Best Summer Programs for High School Students in Texas (2027)

Author: ExtracurricularHub Editorial Team · Reviewed by Parker, Founder — editorial policy

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Article Summary

Summer 2027 programs for Texas high schoolers: Welch, Clark Scholars, UT Southwestern STARS, UT Austin and NASA options, with posted dates and last costs.

Full Article

Texas universities, hospitals and NASA's Johnson Space Center run summer programs for high school students, and several of the strongest cost students nothing to attend. This guide covers programs based in Texas: research, math, computing, business, aerospace, the arts and hospital volunteering.

About the dates in this guide. This is the summer 2027 edition, checked against each program's official page on September 25, 2026 and rechecked on September 27, 2026. Most programs have not posted summer 2027 dates or prices yet. Where a program has, we give the 2027 detail. Where it hasn't, we give the summer 2026 figure and label it as last cycle's, so you can plan with real numbers. We never estimate a date a program hasn't published. Confirm everything on the official page before you apply.

Free and Funded Research Programs

Welch Summer Scholar Program

The Welch Summer Scholar Program places Texas high school sophomores and juniors in a university chemistry research lab for five residential weeks. Scholars are assigned to one of six host universities (UT Austin, UT Arlington, UT Dallas, the University of Houston, Texas A&M or Texas Tech); you don't choose the site.

  • Who: sophomores and juniors who attend high school in Texas, including homeschooled students. Current seniors and past participants can't apply.
  • Cost: no participation cost. Room, board and on-campus meals are covered; getting to your assigned campus isn't promised.
  • Summer 2027: Welch says the application opens in mid-December 2026. No deadline is posted yet. Last cycle's application closed April 3, 2026.

Clark Scholars Program (Texas Tech)

Clark Scholars is Texas Tech's seven-week residential research program in Lubbock for twelve rising seniors and recent graduates, each working on a faculty-guided project and writing a final research report.

  • Who (2026 rules): students at least 17 by the start date who were U.S. citizens or permanent residents. There is no Texas residency requirement.
  • Cost (2026): no participation fee; on-campus room, board and meals covered; a $25 application fee; a $750 stipend after the research report is completed.
  • Summer 2027: not posted yet. Last cycle's application closed February 16, 2026.

UT Southwestern STARS Summer Research Program

The STARS Summer Research Program is an eight-week, nonresidential biomedical research program in Dallas. Students work beside a faculty host in a UT Southwestern lab and present their results at the end of the summer. It is lab research only: no clinical work and no physician shadowing.

  • Who: current high school juniors who will be at least 16 by June 1, are eligible to work in the U.S., and have no prior research experience. The program is intended for North Texas students.
  • Cost: free, and students are paid a stipend (UT Southwestern doesn't publish the amount). You arrange your own daily travel.
  • Summer 2027: UT Southwestern says applications open November 16, 2026 and close January 22, 2027, with the link posted on the STARS site when it opens.

McCombs Summer Programs (UT Austin)

Texas McCombs runs free business and leadership programs on the UT Austin campus, including the six-day residential McCombs Future Executive Academy (MFEA) and DYNAMC, which introduces accounting majors and careers.

  • Who: current high school sophomores and juniors. Everyone may apply; McCombs especially encourages first-generation students and students who have overcome social or economic hardship.
  • Cost: free. McCombs says educational, food and boarding costs are covered by its funders.
  • Summer 2027: the McCombs page describes its June 2027 programs, lists MFEA as May 31 to June 5, and gives January 31 as the application deadline, with decisions by mid-April.

Research, Math and Computing Programs With a Fee

UT Austin Summer High School Research Academy

The High School Research Academy puts students in active UT Austin College of Natural Sciences labs for five weeks, roughly 15 to 25 hours a week, and carries three hours of UT Extension credit (NSC 309). It ends with a poster at a closing symposium.

  • Who (2026 rules): Texas residents at least 15 years old entering grades 10-12, with preference for rising juniors and seniors.
  • Cost (2026): $4,000, including a $400 nonrefundable deposit after acceptance. A limited number of need-based awards could include free tuition and a stipend. The program is nonresidential, so housing and transportation are on you.
  • Summer 2027: UT says the application opens again in January 2027. Last cycle's deadline was March 22, 2026.

NASA SEES High School Summer Internship

NASA SEES is a nationally competitive internship funded by NASA and managed by UT Austin's Center for Space Research. Interns work on mentor-led projects using NASA mission data, either virtually or on site in Austin.

  • Who (2026 rules): U.S. citizens who were current sophomores or juniors, at least 16 by the on-site start date, with no prior SEES internship.
  • Cost (2026): the virtual internship was free; the two-week on-site option in Austin cost $2,000 for tuition, housing, meals, tours and local transportation, and scholarships were available. Travel to Austin was normally the student's cost.
  • Summer 2027: not posted yet, and SEES notes that continuing the program depends on funding.

Honors Summer Math Camp (Texas State University)

The Honors Summer Math Camp is a six-week, full-time residential math program in San Marcos. Returning students can work with mentors on original research. Texas State Mathworks also runs a two-week Junior Summer Math Camp for students in grades 6-8.

  • Who: high school students in grades 9-12. You can't take another course or program during camp.
  • Cost: Mathworks lists $6,600 for 2027; in 2026 that figure included room, board, books and supplies. Need-based scholarships are requested in the application.
  • Summer 2027: June 20 to July 31, 2027. Applications open in December and are reviewed on a rolling basis until the camp fills.

