Free Summer Career Development Programs for High School Students in 2025
Free Summer Career Development Programs for High School Students in 2025
If you’re a high school student looking for an accessible and enriching summer experience, consider a free summer program! These programs can help you sharpen your skills and explore specific career fields such as business, engineering, nursing, and criminal justice. Here are 18 free programs designed to deepen your knowledge and provide hands-on experiences in a variety of fields.
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Horizon offers a research program for high school students in fields such as data science, political theory, neuroscience, and more. Participants work with a mentor to produce a 20-page university-level research paper.
Application Deadline: May 21, 2025 (Summer Cohort)
Deadline:February 16, 2025
Program Dates: June 24 – September 2, 2025
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA > 3.67
Apply Here:https://www.horizoninspires.com/
2. Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
Dive deep into advanced mathematics at Stanford’s SUMaC, featuring interactive lectures, collaborative problem-solving, and research projects.
Application Deadline: February 3, 2025
Program Dates: June – July 2025
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors passionate about mathematics
Apply Here: https://spcs.stanford.edu/programs/stanford-university-mathematics-camp-sumac
3. MITES at MIT
This six-week residential STEM program offers courses in math, science, and engineering, fully covered for selected students.
Application Deadline: February 1, 2025
Program Dates: June – December 2025
Eligibility: High school juniors; underrepresented and first-generation students encouraged
Learn More: MITES Program
4. Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program
This 12-week online research program pairs high-achieving, low-income students with Ph.D. mentors to work on original research projects.
Eligibility: GPA > 3.3; household income < $50,000
Deadline: February 9, 2025
Apply Here: Lumiere Breakthrough Program
5. Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program
Learn coding skills through either a 2-week immersion or a 6-week self-paced program.
Application Deadline: March 2025
Program Dates: July 2025
Eligibility: Female and non-binary high school students
Learn More: Girls Who Code
6. Ladder Internship Program
Work remotely with high-growth startups in industries like tech, marketing, and journalism.
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students
Apply Here: Ladder Internship Program
7. Nursing STEP-UP at Thomas Jefferson University
This free program includes SAT prep, workshops, and nursing-focused classes.
Program Dates: July 1 – July 26, 2025
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors
Deadline: Check the website
Learn More: Nursing STEP-UP
8. Howard University Summer Enrichment Program
Howard University’s School of Business Summer Enrichment Program introduces high school juniors and seniors to college life and business fundamentals. Tracks include Accounting, Information Systems, Actuarial Science, and Entrepreneurship, combining lectures, group projects, and site visits.
Program Dates:
Sunday, July 13, 2025 – Friday, July 18, 2025
Eligibility:
High school students entering their junior or senior year
Excellent grades
Strong recommendations from teachers or counselors
Deadline:
Early Application: March 1, 2025
Learn More:
Howard University Summer Enrichment Program
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9. NASA STEM Engagement Internships
Work directly with NASA professionals on space science, engineering, and aeronautics projects.
Program Dates: Summer 2025 (10 weeks)
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2025
Eligibility: Full-time high school students with a GPA > 3.0
Learn More: NASA Internships
10. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship
Explore AI applications in healthcare through this competitive two-week virtual internship.
Program Dates: June 16 – 27, 2025
Eligibility: High school students passionate about AI
Fee Waiver and Scholarship Application Deadline: February 21st, 2025
Summer Research Internship Application Deadline: February 28th, 2025
Learn More: Stanford AIMI
11. Bridge Academy and Upward Bound Math & Science Programs
This federally funded program prepares District of Columbia and Prince George's County high school students for higher education through academic support and exposure to college experiences.
Program Dates: Year-round with up to six weeks on Howard University’s campus during summer
Eligibility: 9th, 10th, and 11th graders from low-income and/or first-generation backgrounds
Deadline: Rolling; early application encouraged
Learn More: Click Here or Contact the Upward Bound office at (202) 806-5132
12. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science
Engage in neuroscience research with mentorship from top researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025
Program Dates: July – August 2025
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
Learn More: JHIBS Program
13. Young Founders Lab
Build a revenue-generating startup while learning business fundamentals in this virtual program.
