Summer 2027 · High school

Selective vs. pay-to-play summer programs

Judge a program by its work, selection process and full cost. A fee does not establish low quality, and a university logo does not establish selective admission.

Planning for 2027. Every date and price keeps its year. Confirm the current application window on the official site before you apply.

FreePaid or stipendOnlineIn personHybrid
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Compare 2 of 3 programs

Clear comparison

Catalog facts retain their cycle. Check the official sources before applying or paying.

  1. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute

    MIT Beaver Works Summer InstituteRemove
    Application deadline
    March 31, 2027
    Cost
    Not published
    Financial aid
    Not published
    Expenses and aid conditions
    Not published
    Stipend or pay
    Not published
    Eligibility
    Grades 10–11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher
    Additional eligibility
    Residency: US; Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 10–11 when applying; Requirement: Must live in and physically attend high school in the United States, and live in the US for the duration of the program; Requirement: Must register for and work through the free online prerequisite course for the chosen summer course before being considered
    Session dates or duration
    Starts July 5, 2027; Ends August 1, 2027
    Format
    In person / Online
    Housing and supervision
    Non-residential
    Location
    Cambridge, MA
    Selection and application
    Selection: Competitive summer selection based partly on prerequisite-course performance, technical preparation, essays, school-supporting information, and recommendation; online prerequisite access is broader. Application materials: Three short essays (500 words or less each); One teacher or mentor recommendation
    Official sources
    Source 1 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 2 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 3 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 4 · checked Oct 9, 2026Source 5 · checked Oct 9, 2026Source 6 · checked Oct 9, 2026Source 7 · checked Aug 22, 2026

  2. Massachussetts College of Art and Design

    MassArt Summer StudiosRemove
    Application deadline
    May 3, 2027
    Cost
    Not published
    Financial aid
    Not published
    Expenses and aid conditions
    Not published
    Stipend or pay
    Not published
    Eligibility
    Grades 11–12
    Additional eligibility
    Requirement: Open to grades 11–12
    Session dates or duration
    Starts July 19, 2027; Ends August 13, 2027; 4 weeks
    Format
    In person / Online
    Housing and supervision
    Non-residential
    Location
    Boston, MA
    Selection and application
    Application materials: One-page statement of purpose; Portfolio of 6-8 photographs of your strongest work (for-credit applicants); Portfolio description list (for-credit applicants); One letter of recommendation (for-credit applicants)
    Official sources
    Source 1 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 2 · checked Oct 9, 2026
The checklist

Five signals to check before applying or paying

  1. Acceptance rate
    Use a rate only if the organizer gives the cycle, number of applicants and number admitted. A low rate does not tell you what you will learn. If a program does not publish both numbers, treat its acceptance rate as unknown.
  2. Full cost
    Ask for tuition, application fees, deposits, housing, meals, travel and refund terms. A fee-based class can offer useful teaching; a fee alone does not establish either selectivity or quality.
  3. Stipend or pay
    Look for an amount, eligibility conditions and payment schedule. Distinguish student compensation from financial aid, prize money and tuition discounts.
  4. Essays and selection
    Read the actual application. Essays, recommendations, prerequisites or interviews can describe a selection process, but their presence does not prove an acceptance rate. Ask who reads the application.
  5. Who runs the program
    Check the organizer on its official site, the instructors and the day-to-day supervisor. Distinguish a university department's program from an outside provider renting campus space. Ask what feedback and work you will receive.

The catalog examples below show supported costs, stipends, organizers and application details. They are comparisons, not selectivity rankings. We do not assign an acceptance rate or label a named program pay-to-play without evidence.

Matching programs

Showing 181–192 of 442 programs

Editor picks and selective programs first, then the soonest 2027 deadlines. No paid placements. Listings are ranked by fit, never by payment. Methodology.

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  • High Mountain Institute

    HMI Summer Term

    Four-week residential academics, leadership, and backpacking program in Colorado; the 2027 application is expected in September but exact dates and price are unannounced.

