12 Math Summer Programs for High School Students in New Jersey
Spending a summer working through a math program can do a lot to build your problem-solving skills. A good program pairs you with university faculty or industry professionals for research, giving you direct exposure to how mathematics gets applied outside a classroom. Several build in guest lectures, career workshops, and peer communities that put you in contact with people working in fields like data science, finance, theoretical computer science, and engineering research. Whether you are drawn to pure math or to applied work, these experiences tend to carry weight in college applications and beyond.
Why should you attend a math program in New Jersey?
New Jersey's universities and research centers run several programs for high schoolers, many of them focused on mathematics or involving strong connections that encourage practical application. Depending on where you apply, you might spend your summer working through proof-based number theory, building machine learning models, analyzing financial data in R, or contributing to ongoing faculty research. Most programs are open to students studying or living in New Jersey, and many also offer virtual formats that students anywhere in the country can access.
We have put together a list of 12 math summer programs for high school students in New Jersey.
If you’re looking for programs in New Jersey, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These programs span pure and applied mathematics, discrete math, engineering, and research placements, with several, such as Rutgers Young Scholars ($4,800) and Stanford Discrete Mathematics ($3,200), charging tuition, while others, such as Governor's School programs and MIT PRIMES, are free.
Extremely selective programs, such as Governor's School in the Sciences (top 5% of class) and Princeton Laboratory Learning Program (over 3,000 applicants for limited spots), require school nomination or intense competition, so students should apply broadly.
Programs range from two-week online intensives (Stanford Pre-Collegiate) to year-long research commitments (MIT PRIMES-USA runs January through December), so students can choose based on their availability.
Application deadlines start as early as January (Governor's School programs, MIT PRIMES-USA for the following year) and extend through April (NJIT STEMx Residency), so students should begin preparing materials in the fall or winter.
1. Princeton Laboratory Learning Program
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Extremely selective, over 3,000 applicants for a limited number of lab placements
Dates: 5–6 weeks in summer; actual schedule set by individual lab at time of acceptance
Application deadline: March 17
Eligibility: High school students attending local NJ school districts, 16 or older by June 15. Must be U.S. citizens only.
The LLP places you in an active Princeton University research lab for five to six weeks, where you will work daily alongside Princeton faculty and research staff on their ongoing projects. Research opportunities include machine learning methods for engineering applications, molecular modeling and ML simulations, exploratory computer vision, quantum cascade laser systems design, and plasma physics research, among many others spanning natural sciences and engineering. You are matched to a specific project and mentor at the time of acceptance and contribute to research in progress. Safety training is required before lab work begins, and the program concludes with a two-page written research summary reporting your contributions.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12 – 15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment; deadlines vary by cohort: Summer (May), Fall (September), Spring (January), and Winter (November). You can check details and apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students; the AI Fellowship with Publication and Showcase accepts previous AI Scholars participants or those with some experience working with AI or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers various online programs for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. If you are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science, you can choose the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will learn about the fundamentals of AI and data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another track for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. During this program, you will get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A key feature of this program is that it offers you access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. Governor's School in the Sciences
Location: Drew University, Madison, NJ
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Extremely selective; typical candidates rank in the top 5% of their class and score above the 90th percentile on standardized tests
Dates: July 12 – August 1
Application deadline: January 8
Eligibility: NJ residents who have completed 11th grade and are nominated by their school
You’ll spend three weeks on Drew University's campus conducting college-level research in a science or mathematics area of your choosing, guided by Drew faculty who are currently engaged in undergraduate research programs. Courses, laboratories, seminars, field trips, and lectures are all centered on math and science topics that go well beyond the standard high school curriculum. New Jersey scientists and researchers from academic institutions, government agencies, and industry come through regularly to speak with scholars about their work and career paths. At the end of the three weeks, you get to present your research project to the full group, and the work earns no grades or formal academic credit. The Governor's School in the Sciences has operated since 1983 and is one of two Governor's School programs currently running in New Jersey.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, winter, fall, and spring. Options range from 12 weeks to a year.
