15 Vet Summer Programs for High School Students

If you’re a high school student interested in animal science or medicine, a veterinary summer program can be an excellent way to explore the field before college. These programs go beyond classroom learning and give you early exposure to how veterinary science is studied and practiced in academic, clinical, and research settings. Through structured coursework, projects, and mentorship, you can better understand what veterinary training involves and whether it aligns with your long-term goals.

What are the benefits of a vet program?

If you are interested in veterinary science, a focused summer program in the field can help you explore what work in the field actually involves, from clinical work and animal care to research, public health, and professional training pathways. Many programs introduce you to college-level expectations through lab work, case-based learning, and direct interaction with veterinarians, faculty, and veterinary students.  As a participant, you will also gain insights into the next steps you can take to pursue veterinary science as an academic and professional path.

To help you find the right opportunity, we have curated a list of 15 vet summer programs for high school students.

If you are looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.

15 Vet Summer Programs for High School Students

1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial assistance offered

Dates: Multiple sessions, including summer, spring, fall, and winter cohorts, are scheduled each year

Application deadline: Varies by cohort

Eligibility: High school students; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 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 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 veterinary science, medicine, biology, neuroscience, chemistry, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here. 

2. University of Tennessee Veterinary Summer Experience Program (VSEP)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~8% acceptance rate; 12 students/year

Location: University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN

Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; participants receive a stipend + housing and meals for the on-campus week are covered.

Program dates: June 9 – July 11

Application deadline: January 30; supplemental materials are due on February 6.

Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors, ages 16 and up, who have a minimum 3.0 GPA and are Tennessee residents

The VSEP is a six-week veterinary program that combines four weeks of supervised shadowing at an approved local veterinary practice with one intensive academic week on campus at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine. You will gain direct exposure to clinical workflows, professional standards, and daily vet responsibilities while working alongside licensed veterinarians in real practice settings. The on-campus week focuses on structured learning, career exploration, and engagement with faculty, staff, and veterinary students through seminars and guided activities. The program is designed to mirror the time commitment and expectations of veterinary training, requiring consistent full-time participation throughout. You will be responsible for securing a veterinary practice site, which must be formally approved by the college.

3. UMass Amherst’s Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA

Cost: $3,982 (residential) | $2,337 (commuter) + $75 supply fee; scholarships available

Program dates: June 29 – July 12

Application deadline: May 1

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors

This two-week program offers high schoolers hands-on experience in veterinary medicine and support for becoming competitive veterinary school applicants. You will participate in rotations covering areas like comparative anatomy and physiology, animal handling and restraint, veterinary pharmacology, clinical pathology, parasitology, diagnostic imaging, and wound management. You will spend time on the UMass Amherst campus and at university farms in Hadley and South Deerfield, where you will work directly with sheep, goats, beef cattle, and horses. You will attend lectures, complete hands-on modules, go on field trips, and engage in team presentations. You will earn two college credits upon program completion.

4. Advanced Veterinary Academy @ University of Missouri

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbia, MO

Cost: $400 

Program dates: June 8 – 12

Application deadline: March 31

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, ages 16 and up, with prior veterinary job shadowing experience and a minimum 2.7 GPA

The Advanced Veterinary Academy is a four-day program that introduces students to the academic and clinical realities of veterinary school at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. You will participate in lectures, labs, and clinical exposure opportunities designed to mirror components of the college curriculum, including anatomy, pathology, radiology, toxicology, and public health. The program activities include animal dissection, clinical pathology analysis, and observation of small-animal rounds, offering insight into diagnostic reasoning and case-based learning. You will also scrub in to observe surgical procedures and attend live lectures alongside current veterinary students. Career-focused sessions cover admissions expectations, interview preparation, and veterinary career paths across government, industry, and academia. 

5. AgDiscovery @ Iowa State University

Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not available.

Location: Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Cost: Free

Program dates: July 13 – 26

Application deadline: April 15

Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11, ages 15 – 17

AgDiscovery at Iowa State University is a free residential summer program that introduces high school students to veterinary medicine through hands-on labs, workshops, and field-based learning. You will explore diagnostic testing, bacterial culture, animal health, and conservation science while working with university faculty and scientists from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The curriculum blends veterinary medicine with animal science, wildlife biology, and laboratory diagnostics, offering exposure to multiple career pathways within animal and public health. You will participate in farm visits, conservation site field trips, and laboratory exercises that mirror real-world veterinary and animal health work. Team-based projects and professional skills workshops are integrated throughout the program. Additionally, you will live on campus and engage in a structured college-life experience.

