14 Math Programs for High School Students in Kansas
- Stephen Turban
- 5 hours ago
- 8 min read
Structured programs can be a practical option if you want to explore subjects beyond your regular classes while gaining exposure to more advanced academics and environments. You can experience college-level material, get a sense of campus life, and build skills that are not always covered in school while connecting with peers and professionals. If you are interested in math, programs in Kansas offer a mix of competitions, workshops, and academic experiences that can help you engage more deeply with the subject.
Why Should I Do a Math Program in High School?
Math programs can help you develop skills like proof-writing, logical reasoning, and advanced problem-solving that go beyond what you typically learn in school. They also show initiative and sustained interest, which can strengthen your college applications, especially if you are applying to competitive STEM programs. By working with instructors and peers, you can gain new perspectives, build confidence in your abilities, and better understand potential paths in mathematics and related fields.
To help with your search, here are 14 math programs for high school students in Kansas.
If you’re looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Location: Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: Free for Kansas public students | Housing and meal expenses apply (~$10,000 per year)
Dates: Two-year residential program (junior and senior years)
Application Deadline: Suggested April 1 (for 10th graders)
Eligibility: Academically talented 11th and 12th grade students.
KAMS is a two-year residential early-college program that allows you to earn over 60 college credit hours while completing high school. You’ll live on campus at Fort Hays State University and take advanced coursework in mathematics and science alongside college students. The curriculum is designed for students who want significant acceleration, and research opportunities with faculty mentors are available. Beyond coursework, you’ll develop leadership skills and academic independence.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies | Up to 100% financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: January, May, September, November (varies by cohort). You can apply here
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students; GPA 3.3+/4.0
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. 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.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~60 students from local schools invited
Location: Emporia State University Memorial Union, Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: February 12
Application Deadline: January 26
Eligibility: High school juniors within a 50-mile radius of Emporia.
Sonia Kovalevsky Mathematics Day blends academic recognition with career exploration in mathematics-based fields. Because participation is limited to around 60 invited students, the setting feels more focused and intimate than larger competitions. Throughout the day, you’ll attend workshops that demonstrate how mathematical concepts translate into real-world professions, from engineering to data analysis. Career speakers share personal pathways, which can help you visualize how your current interests might evolve. The event concludes with a certificate ceremony that formally recognizes your achievements in mathematics.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type | Financial aid available
Dates: 15 weeks (Spring/Fall) | 10 weeks (June – September)
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA above 3.67/4.0
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open participation | Workshop groups vary
Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: March 29
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students interested in problem-solving.
Math Circle seminars provide consistent, discussion-based exposure to higher-level problem solving throughout the academic year. Rather than focusing on a single competition day, these seminars allow you to return regularly and build your reasoning skills gradually over time. Sessions often revolve around a central theme or a set of challenging problems, encouraging you to explore multiple strategies before reaching a conclusion. Because participation is open, the environment tends to be collaborative rather than intensely competitive, which can help you feel more comfortable experimenting with ideas. Over weeks or months, you’ll start noticing patterns in how complex problems are structured and solved.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Several hundred participants statewide
Location: Emporia State University Campus, Emporia, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: October 15 (Tentative)
Application Deadline: Pre-registration with the school coordinator
Eligibility: High school students across Kansas.
Bruyr Mathematics Day brings together students from across the state for a full day of individual and team-based mathematical competition. You will compete in structured rounds that cover algebra, geometry, and collaborative problem solving, requiring both individual focus and team coordination. The timed format helps sharpen your ability to work efficiently, while the team component encourages strategic discussion and shared reasoning.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~220 students
Location: Emporia State University, Emporia, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: Students ~$35 | Adults ~$40
Dates: March 7
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–12.
EYF is a one-day outreach event that connects mathematics with practical scientific applications and career pathways. Throughout the day, you’ll participate in interactive workshops that highlight how geometry, data analysis, and quantitative reasoning operate in real-world contexts. The sessions are led by professionals and educators, which gives you exposure to applied mathematics beyond textbooks. As the event includes parents and teachers, there’s an added layer of community engagement in supporting mathematical growth.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open participation | Many Kansas students participate annually
Location: University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: April 5 (Tentative)
Application Deadline: April 3 (Tentative)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12.
