10 Summer Programs for High School Students in Alabama
Alabama offers many summer programs designed to inspire and engage high school students. Whether you're interested in science, technology, engineering, the arts, or leadership, there's a program tailored to match your passions and aspirations. These programs provide not only an academic boost but also a chance to explore potential career paths, meet like-minded peers, and experience life on a college campus.
From immersive engineering camps at Auburn University to creative workshops in the arts, Alabama's summer programs can not only help you build new skills but also add to your college admissions profile. By participating in a summer program, you show admissions officers that you have the initiative to pursue your academic interests beyond the traditional high school curriculum.
In this blog, we'll explore 10 summer programs available to high school students in Alabama.
Cost: Individual Research Program ($2,990), Premium Research & Publication Program ($5,900), the Research Fellowship ($8,900), Professor Premium Publication Program ($8,900). Financial aid available
Application Deadline: November 24, 2024 for the upcoming Winter Cohort
Program Dates: Individual Research (12 weeks) | Premium Research (16-20 weeks) | Research Fellowship (6-12 months) | Professor Premium (16-20 weeks)
Eligibility: Open to high school students anywhere in the world
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with PhD mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Cost: AI Scholars: $2,290 (financial aid is available); AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase: $5,400; Combination (AI Scholars + AI Fellowship): $6,900
Application Deadline: October 20, 2024 for the upcoming Winter cohort. You can apply here!
Program Dates: Multiple, year-round cohorts
Eligibility: High school students passionate about AI; Basic understanding of Python or completion of AI scholars is required for the AI Fellowship program
Veritas AI is founded and run by Harvard graduate students and our programs are geared towards high school students who want to build their foundations in computer science. In the program, students learn various concepts in data science and artificial intelligence like neural networks, image classification, natural language processing, sentiment analysis, coding using Python, and more.
Veritas AI offers up to 100% financial aid for the 10-week AI Scholars program. Through the program, students build real-world, hands-on projects in groups of 3-5 to showcase their interests and skills. You can also apply for the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase Program where you work 1-1 with mentors from top universities to build unique machine learning projects over a period of 12-15 weeks. These programs are a great option for you if you like engaging in hands-on learning and are a beginner!
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Cost: $2,490 (Financial Aid Available)
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. November 24, 2024 for the upcoming Winter cohort
Internship Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form.
Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. Past founders have included YCombinator alums, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form.
Interns are offered one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other such valuable skills and will also have the opportunity to attend group training sessions with other interns in their cohort. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Location: Virtual
Application Date: November 10, 2024 for the Winter cohort, February 9, 2025 for the Spring cohort
Program Dates:
Winter seminar: December 2, 2024 onwards
Spring seminar: March 2, 2025 onwards
Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a few tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! Horizon is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research! Once you select a particular subject track as well as the type of research you wish to carry out, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar from a reputed university who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. Apply here!
Location: This program is 100% virtual, with live, interactive workshops
Cost: The total cost to attend the 3-week program is $2,900. There is need-based financial aid
Application Deadline: November 24, 2024 for the upcoming Winter cohort. You can access the application link here!
Program Dates: December 21, 2024 – January 5, 2025 for the Winter cohort
Eligibility: The program is currently open to all high school students
The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X. Apart from building the start-up itself, you will also participate in interactive classes on business fundamentals and business ideations, workshops, skill-building sessions, case studies, panel discussions, and more.
The program is an excellent opportunity to delve into the world of business in high school and have a space to explore multiple theoretical as well as practical frameworks that lead to a successful business. You can check out the brochure for the program here.
Location: Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: April 5, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: June 2 – 15, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Current high school students
The Agri-TREK/Sci-TREK Summer Institute is an immersive, two-week residential experience designed to introduce high school students to the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, and Mathematics (STEAM). Participants will engage in hands-on research, leadership development, and personal enrichment activities, gaining valuable insights into educational and career opportunities in agriculture and related sciences. Since their inception, these programs have provided more than 300 high school students with the opportunity to explore the latest developments in AgriScience and related disciplines.
Location: Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: May 31, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Current high school students
The Alabama Youth Institute at Tuskegee University offers an opportunity for high school students passionate about tackling global challenges. This program allows you to engage with local leaders, participate in hands-on activities, and explore ways to make a meaningful impact in Alabama and beyond. Participants gain recognition as Borlaug Scholars, qualifying them for prestigious internships and further opportunities.
During the institute, you present your research and recommendations on solving critical global issues, engage in discussions with statewide experts, and connect with peers from across Alabama. The program also includes interactions with global leaders and innovators, offering insights into the efforts to end hunger and poverty and to improve food security worldwide. Students' papers are evaluated by The World Food Prize Board of Reviewers, who provide personalized feedback to encourage and mentor each participant.
Location: Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Cost: Free or $75, depending on program
Application Deadline: Dates vary based on program
Program Dates: Dates vary based on program, typically in June and July
Eligibility: Current high school students
The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University offers a range of summer programs designed to introduce high school students to the diverse and dynamic field of engineering. These programs, ranging from one-day expos to week-long residential experiences, provide hands-on learning opportunities in various engineering disciplines, including robotics, computing, and bioresource engineering. You can explore engineering majors, engage in activities that simulate real-world engineering challenges, and interact with Auburn faculty and current engineering students.
Location: Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: TBA for 2025. Two sessions were offered in 2024:
Students entering Grades 9-10: June 3 – 7, 2024
Students entering Grades 11-12: June 24 – 28, 2024
Eligibility: Current high school students
The Veterinary Science Training, Education, and Preparation Institute (VET STEP) at Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine is a dynamic one-week residential program aimed at minority high school students interested in veterinary medicine. This program offers students the chance to immerse themselves in the world of veterinary science through a combination of academic classes, hands-on activities, lab exercises, and field trips.
VET STEP is divided into two programs: VET-STEP I and VET-STEP II. Each program features a unique curriculum, covering topics such as anatomy, veterinary pathology, clinical learning, public health, and specialized areas like equine and small animal medicine. You will also gain practical experience with visits to animal facilities and research labs.
Location: Alabama Ballet, Birmingham, AL
Cost: $525/week
Application Deadline: Auditions are closed for 2024, check back for 2025 dates
Program Dates: June 3 – 29, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Students aged 11 – 19
The Alabama Ballet Summer Program is a four-week intensive workshop designed for intermediate and advanced ballet students. Held at the Alabama Ballet Center for Dance in Birmingham, this program offers rigorous training in ballet technique, pointe, variations, modern dance, jazz, and hip-hop, providing a comprehensive experience for developing dancers.
On the first day of the program, students are carefully placed into levels based on their technical ability and physical strength, ensuring that the curriculum is tailored to your individual needs. You will receive personalized instruction to progress in your technical and artistic abilities. The program also includes daily classes, seminars on topics crucial to young dancers, and rehearsals leading up to a culminating Workshop Performance.
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.
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