Extracurriculars & Programs in Illinois for High School Students

Illinois is anchored by UChicago and Northwestern pre-college programs, Fermilab and Argonne research exposure, and Chicago's business and civic internship ecosystem.

31 verified programs match this page; 14 of the featured listings are completely free; 2 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• Glenbrooks Debate Tournament — Glenbrook Schools: Compete in the Glenbrooks Debate Tournament, a top national-circuit competition for high schoolers. Build critical thinking skills and boost your coll
• Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) — IMSA: Transform your high school journey with a free, residential STEM program in Illinois. Gain hands-on experience, boost college applications, and develo
• Northwestern University Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute — Northwestern University: Elevate your writing skills in this prestigious summer journalism program for high schoolers. Gain hands-on media experience and boost your college ap
• Northwestern National High School Institute (Cherubs) - Journalism — Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University: Immerse yourself in a free summer program at Medill School of Journalism, mastering writing, editing, and multimedia skills. Boost your college applic
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago Early College — School of the Art Institute of Chicago: Art program at SAIC with access to world-class museum. Studio courses and critiques at leading art school.
• FAA High School Competition — University of Illinois College of Fine and Applied Arts: Engage in a dynamic arts competition for high schoolers in grades 9-11. Explore architecture, music, and design while boosting college applications. F
• Booth School of Business Summer Business Scholars — University of Chicago Booth: Business program at UChicago Booth. Analytical approach to business with Booth faculty.
• Kellogg School Summer Business Institute — Northwestern Kellogg: Business intensive at Northwestern's Kellogg School. Marketing, finance, and leadership fundamentals.
• Northwestern Center for Talent Development — Northwestern University: Advanced academic programs at Northwestern for gifted learners. Saturday, summer, and online enrichment options.
• Stones and Bones — The University of Chicago & Field Museum: Explore paleontology in this summer program with lab research in Chicago and fieldwork in Wyoming. Gain hands-on experience and boost your college app
• UChicago Summer Session — University of Chicago: Intensive academic summer at University of Chicago. College courses with UChicago faculty.
• TARGET Science and Engineering Program — Fermilab: Explore a free, in-person high school internship in physics, engineering, and computing. Gain research skills, hands-on STEM experience, and boost you
• Fermilab TARGET Program — Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: Summer research internship at premier US particle physics laboratory. Work with world-class physicists on cutting-edge experiments. Exceptional prepar
• Northwestern Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute (Cherubs) - Writing & Reporting — Northwestern Medill: Develop journalism, writing, and media ethics skills in this prestigious summer program for high school juniors. Gain hands-on experience to stand out
• Chicago International Model United Nations (CIMUN) — Chicago International Model United Nations: Immersive MUN conference in downtown Chicago using realistic crisis simulation and continuous negotiation. Known for its innovative format that goes b
• Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering — WYSE: Compete in a free Illinois STEM competition for high schoolers, testing skills in math, science, engineering, and more. Boost college applications wit
• Northwestern CTD Equinox — Northwestern University: Intensive summer program for high school students offering advanced STEM courses in mathematics. Boost college applications with hands-on experience a
• CTD Equinox Academic Program — Northwestern University - Center for Talent Development: Intensive summer courses in advanced math and science at Northwestern.
• University of Chicago Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS) — University of Chicago: Intensive biology research program at UChicago. Conduct original research in molecular and cellular biology.
• Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS) — University of Chicago Summer Session: Explore a four-week summer program in molecular biology with hands-on lab research at UChicago. Build skills, boost college applications, and dive int
• UChicago Research in the Arts and Sciences: Neuroscience — University of Chicago Summer Session: College-level neuroscience with labs and data analysis.
• Fermilab Saturday Morning Physics — Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: Free Saturday physics lectures at Fermilab. Learn particle physics from working scientists.
• Fermilab TARGET Summer Research Program — Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: Summer research at America's premier particle physics laboratory. Work with world-class physicists on cutting-edge experiments. Paid internship.
• LEADing for Life Global Summer Learning Institute (GSLI) — LEAD (Leadership, Education and Development): Transform your summer with a selective leadership program blending business, entrepreneurship, and case studies. Build skills, boost college apps, and
• University of Chicago Pre-College Programs — University of Chicago: Pre-college and enrichment programs at the University of Chicago with rigorous intellectual inquiry.
• IIT Pre-College STEM Program — Illinois Institute of Technology: STEM-focused pre-college program at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago for high school students.
• Schuler Scholar Program — Schuler Education Foundation: Full scholarship + mentoring. For high-achieving Chicago-area students.
• Fermilab Program for Research, Innovation, and STEM Mentorship (PRISM) — Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory: Fermilab's four-week paid summer program ($500/week) for Illinois high school seniors and new graduates, combining hands-on STEM projects and mentorsh
• MCA Chicago Teen Creative Agency — Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: The MCA's cultural leadership program for Chicago-area teens: weekly Saturday sessions from September to June making art and producing public events,
• Argonne National Laboratory Science Careers in Search of Women — Argonne National Laboratory: One-day STEM conference for young women at DOE's Argonne Lab. Tours, demos, and scientist talks.

Frequently asked questions