§ PA

Research programs in Pennsylvania.

258 local programs run in Pennsylvania, 84 of them free or paid, and 5 explicitly prioritize under-resourced or first-generation students. Plus 210 nationwide programs open to anyone in the US.

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Local to Pennsylvania

Susquehanna University
Actors Institute
Theater, acting pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Community College of Philadelphia
Advance at College
Earn college credits while still enrolled in high school.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Community College of Philadelphia
Advance College Experience — ACE
Summer credit-bearing college classes for motivated Philadelphia high-school students.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
AI Scholars
Artificial intelligence, computer science and societal applications.
🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
Pitt HexAI Research Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh
AI Summer School
A free, one-week intensive for high school juniors and seniors with basic Python knowledge, covering foundational AI through deep learning and object detection, culminating in a team project, with a focus on AI-powered medical imaging informatics.
📅 April🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Pennsylvania 4-H
Allen L. & Richard H. Baker 4-H Scholarship
Postsecondary scholarship for qualifying PA 4-H youth.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
American Legion Department of Pennsylvania
American Legion Department of Pennsylvania High School Oratorical Contest
A public-speaking competition for students in grades 9-12 built around knowledge and appreciation of the U.S. Constitution, requiring an 8-10 minute prepared oration plus a 3-5 minute speech on an assigned topic, advancing from the post level to district and state competition.
📅 December🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Architecture
Pre-College Architecture program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Temple University
Architecture Institute
College-level architecture/design experience.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
Art
Pre-College Art program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Automotive Technology
High-school summer camp, automotive engineering/repair.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Aviation
High-school summer camp, aircraft and aviation careers.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Temple University
B4USoar
Free Temple college classes and mentoring for Philadelphia students.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Drexel University
BIOMED Summer Academy
Biomedical engineering, medicine and laboratory activities.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Biomedical Research Academy
An immersive program where students engage in hands-on biomedical research projects, learn about experimental design, and explore various biomedical disciplines.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Highly Selective
Penn State Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
Broadcast Journalism Camp
A weeklong residential camp where high schoolers (ages 14-18) get full access to state-of-the-art TV studios to produce their own news or sports video story from start to finish, including shooting, interviewing, writing, and editing.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Bucknell University
Bucknell Academy Summer Experience — BASE
Interdisciplinary one-week residential pre-college experience.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Penn State Department of Architectural Engineering
Building Our Future Summer Camp (Architectural Engineering)
A five-day overnight residential camp for high schoolers (ages 15+) covering structural, construction, mechanical, and lighting design, with hands-on workshops, a historical architecture visit to Bellefonte, and a concrete demolition exercise.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Gettysburg College
Camp Psych
Residential psychology institute involving experiments, research and college-level psychology.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Capitol Debate (hosted at Villanova University)
Capitol Debate at Villanova University
Two-week summer debate and public speaking program on Villanova's campus, June 27 to July 8, 2027, for ages 10 to 17. Includes 60+ hours of live instruction covering voice, body language, speech structure, cross-examination and refutation, plus electives in STEM communication, business, legal communication and competitive debate. Residential and commuter options; early bird pricing ends August 21.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars
Free three-week residential AI program for underrepresented students.
⏱ 3 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie Mellon SAMS
Free six-week residential STEM program for underrepresented students.
⏱ 6 weeks📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie Mellon Summer Pre-College Programs
Six-week pre-college programs in architecture, art, design, drama, CS, music, and more.
⏱ 6 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
Carnegie Museum of Art Youth Art Initiative
Student-driven high-school internship connecting Pittsburgh teens with museum staff, contemporary art and public programming.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
Carnegie Museum Teen Volunteer Assistants
Teen placements across Carnegie Museum of Art, Natural History and Powdermill programs.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Temple University
Cecil B. Moore Scholarship Pathway
Selected North Philadelphia students can progress from free dual enrollment to full tuition at Temple.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Chemistry Research Academy
The Chemistry Research Academy for rising 10th-12th graders offers intensive laboratory experience in chemical research.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
CHOP-RISES
Multi-summer research pipeline pairing Philadelphia students with CHOP scientists and mentors.
