14 Programs in Canada for High School Students
As a high school student, structured programs can be a strong option if you want more than classroom exposure. By participating in these experiences, you get to step into environments where you can gain experience working on projects like coding a functional app, conducting lab work, or shadowing doctors. These programs are run by prestigious universities and industry leaders, allowing you to build a professional network of mentors and peers.
Why should you attend a program in Canada?
Universities such as the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia, offer well-structured programs that combine academic study with practical exploration. You might work on research projects, attend workshops, or collaborate with peers to solve technical and creative challenges across STEM, medicine, and the arts. Whether you live in Canada or are traveling to study, these programs offer an opportunity to learn in a diverse and collaborative setting while experiencing Canada’s strong academic and cultural environment.
In this blog, we have narrowed down 15 programs in Canada for high school students.
If you are looking for free online programs, check out our blog here.
1. Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program
Location: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ~25 students
Dates: July 6 – August
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–12 who are at least 16 years old and legally authorized to work in Canada
The Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is a summer research experience for high school students. You’ll work alongside researchers, contributing to active projects at the intersection of engineering, medicine, physics, and biology. Your work may include testing how focused ultrasound affects biological mechanisms, assisting with experimental studies, or helping design circuit boards used in medical devices. The program places you inside a functioning research lab rather than a simulated classroom setting. By the end, you gain a clearer idea of how clinical research and device development operate in real time.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on the program type; Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; AI Scholars: student-to-mentor ratio of 5:1; AI Fellowship: 1:1 mentoring
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Rolling basis; Varies by cohort - Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November); apply here
Eligibility: AI Scholars: High school students worldwide | AI Fellowship applicants need prior AI or Python experience or completion of AI Scholars
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 get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance 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. RBC Summer Tech Labs
Location: Both in-person in the downtown core of Toronto, as well as remote
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, hourly rate will be outlined in the offer letter
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 25 students per year
Dates: July 2 – August 20
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Grade 11 and 12 students enrolled in an Ontario high school who have working knowledge of one or more programming languages and applied experience with technology concepts or coding
RBC Summer Tech Labs is an eight-week paid internship run through RBC’s Future Launch initiative. As an intern, you’ll join a small team and build working prototypes for real RBC business units. You use industry tools such as JavaScript, GitHub, and React.js while learning how technical ideas move from concept to product. The program mirrors a professional tech environment, with regular team check-ins and clear deliverables. You also present your work and explain your design choices, and might have the opportunity to interact with senior RBC leaders who review projects and offer direct feedback on both technical execution and communication.
4. Immerse Education’s Academic Insights Pathway
Location: Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Boston
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, robotic arm building in engineering, or moot courts for 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.
5. University of Toronto: Blueprint
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Toronto, ON
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; roughly 30–40 students per year
Dates: July 6 – 31 + biweekly engagement from October to February the following year
Application Deadline: March 29
Eligibility: Canadian Black students in grades 10 and 11
Blueprint is an outreach program run by the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering for Black Canadian students in grades 10 and 11. You’ll take two focused courses, Engineering and Human Health, and Mechatronics and Automation, led by U of T master’s and doctoral students, with undergraduates as mentors. The curriculum centers on the engineering design process and helps you apply it to real problems. After the summer, Grade 11 students continue into a year-long Prepare program that builds leadership and communication skills. Grade 12 students move into MAPS(My Academic Preparation Sessions), which focuses on university readiness, applications, and navigating academic life.
6. Emily Stowe Scholars Program
Location: Women’s College Hospital, Grenville St, Toronto
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 8 high school students per summer
Dates: 6 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Typically, early January
Eligibility: Grade 11–12 high school students who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized women, 2SLGBTQI+, trans, two-spirit, non-binary, and persons with a disability,, must have previously taken grade 11/12 Biology and Chemistry, and are at least 16 years old by July 7 (students graduating in June are also eligible)
In this six-week paid program, you will explore health sciences by working on actual research projects at Women's College Hospital and SickKids. You will dive into topics like medical equity and social determinants of health while assisting with data collection and professional literature reviews. Throughout the summer, you will attend weekly seminars, shadow medical experts, and present your final project at a research symposium. The program specifically focuses on supporting students from underrepresented communities through tailored mentorship and paid work terms. By the end, you will have gained practical research skills, professional networking experience, and the confidence to collaborate in a scientific environment.
7. University of Toronto: Summer Psychology Research Initiative (SPRINT)
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Ontario
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 57 high school participants (40 Research Stream and 17 Lecture Stream)
Dates: July 14 – 25
Application Deadline: Typically, May
Eligibility: High school students in Ontario; special preference given to Indigenous, Black, and racialized (IBR) students entering grades 11 and 12
The Summer Psychology Research Initiative at the University of Toronto is a ten-day program for high school students interested in studying psychology. The program places you into either a Lecture Stream or a Research Stream based on your background and interests. In the Lecture Stream, you’ll study psychology as a scientific discipline through structured lessons and discussions. In the Research Stream, you’ll work in a small team with guidance from postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate mentors. You learn how to frame a research question and design a feasible study. The program ends with a Presentation Day, where you’ll present your group’s research proposal.
