§ Collection

Free summer programs for high school juniors

Junior year summer is the last full summer before applications are due, which makes it the highest-leverage one. Every program below is open to 11th graders and costs nothing to attend.

529 programs currently listed · 529 free or stipend-paying.

What to know

—Apply to a range of selectivity levels. A single reach program is not a summer plan.
—If a program asks for a teacher recommendation, ask in the fall — not the week before the deadline.
—Many of these accept rising seniors too, so check the grade line on each listing.

Programs in this collection

AAPT
AAPT PhysicsBowl
An annual competition for high school students that celebrates physics and recognizes outstanding physics students and teachers.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Boston University
Academic Immersion
Spend three weeks immersing yourself in the study of psychology, business, medicine, or creative writing.
📍 Boston, MA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Columbia University
Academic Year Programs
Make the most of the school year with on-campus or online courses, including weekend options.
📍 New York, NY / Remote📅 Fall 2026 applications now open🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stanford AIMI
Academic Year Research Internship
During the school year, students meet weekly in small groups with their student mentors to work on healthcare AI research projects under the guidance of Stanford researchers.
📍 Virtual🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
ACE Mentor
ACE Mentor Program
Free after-school mentorship in architecture, construction, and engineering for HS students.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Adam Smith Society
Adam Smith Society HS Essay
Essay contest exploring market economics and policy.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Adobe
Adobe Design Achievement Awards (Semi-Pro)
International student creative awards across graphic design, film, animation, and social impact.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
The Adroit Journal
Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship
Free online mentorship pairing teen writers with established poets and prose writers.
📍 Online⏱ 6 weeks📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)
AEOP High School Apprenticeship Program
Students work alongside Army scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research projects in world-class laboratories.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 8 weeks📅 Early March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)
AFSA National High School Essay Contest
An essay contest designed to engage students in thinking about peace and conflict resolution.
📍 Online📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
AI Leadership
A location-based program in San Francisco, CA, focused on AI leadership.
📍 San Francisco, CA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
AI Scholars at CMU
Free AI-focused summer program for rising seniors underrepresented in computing.
📍 PA⏱ 3 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
AI4ALL
AI4ALL Open Learning
Girls in grades 6-12 learn AI and Python through interactive virtual classes.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Mathematical Association of America
AIME
Invitational round for top AMC scorers. 15-question, 3-hour exam that gates the USAMO. No fee for invited students.
📍 School-administered⏱ 3 hours📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Freedom Forum
Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference
An all-expenses-paid journalism conference for one student from every US state and DC.
📍 Washington, D.C.⏱ 1 week📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Freedom Forum
Al Neuharth Free Spirit Conference
All-expenses-paid journalism conference + $1,000 scholarship for 51 students.
📍 Washington, DC⏱ 1 week📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Samford University
Alabama Governor's School
A three-week summer residential program for high-achieving high school students in Alabama.
📍 Birmingham, AL⏱ 3 weeks📅 April 1🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Japan Cartoonists Association
All-Japan Manga Competition (Youth)
Youth-open division of the Japan Cartoonists Association's annual manga award.
📍 Japan (submissions welcome globally)📅 Autumn🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Allen Institute
Allen Institute Summer Intern
Paid neuroscience and cell biology research in Seattle.
📍 WA⏱ 10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Amgen Foundation
Amgen Scholars Future Track
Free online biotech simulations and pipeline programs preparing high schoolers for biomedical research.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program
ANSEP Acceleration High School
Free year-round STEM acceleration for Alaska Native students.
📍 AK⏱ School year + summer📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Australian National University
ANU Extension
University-level courses for high-achieving high school students in Canberra.
📍 Canberra, Australia⏱ 1 year📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Architecture
Pre-College Architecture program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Arkansas State University / Arkansas Department of Education
Arkansas Governor's School
A five-week residential program for high-achieving high school students in Arkansas focused on math, science, and the arts.
📍 Russellville, AR⏱ 5 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Art
Pre-College Art program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program
ASDRP (RISE)
Free year-round Bay Area lab research. Open application.
📍 CA⏱ Year-round📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
AAJA
Asian American Journalists Association JCamp
Free six-day multicultural journalism program for high school students.
📍 Rotating (US)⏱ 6 days📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
APhO
Asian Physics Olympiad
Asia-Pacific regional physics olympiad; selection through each country's national physics olympiad.
📍 Asia-Pacific (rotating)📅 Varies by country🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
News Literacy Project
ASNE High School Journalism Institute
Free media-literacy and journalism resources and student programs.
📍 Online📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Aspen Institute
Aspen Challenge
City-based design challenge for high school teams to solve community problems.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Academic year📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
George Mason University (GMU)
Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
A summer internship program that provides high school students with the opportunity to conduct research, develop new ideas, and invent new technologies.
📍 Fairfax, VA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Arizona State University
ASU SCENE
Free science club + research opportunities for AZ high schoolers, with focus on first-gen students.
📍 AZ⏱ Year-round📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Auburn University College of Engineering
Auburn Engineering Summer Camps (HS Track)
One-week intensive workshops in robotics, aerospace, and medical engineering for Alabama high school students.
📍 Auburn, AL⏱ 1 week📅 February 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Audubon Connecticut
Audubon Sharon Summer Internships (Youth)
Research and education internship at a wildlife sanctuary focusing on birds and habitat health.
📍 Sharon, CT⏱ 8 weeks📅 March 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NCWIT
Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC)
Award for girls and non-binary students in computing, providing recognition and a cash prize.
📍 Nationwide⏱ One-time📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bank of America
Bank of America Student Leaders
Paid 8-week summer internship with nonprofits + leadership summit in DC.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 8 weeks📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
AAPT
Barbara Lotze Scholarship for Future Teachers
Scholarships for high school students who plan to pursue a career in physics teaching.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CERN
Beamline for Schools
CERN physics competition where student teams worldwide propose and run an experiment at a real particle accelerator.
📍 Geneva, Switzerland + Remote proposals📅 April🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
MIT Lincoln Lab
Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Free MIT-led project-based courses in AI, robotics, cybersecurity.
📍 MA⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
ELASH / Bebras US
Bebras Computing Challenge (US)
An international computational thinking and informatics competition. Students can take the test remotely or through a local school coordinator.
📍 Online⏱ 45 minutes📅 Early February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bennington College
Bennington Young Writers Awards
A prestigious creative writing competition for students to win cash prizes and publication.
📍 Online📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Best Buddies
Best Buddies International
Friendship and inclusion program pairing students with peers with intellectual disabilities.
📍 Global⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Best Buddies
Best Buddies Youth Leadership
Build friendships with people with IDD; chapter and leadership opportunities.
📍 Multiple schools⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
College Board
BigFuture
A free, comprehensive set of digital resources that helps all students take a productive first step after high school. Includes information on planning for college and scholarships.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute MyImpact Challenge
Civic engagement competition awarding scholarships for student-led community impact projects.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Biogen
Biogen Community Lab
Free hands-on biotech labs and high school research opportunities at Biogen sites.
📍 Cambridge, MA + RTP, NC⏱ Day to weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Black Girls CODE
Black Girls CODE Workshops
Program that provides coding workshops and tech exposure to young girls of color.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Blue Ocean Strategy / various
Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneurship Competition
Free global pitch competition with cash prizes. Teams pitch a novel business idea via video; finalists present live.
📍 Online⏱ 3 months📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MIT
Blueprint by HackMIT
Annual learnathon and hackathon for HS students at MIT.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 2 days📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
World Food Prize Foundation
Borlaug-Ruan International Internship
Eight-week international research internship for World Food Prize Youth Institute alumni.
📍 International⏱ 8 weeks📅 Fall🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
City of Boston
Boston SuccessLink
Free paid summer employment program for Boston youth ages 14-18.
📍 Boston, MA⏱ 6 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
Annual creative contest for teens combining art, writing, film, and music with environmental advocacy.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
International Brain Bee
BrainBee Neuroscience Competition
International neuroscience competition for high schoolers with local, national, and global rounds.
📍 Global⏱ 1 day📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Breakthrough
Breakthrough Collaborative
Free summer and school-year academic program for first-generation, low-income middle schoolers; high schoolers can serve as teaching fellows.
📍 30+ US cities⏱ Multi-year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
Breakthrough Prize Foundation
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Create a short video explaining a big idea in science or math. Global competition for ages 13–18 with a $250K college scholarship.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Brilliant.org
Brilliant.org High School Problem Solving Track
While the physical show has locations, the virtual 'Think Tank' and 'Daily Challenge' offer online logic and math problems for students nationwide.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling (Weekly)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UKMT
British Informatics Olympiad (Open to Int'l)
Solve complex math and computer science problems created by the UK Mathematical Trust.
📍 Global⏱ 1 day📅 November 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Oxford
British Physics Olympiad
A tiered set of national physics competitions (Junior, Senior, Round 1/2) open to UK secondary students, with international variants schools worldwide can register for.
📍 United Kingdom⏱ Exam📅 Nov (senior) · Mar (junior)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Brown Pre-College
Brown Environmental Leadership Labs (BELL)
N/A
📍 Off Campus or On Campus🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Brown Pre-College
Brown Experiential Education (BEE)
N/A
📍 Off Campus🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Brown Pre-College
Brown Pre-College Online
Experience Brown Pre-College wherever you are.
📍 Online🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Notre Dame
Business: What Is It Good For?
A course offered as part of the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars program.
📍 Notre Dame, IN📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
C-SPAN
C-SPAN StudentCam
Annual student documentary competition on public policy.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 January🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
Forestry Challenge
California Forestry Challenge
California's premier natural resource competition for high school students, similar to Envirothon.
📍 CA⏱ 1 week📅 April 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Cambridge
Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
Global chemistry problem-solving competition for Y12 / 11th-grade students; open worldwide.
📍 Global📅 Late June🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of Waterloo (CEMC)
Canadian Computing Competition (CCC)
Free competitive programming contest run by Waterloo's CEMC; open worldwide and used as a qualifier for the Canadian Computing Olympiad.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ 3 hours📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
European Space Agency
CanSat Competition (ESA)
Build a satellite the size of a soda can. National rounds in ESA member states; European final each spring.
