. You learn how professional environments function by showing up consistently, working with a team, and contributing to day-to-day operations that matter. Alongside the internship, the program helps you build workplace skills such as communication, organization, and leadership through guided reflection and group sessions. The experience concludes with a national leadership summit in Washington, D.C., where you meet students from across the country and learn how nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies coordinate to address social and economic challenges.
Location: McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified. (2% for similar McCombs programs)
Dates: June 14 – 18
Application Deadline: Opens Nov 1; Rolling
Eligibility: Current Texas high school juniors are eligible to apply
Subiendo is a five-day leadership program where you work through real public issues like healthcare, energy, the environment, and education with a small group of students. Your days are structured around team discussions, leadership exercises, and project work that asks you to break down problems, weigh tradeoffs, and explain your thinking clearly. You spend time practicing how to communicate ideas through workshops on writing, speaking, and presenting, and you hear directly from people working in business, civic groups, and public service. The program is residential, so you get a short but real taste of college life while building close connections with peers, mentors, and community leaders.
Location: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Newark
Stipend: $450 upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified (highly selective per reviews)
Dates: Interviews mid-April; orientations late June; 6-week classes Mon-Thu, starting July
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Young women and gender-expansive youth who are enrolled in high school and live in New York City or Newark are eligible to apply.
The Summer Institute is a six-week program where you spend time looking closely at how you lead, how you relate to others, and how community actually forms when people stay in the work together. You move through weekly workshops that focus on identity, social justice, and leadership, with conversations that are meant to be honest, sometimes uncomfortable, and grounded in real experience. You also meet women and gender expansive leaders from public service, business, and the arts who talk openly about their paths, decisions, and setbacks. Learning does not stay in the room. Field experiences throughout the program help you apply ideas, build trust with your cohort, and understand leadership as something practiced with others over time.
Location: Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 4–5% (20–30 per cohort)
Dates: The program typically runs in late June/early July and mid-to-late July
Application Deadline: May 5
Eligibility: High school students, aged 13-21 years old, residing in or from the NYC metropolitan area are eligible to apply
Bella Abzug Leadership Institute’s Journey to Leadership is a six-week program built for female-identifying and gender expansive students who want to understand leadership through practice and reflection. The program moves in three phases, each one focused on building confidence, sharpening critical thinking, and learning how to communicate ideas clearly in public settings. You spend your time in small cohorts working through workshops, seminars, and debate labs that push you to speak, listen, and respond thoughtfully. Guest speakers and networking sessions introduce you to people working in civic, political, corporate, and community spaces, helping you see how leadership shows up in different environments.
Location: Virtual or in-person at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: Virtual: April 22 and 29 | In-Person Session I: June 12 | In-Person Session II: June 26 | In-Person Session III: July 10 | In-Person Session IV: July 24
Application Deadline: January 5 - March 20
Eligibility: High school students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible to apply
Indiana University Kelley School of Business’s Women’s Leadership Institute gives you a short, focused introduction to business and leadership through the lens of women in the field. You can take part either in person on the Bloomington campus or through a virtual program, depending on what works for you. You spend the day learning directly from Kelley faculty, working through real business case studies, and talking openly about the challenges and opportunities women face in business today. The program puts a lot of emphasis on clear communication, ethical decision-making, and understanding how different business roles fit into long-term academic and career paths.
Location: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Washington, D.C
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not enough information to be asserted
Dates: Session 1: June 7 – 13 | Session 2: June 21 - 27
Application Deadline: August 15 - January 16
Eligibility: Current 10th and 11th-graders are eligible to apply
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s NextGen Latino Leadership Program is a fully funded, one-week experience that brings you to Washington, D.C., to understand how policy, politics, and leadership actually work. You spend your days learning how laws are made, how advocacy happens, and how national decisions affect Latino communities across the country. You take part in small workshops on civic engagement and leadership, meet Members of Congress and CHCI alumni, and have direct conversations with Latino leaders working in government and public service. The program includes guided visits to Capitol Hill, museums, and historic sites, giving context to what you are learning in sessions.
Location: Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Cost: Free tuition; $695 fee for food and activities
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 11–12%; 46 spots from 400 applications
Dates: Session I: July 5 - 11 | Session II: July 19 - 25 | Session III: August 2 - 8
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: "Rising high school seniors (current juniors) with a cumulative, weighted GPA above 90 are eligible to apply. Applicants must have a passion for public speaking, as well as careers in business, and demonstrate leadership in extracurricular activities.
