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Writer's pictureStephen Turban
12 min read

11 Summer Programs for High School Students in Europe

If you’re thinking about studying abroad, or are looking to explore academic opportunities in Europe, a summer program can give a peek into what it’s like to do a full-fledged program there. It can also be a great way to step outside of your comfort zone and experience different cultures. Not only that, it can be a great addition to your college application, demonstrating your willingness to challenge yourself. 


Europe, in particular, is home to many prestigious universities, some of which offer high-value programs for high school students around the world. So, we’ve listed the 10 best summer programs for high school students in Europe for you to consider!


Note: The program fee currencies are in line with where the program is based. So keep in mind that £1000 is about $1300, and €1000 is about $1100.


Location: Virtual

Cost: $2,800 - Individual Research Program | $5,400 - Premium Research & Publication Program | $8,900 - Research Fellowship.

Eligibility: All high school students can apply.

Application deadline: Four cohorts in a year–Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall. For the summer cohort, applications open in January and typically close in May.

Dates: Individual Research Program lasts 12 weeks | Premium Research & Publication Program runs from 16-20 weeks | Research Fellowship runs 6-12 months.


If you are interested in doing university-level research in any field, whether it is in humanities, social sciences, or STEM subjects, then you can consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. 


Lumiere was founded by researchers at Harvard and Oxford, with an understanding of what rigorous academic life entails. The Research Scholar Programs ensure that hundreds of ambitious high school students get hands-on experience in conducting cutting-edge research in their subject of choice. It’s a fairly selective virtual program that pairs each student with a top Ph.D.-level mentor to work 1-on-1 and produce a university-level research paper. Last year, over 4,000 students applied 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.


Location: Virtual

Eligibility: Anyone can apply. For the AI Scholars program, no previous experience is required—applicants need to show a keen interest in AI. For the AI Fellowship program, applicants will either need to complete the AI Scholars program or have some experience with AI concepts or Python.

Cost: AI Scholars - $1,790 | AI Fellowship - $4,900 | For both programs - $5,900. Need-based financial aid is available.

Application deadline: The program runs in cohorts throughout the year. Applications for the summer cohort close on April 14, 2024. You can apply here!

Program Dates: Multiple sessions from July to September. The AI Scholars runs for 10 weeks, and the AI Fellowship program runs for 12-15 weeks.


Veritas AI offers several AI programs to ambitious middle school and high school students, from close-group, collaborative learning to customized project pathways with 1:1 mentorship. The programs have been designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni.


In the AI Scholars program, students will work with Ph.D. students from top institutions to learn the fundamentals of Python and key concepts in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data science, such as regression, natural language processing, and neural networks, and learn the basics of Python. Students will build a strong AI foundation through real-world group projects. The AI Fellowship program allows students to work one-on-one with a mentor to develop a unique, individual project. In the past, students have worked on AI projects at the intersection of medicine, finance, sports, environmental science, mental health, and more. You can check out examples of past projects here.​​


Location: Virtual

Cost: $1,990. Financial assistance is available

Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students! Application deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year. The summer cohort deadline is April 14, 2024.

Program dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year.


This is a virtual internship program that matches students with start-ups and nonprofits across the world and allows them to work on a real-world project that is relevant to the organization. Students can pick the field they want to work in – machine learning, finance, engineering, health tech, fashion, non-profit, media, journalism, and more. Examples of previous projects include ‘Machine learning model to predict customer churn for an e-commerce website’ and ‘Marketing campaign for series—A backed media company’. Overall, you will spend 10-15 hours per week on this internship and end it with a letter of completion from the company. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. The Ladder Coach serves as a second mentor and a sounding board, guiding students through the internship and helping them navigate the startup environment.


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 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 and 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 and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. Apply here!


Location: Virtual 

Application Date: May 21, 2024, for the summer cohort, and September 25, 2024, for the fall cohort 

Program Dates: 

  • Summer seminar - June 24, 2024 - September 2, 2024

  • Fall seminar - October 23, 2024 - February 19, 2025

  • 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 couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.


Location: Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK. This is a residential program, housing is mandatory.

Cost: £6,600, which includes accommodation and meals.

