15 College Programs for High School Students in Chicago
If you are looking for a way to explore a subject or topic of choice outside the classroom, structured programs offered by colleges or universities can be a great option. College-led programs can help you bridge the gap between theory and practical applications and link coursework to careers by offering exposure to fields such as medicine, engineering, business, computer science, and the social sciences. These programs also introduce you to college-level expectations while helping you form connections with mentors and peers who share your interests.
Why should you attend a program in Chicago?
Chicago is home to various universities that host engaging, project-based programs designed specifically for high school students. As a participant, you may conduct lab-based research, attend tech-focused workshops, or explore fields such as economics and public policy through interactive sessions. The city's variety of programs means you can find something aligned with your goals, whether you are still figuring out your interests or diving deeper into a specific field.
We have curated a list of 15 college programs for high school students in Chicago to help you find the right option.
If you’re looking for programs in Chicago, check out our blog here.
1. UChicago’s DSI Summer Lab
Location: UChicago Hyde Park campus, Chicago, IL
Stipend: $5,600
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by year; ~22 students in the past cohort.
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application deadline: January 12
Eligibility: High school students in the Chicago area; familiarity with one or more programming languages and coursework in computer science, statistics, and math is preferred.
The DSI Summer Lab is an eight-week research program conducted at the University of Chicago’s Data Science Institute. During the program, you will work alongside mentors on applied data science research projects across fields such as social science, public policy, computer science, and biomedicine. You will collaborate with researchers while learning research methodologies and techniques used in data science research. The program focuses on interdisciplinary work that connects data analysis with real-world research questions. You will also have access to near-peer mentoring, social events, and group work on projects. The curriculum is designed to help you become familiar with research practices and teamwork in a university research setting.
2. University of Chicago’s Space Explorers Program
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~30 students/year
Dates: Multi-year program (specific schedule not publicly listed)
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11 attending Chicago public high schools with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and demonstrated interest in STEM
The Space Explorers Program is a fully funded, multi-year STEM enrichment initiative that provides sustained exposure to astronomy, physics, and advanced scientific thinking. You will work closely with university researchers and staff, engaging in college-level math and science activities while building a deeper understanding of how scientific research works in practice. The program includes hands-on learning experiences, lab visits, and field trips, allowing you to explore real research environments and interact with astronomers and physicists. Additionally, the program offers tutoring, college application advising, and college and career exploration workshops throughout the year.
3. University of Chicago’s Collegiate Scholars Program
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~150 students/cohort
Dates: Multi-year program (three-year engagement, including summer and academic year components)
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Current 9th-grade students attending a Chicago public high school; priority is given to low-income or first-generation college students.
The Collegiate Scholars Program (CSP) is a three-year academic enrichment program designed to prepare you for admission to and success at selective colleges. You will take college-level courses each summer, taught by University of Chicago faculty and graduate students, gaining early exposure to rigorous academic coursework across subjects such as the humanities, social sciences, math, and science. During the school year, the program continues with workshops and enrichment activities focused on leadership, civic engagement, and college readiness, creating a consistent, long-term learning experience. A key part of CSP is sustained academic and personal development, with opportunities to build skills in critical thinking, discussion, and research as you learn how to navigate a college environment. You will also have opportunities to collaborate with peers, connect with faculty and professionals, and participate in workshops on topics like financial literacy and the college application process.
4. Chicago EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science) on Cancer
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Stipend: $5,000/year
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Eight weeks in the summer (for two consecutive summers) + monthly activities (two to four hours/month) in the academic year
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 16 and are residents of Lake, Cook, Will, or DuPage counties in Illinois or Lake County, Indiana.
Chicago EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science) on Cancer is a program designed for students interested in biomedical and cancer research. As a participant, you will work full-time in the labs of cancer researchers for two summers. Each summer research experience lasts eight weeks and focuses on hands-on lab work. You will participate in research across basic, translational, clinical, and population-based cancer studies. The program also runs a summer lecture series and year-round workshops focused on career development and research skills. You will present your research at a final symposium to peers and mentors.