Mercy University’s Summer Leadership Academy is a one-week program designed for rising high school seniors who want an early look at college life and business careers. You spend the week learning from executive-level faculty who have worked at major global companies, taking part in interactive sessions that focus on how leadership and business decisions play out in real settings. You work through topics like career mindset, leadership styles, personal branding, and different paths in finance, accounting, and marketing. Much of the learning happens in teams through business simulations and group activities. The program also includes time on campus and visits to professional workplaces, including a day in Manhattan.
Location: University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not enough information to be asserted
Dates: June 21 - 27
Application Deadline: December 1 - March 13
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are Colorado residents or who attend a high school in Colorado are eligible to apply
University of Colorado Leeds School of Business’s Business Leadership Program is a free, one-week immersion built around a single, demanding challenge. You are placed on a team and asked to solve a real business problem by designing a marketing campaign for a corporate partner. You spend the week working closely with Leeds faculty, staff, and industry representatives, refining your ideas and learning how professionals approach decision-making. Past partners have included companies like EY, Deloitte, and KeyBank. At the end of the program, teams present their solutions, and the strongest proposal earns a $1,000 scholarship toward the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.
Location: Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA, and Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Simi Valley, CA
Cost: Check here for updates
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not enough information to be asserted.
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: January 5
Eligibility: Current 9th–12th-grade students are eligible to apply
The Great American Leadership Program is an immersive experience built around leadership, civic values, and decision-making, with much of the learning tied to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. You spend your time working through structured activities that ask you to make choices, defend them, and reflect on the consequences. The program includes interactive challenges, small group discussions with invited leaders, and scenario-based simulations that put pressure on your judgment and reasoning. You also work with historical materials from the Reagan Library, take part in focused workshops, and collaborate closely with other students, creating a hands-on introduction to how leadership looks in real situations.
Location: The Wharton School, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $11,899. Full need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective (<10%); 120 students per session
Dates: Session I: June 7 - 27 | Session II: June 28 - July 18 | Session III: July 19 - August 8
Application Deadline: Priority deadline: January 28 | Final deadline: March 18
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grade 11 with demonstrated leadership experience and academic excellence of a 3.5 unweighted GPA or higher are eligible to apply
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania’s Leadership in the Business World is a selective three-week summer program where you get a clear, structured introduction to how business actually works at the undergraduate level. You spend your time in teams, working through real company cases, simulations, and debates that force you to think about leadership, strategy, and decision-making in practical terms. You learn how to use common management tools like SWOT analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, and value chain analysis by applying them to real companies, not hypothetical ones. The program builds toward a capstone case competition and a written analysis of a publicly traded company, where you are expected to defend your thinking clearly.
Location: Wake Forest University Reynolda Campus, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost: $3,500. Need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not enough information to be asserted
Dates: Session I: June 7 - 12 | Session II: June 21 - 26
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Current high school students are eligible to apply
Wake Forest University’s Summer Immersion Leadership Institute is a program where you spend time working on how you lead and how you work with other people before you step into college. The focus is personal and practical. You reflect on how you show up in groups, how you communicate, and how you handle pressure, setbacks, and responsibility. You take part in team challenges, service projects with local nonprofits, and guided sessions with Wake Forest faculty, staff, and professionals from different fields. Topics like building relationships, understanding yourself and others, working in teams, resilience, and cultural awareness come up through real activities rather than lectures.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Residential - $9,926 | Commuter - $7,574. Application Fee: $50 and Enrollment Deposit: $800. Need-based financial aid is available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not enough information to be asserted
Dates: June 20 - July 18
Application Deadline: Early Deadline: February 1 | Final Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors who are at least 16 years old by the program start date are eligible to apply
Carnegie Mellon University’s Pre-College Leadership Development Program is a four-week experience where you work closely on how you lead, communicate, and make decisions when people are involved. The program is guided by CMU faculty and is built around reflection and action. You spend time understanding your own habits, values, and responses, then apply that understanding in group work and real leadership challenges. Your days include collaboration with peers, coaching sessions, company visits, and individual projects that ask you to practice ethical decision-making, teamwork, and clear communication. You also work on public speaking and professional readiness throughout the program.
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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