15 Summer Programs for High School Students in Charlotte, NC
- Stephen Turban
- Aug 5, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 14, 2025
MD: Get ready for summer! Explore 15 local programs in Charlotte, NC, for high school students. Learn new skills, meet mentors, and prepare for college success.
If you are a high school student in Charlotte, NC, local summer programs can be an accessible way to learn something new without leaving the city. These local programs often cost less than out-of-state camps and don’t require much travel. They offer options in subjects like engineering, writing, business, computer science, and more.
These summer programs give you a chance to take part in college-style classes, group projects, and skill-based workshops. Some also connect you with local professionals and university faculty. These programs can be useful when it’s time to build your college applications, since many admissions teams notice students who stay active with academic or career-focused activities during summer.
To help you choose the right fit, we have compiled a list of 15 summer programs for high school students in Charlotte, NC!
15 Summer Programs for High School Students in Charlotte, NC
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 and are 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 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.
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Location: Virtual or in-person at Duke University, NC
Cost: $795
Dates: June 16 - 27 | July 7 - 18
Application Deadline: January 23
Eligibility: Rising 9-11 grade students with a current GPA of 3.5 or more; some courses may have prerequisites
Duke offers a virtual summer program for high school students in Charlotte and beyond. You get to explore a subject you’re interested in while connecting with students from around the world. Each course includes 1.5 hours of live sessions and extra work you do on your own or with a group. You’ll attend daily lectures led by Duke instructors, professionals, and teaching assistants. The program gives you a head start on college-level learning through hands-on activities and interactive lessons.
3. Veritas AI
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Location: Virtual
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: June 22. You can apply here.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Founded and run by Harvard alumni, Veritas AI offers summer programs for high school students in Charlotte, NC, who are passionate about artificial intelligence. They have an AI Scholar program that gives you a jumpstart in the world of AI, ML, and data science. This is a 10-session boot camp where you will be introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science, and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
You can also opt for the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. This program allows you to individually work with mentors from top universities on a project of your choice. You will have access to an in-house publication team, and they will help you secure publications in high school research journals!
Acceptance Rate: Slightly selective
Location: UNC Charlotte, NC
Cost: $250 application fee
Dates: 7 weeks; various sessions in June and July
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12 interested in math and science
UNC Charlotte’s Center for STEM Education offers a 7-week summer program for high school students. You take part in hands-on activities like robotics challenges, lab experiments, and team projects that strengthen your problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The program also includes field trips to research labs, science museums, and tech companies, giving you a close look at STEM careers. You can also participate in Science Olympiad events, STEM fairs, and math competitions.
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Location: University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC
Cost:
Dates: June 16 - July 25
Application Deadline: April 11
Eligibility: High school students who are permanent U.S. residents, ideally having taken chemistry, biology, algebra I, and II
The Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) offers summer internships for high school students interested in STEM research. You work alongside professional scientists and engineers at Department of Defense labs or partner institutions. You are matched with a mentor and contribute to real research projects. You design experiments, collect and analyze data, and present your findings to expert panels.
Acceptance Rate: Not very selective
Location: Leon Levine Health Sciences Center, Charlotte, NC
Cost: $325
Dates: June 23-26 and July 7-10
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 - 12
Central Piedmont Community College Medical Careers Camp II is a four-day camp that takes place at the Leon Levine Health Sciences Center in Charlotte, NC. Throughout the camp, you explore different healthcare careers through hands-on activities, anatomy lessons, and interactive science experiments. The camp includes sessions led by medical professionals who walk you through various roles in the field. You get to ask questions, try basic medical tasks, and see what type of healthcare career fits your interests. A camp t-shirt is also included.
Acceptance Rate: Moderately Selective
Location: Local Walgreens locations
Cost: None
Dates: Varies based on the location
Application Deadline: Depends on the location
Eligibility: High school students
Walgreens offers a summer program for high school students interested in pharmacy. You shadow a pharmacy technician at a local store, observe daily operations, and learn how pharmacy technology is used. You also gain insight into Walgreens’ pharmacy technician training program. Your tasks may vary depending on the store, but the experience helps you understand the responsibilities of a retail pharmacist and develop early job skills. This opportunity may also lead to future work options at Walgreens.
