14 Summer Programs for High School Students in Tennessee
If you’re a high school student in Tennessee, a summer program can give you a structured way to learn practical skills, see how a field works, and connect with professionals. You get the opportunity to learn more about your fields of interest from experts and meet like-minded peers. These programs are usually short and cost less than long-term courses, so you can explore an interest without committing too much time or money.
In Tennessee, you can find programs that place you in research labs, involve you in engineering or coding projects, or show you how healthcare systems function, offered by top universities and organizations. Activities might include collecting and analyzing data, building prototypes, shadowing professionals, or completing a project with a team. These local programs are also offered free of charge or with stipends, making them accessible to high schoolers in the state.
With that, here is a list of 14 summer programs in Tennessee for high school students!
14 Summer Programs for High School Students in Tennessee
1. Research Experience for High School Students (REHSS)
Location: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Research labs, Nashville, TN
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: May 27 – July 3
Application Deadline: Spring (typically March–April)
Eligibility: Rising seniors participating in the ISR program at Stratford STEM Magnet, Hillsboro, and John Overton High Schools
Research Experience for High School Students (REHSS) is a six-week, full-time summer research internship at Vanderbilt University. You’ll work 40 hours a week in a campus lab, guided by faculty, postdocs, and graduate students. Each week, you’ll join workshops to build your research skills. At the end of the program, you’ll present your project at a university-wide symposium. You can also submit your work to the Regeneron Science Talent Search and Vanderbilt’s Young Scientist journal.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies based on program type. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Moderately Selective
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
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, you will be 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, you will work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that you will 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.
3. High School Research Immersion Program – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Location: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
Cost: Stipend of $4,800 offered
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective; ~30 students per cohort
Dates: June 2 – July 25
Application Deadline: January 31 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors in the Memphis area and the immediate surrounding counties in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas who are at least 16 and have a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0
The St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program is an eight-week, full-time summer program for current juniors in the Memphis area and nearby counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. You’ll work in pairs with a research mentor on a hands-on project in lab science, psychology, epidemiology, clinical research, or data science. You’ll also work with a science educator to reflect on representation in science and develop your college personal statement. You’ll spend the first few weeks training with lab equipment and techniques, then present your findings through a scientific poster. Past projects have included chemical biology, neurobiology, and cancer research.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by the program type. Full financial aid is available
Application Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive, with a low cohort size
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a selective, 12-week research experience where you work 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor to develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics in psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. The program includes personalized sessions with your mentor and writing coach, and ends with a graduation symposium. You can find more details about the application here.
5. Summer High-School Internships in Research Experiences (SHIRE)
Location: Hillsboro High School, Nashville, TN
Cost: Stipend: $12 per hour for ages 14-16 and $15 per hour for ages 16-18.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 21
Dates: June 2 – July 18
Application Deadline: Not available
Eligibility: High School students enrolled in the ISR program at Stratford, John Overton, or Hillsboro High Schools in Nashville, TN.
SHIRE (Summer High-School Internships in Research Experiences) is a paid summer program for rising juniors and seniors in Vanderbilt’s Interdisciplinary Science and Research (ISR) programs. You work about 28 hours a week with ISR scientists on lab research and develop your project. Juniors focus on Cancer Biology or Engineering Principles, while seniors work on Water Assessment for the Ayin Project and continue research into the school year.
The program also includes 4 weekly hours of career development through the POWER Youth initiative, technical training, science communication workshops, and mentorship from Vanderbilt researchers. Past interns have learned sterile techniques, built engineering models, presented at the REHSS/SSMV Symposium, and joined community projects like stream cleanups.
6. Future in Health Sciences Summer Internship - Meharry Medical College
Location: Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort of nine students
Dates: 4 weeks in June or July (tentative, based on previous year dates)
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10 – 12
Futures in Health Sciences Summer Internship is a four-week program run by Meharry Medical College for high school students from underrepresented communities in Memphis. You’ll explore careers in medicine, dentistry, research, and data science through hands-on workshops, field trips, and career shadowing. You’ll work in a teaching kitchen, meet professionals across healthcare fields, and learn about public health and biomedical research.
7. Collaborative Interactive Data Science Academy – Meharry Medical College & Fisk University
Location: Daytime classes and activities will be held at Fisk University and Meharry Medical College. Students will spend evenings at Fisk University.
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 students
Dates: June 16 – 20
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
Collaborative Interactive Data Science Academy is a free, week-long summer program hosted by Meharry Medical College and Fisk University. You’ll join 24 other high school students to explore how NASA uses robotics and data science in space missions. You’ll work with real NASA datasets, program a Bionic Quadruped Robot, and use VR, MR, and AR tools to simulate lunar and Martian missions. Each day includes labs, team challenges, and talks from NASA scientists and engineers. You’ll stay on campus at Fisk University for a college-style experience. NASA funds this program through the Minority University Research and Education Project.