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: Students in high school who demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities across a wide range of subject areas for high schoolers to explore. The program pairs you with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the program, you will have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as computer science, data science, engineering, chemistry, psychology, physics, international relations, economics, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Governor's School of Engineering & Technology
Location: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Extremely selective; typical candidates rank in the top 5% of their class and score above the 90th percentile on standardized tests
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application deadline: January 8
Eligibility: NJ residents who have completed 11th grade and are nominated by their school
Hosted at Rutgers' School of Engineering, this three-week program centers on engineering design, technology applications, and STEM innovation, with mathematics as part of the coursework and project work throughout. You will develop and carry out a STEM research project of your own choosing, presenting your findings at the end of the program, and like its science counterpart, the program awards no grades or formal academic credits. Faculty workshops and interactions with Rutgers engineering researchers are built into the regular weekly schedule. The program also arranges two to three visits to local corporations, giving you direct exposure to how engineering and technology function in industry settings outside a university context. Similar to the Governor’s School in the Sciences, entry is extremely competitive, and only 1-3 students are nominated per school.
6. Kean University Group Summer Scholars Research Program (GSSRP)
Location: Kean University, Union, NJ
Cost: $3,000 or $5,000, depending on time of registration
Acceptance rate: Competitive
Dates: July 6 – 30
Application deadline: March 6
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
GSSRP places you in a small faculty-mentored research team for six weeks, working on a project in scientific computation, machine learning, cancer biology, developmental biology, or modern drug discovery, and learning how advanced mathematics concepts are practically applied in an interdisciplinary scenario. You’ll attend seminars throughout the six weeks, develop technical and analytical skills specific to your project area, and present results in a formal poster session at the end-of-program research symposium. The curriculum also includes expanded professional development, with skills workshops, instrumentation demonstrations, and college preparation guidance built into the schedule. Kean's School of Integrative Science and Technology, which hosts the program, houses a 3D CAVE virtual reality system that some research teams use directly in their projects. Teams are mentored by Kean faculty conducting active research, with additional support from graduate and undergraduate mentors throughout the six weeks.
7. NJIT STEMx Residency
Location: NJIT, Newark, NJ
Cost: $3,600
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: July 5 – 24
Application deadline: April 27
Eligibility: Current 10th and 11th grade students with a B or higher GPA and a math teacher recommendation
STEMx Residency is a three-week program at NJIT's Newark campus covering Applied Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Sustainable Engineering and the Environment, taught by NJIT faculty who are subject matter experts. Mathematics, data literacy, and computer science are strong components of all three content areas, integrated into the core curriculum. Structured evening enrichment activities and academic support sessions are also a part of the schedule throughout all three weeks.
8. Rutgers Pre-College Summer Scholars: Mathematics
Location: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ (in-person, hybrid, or fully online, depending on specific course)
Cost: Per credit, rate varies by NJ residency status and by school. You can check the details here.
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Varies by course. Session 1 begins May 26; Session 2 begins July 6
Application deadline: May 17 or June 28
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 or older by the course start date, with a GPA of 3.0+. Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Through the Summer Scholars program, you get to enroll in actual Rutgers–New Brunswick mathematics courses for college credit, studying alongside Rutgers undergraduates in the same academic environment as the university's standard offerings. Courses are taught by Rutgers doctoral students and faculty members. You can take up to two courses per summer, with each course typically carrying three credit hours; format options include in-person, hybrid, and fully online sections, depending on the specific course. Academic expectations, grading, and the resulting transcript are equivalent to those of the standard Rutgers undergraduate course. Mathematics courses include a diverse offering, featuring linear algebra, multivariable calculus, differential equations, linear optimization, graph theory, combinatorics, and more, allowing you to pursue your niche.
9. Rutgers Young Scholars Program in Discrete Mathematics
Location: Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
Cost: $4,800
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application deadline: Rolling until space is filled, starting February. Financial aid applications are due April 15
Eligibility: High school students
This four-week program immerses you in discrete mathematics through daily classes, problem sets, and collaborative sessions on Rutgers' Busch Campus. Admission itself requires submitting solutions to a challenging mathematical problem set, with partial solutions accepted, so the intellectual work begins before you arrive. Undergraduate teaching assistants who are pursuing mathematics careers themselves provide daily academic support and are embedded in the residential setting alongside you. Visiting professionals in discrete mathematics come through as guest speakers and mentors, with sessions covering career paths in the mathematical sciences.