📍 Various📅 National rounds fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars
Free three-week residential AI program for underrepresented students.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA⏱ 3 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie Mellon SAMS
Free six-week residential STEM program for underrepresented students.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA⏱ 6 weeks📅 March🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of Waterloo (CEMC)
CEMC Math Contests
Suite of free math contests (Pascal, Cayley, Fermat, Euclid, CSMC) written by Waterloo; open internationally through registered schools.
📍 School-administered (Global)⏱ 60–150 min📅 School registration by contest🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CFA Institute
CFA Institute Research Challenge
Global equity research and analysis competition with high school divisions in some regions.
📍 Global⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Chapman University
Chapman University Holocaust Art & Writing Contest
A writing contest for high schoolers exploring the impact of the Holocaust through various creative prompts.
📍 Online📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Freedom Forum
ChiPS Chips Quinn Scholars (pipeline)
Diversity journalism pipeline programs for students of color.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Civic Spirit
Civic Spirit Civics Day
National civics competition for middle and high school students from diverse religious schools.
📍 New York, NY⏱ 1 day📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Texas Tech University
Clark Scholars Program
Intensive research with TTU faculty across STEM and humanities. $750 stipend, room and board covered.
📍 TX (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Clemson University
Clemson CAFLS Summer Program (SPECTRA)
A residential program for diverse students to explore agriculture and natural resource careers at Clemson.
📍 Clemson, SC⏱ 1 week📅 April 15🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
CMU SAMS
Fully-funded STEM immersion for rising seniors from underrepresented backgrounds.
📍 PA⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 Mid-February🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Code2College
Code2College Summer Program
Summer program for Texas students to gain technical skills and professional development.
📍 TX⏱ Various📅 February 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CodeDay
CodeDay Labs Fellowship
High school students are paired with industry mentors to build a real-world software project.
📍 Online⏱ 3 months📅 May 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Codeforces
Codeforces Educational Rounds
Free competitive programming platform with weekly contests for students worldwide.
📍 Online⏱ 2 hours📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
QuestBridge
College Admissions Conferences (through College Prep Scholars Program)
Exclusive access to college admissions conferences as part of the College Prep Scholars Program.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
College Affordability Guide
College Affordability Guide
Provides clear, correct info and advice on the many options students have to reduce the cost of their degree, and to offer a fresh analysis of which colleges are doing the most to make high-quality education affordable.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
QuestBridge
College Prep Scholars Program
Get a head start to a top college as a high school junior with scholarships, awards, and resources designed to help you stand out in college admissions. Offers expert guidance, access to summer program scholarships, college admissions conferences, personalized support, and community.
📍 US🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Columbia University
Columbia Science Honors Program
Free Saturday science program for NYC-area HS students, taught by Columbia faculty.
📍 New York, NY⏱ Year-long📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Commonwealth Foundation
Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Global short-fiction prize open to writers from Commonwealth countries.
📍 Commonwealth countries📅 November🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Duke Summer Session
Commuter Courses (High School)
High school students living in the local area can commute to Duke's campus to take courses for college credit during the summer.
📍 Durham, NC🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Computational Biology
Pre-College Computational Biology program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
The Concord Review
Concord Review (Humanities Publishing)
The only quarterly journal publishing high school history research worldwide.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US House of Representatives
Congressional App Challenge
District-level coding competition open to every US high schooler.
📍 All US districts⏱ Self-paced📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US House
Congressional Art Competition
Nationwide art contest with winning art displayed in the US Capitol.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Annual📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Congressional Award Foundation
Congressional Award
Award for ages 14-23 earning bronze/silver/gold for service, fitness, expedition, and personal development.
📍 United States⏱ 6-24 months📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
U.S. House of Representatives Members
Congressional District Office Internship
High school students can intern in their local district offices to learn about constituent services and local policy.
📍 Local Districts⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Cooke College Scholarship Program
An undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation's top four-year colleges and universities. The award can provide as much as $55,000 per year.
📅 August 19, 2026 (application opens)🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation
Coolidge Scholarship
The Coolidge Scholarship is an annually awarded, full-ride, presidential scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study. This one-of-a-kind scholarship may be used at any accredited college or university in the U.S.
📍 Any accredited college or university in the U.S.📅 Not yet announced — officially listed as TBD on the Coolidge Scholars' own site🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Coolidge Scholars Foundation
Coolidge Senators Program
Fully-funded public policy program at the Coolidge Foundation in Vermont.
📍 VT (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 January🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Cooper Hewitt Summer Design Institute
Free design programs and workshops for NYC HS students.
📍 New York, NY⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Coro
Coro Exploring Leadership
Civic leadership program for high school students in major US cities.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Academic year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Coro Northern California
Coro Youth Fellows
Civic leadership fellowships for young people exploring careers in public affairs.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Spring🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Brown Pre-College
Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE)
Propose, design, and conduct your own research project, working on topics and seeking answers to questions that are currently unknown to the specific discipline.
📍 On Campus or Online🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Code.org
CS Principles from Code.org
High-quality AP Computer Science preparation and advanced CS courses.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
CS Scholars
Pre-College CS Scholars program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Harvard / edX
CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
Introduction to computer science from Harvard University available for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 Self-paced — no fixed deadline🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Harvard University / edX
CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
Harvard's world-famous introduction to computer science. While self-paced on edX, it offers a certificate and a deep dive into programming.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 Self-paced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Cyber.org
Cyber.org Range Competitions
Free cybersecurity courses, range exercises, and competitions for K-12.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
CyberPatriot
CyberPatriot
A cybersecurity competition for high school teams to learn and apply cybersecurity skills in a virtual environment. Teams compete to find and fix vulnerabilities in simulated operating systems.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Air Force Association
CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense
National youth cybersecurity competition with middle and high school divisions.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth Bound (Free)
Free fly-in program for high-achieving, low-income juniors.
📍 NH⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 March🎓 Grade 11
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Data Science Academy
On-campus academy focused on data science principles and applications.
📍 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Data Science Competition
A global competition for high school students centered around data science challenges.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Davidson Institute
Davidson Fellows
Scholarships of USD 10K, 25K, and 50K for students under 18 with significant work in STEM, literature, music, or philosophy.
📍 Online application⏱ Project-based📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Davidson Institute
Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Up to $50,000 scholarship for original work in STEM, literature, music, and 'outside the box' areas, ages 18 and under.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Debate Mate
Debate Mate
After-school debate mentoring by university student coaches, delivered to state schools across the UK and now internationally; free for participating schools.
📍 UK + Global partner schools⏱ School-year program📅 School enrolment: fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
DECA Inc.
DECA Competitive Events (ICDC)
One of the world's largest business competitions for students to demonstrate their professionalism in multiple event categories.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Year-long📅 January 10🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Design
Pre-College Design program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship
Diamond Challenge
Global high school entrepreneurship pitch competition with $100k+ in prizes.
📍 Newark, DE⏱ Academic year📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MSF USA
Doctors Without Borders Student Outreach
Student outreach, awareness campaigns, and clubs supporting MSF's humanitarian work.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Google
Doodle for Google
Annual K-12 art contest with college scholarships.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Spring🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
Google
Doodle for Google Contest
Annual K-12 art contest where winners' doodles appear on the Google homepage.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
EarthEcho International
EarthEcho Water Challenge
Global citizen-science program monitoring local water quality with thousands of student volunteers.
📍 Global⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
National Park Service
Education & Service: Kids & Teens Learn & Serve Activities
Activities for kids and teens to learn and serve within the National Park Service.
📍 National Parks across the US🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Education Outreach Day (Regeneron ISEF)
Education Outreach Day brings local middle and high school students to ISEF to meet the ISEF Finalists, participate in STEM activities, and create their own scientific questions.
📍 Phoenix, AZ (2026)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Emory University
Emory Pipeline Collaborative
Free pipeline program for Atlanta-area students interested in health professions.
📍 GA⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Academy of Engineering
EngineerGirl Writing Contest
Annual essay contest with cash prizes for K–12 students.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — next contest not yet posted🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
European Space Agency
ESA Education for Schools
Free space-science education projects, CanSat, Astro Pi for European school students.
📍 Europe⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Essentials of Entrepreneurship
A program exploring key principles of entrepreneurship.
📍 University of Pennsylvania🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Essentials of Finance
A program focusing on fundamental finance concepts.
📍 University of Pennsylvania🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Essentials of Leadership
An online program focusing on foundational leadership skills.
📍 remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Eunoia Review
Eunoia Review
Open submissions literary journal accepting student poetry and prose.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
EGOI, USACO (US Team Selection)
European Girls' Olympiad in Informatics (EGOI)
A competition of similar prestige to IOI, for high-school female students. The top four female high-school students from the USA are selected to compete.
📍 International📅 N/A (by selection)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UC Berkeley ATDP
Explorations
For students completing grades K–11. Rigorous summer courses in an area of deep interest.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Federal Reserve
Fed Challenge
Free team competition analyzing monetary policy — top teams present at the Federal Reserve.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Year-long competition📅 October🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
FinAid
FinAid
Links to scholarships, grants, loans, and graduate aid.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
FIRST Global
FIRST Global Challenge
Annual olympics-style robotics event with one team per country tackling a global grand-challenge theme (energy, oceans, food).
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 1 week (fall)📅 Team applications open winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Poetry Society
Foyle Young Poets of the Year
International poetry award for ages 11-17; free to enter.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Poetry Society (UK)
Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award
International poetry prize for writers aged 11–17.
📍 Global📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship
Paid cancer research in Seattle. Prioritizes students underrepresented in biomedical sciences.
📍 WA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 Late January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Various
Freedom Summer Collegiate
Free college-prep program in the Mississippi Delta taught by graduate students. Travel and housing covered.
📍 Mississippi⏱ 4 weeks📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
From the Top
From the Top
Public radio classical-music showcase with full scholarship awards for selected young musicians.
📍 Touring venues⏱ Performance📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
From the Top
From the Top's Scholarship & Radio Program
A national competition for classical music performers for a chance to perform on the radio.
📍 Online / Boston, MA📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National FFA
Future Farmers of America (FFA)
K-12 agricultural leadership organization with competitions, scholarships, and SAEs.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
NSA / NSF
GenCyber Summer Camp
Free summer cybersecurity camps at universities nationwide.