The MSAM Math Competition gives you a structured, time-bound environment to test both your speed and conceptual understanding across mathematics and statistics. You move from one question to another with limited time, which forces you to balance accuracy and pacing, a skill that becomes especially valuable if you later pursue national math contests. Beyond the exam itself, the event includes workshops and discussions that help broaden your understanding of how mathematics connects to real-world applications. High-performing participants are recognized with awards and certificates, providing tangible recognition for their efforts.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to youth ages 9–18
Location: Various Kansas venues (statewide)
Cost/Stipend: Varies | Typically affordable
Dates: Summer sessions
Application Deadline: Registration periods vary
Eligibility: Grades 9–12 for high school session.
4-H Discovery Days incorporates analytical reasoning into a broader leadership and STEM experience. While not exclusively focused on mathematics, some workshops emphasize logic puzzles, data interpretation, and structured collaborative problem-solving. Because the environment is experiential, you learn by doing rather than by listening to lectures. Group-based challenges encourage communication and adaptability, which are essential skills in applied math and analytics careers. The statewide nature of the event also allows you to interact with students from diverse communities across Kansas.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Contest participation varies annually
Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: Typically free
Dates: April 18
Application Deadline: Event registration period
Eligibility: Students in grades 5–12.
The Manhattan Mathematical Olympiad introduces you to olympiad-style problems that require creativity, persistence, and structured logical reasoning. You’re encouraged to explore multiple approaches, test patterns, and justify your reasoning clearly. Because it’s hosted during K-State’s Open House, you’ll also get indirect exposure to a university environment, which can make the day feel more immersive.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Location: Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: November 5 (Tentative)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students.
Although this is officially a programming contest, success depends heavily on your ability to apply discrete mathematics and logical reasoning under pressure. Working in teams of up to four students, you will collaborate to solve algorithmic challenges that often require combinatorics, number theory, or structured logical deduction. The environment pushes you to communicate clearly, divide tasks efficiently, and verify each solution carefully before submission. Because programming problems often translate abstract mathematical thinking into code, you’ll develop both theoretical understanding and practical execution skills. This makes the experience especially valuable if you’re interested in computer science, engineering, or applied mathematics.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 64 students
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $3,750 | Financial aid available
Dates: Session One: June 15 – July 3 | Session Two: July 6 – July 24
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors.
SUMaC is one of the most selective virtual math programs available to high school students, offering deep exposure to abstract and proof-based mathematics. At SUMaC, you’ll work in small collaborative groups solving advanced theoretical problems in abstract algebra, number theory, and algebraic topology. The pace mirrors undergraduate-level coursework, and discussions emphasize formal reasoning rather than computational drills. You’ll explore symmetry, algebraic structures, and proof construction in a setting that expects intellectual independence. The program culminates in group-based exploration of challenging mathematical frameworks.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Location: Fully online
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: October – June
Application Deadline: September 15 (Tentative)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–11 from Ukraine.
Yulia’s Dream is a year-long online mathematics enrichment program that gradually transitions from guided study to independent research. You will begin with structured reading designed to strengthen theoretical foundations, and over time, you’ll move toward advanced study or original research projects. There will be weekly mentor-guided group meetings that foster consistent academic accountability while still allowing space for intellectual exploration. By the end of the program, you’ll complete a formal research paper and present your work at an online conference. The extended October–June timeline means the learning is sustained rather than compressed into a short session.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 students
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free | No stipend provided
Dates: July 14 – July 25 (Tentative)
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: High school students.
MathQuantum selects only 10 students for an intensive two-week exploration of mathematics behind quantum information science. You’ll study linear algebra, cryptography, and quantum mechanics through interactive coursework and coding labs. The program includes simulations and ethical discussions on quantum technologies, and concludes with a mini-project that applies the concepts learned.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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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