UT Computer Science Summer Academies

UT Computer Science Summer Academies are on-campus programs for students entering grades 10-12: open-enrollment tracks such as game development, iOS development, machine learning, robotics and data science research, plus two free application-based Scholars Academies, Academy for All and Academy for Women, for U.S.-based students entering grades 11-12.

  • Cost: 2026 open-enrollment prices ranged from $1,400 to $2,100; 2027 prices aren't posted. The Scholars Academies were free, including housing and meals.
  • Summer 2027: not posted. The overview page lists registration and application windows without saying which year they apply to, so check the page again before you plan around them.

NASA in Texas: Texas Aerospace Scholars

NASA has renamed High School Aerospace Scholars as Texas Aerospace Scholars (TAS). It is free and open to U.S. citizens who are Texas residents at a Texas-based school. The Junior Experience starts with an online course during junior year; students who do well may be invited to a virtual challenge in June, and top teams attend a residential Base Camp at Johnson Space Center, scheduled for July 25-30, 2027 for this year's juniors.

  • Timing: the 2026-27 Junior application ran July 1 to September 16, 2026 and is closed. If you are a sophomore now, watch for next year's Junior application. NASA says the Senior Experience timeline is still being developed.

Arts: Houston Ballet Academy Summer Intensive

The Houston Ballet Academy Five-Week Summer Intensive is a pre-professional program for Levels 5-8 dancers age 12 and older, with optional housing. When our catalog last checked, Houston Ballet listed the 2027 intensive as June 19 to July 23, 2027, admission by in-person ($50) or video ($75) audition, and 2027 tuition not yet posted (2026 tuition was $3,000).

Hospital Volunteering: Texas Children's Summer Junior Program

The Summer Junior Volunteer Program at Texas Children's Texas Medical Center campus is a six-week summer volunteer program for students ages 15-17 who can attend in person in Houston. In 2026 it ran June 5 to July 16, Monday through Thursday, and applications were due February 13, 2026. Texas Children's says to check its website in January 2027 for 2027 opportunities.

A Planning Calendar for Summer 2027

  • Now: build a shortlist and line up recommenders early: Welch asked for two letters last cycle, and Texas State's math camp asks for a teacher recommendation.
  • November 16, 2026: UT Southwestern STARS opens (closes January 22, 2027).
  • December 2026: Texas State Mathworks camps open, and Welch opens in mid-December.
  • January 2027: UT's High School Research Academy reopens, and Texas Children's posts its 2027 junior volunteer information. McCombs lists January 31 as its deadline.
  • For reference, last cycle's deadlines: McCombs January 31, Texas Children's February 13, Clark Scholars February 16, UT's Research Academy March 22 and Welch April 3, 2026.

How to Choose

  1. Start with fit, not prestige. Pick the two or three programs closest to what you already do, whether that's chemistry, math, computing, business or dance.
  2. Check eligibility first. Grade, age, residency and citizenship rules differ by program, and several are Texas-only.
  3. Price the whole summer. A free program can still mean travel, and a nonresidential one means daily commuting or housing you arrange yourself.
  4. Apply to a mix. Pair one or two highly selective programs with options that take more students, like the open-enrollment UT computing academies.

Keep Exploring

Browse every Texas summer program in our catalog, see free summer programs nationwide, and read our summer planning guide for a month-by-month plan. Not sure where to start? Take the Find My Fit quiz.

Sources

Facts in this article were last reviewed against these sources on . Programs change their dates and prices; confirm on the official page before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do Texas summer programs open applications for summer 2027?

As of September 25, 2026 only some have posted dates. UT Southwestern STARS opens November 16, 2026 and closes January 22, 2027. Welch opens in mid-December 2026, Texas State Mathworks opens its camps in December, and UT Austin's High School Research Academy reopens in January 2027. Last cycle's deadlines ran from January 31 (McCombs) to April 3, 2026 (Welch).

Are there free summer programs for Texas high school students?

Yes. Welch, Clark Scholars and the McCombs summer programs charged students nothing to attend in 2026 and covered on-campus housing and meals, and UT Southwestern STARS is free and pays a stipend. Travel to the campus is usually your cost, and Clark charged a $25 application fee in 2026.

Do I have to live in Texas to apply?

For several, yes. Welch requires attending high school in Texas, UT Austin's High School Research Academy took only Texas residents in 2026, Texas Aerospace Scholars is for U.S.-citizen Texas residents, and STARS is meant for North Texas students. Clark Scholars and NASA SEES take students from across the U.S.

What can a freshman or sophomore apply to?

Texas State's Honors Summer Math Camp takes students in grades 9-12. Welch and NASA SEES start at sophomore year, and UT Computer Science Summer Academies take students entering grades 10-12. Most research programs here are aimed at juniors and seniors.

Featured Programs

  • Clark Scholars Program — Spend seven weeks on a faculty-guided research project at Texas Tech in Lubbock. The 2027 Clark Scholars program runs
  • American Legion Boys State — Create and run a mock state government through American Legion Boys State. Local schools, Legion posts and state
  • Blue Crew Teen Volunteer Program — Mystic Aquarium Blue Crew teen volunteering for ages 15-18; applications are closed, with reopening expected in early
  • NSLC International Diplomacy — Intensive summer program at university campuses focused on international diplomacy, global affairs, and negotiation
  • Best Delegate Model United Nations Institute — Intensive Model UN training program teaching research, public speaking, and diplomacy skills. Programs available online

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