10. MIT PRIMES-USA
Location: Online
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: Extremely selective, fewer than 50 students selected per batch
Dates: January 1 – December 31
Application Deadline: December 31 of the previous year
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors residing in the United States
MIT PRIMES is a year-long research opportunity in mathematics, computer science, or computational biology under the stewardship of MIT graduate students or faculty. The program kicks off with a reading phase, focusing on providing the necessary background knowledge for your assigned research area. In the summer component and continuing into the fall, you will work on your research project. Project work involves advanced mathematical software and theoretical frameworks to investigate unsolved problems. You will then compile a formal research paper of your work and present it at the Fall PRIMES Conference.
11. LSU Virtual Math Research Circle (VMRC)
Location: Online
Cost: $1,200 per session. Limited financial assistance is available.
Acceptance rate: Selective, small teams of 3–6 students per mentor
Dates: Summer (one of two 3-week intensives between July and August), Fall, or Spring (6-week distributed sessions)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12. International students can apply.
VMRC is a three-week intensive math research program run by Louisiana State University's Department of Mathematics, where you work in a team of three to six students under the direct mentorship of university mathematicians drawn from LSU faculty, postdocs, and graduate students, as well as collaborators at institutions including Rice University, Georgia Tech, and UNC Chapel Hill. Session 1 covers probability theory and Bayesian statistics, where students work through conditional probability, Bayes' theorem, and statistical inference in both theoretical and applied settings, using R to analyze data and visualize distributions. You’ll engage with primary mathematical sources, formulate and test conjectures, and write proofs in LaTeX, which puts you in contact with tools and practices standard in undergraduate and graduate mathematics. Every cohort produces a final written research report and delivers a 30- to 45-minute colloquium-style presentation, with past sessions archived publicly. Students who complete an optional research extension may earn one hour of LSU college credit in mathematics.
12. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Discrete Mathematics
Location: Online
Cost: $3,200
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: June 15 – June 26 (Session 1) or July 6 – July 17 (Session 2)
Application deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11 who have completed pre-calculus
This two-week online course from Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies covers number theory, cryptography, complexity theory, combinatorics, the Pigeonhole principle, graph theory, Boolean algebra, and logic design, with applications running from theory into concrete systems. You will explore modern public-key cryptosystems including RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and ElGamal, learning the mathematical structures that underpin how those systems function. Graph theory applications include planarity, shortest-distance algorithms, and graph isomorphism, giving you tools with direct relevance in computer science, operations research, and network analysis. Proof-writing skills are built through mathematical induction and proof by contradiction, practiced through daily problem sets. Live class sessions run two hours each weekday, with an additional hour reserved for optional office hours with the course instructor.
Frequently asked questions
1. What math summer programs are available for high school students in New Jersey?
Options include research-based programs, such as Princeton Laboratory Learning Program, Kean GSSRP, and MIT PRIMES-USA; discrete math and proof-based programs, such as Rutgers Young Scholars and Stanford Discrete Mathematics; and broader STEM programs with a math component, such as Governor's School in the Sciences and NJIT STEMx Residency.
2. Are there free math programs for high school students in New Jersey?
Yes, Governor's School in the Sciences, Governor's School of Engineering & Technology, Princeton Laboratory Learning Program, and MIT PRIMES-USA are all free. Lumiere and Veritas AI charge tuition but offer financial aid, and several other programs, such as LSU VMRC, offer limited financial assistance.
3. Which New Jersey math programs are best for students interested in proof-based or discrete mathematics?
Students interested in proof-based math might consider Rutgers Young Scholars Program in Discrete Mathematics, which requires solving a problem set as part of admission, Stanford Pre-Collegiate's Discrete Mathematics course, and MIT PRIMES-USA for a year-long research experience in mathematics or theoretical computer science.
4. When should I apply to math summer programs for high school students in New Jersey?
The earliest deadlines are Governor's School programs (January 8) and MIT PRIMES-USA (December 31 of the prior year). Others fall in spring, including Princeton Laboratory Learning Program (March 17), Kean GSSRP (March 6), and NJIT STEMx Residency (April 27).