15 Summer Programs for High School Students in Oklahoma City
- Stephen Turban
- Mar 3
- 10 min read
If you are trying to figure out what you might want to study in college, summer programs can help you get there. For high school students, a summer program is one of the best ways to gain early exposure to a field that interests you. You can learn new skills, meet people who work in the field, and work on projects you can discuss in your college essays.
What summer programs are available for high school students in Oklahoma City?
Oklahoma City offers a range of summer programs for high schoolers through colleges, science centers, museums, nonprofits, and local education organizations. You can explore STEM, healthcare, leadership, writing, arts, and career-based programs. Many include practical learning, guided instruction, and opportunities to work on projects. By participating in a summer program, you can strengthen your college applications by demonstrating your interest and ability in your field.
With that, here are 15 summer programs for high school students in Oklahoma City!
Note: You can also check out our other blogs covering internships for high school students across fields like STEM and the humanities here.
Cost: Free; paid program (minimum $5,000 stipend)
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly listed
Program Dates: June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: Applications open in October and close in February
Eligibility: High school seniors who are Oklahoma residents
The Fleming Scholars Program is an eight-week, paid summer research experience hosted by the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. You will work one-on-one with senior scientists on individual biomedical research projects in laboratories, gaining experience with bench research and experimental design. In addition to lab work, you’ll attend weekly seminars and professional development workshops, write a scientific abstract, and deliver a formal research presentation. The program also provides extensive support, including free breakfast on workdays, gym access, parking, and housing for students who live more than 40 miles from campus.
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: 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, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Cost: Students are paid (approx. $10/hour)
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly listed
Program Dates: June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Building Research and Investment in Developing the Next Generation is an eight-week summer program hosted in Oklahoma City that introduces you to healthcare and biomedical research through sustained participation. You will take part in job training, collaborative research tasks, and professional development activities in medical and research settings. Mentorship and resume-focused sessions help you understand how research careers are structured and funded. As the weeks progress, you see how time, staffing, and resources shape research priorities in healthcare systems.
4. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects.
Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, you get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that you will have access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
Cost: Free; breakfast and lunch provided
Location: Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, OK
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited to 40 participants
Program Dates: June 9–June 12
Application Deadline: Rolling; applications typically open in early spring
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12 interested in healthcare or medical careers
Oklahoma City Community College CHAMPS is a four-day health sciences academy built around simulation-based learning. You will work with advanced medical tools such as anatomy tables, patient simulators, and emergency response equipment to understand how healthcare teams assess and treat patients. Sessions highlight how medical professionals operate within systems shaped by staffing needs, technology access, and cost constraints. You explore multiple career paths, including emergency medicine, anesthesia, pediatrics, and obstetrics, through hands-on labs and guided demonstrations.
Cost: Free; no tuition or program fees (no housing or transportation provided)
Location: OU Health Campus, Oklahoma City, OK
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; priority given to upperclassmen
Program Dates: Typically held in June
Application Deadline: Applications open in March
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in or recently graduated from an Oklahoma high school
The OU College of Medicine SPARK Summer Program offers in-person exposure to clinical medicine through guided, hands-on activities led by medical faculty. You will take part in workshops and discussions that show how physicians make decisions around diagnosis, patient care, and professional responsibility. Sessions focus on how limited time, resources, and information shape medical choices, which connects closely to real-world economic tradeoffs in healthcare systems. You interact directly with faculty and staff to understand medical education pathways and training structures.
7. Oklahoma City Community College Lights, Camera, Action! – Digital Cinema Production Summer Academy
Cost: Free; meals and instructional materials included
Location: Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, OK
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students selected through a competitive application review
Program Dates: June 25–June 28
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Oklahoma high school students in grades 10–12
The Lights, Camera, Action academy at Oklahoma City Community College focuses on the full process of digital film production. You will rotate through roles such as camera operation, lighting, sound, and editing while working in small production teams. Instruction covers planning, scheduling, and coordination, showing how creative projects rely on efficient use of time, equipment, and labor. You collaborate to take a film from concept to final cut under faculty and industry guidance. The academy ends with a public screening, reflecting how creative work is produced and delivered within real production constraints.
Cost: $3,400 total (tuition, meals, and housing); early applicants receive a 15% tuition discount and may be considered for financial aid
Location: Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, OK
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size is not publicly disclosed
Program Dates: June 21–July 2
Application Deadline: Early deadline January 15; regular deadlines February 15 and March 15; late applications accepted through May 31 if space allows
Eligibility: High school students with prior training in voice, musical theater, acting, or dance; audition materials required
This 10-day residential intensive is structured around daily conservatory-style training in musical theater, acting, dance, and voice. You work closely with Oklahoma City University faculty through private voice lessons, small-group coaching, and faculty-led masterclasses that mirror undergraduate performance programs. A significant portion of the curriculum is dedicated to audition preparation, including repertoire selection, vocal range analysis, and mock audition feedback. You also receive explicit instruction on the college audition pipeline, covering pre-screens, portfolio materials, and school list building. Outside of rehearsals and coaching, the program provides access to OCU’s music library and structured residential programming.
