If you’re a high school student, consider participating in a summer program to learn new skills and prepare for the coming school year. If you're based in North Carolina and looking for an accessible summer activity, consider a free summer program in the state! There are various summer programs for high school students in North Carolina, ranging from internships to research experiences and college-level courses offered by local universities.

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 accepting as few as 5% of all applicants. Participating in a free summer program can be a good indicator of your competitiveness when applying to college.

In this blog, we’ve listed 10 free summer programs for high school students in North Carolina. 

1. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation

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 the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired 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. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper. You can apply here! 

Cost: The program is fully funded!

Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!

Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).

Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Eligibility:You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.

2. Research Apprenticeship Program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

This is a residential program in food, agricultural, and environmental science for rising juniors and seniors 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 

3. Youth Conservation Corps North Carolina

YCCN is a program for students aged 15-18 to engage in conservation projects across the state. The program is divided into crews; 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 work 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

4. Ladder Internship Program

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. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.

Cost: Starting at $2,490 (financial aid available)

Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). 

Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!

Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.

5. The UNC School of Medicine–Rural Summer Academy

This 5-day intensive allows high school students to learn about the medical profession. The UNC Rural Medicine Summer Academy is an 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 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

6. Duke University Neuroscience Experience (DUNE)

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 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

7. NC State University Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders Summer Program

This program is a one-week opportunity for rising high school seniors focusing on careers in agriculture and leadership development. You will meet with NC State departmental representatives 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 using energy technologies. 

Cost: Free

Application Deadline: March 31

Program Dates: June 16 – 21

Eligibility: Rising high school seniors

Location: NC State, Raleigh, NC

8. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics—Summer Ventures 

This summer program is a state-funded initiative for North Carolina students who are academically talented. The program allows you 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 

9. Step Up to STEM

This one-week residential summer program provides STEM opportunities for underrepresented students. To participate, you must apply as a rising ninth-grade student and then return for a second summer as a rising tenth-grader. Through this program, you will build communication, science, math, and technology skills. 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

10. High School Summer Research Program at NC State College of Natural Resources 

The High School Summer Research Program at the NC State College of Natural Resources aims to help high school students explore forestry and natural resources. It allows you to learn about career development from undergraduates and practitioners in that field. You will 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

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. 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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