13 Summer Programs for High School Students in India
If you are a high school student in India looking to boost your profile before applying to college, a summer program may be a good idea. Such programs, offered by universities and institutions across the world, can help you build on your knowledge and skills, while you deep dive into a subject of your choice!
If you’re keen on academic research, take a look at this list of opportunities.
Here, we’ve curated a list of 13 summer programs for high school students in India.
While a few of these are highly competitive, offered by some of the most prestigious universities in the world, others are on an open enrollment structure, giving you a relaxed, yet thorough learning experience. These courses cover practically every subject under the sun, so you can take your pick!
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Students who have completed grades 10 or 11, are between 16 and 18 years old and have an overall B average (3.0, weighted or unweighted) in all of their high school coursework. International high school students must meet these English Language Requirements.
Application Deadline: June 3, 2024
Program dates: Tentatively June-August
Fee: INR 144,400 (approx) / $1,738 – $595 (per unit) + $550 (registration fee) + $68 (document management fee) + $25 (application fee) + $500 (international service fee)
Financial Assistance: Some financial aid is available.
This pre-college program, spanning 3-10 weeks, offers international students a diverse array of experiences, with options to suit a variety of different preferences and subject interests. Students can deep-dive into their academic goals while earning college credit. Students on the virtual track have a broad spectrum of courses to choose from – from mythology and social sciences to design, language, and literature. The program also offers courses in a range of STEM subjects. Each course will encourage you to deepen your understanding of the field, aid you in your future academics, and help you plan your career in your chosen industry.
Location: Ashoka University, Haryana, India. This is a residential program!
Eligibility: Students who are in grades 9-12 in May of the intake year can apply.
Application Deadline: February 18, 2024
Program Dates: Session 1 – May 20 - 31, 2024 | Session 2 – June 3 - 14, 2024
Fees: INR 49,500 (YSP) | INR 85,000 (YSP Advanced)
Financial Assistance: Some financial aid is available.
This program offers students a chance to live on campus while deep diving into a subject during the course of a week. YSP offers several tracks across a number of disciplines, including data science, liberal arts, computer science, economics, entrepreneurship and more. YSP students get a chance to explore 10 these different disciplines through experiential and hands-on learning. The program includes a range of activities including lectures, workshops, discussion groups, project-work, presentations and performances. The program also offers a YSP Advanced course – which will include the YSP Foundation, Liberal Arts & Sciences and one more subject, which the student can choose. This advanced course is 10-day long.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates and gap year students!
Application deadline: April 16 and May 14
Program dates: 8 weeks, June to August
Cost: $1490 (Financial Aid Available)
Ladder Internships is a selective program equipping students with virtual internship experiences at startups and nonprofits around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries, and each student can select which field they would most love to deep dive into. This is also a great opportunity for students to explore areas they think they might be interested in, and better understand professional career opportunities in those areas. The startups are based all across the world, with the majority being in the United States, Asia and then Europe and the UK.
The fields include technology, machine learning and AI, finance, environmental science and sustainability, business and marketing, healthcare and medicine, media and journalism and more.
You can explore all the options here on their application form. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. 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 you through the internship and helping you navigate the startup environment.
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.
4. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit past experience with AI concepts or Python.
closed September 3, 2023.
Program dates: Various according to the cohort
Program selectivity: Moderately selective
Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions pertaining to the students background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
Cost:
$1,790 for the 10-week AI Scholars program
$4,900 for the 12-15 week AI Fellowship
$4,700 for both
Need-based financial aid is available. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. These programs are designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni and you can expect a great, fulfilling educational experience. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship.
The AI Fellowship program will have students pursue their own independent AI research project. Students work on their own individual research projects over a period of 12-15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. In the past, students have worked on research papers in the field of AI & medicine, AI & finance, AI & environmental science, AI & education, and more! You can find examples of previous projects here.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall of 2023.
Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note. Students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Application Deadline: There are 4 annual cohorts:
Fall 2023: August 27th, 2023
Winter 2023: November 26th, 2023
Spring 2024: January 14th, 2024
Summer 2024: TBD
Program Dates: Vary based on cohort.
Cost: Fully funded scholarship
Although not a traditional university scholarship, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program stands as a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. 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.
In our flagship program, we pair talented high-school students with world-class Ph.D. 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!
Location: While this program offers in-person courses as well, it’s only the online ones that are open to international students.
Eligibility: All high school students (students in grades 9-12) are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: June 2, 2024
Program Dates: July 1 - 26, 2024
Fees: $1,500 (online course tuition) | $1,700 (online course tuition + online SAT prep course)
Financial Assistance: Some scholarships are available.
This online summer program is designed for high-achieving students who are keen to explore subjects like sociology, Python programming, political science and microbiology – these are some of the courses offered as part of the Academic Connections online program.
Through engaging coursework, interactive discussions, and projects, you will dive into the subject area of your choice, learn the basics and build your way to a final project. With this program, you have the opportunity to learn from UC San Diego faculty members and engage in intellectual discussions with peers who share your passion for learning. This program is ideal for students who are looking for application-based creative learning opportunities. You can earn pre-college credit units during this course too!
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 or 11 are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: February 1, 2024
Program Dates: Online session 1 – June 17, 2024 - July 5, 2024 | Online session 2 – July 8 - 26, 2024
Fee: INR 2,95,150 (approx.) / $3,550. Financial aid is available. An additional cost of upto INR 8,000 (approx.) / $100 may be incurred for course material.
Financial Assistance: Some financial aid is offered.
With an acceptance rate below 10%, SUMaC is a highly prestigious and engaging summer camp. This 3-week program is for students who have a record of excellence in mathematics and an aptitude for advanced mathematics. Every year, this camp hosts 64 mathematically gifted students for their rigorous online 3-week camp. Students discuss and work on advanced mathematical concepts, and engage in academically rigorous classes, and sessions. You can expect to undertake coursework, attend online lectures and work on projects.