📍 Multiple states⏱ 1-2 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Highly Selective
Generation Citizen
Generation Citizen Student Leadership Board
Action civics program enabling students to lead community campaigns on local policy issues.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Generation Citizen
Generation Citizen Youth Council
National civic action council for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ Academic year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Genes in Space
Genes in Space
Design a DNA experiment to be performed on the International Space Station. Annual competition with no entry fee.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 April🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
GenZ Girl Gang
GenZ Girl Gang Virtual Internship Program (Open to all GS)
A network for students to find virtual internships in tech, non-profits, and policy. Focuses on social impact projects led by youth.
📍 Online⏱ 8-12 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Georgia / GOSA
Georgia GHP - Agriscience Research
A residential summer academy for Georgia students focusing on agricultural and environmental sciences through hands-on research.
📍 Athens, GA⏱ 2 weeks📅 May 1🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Tech Summer Research at CSE
Paid CS/engineering research at Georgia Tech. Strong recruitment of Georgia students.
📍 GA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
American Legion Auxiliary / American Legion
Girls State / Boys State
Week-long state-level government simulation programs in every state for high school juniors.
📍 All states⏱ 1 week📅 Spring🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion
Free two-week virtual program teaching CS to high school girls and nonbinary students.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly Selective
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code Virtual Summer Programs
Free online coding workshops for girls and non-binary students focusing on web development, game design, and AI.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks or 6 weeks📅 Spring/Summer cycles🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Girls' Angle
Girls' Angle Math Club
Math program in Cambridge MA mentoring girls in mathematics.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 5–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Global Cultures and Emerging Technology
Pre-College Global Cultures and Emerging Technology program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Notre Dame
Global Issues: Violence and Peace in the Modern Age
A course offered as part of the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars program.
📍 Notre Dame, IN📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UC Berkeley ATDP
Global Program Brightwell
For students completing grades 8–11. Rigorous summer courses in an area of deep interest.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Research Foundation Singapore
Global Young Scientists Summit
Multidisciplinary summit where young scientists — including a small cohort of high-school participants — engage with Nobel laureates and Turing / Fields medalists.
📍 Singapore⏱ 5 days (January)📅 September🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
The Climate Reality Project
Global Youth Climate Network
International youth climate leadership and action network.
📍 Global📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NFTE
Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
International youth pitch competition and entrepreneurship curriculum.
📍 International📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
The World Food Prize Foundation
Global Youth Institute
An international organization that empowers students to research and propose solutions to the global food security crisis.
📍 Des Moines, IA/Global⏱ Year-long📅 January 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
United Nations / WHO
Global Youth Mobilization Fellowship
An online-based global youth leadership accelerator focused on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
📍 Online⏱ 3 months (Learning)📅 May (Annual)🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
NASA / University of Toledo
GLOBE Mission EARTH (GME)
A year-long club-based program where students engage in data-driven environmental justice projects and present to scientists.
📍 Online / Various⏱ Year-round📅 October 31🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Google
Google Code-in Archive Projects
Archive of the Google Code-in competition tasks for self-guided open source learning.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Google Science Fair (Alumni Network + Regional Fairs)
Regional science fairs affiliated with ISEF that welcome international student researchers.
📍 Global (affiliated fairs)📅 Varies by fair🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity Youth
Year-round and summer build volunteer opportunities.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity Youth Programs
Youth Builds program, Campus Chapters, and other volunteer build opportunities.
📍 United States⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Hack Club
Hack Club
Free worldwide network of student-run high school coding clubs and hackathons. Travel grants for in-person events.
📍 Worldwide⏱ Flexible📅 Year-round🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Hack Club
Hack Club Clubs
1,500+ in-person clubs. Find one near you, or start your own and we’ll help you get it off the ground.
📍 Various (global)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Hack Club
Hack Club Outernet & Events
Network of student-run coding clubs and hackathons.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Harvard
HackHarvard
Harvard's flagship hackathon; high schoolers can apply.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 2 days📅 Fall🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
MIT
HackMIT
Annual 24-hour student hackathon at MIT; many HS students attend HackMIT High School Hackathon (Blueprint).
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 2 days📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MIT
HackMIT / Blueprint
HackMIT's flagship HS hackathon weekend at MIT.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 1 weekend📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Harvard International Review
Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest
A rigorous economics essay competition organized on a global scale.
📍 Online📅 October 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Cambridge
HE+ Cambridge
Free supracurricular resources, subject taster videos, and reading lists from Cambridge academics — designed to stretch Year 12/13 students preparing for competitive applications.
📍 Remote (UK/Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Federal Reserve Bank of New York (and others)
High School Fed Challenge
High school teams compete to solve real-world economic problems and demonstrate their understanding of central banking.
📍 Regional Fed Banks⏱ Semester📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Brookhaven National Laboratory (DOE)
High School Research Program (HSRP) at Brookhaven
Paid summer research program for local students to gain hands-on experience in physics and engineering at a major particle physics lab.
📍 Upton, NY⏱ 8 weeks📅 January 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
HSF
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Need- and merit-based scholarships for Hispanic American students. Awards from USD 500 to USD 5K annually.
📍 Online application⏱ Annual📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Harvard-MIT Math Tournament
HMMT
Twice-yearly team math tournament hosted by Harvard and MIT students. Free to attend; travel to Cambridge required.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 1 day📅 Nov / Feb🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Johns Hopkins
Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences
Eight-week paid summer neuroscience research internship for Baltimore high schoolers.
📍 Baltimore, MD⏱ 8 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Horizon
Horizon Academic Research Program
Individual research mentorship program producing a college-level paper; open worldwide.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 10 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US House (historical)
House Page Program (alumni network)
Historical House page-style programs and current House internship opportunities.
📍 Washington, DC⏱ 1 semester📅 Spring🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
HSCTF Association
HSCTF (High School Capture the Flag)
One of the largest student cybersecurity competitions, featuring crypto and web exploits.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 November 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IBM
IBM BlueCamp (High School)
Students spend a week learning about technology careers and interacting with IBM engineers.
📍 Austin, TX⏱ 1 week📅 April 1🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
Imi Hoʻōla Pathway / UH Manoa SHARE
Free research program for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.
📍 HI⏱ 5 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Immerse Education
Immerse Education Essay Competition
Free international essay contest; winners receive 100% scholarships to Immerse summer residencies at Cambridge, Oxford, and elsewhere.
📍 Global📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Uncharted Learning
INCubatoredu Student Pitch Competition
Year-long high school entrepreneurship course with pitch night.
📍 Multiple schools⏱ Academic year📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Notre Dame
Inequality in America: America's Social and Economic Inequities
A course offered as part of the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars program.
📍 Notre Dame, IN📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Institute for Youth in Policy
Institute for Youth in Policy (Economics Dept)
A youth-led organization providing resources for high schoolers to conduct and publish research in economics.
📍 Online⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: Creative Writing Programs (High School)
High school creative writing summer programs.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: Dance Programs (High School)
High school dance summer programs.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: Film & New Media Programs (High School)
High school film & new media summer programs.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: Interdisciplinary Arts Programs (High School)
High school interdisciplinary arts summer programs.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: Music Programs (High School)
High school music summer programs.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: One-Week Intensives
One-week intensive arts programs for high school students in various disciplines.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: Theatre Programs (High School)
High school theatre summer programs.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: Three-Week Art Camps
Three-week arts programs for students in grades 6-12. Offers opportunities in various arts disciplines.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen Arts Camp: Visual Arts Programs (High School)
High school visual arts summer programs.
📍 Interlochen, Michigan🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IOAA
International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad
International olympiad in astronomy and astrophysics with national selection rounds.
📍 Varies (International)⏱ 1 week📅 Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IBO
International Biology Olympiad (IBO)
International team competition for the four highest-scoring biology students from each participating country.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 2-day exam + travel📅 National selection: fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IChO
International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)
Annual competition for pre-university chemistry students; national teams are selected through country-level olympiads.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 2-day exam + travel📅 National selection: fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
IESO
International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO)
Team and individual tasks covering geology, meteorology, oceanography, astronomy. National selection required.
📍 Various📅 National selection spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IEO
International Economics Olympiad
International economics olympiad for high school students with national selection rounds.
📍 Varies (International)⏱ 1 week📅 Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
iGeo
International Geography Olympiad
International geography olympiad with written, multimedia, and fieldwork tests.
📍 Rotates by host country📅 National selection Spring🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IOL
International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL)
Solve puzzles in languages you have never seen. Recruits through national contests (NACLO in the US).
📍 Various📅 National contest January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IMMC
International Mathematical Modeling Challenge
International team-based math modeling competition for high schoolers.
📍 International📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IMO Foundation
International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO)
The oldest and most prestigious pre-university math olympiad; students qualify through their national math olympiad and represent their country at the IMO.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 2-day exam + travel📅 National selection: fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
IOI
International Olympiad in Informatics
Premier international algorithmic programming competition; qualify via national CS olympiad.
📍 Rotates by host country📅 National selection Spring🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IOI, USACO (US Team Selection)
International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI)
The most prestigious international algorithmic programming competition at the high-school level. The top four students from the USA training camp are selected to represent their country.
📍 International📅 N/A (by selection)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IPO
International Philosophy Olympiad
International philosophical essay competition; students write in a language other than their native tongue.
📍 Rotates by host country📅 National selection Spring🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
International Philosophy Olympiad
International Philosophy Olympiad (IPO) - US Qualifiers
An annual philosophy essay competition for pre-university students globally.
📍 Online📅 January 31🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
IPhO
International Physics Olympiad (IPhO)
Annual international physics competition for secondary students; entry is through the national physics olympiad in your country.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 2-day exam + travel📅 National selection: fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
International Songwriting Competition
International Songwriting Competition (ISC)
A world-renowned songwriting competition that has launched the careers of many famous artists.
📍 Online📅 February 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Iowa
International Writing Program Between the Lines
Two-week international creative writing program pairing US and international teen writers.
📍 Iowa City, USA + International cohorts📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
IYPT
International Young Physicists' Tournament
International team competition where students research and defend solutions to open-ended physics problems.