5. Woodson Summer Scholars @ University of Chicago
Location: UChicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $2,500; need-based aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 12 – 17
Application deadline: March 12
Eligibility: 11th-grade students, ages 15 and up, enrolled in U.S. high schools and engaged in Black or African American communities
The Woodson Summer Scholars program is a one-week residential enrichment experience at the University of Chicago designed to bring together high-achieving students from across the U.S. You will attend interdisciplinary classes led by university faculty while also exploring how academic ideas connect to real-world issues, particularly those affecting Black/African-American communities. Alongside coursework, you will participate in college application workshops and gain exposure to campus resources and research spaces. The program also incorporates activities across Chicago, helping you experience the academic and cultural opportunities of a major city.
6. School of the Art Institute of Chicago Early College Program Summer Institute
Location: School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), Chicago, IL
Cost: $1,908 (one week) | $3,816 (two weeks) | $7,632 (four weeks) + optional housing costs; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 – 16 students/class
Dates: June 15 – 26 | June 29 – July 10 | July 13 – 24 | June 29 – July 24 | July 27 – 31
Application deadline: Priority deadline: April 20; registration deadlines vary by course and session
Eligibility: High school students, ages 15 – 18; prior drawing experience required
SAIC’s Early College Program Summer Institute runs one- to four-week sessions that let you engage in intensive studio experiences and explore creative disciplines, from fashion to animation. Depending on the course, you will also work outside the studio studying art in Chicago. Studio sessions will help you create portfolio-worthy work, build technical skills in perspective, composition, form, and line, and explore an art form in detail. The curriculum combines traditional art approaches with experimental techniques. At the end of the course, you will earn college credits.
7. Northwestern University’s IN FOCUS Seminars—Future Founders: Become a Startup CEO
Location: Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Cost: $3,625 (commuter) | $5,235 (residential) + $60 non-refundable application fee; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 21 – July 3
Application deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
This two-week seminar is structured like a college-level course, where you explore entrepreneurship by building and refining your own startup idea. You will work in teams to brainstorm business concepts, conduct user interviews, analyze feedback, and iteratively improve your solution, mirroring how early-stage startups operate. The course is hands-on, with most of your time spent on collaborative projects, discussions, and pitching rather than lectures. You will also develop practical skills in leadership, sales, networking, and communication, while learning how to present ideas clearly and work effectively in a team. In addition to classroom work, the program offers the “Wildcat Connect: Get Ready Series,” which runs workshops focused on college readiness and community building.
8. South Side College and Career Catalyst Program @ UChicago
Location: UChicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~50 students/year
Dates: Multi-year program with a six-week summer session + year-round programming
Application deadline: April 17
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 10 attending a Chicago public high school on the South Side with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and an interest in STEM
The South Side College and Career Catalyst Program (C3) is a multi-year college readiness and STEM exploration program that combines summer coursework with ongoing academic and career support. You will begin with a six-week summer session featuring simulated college-level classes across STEM, humanities, and social sciences, designed to build foundational academic skills and expose you to rigorous coursework. These classes are paired with structured learning experiences that help you strengthen critical thinking, writing, and problem-solving skills in a supportive environment. C3 continues during the school year, offering workshops, advising, and experiential learning opportunities. You will take part in college visits, career exploration activities, and community-based field trips, while also accessing academic tutoring and guidance on the college application process.
9. Summer at UChicago’s Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS)
Location: UChicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $15,200; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 15 – July 10
Application deadline: February 11
Eligibility: 10th and 11th-grade students, ages 15 and up, who have taken high school biology
RIBS is a four-week, lab-intensive course program in which you will spend most of your time conducting experiments and learning core techniques used in modern biology research on the UChicago campus. You will work through a structured curriculum, which starts with foundational lab skills and moves on to advanced methods in molecular biology, genetics, and cell biology, before applying what you have learned in an independent research project. The program emphasizes hands-on lab work, giving you direct experience with experimental design, data collection, and troubleshooting in a real, research-style environment. In addition to lab work, you will build scientific communication skills while maintaining lab notebooks, writing, and delivering group presentations based on primary research articles. The program concludes with a formal research forum where you will present your project findings, simulating how scientific results are shared in academic settings.
