Scholarships for Summer Programs for High School Students

Summer programs offer high school students a unique opportunity to delve into college-level academics, experience campus life, and gain valuable skills and connections, all without the full financial burden. Many of these programs provide scholarships that combine rigorous coursework, hands-on learning, and mentorship. This article explores various scholarship opportunities and summer programs designed to support high school students in their academic and personal growth.

The Value of Summer Programs

Participating in summer programs can be a transformative experience for high school students. These programs allow students to:

Deepen Knowledge: Explore specific subjects of interest in greater depth.
Gain Practical Skills: Develop hands-on skills through laboratory work, research projects, and creative activities.
Experience College Life: Get a taste of college academics and campus life.
Build Meaningful Connections: Connect with peers, faculty, and mentors who can guide future endeavors.

General Scholarship Resources

Several organizations offer comprehensive scholarship resources to help students find funding for summer programs and beyond.

BigFuture: This free, comprehensive set of digital resources helps all students take a productive first step after high school.
American Indian Graduate Center & AIGCS: This is the largest scholarship provider to Native students in the United States, awarding $15 million in scholarships annually and more than $200 million since inception.
Going Merry: This free, one-stop scholarships platform matches students with scholarships and helps them apply directly.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: This national scholarship provider is dedicated to advancing the education of promising students who have financial need.
The NSHSS Foundation: This foundation fosters the growth of students pursuing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), business, economics, public policy, and environmental science and sustainability fields.
Scholly: This mobile app provides students with a fast and simple way to find scholarships for college.

Featured Scholarship Programs

Several scholarship programs specifically support high school students attending summer programs.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to students in their final year of high school. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. With the 37th class in 2025, the Foundation has provided over 7,000 Coca-Cola Scholars with more than $87 million in educational support. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship. The Phase 1 application is open August 1 - September 30 each year to students currently enrolled in high school with plans to graduate the following year and who meet the eligibility criteria. By the end of October, all applicants will be notified of their application status. From the ~1,200 Semifinalists, 250 will advance as Regional Finalists and will participate in a final interview with Coke Scholar alumni and staff in late January or early February. Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise is Phi Theta Kappa’s first scholarship program available to its members to be used during the time they are enrolled in community colleges. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is committed to aiding as many students as we can. However, due to the large number of applications and our limited resources, we are able to award only a small percentage of students scholarships. Please note the deadlines and eligibility requirements found at each site.

Read also: Camp Scholarships Guide

The Joyce Ivy Foundation Summer Scholars Program

The Summer Scholars program provides scholarships for talented female high school students from specific states to participate in a summer academic program at partner colleges and universities. Scholars receive a full or partial scholarship, based on demonstrated financial need, to cover tuition, room and board, travel expenses, and supplies.

Eligibility:

Applicants must be female identifying high school students in Michigan, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota or South Dakota.
Applicants may be US or non-US citizens so long as they reside and attend high school in the states listed.
Summer Scholars are academically high-achieving students who will be entering 11th or 12th grade. Occasionally, an exceptional rising 10th grader is selected as a Summer Scholar.

Program Details:

Eligible courses are two weeks or longer in length.
In some cases, students are eligible to receive college credit.
Scholars receive financial aid from the Joyce Ivy Foundation and a partner scholarship from the summer program.
Applicants must apply directly to both the summer program for admission and financial aid (if applicable) and the Joyce Ivy Foundation.
Applicants should identify themselves as a Joyce Ivy applicant when applying to the summer program.

Key Considerations:

The Joyce Ivy Foundation partners with a specific set of colleges and summer programs committed to enrolling a diverse student body and making scholarships available.
Applicants should review the list of summer program partners and choose a program based on their interests.
Applicants should be aware of all deadlines, as summer program deadlines may differ from the Joyce Ivy Foundation deadlines.
Joyce Ivy scholarships can only be used to participate in on-campus summer programs.
Applicants should also apply for financial aid with the summer program institution.
The majority of scholarship money goes to supporting families with the greatest financial need.

Impact on Scholars:

The Joyce Ivy Summer Scholars program has had a profound impact on its participants, with many scholars noting that the experience boosted their confidence, broadened their perspectives, and inspired them to pursue higher education at top-tier universities.

Summer Programs for International Students

International students seeking summer opportunities in the U.S. can explore several programs that offer financial aid, tuition waivers, and even fully covered travel expenses.

