15 East Coast Summer Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Aug 13
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 14
If you’re a high school student on the East Coast, joining a summer program is a solid way to explore new subjects, meet students from different places, and get a sense of college life early. Many universities and institutes offer programs designed to help you build skills and experience in areas that interest you.
Whether you’re drawn to science, writing, politics, or business, you’ll find opportunities to learn beyond what your school curriculum covers. The right program can also make a real difference when it’s time to apply for college. Admissions officers often notice students who spend their summers gaining academic or creative experience, especially in selective programs.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 15 East Coast summer programs for high school students worth exploring!
15 East Coast Summer Programs for High School Students
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Vary by cohort, offered in summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week research program where you work one-on-one with a PhD mentor from universities like Harvard, Yale, or Stanford. You choose a subject area such as economics, neuroscience, machine learning, or public policy, and your mentor helps you explore it in depth. You go through each stage of the research process, from forming a question to writing a full-length paper.
You meet regularly with your mentor, get feedback on your drafts, and learn how to build arguments using data and academic sources. The structure is flexible and tailored to your topic and interests. You also learn how to write in a research format and cite sources properly. By the end of the program, you will have finished a complete research paper. You can find more details here.
Acceptance rate: Only 100 students
Cost: Fully funded
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Application Deadline: Typically Late December to Mid-January
Dates: June 22 – August 2
Eligibility: High school juniors only
Hosted at MIT, RSI is a fully funded six-week summer research program for 100 high school students selected from around the world. You spend the first week in advanced STEM classes, then work for five weeks on an individual research project under the guidance of scientists and grad students. You learn how to read academic papers, design and run experiments, analyze results, and write a full research paper. The program ends with you presenting your work at a symposium. All expenses, including room, board, and travel, are covered.
3. Veritas AI
Acceptance rate: Highly Selective
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply here.
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Open to high school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program
Veritas AI offers AI-focused programs for high school students and is run by graduate students from Harvard. If you're just starting, the AI Scholars program introduces you to the basics of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science over 10 sessions. You also get to apply what you learn by working on real-world projects.
If you already have experience in AI, the AI Fellowship lets you work one-on-one with a mentor on an independent project. You explore applications of AI in fields like finance, healthcare, sports, or the environment. The program includes support from a publication team to help you submit your research to student journals.
Acceptance rate: 5%
Cost: Fully funded
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Dates: June 9 - July 28
Application Deadline: Typically early February
Eligibility: High school juniors
MITES Summer is a free six-week residential program at MIT where you take five intensive courses in subjects like engineering, computer science, and math. You also join hands-on workshops and build projects while living on campus with other high school students from across the country. The program is designed to support students from underrepresented backgrounds and offers mentorship, academic support, and a close-knit community. All costs, including housing, meals, and travel, are covered.
Acceptance rate: 4%, around 40 students
Cost: Residential students have to pay $2,360.25
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Application Deadline: Closed on February 7
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors (11th grade) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and at least 16 years old by the program's start date.
The Simons Summer Research Program is a six-week research experience at Stony Brook University where you work on a project in biology, chemistry, physics, math, computer science, or medicine. Before the program starts, you review a list of mentors and choose your preferred research areas. Once accepted, you join a research group, learn lab techniques, attend weekly seminars, and join workshops on research writing and presentation. You finish the program by submitting a research abstract and presenting your findings at a campus-wide symposium.
Acceptance rate: Highly selective, <5%
Cost: $4,000
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Application Deadline: Rolling
Dates: June 26 - August 8
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, check out the detailed criteria here.
