15 Math Programs for High School Students in Delaware
If you are looking for structured ways to strengthen your quantitative skills before college, math programs for high school students give you direct access to university faculty, graduate student mentors, and research-grade laboratory settings. These programs go well beyond standard classroom instruction, exposing you to mathematical modeling, data analysis, engineering design, and computational thinking that would be difficult to encounter before college. These programs are designed to challenge academically ambitious students, and many are free or heavily subsidized, making them accessible to a wide range of applicants.
Why should you attend a Math program in Delaware?
Reputable universities and organizations across Delaware offer math programs for high school students. These programs let you explore topics ranging from mathematical modeling and data-driven problem-solving to neuroscience data analysis and engineering design. Whether you live in Delaware or are looking at programs from out of state, the options below span residential, commuter, and fully virtual formats.
In this blog, we’ve put together a list of 15 high school math programs for high school students in Delaware.
If you’re looking for STEM summer programs in Delaware, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These programs span mathematical modeling, applied research, engineering, neuroscience, and math competitions, with most in-person options offered through the University of Delaware and Delaware Technical Community College.
Several programs are free with stipends, including UD Summer Math Modeling Program ($600 stipend) and UD Upward Bound Math & Science ($15/week), while others, such as UD EDGE ($5,495) and Autonomous Driving Academy ($2,500), charge tuition.
A number of programs specifically target low-income, first-generation, or underrepresented students, including UD Upward Bound Math & Science, Delaware Tech Upward Bound Math & Science, College Readiness Scholars Institute, and Future Leaders Internship Initiative.
Application timelines vary widely, from December (MIT PRIMES-USA) to June (Autonomous Driving Academy), and several programs, such as FAME Inc. and Future Leaders Internship Initiative, have deadlines that vary or require direct outreach.
1. University of Delaware Summer Math Modeling Program
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost/Stipend: Free; $600 stipend awarded upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 20 students per cohort
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application Deadline: April 22
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders; students must have completed honors-level Algebra I and Geometry
The University of Delaware Summer Math Modeling Program, run by the Department of Mathematical Sciences, is designed for high school students ready to see mathematics applied to problems without clean textbook answers. Over the course of the week, you work in small teams alongside UD graduate students and attend guest lectures delivered by UD faculty, with each day building toward a collaborative solution to a large-scale, open-ended problem. Mathematical modeling here means translating messy, uncertain situations into quantitative frameworks, a skill central to fields such as epidemiology, economics, environmental science, and engineering. The program is explicitly nonresidential and structured around learning by doing, so you spend the majority of each day in active problem-solving sessions.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies by track; need-based financial aid available up to 100%
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts offered year-round (spring, summer, fall, and winter sessions)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; multiple deadlines per year. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with 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 and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. FAME Inc. Core STEM Initiative
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Grades 7–12
FAME Inc. is a Delaware-based nonprofit that runs one of the country's longest-standing math programs for high school students, providing over 220 hours of intensive, advanced STEM instruction per student across grades 7–12. During the school year, Saturday sessions at John Dickinson High School in Wilmington cover mathematics, science, engineering, and technology content that builds on and extends what students learn in their home schools, with the curriculum growing more advanced as students progress through the grade levels. The summer component sends 12th graders to the University of Delaware for four weeks of college-level coursework in pre-calculus or calculus and physics, as well as courses in computer science and an engineering research design course. Over 99% of FAME graduates attend a four-year college, and 65% pursue degrees in STEM-related fields, outcomes that reflect both the quality of the program and the commitment it instills in participants.