Eligibility: High school students who will be 16-17 years old at the start of the program can apply. More information on eligibility criteria is available here. You can check international qualifications here. Application deadline: Applications open on January 8, 2024, and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dates: July 1–12, 2024 | August 5–16, 2024


Offered by one of the top universities in Europe, Imperial College London, the Global Summer School is a strong option for students keen on a residential pre-college STEM program. For the program, students need to choose one of these four streams: Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Engineering, Medicine and Life Sciences, and Physics.


In the first week, you will build your knowledge base in your chosen subject. In the second week, you will work on a real-world challenge, or the ‘Innovation Challenge’, with students from other streams. You will be taught by the esteemed Imperial College faculty and will spend a total of 50 hours in the program, spread across two weeks. Your lessons will consist of lectures, seminars, and practical sessions and might help you figure out if you’d like to choose that subject as your college major! Additionally, during the program, you will get professional advice and guidance on applying to a university in the UK, especially to the Imperial College London. For more information, check out the 2024 brochure.


Location: King's College London, Strand, London, England, UK

Cost: £60 application fee (which won’t be applicable to early applications submitted by January 31, 2024) + tuition (starting at £2,795). This varies based on the number of sessions you choose to attend, and whether you wish to stay in university housing for the program. See further details under here.

Eligibility: Students enrolled in or entering the final two years of high school can apply. DO check the English language requirements before applying.

Application deadline: March 31, 2024

Dates: Students can choose to attend one, two or all three sessions.

Session 1 July 1–5, 2024 | Session 2 July 8–12, 2024 | Session 3 July 15–19, 2024


King’s College is a fairly well-known and well-regarded public research university. Its Pre-University Summer School program offers high school students the chance to explore various career pathways before deciding on a field to pursue. 


You can choose between three 5-day (Monday–Friday) sessions, and even opt for two or all three sessions. You get to choose from a wide variety of courses, like Business and Management, International Relations, Medical Science, Law, Computer Science, STEM, Psychology, Marketing, and more. Some of them are available in all three sessions. In each session, you will spend a total of 31 hours in classes, which are a mix of lectures and seminars. The classes are also interactive and could include discussion groups, role play, simulation games, and Q&A sessions with guest speakers. You will be assessed with the help of university-level assignments and receive feedback, which might help you with your career choices. At the end of the session and course assignments, you will receive a King’s College certificate of attendance.


Location: Residential; University of Amsterdam’s Roeterseiland Campus, Amsterdam, Netherlands. This is a residential program, housing is mandatory!

Cost: €1,500 program fee + €550 housing fee. Financial aid is available.

Eligibility: High school students over 16 can apply.

Application deadline: February 15, 2024

Dates: 


The fact that the Netherlands is quickly becoming an appealing destination for international students, and the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a prestigious global university known for its communication science and media studies, makes its Pre-University Summer Programmes worth considering. The 2-week program aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge that can give them an edge in college. You can choose from 5 pre-university programs: Business Innovation & Entrepreneurship, International Relations, Media, Journalism & Society, Political Science & Identity, and Sustainable Thinking. 


The business program covers theoretical concepts in the field and includes guest speaker sessions on startups in Amsterdams. The media studies program focuses on the role, growth, moral issues, and influence of journalism. Here, students will work on and present original pieces. The political science program focuses on identity politics, encouraging students to participate in discussions and debates and understand identity through an academic lens. The sustainable thinking program can help students explore the concept of sustainability in individual, organizational, and political contexts and help them become better global citizens. The classes for each program take place either 9 am–3 pm or 10 am–4 pm, and students use the evenings and weekends for independent study and to explore Amsterdam.


Location: The University of Edinburgh Holyrood Campus, Edinburgh, UK. This is a residential program, housing is provided.

Cost: £3,995, which includes accommodation and meals

Eligibility: Students in the final year of high school, who are aged 16–18, can apply.

Application deadline: May 20, 2024. Applications will open at the end of January 2024.

Dates: July 1–12, 2024


The University of Edinburgh offers a few pre-university courses as part of its Summer School program. You can choose from 5 available courses: Social Sciences, Humanities, Foundation Design, Insights into the Life Sciences, and Using Data in the Sciences. Each course consists of 3-hour in-person classes conducted by the university’s teaching fellows or lecturers at the university campus.