The Garcia Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University gives high school students the chance to do hands-on research in polymer science and materials engineering. You work in university labs alongside faculty and grad student mentors, focusing on experimental design, lab techniques, and research writing. Many students publish their work, win science fairs like ISEF, or file patents. The program includes lectures, group projects, and lab-based research, all centered on real-world materials science problems.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <7%
Cost: $5,700 tuition fee
Location: Boston University, Boston, MA
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Dates: June 29 - August 8
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
The RISE Practicum Track is a six-week research program at Boston University where you choose between Computational Neurobiology or Data Science. Your day is split between lectures in the morning and lab work in the afternoon. You work on real research problems using tools like statistical modeling or wet lab techniques, depending on your track. The program also includes weekly workshops on ethics, data analysis, and research writing, giving you a strong foundation in lab-based research before moving on to independent work.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Selective
Cost: $5,875 per session
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Application Deadline: Rolling
Dates: Session 1- July 7 - July 25 | Session 2- July 28 - August 15
Eligibility: High School students who are 16 and above
SHAPE is a three-week summer program at Columbia University where you take project-based college-level courses in fields like robotics, biomedical engineering, or data science. You work on hands-on projects guided by Columbia faculty and student mentors, building practical skills in design and engineering problem-solving. In addition to your main course, you join electives, skill-building workshops, and college prep sessions. The program is designed to strengthen your foundation in engineering and improve your ability to work with real-world tech tools and systems.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, around 40 students
Cost: $5,500
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Application Deadline: March 2
Dates: June 30 - August 8
Eligibility: High school students
GSTEM is a six-week summer research program at NYU for high school students interested in STEM. You’re matched with a faculty member or research lab to work on an individual project in fields like biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, or data science. The program focuses on increasing participation from girls and other underrepresented groups in STEM. Alongside research, you attend workshops on writing, presenting, and professional skills, plus weekly field trips. Financial aid is available, including the Winston Data Scholarship for students focused on data science.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <20
Cost: $6,500. Need-based financial aid is available
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Application Deadline: Not specified
Dates: Session I: June 22 - July 4, Session II: July 6 - July 18, Session II: July 20- August 1
Eligibility: High School Students between the ages of 16-18 years
Yale Young Global Scholars is a two-week academic program where high school students from over 150 countries study together on Yale’s campus. You choose one of four tracks: Innovations in Science & Technology, Literature, Philosophy & Culture, Politics, Law & Economics, or Solving Global Challenges. The program includes lectures, small seminars, group discussions, and a capstone project. It follows a non-graded structure that encourages open discussion and exploration of complex global issues.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <15%
Cost: Free; funded through NSF grant
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Application Deadline: Rolling
Dates: July 1 - August 15
Eligibility: Must be 16 years and reside in specific cities in MA. You can check the full list here.
The Tufts University Biomedical Engineering Research Scholars Program is a fully funded summer research opportunity for high school students interested in biomedical engineering. You work in Tufts’ research labs alongside faculty and graduate student mentors, focusing on areas like tissue engineering and cellular biology. You learn how to follow experimental protocols, design your research questions, and carry out lab experiments. The program also supports you in preparing your work for local and national science competitions.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, only 110 spots
Cost: Free; fully funded for selected students
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Application Deadline: March 1
Dates: June 21 - August 2
Eligibility: have to be in 11th grade in high school at the time of application submission.
SAMS is a summer program at Carnegie Mellon University that starts with a virtual prep period, then moves into a residential experience on campus. You take college-level courses in math and science, join hands-on research projects, and work closely with faculty and grad student mentors. The program also includes workshops on college readiness, covering topics like the application process, financial aid, and academic planning.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Cost: $1,850; financial aid available
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Application Deadline: March 9
Dates: June 22–July 12 ( 3 and 6 week sessions)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Cornell Summer Residential Program lets you enroll in three or six-week undergraduate courses taught by Cornell faculty, earning between 3 to 8 college credits. You can choose from a wide range of subjects to explore potential majors and academic interests. Outside the classroom, you live on campus, join supervised activities, and attend workshops on college admissions and study skills. With a 1:10 staff-to-student ratio, the program offers close guidance and support throughout your stay.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <5%
Cost: Free; stipend provided
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Application Deadline: January 3
Dates: June 23 - August 7
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors can apply!
Rockefeller’s Summer Science Research Program is a seven-week research experience hosted by RockEDU at Rockefeller University. You join a small lab team led by university scientists and spend about 35 hours per week on real biomedical research, including experimental design, data analysis, and communicating results. You also take part in workshops on ethics, research writing, and presentation skills. The program ends with a symposium where you present your findings. SSRP is highly selective and takes place at the country’s oldest biomedical research institute.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective, 800 students per session
Cost: Free
Location: Virtual (hosted by NASA Ames Research Center)
Application Deadline: April 9
Dates: June 2 - August 29
Eligibility: Grade 11 - 12, with a minimum GPA of 3.0
GeneLab for High Schools is a 12-week self-paced virtual program run by NASA’s Ames Research Center. You work with real NASA datasets to study how spaceflight affects living systems, while learning bioinformatics and computational biology tools. The program includes optional live office hours and ends with a Capstone Project where you and your team develop a research proposal using NASA’s Open Science Data Repository. Selected teams are invited to present their work at the ASGSR conference.
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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