Program Dates: June 5 – July 3, 2025
Application Deadline: May 12, 2025
Eligibility: High school students
Learn More: Young Founders Lab
14. Harvard Online Courses
Take self-paced courses in computer science, health, and more. Audit for free or earn a certificate.
Program Dates: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
Learn More: Harvard Online
15. MIT THINK Scholars
Submit a research proposal and work with mentors on a funded project.
Application Deadline: January 1, 2025
Program Dates: February – June 2025
Eligibility: High school students
Learn More: MIT THINK
16. Pharm STEP 1 (High School Summer Enrichment Science Academy)
This non-residential two-week summer program challenges high school students academically through courses in medical terminology, pharmacology calculations, and more. Participants will learn from award-winning professors and explore pharmacy as a profession.
Program Dates: June 17 – June 28, 2024 (no program June 19, 2024) No dates posted for 2025 yet.
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors; U.S. citizen or permanent resident; Minimum 2.75 GPA; strong aptitude for science and math
Deadline: Application period: March 1 – 29, 2024
Learn More: Contact [email protected] Click Here to find out more information.
17. Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
SHPEP at Howard University is an academically enriched program aimed at promoting diversity and preparing the next generation of healthcare providers to serve underserved communities. Scholars gain insights into health professions through a rigorous, interprofessional, and culturally competent curriculum.
Program Dates: Dates for 2024 vary, check the website for details
Eligibility: Talented students from minority, socioeconomically, and/or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds interested in healthcare careers
Participating Colleges: College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, Colleges of Nursing and Allied Health, College of Pharmacy
Learn More: Visit SHPEP at Howard University
18. 2024 Summer Leadership Institute
The Howard University Department of African Studies presents an interactive and experiential program for high school students, grades 10-12, focusing on Africa's languages, cultures, and traditions to empower youth and create global leaders.
Program Dates: June 24 – August 2, 2024
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12
Learn More: For inquiries, contact [email protected]
19. Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY)
CTY identifies and develops the talents of advanced K-12 learners worldwide through academic enrichment programs.
Program Dates: Check the website for details
Eligibility: Advanced K-12 learners
Learn More: Johns Hopkins CTY
20. University of Maryland ESTEEM Research Mentoring Program
A research mentoring program for rising high school seniors considering careers in engineering, offering independent projects with faculty mentors.
Program Dates: Fall 2024 – Spring 2025
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders interested in engineering
Deadline: apply by April 25th, 2025
Learn More: ESTEEM Research Mentoring Program
21. Jump Start Program at the University of Maryland
A two-week summer immersion program for high school juniors and seniors exploring tools and methods of life sciences research.
Program Dates: Check the website for updates
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors considering science careers
Learn More: Jump Start Program
22. University of Maryland RISE Research Summer Program
A virtual introduction to engineering research for female high school students, featuring hands-on experiments and mentorship.
Program Dates: Summer 2024
Eligibility: Female high school students
Learn More: RISE Research Summer Program
23. University of Maryland Physics Advanced Summer Girls Program
A physics program designed for high school students to explore modern topics like relativity and quantum mechanics, featuring lab activities and STEM career development.
Program Dates: Check the website for updates
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th graders
Learn More: Advanced Summer Girls Program
24. University of Maryland Physics PROPEL
An 8-week research internship for rising seniors aimed at promoting success in physics, especially among underrepresented groups.
Program Dates: Summer 2024 Check to see if they are having the program in 2025
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors interested in physics
Learn More: Physics PROPEL
These programs offer high school juniors a chance to explore their passions, build new skills, and gain invaluable experience—all for free. If you found this list to be helpful and you plan on applying to these programs let me know. Don’t miss the opportunity to apply and make your summer unforgettable!