4. Lumiere Education Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program tier; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter sessions)
Application Deadline: Rolling; multiple admission rounds per year
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing
Founded by researchers from Harvard and Oxford, Lumiere pairs high school students individually with a PhD-level mentor to produce an independent research paper across a 12-week program. You choose your research focus at the outset, which can span mathematics, statistics, applied mathematics, computational biology, economics, or any number of quantitative disciplines, and your mentor guides you through the full arc of an academic research project, from literature review through methodology and final write-up. The 1-on-1 mentorship structure distinguishes this from group programs by providing consistent, individualized feedback on your thinking rather than general instruction. Students who have completed the program have gone on to publish their papers in student research journals and present at academic conferences, making this one of the few pre-college programs in which you can leave with documented research output.
5. University of Delaware Upward Bound Math & Science
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend of $15/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 17 – July 25
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Rising 9th-11th graders from low-income families from New Castle County, Christiana High School, Newark High School, Glasgow High School, John Dickinson High School, and Thomas McKean High School
The University of Delaware's Upward Bound Math and Science program is a federally funded TRiO initiative that provides year-round academic enrichment to high school students who are working toward a college degree in math or science. During the six-week summer session, participants live on UD's Newark campus and take intensive classes in mathematics, science, English, and a foreign language, with daily study sessions led by college students who serve as both resident assistants and tutors. The academic-year component supplements this with monthly workshops covering college majors, financial aid, study skills, and career exploration, as well as organized college tours. The residential summer program places you in the same environment as college students, giving you a detailed understanding of university life before you apply.
6. Future Leaders Internship Initiative (FLii)
Location: Delaware state government agencies, Wilmington, DE
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies each cycle
Application Deadline: Contact DOS_FLii@delaware.gov for early outreach
Eligibility: Delaware high school students, 15–17 years of age
The Future Leaders Internship Initiative (FLii) is a competitive program run by the Delaware Department of State that places high school students in state government agencies, exposing them to how quantitative and analytical skills are applied in public sector settings across departments, including Technology and Information, Labor, Homeland Security, Transportation, and Agriculture. Participants complete a structured case study developed by program partners, drawing on analytical and data interpretation skills they develop throughout the internship through exposure to government speakers and professional workshops. FLii is designed to give students from underrepresented backgrounds access to professional networks and experiences that are typically hard to obtain before college, including direct interaction with government professionals and agency leadership. The case study component requires students to analyze information, build a structured argument, and present conclusions, which mirrors the kind of applied quantitative thinking used across STEM careers in government.
7. Delaware Technical Community College Upward Bound Math & Science
Location: Delaware Technical Community College, Georgetown and Wilmington campuses
Cost/Stipend: Free (federally funded through the U.S. Department of Education)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 6-week summer program; dates vary yearly
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: High school students who are low-income and/or potential first-generation college students
Delaware Technical Community College runs its own federally funded Upward Bound Math and Science program separately from the University of Delaware, making it one of the more geographically accessible math programs for high school students in Delaware. The program provides six weeks of structured academic work in mathematics, science, and technology, alongside job shadowing and career exploration activities that connect classroom content to professional pathways in STEM. Throughout the academic year, students receive ongoing support through workshops, educational and cultural events, and activities designed to build college readiness alongside subject-matter depth in math and science. Delaware Tech's UBMS is designed specifically for students working toward a college degree in STEM who may not yet have access to advanced coursework or mentorship that would accelerate their progress.
8. College Readiness Scholars Institute (CRSI)
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 or June 28 – July 2
Application Deadline: Registration opens in the spring
Eligibility: DE residents, rising 9th–12th-graders who are low-income and/or first-generation college students, with a 2.5+ cumulative GPA
The College Readiness Scholars Institute at the University of Delaware is a free residential summer program that gives Delaware high school students from low-income or first-generation backgrounds an immersive preview of the academic demands and social dynamics of college life. Participants engage in college-readiness workshops led by experienced admissions professionals that cover the college application process, essay writing, financial aid navigation, and academic skill development, with particular attention to quantitative reasoning and academic preparation for STEM fields at the university level. Students live on campus in UD residence halls, share meals in UD dining facilities, and follow a structured schedule that mirrors the rhythm of a university semester. Though functioning primarily as a comprehensive college readiness intensive, the workshops place a heavy emphasis on developing the structured quantitative reasoning skills needed for university STEM majors.