📍 Rotates by host country📅 January (national selection)🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IYPT US / USAYPT
International Young Physicists' Tournament (Online Regional)
Global physics competition for teams to solve 7 open-ended problems and present their results in online 'Physics Fights'.
📍 Online/Global⏱ Intermittent (matches)📅 February (Registration)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IYRC
International Youth Research Conference & Mentorship
Student-run research group providing mentorship and resources for high schoolers to conduct and publish original research.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 May (for summer/fall)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IZhO
International Zhautykov Olympiad
International math, physics, and CS olympiad hosted in Kazakhstan; individual events.
📍 Almaty, Kazakhstan📅 January🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Iowa Academy of Science
Iowa Junior Academy of Science Symposium
A statewide competition in Iowa where students present original STEM research to judges from industry and academia.
📍 Iowa City, IA⏱ 1 day📅 February 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Cambridge
Isaac Physics
Free platform of physics and math problem sets with online mentoring, mastery levels, and printable revision sheets used by GCSE, A-level, and international students worldwide.
📍 Remote (UK/Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Awards
Regeneron ISEF finalists compete for over $7 million in awards, prizes, and scholarships.
📍 Phoenix, AZ (2026)📅 Varies (part of ISEF competition)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Categories and Subcategories
Definitions and details of the categories of competition for Regeneron ISEF.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to questions for students, parents, and teachers about the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF International Rules and Guidelines
Official rules and guidelines for competition at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Project Database
Searchable database of abstracts from Regeneron ISEF projects from 2014 to 2026.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
John Locke Institute
John Locke Institute Essay
Annual global essay competition in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law. Free entry; cash and Oxford summer school prizes.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 June 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
John Locke Institute
John Locke Institute Essay Competition
Free essay competition in philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law. Open worldwide, ages up to 18.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
John Locke Institute
John Locke Institute Global Essay Competition
International essay competition across philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law.
📍 Global📅 Late June🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
JEI (Harvard)
Journal of Emerging Investigators
Free peer-reviewed publication venue for middle/high school STEM research. Real PhD reviewers.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
JHSS
Journal of High School Science
STEM and humanities journal for high school students.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
DoD / National Science Teaching Assoc
JSHS
Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. Regional and national competitions in original STEM research, with cash awards and DoD lab tours.
📍 Regional sites nationwide⏱ 2 days📅 Regional Jan-Mar🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kaggle
Kaggle Competitions
Global data-science competition platform with beginner "Getting Started" tracks, community notebooks, and cash-prize challenges accessible from anywhere.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Math Kangaroo International
Kangaroo Math Competition
Global multiple-choice math competition run in 90+ countries.
📍 Global (participating countries)📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kenyon Review
Kenyon Review Young Writers (Online Program & Publication)
The official high school literary magazine of the Kenyon Review, accepting poetry and prose globally. Virtual workshops also available.
📍 Online/Kenyon College⏱ Annual publication📅 May (Summer Review)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kiwanis
Key Club International
Largest international high school service organization with leadership conferences.
📍 Global⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Khan Academy / Medline Plus
Khan Academy Health & Medicine Pathway
Learn the science behind medicine and the human body through interactive coursework developed by top universities. Ideal for medical-track HS students.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible (1-year access)📅 Self-paced🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Khanservatory / Khan Academy Affiliate
Khan Academy Student Ambassador Program
High school students from the US can serve as 'International Ambassadors' to help with online math tutoring and outreach.
📍 Online⏱ Ongoing📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation High School Journalism
Various Knight-funded high school journalism programs and fellowships.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
Knowledge@Wharton Comment & Win
Monthly free contests where students comment on Knowledge@Wharton articles for cash prizes.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Monthly🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wharton/Penn
Knowledge@Wharton High School
Free online business journal and articles plus essay competitions for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wharton/UPenn
Knowledge@Wharton High School Comment & Win
Monthly essay/comment contest on business topics.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Monthly🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy
Free two-week coding camp for girls and gender-expansive teens.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 2 weeks📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy Applications
Kode With Klossy scholars are curious, community-minded, creative individuals who want to explore the possibilities of technology. We welcome all applicants who identify as young women and gender expansive, ages 13-18 — regardless of CS experience.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy Camp
Free two-week coding camps for girls and gender-expansive teens ages 13-18.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 2 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy Summer Programs
Coding programs for young women and gender expansive youth, ages 13-18. No coding experience required. Programs are free.
📍 remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Kansas
KU Project SEARCH
Paid biomedical research at KU Med Center for Kansas students.
📍 KS⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Los Alamos National Laboratory
LANL UTS High School Pipeline
Paid internships at LANL for Northern New Mexico students.
📍 NM⏱ 8-10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Leadership Development
Pre-College Leadership Development program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Learn To Be Foundation
Learn To Be Tutor
A 1-on-1 online tutoring program for low-income K-12 students. High schoolers can apply to tutor and earn volunteer hours.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America
LEDA Scholars Program
Free summer college-prep program for high-achieving low-income HS juniors.
📍 Princeton, NJ⏱ 7 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Let's Get Ready
Let's Get Ready College Access
Free SAT prep and college advising from near-peer mentors.
📍 Online📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Caltech
LIGO SURF
Gravitational-wave research at Caltech. Need-based travel and housing aid.
📍 CA⏱ 10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
City Bureau
Local News for Teens Internships (CityBureau Documenters)
Paid civic journalism documenters program in select cities.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Louisiana State University
LSU HSSR (High School Summer Research)
Paid research at LSU for Louisiana students.
📍 LA⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Lumiere Education
Lumiere Research Scholar (Aid)
Independent research papers with PhD mentors. Need-based financial aid up to 100%.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 12 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MLH
Major League Hacking (MLH) Digital Events
MLH partners with dozens of online student-led hackathons throughout the year accessible to any student with an internet connection.
📍 Online⏱ 24-48 hours📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MLH
Major League Hacking High School Hackathons
Calendar of student hackathons; many high school-friendly.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MLH
Major League Hacking Local Hack Day
Free worldwide student hackathons run by MLH. Beginner-friendly tracks.
📍 Worldwide⏱ 1-2 days📅 Year-round🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Management & Technology Summer Institute
On-campus program at the intersection of management and technology.
📍 University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MAA / USA Math Team
Math Olympiad Summer Program (MOP)
Invitation-only intensive math camp preparing top USAMO/USAJMO scorers for IMO.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA⏱ 3 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Matriculate
Matriculate Advising Fellows
Free virtual one-on-one college admissions advising for high-achieving low-income high-school students.
📍 Online📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Matter of Trust
Matter of Trust Citizen Science
Free citizen-science volunteer projects in oil-spill remediation and sustainability.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
McGill University
McGill Mini-Med School
Lecture series introducing high school and community members to medical science and clinical topics.
📍 Montreal, Canada⏱ 8 weeks📅 October🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
MD Anderson Summer Experience
Paid summer internships for high school students in Houston to explore careers in clinical care, research, and support services.
📍 Houston, TX⏱ 8 weeks📅 March 31🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Mississippi Department of Education
Mississippi FFA Association
A leadership and career development organization focused on agricultural education for students in Mississippi.
📍 Mississippi State, MS⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MIT
MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute
Four-week residential STEM program at MIT in autonomous systems, AI, cybersecurity, and more.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 4 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
MIT Lincoln Lab
MIT BeaverWorks BWSI Hackathon
Free open hackathons run by MIT BeaverWorks alongside BWSI summer program.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
MIT
MIT THINK Scholars
Funded research mentorship; finalists travel to MIT for an all-expenses-paid weekend.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — 2026-27 cycle not yet posted🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Major League Hacking
MLH Member Hackathons
A season of student-run hackathons across the world where students build software/hardware.
📍 Global⏱ 24-48 hours📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Actuarial Foundation
Modeling the Future Challenge
Free actuarial science / data analysis competition for HS students with cash scholarships.
📍 Online⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Moneyball Academy
A program applying data analytics to sports management.
📍 University of Pennsylvania🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Montana State University
Montana Apprenticeship Program (MAP)
Paid research apprenticeships at MSU for Montana Native American students.
📍 MT⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Mississippi Medical Center
MS Rural Physicians Pipeline (high school strand)
Free med-school pathway program for rural Mississippi students.
📍 MS⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Memorial Sloan Kettering
MSK HOPP Summer Student Program
Paid cancer research at MSK for students from groups underrepresented in medicine.
📍 NY⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Michigan State University
MSU ANR Technology & Science Program
Michigan State program focused on the intersection of agriculture, engineering, and technology.
📍 East Lansing, MI⏱ 1 week📅 April 30🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Michigan State University
MSU Veterinary Medicine Enrichment Summer Program
An intensive three-week program exposing students to the diverse careers in veterinary medicine through clinical rotations and labs.
📍 East Lansing, MI⏱ 3 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Music
Pre-College Music program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
NASA
NASA App Development Challenge
Open team coding challenge from NASA. Teams build a visualization of mission data. No fee; finalists visit Johnson Space Center.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 December🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Citizen Science
Dozens of free NASA citizen-science projects. Your contributions co-author published papers.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA Goddard High School Internship (OSTEM)
A paid summer internship for DC/Maryland area high school students focusing on physical sciences and earth observation.
📍 Greenbelt, MD⏱ 8 weeks📅 January 31🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NASA
NASA High School Internship Program (OSTEM)
Students participate in NASA's mission-driven projects through unique internship experiences at NASA centers across the country.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 10 weeks📅 January 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NASA
NASA International Space Apps Challenge
The largest annual global hackathon: 48 hours to solve real challenges using NASA's open data, with local host cities on every continent.
📍 300+ cities worldwide⏱ 48 hours (October)📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Internships (HS / OSTEM)
Search portal for NASA STEM internships and challenges, including high school programs.
📍 United States⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Space Apps Challenge (Student Track)
A data science competition where students use real NASA data to solve problems.
📍 Global⏱ 48 hours📅 April 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA / Future Engineers
NASA TechRise Student Challenge
Teams design space-bound experiments. Winners receive USD 1500 and their payload flies on a high-altitude balloon.
📍 Online⏱ School year📅 November🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
Council for Economic Education
National Economics Challenge
Team economics competition with state and national rounds. Open to all US high schoolers; many states offer scholarships.