6. VetCAMP (Veterinary Career Aptitude and Mentoring Program) @ University of Georgia

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact acceptance rate not published

Location: University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA

Cost: $1,000; limited need-based partial scholarships available

Program dates: May 31 – June 6

Application deadline: January 20

Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 12, ages 16 and up, who are U.S. students 

VetCAMP, a weeklong residential veterinary program hosted by the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is designed to help students assess their readiness for a veterinary career. You will participate in hands-on learning inside a veterinary teaching hospital, diagnostic laboratories, and specialized facilities such as the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, gaining early exposure to clinical environments. The program emphasizes skill evaluation, professional expectations, and competitiveness for veterinary school rather than general exploration alone. You will also engage with faculty, veterinarians, and current vet students to understand admissions pathways and the breadth of veterinary career options. Structured activities include behind-the-scenes tours and applied learning sessions that mirror components of pre-veterinary training. 

7. Tufts University’s Adventures in Veterinary Medicine (AVM) High School Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; space is limited (exact acceptance rate not published)

Location: Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA

Cost: $1,800 includes meals, lab fees, and supplies

Program dates: June 22 – 26 (sessions outside of summer months also available during the year)

Application deadline: Applications open December 8; decisions released on a rolling basis starting February 1

Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 12

The Adventures in Veterinary Medicine High School Program is a one-week, skills-focused introduction to veterinary medicine hosted by Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. You will participate in clinical activities, including animal handling, physical examinations, bandaging, suturing, and interpreting diagnostic imaging. Training also includes exposure to advanced techniques like intubation and ultrasound using a dedicated simulation lab. You will work collaboratively to solve structured medical cases, mirroring the problem-solving approach used in veterinary training. The program emphasizes practical skill-building and familiarity with veterinary tools rather than observation alone. 

8. NSLC High School Summer Veterinary Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Cost: $4,295; financial aid available

Program dates: June 13 – 21 | June 25 – July 3 | July 7 – 15

Application deadline: Rolling admissions; early application recommended

Eligibility: High school students; no prior veterinary coursework required

The NSLC High School Summer Veterinary Program is a short-term, campus-based introduction to veterinary medicine hosted in partnership with Virginia Tech’s Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. You will engage in labs and clinical simulations that model veterinary diagnostic and treatment workflows, gaining exposure to patient examination, interpretation of diagnostic data, and introductory surgical concepts. The curriculum covers topics such as animal anatomy, physiology, and behavior across species, emphasizing how veterinarians approach clinical decision-making. Guest speakers from the veterinary field will provide exposure to different career paths and professional settings. The program also includes trips that help you contextualize veterinary work within broader animal health systems.

9. VetCAMP @ North Carolina State University

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~80 spots available

Location: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

Cost: $750 for day camp | $1,000 for overnight camp (includes lodging and meal package)

Program dates: July 6 – 10 | July 13 – 17

Application deadline: April 6; applications open on January 30.

Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and rising college freshmen, ages 15 or up, who are U.S. residents.

VetCAMP is a five-day summer program hosted by NC State’s Veterinary Professions Advising Center that introduces students to veterinary careers through structured labs and applied activities. You will participate in suture and dissection labs, learn small-animal clinic basics, and work with horses, sheep, and pigs at NC State’s Animal Education Units. The program includes a guided tour of the College of Veterinary Medicine and exposure to pre-vet pathways and related majors at NC State. A virtual VetCAMP option is offered to applicants not selected for the in-person experience, providing an alternate pathway for continued engagement. 

10. Mississippi State University’s VetMed Summer Camp

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS

Cost: $125 (one-day camp) | $400 (three-day camp | $750 (overnight camp) + $25 non-refundable application fee

Dates: Vary by format and session (application opens late January, closes early March)

Application deadline: February 2

Eligibility: One-day camp: Students, ages 10 – 14 | Three-day camp: Students, ages 13 – 17 | Overnight camp: Students, ages 15 – 17

Mississippi State’s veterinary camps give middle and high schoolers the chance to explore veterinary medicine through labs led by veterinary professors and veterinary students. You will learn about animal anatomy, microbiology, radiology, and other aspects of caring for animals. The camp also offers insights into public health, pathology, research, rehabilitation, and other areas you can consider within veterinary science. You can choose from one-day, three-day, and five-day overnight options, depending on your age.