9. University of Delaware EDGE Summer College Program
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost/Stipend: $5,495; need-based scholarships available after acceptance
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July – August; exact dates vary yearly
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; 3.0+ GPA
The EDGE Summer College Program at the University of Delaware is a multi-week residential experience where high school students enroll in up to two college-level courses taught by UD faculty, earning up to six transferable academic credits before graduating from high school. Mathematics-focused course options have included precalculus and functions-based courses covering polynomials, exponentials, logarithms, and trigonometric functions, giving you a meaningful head start on college math sequences. Students live in a UD residence hall for the duration and share the campus experience with other high-achieving students from across the country. Courses are accredited, and credits transfer to most colleges and universities, so your EDGE coursework can count toward your degree requirements. The residential structure means you are fully immersed in the university environment, attending class, eating in dining halls, and using UD facilities, which gives you a much clearer picture of what college life requires before you arrive as a freshman.
10. Delaware Secondary School Mathematics League
Location: Statewide; regional meets at Delaware schools, with the invitational held at the Modern Maturity Center, Dover, DE
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open to registered school teams
Dates: Four regional meets from October through January
Application Deadline: Schools register teams in early fall
Eligibility: Delaware students in grades 7 through 12, competing at four levels: grade 7, grade 8, grade 9, and grades 10–12; you compete through your school's team
The Delaware Secondary School Mathematics League was founded by the state's former mathematics supervisor at the Delaware Department of Education and a University of Delaware professor, and it is sponsored by the Delaware Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Competing puts you on a team with classmates, working through contest problems that reward speed, accuracy, and creative problem-solving beyond the standard curriculum. Your region's results accumulate across the season, so consistency matters as much as a single strong performance. Awards are presented to regional winners and invitational winners at the State Math League Banquets. This math competition has been added for students with advanced math proficiency who want to take their skills to the next level.
11. Wilmington University Early College Credit Program
Location: Wilmington University, New Castle, DE
Cost/Stipend: $50 per credit, or $150 for a typical three-credit course, plus a $30 registration fee and a $30 technology fee per semester; textbooks are extra
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Courses run in full-semester or accelerated block formats throughout the year
Application Deadline: Register before the start of the term
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in Delaware with a 2.7 GPA, an 83 average, or B- or better grades; limited to one course per semester
The Early College Credit Program allows you to enroll as a Wilmington University student and take a college course while still in high school. The math pathway runs through MAT 205, a credit-bearing survey course covering algebra, probability, and statistics. To register for MAT 205, you take a math placement assessment or qualify for an exemption through a standardized test score, which means the course meets you at a verified skill level rather than assuming your background. Because the university selects courses for high transferability, the math credits you earn can count toward your degree at most institutions you might attend later. Once enrolled, you hold full student privileges, including access to the library, campus events, and tutoring through the Student Success Center.
12. UD ECO Camp: Technology in the Environment
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 10
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–12
The Technology in the Environment track of UD's ECO Camp program focuses on the engineering and mathematical tools used to study, monitor, and protect natural environments, providing hands-on experience with technologies such as drones, robotics, and remotely operated vehicles in a university research setting. Over the course of the program, you’ll build and test your own underwater ROV, learn to pilot drones, and use digital photography analysis to examine processes like beach erosion, applying quantitative methods to interpret data collected from the physical environments around the UD campus. Although this program is rooted in environmental fieldwork, participants must routinely use spatial geometry and quantitative data analysis to program robotics and interpret environmental metrics.