SUMaC students are selected based on their grades in math courses, recommendation letters and performance in the admission exam. This program does not offer college credit. While you do not produce an independent research paper of your own in this program, you are made familiar with significant (pre-existing) research areas in math.
Location: This program offers virtual and in-person (commuter and residential) options.
Eligibility: Students in grades 10-12, who are at least 16 years old or will be turning 16 by July 2024, can apply.
Application Deadline: January 10, 2024 (early applications) | February 14, 2024 (regular applications) | April 10, 2024 (late applications)
Program Dates: June 24, 2024 - August 10, 2024
Fee: $3,700 for 4 credits, and $7,400 for 8 credits, with a non-refundable $75 application fee.
Financial Assistance: Unfortunately, financial aid is available for US citizens and permanent residents only.
Considerably more intensive than the average pre-college program, Harvard’s 7-week Secondary School Program offers a minimum of 4-credit hours and a maximum of 8, which serve as graded college courses. According to their official website, 89% of past SSP attendees said the program had been integral to their decision-making process regarding what to study in college. SSP online organizes courses into Career Pathways, also giving you the option to drop a course along the way. As a part of the program, you get to access Harvard’s vast online library, and interact with peers from all parts of the world through a variety of social and college prep activities and events.
The program is also structured to allow for social events and co-curricular activities that allow you to connect with your peers.
Location: This program offers a virtual option.
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 12 are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: Applications open January 15, 2024. There is no information on the deadline at the moment.
Program Dates: Students can choose between two 3-week sessions:
Session I – July 8-25, 2024
Session II – July 28, 2024 - August 15, 2024
OR, they can also choose the 6-week session – July 8, 2024 - August 15, 2024
Fee: Noncredit course – INR 1,65,800 (approx.) / $1,995 | 3-credit course – INR 2,55,600 (approx.) / $3,075. Other variations of courses have different charges, available here.
Financial Assistance: Scholarships and financial aid is available.
High school students can choose between the 3-week or 6-week pre-college courses, non-credit and for-credit courses, depending on their academic goals. Courses are offered across a range of subjects, ranging from forensic science to academic writing. Students attend classes and explore research on prominent topics in their chosen discipline. The courses are taught by SU faculty and instructors, and classes are structured like real college classes.
Location: FLAME University Campus (Pune, Maharashtra)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12, who are at least 14 years old as of March 15 of the intake year, can apply.
Application deadline: May 13, 2024 (for Batch I) June 10, 2024 (for Batch II)
Program dates: Batch I – May 20-29, 2024 | Batch II – June 17-26, 2024
Fee: INR 50,000 (inclusive of service tax).
Financial Assistance: There is no information available on this at the moment.
This program offers high school students the opportunity to get a first-hand understanding of liberal arts education through a mix of exciting academic and non-academic courses. Courses offered include, but are not limited to: Media Literacy, Entrepreneurship, Data Visualization, Computer Science, Marketing, Literature & Culture and more. This is an open enrollment program, which means the academics might not be as rigorous or intensive as some of the others in this list. The program emphasizes the spirit of the university, specifying that students will learn such that they also develop their critical thinking, research, and teamwork skills, while they engage with diverse ideas and perspectives.
Location: The Symbiosis Centre of International Education (Pune, Maharashtra)
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 to 12 can apply.
Application Deadline: Students are accepted on a first-come first-serve basis.
Program Dates: May 13-25, 2024
Fees: INR 45,000
Financial Assistance: Unfortunately, there is no aid offered. Dependents of Symbiosis employees can avail a 50% discount.
This 2-week program gives students the opportunity to dive into a subject of interest, helping them identify what they’d like to pursue in college. The program offers courses in a wide range of disciplines – such as law, management, engineering, medicine, architecture, journalism, and computer science. Take a look at the details of each course offered here! With course work and seminars, students get a glimpse into the academics and potential career paths that come with their subject of choice. The program also includes workshops and individual sessions, along with networking opportunities where students can interact with industry professionals from their respective chosen fields.
Location: UWC Mahindra College (Nanegaon, Maharashtra, India)
Eligibility: High school students aged 16-19 can apply. Certain courses may have a different age criteria.
Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Program Dates: June 2024 (tentatively, based on previous years)
Fees: INR 30,000 - 1,90,000
Financial Assistance: Scholarships are offered.
This unique summer program is focused on the issues of sustainability, social justice, and identity. In 2023, it offered 4 courses: Youth for Social Change, Outdoor and Ecological Education, Youth, Environment, Sustainability and Slavery Studies. While 2024’s course list is yet to be announced, students can expect similar topics to be covered. These courses are usually 1-week long, immersing students into social and environmental issues, nudging them towards becoming responsible global citizens. Students can expect sessions delivered by experienced faculty and experts from the field, along with workshops, hands-on work and field visits.
Location: Plaksha University Campu (Mohali, Punjab)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 12 can apply.
Application Deadline: April, 2024 (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates)
Program Dates: 2 weeks in June (tentatively, based on previous year’s dates)
Fee: INR 90,000
Financial Assistance: Need-based scholarships are offered.
This 2-week intensive STEM program exposes students to real-world engineering and problem-solving. Through hands-on learning and interdisciplinary coursework, students will learn how to apply concepts in tech to solve complex, real-world problems. The program includes courses on basic programming and advanced algorithms. Students will be encouraged to create viable business models. In their words, this program aims to create the next generation of tinkerers, idea generators, and fearless pattern sniffers”, who will identify and work on global issues.
One other option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you are passionate about research, you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, a selective online high school program for students that I 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.
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: Ashoka University logo