11. Gator Vet Camp @ University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not publicly disclosedLocation: University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL

Cost: Not specified; information available upon contacting the program team

Program dates: June 7 – 12 | June 21 – 26

Application deadline: Not specified; applications open in January

Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th grade students

Gator Vet Camp is a residential summer program designed to introduce high school students to veterinary medicine through structured academic and experiential learning at the University of Florida. You will participate in hands-on clinical labs, guided activities, and veterinary-focused coursework that mirror early components of professional training. The program emphasizes college readiness, exposure to veterinary career pathways, and familiarity with core scientific expectations for pre-vet students. You will live on campus and experience university life alongside daily academic programming. Sessions are grade-specific to tailor instruction and expectations appropriately. 

12. Colorado State University’s SciVet Summer Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; capped at 21 students

Location: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Cost: $1,800 residential | $1,200 commuter; scholarships are available.

Program dates: June 22 – 26

Application deadline: February 6; application window opens on January 5.

Eligibility: High school students who are 15 or older by June 1

The SciVet Summer Program is a weeklong, hands-on veterinary and natural sciences experience hosted by Colorado State University’s Natural Sciences Education and Outreach Center. You will spend the week conducting structured investigations in both laboratory and field settings, using professional tools to collect and analyze data related to veterinary and biological sciences. The curriculum spans applied topics such as wildlife research, integrative veterinary medicine, equine-assisted therapy, water quality, and scientific illustration, offering a multidisciplinary glimpse into animal and environmental health. You will participate in laboratory visits, demonstrations, and outdoor fieldwork that may include moderate hiking. With a small cohort capped at 21 students, the program emphasizes close mentorship from faculty, staff, and expert guest presenters. 

13. Texas A&M AgriLife Veterinary Science Certificate Program’s Veterinary Science Overnight Summer Camps

Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~30 students/location

Location: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, and West Texas A&M University, Canyon, TX

Cost: $575 – $750; need-based assistance and scholarships are available through Texas 4-H and AgriLife Extension pathways.

Program dates: May 27 – 29 | June 23 – 25 | July 21 – 23

Application deadline: March 1

Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12; minimum age requirements vary by location (applicants should typically be 15+ by June 1).

The Veterinary Science Overnight Summer Camps offered through Texas A&M AgriLife’s Veterinary Science Certificate Program provide high schoolers with an introduction to veterinary and animal health careers. You will engage in structured, hands-on activities covering animal handling, veterinary science fundamentals, and applied clinical concepts, delivered through labs, demonstrations, and guided instruction. The program emphasizes exposure to veterinary pathways within agriculture, diagnostics, and biomedical sciences, supported by Texas A&M–affiliated faculty and Extension educators. Camps are residential, fostering peer collaboration and professional skill development in a college-campus setting. Each location operates independently, and you must apply separately to be considered for specific camps.

14. VetCamp @ University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified 

Location: University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St Paul, MN

Cost: $15; waivers available

Program dates: Multiple short sessions held throughout the year; summer dates typically announced in late spring

Application deadline: Registration opens on a rolling basis once dates are announced

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 12

VetCamp is a hands-on exploration program designed for middle and high school students interested in pursuing careers in veterinary medicine. Instruction is led by current veterinary students, offering you early exposure to clinical concepts, animal care practices, and the realities of veterinary education. The curriculum is designed to help you understand veterinary pathways through demonstrations and guided exercises rather than formal lectures. The program runs in short sessions scheduled throughout the year, including one or two summer offerings conducted when veterinary student instructors are available.

15. Boston Leadership Institute’s Veterinary Medicine Summer Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Exact details not publicly disclosed

Location: Gann Academy/Bentley University, Waltham, MA

Cost: $2,500 tuition + residential fee $2,097; scholarships available

Program dates: July 6 – 24

Application deadline: Rolling admissions; early application recommended

Eligibility: High school students (typically rising 9th–12th graders)

The Veterinary Medicine Summer Program at Boston Leadership Institute is a three-week pre-college program designed to simulate core components of veterinary training through structured, hands-on instruction. You will practice suturing, bandaging, diagnostic interpretation, CPR, casting, and clinical examinations using animal models and simulation tools. The curriculum covers key concepts in immunology, virology, parasitic disease, and anatomy through case-based learning and model-based dissections. You will be exposed to multiple veterinary subspecialties, including emergency care, large animal medicine, and exotic animal health. The program also incorporates field trips to veterinary hospitals, zoos, farms, and animal rehabilitation centers. 

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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