15 College Programs for High School Students in Massachusetts
College programs can be a strong option if you’re a high school student looking to explore subjects beyond your standard coursework. They give you exposure to university-style academics while helping you build skills in research, analysis, and independent thinking. You can also gain a clearer understanding of your academic interests and what to expect in a college environment.
Why should you attend a program in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is home to universities and organizations that offer a wide range of programs across STEM, humanities, business, and the arts. Depending on the program, you might attend lectures, participate in research activities, or complete projects that reflect college-level study. These programs are worth considering, whether you are a local or out-of-state student interested in studying in a different academic setting.
To help you explore these opportunities, we’ve put together a list of 15 college programs for high school students in Massachusetts.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
1. Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~3–5%; 100 students/year
Dates: June 28 – August 8
Application deadline: December 10
Eligibility: High school juniors worldwide
This college program for high school students in Massachusetts brings together highly accomplished students for an intensive summer experience focused on advanced scientific research. The prestigious program begins with a series of rigorous lectures led by university faculty, introducing you to current ideas across the sciences and engineering. After this academic foundation, you transition into a mentored research placement where you work closely with scientists on an original project. Your work involves reviewing scientific literature, developing a research plan, and carrying out experiments or computational analysis under guidance. Throughout the experience, seminars and discussions expose you to emerging research areas and scientific careers. The program concludes with a conference-style symposium where you present both a written paper and an oral presentation summarizing your findings.
2. Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Pathway
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 2 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school
The Academic Insights Program provides school students with an opportunity to take undergraduate-level classes at universities around the world. Participants work with academics from universities like Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard in classes of 4-10 students. They attend university-style lectures and 1:1 weekly sessions with their tutor. The program includes practical experiences such as dissections in medicine, building robotic arms in engineering, and moot courts in law. Students can choose from over 20 subjects, including biology, artificial intelligence, business management, computer science, economics, medicine, philosophy, and more. By the end of the program, they complete a personal project and receive written feedback and a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.
3. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard’s Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP)
Location: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: $3,600
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 21
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors attending a Massachusetts high school within commuting distance to the Broad Institute; applicants must have a grade of B or better in science and math classes. U.S. citizenship, permanent residency, or work authorization is required.
The Broad Summer Scholars Program places high school students inside active research groups at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where they contribute to ongoing scientific investigations. Working alongside scientists and graduate researchers, you explore topics such as cancer biology, chemical biology, psychiatric disease, infectious disease, or computational genomics. Daily lab work introduces you to experimental techniques, data analysis methods, and the process of translating scientific questions into research studies. In parallel, the college program for high school students in Massachusetts includes lectures and workshops that cover scientific communication, data interpretation, and career pathways in biomedical research. Cohort events create opportunities to interact with other students interested in genetics, biology, and computational science. The experience culminates in a scientific poster presentation where you share your research with members of the Broad research community.
4. Northeastern University’s Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Stipend: Availability varies by year
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; cohort size varies by year
Dates: June 22 – July 30
Application deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are permanent residents of Massachusetts and are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
Northeastern University’s Young Scholars Program allows high school students to spend the summer working in university laboratories across fields such as engineering, chemistry, and biomedical science. You join an active research group and assist with experiments, simulations, or prototype development under the guidance of faculty and graduate mentors. Research topics vary widely, ranging from robotics systems and modeling simulations to energy storage technologies and biomedical investigations. Alongside lab work, the program features seminars in which faculty introduce various engineering disciplines and emerging research challenges. The experience concludes with a research poster presentation in which you explain your project's methods, results, and conclusions to peers and faculty.
5.√Mathroots @ MIT
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 1 – 15
Application deadline: March 3
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or attending high school in the U.S. (before the last year of high school) who are between the ages of 14 and 18
Mathroots at MIT is a short residential program designed for students who enjoy mathematical reasoning and challenging problem-solving. Over two weeks, you participate in lectures and collaborative sessions that explore mathematical ideas often absent from standard high school curricula. Instructors guide students through creative problem-solving strategies, introducing concepts such as mathematical proofs and advanced competition-style thinking. Group discussions and workshops encourage participants to work together on complex problems and compare different approaches to solving them. Guest talks by mathematicians provide insight into how abstract mathematical ideas influence research and discovery.
6. MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute
Location: Virtual and in-person at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None for students belonging to families earning under $150,000; $2,350 for others
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Online courses: Early February – mid-June | In-person/online summer program: Early July – early August
Application deadline: Typically, the end of March
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year who are U.S. citizens
The Beaver Works Summer Institute at MIT introduces high school students to engineering and computer science through intensive, project-based coursework. Before the summer session begins, you complete preparatory online modules that build foundational knowledge in programming and related technical concepts. During the program, you enroll in a specialized course focused on areas such as robotics, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, or artificial intelligence. Teams work collaboratively to design, build, and test systems while receiving mentorship from MIT faculty and researchers from Lincoln Laboratory. Coursework emphasizes iterative design, debugging, and real-world problem solving. Each course concludes with a capstone project or competition where teams demonstrate the systems they developed.
7. MITES Summer
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; national cohort of ~60–80 students
Dates: Late June – early August (six weeks)
Application deadline: Early February; Applications open in the fall
Eligibility: Students in their junior year of high school who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
MITES Summer offers high school students the opportunity to participate in an academically intensive residential program centered on college-level STEM and humanities coursework. Over the course of the summer, you take a set of challenging classes that strengthen quantitative reasoning, scientific thinking, writing, and discussion skills. The curriculum is paired with electives that introduce applied areas such as machine learning, genomics, electronics, and architecture, allowing you to explore topics not commonly available in high school classrooms. Beyond coursework, the program includes seminars, lab tours, and workshops that expose you to research environments and the broader impact of STEM on society. You also receive support through college admissions guidance and opportunities to think about future academic pathways.
8. MIT’s Women’s Technology Program (WTP): Mechanical Engineering
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free for students with a family income of under $120,000; tiered pricing starts at $2,000 for other applicants. You can check the detailshere
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 20 students/year out of 300+ applications
Dates: June 27 – July 25
Application deadline: December 15
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with strong math/science ability, little to no prior engineering experience; women and underrepresented students in STEM are encouraged to apply
MIT’s Women’s Technology Program in Mechanical Engineering introduces students to foundational engineering concepts through a fast-paced mix of classes, labs, and collaborative design work. The curriculum covers thermodynamics, materials, fluid systems, and mechanical design, with instruction led by MIT graduate and undergraduate mentors. This selective college program for high school students in Massachusetts asks you to apply concepts through hands-on tasks like building mechanical structures, working with circuits, and creating digital models. Team projects play a central role, giving you practice in problem-solving, technical communication, and iterative design. Workshops on tools and fabrication methods help expand your understanding of how engineering ideas move from concept to physical form.
9. Harvard Medical School – Project Success
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – August 14
Application deadline: February 4
Eligibility: Boston/Cambridge high school juniors and seniors who will be over 16 years of age by June 29, are from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds, have a GPA of 2.7+, and have completed courses in biology, algebra, and chemistry
Project Success places high school students in Harvard Medical School and affiliated research labs for a summer centered on biomedical investigation and scientific mentorship. In the lab, you contribute to ongoing research related to disease, treatment development, or other health-focused scientific questions. This work provides exposure to core research practices, including data collection, laboratory techniques, and scientific problem-solving, in a professional environment. Outside the lab, the program includes seminars with researchers and physicians that broaden your understanding of biomedical careers and current issues in medicine and public health. Site visits to hospitals and biotechnology organizations add another layer of practical insight into how scientific research connects to clinical and industry settings.
10. Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 + $75 application fee; Limited scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 15 students per class
Dates: Session I: June 21 – July 2 | Session II: July 5 – 17 | Session III: July 19 – 31
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by June 21 and will not turn 19 years old before July 31
Harvard’s college program for high school students in Massachusetts gives you a two-week introduction to academic life on a university campus through one non-credit course taught at a college level. You choose a subject that interests you and engage with it through discussion-based classes, analytical assignments, and a pace designed to reflect undergraduate expectations. Because the program is non-credit, the emphasis stays on intellectual exploration rather than grades, allowing you to test your interest in a field without transcript pressure. Further, co-curricular events such as lectures, workshops, and social programming round out the experience and make campus life feel more tangible. At the end of the session, you receive a written evaluation that documents your engagement and progress in the course.