8. Baptist Health Sciences University’s HealthCORE Summer Camp
Location: Baptist Health Sciences University, Memphis, TN
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 9 – 13
Application Deadline: Not specified, but applications open in March
Eligibility: Rising 6th – 12th graders interested in STEM
HealthCORE is a five-day summer program hosted by Baptist Health Sciences University in partnership with Baptist Memorial Health Care. You’ll spend full days on campus exploring careers in health care through hands-on labs, team challenges, and guided tours. You’ll work with professionals in fields like sonography, nursing, respiratory care, public health, and nuclear medicine. You’ll also visit hospital facilities and take part in group activities focused on topics like the pandemic, mental health, and philosophy. The program is part of BaptistU’s larger HealthCORE initiative, which includes mentoring, tutoring, shadowing, and community outreach for high school students.
9. UT High School to Health Care (HS2HC)
Location: UT Martin Ripley Center, Ripley, TN
Cost: Free. Stipend provided upon completion.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: May 1 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Rising seniors from Tennessee, priority given to underserved students.
High School to Health Care (HS2HC) is a grant-funded initiative by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) that introduces high school students to careers in medical laboratory sciences and public health information technology. You’ll earn college credit through a 16-week dual enrollment course and take part in a summer camp focused on lab and data science. You’ll work with UTHSC faculty, analyze real medical data, and learn about HIPAA, patient safety, and cytotechnology. The program includes hands-on lab work, ethics training, inter-professional teamwork, and scientific communication.
10. UT Summer Design Camp
Location: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Cost: Specific amount not mentioned. Scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – 19
Application Deadline: May 1 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students
UTK Summer Design Camp is a week-long residential program hosted by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. You’ll explore architecture, graphic design, and interior design through hands-on projects in a UT design studio. You’ll learn foundational principles like form, color, pattern, and composition using both analog and digital tools. You’ll also study design theory, history, and technology, and get one-on-one guidance from UT faculty and advanced design students.
11. Dual Enrollment Program at Southwest Tennessee Community College
Location: Southwest Tennessee Community College campuses or participating high schools
Cost: $582.75 (3-hour course)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies based on course, check here
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis
Eligibility: Tennessee students in grades 9–12; requires GPA/ACT benchmarks and school approval
The Southwest Dual Enrollment Program lets you earn college credit while still in high school by taking Southwest Tennessee Community College courses either on campus or at your school. All classes are taught by Southwest faculty and follow college-level standards. You’ll receive a college transcript after completing each course. You can take up to two courses per semester. Most students start with general education subjects like English, math, or history. Dual enrollment can improve your high school GPA, increase your chances of college admission, and save money on tuition. Check available courses here.
12. Harvard Medical School Pre-College HMX Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Up to $1,895, depending on chosen course. Need-based scholarships are available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the year; 30 hours of instruction per course
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 13 and not yet enrolled in college.
Pre-College HMX Program is a self-paced, online course series for high school students ages 13 and up, designed and taught by Harvard Medical School faculty. You’ll study college-level medical science topics like Biochemistry, Genetics, Immunology, Pharmacology, and Physiology. Each course includes about 30 hours of material, modeled on the curriculum used for incoming Harvard graduate students. You’ll learn through video lessons, interactive tools, and case studies. You’ll also receive support from a mentor and earn a certificate of completion from Harvard Medical School.
13. AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp
Location: Virtual
Cost: Application Fee: $40, Program Participation Fee: $850
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50 students
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: February 28 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Rising high school students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp is a free, two-week virtual program hosted by Stanford’s Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging. You’ll explore how machine learning is used in healthcare, including how models are built, evaluated, and applied in real-world settings. You’ll also learn about Generative AI and Foundation Models. The program includes short online modules, breakout activities, and career talks from researchers, nonprofit leaders, and industry professionals.
14. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $850 + $40 application fee; need-based fee waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 students
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: February 28 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students; students with programming/math skills or experience in a healthcare project encouraged to apply.
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) runs the two-week Summer Research Internship for high school students interested in exploring aspects of AI in healthcare. You will work on a hands-on group project guided by Stanford student leads and researchers, and attend lectures covering AI fundamentals in medicine. You will be expected to solve a problem in AI and medicine with limited guidance. You will also have the option to extend your research internship opportunity after the program. At the end, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. Some students may also be invited to continue with an extended independent internship afterward.