Youth Ambassadors Program: Partnered with Georgetown University and the United States Department of State, this program brings high school students together from across the Americas to participate in a three-week program in a major US city such as Washington D.C. or San Francisco. Learning focuses on civic engagement, leadership, community building, diversity, and environmentalism. by staying with host families and participating in the local culture. Applicants must be between 15 and 18 years old, must have at least one semester of high school remaining upon completion of the program, and must be from an eligible country. The program is free to attend.
Between The Lines International Writing Program’s Peace and the Writing Experience: This program gathers 30 international students and 10-14 domestic students to study with award-winning faculty writers at the University of Iowa. Students participate in world literature seminars, creative writing workshops, literary readings, and multidisciplinary studies. BTL is free to all accepted students.
Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Summer Institute (BFTF): This program welcomes 45 international students and 10 domestic students to Purdue University’s campus where they participate in a rigorous, month-long exchange program based on the ideals of international communication, intercultural understanding, and global citizenship. The program is fully paid for by the US Department of State.
The Experiment Digital Youth Leadership Program: This program allows U.S. and international students to engage in seminars, workshops, and interactive modules. You will explore diplomacy, media, civic education, and global citizenship. With a focus on fostering international communication and intercultural understanding, the program includes activities such as a model United Nations and discussions on democracy, diplomacy, and governance. You will stay with local families and engage in site visits.
Girls Who Code: Open to those worldwide who identify as girls or non-binary, Girls Who Code offers two summer programs- a two week virtual intensive and a six week self-paced program. The intensive program features live streamed classes, hosted by industry leaders, that cover coding basics such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The self-paced program combines live lessons with a six-week curriculum that coders can complete at their own rhythm. They also receive mentorship from industry leaders and the opportunity to study intermediate and advanced concepts.
TechGirls: Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, this program provides STEM training, leadership clinics, and virtual exchanges with tech capitals. It also features an eight-month mentoring program.
National Youth Science Camp (NYSCamp): This program gathers recent high school graduates from the fifty states, Washington D.C., and countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany, Japan, Mexico, and Trinidad and Tobago. Located in the mountains of West Virginia, students receive training in STEM fields, participate in outdoor adventure activities, and attend a lecture series.
University of Chicago’s UWC Global Academy: Though only open to students in the United World Colleges International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, this academy gives international students the opportunity to earn college credit online through 3-week intensives, culminating in a weeklong trip to the University of Chicago campus.

Featured Summer Programs with Scholarship Opportunities

Here are some standout summer programs for high schoolers that offer scholarships, spanning fields like STEM, humanities, business, and the arts:

Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation: This fully funded, remote program is tailored for gifted students from low-income backgrounds, providing access to independent research experiences.
High School Programs | Stanford Medicine (SIMR): This program offers an opportunity to conduct medical research under the mentorship of Stanford faculty. Participants receive a stipend.
Veritas AI: This program, founded by Harvard graduate students, offers AI Scholars programs with need-based financial aid for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence.
Research Science Institute | Center for Excellence in Education (RSI): Hosted at MIT, this fully funded program offers top high school students a six-week immersion into advanced STEM education and research.
Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS): This free program offers high school sophomores and juniors a six-week educational experience that blends academic rigor with community building.
Anson L. Clark Scholars Program: This program offers a prestigious summer research experience for high school juniors and seniors with a $750 stipend after the program.
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC): This program is for high school sophomores and juniors interested in advanced mathematics. Financial aid is available.
USC Bovard Scholars: The USC Bovard Scholars program is a summer experience for high-achieving high school juniors from diverse backgrounds.
Carnegie Mellon’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS): This fully funded program encourages applications from students from low-income families or underserved communities.
MITES Summer: This fully funded residential experience at MIT is for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Mathroots: This 14-day summer program organized by MIT-PRIMES is for high school students from underrepresented or underserved communities with an interest in mathematics.
Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP): This free program develops journalistic skills with a liberal arts-focused curriculum.
UPenn Provost’s Summer Mentorship Program (SMP): This free program is designed to enhance college access for first-generation and underrepresented students in Philadelphia.
Monell Science Apprenticeship Program: This program offers high school students an opportunity to explore biomedical science and STEM disciplines. It is a paid internship.

