10 Best College Programs for High School Students
If you want a head start on your college journey, enrolling in college programs for high school students can help. These programs let you explore college-level courses in subjects you’re passionate about, offering a glimpse of university life, even if just for a few weeks.
Beyond basic academic exposure, they can strengthen your college applications with experiences to highlight in essays and interviews. You’ll also connect with peers—some who might become future classmates—and work on projects with university professors, building both knowledge and skills.
When choosing a program, consider factors like cost (including scholarships and financial aid), university reputation, and competitiveness. We’ve curated this list to help you find the best college programs for high school students that offer both academic value and meaningful experiences.
Here are the 10 programs we recommend if you want a taste of university life before graduating:
Subject Areas: Multi-disciplinary across STEM and humanities
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Eligibility: Open to rising high school juniors and seniors (graduating in 2026 or 2027) who are at least 16 by June 21, and under 19 before July 31.
Application Deadlines:
Early Application & Priority Financial Aid: January 8
Regular Application & Financial Aid: February 12
Late Application: April 9 (or earlier if courses fill up)
Dates: Choose from three summer sessions:
Session I: June 22–July 3
Session II: July 6–18
Session III: July 20–August 1
Cost: $5,800 plus a $75 application fee.
Harvard University’s Pre-College Program is a two-week summer program where you’ll stay on campus and take college-level courses taught by Harvard faculty. You can choose from around 30 courses in subjects like literature, psychology, medicine, law, business, STEM, astronomy, and statistics. The program also includes social activities and seminars on the college admissions process, with panels led by admissions officers from U.S. universities. Instead of college credits, you’ll receive a written evaluation from your instructor, which can be included in your college applications.
Subject Areas: Astrophysics
Location: Center for Astrophysics (CfA), Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA
Eligibility: Students enrolled at the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School
Application Deadline: Will be communicated to eligible students closer to program dates
Dates: Typically September - May
Cost: Free (Students receive a stipend from the City of Cambridge)
The Harvard-Smithsonian Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) is a year-long astrophysics research program for 10–16 high school students from Cambridge Rindge & Latin School. Participants work closely with experienced astrophysicists from the Center for Astrophysics (CfA), with a mentor assigned to every 2–3 students. The program includes weekly meetings and monthly advisory sessions, both in-person and virtual. At the end of the program, students present their research at a symposium hosted by Harvard University. Through this experience, you’ll develop critical thinking and communication skills while exploring niche topics in astrophysics.
Subject Areas: Artificial Intelligence
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg, PA
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are students in 11th and 12th grade
Application Deadline: March 1
Dates: June 21 - July 19 (with a virtual pre-program course on Python starting around mid-May)
Cost: Fully-funded opportunity (Students who can demonstrate limited access to financial or academic resources are encouraged to apply)
The AI Scholars pre-college program at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a 4-week residential program designed for high school students with limited access to computer science resources or financial support. Organized by CS Pathways, it aims to support underrepresented students interested in STEM. The curriculum includes college-level courses taught by CMU faculty and AI professionals, along with seminars and workshops focused on college admissions. Students collaborate on hands-on group projects, presenting their work at the program’s conclusion. Weekend academic tours and field trips offer additional learning experiences beyond the classroom.
CMU also has other pre-college programs that you might be interested in.
Subject Areas: STEM disciplines, including bio- and molecular engineering, chemical engineering, robotics, computer science, AI and Machine Learning
Location: Remote for 4 weeks + in-person at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Eligibility: Residents of New York City (including non-U.S. residents) who will complete 10th or 11th grade in June
Application Deadline: February 21
Dates: June 2 - August 8
Cost: Free
The Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) at NYU is a 10-week program for high school students interested in STEM. It includes 4 weeks of remote evening workshops followed by 6 weeks of hands-on lab experience at NYU, where you’ll work closely with university faculty mentors. If shortlisted, you’ll tour labs related to your chosen research area and participate in a one-on-one interview with lab personnel. The program covers various STEM fields, helping you explore potential specializations. You’ll also engage in community events to connect with peers and share research experiences.
Subject Areas: Journalism, social and political science
Location: Remote + 10 days at Princeton University, NJ
Eligibility: High school juniors who are residents of the U.S (need not be U.S. citizens) with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5 out of 4.0, with at least one of the following socioeconomic conditions: combined income of parents/guardians plus child support doesn’t exceed $60,000, family income that qualifies you to receive free/reduced-price lunch in high school or a SAT/ACT fee waiver
Application Deadline: Applications open on Dec 1, and run till February
Dates: July-August, followed by almost a year of college preparation assistance
Cost: Free
The Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP), run by the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity at Princeton University, supports 40 high school students from financially limited backgrounds. The program has two parts:
First, students take part in an intensive course in July, culminating in a 10-day residential experience on Princeton’s campus. They contribute to the Princeton Summer Journal and attend lectures and workshops—both in-person and virtual—on topics like feature writing, social media journalism, food journalism, and reporting basics. Led by professors, journalists, and alumni, these sessions explore journalism’s role in political events, covering sensitive topics, and conducting interviews. Students receive direct feedback on their work from professional journalists and visit major news outlets.