🎓 Grade 11
Moderate
Susquehanna University
Choral Institute
Vocal music pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
Citizen Diplomat Academy
A free virtual exchange program for high schoolers ages 14-18 to meet peers from Philadelphia's Sister Cities (such as Tianjin, Frankfurt, and Kobe) and build cross-cultural understanding through live sessions and activities.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Penn State Extension / 4-H
Citizenship Washington Focus — PA
Civic-engagement experience in Washington with government, leadership and policy activities.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
CMNH Teen Advisory Board
Teens advise museum staff and help shape youth programming.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Computational Biology
Pre-College Computational Biology program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Temple University
Creative Scholars
Year-long full-scholarship Saturday art/design program for Philadelphia students with financial need.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
CS Scholars
Pre-College CS Scholars program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Curtis Institute of Music
Curtis Summer Organ Intensive
A week-long intensive for exceptional high school organ students featuring daily instruction in repertoire, improvisation, harpsichord, and conducting with Curtis faculty, plus visits to Longwood Gardens and local organ sites.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Dairy Excellence Foundation
Dairy Excellence Foundation Student Leader Scholarship
Recent award $3,000 for Pennsylvania students pursuing dairy/agriculture-related fields.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation
Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship
Two recent $3,000 awards for graduating students completing qualifying dairy curriculum.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Data Science Academy
On-campus academy focused on data science principles and applications.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
West Chester University of Pennsylvania (Philosophy Dept.)
Delaware Valley Regional High School Ethics Bowl
A regional qualifier for the National High School Ethics Bowl in which student teams analyze ethical dilemmas and are judged on reasoning quality and collaborative dialogue rather than adversarial debate.
📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
DVSF
Delaware Valley Science Fairs
ISEF-affiliated research competition with awards/scholarships.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
Design
Pre-College Design program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Design, Build & Grow
High-school summer camp, landscape/horticulture.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Diesel Truck & Heavy Equipment
High-school summer camp, diesel/heavy machinery.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Wilkes University
Discover Pharmacy
Two-day pharmacy-career and hands-on lab program.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Drexel University
Dornsife Public Health Summer Institute
Epidemiology, health policy and public-health careers.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
Drama
Conservatory-style acting/theatre training.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Penn State
Dual Enrollment
Take PSU undergraduate courses before high-school graduation; up to eight credits per semester in standard framework.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Penn State
Early College Enrollment
Early college enrollment pathway after grade 11 for students ready for university study.
🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
University of Pennsylvania (Penn Summer / Penn LPS)
East Asian History Academy
A two-week residential academy introducing students to the history, culture, economy, and society of China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, led by Penn's Center for East Asian Studies faculty.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania (Penn Summer / Penn LPS)
Economics Academy
A three-week residential academy introducing core economic concepts -- scarcity, markets, market failures and structures -- with a global-context capstone poster project analyzing a real-world economic challenge facing a country.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
Temple University
Education Scholars
Multi-year education-career and college-credit pathway.
🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) / PennWest University
Educators Rising PA Regional Conference
A one-day conference for high school students exploring careers in education, featuring hands-on learning sessions, leadership development, and conversations with current and aspiring educators, hosted across PennWest's Clarion, California, and Edinboro campuses.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Pittsburgh Global Studies Center
EN-ROADS Climate Action Simulation
Interactive climate-policy simulation for grades 6-12.
🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
Bucknell University
Engineering Camp
Hands-on engineering across disciplines.
🎓 Grade 11
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Engineering Summer Academy at Penn — ESAP
Three-week college-level engineering courses and residential campus experience.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Misericordia University
Entrepreneurship Camp
Business/entrepreneurship camp.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Susquehanna University
Entrepreneurship Institute
Entrepreneurship/business pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Discovery Center (Audubon Mid-Atlantic & Philadelphia Outward Bound School)
Environmental & Outdoor Leadership Program
A paid 10-week internship for Philadelphia 9th-11th graders (preference to North Philadelphia residents) combining environmental education, Outward Bound team-building, field trips to partner organizations, and community service work.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–11
Selective
Temple University
Environmental Design Institute
Architecture/environmental-design exploration.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania (Penn Summer / Penn LPS)
Environmental Policy Academy
A two-week residential academy fusing environmental science with social/policy theory, examining issues like lead-contaminated drinking water and air pollution in overburdened communities, taught by Penn faculty with guest speakers and field trips.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
University of Pittsburgh, Architectural Studies Program
Experiencing Architecture Program
A free summer studio for local high schoolers exploring careers in architecture, art, design, and urban studies through sketching, drawing, and model making, with office tours, construction site visits, and walking tours of Pittsburgh architecture.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
Experimental Physics Research Academy
Participate in real experimental physics projects, gaining practical skills in data collection, analysis, and interpretation within a university lab setting.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Highly Selective
Wilkes University
EXPLOR-NEPA
Free multi-year AI, robotics and engineering initiative for Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton students; eligible students can earn a $3,000 first-semester Wilkes scholarship.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
FCFAA
Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement Scholarship
Agricultural-career scholarship available to qualifying PA seniors.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
FIRST Pennsylvania
FIRST Tech Challenge Pennsylvania
Robotics, engineering, programming.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Fox Chase High School Volunteer Program
Students volunteer in hospital departments and gain exposure to cancer care and healthcare careers.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Future Restaurateurs
High-school summer camp, culinary arts/hospitality.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Geisinger
Geisinger Junior Volunteer Program
Six-week structured hospital service program with educational sessions and healthcare exposure.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
University of Pittsburgh
Gene Team
Four-week genetics/molecular-biology research experience pairing high-school students with university researchers.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Highly Selective
University of Pennsylvania
Genomics & Bioinformatics Seminar
Genomics, computational biology and bioinformatics.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania (Penn Summer / Penn LPS)
Global Culture and Media Academy
A three-week residential academy exploring the relationship between language, culture, media, and communication in a globalized world, building intercultural communication skills for 10th-11th graders.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
Global Cultures and Emerging Technology
Pre-College Global Cultures and Emerging Technology program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Pittsburgh
Governor's School for Global & International Studies
Four-week residential study of global studies, argumentation and critical languages; 2026 participants earned six Pitt credits.
🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Governor's STEM Competition
Teams design prototypes addressing Pennsylvania quality-of-life problems; scholarships awarded.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Graphic Design Summer Studio
High-school summer camp, graphic design.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
PHEAA
Grow PA Scholarship Grant
Up to $5,000/year for qualifying PA students in approved in-demand degree fields.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
West Chester University College of Health Sciences
Health Career Summer Academy
A summer academy, in collaboration with Main Line Health, for high school students interested in health science careers, especially those from under-served populations, including CPR/AED certification and hands-on learning with healthcare providers across nine health career fields.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Health Careers
High-school summer camp, healthcare.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
Susquehanna University
Health Careers Institute
Medicine/health science pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Indiana University of Pennsylvania / Armstrong-Indiana Intermediate Unit / Indiana Regional Medical Center
Healthcare Education and Learning Pathways (HELP) Summer Experience
A hands-on two-day experience for area high schoolers exploring healthcare careers such as athletic training, nursing, emergency medicine, physical therapy, and medical imaging, through lab visits and demonstrations by healthcare professionals.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
tecBRIDGE
High School Business Plan Competition
An annual STEAM-based business plan competition open to high school and homeschool students in Northeastern Pennsylvania counties (Berks, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Wayne, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna), requiring a written response and team pitch presentation.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
WHYY
High School Journalism Camp
A two-week, hands-on journalism program where high schoolers develop real-world reporting experience, finding stories on their own beat, interviewing sources, and writing and producing original news stories in WHYY's student newsroom.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Susquehanna University
High School Sales Competition
Sales/business roleplay.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Villanova University
High School Scholars
Qualified students take Villanova undergraduate courses during the academic year.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center / University of Pittsburgh
Hillman Academy
Seven-to-eight-week authentic cancer-research experience across multiple Pitt/UPMC laboratories and research sites.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Lehigh University
Iacocca Global Entrepreneurship Intensive
Three-week entrepreneurship, innovation, global citizenship and leadership program.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
West Chester University
iCamp Academy
A free, week-long residential media program for rising juniors and seniors from Philadelphia and neighboring communities, who choose a track in audio production, game development, video production, website development, or digital storytelling.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
ILMUNC
Model United Nations, diplomacy.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Immersion Science Program
Research training in cancer biology followed by competitive summer fellowship opportunities.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Highly Selective
University of Pittsburgh Global Studies Center
International Marketing Competition
Teams create and pitch an international marketing strategy.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Moravian University
Jazz Camp
Jazz ensembles, improvisation and university-level music study.
🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
American Legion Department of Pennsylvania
Keystone Boys State
A week-long civic-leadership program simulating Pennsylvania state government for young men who have completed their junior year of high school, selected for leadership, character, scholarship, and community service, with fees covered by American Legion posts.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Pennsylvania
Keystone Girls State
A seven-day, non-partisan government and civics leadership program for young women who have completed their junior year of high school, who establish their own mock city, county, and state government and run for office.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Keystone STEM Competition
One-day statewide real-world STEM/design challenge.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Dickinson College
Knowledge for Freedom Seminar
Free two-week residential humanities/civic seminar with college-admissions support, particularly supporting first-gen/lower-income rising seniors.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Leadership Development
Pre-College Leadership Development program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Leadership in the Business World
A program designed to develop leadership skills within a business context.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
City of Pittsburgh / Allegheny County / Partner4Work
Learn & Earn Summer
Paid summer workforce program: age-14 career exploration and age-15-19 worksite placements. In 2026, Tier 1 paid $10/hr and Tier 2 $12/hr.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Lehigh University
Lehigh University High School Math Contest
An annual math competition for high schoolers held on Lehigh's campus, with archived problems and results dating back to 1981; the 45th annual contest in 2026 drew 116 student participants.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Misericordia University
Literature & Mass Media Camp
Literature and mass media camp.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Lehigh Valley Health Network
LVHN High School Volunteer Program
Structured hospital volunteering for students interested in healthcare and community service.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Wharton Global Youth / Penn Engineering
Management & Technology Summer Institute
Penn Engineering + Wharton; innovation connecting engineering and business.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
UPenn Wharton Global Youth
Management & Technology Summer Institute
On-campus program at the intersection of management and technology.
