Fellowships for High School Students

A fellowship is the rare high school credential that bundles money, mentorship, and a real project under a single competitive title.

These programs are selective by design, which is exactly what makes them worth the effort — a fellowship carries weight precisely because most students never earn one.

19 verified programs match this page; 18 of the featured listings are completely free; 8 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 19+ curated programs for high school students:

  • Yale Entrepreneurial Society High School Fellowship — Yale Entrepreneurial Society: Master entrepreneurship skills in this free 8-week virtual fellowship for high school students. Build startups, strengthen college applications, and l
  • Fulbright U.S. Student Program — U.S. Department of State / IIE: Prestigious international fellowship offering virtual research and teaching opportunities for high school seniors. Boosts college applications and bui
  • Hertz Foundation Fellowship Application Prep — Hertz Foundation: Prepare for the elite Hertz Foundation Fellowship and boost STEM skills. Perfect for high school seniors aiming for competitive grad school applicatio
  • Humanity in Action Fellowship — Humanity in Action: Prestigious international fellowship for young leaders exploring human rights, democracy, and social justice. Fellows study in European capitals and b
  • Thiel Fellowship (Under 20) — Thiel Foundation: Prestigious $100,000 fellowship for young entrepreneurs under 22 to skip or leave college and pursue startup ideas with two years of funding, mentorsh
  • Thiel Fellowship Under 20 — Thiel Foundation: $100,000 grant over 2 years to skip college and build a startup. Past fellows have founded companies worth billions. Extremely prestigious for entrepr
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education Fellowship — Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Biomedical science fellowship from HHMI supporting exceptional young scientists and science educators.
  • NSLI-Y Creative Content Fellowship — U.S. Department of State: State Department program combining critical language learning with creative content production. Unique blend of language skills and creativity.
  • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution High School Fellowship — Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: Marine science research at premier oceanographic institution.
  • Millennium Fellowship (UN Academic Impact) — United Nations Academic Impact: UN-backed leadership program for students advancing Sustainable Development Goals. Highly selective semester-long fellowship. Recognition from United
  • Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship (BFTF) — U.S. Department of State: Transform your leadership skills in this free, fully funded summer program focused on transatlantic relations. Perfect for high school students buildi
  • iCivics Equity in Civics Youth Fellowship — iCivics & CIRCLE (Tufts): Empower your leadership skills in this free, virtual civics fellowship for high school students. Gain hands-on experience and boost your college appli
  • MIT Solve Indigenous Communities Fellowship — MIT Solve: Empower indigenous communities through this free virtual fellowship for high schoolers. Build leadership skills, tackle real-world issues, and boost y
  • O'Dell Fellowships (Gap Year) — O'Dell Foundation: Transform your gap year with a hybrid leadership fellowship for civic engagement. Build hands-on skills, boost college applications, and make an impac
  • Sundance Ignite Fellowship — Sundance Institute: Transform your passion for filmmaking with this free fellowship for high school students. Gain mentorship, funding, and hands-on experience to boost c
  • Call for Kindness Fellowship — Riley's Way Foundation: Riley's Way Foundation's year-long fellowship funds teen kind leaders (ages 13-23) with grants up to $5,000, 1:1 coaching, a leadership summit, and a
  • GrubStreet Teen Summer Writing Fellowship — GrubStreet: Free three-week summer writing fellowship at GrubStreet in Boston for local students entering grades 9-12; fellows study with published authors, meet
  • Ghetto Film School Fellows Program — Ghetto Film School: Free multi-year filmmaking fellowship for teens in New York and Los Angeles: 1,000+ hours of college-level training, industry mentors, international t
  • VFA Summer Fellowship (College) — Venture for America: Fellowship program supporting entrepreneurship in emerging cities.

Frequently asked questions

How many fellowships programs are listed for high school students?

ExtracurricularHub currently lists 19 verified fellowships opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link.

Are any of these fellowships programs free?

Yes — 18 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early.

Which deadlines are coming up soonest?

The next deadlines: VFA Summer Fellowship (College) (October 1, 2026); Fulbright U.S. Student Program (October 6, 2026); Hertz Foundation Fellowship Application Prep (October 30, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site.

Do fellowships extracurriculars help with college admissions?

Yes — sustained, escalating involvement in fellowships (participation → awards or leadership → independent work) reads far stronger than scattered one-off activities. Pick one or two programs from this page and go deep.