13 Summer Programs for Sophomore High School Students
If you’re a sophomore in high school, summer programs can be a useful way to explore academic interests before coursework and college planning intensify in junior year. These programs allow you to move beyond standard classroom material by working on structured projects, learning from mentors, and gaining exposure to how subjects are studied in more advanced environments. Depending on the program, you might participate in research projects, technical workshops, or collaborative problem-solving activities that introduce you to fields such as STEM, business, medicine, or the humanities.
Why should you attend a program as a sophomore?
Sophomore year is often a good time to experiment academically because you still have the flexibility to explore different areas before focusing more narrowly later in high school. Participating in a summer program can help you identify interests, build foundational skills, and understand what more advanced academic work looks like. Many programs also bring together students from different schools and backgrounds, creating opportunities for collaboration and mentorship.
To help you get started, we’ve narrowed our list to 13 summer programs for high school sophomores.
If you’re looking for online STEM research programs, check out our blog here.
1.Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winterApplication Deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students looking to get started in AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and have the opportunity to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students have the opportunity to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
2. Summer Youth Internship Program
Location: Nicklaus Children’s Hospital campuses across Miami-Dade County, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: Not publicly specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: July 1 - August 2
Application Deadline: Registration opens in February
Eligibility: Rising 10th – 12th grade students (ages 15–18) enrolled in Miami-Dade County Public Schools
The Summer Youth Internship Program at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is a five-week, work-based learning experience designed to introduce you to careers in healthcare and related fields. In partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the program places you in supervised, career-aligned roles where you commit a minimum of 30 hours per week. You’ll gain firsthand experience in professional healthcare environments while developing workplace skills such as communication, accountability, and teamwork. You are supported by both school-based instructional supervisors and on-site workplace mentors, ensuring structured learning and professional guidance throughout the program.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program type; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas. The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
4. The Health & Medicine Institute
Location: University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Cost: Sliding scale tuition (automatic need-based reduction)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: July 12 – 18
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students; open to Vermont students and select out-of-state students from NH and NY with reciprocal agreements
Hosted at the University of Vermont in partnership with Northern Vermont Area Health Education Centre (AHEC), the program combines clinical simulations, laboratory work, field trips, and professional mentorship. You’ll explore areas such as emergency medicine, nursing, surgery, psychology, neuroscience, biomedical research, and patient care while rotating through intensive workshops. You can earn industry-recognised certifications, including CPR/AED, Stop the Bleed, First Aid, and may pursue Vermont Emergency First Responder (VEFR) certification. The institute offers more than 70 hours of instruction and maintains a low student-to-staff ratio, helping you develop practical skills, clarify your career interests, and gain early exposure to professional medical pathways.
5. Summer at Columbia
Location: Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $3,698 tuition + $100 nonrefundable application/registration fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: June 29 – July 24
Application Deadline: May 22
Eligibility: High school students ages 15 - 18
Summer at Columbia is an intensive four-week pre-college program for high school students interested in exploring the arts, media, and communications. You’ll enroll in a freshman-level, college-credit course taught by Columbia College Chicago faculty, who are active professionals in fields such as film, design, fashion, visual arts, theatre, and media. The program combines academic coursework with exposure to creative industries, allowing students to gain hands-on experience while learning in a college setting. You’ll also engage with campus resources and participate in on-campus events that introduce you to college life and creative career pathways.
6. Rice ELITE Tech Camp
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: Residential: $3,899; Commuter: $1,799
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions between June 21 and July 24
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
This course is developed and managed by faculty affiliated with Rice University’s School of Engineering and the Rice Centre for Engineering Leadership. The program emphasises both technical skill development and engineering leadership. You’ll engage in hands-on coursework across fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, programming in Python and C++, biomedical engineering, IoT, and 3D modelling. Instruction combines faculty-designed curricula with daily teaching and mentorship from high-achieving Rice engineering students. In addition to technical projects, you’ll take part in leadership workshops focused on communication, teamwork, and project management.
7. Summer Academic Challenge (SAC)
Location: University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: Mid June – Mid July
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Public school students in grades 7 – 12 from Tacoma and greater Pierce County who are from underrepresented or minoritised backgrounds
SAC is hosted by the University of Puget Sound and revolves around yearly interdisciplinary themes that link science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics to real-world issues and local communities. Participants collaborate on hands-on projects, conduct experiments, build models, write code, and take part in field trips and workshops to enhance writing, presentation, and critical thinking skills. The program features instruction from community educators and university-affiliated teachers, with current college students acting as mentors and teaching assistants.