📍 State + national⏱ Multi-round📅 March-April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NCF-Envirothon / Canon U.S.A.
National Envirothon (NFC-Envirothon)
A national environmental science competition where students study forestry, wildlife, and aquatic ecology on-site.
📍 Various Locations (Rotate Annually)⏱ 3 days📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NFMC
National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) Competitions
A prestigious scholarship competition for vocalists, instrumentalists, and composers.
📍 Online📅 March 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
National Geographic
National Geographic Slingshot Challenge
Annual video competition for ages 13-18 on environmental solutions with cash prizes.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Winter🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
National High School Game Academy
Pre-College National High School Game Academy program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
NHSJS
National High School Journal of Science
Free peer-reviewed online journal publishing high school students' STEM research.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National High School Mock Trial Organization
National High School Mock Trial Championship
A national mock trial case competition where students act as attorneys and witnesses in a simulated courtroom.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Year-long📅 March 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National History Day
National History Day
Year-long historical research project competition culminating at the national contest.
📍 College Park, MD⏱ Academic year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
American Classical League
National Latin Exam
Annual exam recognizing Latin students K-12; widely used by classics teachers.
📍 United States⏱ 1 hour📅 Winter🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
NMSC
National Merit Scholarship
PSAT-based scholarship recognizing top US high-school juniors.
📍 Online📅 No fixed deadline — entry is via the PSAT/NMSQT, administered each October by individual high schools🎓 Grade 11
Selective
APHA
National Public Health Week Student Challenge
Annual student challenge for high schoolers to advocate for public health issues.
📍 Online⏱ 1 week📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US Department of Energy
National Science Bowl
Premier US middle and high school science quiz competition.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Winter🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
YoungArts
National YoungArts Foundation Competition
National arts competition for ages 15-18 across 10 disciplines; finalists receive cash and YoungArts Week.
📍 Miami, FL⏱ Self-paced📅 Fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
YoungArts
National YoungArts Photography
Photography track of the YoungArts national competition.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 October🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
YoungArts
National YoungArts Week
Week-long master classes and performances in Miami for YoungArts winners across 10 disciplines.
📍 Miami, FL⏱ 1 week📅 Fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
NFTE
National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
Pitch competition for student entrepreneurs from NFTE programs.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Academic year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCAR Atmospheric Research Internship
Paid climate/atmospheric science research in Boulder.
📍 CO⏱ 10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NCWIT
NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing
Free annual award for high-school women, genderqueer, and non-binary students with interest in computing. Affiliate and national levels.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NFTE
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Summer
Free summer entrepreneurship programs for underserved students.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 6 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Supercomputing Challenge Outreach
New Mexico Supercomputing Challenge
A unique research program in New Mexico that places high school students in state-of-the-art laboratories through the Supercomputing Challenge.
📍 Los Alamos, NM⏱ Year-round📅 January 31🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Student Press Law Center
New Voices Student Press Freedom
Youth advocacy network defending student press freedoms.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The New York Times Learning Network
New York Times Editorial Contest
Annual student editorial writing contest for teens 13-19.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
The New York Times Learning Network
New York Times Personal Narrative Contest
Annual personal narrative writing contest for teens 13-19.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Fall🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Stanford AIMI
NextGen Tech Talks
Live online webinar series tailored specifically for high school students. Join renowned experts as they share their professional journeys, unveiling the transformative potential of technology in healthcare.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Legion North Dakota
North Dakota Boys State and Girls State
A leadership program for high school students in North Dakota to learn about government and civic engagement.
📍 Bismarck, ND⏱ 1 week📅 March 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NPR
NPR Student Podcast Challenge
Free annual podcasting contest. Submit a 3-8 minute podcast. Winning student is featured on NPR.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 April🎓 Grades 5–12
Selective
U.S. State Department
NSLI-Y (Critical Languages)
Fully-funded US government scholarship for high schoolers to study languages like Arabic, Mandarin, Korean abroad.
📍 Abroad (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 6 weeks or academic year📅 Early November🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
US Dept. of State
NSLI-Y National Security Language Initiative
Fully-funded scholarships for HS students to study Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Russian, Turkish abroad.
📍 Global⏱ 6 weeks - 1 year📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Nuffield Foundation
Nuffield Research Placements
Fully-funded UK STEM research placements for Year 12 students, prioritized for those from low-income backgrounds; hosted by universities, research institutes, and companies.
📍 United Kingdom⏱ 4–6 weeks (summer)📅 March (UK Year 12)🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
National University of Singapore
NUS High School Research
Undergraduate-level research mentorship at NUS for advanced high school students.
📍 Singapore⏱ 12 weeks📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Columbia University Pre-College Programs
NYC Commuter Summer
Engage in a rich and demanding academic experience on Columbia's tranquil campus, in the heart of New York City.
📍 New York, NY🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NYC DYCD
NYC Ladders for Leaders
Free paid summer internship program for NYC high schoolers. Stipend included; competitive admission.
📍 New York, NY⏱ 6 weeks📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Columbia University Pre-College Programs
NYC Residential Summer
Engage in a rich and demanding academic experience on Columbia's tranquil campus, in the heart of New York City.
📍 New York, NY🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Hall
NYO-USA
Free national youth orchestra tour for top high-school musicians; full scholarship including travel and residency.
📍 New York, NY📅 Auditions typically held each December for the following summer — exact date not yet posted🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The New York Times
NYT Personal Narrative Contest
Annual short personal narrative contest for teens. 600 words. Free entry.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The New York Times
NYT Student Editorial Contest
Free annual contest for students aged 13-19 to write a 450-word evidence-based editorial. Top entries are published by the Times.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NYT / NABJ / NAHJ
NYT Student Journalism Institute
Paid summer journalism program at The New York Times for diverse students.
📍 New York, NY⏱ Summer📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
The New York Times
NYT Summer Reading Contest
Each summer week, students pick a Times piece and write 350 words about it. Free; winners published.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 June-August🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Ocean Awareness Contest
International student contest in visual art, film, writing, and music addressing ocean conservation.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Ohio State University
Ohio State Young Scholars Program
Free year-round academic + research support for first-gen Ohio students.
📍 OH⏱ Year-round + summer📅 Rolling (school-based)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Oregon Health & Science University
OHSU On Track OHSU!
Free pipeline program for Oregon students from rural and underrepresented backgrounds.
📍 OR⏱ Year-round + summer📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
City of Chicago
One Summer Chicago
Free paid summer jobs and internships for Chicago youth ages 14-24.
📍 Chicago, IL⏱ 6 weeks📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Duke Summer Session
Online Courses (High School)
High school students can take a variety of Duke courses online for college credit during the summer.
📍 remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Purple Comet! Math Meet
Online Math Team Championship (OMTC) / Purple Comet!
An international online math competition focused on high-level problem solving, often allowing students from rural areas to compete.
📍 Online⏱ 1 week📅 Late August (yearly)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Columbia University Pre-College Programs
Online Summer
Dive into the Ivy League experience with Columbia’s world-class instructors and a rigorous and collaborative online experience.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Oregon State University
Oregon State Environmental Science Internship
A program for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to participate in environmental research and data science.
📍 Corvallis, OR⏱ 6 weeks📅 March 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
ORNL High School Summer Internship
Paid DOE national lab research at Oak Ridge.
📍 TN⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Oklahoma
OU Sooner Health Research
Paid health research at OU for Oklahoma students underrepresented in medicine.
📍 OK⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Oxbridge Launchpad
Oxbridge Launchpad Essay Competitions
Rolling essay competitions across STEM, humanities, and social sciences for global high school students.
📍 Remote (Global)📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Oxford University
Oxford UNIQ Summer School
Free residential summer school for UK state-school students.
📍 Oxford, UK⏱ 1 week📅 January🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Goethe-Institut
PASCH-Initiative
German government initiative offering scholarships to attend summer language and STEM courses in Germany for students at partner schools worldwide.
📍 Germany⏱ 3–4 weeks📅 January (school-nominated)🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
UC Berkeley ATDP
Pathway Scholarship
Information about the Pathway Scholarship for ATDP programs.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
PBS
PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
Network of student newsrooms producing stories for PBS.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Academic year📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Peace First
Peace First Mini-Grants
Digital platform and mini-grants (up to $250) for 13–25-year-olds anywhere in the world to design and launch a project responding to injustice in their community.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ Project-based📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Perelman School of Medicine
Penn Med Summer Mentorship
Six-week summer mentorship in healthcare for Philadelphia students from underrepresented backgrounds.
📍 Philadelphia, PA📅 Not yet announced — check official site for next cycle🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
PennApps
One of the oldest college hackathons; HS-track sometimes available. Travel stipends offered.
📍 Philadelphia, PA⏱ 36 hours📅 Spring/Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
QuestBridge
Personalized Support (through College Prep Scholars Program)
Personalized support for the college application process as part of the College Prep Scholars Program.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
AAPT
Physics Bowl
International multiple-choice physics competition for HS students.
📍 Global⏱ 45 min📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UBC
Physics Olympics
Annual lab and theory physics competition for high schools.
📍 Vancouver, BC⏱ 1 day📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon CyLab
picoCTF
Free annual cybersecurity capture-the-flag competition for students.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Pioneer Academics
Pioneer Academics (Aid)
Accredited college-level research with US professors. Need-based aid up to full tuition.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 15 weeks📅 Multiple cycles🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Poetry Out Loud
A national poetry recitation competition that begins in high school classrooms and ends in a national final.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Academic Year📅 January 10🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Polygence
Polygence Press
Symposium and publication outlets for high school student researchers in any field.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Polygence
Polygence Scholars (Financial Aid)
1:1 research mentorship with PhDs across any field. Full financial aid for qualifying students.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 10-20 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Polyphony Lit
Polyphony Lit Editorial Internship
International literary magazine staffed by high school students; editors and writers worldwide.
📍 Online⏱ Academic year📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pratt Institute
Pratt Fall and Spring PreCollege Classes
Spend Saturdays developing your skills in classes designed to fit a high school schedule. With both online and in-person options, students collaborate with peers from near and far while receiving expert guidance on their projects.