Other Academic Programs Offering Full/Partial Scholarships

The School of the New York Times Summer Academy: This academy gives intellectually curious high school students the opportunity to live and learn in New York City while studying topics in journalism, media, technology, arts, culture, sports, fashion, business, science and more. Each two-week course draws on the expertise and unrivaled access of The New York Times and encourages students to take their learning beyond the classroom and into the real world.
Parsons Pre-College Programs: Parsons offers Pre-College Academy classes that meet on Saturday mornings for 11 weeks in the fall and spring semesters and every weekday for two weeks in the summer. Parsons also offers the Parsons Scholars art and design pre-college program for 10th grade students from NYC public schools. This program offers scholarships to talented young students from lower-income families to study design at the college level.
The Cooper Union Summer STEM Program: The Albert Nerken School of Engineering at the Cooper Union offers a Summer STEM Program that immerses current high school students in hands-on engineering design and problem-solving. NYC public school students can apply for merit scholarships to cover the cost of the program. Partial scholarships are available on a need basis.
Summer Springboard: This academically rigorous program places high school students in six-week, intensive, college-level courses with current college students and allows them to gain academic credit. They offer a limited number of partial-scholarships to students who demonstrate a high level of financial need and apply by March 25 (see “Tuition and fees” section).
The American Museum of Natural History: Interns meet with professional staff to learn about careers in the museum, library and history fields; work collaboratively with fellow students to develop their public speaking and leadership skills; and engage in hands-on work to deepen their understanding of American history and art. The theme of the program is We the People: Democracy from Athens to America. The program is unpaid, though interns with demonstrated financial need may be offered a stipend.
NYC Department of Youth and Community Development: SYEP participants between the ages of 14 and 24 are connected to paid summer employment for up to six weeks in July and August. Interns will be placed at summer camps around NYC and internships will begin in late June for 6-8 weeks, depending on the site. Interns work 20-25 hours per week and will earn a minimum hourly wage of $15 for the summer internship.

Additional Summer Program Opportunities

Brown University Pre-College Programs: Students can choose from over 200 non-credit courses that will challenge them with new perspectives on how they work, learn, and live.
Carleton College Summer Liberal Arts Institute: Students will learn how to systematically approach problems like a computer scientist. The program culminates with a research symposium where students demonstrate the results of their work to each other and the broader community.
Emory University Pre-College Program: Through an intensive two-week course in biology, computer programming, social justice, and more, students learn from Emory faculty who are leading experts in their fields.
Rice University, National Youth Leadership Forum: Medicine & Healthcare (through Envision): Students interested in a future in medicine will have the opportunity to learn from doctors, participate in an interactive curriculum, visit an accredited medical school, test their medical knowledge during clinical skills rotations, and explore professional opportunities in the ever-expanding fields of medicine and health care among fellow high school students.
Stanford University, Intensive Law & Trial (through Envision): Through this course, students explore all facets of a career in law. They will learn from legal professionals including Stanford Law School professors, participate in a competitive mock trial simulation, discuss the practice of law, legal rhetoric, and ethics, and develop leadership and public speaking skills.
University of Chicago Immersion: During this three-week program, students experience in-depth learning through coursework in creative writing, infectious diseases, neuroscience, multimedia design, and more.
University of Chicago Summer Online: Students are offered a variety of different course topics, such as biology, art, and quantitative finance.
University of Notre Dame Leadership Seminars: Through this program, students work with Notre Dame faculty in small group settings. They will be encouraged to enhance their critical thinking, research, and presentation skills while focusing on complex global issues, such as inequality, financial literacy, and the environment.
University of Notre Dame Summer Scholars: This program offers an academic track within a wide range of exciting fields, from STEM to fine arts.
University of Pennsylvania, Management & Technology Summer Institute: A highly challenging, fast-paced college course, Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI) prepares students with the skills needed to link technology and management concepts within three weeks.
Washington University in St. Louis, Ancient Studies Institute: Over the course of two weeks, students explore the rich culture and literature of the ancient Greeks through interactive activities, creative projects, and class discussions.
Washington University in St. Louis, Creative Immersion Institute: Students with a strong interest in creative writing or performing arts will be immersed in storytelling while experiencing the impact of a university community on their writing.
Washington University in St. Louis, Environmental Studies Institute: This institute gives students the chance to discover the ecological principles that are the basis of environmental studies and sustainability while exploring how environmental studies incorporate concepts from across natural and social sciences.
Washington University in St. Louis, Exploration Course in Introduction to Environmental Science: Students will be introduced to the fields (from biology to economics) used in understanding the workings of the natural world and human interactions with our environment.
Washington University in St. Louis, Exploration Course in Set in Stone? Monuments, Memory, and Public History: Students will explore the historical perspectives of the centrality of monuments and memory to nation building.
Washington University in St. Louis, Exploration Course in Spandex, Spangles, and Stripes: Race, Gender, and the American Superhero: Students will examine how the superhero as a character, genre, and industry has both reflected and critiqued discourses on national identity, citizenship, and globalization, especially in relation to race, gender, and sexuality.
Washington University in St. Louis, Exploration Course in The Biological Basis for Human Disease: This multidisciplinary course is specifically designed for students interested in the biological sciences or those interested in pursuing a future in the health sciences.
Washington University in St. Louis, Research Development Institute: Students participating in this institute conduct research on a topic of their choice, focusing on practical, applied work with primary and secondary sources, providing a good foundation for advanced research and writing in college.
Yale Young Global Scholars Program: The Yale Young Global Scholars Program offers several sessions, including Innovations in Science & Technology, Literature, Philosophy, & Culture, Politics, Law, & Economics, and Solving Global Challenges.

