15 Free Summer Programs for International High School Students

For international high school students, free summer programs provide an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning, connect with global experts and peers, and explore diverse fields. These programs often blend workshops, team projects, and problem-solving in ways that go beyond traditional classrooms. Many are free or offer financial aid, making them accessible. With online formats increasingly common, you can now also join a global learning community without leaving home. 

Whether you're curious about science, policy, coding, or creative writing, there’s a program tailored to what interests you. In this blog, we’ve curated 15 free summer programs for high school students, all open to international applicants.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Research Science Institute (RSI)

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.
Program dates: June 22–August 2.

Application deadline: December 11.

Eligibility: High school juniors are eligible to apply. Each participating country also has its own selection procedure and selection schedule.

Hosted annually at MIT, the Research Science Institute (RSI) offers a rigorous six-week program that combines advanced academic coursework with cutting-edge research in STEM. Open to a global cohort of just 100 students, it begins with an intensive week of seminars in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, engineering, and the humanities. This is followed by a five-week research internship under the guidance of experienced mentors. You'll read recent journal articles, design and execute your own research plan, and produce both a written report and a formal presentation, modeled after professional academic conferences. With access to MIT’s resources, computing tools, and evening lectures by leading scientists, RSI provides a deep dive into the world of scientific inquiry. 

2. Veritas AI 

Location: Virtual.

Cost: Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here. 

Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including summer.

Application deadline: May. Reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world are eligible to apply. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.

Founded by Harvard alumni, Veritas AI offers structured learning in artificial intelligence for high school students worldwide. Beginners can join the AI Scholars program, which introduces machine learning, data science, and foundational AI concepts through 10 mentor-led sessions culminating in a real-world data project. If you have prior experience, the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase offers a research-based track, pairing you with mentors from top universities and industry leaders. You will conduct independent research, receive editorial support, and are guided toward publishing your work in student journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here. 

3. U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs - TechGirls

Location: Various locations across the United States.

Program dates: July 12 - August 3.

Application deadline: October 15 - December 6.

Eligibility: High school girls between the ages of 15 and 17 at the start of the program are eligible to apply. International students must be citizens of one of the 37 eligible countries/territories and living in that country/territory at time of the program.

TechGirls is a three-week summer exchange program in the United States for female high school students with a strong interest in STEM, followed by seven months of virtual mentorship. The program begins at Virginia Tech with a tech camp covering topics like coding, robotics, and emerging technologies through hands-on workshops and collaborative projects. Then comes a cultural immersion segment in cities like Seattle or Detroit, where you will live with host families, engage in service projects, and shadow STEM professionals. After returning home, you will launch a Community Action Project—past examples include tech clubs, coding workshops, and digital tools for local causes. 

4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation

Cost: The program is fully funded!

Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!

Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).

Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Eligibility:You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.

The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation stands as a non-profit research program tailored for gifted students from low-income backgrounds. Stemming from the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, renowned for its extensive one-on-one research opportunities for high school students, the foundation provides the same access to independent research experiences at zero cost.

The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper. You can apply here! 

5. Princeton University - AI4ALL

Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ.

Program dates: July 9 - 30.

Application deadline: April 9.

Eligibility: High school students in 10th grade and going into 11th grade in Fall are eligible to apply. Applicants must be low-income and living in the US or Puerto Rico. 

Open to high school students from Puerto Rico and the U.S. from low-income backgrounds, Princeton’s AI4ALL is an immersive free summer program that introduces artificial intelligence through both academic and hands-on experiences. You’ll attend lectures by Princeton faculty, participate in AI research projects focused on real-world challenges, and collaborate in small teams under graduate student mentorship. Projects culminate in a final presentation and explore topics such as ethics, machine learning, and algorithmic bias. The experience also includes personal development sessions, mentorship, and a field trip to Washington, D.C., where you’ll engage with professionals working at the intersection of AI and public policy.

6. Purdue University - Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship

Location: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

Program dates: June 24 - July 22.

Application deadline: March 9.

Eligibility: High school students from the US (aged 16-18 years) and Europe are eligible to apply. International applicants must contact the US Embassy/Consulate in their respective country to apply.

This four-week academic and cultural summer exchange, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, brings together 10 U.S. and 45 international students to explore civic engagement and transatlantic relations. The fellowship includes four modules: International Relations & Diplomacy, Media & Communication, Civic Education, and Service & Volunteerism. Each module features faculty-led seminars, group projects, simulations, and workshops. You’ll develop skills in public speaking, project design, and media literacy, while visiting sites like the U.S. Capitol and Independence Hall. Cultural events, including Independence Day celebrations and excursions to cities like Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Philadelphia, help foster international friendships and understanding.

7. George Mason University - Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

Location: Virtual, hybrid, or in-person at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.
Program dates: June 18 - August 8.
Application deadline: February 2.
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply. Applicants must be at least 15 years old for remote internships and at least 16 years old for in-person or hybrid wet-lab internships. A few research labs may be unavailable for international students.

ASSIP is a competitive eight-week summer research internship that immerses high school students in original, full-time scientific research. You’ll be paired with faculty mentors and placed in labs focused on areas such as molecular medicine, robotics, neuroscience, nanoscience, environmental science, and more. The program offers hands-on training in experimental design, lab techniques, and data analysis, and may even lead to presentations or publications. You’ll also develop communication skills through writing workshops and career forums. Research topics range widely, including machine learning, urban hydrology, women’s health, game design, and exoplanet discovery.

8. Rockefeller University - Summer Science Research Program

Location: RockEDU Science Outreach Laboratory, Rockefeller University, New York, NY.