Cost: $700; offers tuition remission scholarships of over 50%
Location: Oklahoma Christian University, Edmond, OK
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Program Dates: July 13–18
Application Deadline: Rolling; priority consideration before March 1
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–11 with strong academic performance; ACT/SAT/PSAT scores or a recommendation required
Oklahoma Christian University’s Honors Summer Academy is a one-week residential program where you take two college courses for credit taught by university faculty. Mornings are spent in small classes built around discussion, reading, and writing, depending on the courses you choose. You will complete pre-arrival online coursework, which gives you early experience with blended learning and deadline-based academic work. The structure requires you to manage time, workload, and expectations in a college-style schedule. Field experiences, service projects, and group activities add applied learning outside the classroom. Earning transferable credit gives you a concrete academic outcome while showing how college-level learning is organized and assessed.
Cost: $975 (includes room, board, and activities); need-based scholarships are available
Location: Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, Oklahoma City, OK
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Program Dates: July 16–July 21 and July 23–July 28
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in late spring
Eligibility: High school students; nomination from a teacher, counselor, or community member required
The Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics Summer Academies run as a one-week residential academic program focused on advanced work in science and mathematics. You will attend daily classes led by OSSM faculty focused on conceptual problem solving and challenging material. Lessons often require you to examine assumptions, limits, and tradeoffs, which also show up in economic reasoning. Classroom learning is paired with structured field trips that show how institutions and systems function in the real world. Living on campus and following a fixed daily schedule gives you a clear sense of how intensive academic environments manage time, effort, and expectations.
Cost: Not publicly listed
Location: Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Program Dates: June 23–June 27
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
The Federal Bar Association Summer Program introduces you to the federal legal system through direct observation and discussion rather than classroom lectures. You will attend court proceedings and a naturalization ceremony, gaining a practical view of how laws are applied and enforced. Program activities focus on conflict theory, mediation, and dispute resolution, including a structured simulation around freedom of speech. Discussions explore how legal decisions balance competing interests, rights, and public costs, which mirrors economic reasoning in policy and governance. Learning takes place through conversation with judges, attorneys, and law enforcement professionals.
Cost: Not publicly listed
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 students annually
Program Dates: Summer (one-day program; date varies annually)
Application Deadline: Not publicly listed
Eligibility: Oklahoma high school students
CURE Jr. is a one-day, in-person summer program hosted by the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center that introduces high school students to careers in cancer research and medicine. You will learn from physicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals across disciplines such as oncology, public health, nursing, and biomedical engineering. The program focuses on hands-on STEM experiences, including cancer cell microscopy, tumor observation, bio-nanotechnology activities, and interactive problem-solving challenges, alongside discussions about academic pathways and medical careers.
Cost: Participants receive a stipend
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; Up to 12 students
Program Dates: Summer (dates vary annually)
Application Deadline: Not publicly listed
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors (rising juniors/seniors) who are citizens of tribal nations.
YES, Oklahoma is a small, selective summer program designed for Native American high school students interested in science and medicine. You will receive laboratory training and work closely with mentors in biomedical research settings. The program connects scientific work with community needs by involving you in health education projects that serve Indigenous communities. Research activities are paired with discussions about access, equity, and how health resources are distributed across populations.
Cost: $20 (covers lunch and program activities)
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly listed
Program Dates: June 22–23
Application Deadline: Not yet announced
Eligibility: High school students interested in pre-law or legal careers
The Pre-Law Academy at Oklahoma City University is a short, two-day introduction to legal education and legal careers. You tour the law school and federal courthouse while meeting legal professionals who explain how the justice system functions in practice. Sessions explore pathways from undergraduate study to law school and professional life. Through observation and discussion, you see how legal decisions balance rights, responsibilities, and public costs. The academy offers early exposure to how law connects with policy, regulation, and economic outcomes.
Cost: Not listed
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 15 students
Program Dates: July 7–18 (two-week residential program)
Application Deadline: Not currently open
Eligibility: High school–age students; no prior filmmaking experience required
Filmmakers Studio at Oklahoma City University is a two-week residential program focused on digital filmmaking and visual storytelling. You work in a small cohort under close faculty guidance, moving through writing, directing, production, and editing. Projects require careful planning around time, equipment, and team roles, similar to how creative industries manage limited resources. Off-campus visits introduce you to professional production spaces and distribution contexts. The program ends with a public screening, reflecting how creative work is produced, packaged, and shared within real media environments.
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.
Image Source - Veritas AI logo