Summer Scholarships

A summer scholarship is a scholarship that are due in the summer months, starting with deadlines in June. Just like other scholarships, summer scholarships can be used to pay for tuition, room and board, textbooks, software and other related expenses. Summer scholarships are popular for students who are busy with classes, sports and other extracurricular activities during the school year. Even if you’re working a full-time job in the summer, you probably still have more time to devote to applications. Each scholarship provider decides when they will announces winners, and many summer scholarships will have a quicker turnaround, due to it being so close to the start of the fall semester for college. They will often notify finalists within a few months of applying or even sooner. To apply for a summer scholarship, you can log-in to your Scholarships.com profile and search by deadline.

Read also: Benefits of NSHSS Scholarships

Specific Summer Scholarship

California Assn. of Collectors Educational Scholarship Foundation: The California Association of Collectors Educational Scholarship Foundation (CACESF) offers up to $2,500 to high school juniors and seniors in California.

Tips for Finding and Applying for Scholarships

Start Early: Begin researching and applying for scholarships well in advance of program deadlines.
Pay Attention to Deadlines: Keep track of application deadlines and ensure all materials are submitted on time.
Apply to Multiple Programs: Increase your chances of receiving a scholarship by applying to multiple programs.
Tailor Your Applications: Customize your application materials to fit the specific requirements and mission of each program.
Seek Recommendations: Request letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors who know you well, giving them ample time to write thoughtful letters.
Proofread Carefully: Ensure your application materials are free of errors in grammar and spelling.
Ask for Help: Don't hesitate to seek guidance from teachers, counselors, or mentors throughout the application process.

Overcoming Challenges

The summer due date for scholarships can make some aspects more challenging for students. One of the trickier parts of applying for a summer scholarship is getting recommendation letters. The same problem can arise if you are writing a scholarship essay and want a teacher to review it beforehand, so you should always err on the side of giving more notice. You can also ask multiple teachers just in case one or two don’t respond. Before the school year ends, you can ask teachers for the best way to contact them during the summer.

Contrary to what you may have been told, there are still many excellent scholarships that have deadlines in the summer. The Out To Innovate Scholarships for LGBTQ+ STEM Students are given to students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and are also interested in a STEM career. The Empower College Scholarships Program provides $5,000 annually to students who are committed to community service and have a household income of $70,000 or less. The scholarship can be renewed for multiple years. There is a July deadline for this particular application. You can also search for local or regional scholarships with summer deadlines.

Even though there are quite a number summer scholarships, you may run through the list and still have time to spare before the school year starts. You can apply for scholarships that have fall or winter deadlines. If you’re an rising high school senior, the summer is also a good time to start the college application process. Aside from completing scholarship applications, you can also use the summer to get a part-time job, shadow professionals in an industry you’re interested in or take extra classes. Also, if you’re not a strong test taker, you can find SAT or ACT classes to help you improve your scores. Remember to relax and have fun as well, especially if you found yourself burned out at the end of the school year.

Read also: Scholarship Guide

tags: #scholarships #for #summer #programs #for #high