📍 Brooklyn, New York (and remote)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pratt Institute
Pratt Online Summer Program
Join a global community of students in live online classes, held Monday through Thursday. Through demos, critiques, and guided projects, instructors help students sharpen their skills and create polished, portfolio-quality work.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pratt Institute
Pratt PreCollege Explore Program
Live and learn on Pratt’s Brooklyn campus! Spend two weeks learning about Fine Art, Design, or Architecture with a small group of peers. Program includes site-visits to artist studios and gaining a broad understanding of the different fields.
📍 Brooklyn, New York🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pratt Institute
Pratt PreCollege Intensive Program
Live and learn on Pratt’s Brooklyn campus! Spend four weeks taking two courses, building a portfolio, and experiencing life as a college student in New York City. This immersive program pushes students creatively while preparing them with college-ready work.
📍 Brooklyn, New York🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Brown University
Pre-Baccalaureate
Brown University for-academic credit program for high school students.
📍 Online🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Princeton SEAS
Princeton Day of Action / Princeton AI4ALL
Various Princeton SEAS outreach programs and summer engineering experiences for HS students.
📍 Princeton, NJ⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Princeton University
Princeton Laboratory Learning Program
Free competitive lab research program for HS students in NJ-area Princeton labs.
📍 Princeton, NJ⏱ 5-6 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Princeton University
Princeton Ten-Minute Play Contest
Annual playwriting contest for 11th-grade students judged by Princeton's Lewis Center faculty.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Princeton University Press
Princeton University Press Junior Reviewers
Various junior reviewer / reader programs and writing contests in the humanities.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Product Design Academy
A program exploring the principles and processes of product design.
📍 University of Pennsylvania🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Purdue University
Purdue Extension Urban Agriculture Interns
Paid positions for Indianapolis youth to maintain urban gardens and learn about food justice.
📍 Indianapolis, IN⏱ 8 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Purdue University
Purdue STAR (STEM Academic Research)
Free research immersion at Purdue for Indiana students underrepresented in STEM.
📍 IN⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Art of Problem Solving
Putnam-Style Online Practice
Free competition math forums, classes, and practice for K-12 students.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
QuestBridge
QuestBridge College Prep Scholars
Junior-year program with summer scholarships and admissions support for low-income students.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — 2027 cycle date not yet posted (historically late March)🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of Notre Dame
RADIANT: Research, AI, Data Innovation, and New Technologies
A course offered as part of the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars program.
📍 Notre Dame, IN📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Political Science Association
Ralph Bunche Summer Institute
Funded political science research for students from underrepresented backgrounds.
📍 Multiple (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 5 weeks (summer)📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Federal Reserve Banks
RBA / Federal Reserve Essay Contests
Various regional Fed essay and case competitions for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Red Cross
Red Cross Youth Volunteer
Youth volunteer roles in disaster relief, blood services, education.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Red Cross
Red Cross Youth Volunteer Programs
Volunteer opportunities for ages 13+ in disaster, blood services, and youth leadership clubs.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
The world's largest pre-college STEM research competition with affiliated fairs in 60+ countries.
📍 USA (affiliated fairs worldwide)📅 Regional fairs Winter–Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron ISEF
The largest international pre-college science fair. Qualify through an affiliated regional or state fair. Travel and lodging covered for finalists.
📍 Rotating US city⏱ 1 week📅 Regional Jan-Mar🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron ISEF Categories
Finalists at Regeneron ISEF compete across 22 different scientific categories, covering a wide range of STEM fields.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron Science Talent Search
Unique among high school competitions, the Regeneron STS focuses on identifying, inspiring, and engaging the nation’s most promising future leaders in STEM. Each year, around 2,600 students enter Regeneron STS, submitting original research in critically important scientific fields of study and full application for holistic review. $3.1 million in awards are distributed annually, including the first place prize of $250,000.
📍 Washington, D.C.📅 2026-11-05T20:00:00 EST🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
Unique among high school competitions, the Regeneron STS focuses on identifying, inspiring, and engaging the nation’s most promising future leaders in STEM. Each year, around 2,600 students enter Regeneron STS, submitting original research in critically important scientific fields of study and full application for holistic review. $3.1 million in awards are distributed annually, including the first place prize of $250,000. It is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school students.
📍 Washington, D.C. (Finals Week, if selected), Remote (Application)📅 November 5, 2026🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CEE × MIT
Research Science Institute (RSI)
The most selective free summer research program in the US. Six weeks of STEM research at MIT with PhD mentors.
📍 MA (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 Mid-January🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Schmidt Futures × Rhodes Trust
Rise
A lifetime program for 15- to 17-year-olds worldwide; the top ~500 finalists receive scholarships, mentorship, and career support to work on problems that matter.
📍 Remote application + summer residency⏱ Ongoing📅 Late January🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Boston University
RISE Internship/ Practicum
Conduct university-level STEM research in a laboratory setting.
📍 Boston, MA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Rockefeller University
Rockefeller Summer Science Research
NYC-area students do paid biomedical research at Rockefeller.
📍 NY⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Jane Goodall Institute
Roots & Shoots
Youth-led community action for people, animals, environment.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
Rotary International
Rotary RYLA
Sponsored leadership training for ages 14-30.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 3-10 days📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Rotary International
Rotary RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards)
Multi-day leadership training program for ages 14-30 hosted by local Rotary districts.
📍 Global⏱ 3-10 days📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Rotary International
Rotary Youth Exchange
Long-term (year) and short-term cultural exchanges for ages 15-19.
📍 Global⏱ 1 year📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
RoundPier
RoundPier Networking & Competition Portal
An online platform where students can find curated digital internships, summer courses, and research opportunities specifically for HS.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI)
Free college-prep and research program for rural Alaska Native and rural Alaska students.
📍 AK⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Rutgers University
Rutgers Future Scholars Research
Free college-prep + research for first-gen New Jersey students.
📍 NJ⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling (program-based)🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Rutgers University Extension
Rutgers Master Gardener Youth Programs
Support for community garden initiatives and school composting programs led by NJ high schoolers.
📍 NJ⏱ Ongoing📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Future Farmers of America (FFA)
SAE Grants
SAE Grants are awarded primarily based on financial need. Grant applications are evaluated by the SAE Grant Committee and are awarded primarily on demonstrated financial need.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The longest-running recognition program for creative teens in the US — writing, visual art, photography, film.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Year-long competition📅 December-January (regional)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Scholastic Art & Writing
Scholastic Art & Writing Programs (Exhibitions and workshops)
Exhibitions and workshops for teens, along with professional development for educators.
📍 Various🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Scholastic Art & Writing
Scholastic Art & Writing Scholarships
Information about scholarships available through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
📍 remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
New York Public Library (Schomburg Center)
Schomburg Center Junior Scholars Program
A six-month program for NYC students to examine inequality and social justice through research and advocacy.
📍 New York, NY⏱ 6 months📅 January 15🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Schoolhouse.world
Schoolhouse.world Tutor
A non-profit platform providing free, peer-to-peer tutoring in SAT prep and Math to students worldwide; volunteers can lead 'series' or 'sessions'.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 Ongoing🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Department of the Navy / ONR
Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Interns work at a Naval laboratory on real-world research under the mentorship of professional scientists and engineers.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 8 weeks📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Geographic / Disney+ / Hulu
Science Fair: The Series
A three-part docuseries following young innovators, engineers, and scientists on their way to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Seattle Children's Research Institute
Seattle Children's Research Internship
Paid pediatric biomedical research in Seattle.
📍 WA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
City of Seattle
Seattle Youth Employment Program
Free paid summer internships for Seattle youth ages 16-21. Targeted toward youth furthest from opportunity.
📍 Seattle, WA⏱ 8 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UC Berkeley ATDP
Secondary Division
For students completing grades 7–11. Rigorous summer courses in an area of deep interest.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US Senate
Senate Page Program
Selective program where high school juniors serve as pages for US senators in DC.
📍 Washington, DC⏱ 1 semester📅 Rolling🎓 Grade 11
Selective
SETI Institute
SETI Institute REU and Education
Astronomy and astrobiology education programs including HS workshops.
📍 Mountain View, CA⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
SF DCYF
SF Mayors Youth Employment & Education
Free paid year-round and summer internships for SF youth.
📍 San Francisco, CA⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Sierra Club ICO
Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors
Outdoor leadership and conservation volunteer service.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Sierra Club
Sierra Student Coalition
Youth-led grassroots environmental network with trainings, fellowships, and campaigns.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stony Brook University
Simons Summer Research Program
Seven-week stipended research program for HS juniors in STEM at Stony Brook labs.
📍 Stony Brook, NY⏱ 7 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
The Smallpeice Trust
Smallpeice Trust Engineering Courses
Residential engineering courses at UK universities for Year 10–13 students — many fully funded via bursaries; specialisms include civil, aerospace, chemical, and robotics.
📍 United Kingdom⏱ 2–5 days📅 Rolling · by course🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of South Dakota
South Dakota Business Student Summer Leadership Academy
A rigorous residential program for high school students in South Dakota to explore the business world and entrepreneurship.
📍 Vermillion, SD⏱ 1 week📅 March 1🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
South Dakota State Legislature
South Dakota Legislative Page Program
A year-long fellowship for South Dakota high school students to engage in state policy-making and legislative observation.
📍 Pierre, SD⏱ 1 year📅 April 1🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Special Olympics
Special Olympics Youth Activation
Youth leadership and unified sports programs.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
NYU Tisch
Spring Future Artists Program
The Spring Future Artists Program is free of charge and offered to students in the Tri-state area. It is designed for students who may not have access to other programs in their schools and/or communities and who would qualify for financial aid at NYU. This program requires a 14-week commitment on Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from early February through mid-May, and is taught by faculty from the undergraduate departments.
📍 New York, NY🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stanford School of Medicine
Stanford AIM-HI
Free Stanford program for under-resourced Bay Area students interested in health equity careers.
📍 CA⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Stanford
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR)
Medical research at Stanford labs. Need-based stipend available. Strong focus on accessibility.
📍 CA (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 Late February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Stanford University
Stanford Intersect Journal
Undergraduate journal of science, technology, and society (high schoolers may submit).
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies
Stanford Math Circle
Stanford Math Circle offers after-school classes for elementary, middle & high-school students interested in math to improve academic and extracurricular performance.