Acceptance Rate: Slightly selective
Location: Various locations. The closest location to Charlotte is Davidson Lands Conservancy, Davidson, NC.
Cost: None
Dates: July 14 - August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Residents of North Carolina aged 15 - 18
The Youth Conservation Crews offer summer programs for high school students in Charlotte, NC, focused on environmental work. You join a team of 4 to 5 students and work under 2 Crew Leaders on projects at the Davidson Lands Conservancy. In the Davidson Day Crew program, you spend 3 to 6 weeks doing trail work like removing invasive species and installing signs. You work 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday, mostly outdoors on local trails.
Acceptance Rate: Not very selective
Location: Charlotte, NC
Cost: None. Stipend depends on the organization you work for.
Dates: Depends on the employer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Charlotte youth between 16 - 18 years old
The Mayor’s Youth Employment Program helps you build job skills and explore career paths through paid summer work. You are matched with host employers in different industries and take on real tasks in a professional setting. You gain hands-on experience, improve your career readiness, and build workplace skills that support your future goals.
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective; 30 students per cohort
Location: Virtual
Cost: None
Dates: June 3 - 26
Application Deadline: Applications open in February; deadline not specified
Eligibility: Current high school students or recent graduates
UNC’s Nutrition Research Institute offers a virtual summer internship for high school students in Charlotte, NC. You attend one-hour Zoom sessions every Tuesday and Thursday to learn about nutrition science from NRI researchers and staff. You also take part in group mentoring and work on an independent research project. At the end, you present your findings in a 5-minute talk to earn a Certificate of Completion.
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: $75 application fee | $4,050 (4-credits); $7,900 (8-credits). Financial aid available
Dates: June 21–August 9
Application Deadline: April 9
Eligibility: You must be a high school (10-12 grade) student, at least 16 years old by June 21, and not turn 19 years old before July 31
Harvard offers a virtual summer program for high school students in Charlotte, NC, with courses in subjects like folklore, marine biology, creative writing, finance, web programming, acting, and astronomy. You take college-level classes from home and can choose courses worth 4 or 8 credit hours. Most classes are 4 credit hours each. You also get access to Harvard’s online library and digital learning tools.
Acceptance Rate: Slightly selective
Location: Several project locations across the country
Cost: None. Hourly wages and transportation stipends offered
Dates: 8 weeks; exact dates depend on the project
Application Deadline: April 18
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors, seniors, or recent graduates, with a family income below the HUD Median Family Income, who can work on an active jobsite for 35-40 hours/week for 8 weeks
DPR offers a summer program for high school students in Charlotte, NC, who are interested in construction, engineering, or project management. You get hands-on experience by working on an active commercial construction site with professionals in project offices and job trailers.
You learn how large building projects are planned, scheduled, and completed. Your tasks may include coordinating with subcontractors, doing quality checks, managing documents, reviewing safety plans, and tracking construction timelines. The program runs for 8 weeks and requires a 35 to 40-hour weekly commitment.
Acceptance Rate: Slightly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1495
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Typically, a week before the start of the course
Eligibility: For students ages 13 and up
Rice University offers a flexible online summer program for high school students. You explore advanced topics in both STEM and non-STEM fields, including engineering, physiology, aerospace, and law, through college-level courses. You learn directly from Rice faculty through interactive lessons, assignments, and mentorship. At the end of the course, you complete a capstone project and receive a Certificate of Completion from the university.
Acceptance Rate: Not very selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,995 College Credit course fees; $1,795 Enrichment course fees
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students ages 13 and older
Georgetown University offers online summer courses for high school students who want to explore subjects before college. You can choose from enrichment or college credit courses and study at your own pace from any location. The program includes video lessons and access to academic support.
You can take one or more courses at a time and schedule your learning around what works best for you. Subjects include anatomy and physiology, biology, creative writing, cybersecurity, and more. Enrichment courses help you explore new topics, while credit courses count toward future college progress.
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: None
Dates: 5 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
This 5-week virtual summer program is for high school juniors and seniors in Charlotte, NC, who are interested in neuroscience, medicine, or research. You learn directly from clinicians and researchers through mentorship and training sessions.
You take part in educational presentations, learn basic lab techniques, and attend professional development workshops. The program helps you understand neuroscience, build research skills, and explore careers in science or medicine. You receive a certificate of completion upon completing 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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