🎓 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.
⏱ 3 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MathILy
MathILy
Intensive five-week summer program in serious mathematics for high schoolers.
⏱ 5 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Susquehanna University
MediaWorks Studio
Journalism/media pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Microbiology & Infectious Diseases Academy
Microbiology, disease and laboratory science.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
Music
Pre-College Music program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Susquehanna University
Music Production
Audio/music technology pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Penn State Extension
National 4-H Conference — PA Delegation
Selected Pennsylvania delegates join national civic-leadership programming near Washington, DC.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Penn State Extension
National 4-H Congress — PA Delegation
National leadership, service and networking conference.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
National High School Game Academy
Pre-College National High School Game Academy program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Scranton / PA NHD
National History Day in Pennsylvania
History papers, websites, documentaries, performances and exhibits.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
Drexel University
NEURO Summer Academy
Neuroscience, neuroengineering and biomedical engineering.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Neurology High School Scholars
Five-week paid internship including neuroscience research, physician exposure and a final poster.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Drexel University College of Medicine
Neuroscience Camp for High School Students
A two-week camp for rising juniors and seniors with a background in biology, chemistry, or research, combining morning neuroscience lectures with afternoon laboratory projects supervised by graduate students, plus field trips to the Academy of Natural Sciences and Franklin Institute.
📅 April🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Neuroscience Research Academy
Discover the complexities of the brain and nervous system through lectures and hands-on laboratory experiences. Learn about current neuroscience research and methodologies.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Non-Destructive Testing Technology
High-school summer camp, engineering/testing.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania (Dept. of Computer and Information Science)
North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad (NACLO) - Penn Site
A contest for US and Canadian high schoolers who solve linguistics and computational-linguistics puzzles requiring no prior knowledge; Penn hosts an official Open and Invitational Round testing site in Philadelphia.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Villanova University
NROTC Summer Seminar
Military leadership, fitness, STEM and Naval ROTC exposure.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
National Symposium for Debate (NSD), held at Bryn Mawr College
NSD Philadelphia Public Forum Debate Camp
Two-week Public Forum debate camp at Bryn Mawr College for beginners through experienced debaters, with small-group labs, mentor groups, practice rounds, elective seminars and an end-of-camp tournament. The 2026 sessions ran June 28 to July 25 (about $3,000 to $3,600 depending on session and residential or commuter); NSD's site says 2027 camps open for registration in December.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Misericordia University
Occupational Therapy Career Exploration Camp
Four-day residential occupational therapy career exploration camp.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Penn Medicine
OER Summer Internship
Seven-week local high-school research experience pairing six weeks of faculty-mentored research with clinical exposure.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Susquehanna University
Orchestra Summit
Instrumental music pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Penn State Extension
PA 4-H State Leadership Conference
Multi-day statewide leadership conference with 30+ workshops.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Wildlife Leadership Academy
PA Bass Field School
Conservation science focused on bass and the Susquehanna watershed.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Wildlife Leadership Academy
PA Brookies Field School
Field ecology centered on brook trout, streams, macroinvertebrates and coldwater conservation.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Wildlife Leadership Academy
PA Bucktails Field School
Five-day residential conservation leadership school centered on white-tailed deer and habitat ecology.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania Bar Association
PA High School Mock Trial
Law, argumentation, courtroom advocacy.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
Pennsylvania TSA
PA TSA State Conference
Engineering, robotics, design, cybersecurity, technology.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School (Legal Education Programs)
Penn Carey Law Pre-College Academy
Three-week summer program for high school students inside Penn Carey Law School: weeks one and two cover an accelerated first-year law curriculum (contracts, torts, constitutional law, criminal law), and week three offers specialized electives plus field trips to courts and legal institutions. 2027 session is in July; residential and commuter (local) options, rolling admission, and limited need/merit scholarships exist for qualified students.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Penn Math Contest (student-run, University of Pennsylvania)
Penn Math Contest (PMC)
A student-run math competition offering individual and team contests throughout the year for high schoolers of all levels, held in person on Penn's campus or online, with prizes and certificates for winners.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Perelman School of Medicine
Penn Med Summer Mentorship
Six-week summer mentorship in healthcare for Philadelphia students from underrepresented backgrounds.
📅 Not yet announced — check official site for next cycle🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
Penn Medicine Summer Program
Medical-school-style instruction and clinical/biomedical exploration.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Penn PREHSS
Five-week mentored laboratory research in biology, chemistry, physics/astronomy, linguistics or psychology, culminating in a presentation.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Penn Rising Scholar Success Academy
Free hybrid college/career preparation and summer academy.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
UPenn
Penn Summer Academies
Three-week intensive academic programs in biomedical, experimental physics, math, neuroscience.