📍 Stanford, CA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stanford School of Medicine
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program
Free five-week summer program for low-income California high schoolers exploring medicine.
📍 Stanford, CA⏱ 5 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies
Stanford Pre-Collegiate University-Level Online Math & Physics
Stanford Pre-Collegiate University-Level Online Math & Physics offers high school students an opportunity to take advanced courses online and earn Stanford University Continuing Studies credit and a transcript.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Stanford University
Stanford TreeHacks (High School Track)Check Site
Youth-led hackathons and tech workshops held annually at Stanford.
📍 Stanford, CA⏱ 1 day📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
STEM Fellowship
STEM Fellowship Big Data Challenge
International data science competition with publication in STEM Fellowship Journal.
📍 Online⏱ 8 weeks📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
STEM Fellowship
STEM Fellowship Journal
Peer-reviewed journal publishing student STEM research.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Brown Pre-College
STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders
Define, investigate and excel: Spend your time doing science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
📍 On Campus🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Center for Excellence in Education (CEE)
STEM Lyceums
STEM Lyceums are virtual events that connect high school students with leading STEM professionals, providing insights into various STEM fields and career paths.
📍 Virtual🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
SIFMA Foundation
Stock Market Game
Free K-12 simulation of investing in real-world markets used in classrooms nationwide.
📍 Online⏱ 10-14 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
University of Florida
Student Science Training Program (SSTP)
A rigorous math program for rising high school seniors in Florida, focusing on discrete mathematics and computer science.
📍 Gainesville, FL⏱ 6 weeks📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Boston University
Summer Challenge
Expand your academic horizons over two weeks, choosing 2 seminars.
📍 Boston, MA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stanford AIMI
Summer Health AI Bootcamp
Two-week virtual bootcamp offers a curated curriculum that covers the fundamentals of machine learning in healthcare settings.
📍 Virtual🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
QuestBridge
Summer Program Scholarships (through College Prep Scholars Program)
Exclusive access to scholarships for summer programs as part of the College Prep Scholars Program.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Stanford AIMI
Summer Research Internship
Two-week virtual opportunity to explore technical and clinical aspects of AI in healthcare.
📍 Virtual🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
SSP International
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Team-based real research in astrophysics, biochemistry, or genomics. Need-based aid covers full tuition.
📍 CA, NM, IN, CO (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 39 days (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Summer Session
Pre-College Summer Session program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Brown Pre-College
Summer@Brown
Explore new paths and connect with different ways of thinking, seeing and doing.
📍 On Campus🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Surfrider Foundation
Surfrider Youth Volunteer
Coastal cleanup and ocean advocacy chapters across US.
📍 Coastal states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Sutton Trust
Sutton Trust US Programme
Fully-funded programme helping state-school students in the UK apply to US universities — includes a residential week in the US, SAT prep, and application support.
📍 UK + week in USA⏱ 1 year📅 January (Year 12)🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Fermilab (Department of Energy)
TARGET Program
Students engage in cutting-edge research in high-energy physics and accelerator science at a national laboratory.
📍 Batavia, IL⏱ 6 weeks📅 January 31🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
The Concord Review
TCR History Camp
A camp focusing on history and writing, with testimonials highlighting invaluable writing lessons for high school students.
📍 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Technovation
Technovation Girls
Global tech entrepreneurship challenge for girls 8-18.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 October🎓 Grades 3–12
Selective
TEDx
TEDxYouth Events
Local TEDxYouth events held worldwide; students can apply to speak or attend.
📍 Global⏱ 1 day📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
The Young Authors Foundation
Teen Ink
An award-winning monthly print and online magazine by and for teens.
📍 Online / Jersey City, NJ📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Park Service
Teens Programs (Service Projects and Volunteer Opportunities)
Learn how to participate in service projects and volunteer opportunities within the National Park Service.
📍 National Parks across the US🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Telluride Association
Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
Fully-funded six-week humanities seminar focused on critical Black studies, anti-oppressive thought, and social justice.
📍 Multiple universities⏱ 6 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 10–11
Highly Selective
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech Clark Scholars Program
Highly selective seven-week paid research program for 12 high schoolers across all fields.
📍 Lubbock, TX⏱ 7 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Susquehanna University
The Apprentice Writer
National literary magazine of high school student writing published by Susquehanna.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Concord Review
The Concord Review Submissions
The Concord Review is the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic research papers of secondary students. Students are encouraged to submit their history papers for consideration.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US Congress
The Congressional Award
Bronze through Gold Medal program recognizing service, fitness, expedition, and personal development.
📍 All states⏱ 6-24 months📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 8–12
Selective
The Coolidge Foundation
The Coolidge Scholarship
Full merit scholarship for students demonstrating academic excellence and interest in public policy, including a summer program in Vermont.
📍 Plymouth, VT⏱ 4 years📅 January 23🎓 Grade 11
Selective
The Daphne Review
The Daphne Review
An independent literary journal specifically for middle and high school writers and artists.
📍 Online📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Diana Award
The Diana Award
International charity honoring young people (9–25) for social action or humanitarian work; programmes include mentoring, anti-bullying, and the Legacy Award.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ Varies📅 Nominations open year-round🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Earth Foundation
The Earth Prize
Global environmental sustainability competition with $200k in prizes for student teams.
📍 Global📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Foundation for Economic Education (FEE)
The Free Enterprise Institute Summer Seminar (FEE) / FEE con Alternative
Highly selective program on free-market economics, legal principles, and leadership for upperclassmen.
📍 Atlanta, GA⏱ 1 week📅 January 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
San Francisco State University
The Great Sunflower Project (Citizen Science)
A massive collaborative project where students collect soil samples and perform data analysis for ecological research. Hybrid model.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Ongoing📅 Early March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Knowledge Society
The Knowledge Society (TKS) Virtual Program
A 4-week virtual accelerator where high schoolers solve real-world problems for top companies like Microsoft and TKS partners.
📍 Online⏱ 4 weeks (Trial) / 10 months (Pro)📅 Rolling (Monthly cohorts)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The NSHSS Foundation
The NSHSS Foundation
Fosters the growth of students pursuing the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), business, economics, public policy, and environmental science and sustainability fields. Connects young scholars with additional opportunities to advance their education, personal growth and career interests.
📍 US🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Notre Dame
The Power of Investing: Financial Literacy and the Miracle of Compound Interest
A course offered as part of the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars program.
📍 Notre Dame, IN📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Scholarship Academy
The Scholarship Academy
Offers curriculum to help students identify tailored scholarship options and build solid scholarship profile.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Aspen Institute
The Stevens Initiative Virtual Exchange
A high school program focusing on international affairs and cultural exchange between US and Middle Eastern students. Online workshops.
📍 Online⏱ 6 months📅 Early February🎓 Grades 9–11
Selective
SALA / Global Leaders
The Summer Academy for Global Leadership (Virtual)
An intensive 4-week program for students to learn community organizing, civic engagement, and effective altruism. Often has online cohorts.
📍 Online/Regional Chapters⏱ 4 weeks📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
The Wharton One-Day High School Experience
A one-day immersive experience at Wharton for high school students.
📍 University of Pennsylvania🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Toshiba / NSTA
Toshiba ExploraVision
K-12 team STEM competition forecasting future technologies.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 January🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
Technology Student Association (TSA)
TSA National Competitions
The premier middle and high school competition for engineering and technology projects involving a formal design process.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Toronto
U of T Summer Mentorship Program
Summer research and mentorship program hosted by the University of Toronto for high school students.
📍 Toronto, Canada⏱ 4 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Highly Selective
Consortium for Ocean Leadership / NCF-Envirothon
U.S. National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) / Envirothon
The world's largest Earth Science competition where teams solve challenges in geology, meteorology, and oceanography.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling (Feb-April)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Arizona
UA KEYS Research Internship
Paid bioscience research at the UA — Arizona students only.
📍 AZ⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
UAMS Summer Science Program
Paid biomedical research for Arkansas students underrepresented in healthcare.
📍 AR⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Chicago
UChicago DATA High School Program
Computational science and modeling fellowship for underrepresented high school students.
📍 Chicago, IL⏱ 6 weeks📅 January 15🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of Chicago
UChicago Pre-College Courses
Pre-College academic courses offered by the University of Chicago.
📍 Chicago, IL📅 Applications are closed for this summer and will reopen in Spring 2026🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Chicago
UChicago Pre-College Programs
Learn about the various pre-college programs offered at the University of Chicago.
📍 Chicago, IL🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
UCLA
UCLA Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Paid biomedical research at UCLA for LA-area students.
📍 CA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
UC San Francisco
UCSF SEP High School Intern
Paid summer research for SFUSD students underrepresented in science.
📍 CA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
UCSF
UCSF Summer Research Training Program
Mentored research in basic and clinical science for SF Bay Area students.
📍 San Francisco, CA📅 Not yet announced — official site says 2027 info will be posted later🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment
UD Marine Science Summer Camp (Advanced Track)
High school students conduct marine science and oceanography experiments at the University of Delaware's coastal campus.
📍 Lewes, DE⏱ 1 week📅 February 15🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
University of Georgia
UGA Young Scholars Program (CAES)
Laboratory-based research for high school students in agricultural and natural resource sciences.
📍 Athens, GA/Tifton, GA⏱ 6 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
UK Mathematics Trust
UKMT Mathematical Challenges
Junior, Intermediate, and Senior Mathematical Challenges run by the UK Mathematics Trust — international schools can register and top scorers progress to Olympiad rounds.
📍 United Kingdom⏱ 1-hour exam📅 Oct–Feb🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Minnesota
UMN Eureka! and Talented Youth Math
Free STEM enrichment for Minnesota girls and underrepresented students.
📍 MN⏱ Summer + school year📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
United Nations
UN Youth Opportunities Board
Curated board of fellowships, internships, and youth advisory roles across the UN system.
📍 Various📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of North Dakota
UND Summer Healthcare Programs
Free intro programs for North Dakota students, including INMED for Native American students.
📍 ND⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
UNESCO
UNESCO Youth Programmes
Rolling list of UNESCO calls: youth forums, writing prizes, sustainability grants. Open to youth worldwide.
📍 Various📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Oxford
UNIQ Summer School
Free residential summer school for UK state-school students in Year 12 — subject-specific academic sessions on the Oxford course you'd apply to.