8. U of T: Da Vinci Engineering Enrichment Program (DEEP)
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: 725 CAD/week for domestic students; 1,100 CAD/week for international students + $50–$60 CAD application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 20–25 students per course
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions from July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: March–April
Eligibility: Grade 9-12 students must have completed at least one year of high school | Grade 9-10 students must have completed the grade 9 math and grade 9 science courses by June | Grade 11-12 students must have completed the grade 11 math and grade 11 science courses by June
The Da Vinci Engineering Enrichment Program at the University of Toronto is a one-week program designed for high school students interested in pursuing advanced engineering. You will be taught by U of T faculty, graduate students, and researchers, and can choose from courses in Artificial Intelligence, DNA Sequencing, Cryptography, and Robotics. You can expect the coursework to have practical work where you might code using Python, build machine learning models, or design a self-driving algorithm. The focus of the program is to help you develop problem-solving and creative thinking skills needed in a university environment.
9. CISS Future Entrepreneurs
Location: CISS at Trinity, Toronto, ON
Cost: $5,500 CAD
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrolment; maximum 20 students
Dates: July 5 – 18; July 19 – August 1
Application Deadline: Typically, early June
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–18 with an advanced level of English, equivalent to IELTS 4.0+
The CISS Future Entrepreneurs program introduces high school students to the full cycle of entrepreneurship. You start by examining what drives entrepreneurs, including decision-making, risk, and adaptability. Next, you will shift your focus to applied work on creativity, collaboration, and clearly pitching ideas. You develop a business proposal step by step and prepare it for presentation. Along the way, you engage in structured activities, talk with entrepreneurs, and visit local businesses. The program ends with a Shark Tank-style pitch, where you present your plan and receive direct feedback on your thinking and execution.
10. U of T’s CREATE: Engineering Design Challenges
Location: U of T St. George Campus, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: 725 CAD/week for domestic students; 1,100 CAD/week for international students; discounts are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 20–25 students per course
Dates: Multiple One-week sessions (A–F) between July 6 and August 21
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Grade 9-12 students must have completed at least one year of high school | Grade 9-10 students must have completed the grade 9 math and grade 9 science courses by June | Grade 11-12 students must have completed the grade 11 math and grade 11 science courses by June
In this program, you will dive into the engineering design cycle by tackling real-world problems in fields such as robotics, aerospace, bioengineering, and sustainable energy. Throughout the week, you might build custom prototypes, program automated systems, or conduct experiments to test the structural integrity of your designs. You will work in U of T’s advanced labs under the guidance of PhD researchers and professional engineers. You will walk away with sharpened technical skills in 3D modeling and coding, while also mastering the soft skills like collaborative project management and professional presentation.
11. University of Toronto’s Youth Summer Program: Medicine Track
Location: University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, Toronto, ON
Cost: 1,668 CAD/module
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not selective; up to 120 students/module
Dates: Multiple sessions between July 7 and August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Canadian and international students in grades 10–12; grade 9 students are eligible for just Module 4 (Microbiology - Learn To Appreciate The Little Things In Life)
The Medicine Youth Summer Program at the University of Toronto is a one-week introduction to the field of medical science for high school students. You choose from four focused academic modules and study topics such as human physiology, pharmacodynamics, DNA fingerprinting, and antibiotic resistance. The program introduces you to university-level academics through lectures, assigned coursework, and small discussions led by researchers. You will also conduct experiments related to microbiology and human health. The program is designed to prepare you for what studying medicine and biomedical research looks like at the university level.
12. Daniels Design Discovery Program
Location: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost: $1,550 CAD/course + HST; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not selective; maximum class size of 30 students
Dates: Session 1: June 30 – July 11 (Drawing Practices); July 14 – 25 (Model Making) | Session 2: July 28 – August 8 (Drawing Practices); August 11 – 22 (Model Making)
Application Deadline: No deadline; applications are accepted up to one week before the start date of each course
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–18
The Daniels Design Discovery Program is a two-week program for high school students interested in architecture and design. You choose between two focused courses: Drawing Practices or Model Making. In Drawing Practices, you study a site and develop design ideas through sketching, photography, and digital tools. In Model Making, you turn concepts into physical form using hands-on materials and 3D modeling software. The program helps you to develop architectural ideas, test them, and communicate the ideas effectively in an academic studio environment.
13. University of Toronto’s International Summer Academy - Pre-University Program
Location: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost: $6,275 + additional costs; details here
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 20–25 students
Dates: June 14 – July 4; July 5 – 25; July 26 – August 15
Application Deadline: Typically, March
Eligibility: High school students with advanced levels of English and aged 15–18
The International Summer Academy at the University of Toronto is a three-week pre-university program for high school students. In this academic enrichment opportunity, you can choose from courses in Global Leadership, Game Studies, Applied Statistics, Film Studies, Law, etc. You will attend lectures and readings, and engage in structured activities, all leading to a final project. Past students have analyzed migration patterns globally, studied cultural theory in film and cinema, and explored statistical concepts through mathematics. Beyond academics, there are team-building exercises and research-based tasks.
14. University of Toronto’s Youth Summer Program – Law Track
Location: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: $1175 CAD + $98 CAD registration fee; scholarships available for Canadian students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; 60 students per module
Dates: Multiple offerings between July and August based on the YSP Module, check here
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades 10–12
In this program, you can choose from four different modules: Corporate Law: Negotiate Big Business Deals; Criminal Law: Prosecute and Defend Murder; International Law: Protect Human Rights and Examine International Norms; and Law, AI & Technology: Test the limits of law in the age of AI. You’ll take part in mock trials, debates, and negotiation exercises that mirror how legal reasoning works in practice. You will interact with guest speakers and go on field trips, which helps you connect classroom concepts to real legal contexts. The program is best suited for students who want to test their interest in law before committing to it at the undergraduate level.
Image source - Veritas AI