⏱ 3 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Penn State Extension
Pennsylvania 4-H State Council
Selected teens serve as statewide 4-H ambassadors, organize programs and represent youth publicly.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Pennsylvania DECA
Pennsylvania DECA SCDC
Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Finance, Hospitality.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Council for Economic Education
Pennsylvania Economics Challenge
Microeconomics, macroeconomics and current economics.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania Envirothon
Pennsylvania Envirothon
Five-person teams compete in forestry, wildlife, soils, aquatics and environmental issues.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania FBLA
Pennsylvania FBLA SLC
Business, Finance, Technology.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania FCCLA
Pennsylvania FCCLA SLC
Culinary Arts, Education, Leadership.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania FFA
Pennsylvania FFA Agriscience Fair
Original agricultural/STEM research.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania FFA
Pennsylvania FFA CDE/LDE Championships
Agriculture, mechanics, animal science, plant science, public speaking.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania FIRST / Centre County 4-H Robotics
Pennsylvania FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) State Championship
The state championship tournament for Pennsylvania's FIRST Tech Challenge season, where teams of middle and high school students design, build, and program a robot to compete in a floor game against other teams' robots.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University / Commonwealth of PA
Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences
Five-week intensive residential STEM program with advanced coursework and hands-on research. Program expenses are fully funded.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania HOSA
Pennsylvania HOSA SLC
Medicine, Public Health, Health Science.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
PJAS
Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science
Individual scientific research presentations and awards.
🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
Council for Economic Education
Pennsylvania Personal Finance Challenge
Personal finance and financial decision-making.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Pennsylvania Poetry Out Loud
Poetry recitation and public speaking.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Penn State
Pennsylvania School for Excellence in Agricultural Sciences
Selective two-week residential agricultural-science academy for talented students statewide. Full scholarships cover participation.
🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
PSPA
Pennsylvania School Press Association Regional Competitions
Journalism across 16 categories.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania Science Olympiad
Pennsylvania Science Olympiad
Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Physics, Earth Science events.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
PHEAA
Pennsylvania State Grant
Need-based state college grant; maximum award was $6,000 for 2026-27.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania State Chess Federation (PSCF)
Pennsylvania State Scholastic Chess Championships
The largest scholastic chess tournament in Pennsylvania, a 5-round Swiss-system event with 11 sections spanning K-3 through K-12 (including a dedicated K-12 Open), determining state champions by grade and rating category.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
PA YMCA
Pennsylvania YMCA Model UN
Statewide diplomatic simulation with committees, resolutions and international policy.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
PA YMCA
Pennsylvania YMCA Youth & Government
Students write/debate legislation and operate a model state government culminating at the Capitol.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Duquesne University School of Pharmacy
Pharmacy Exploration Day
A free, full-day summer event for high schoolers featuring a SimMan patient simulation demonstration, pharmacy compounding techniques, a mock emergency room scenario, and campus tours led by current pharmacy students.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Philadelphia Youth Film Festival
Philadelphia Youth Film Festival (PHYFF)
A student-run, free-to-enter film festival for filmmakers ages 14-19 worldwide, accepting narrative, documentary, experimental, and screenplay submissions, with a culminating public screening event in Philadelphia.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Temple University
Philadelphia Youth for STEM
Hands-on STEM/engineering programming.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo Volun-TEEN
Structured summer zoo volunteering involving conservation education and visitor engagement.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Susquehanna University
Photography Institute
Photography/visual media pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Pennsylvania High School Speech League
PHSSL State Championships
Speech, debate, interpretation.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
University of Pittsburgh
Pitt Model United Nations
International relations, diplomacy, negotiation.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Kamin Science Center
Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair
STEM research competition.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
CHOP PolicyLab
PolicyLab Student Internship
Research placements involving pediatric health-policy and population-health projects.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Polymer Innovators
High-school summer camp, polymer/materials science.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab
PPPL Plasma Physics Research
DOE national lab program — fusion and plasma research mentorship.
⏱ 1 week + mentorship📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Villanova University
Pre-College Summer Academy
Four-week residential academic program including a 3-credit course and College Pathways seminar.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Lehigh University
Pre-College Summer Camps
One-week residential discipline-specific camps; 2026 included engineering, journalism, sustainability and blockchain/business.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Temple University
Pre-College Workshops
Two-week noncredit programs across 25+ subjects.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Susquehanna University
Pre-Engineering & Scientific Exploration
Engineering/science pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Drexel University
Product Design & Making Workshop
Industrial/product design and hands-on fabrication.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Provost Summer Mentorship Program
Four-week career immersion in Penn Medicine, Engineering, Nursing, Dental and Law.