11. MIT Think Scholars Program
Location: Virtual and MIT campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: February–June
Application deadline: January 1
Eligibility: High school students with permanent residence in the U.S.
The MIT THINK Scholars Program is structured around student-designed research proposals rather than completed projects, making it especially useful if you have a strong idea but need support to carry it out. Applicants submit a detailed plan that explains the research question, relevant background, and the steps they would take to complete the project. Finalists are paired with MIT student mentors who provide guidance through regular meetings focused on refining methods, solving technical problems, and tracking progress. Funding support allows you to purchase materials or tools needed to execute the project within the program’s scope. As the semester progresses, you develop both a formal paper and a presentation that communicate your process and results.
12. Harvard Secondary School Program
Location: Virtual or on-campus at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $4,180 – $15,735 + $75 application fee; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 12 – August 8 (residential) | June 20 – August 8 (residential/online/commuter)
Application deadline: January 7 (early); February 11 (regular); April 1 (late)
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, ages 16 – 18
Harvard’s Secondary School Program allows high school students to enroll in college-level summer courses for credit across a wide range of academic subjects. You can study topics such as psychology, neuroscience, computer science, or writing while learning in classes that mirror the pace and expectations of undergraduate coursework. Depending on the format you choose, the experience can take place on campus, online, or through a commuter schedule, giving students different ways to access the program. Academic work is supported by discussion-based learning, assignments, and direct engagement with university-level instructors. In addition to coursework, students can participate in workshops and college-readiness programming that help build confidence in navigating academic independence. Completing the program results in official college credit and a Harvard transcript.
13. Harvard Student Agencies Business Academy
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $1,800 (80% need-based financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Week-long sessions from June to August
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12, age 14+ at the time of the program
The Harvard Student Agencies Business Academy gives high school students a concentrated introduction to business through week-long tracks focused on entrepreneurship or management and strategy. In the entrepreneurship track, you examine how startup ideas take shape by working through concepts such as market research, financial literacy, product-market fit, and business planning.The management and strategy track approaches business from a consulting perspective, asking you to evaluate company performance, pricing, profitability, and operational decisions through case-based analysis. Both formats emphasize applied thinking, with students expected to interpret information, make recommendations, and communicate ideas clearly. The experience typically ends with a presentation-based exercise that asks you to synthesize what you have learned in a startup pitch or business strategy format.
14. Summer Design Academy at University of Massachusetts Amherst
Location: UMass Amherst/UMass Charles River campuses or Online
Cost: Residential: $6,125 | Commuter: $3,340 | Online: $2,935; Need-based partial scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: UMass Amherst: June 28 – July 18 | UMass Charles River Campus: June 28 – July 18 | Online: July 13 – 31
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school
The Summer Design Academy at UMass Amherst introduces high school students to architecture and related design fields through an intensive studio-based format. Across the program, you work through a sequence of design exercises that build skills in sketching, drafting, model-making, and architectural representation. Studio sessions are paired with lectures, discussions, and case-study analysis to help you understand how design connects to culture, space, history, and human experience. You also gain introductory exposure to digital workflows used in design education, including 2D drafting and 3D modeling tools. Critiques and desk reviews are built into the process, helping you refine your work through feedback in the same way architecture students do in college studios.
15. Pre-College CityLab Experience at Boston Architectural College
Location: Online (Spring); On-site option offered during the Fall semester
Cost: Tuition varies based on format
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 students overall
Dates: January – February (virtual meetings held over multiple days; final project due in early February)
Application Deadline: Registration opens in November
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (open to pre-college students alongside first-year undergraduates)
The Pre-College CityLab Experience at Boston Architectural College explores the built environment through an interdisciplinary lens that combines observation, analysis, and community-centered thinking. Rather than asking students to produce formal architectural designs, this college program for high school students in Massachusetts focuses on how cities can be studied through themes such as accessibility, environmental systems, public space, and social wellbeing. You use tools like sketching, photography, mapping, journaling, and group discussion to examine how urban environments shape daily life. The structure encourages you to think like a designer or planner by identifying spatial problems and considering how built spaces affect people and neighborhoods.
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