13. University of Delaware Autonomous Driving Academy
Location: University of Delaware STAR Campus, Newark, DE
Cost: $2,500, all materials included; 15% discount for military dependents, UD affiliates, and siblings, and partial need-based scholarships of $625 available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 10
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, ages 15 and older; prior programming experience recommended
The Autonomous Driving Academy, created with UD's Connected and Autonomous Research Laboratory (CAR Lab) and the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, shows you how self-driving systems sense, decide, and navigate. You assemble a robot vehicle kit as a team, then program it using ROS, Python, and C++, working through mapping, localization, and path planning before improving your vehicle's performance with techniques such as trajectory optimization and reinforcement learning. That optimization work is where the mathematics lives, making this one of the more computation-heavy math programs for high school students in Delaware. The week ends with a competition in which teams race their autonomous vehicles on a track and are judged on speed, creativity, and technical execution. You leave with 30 noncredit contact hours, a personalized reference letter for college applications, and a digital badge you can share online.
14. University of Delaware Neuroscience Pre-College Summer Program
Location: University of Delaware, Newark, DE
Cost: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – 26
Application Deadline: April 29
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; all participants must be 15 or older
The University of Delaware's Neuroscience Pre-College Summer Program is a standout among math programs for high school students in Delaware who are interested in how quantitative methods are applied at the intersection of biology and data science. The curriculum covers neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and neuroimaging techniques, including electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), with a specific focus on how mathematical and statistical analyses are used to derive meaning from complex brain imaging datasets. Students visit UD's Center for Biomedical and Brain Imaging (CBBI), one of Delaware's premier neuroscience research facilities, and engage in experiments guided by UD faculty and neuroscience experts. The data analysis component of the program is substantive enough that you will leave with a working understanding of how researchers translate raw imaging data into interpretable scientific conclusions, a skill directly applicable to careers in computational biology, biomedical engineering, and statistics.
15. MIT PRIMES-USA
Location: Virtual mentoring; the fall research conference held at MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-long, January through December, in four phases
Application Deadline: December 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and sophomores, including homeschooled students, residing in the US outside the Greater Boston area; a very advanced math background is expected
PRIMES-USA pairs you with a mentor from MIT or a partner university to work on an unsolved problem in mathematics, with applied projects available in theoretical computer science and computational biology. You meet your mentor weekly by teleconference during the research phases, committing at least ten hours per week to reading and research. Juniors work on individual or group projects, while sophomores work in groups, and you agree to accept the project assignment that the program assigns to you. Your final paper is posted on the PRIMES website and can be submitted to national science competitions or to professional research journals for publication. You also present your results at the program's fall conference on MIT's campus. Preferred qualifications include USAMO or USAJMO qualification, an A in a college-level proof-based math course, or a letter of recommendation from a mathematics professor.
Frequently asked questions
1. What math programs are available for high school students in Delaware?
Options include applied modeling and research programs, such as UD Summer Math Modeling Program and Lumiere Research Scholar Program; competition-based programs, such as Delaware Secondary School Mathematics League; computation-heavy STEM programs, such as UD Autonomous Driving Academy and Neuroscience Pre-College Program; and college-readiness programs, such as UD Upward Bound Math & Science and College Readiness Scholars Institute.
2. Are there free math programs for high school students in Delaware?
Yes, several programs are free, including UD Summer Math Modeling Program (which also offers a stipend), FAME Inc. Core STEM Initiative, UD Upward Bound Math & Science, Delaware Tech Upward Bound Math & Science, College Readiness Scholars Institute, and Future Leaders Internship Initiative.
3. Which Delaware math programs are best for students from low-income or first-generation backgrounds?
UD Upward Bound Math & Science, Delaware Tech Upward Bound Math & Science, and College Readiness Scholars Institute are all specifically designed for low-income or first-generation college-bound students. Future Leaders Internship Initiative also prioritizes access for underrepresented students.
4. When should I apply to math programs for high school students in Delaware?
The earliest deadline is MIT PRIMES-USA (December 1), followed by UD Summer Math Modeling Program (April 22) and UD EDGE (May 1). Several programs, such as FAME Inc. and Future Leaders Internship Initiative, have deadlines that vary by cycle or require early outreach to program coordinators.