The Social Sciences course focuses on economics, politics, and sociology/social Anthropology, but will also teach you skills that will help you study any social science subject. This course also includes a visit to the Scottish Parliament. The Humanities course will introduce students to subjects such as literature, philosophy, history, and art history. Concepts required to study these disciplines will be covered through a combination of lectures, group work, seminars, guided visits to Scotland’s national galleries and museums, and walking tours of Edinburgh.


If you are planning to study art and design in college, then the Foundation Design course can introduce you to the design process, creative tools and techniques, and develop communication and presentation skills. This pre-university course involves workshops and field trips. The Insights into the Life Sciences course will help in understanding how the life sciences contribute to solving real-world problems through a combination of mini-lectures, tutorial discussions, workshop activities, and laboratory practical sessions. Finally, the Using Data in the Sciences course covers the meaning of data and its application across scientific disciplines through a combination of mini-lectures and practical sessions. You can find out more about the program here.


Location: Virtual

Cost: £900

Eligibility: High school students aged 16–18 can apply. Students planning to apply to a UK-based university, and those whose first language is not English are encouraged to enroll.

Application deadline: June 24, 2024

Dates: July 22, 2024–August 2, 2024


This is a college preparatory course for high schoolers around the world. The goal of the program is to help students develop the academic and language skills required for undergraduate study in the UK. In terms of language, the online course will involve lessons and tutorials on enhancing language skills needed to study in the UK, help students develop the required research and research writing skills, and teach them how to make and deliver an academic presentation. The course will also include live and recorded lectures and seminars covering concepts in science, arts, humanities, and social sciences. 


Students will also be trained in listening and note-taking, skills that are essential in college lectures. You will meet with your assigned tutor at least twice during the course and get guidance and feedback on your progress. Another key part of the course is an introduction to University College London (UCL) and the UK’s academic culture and practices. You will also participate in virtual visits to multiple sites in London, including the UCL campus.


Location: University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

Cost: £4,250 (inclusive of a £1,000 deposit required for university housing + accommodation and 2 meals). The application fee is £50.

Eligibility: High school students aged 16–17 can apply.

Application deadline: May 31, 2024

Dates: July 16–26, 2024


This residential program hosted by the University of Warwick is a great option for high school students looking for a comprehensive pre-college experience. You will spend 10 nights on the university campus and participate in academics and social activities every day. You can choose from three courses: A Taste of Economics and Finance, A Taste of Social Sciences, and A Taste of Science and Engineering. 


The economics and finance course will cover key concepts of game theory, macro and microeconomics, behavioral economics, environmental economics, and finance in the 21st century. The social sciences course will introduce students to five subjects offered by Warwick—law, education studies, philosophy, politics, and sociology. The science and engineering course will focus on the STEM disciplines of psychology, engineering, computer sciences, life sciences, math, and statistics. Each course involves a total of 24 hours of contact time, which may include lectures and seminars, a guest speaker session, sessions on applying to study in the UK, and workshops on personal development skills. On completing the program, you will get a University of Warwick Certificate of Attendance. 


Location: Université Paris Dauphin - PSL, London campus, London, UK. This is a non-residential commuter program, so students will have to arrange for accommodations in London themselves.

Cost: £220. Financial aid is available.

Eligibility: Students in the age group 16–19 can apply.

Application deadline: None, but the camp will only accept 40 students on a first-come-first-served basis. Applications are open now!

Dates: July 8–10, 2024


Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL) Research University is one of the top public universities in Paris, France. Its constituent school, Dauphine-PSL, hosts pre-college camps in London for high school students interested in economics and management studies. The 3-day camp  will cover concepts such as microeconomics, macroeconomics, and economic aspects of globalization along with an introduction to management, accounting, and the basics of finance and marketing. 


The camp also focuses on enhancing students’ public speaking, debate, communication, presentation, teamwork, and listening skills through workshops, activities, and lectures. You may also get to work on your computer skills, especially while using Excel. You will also learn more about career opportunities in economics and management fields. At the end of the camp, participants get a completion certificate. You can check out the 2024 camp brochure here.




If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you establish a developed startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab! 


The Young Founder’s Lab is a real-world start-up bootcamp 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. 


You can access the application link here!


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.


Image Source: King's College London logo

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