8. Computational Biomedicine Lab Summer Internship
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: 6-12 weeks between June and September
Application Deadline: Students can apply via email
Eligibility: Highly motivated secondary/high school students with coding experience (Python or similar)
The Computational Biomedicine Lab Summer Internship offers you the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and biomedicine. Hosted by the Computational Biomedicine Lab, the program immerses you in real-world research projects that address significant societal and healthcare-related challenges. You’ll work closely with graduate students and researchers to formulate research questions, design experiments, write and test code, and analyse results using advanced AI and ML techniques. You’ll gain practical experience with modern computational tools while building a strong foundation in research methodology.
9. Introduction to AI & Machine Learning
Location: In-Person (University of Washington Seattle campus) or Online (via Zoom and Canvas)
Cost: $895 + nonrefundable $50 registration fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not Publicly Available
Dates: Spring Session (Online): March 31 – May 28 | Summer Session 1A (Seattle): June 29 – July 10 | Summer Session 1B (Seattle): June 29 – July 10
Application Deadline: Spring Session: March 9; Summer Session: Two weeks before the start of the session
Eligibility: 9th – 12th graders with foundational Python knowledge and familiarity with code libraries
The course lets you explore key topics such as machine learning, neural networks, computer vision, reinforcement learning, and generative AI, including large language models. The course emphasises hands-on learning, guiding you through the process of building your own AI-based tool while developing practical skills in using code libraries and AI frameworks. In addition to technical instruction, the program addresses the ethical implications and responsible development of AI technologies. Courses are taught live by an experienced instructor and are available in both online and on-campus formats. Upon completion, you’ll earn a digital badge that can be showcased on college applications and professional profiles.
10. Summer Springboard: Emergency Medicine at Yale University
Location: Yale University Campus, New Haven, CT
Cost/Stipend: Residential: $4,298 (first week) | Commuter: $2,498 (first week) | $250 course supplement
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 14 – 20 | July 5 – 11
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students with a 3.0 GPA or higher
Summer Springboard’s Emergency Medicine program is a one-week, immersive pre-college course that introduces you to the fast-paced world of emergency and clinical healthcare. Through hands-on instruction, students learn practical skills such as taking vital signs, performing CPR, performing basic suturing, splinting, controlling bleeding, and providing first aid. You’ll engage in realistic medical simulations, including mock emergency and mass-casualty scenarios, in which you'll work in teams to triage, diagnose, and develop treatment plans for simulated patients. The program also provides behind-the-scenes exposure to professional medical training environments through visits to advanced simulation centres and the Yale New Haven Emergency Department.
11. Game, Cinema, & Animation Summer Academy
Location: DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Cost: $750 total cost, includes a $150 deposit; partial scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least their freshman year by July 1
The Game, Cinema, & Animation Summer Academy is a one-week, immersive pre-college program for those interested in film, television, animation, game design, and related creative industries. Hosted by DePaul University’s Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media, the program provides practical instruction led by full-time faculty from nationally recognized programs in film, animation, and game design. You’ll choose from specialised tracks such as film and TV production, game development, screenwriting, sound design, 3D modelling, or hand-drawn animation, and work individually and in teams on creative projects. Throughout the week, you’ll gain experience using professional-grade equipment and industry-standard tools while exploring multiple roles within the creative production process.
12. Health Professions Academy
Location: University of New Haven, West Haven, CT
Cost: Day Program: $750 | On-Campus Residential Experience: $1,350
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10 - 12 (or freshman year of college)
The Health Professions Academy is a weeklong summer program offered by the University of New Haven’s School of Health Sciences that introduces you to a wide range of healthcare careers through hands-on, case-based learning. You’ll explore fields such as nursing, paramedicine, physician associate studies, dental hygiene, nutrition sciences, exercise science, medical laboratory science, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. The program emphasises patient-centred care and interprofessional collaboration through mock clinical exercises, CPR certification, virtual dissections, laboratory procedures, and applied health activities. You’ll also engage in experiential learning opportunities, such as fitness program design, nutrition demonstrations, and simulations, that highlight the real-world challenges healthcare professionals face.
13. Introduction to Math Modelling
Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Cost: $885 – $995 per session + $50 nonrefundable registration fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: Multiple sessions between June 29 and August 7
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Incoming students in grades 9 - 12 with a basic understanding of algebra
You’ll learn how mathematical models apply across disciplines such as science, engineering, business, and public health, examining examples ranging from disease spread to ocean waves and financial markets. The course combines lectures, guided discussions, and hands-on problem-solving activities to build intuition around algebraic, geometric, and graphical reasoning. You are introduced to the language of mathematical modelling and differential equations while developing comfortin solving and interpreting algebraic problems. You’ll also engage with guest perspectives from different fields to see how math is applied in professional research and practice.
Image source - Yale Uni