Program dates: June 23–August 7

Application deadline: October 14 - January 3.

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program are eligible to apply.

This highly competitive seven-week summer program places 32 high school students on research teams with scientists from Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell Medicine. You will learn lab protocols and methods, then define a research question based on your team’s focus, whether it’s molecular biology, neuroscience, or another field. The mid-program phase involves conducting your experiment with mentor support, while the final weeks focus on data analysis and creating a research poster for a symposium. Elective seminars, guest talks, and skill workshops round out the experience, giving you insight into academic research and STEM careers. 

9. Telluride Association - Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)

Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY and University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

Program dates: June 22 – July 26.

Application deadline: October 15 - December 3.

Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors, aged 15–18 years are eligible to apply. Preference is given to Black, Indigenous, and underrepresented communities. 

At TASS, you will spend six weeks on a U.S. college campus engaging in rigorous, discussion-based seminars in either Critical Black Studies or Anti-Oppressive Studies. You will attend three-hour daily classes that include reading, essay writing, media analysis, lectures, and group discussions. Beyond academics, you’ll help shape a self-governing student community that makes collective decisions and resolves conflicts through transformative justice. The curriculum explores topics like racial identity, systemic inequality, politics, and literature. You’ll also participate in public speaking sessions, community service, and guest lectures. 

10. World Learning - Youth Ambassadors Program

Location: Virtual or in-person at various locations in the United States.

Program dates: The program runs for three weeks between June - August. Exact dates vary by exchange country.

Application deadline: Varies by exchange country.

Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18 years at the start of the program are eligible to apply. Applicants must have at least one semester of school remaining after program participation; be citizens and residents of the country they are representing on the exchange; and have sufficient proficiency in the language of the exchange (English, Spanish, or French).

The Youth Ambassadors Program, sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State, brings together high school students from across the Americas for a cultural exchange centered on civic engagement and leadership. You’ll take part in workshops, hands-on activities, and discussions exploring themes like environmental protection, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The program includes immersive experiences such as living with U.S. host families, volunteering, and engaging in collaborative community projects. You’re expected to bring ideas, reflect on shared challenges, and create a project to implement in your home country. You’ll also meet civic leaders and changemakers who model youth-driven social impact. 

11. National Youth Science Academy - National Youth Science Camp

Location: Monongahela National Forest, Huttonsville, WV.

Program dates: July 10 - August 2.

Application deadline: Varies by country for international applicants.

Eligibility: High school students from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago are eligible to apply. Applicants must be aged 16–18 years, eligible for a J-1 Visa, and have proficiency in English.

Set in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, the National Youth Science Camp is a free residential program that brings together top high school science students from across the U.S. and select international locations. Over several weeks, you will attend daily lectures by renowned scientists, engage in small-group research workshops, and participate in seminars that range from technical topics to creative exploration. You will also take part in outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking, and travel to Washington, D.C. to explore science policy. Leadership, creativity, and cultural exchange are core themes of the experience.

12. Girls Who Code - Summer Immersion Program

Location: Virtual.

Program dates: July 28 - August 8.

Application deadline: April 11.

Eligibility: Current 9 - 11 graders from around the world are eligible to apply.

The Summer Immersion Program is a two-week virtual course open to high school students globally, with a focus on game design and computer science fundamentals. Through live instruction, you will explore real-world coding challenges and build interactive games while learning key concepts such as UX design, data science, and artificial intelligence. The program emphasizes collaboration and connection, with plenty of group work and peer interaction. You will also get access to industry professionals through workshops, networking sessions, and Q&As hosted by tech companies. Career readiness and mentorship are also emphasized throughout the experience.

13. Kode with Klossy - Summer Camps

Location: Virtual.

Program dates: June 2 - 13 | July 7 - 18 | July 21 - August 1 | August 4 - 15.

Application deadline: March 31.

Eligibility: High school girls and gender-expansive teens aged 13-18 years from around the world are eligible to apply.

Kode with Klossy offers two-week virtual camps for high school students from underrepresented genders interested in technology and coding. Based on your experience and availability, you’ll be placed into one of four tracks: web development, mobile app development, machine learning, or data science. Each track focuses on hands-on projects, from building websites and apps to training chatbots or analyzing data sets. You’ll also attend talks by industry professionals and take part in collaborative, community-building activities. While focused on technical skills, the program also helps you grow as a team player and problem solver. 

14. Harvard University - HarvardX: CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

Location: Virtual via edX.

Program dates: This is a self-paced program.

Application deadline: Rolling deadlines.

Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply.

This summer program is ideal for international high school students eager to explore the core principles of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It introduces key algorithms and concepts that power technologies like language translation, handwriting recognition, and strategic game-playing systems. Through a mix of lectures and hands-on programming tasks, you will learn to implement graph search methods, machine learning models, and classification systems using Python. You will also delve into advanced topics such as neural networks, Markov models, and Bayesian inference, applying these in practical coding challenges. 

15. Center for Global Dialogue and Leadership - Youth Empowerment Forum

Location: Geneva, Switzerland.

Program dates: September 4–7.

Application deadline: June 25.

Eligibility: High school students aged 16–18 years are eligible to apply.

The Youth Empowerment Forum offers international high school students a four-day immersive program in Geneva centered on leadership, global policy, and innovation. You will take part in hands-on workshops on leadership and policy-making, engage in dialogues on sustainability and innovation, and attend panel discussions featuring diplomats and subject-matter experts. Program highlights include a guided visit to the United Nations Headquarters for a behind-the-scenes look at international diplomacy, and a trip to CERN to explore interactive exhibits on particle physics and major scientific breakthroughs. The experience also features cultural activities. 

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