📍 Oxford, UK⏱ 1 week (July)📅 January (Year 12)🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Hearst Foundations / U.S. Senate
United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP)
A prestigious week-long program in DC for leaders interested in government, history, and public service.
📍 Washington, D.C.⏱ 1 week📅 Mid-January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
UWC International
United World Colleges Scholarships
Two-year, needs-blind scholarships to complete the IB Diploma at one of 18 UWC schools worldwide; students selected by their country's national committee.
📍 18 campuses worldwide⏱ 2 years📅 National deadlines: fall/winter🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
UNL Young Nebraska Scientists
Free STEM camps at UNL for Nebraska students.
📍 NE⏱ 1-2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Pittsburgh
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Academy
A residential program for high-achieving high school seniors interested in careers in medicine and biomedical research.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA⏱ 4 weeks📅 Late February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
US House
US House Page Program (alumni network)
Visit programs and learning resources from the US House of Representatives.
📍 Washington, DC⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Chemical Society (ACS)
US National Chemistry Olympiad
A multi-tiered chemistry competition for high school students, featuring local and national exams, a study camp, and selection for the International Chemistry Olympiad.
📍 US; International (for IChO participants)📅 Annual — 2026-27 cycle not yet announced (historically opens each October)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Association of Physics Teachers
US Physics Olympiad
F=ma exam then USAPhO. Top 20 attend a training camp for the International Physics Olympiad team.
📍 School-administered⏱ Multi-round📅 Jan-Mar🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Center for Excellence in Education
USA Biology Olympiad (USABO)
Free 3-round biology olympiad. Top 20 attend a residential training camp; top 4 represent the US at the International Biology Olympiad.
📍 Online + training camp⏱ Multi-round📅 Jan-Apr🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Chemical Society
USA Chemistry Olympiad
Local-section through national chemistry olympiad. Top scorers attend the USNCO study camp at the US Air Force Academy.
📍 Local section + national⏱ Multi-round📅 Mar-Apr🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
USACO
USA Computing Olympiad
Free online programming contests held four times a year. Top US students earn an invitation to the summer training camp and the IOI team.
📍 Online⏱ Multi-round📅 Dec-Apr contests🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
USACO
USACO Training Resources and Historical Contest Problems
Hundreds of hours of free on-line training resources and historical contest problems (complete with solutions) that students can use to improve their programming and computational problem-solving skills.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
USC
USC Bovard Scholars
Fully-funded college-prep and academic program for high-achieving, low-income California juniors.
📍 CA⏱ 3 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
MD Anderson Cancer Center
UT MD Anderson HS Summer Program
Paid cancer research at MD Anderson for Texas students.
📍 TX⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Southern Utah University / State of Utah
Utah Governor's Honors Academy (GHA) - STEM Focus
A 4-week math/science/engineering program for high-achieving Utah high school students hosted at Southern Utah University.
📍 Cedar City, UT⏱ 4 weeks📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
University of Virginia
UVA Summer Medical Leadership Program
Free medical exposure program at UVA for Virginia students underrepresented in medicine.
📍 VA⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Washington Bothell
UW Bothell Research Experiences
Local UW Bothell faculty research opportunities — great for North Seattle students.
📍 WA⏱ Variable📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
University of Washington
UW Genome Sciences Summer Bridge
Seattle-area paid genomics research. Strong support for first-gen and low-income students.
📍 WA⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Wisconsin-Madison
UW-Madison PEOPLE Program
Free year-round college-prep + research for Wisconsin students of color and first-gen.
📍 WI⏱ Year-round + summer📅 Rolling (school-based)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Wyoming
UWyo High School Institute
Free residential STEM camps at UWyo for Wyoming students.
📍 WY⏱ 1-2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech C-Tech²
Free cybersecurity and tech camp for high school women.
📍 VA⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
VFW
Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay
Audio-essay scholarship competition with $35,000 top prize.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Volunteer for Regeneron ISEF
Sign up to support the Regeneron ISEF as interpreters and event volunteers.
📍 Phoenix, AZ (2026)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Center for Civic Education
We the People
Free national civics competition. Class teams compete in simulated congressional hearings on the Constitution.
📍 State + national⏱ School year📅 Dec-Apr🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Center for Civic Education
We the People Constitution Competition
National constitutional knowledge competition for classroom teams.
📍 Washington, DC⏱ Academic year📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
Wharton Global High School Investment Competition
Free team-based simulated investing challenge with Wharton MBA mentors. Open globally.
📍 Online⏱ 10 weeks📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Wharton Global Youth Program (Online Course Series)
Wharton offers specific online modules and case study challenges for high schoolers to learn finance and investment management.
📍 Online⏱ Varies📅 Self-paced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Wharton Sports Business Academy (WSBA)
WSBA provides an opportunity for rising high school juniors and seniors to study the business of sports through a Wharton lens.
📍 Philadelphia, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Whitney Museum
Whitney Museum Youth Insights
Paid teen programs and internships at the Whitney.
📍 New York, NY⏱ Academic year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Emory University School of Medicine
Winship Cancer Institute Summer Program (Winship Win)
Program at Emory focusing on cancer research, providing hands-on laboratory experience and professional development.
📍 Atlanta, GA⏱ 8 weeks📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
WIRED
Wired Next Generation
Periodic youth innovator showcases run by WIRED magazine.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Philadelphia Youth Network
WorkReady Philadelphia
Free paid summer work experience for Philadelphia youth ages 12-24.
📍 Philadelphia, PA⏱ 6 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Center for World Affairs / Bezos Academy
World Affairs Challenge
Project-based competition tackling UN Sustainable Development Goals.
📍 Denver, CO⏱ Academic year📅 May🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
World Food Prize Foundation
World Food Prize Global Youth Institute
Research and conference program on global food security for high schoolers.
📍 Des Moines, IA⏱ 3 days📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Population Connection
World of 8 Billion Student Video Contest
Students create short videos highlighting solutions to global issues like population growth and sustainability.
📍 Global⏱ One-time📅 May 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
WRO Association
World Robot Olympiad
Global robotics competition with regional, national, and international finals.
📍 International (national finals worldwide)📅 National rounds Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Writing & Culture
Pre-College Writing & Culture program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
West Virginia University
WVU Health Sciences Summer Camp
Free health-sciences exposure for West Virginia students from rural communities.
📍 WV⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources
Wyoming Youth Energy Leadership Program
A year-long series of workshops and mentorship sessions for Wyoming high school students focused on leadership in energy and natural resources.
📍 Laramie, WY⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Yale School of Medicine
Yale Discovery to Cure High School Internship
A competitive program where students engage in biomedical research with world-class investigators at Yale.
📍 New Haven, CT⏱ 7 weeks📅 February 28🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Yale YRIS
Yale Review of International Studies
Undergraduate IR journal that publishes select high school work.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Yale University
Yale Young Global Scholars (Need-Based Aid)
YYGS offers full need-based scholarships covering tuition, travel, and room.
📍 CT⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
U.S. State Department
YES Abroad
Fully-funded year-long high school exchange to countries with significant Muslim populations.
📍 Abroad (nationwide eligibility)⏱ Academic year📅 January🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Young Diplomats Society
Young Diplomats Forum
Global essay and forum program engaging teens with foreign policy questions.
📍 Various⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
UC Davis
Young Scholars Program (YSP)
A high-level research internship where students work in labs at UC Davis on environmental and biological projects.
📍 Davis, CA⏱ 8 weeks📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Young Scientists Journal
Young Scientists Journal
Peer-reviewed journal written, edited, and reviewed by 12–20 year-old scientists worldwide.
📍 Global📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Wharton Global Youth
Young Tycoons Business Challenge
Team competition run by Wharton for high schoolers worldwide — investment, comparative marketing, and business tracks.
📍 Global📅 Varies by track🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National YoungArts Foundation
YoungArts
Free national arts competition. Winners receive cash awards, mentorship, and the chance to perform at YoungArts Week in Miami.
📍 Miami + regional⏱ 1 week📅 October🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
National YoungArts Foundation
YoungArts Awards
National competition in writing, visual arts, design, music, theater, film for 15-18 year olds.
📍 Miami, FL⏱ Year-round📅 October🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists
YoungArts National Arts Competition
One of the nation's most prestigious honors for high school students in the visual, literary, and performing arts.
📍 Miami, FL / Nationwide📅 December 1🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
National YoungArts Foundation
YoungArts National Arts Competition
National competition for 15–18 year-olds across visual, literary, design and performing arts; winners receive cash awards and master-class week in Miami.
📍 Miami, FL📅 October 6, 2026, 8:00 PM ET🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
National YoungArts
YoungArts Theater
National recognition program for theater artists 15-18.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 October🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Various
Youth Climate Leaders
Free youth climate summits and competitions. Project-based environmental advocacy.
📍 Online + regional⏱ Self-paced📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Student Conservation Association
Youth Conservation Jobs
Exciting opportunities for teens and young adults who want to make a real impact on our environment while gaining valuable skills and experiencing the beauty of the outdoors.
📍 Various US locations🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
YOCS
Youth Ocean Conservation Summit
Free annual marine-conservation training summit.
📍 Sarasota, FL📅 Rolling, space-limited registration — no fixed deadline🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Park Service
Youth-Serving Organizations Programs
Participate in service-learning opportunities, like camps, field trips, and scouting.
📍 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
U.S. Department of State
YSEALI Academic Fellows
Fully-funded five-week academic residency in the US for outstanding students from Southeast Asian countries; tracks in civic engagement, environment, and social entrepreneurship.
📍 United States (SE Asian applicants)⏱ 5 weeks📅 Country-specific (fall)🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Zooniverse
Zooniverse Citizen Science
Free crowdsourced research platform. Contribute to active university research projects in any field from your laptop.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Adler Planetarium / Zooniverse
Zooniverse Citizen Scientist Volunteer
Research and tag images for academic science projects. High schoolers can contribute to NASA or university data sets from home.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective

Other collections

Free summer programs for high school students Summer programs for high school sophomores Paid internships for high school students Research programs for high school students Online and virtual programs for high school students STEM programs for high school students Programs for underrepresented and under-resourced students Free programs for high school seniors

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