In the second phase, during their senior year, students are paired with personal college advisors who support them through the college application process, including guidance on college essays and school selection.
Subject Areas: Multiple STEM fields, including but not limited to specializations in physics, chemistry, engineering, human physiology and neuroscience, computer programming, etc.
Location: Columbia University Morningside Campus, NY
Eligibility: High school students who will be in 10th-12th grade at the time of the start of the program
Application Deadline: March 27 (Tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: Fall semester is September 8 - December 14; Spring semester is February 8 - May 3, (Tentative)
Cost: $600 (Tentative) $50 non-refundable application fee
The Columbia University Science Honors Program (SHP) offers advanced science and math courses taught by faculty actively involved in research. Designed for high school students passionate about these subjects, the program provides an opportunity to engage with college-level material on Columbia’s campus.
Classes are held in person on Saturday mornings and vary between lecture-based sessions and hands-on lab work. No prior coding experience is required for computer programming courses, but students interested in relativity should have completed pre-calculus.
Admission requires a two-hour entrance exam in June, covering algebra, trigonometry, geometry, probability, and basic science concepts.
Subject Areas: Architecture and construction, Industrial Design, Music Technology
Location: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Eligibility: Rising junior and senior high school students
Application Deadline: Applications open on January 10, and the first round of decisions will be taken by January 31
Dates: June 15 - 27 (Session 1) or July 6-18 (Session 2)
Cost: $2,500 (includes accommodation and sponsored activities on weekends)
The College of Design at Georgia Institute of Technology offers a 2-week in-person pre-college program for high school students interested in architecture, industrial design, music technology, or building construction. You can choose from multiple disciplines, with music technology available in June, building construction in July, and architecture and industrial design offered in both sessions.
In the architecture course, you'll work on design projects for your portfolio, while building construction includes site visits and hands-on work with drones and 3D printers. The music technology course covers software for music production. Courses are taught by Georgia Tech faculty, with workshops led by current students, and on-campus living offers a glimpse of student life.
Subject Areas: Engineering disciplines (Civil, chemical, electrical, computer, mechanical) and materials science
Location:
Students can pick from the following locations as residential students:
Homewood Campus, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Hood College, Frederick, MD
Commuter students can attend classes at:
Homewood Campus, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Hood College, Frederick, MD
Ohlone College, Fremont, CA
University of the District of Columbia, Washington D.C.
Eligibility: Current high school student or recent high school graduate who must be at least 15 years of age at the start of the program and no older than 17 years old by the end of the program:
With As and Bs in high school math and science classes
Classes related to Algebra II, trigonometric functions, and a full year of high school chemistry and/or physics with a lab component.
Application Deadline: Rolling basis, with a final deadline of May 28
Dates: June 30 - July 25
Cost: Anywhere between $3,575 and $9,375 (depending on the location and format of study you pick) + $50 application fee
The Exploring Engineering Innovation (EEI) pre-college program at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) is a rigorous, three-credit course designed for students strong in math and science. Modeled after first-year engineering courses, it includes hands-on projects like designing a spaghetti bridge that can support 200 pounds. Students work closely with university peers, developing problem-solving and experimental skills essential to engineering. The program is available both in-person and online. If you're interested in sustainability, JHU also offers the Sustainable Energy Engineering program, held at the same time as EEI but only in person.
Subject Areas: Engineering
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Eligibility: High school sophomore or junior with demonstrated interest in STEM through completed classes (with a minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0) related to AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Chemistry, or other equivalent courses that are related to math, science, computer science, and other STEM disciplines who have demonstrated leadership potential in addressing issues of underrepresentation of women in STEM or have experienced a situation that impacted their ability to work in a STEM field because of being a woman
Application Deadline: February 15 (Tentative)
Dates: July 13-19
Cost: $1,900, which includes accommodation and meals (scholarships are available) + $75 application fee
The CURIE Academy, part of the Cornell Engineering High School Outreach Program, aims to make STEM more accessible to underrepresented groups based on gender, race, or finances. This one-week program includes daily lectures by Cornell faculty and nine field sessions, one focused on the college admissions process. Students also work on research projects under the mentorship of Cornell’s undergraduate and graduate students. The application is detailed, so plan ahead to craft strong responses.
Subject Areas: Math, science, and humanities
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and can demonstrate a passion for science, engineering, technology, and math through essays and extracurricular activities
Application Deadline: February 1 (Tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: June 15-July 26 (Tentative, based on previous years)
Cost: Free (including accommodation)
The MITES Summer program (formerly MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Sciences) is a free, six-week pre-college course at MIT. Students take five rigorous courses in math, science, and humanities, with lab tours and hands-on projects covering topics like machine learning, architecture, and genomics. The program includes interactions with MIT undergraduates and admissions counselors for college prep guidance. You'll also attend STEM seminars and visit companies employing MITES alums. For a longer experience, consider applying to MITES Summer—both programs share the same application and eligibility criteria.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research and earning UCSD credits, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.