10. Illinois Tech Elevate College Prep Summer Daytime Programs
Location: Illinois Tech campus, Chicago, IL
Cost: ~$500 – $4,500 depending on the program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June – July (dates vary by program)
Application deadline: May 8
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen through rising seniors, ages 14 – 17
Illinois Tech’s Elevate College Prep Daytime Programs allow high schoolers to explore STEM topics. Programs span a wide range of subjects, from coding and robotics to chemistry, entrepreneurship, and game design. As a participant, you will visit the Illinois Tech campus every day to attend classes, work on projects, and participate in labs and interactive activities focused on your chosen track. The experience is centered around applied learning rather than lectures, so many programs include hands-on projects and collaborative work. The experience can help you explore a college environment while building practical skills in coding, engineering design, scientific experimentation, or leadership.
11. Summer at Columbia
Location: Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $3,698; merit-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – July 24
Application deadline: May 22
Eligibility: High school students, ages 15 – 18, entering their junior or senior year
Summer at Columbia is a four-week pre-college program that lets you enroll in a focused course in film production, game development, creative writing, fashion, photography, or visual arts, taught by working professionals. The program is structured like a college class, so you will complete projects, assignments, and creative work that reflect real-world practices in your chosen discipline. A major part of the experience is hands-on creation and portfolio development. Depending on your course, you may produce a short film, develop a game concept, build a photography portfolio, or write original pieces in a workshop setting. You will also collaborate with peers, receive feedback from instructors, and refine your work over the course of four weeks.
12. University of Chicago’s Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $250 – $1,000, based on household income; financial aid available for students with household incomes under $70,000/year
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: June 29 – July 24
Application deadline: April 10
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7 – 12
YSP is a four-week, highly selective math enrichment program focused on deep conceptual understanding rather than standard curriculum acceleration. Each day, you will attend multiple sessions comprising faculty-led lectures and collaborative discussions led by undergraduate mentors, with learning through theoretical exposure and interactive engagement. A key part of the program is active problem-solving; you will work through complex problems, explore proofs, and discuss different approaches with peers, building skills in logical reasoning and mathematical communication. The program curriculum focuses on exploration, discussion, and persistence, which are key habits for advanced math study. The coursework varies by grade level.
13. Northwestern University Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program
Location: Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: January 6
Dates: June 22 – July 31 (high school students) | June 8 – July 31 (undergraduate students)
Eligibility: High school juniors and undergraduate students, ages 16 and up
This six- to eight-week summer program at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine allows you to engage in research and earn a stipend for your work. You will work one-on-one with a Northwestern faculty mentor on a basic or clinical research project related to lung disease. Alongside lab work, you will engage in sessions focused on college and graduate school application preparation and career development in science and medicine. You will also have the opportunity to shadow a clinician. The program concludes with a formal poster presentation.
14. DePaul University’s Game, Cinema, & Animation Summer Academy
Location: DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Cost: $900; partial scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 17
Application deadline: Priority: May 20; Final: June 1
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least their freshman year
The Game, Cinema, & Animation Summer Academy at DePaul University is a one-week, hands-on program that explores creative production across film, animation, game design, and sound. You will choose a specialized track, such as film production, game development, animation, screenwriting, or sound design, and spend the week working on collaborative, project-based work using industry-relevant tools and software. Depending on your track, you may write and film a short movie, design and build a 3D game, animate characters, or develop a script through workshop-style feedback. The program emphasizes collaboration and real-world workflows, with many tracks involving team-based projects where you take on different creative roles. You will learn practical skills in editing, modeling, storytelling, programming, and audio production, while gaining experience working within a production pipeline.
15. Jarvis Game Development Summer Camp @ DePaul University
Location: DePaul University, Chicago, IL
Cost: $450; full scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 20 – 24
Application deadline: June 20
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their freshman year or higher
In the Jarvis Game Development Summer Camp at DePaul University, you will create your own playable game experiences using the Fortnite platform and working with tools used in real-world game development to design levels, characters, and interactive environments. The program focuses on core areas like game design, animation, character art, and level design, giving you a broad introduction to how games are developed from concept to execution. You will work on projects throughout the week, applying what you learn in a collaborative setting while experimenting with different roles in the game development process. The program also includes guest speakers from the video game industry, who will offer insights into careers and aspects of video game development.
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Tyler Moulton is Head of Academics and Veritas AI Partnerships with 6 years of experience in education consulting, teaching, and astronomy research at Harvard and the University of Cambridge, where they developed a passion for machine learning and artificial intelligence. Tyler is passionate about connecting high-achieving students to advanced AI techniques and helping them build independent, real-world projects in the field of AI!