10 Free Summer Programs for High School Students in North Carolina
If you’re a high school student in North Carolina, consider participating in a summer program to learn new skills and prepare for the coming school year. There are a range of summer programs for high school students, ranging from internships to hands-on research experiences and college-level coursework.
Fully funded or free summer programs have the added benefit of boosting your profile for college applications. Funded programs tend to be more selective, with some of them accepting as few as 5% of all applicants. Participating in a free summer program can therefore be a good indicator of your competitiveness when applying to college. Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
In this blog, we’ve listed 10 free summer programs for high school students in North Carolina.
The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation stands as a non-profit research program tailored for gifted students from low-income backgrounds. Stemming from the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, renowned for its extensive one-on-one research opportunities for high school students, the foundation provides the same access to independent research experiences at zero cost.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In our flagship program, we pair talented high-school students with world-class PhD mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can apply here!
This program is a particularly solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper.
Cost: The program is fully funded!
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: 4 annual cohorts run in fall, spring, summer, and winter
Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall
Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: Accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
This is a residential program in food, agricultural, and environmental science for rising juniors and seniors in high school at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. You'll conduct independent research projects, working under the direction of research scientists. To apply, you have to submit your high school transcript, two letters of recommendation, an endorsement from your high school counselor, and an essay on why you want to pursue your career path of choice.
Cost: Free, stipend provided
Program date: June 16 – 29
Application deadline: February 29
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Location: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC
YCCN is an empowerment program for teenagers aged 15-18 to engage in conservation projects across the state. The program is divided into crews, and you can choose the one you want to join. The camping crew spends the session working and camping in the Uwharrie National Forest. As part of this group, you will be working on habitat restoration, trail maintenance, and fence installation. The Durham Day Crew will work to restore land in the area, including gardening and invasive species removal. Each crew is designed to be closely knit with 4-6 members and 2 crew leaders.
Cost: Free
Program Date: June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 15-18
Location: Various locations across North Carolina
The High School Summer Research Program at the NC State College of Natural Resources aims to provide opportunities for high school students to explore forestry and natural resources. It also gives you the chance to learn about career development directly from undergraduates and practitioners in that field. You will get to participate in seminars hosted by NC State’s Office of Undergraduate Research and attend the annual Research and Creativity Symposium in the summer.
Cost: Free, stipend of up to $1,000
Application deadline: April
Program Date: July 8 – August 2
Eligibility: High school students
Location: NC State College of Natural Resources, Raleigh, NC or online
This 5-day intensive provides high school students with the opportunity to learn about the medical profession. The UNC Rural Medicine Summer Academy is a collaborative initiative between the UNC Department of Family Medicine and the UNC School of Medicine Office of Rural Initiatives. You will participate in medical simulations and shadowing and even have the chance to get a CPR certification. The program includes mentorship opportunities, leadership workshops, and other enrichment activities.
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors, especially those from rural North Carolina
Location: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
D.U.N.E is a medical program that encourages the exploration of neuroscience and the processes involved in cutting-edge Healy technology. You will be matched with a neuroscience lab at Duke University based on your research interests. Under the guidance of professional scientists, you'll perform hands-on neuroscience research and gain technical skills. You will also have the opportunity to participate in professional development workshops. The program concludes with a final presentation, where you’ll discuss your research findings.
Cost: Free, stipend provided
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 9
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 15 years old, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and live within commuting distance of campus
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
The NIH has merged its high school internship program into the SIP, which offers research opportunities in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences. As an SIP participant, you will work under NIH principal investigators and conduct research in fields such as biology, chemistry, nursing, physics, computer science, psychology, mathematics, and more. You will also have access to professional development opportunities and educational advising programs.
Cost: Free, $2,530 monthly stipend for high school students
Application Deadline: February 19
Program Dates: June – August
Eligibility: High school students who are 18 and enrolled in an accredited educational institution
Location: NIH campuses across the country, including Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC
This program is a one-week-long opportunity for rising high school seniors that focuses on career opportunities in agriculture and leadership development. You will get to meet with departmental representatives at NC State to learn about potential majors and undertake service projects. You will also participate in field trips to visit research and teaching farms and explore agricultural industries that are at the forefront of the utilization of energy technologies.
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: March 31
Program Dates: June 16 – 21
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
Location: NC State, Raleigh, NC
This summer program is a state-funded initiative for North Carolina students who are academically talented. The program gives you the chance to conduct research in STEM with faculty and explore future careers in the field. The program begins with an online orientation called Research Prep, where you’ll learn how to read and analyze scientific literature. Once you reach campus, you’ll work with peers to formulate and investigate a research question, developing skills in data analysis, the engineering design process, handling lab instrumentation, and more.
Application Deadline: January 5
Cost: Free
Program dates: 4 weeks in the summer, specific dates TBA
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors who attend high school in North Carolina
Location: Four academic institutions in North Carolina, see details here
10. Step Up to STEM
This one-week residential summer program provides STEM opportunities for underrepresented students. To participate, students must apply as rising ninth-grade students and then return for a second summer as rising tenth-graders. Through this program, you will build skills in communications, science, math, and technology. The program aims to encourage students to pursue STEM careers.
Application Deadline: February 4
Cost: Free
Program dates:
NCSSM Durham Cohort 1: June 15 – 20
ECSU: July 6 – 11
NCSSM Durham Cohort 2: July 13 – 18
Eligibility: Current eighth graders who live in one of these North Carolina counties. The location you apply to depends on your county of residence
Location: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, Durham, NC, or Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC
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.