🎓 Grades 9–10
Highly Selective
Messiah University
Psychology Camp
A week-long overnight summer program introducing students entering grades 10-12 to clinical psychology, abnormal psychology, and biopsychology through faculty lectures, interactive demonstrations, and service-learning projects.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Misericordia University
PT for Every Community
Physical therapy and diversity career exploration camp.
🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
Susquehanna University
Publishing & Editing Institute
Publishing/writing pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Penn State College of Medicine
PULSE
Twelve-week medical-science program using lectures, problem-based modules and mentorship from medical students.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest
An annual creative writing contest for high school students (grades 9-12) in Allegheny County, accepting short prose (fiction/nonfiction up to 4,000 words) and poetry (up to two pages), with up to two entries per student.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Widener University
Robotics Summer Camp
Selective hands-on robotics and engineering program.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
SAMS
STEM coursework, projects and college preparation.
🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
SkillsUSA Pennsylvania
SkillsUSA Pennsylvania Championships
Technical, engineering, trades and leadership.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Small Business Start-Up
High-school summer camp, entrepreneurship.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania (Penn Summer / Penn LPS)
Social Change and Social Justice Academy
A two-week residential summer academy exploring social justice through historical and contemporary contexts, examining issues like war, immigration, poverty, and discrimination through guest speakers, films, discussions, and Philadelphia field trips.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
Misericordia University
Speech-Language-Hearing Exploration
Speech-language pathology/audiology exploration camp.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Wharton
Sports Business Academy
Wharton Global Youth program on sports business and analytics.
⏱ 1 week📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
SHAP
State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania Scholarship
Up to roughly $4,000 for qualifying students pursuing horticulture/tree-fruit fields.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Penn State Harrisburg
STEM Summer Enrichment Program (STEM-SEP)
A free two-week summer program giving high schoolers hands-on experience across eight STEM disciplines (biology, chemistry, math, physics, computer science, civil/mechanical/electrical engineering), including visits to the Hershey Clinical Simulation Center and Three Mile Island, capped with student presentations.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Susquehanna University
Stream Ecology Institute
Biology/environmental science pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Temple University
Summer Academy
Four-week credit-bearing course plus College Pathways programming.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)
Summer Academy (Pre-College)
A four-week, in-person pre-college program modeled on PAFA's undergraduate first-year curriculum, in which students take Foundations of Drawing plus three elective concentrations (oil painting, printmaking, sculpture, or illustration), culminating in a museum exhibition of student work.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Lehigh University
Summer Engineering Institute
Two-week engineering immersion for regional rising juniors/seniors.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
Summer Filmmaking Workshop
A six-week summer workshop where 12 high school filmmakers collaborate to write, produce, direct, and edit a short film using professional equipment, premiering the finished film at the Institute's theater.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
IUP Cook Honors College
Summer Honors Program: Design, Build, Play
A dual-enrollment summer course (HONR 281) combining a week of on-campus residential instruction with online learning before and after, covering games and storytelling with an English professor and creative engineering in the STEAMSHOP with a math professor.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Drexel University (LeBow College of Business)
Summer Institute: Business and Entrepreneurship
A summer camp introducing motivated high school students to business and entrepreneurship coursework, facilitated by Drexel faculty using university facilities and Philadelphia business resources.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Drexel University
Summer Institute: Engineering and Computing
A summer camp for highly motivated high school students to explore engineering and computing at the college level, taught by Drexel faculty using university labs and Philadelphia resources.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Drexel University (Dornsife School of Public Health)
Summer Institute: Public Health
A summer camp exposing high school students to public health as a field of study, using Dornsife School of Public Health faculty, coursework, and Philadelphia public-health resources.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Temple University
Summer Institutes / Intensives
Two-week concentrated academic exploration.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Moravian University
Summer Instrumental Camp
Band/orchestra/instrumental instruction; guitar HS track.
🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
Temple University
Summer Robotics Institute
Engineering/robotics projects.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Thiel College
Summer Scholars Courses
Discounted college-credit on-campus/online courses.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Summer Science Program in Astrophysics (Lehigh University campus)
A five-week residential research program where students study near-Earth asteroids using telescopes, calculus, and scientific programming, submitting real orbit-determination data to NASA's Minor Planet Center. Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA is one of only seven 2026 host campuses.
📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Summer Session
Pre-College Summer Session program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Bucknell University
Summer Session for High School Students
College-credit Bucknell coursework.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
After School Activities Partnerships (ASAP Philly)
Summer Speech Academy (ASAP Debate)
A free, annual week-long July camp run by ASAP Debate for Philadelphia students, focused on raising their voices on issues they care about. Participants do team building and public speaking activities, take a field trip, and write Original Oratory speeches that culminate in an end-of-week speech tournament. ASAP also runs the Philadelphia Scholastic Debate League (Public Forum) for high school clubs from November through March.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kelly Writers House, University of Pennsylvania
Summer Workshop for Young Writers
A 10-day intensive for rising high school juniors and seniors combining a personal essay/memoir morning workshop with afternoon guest-led craft sessions in poetry, fiction, and screenwriting, plus visits to Penn's campus and Philadelphia.
📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Susquehanna University
Summer Writers Workshop
Creative writing/literature pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Susquehanna University
Susquehanna Advanced Writers Workshop
One-week residential workshop in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, publishing.
⏱ 1 week📅 May🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Chatham University
Sustainable Summer Immersive Environmental Day
Forestry, plants, food systems, farms and sustainability at Eden Hall.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Highly Selective
Penn State Lehigh Valley LaunchBox
Teen Entrepreneur Challenge (TEC) Camp
A weeklong residential camp where teams of rising 9th-12th graders develop a product or service idea while learning entrepreneurial mindset, marketing, financial literacy, economics, AI, and teamwork, ending in a pitch competition.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
National Aviary
Teen Job Shadow
Multi-session job-shadow program exploring animal care, conservation and zoo careers.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Teen Research Internship Program — TRIP
Students design and conduct biological research through weekend laboratory sessions and present at a symposium.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Moderate
National Aviary
Teen Volunteer Program
Teens support conservation education and visitor programming at the aviary.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Pittsburgh Promise (Related to Opportunity)
The Heinz Scholars Program (Historical Affinity) / Pittsburgh Promise
Award for high-achieving, low-income students in PA and OH to attend a partner college.
⏱ 4 years📅 December 1🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Penn Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology
TREES
Tuition-free environmental-health research experience where students conduct independent projects with Penn mentors.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
Community College of Philadelphia
TRIO Upward Bound — Community College of Philadelphia
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Temple University
Tyler Portfolio Bootcamp
Portfolio development for art/design applicants.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Temple University
Tyler Pre-College Summer Studios
Intensive visual-art studio work.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
PA Association of Student Councils / Hearst Foundations
U.S. Senate Youth Program — Pennsylvania
Two PA student leaders receive Washington Week plus a $12,500 scholarship.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
UPenn Summer Programs
Pre-college summer programs across business, biomedical research, social justice, and academic.
⏱ 3-6 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Commonwealth University
Upward Bound — Commonwealth University (Bloomsburg)
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program, continuously funded since 1978.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
East Stroudsburg University
Upward Bound — East Stroudsburg University
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program, hosted since 1974.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
Greater Erie Community Action Committee
Upward Bound — Greater Erie Community Action Committee
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program hosted by a community action agency rather than a college.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Harcum College
Upward Bound — Harcum College
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Kutztown University
Upward Bound — Kutztown University
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program partnered with William Allen High School.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
Lincoln University
Upward Bound — Lincoln University
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program serving Chester/Delaware counties since 1966.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
Penn State
Upward Bound — Penn State (University Park)
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound college-access program hosted at Penn State's University Park campus.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
Penn State Altoona
Upward Bound — Penn State Altoona
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program serving the Altoona region; shares a combined regional page with the Clairton/McKeesport project.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Penn State
Upward Bound — Penn State Clairton/McKeesport
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program serving Clairton/McKeesport-area high schools; shares a combined regional page with Penn State Altoona.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Penn State
Upward Bound — Penn State Hazleton/Reading
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program serving Hazleton/Reading-area high schools; shares a combined regional page with Penn State's Upward Bound Math & Science project.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
PennWest California
Upward Bound — PennWest California (Greene area)
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound "Monongahela Project" serving Greene County-area school districts; shares a combined page with the Fayette project.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
PennWest Clarion
Upward Bound — PennWest Clarion
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program, continuously hosted since 1978.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Reading Area Community College
Upward Bound — Reading Area Community College
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program serving Reading High School students.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Temple University
Upward Bound — Temple University
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound college-access program.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
University of Pennsylvania
Upward Bound — University of Pennsylvania
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound college-access program serving Sayre, Overbrook, West Philadelphia and Parkway West high schools.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
Wilkes University
Upward Bound — Wilkes University
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program, hosted since 1967.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
Penn State
Upward Bound Math & Science — Penn State
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound Math & Science program serving Berks County; shares a combined regional page with Penn State Hazleton/Reading Upward Bound.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Selective
Temple University
Upward Bound Math & Science — Temple University
Federally funded TRIO Upward Bound Math & Science program with a STEM focus.
🎓 Grades 9, 12
Highly Selective
VFW Department of Pennsylvania
Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Scholarship Contest (Pennsylvania)
An annual audio-essay competition for high schoolers on a patriotic theme (2026-27: 'What A Veteran Taught Me About America'), requiring a typed essay and an audio recording, judged at the post, district, and state levels with scholarship prizes.
📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Villanova University
VUnited Summer Scholars
College-readiness/life-skills program for students with documented learning/support needs.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Wilkes University
WEBS
Residential hands-on STEM camp.
🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
Philadelphia Zoo
West Philadelphia Zoo Scholars
Multi-year pathway including zoo experiences, mentoring, paid internships and scholarship support.
🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
Wharton/Penn
Wharton Global Youth Summer Program
On-campus and online summer business programs (Future of the Business World, Leadership in the Business World, Essentials of Finance, Sports Business Academy).
⏱ 1-4 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
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.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Wildcat Disaster Management Academy
High-school summer camp, emergency management.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
Susquehanna University
Wind Ensemble Institute
Music pre-college institute.
🎓 Grades 10, 12
Moderate
The Wistar Institute
Wistar High School Program in Biomedical Research
Intensive biomedical-research training with laboratory work and professional-development activities.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Philadelphia Youth Network
WorkReady Philadelphia
Free paid summer work experience for Philadelphia youth ages 12-24.
⏱ 6 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Philadelphia Works
WorkReady Summer
Six-week, 120-hour paid work experience with workplace training and career exploration.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon University
Writing & Culture
Pre-College Writing & Culture program at Carnegie Mellon University.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Pennsylvania (Penn Summer / Penn LPS)
Writing and Research in the Age of AI Academy
An immersive three-week academy introducing high schoolers to research-informed writing and responsible AI use in preparation for university-level study, with daily drafting, peer feedback, and a completion certificate.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly Selective
Partner4Work
Year-Round Learn & Earn
Up to 16 weeks of paid fall/spring workplace experience for prior Summer Learn & Earn participants.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate
Gettysburg College
Young Civil War Historians Conference
Residential historical research/interpretation focused on the Civil War and Gettysburg.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Young Scholars Program
Penn's academic-year program lets high-achieving juniors at nearby high schools take college-level courses in the fall and spring semesters. In-person only. Students at City of Philadelphia public and charter schools get one tuition-free course per semester; all students pay other fees such as textbooks and lab fees.
⏱ Fall and spring semesters, 2026-27📅 December 1, 2026🎓 Grade 11
Moderate
The Andy Warhol Museum
Youth Arts Council
Year-long youth leadership experience creating public programs and learning museum practice.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Selective
National Aviary
Zoo Career Workshop
Short intensive introduction to zoo, wildlife and conservation careers.
🎓 Eligibility not confirmed
Moderate

Nationwide programs open to Pennsylvania students

University of Pennsylvania
Academic English & University Readiness Academy
Two-week residential academy at Penn for non-native English speakers. Students do university-style work: reading, lectures, discussions, research and group projects, ending in a final presentation. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 26 - August 8, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly 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.
⏱ 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.
📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
AI Scholars at CMU
Free AI-focused summer program for rising seniors underrepresented in computing.
⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
AI4ALL
AI4ALL Open Learning
Girls in grades 6-12 learn AI and Python through interactive virtual classes.
⏱ 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.
⏱ 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.
⏱ 1 week📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Amazon
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Scholarship for high school seniors planning to study computer science in college.
⏱ 4 years scholarship📅 December 1🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Mathematical Association of America
AMC 10/12
The entry-level American Mathematics Competition. Top scorers qualify for AIME and the path to the USAMO. Open to all US high schoolers; school registration required.
⏱ 75 minutes📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
ACSL
American Computer Science League (ACSL)
A multi-division computer science competition covering both theory and programming.
⏱ School year📅 November 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
American Sign Language and Deaf Culture Online Seminar
Two-week online seminar (daily Zoom sessions) teaching basic ASL conversation and narrative skills in an immersion setting, plus Deaf community perspectives through vlogs, lectures and a panel of Deaf professionals. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 13 - 24, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly Selective
Amgen Foundation
Amgen Scholars Future Track
Free online biotech simulations and pipeline programs preparing high schoolers for biomedical research.
⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Apple Inc.
Apple Swift Student Challenge
Swift coding competition hosted by Apple to showcase creativity and app development skills.
⏱ 1 month📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Berklee College of Music
Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive
The world's premier summer performance program for contemporary music, including jazz, rock, and pop.
⏱ 5 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Astronomical Techniques Research Academy
Two-week residential academy at Penn. Students learn observational astronomy and data analysis, build simple cameras and spectrometers, observe the Sun and stars, and analyze data with Python. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 11 - 25, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
NCWIT
Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC)
Award for girls and non-binary students in computing, providing recognition and a cash prize.
⏱ One-time📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bard College at Simon's Rock
Bard College at Simon's Rock Young Writers Workshop
A 3-week residential program where students engage in creative and analytical thinking through literature and history.
⏱ 3 weeks📅 April 1🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
MIT Lincoln Lab
Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Free MIT-led project-based courses in AI, robotics, cybersecurity.
⏱ 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.
⏱ 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.
📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective

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