Pre-College & Residential Summer Programs for High School Students

Pre-college programs put you in a university classroom — and often a dorm — before you apply: a live test of independence that doubles as demonstrated interest at that school.

Price and prestige vary wildly, from fully funded academies to five-figure summer sessions; this page shows cost and selectivity side by side so you can tell which is which.

143 verified programs match this page; 10 of the featured listings are completely free; 1 can be done online.

Featured programs

Browse 30+ curated programs for high school students:

• NYU Precollege Programs — New York University: Explore global academic opportunities through NYU Precollege Programs. High school students in grades 10-12 can earn college credit and boost college
• College Greenlight Free and Low Cost Pre-College Programs — Apply College Greenlight: Curated directory of free and low-cost pre-college programs for high school students seeking affordable summer opportunities.
• Duke Young Writers' Camp — Duke University: Immerse yourself in a residential summer program for high school writers in grades 10-12. Hone creative writing skills, build portfolios, and boost co
• MIT Women in Stem Research Program Pre-College Summer Program — MIT Women in Stem Research Program: Pre-college program at MIT Women in Stem Research Program for high school students focusing on stem.
• UC Berkeley Summer Sessions — University of California, Berkeley: Earn college credit in this hybrid summer program for high schoolers at UC Berkeley. Boost your skills, explore academic interests, and enhance your c
• Columbia University PreCollege Programs — Columbia University: Pre-college program at Columbia University for high school students focusing on real world experience in variety of classes at ivy league.
• Berklee Five-Week Summer Performance Intensive — Berklee College of Music: Intensive 5-week summer program at Berklee College of Music for high school musicians to study performance, production, songwriting, and music busines
• Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics (HCSSiM) — Hampshire College: Explore a rigorous summer program in pure mathematics for high schoolers (grades 10-12). Build problem-solving skills, enhance college applications, a
• Penn Summer Academies — University of Pennsylvania: Immerse yourself in a hands-on summer program for high school students, exploring advanced STEM fields, gaining research experience, and boosting your
• NYU Pre-College Program — New York University: Pre-college program at NYU in New York City with college courses and campus living for high school students.
• Boston College Experience — Boston College: Explore a two-week summer program for high school sophomores and juniors at Boston College. Build academic skills, enhance college applications, and e
• Mathily & Mathily-Er — Mathily: Immerse in a residential summer program exploring advanced college-level mathematics. Perfect for high schoolers seeking enrichment, skill-building, a
• UCLA Summer Discovery — University of California, Los Angeles: Transform your summer with a pre-college academic program at UCLA. Earn college credit, boost your skills, and enhance your college applications throu
• Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies — Stanford University: Pre-collegiate programs at Stanford University in humanities, bioscience, business, and social justice.
• Duke Summer Academy — Duke University: Pre-college program at Duke University for high school students focusing on stem.
• UC Berkeley COSMOS — University of California, Berkeley: 4-week residential STEM program at UC campuses for California students.
• UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program — University of California, Santa Barbara: Explore STEM fields in a 6-week summer research program at UCSB. High school juniors gain hands-on experience, mentorship, and a boost for college app
• Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth (PTY) — Vanderbilt University: Summer and weekend academic enrichment programs at Vanderbilt for gifted K-12 students, offering fast-paced college-level courses in math, science, wr
• Garcia Summer Scholars Program — Stony Brook University: Residential research program at Stony Brook University.
• Penn State Science-U STEM Camps — Penn State University: Immersive residential STEM camps at Penn State for middle and high school students covering robotics, cybersecurity, engineering, and life sciences on
• SPLASH at MIT, Stanford & Other Universities — SPLASH Learning Unlimited: Free student-run weekend classes at top universities (MIT, Stanford) covering virtually any topic for high schoolers.
• Vanderbilt Program for Talented Youth Summer Academy — Vanderbilt University: Transform your summer with a 3-week residential program for gifted students in grades 7-12. Develop advanced skills, explore academics, and boost your
• Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists — Boston University: Explore advanced math in a six-week residential summer program for grades 10-12. Build STEM skills, enhance college applications, and gain hands-on ex
• National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) - International Diplomacy — National Student Leadership Conference: Intensive summer program at prestigious university campuses focused on international diplomacy, global affairs, and negotiation. Students simulate int
• Stanford University High School Summer College — Stanford University: Take Stanford courses alongside Stanford undergraduates. Full Stanford academic experience.
• Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Programs — Carnegie Mellon University: Immerse in a six-week summer program focusing on arts, design, or STEM. Build skills, gain hands-on experience, and strengthen your college applicatio
• Tufts Pre-College Programs — Tufts University: Transform your summer with hands-on academic programs for high schoolers in grades 10-12. Build skills, boost college applications, and explore future
• USC Summer Programs — University of Southern California: Explore diverse USC summer programs for high schoolers in grades 10-12. Gain hands-on experience, earn college credit, and boost your college applicat
• Lehigh University Pre-College Programs — Lehigh University: Pre-college programs at Lehigh University covering engineering, business, arts, and sciences.
• Johns Hopkins Pre-College Program — Johns Hopkins University: Pre-college programs at Johns Hopkins University for high school students in Baltimore.

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