    Cost
    $10,200
    Who can apply
    Grades 10–12 (rising)
    Program dates
    Jun 27 – Jul 24, 2027 · 4 weeks
    Where
    In person · Leadville, CO
    LeadershipResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Need-based financial aid. About 40% of students receive aid; average award is 70% of tuition; awards include free or reduced-price gear rental and top packages include flights.

    Costs beyond tuition: Summer Term 2027 student account deposit: $500. Returned if unused; Need-based financial aid. About 40% of students receive aid; average award is 70% of tuition; awards include free or reduced-price gear rental and top packages include flights; Clarity financial aid application fee: $65. Only for aid applicants; automatically waived below a certain family income, or on request.

    Requirements: Ages 14–18; Requirement: Open to rising grades 10–12; Requirement: Willing to spend extended periods (10 days) outdoors in wilderness settings; no previous outdoor experience is required

    Selection and application: Selection: HMI describes a typical cohort of 12-20 students; it does not publish a current applicant count or acceptance rate. Application materials: Summer Term application with two essay questions; Two teacher recommendations (at least one from a core academic teacher); 15-30 minute interview with the admissions team

    Checked Official site

    High Mountain Institute logo
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  • Texas State University Mathworks

    Honors Summer Math Camp (HSMC)

    Six-week residential Mathworks camp for high-school students at Texas State. The 2027 session runs June 20–July 31 and costs $6,600, with need-based scholarships; returning students undertake mentor-led research.

    Cost
    $6,600
    Who can apply
    Grades 9–12
    Program dates
    Jun 20 – Jul 31, 2027 · 6 weeks
    Where
    In person · San Marcos, TX
    STEMResidentialResearch
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Need-based Mathworks camp scholarship. Request it in the financial-needs portion of the application.

    Costs beyond tuition: Need-based Mathworks camp scholarship. Request it in the financial-needs portion of the application.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to grades 9–12; Requirement: No online courses or other programs, in person or online, during camp

    Selection and application: Selection: Rolling admissions until full; current capacity and selection rubric not stated. Application materials: One-page essay; Teacher recommendation, preferably from a math teacher or coach

    Checked Official site

    Texas State University Mathworks logo
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  • The Hotchkiss School

    Hotchkiss Summer Portals

    Cost
    $2,500–$5,800
    Who can apply
    Grades 7–12 (rising)
    Program dates
    Jun 27 – Jul 24, 2027 · 1⁠–⁠4 weeks
    Where
    In person · Lakeville, CT
    Residential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Limited financial aid. Apply with the Financial Aid Application.

    Costs beyond tuition: Application fee: $70. Non-refundable; Limited financial aid. Apply with the Financial Aid Application.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grades 7–12; Requirement: Course minimums vary: Physics of the Electric Guitar is for rising 8th graders and older, Fun with DNA is for rising 7th and 8th graders, and the Piano Program is for intermediate and advanced pianists ages 11-18

    Selection and application: Selection: Rolling, course-specific admission; Hotchkiss does not publish a program-wide acceptance rate. Application materials: Two teacher recommendations

    Checked Official site

    The Hotchkiss School logo
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  • IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute and National Student Leadership Conference

    IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute

    S. campuses and Oxford; 2026 cost $4,195-$6,395 and is complete.

    Cost
    $2,820–$4,795
    Who can apply
    Grades 9–12
    Program dates
    Jun 13 – Jul 30, 2027
    Where
    In person
    STEMResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Need-based TryEngineering Summer Institute Scholarship. For U.S. citizens residing in the U.S; approximate family income limit of $100,000, adjusted for family size and location.

    Costs beyond tuition: Need-based TryEngineering Summer Institute Scholarship. For U.S. citizens residing in the U.S; approximate family income limit of $100,000, adjusted for family size and location.

    Requirements: Ages 14–18; Requirement: Open to grades 9–12; Requirement: Completed at least one year of high school

    Selection and application: Selection: Students may apply directly or be invited through nominations or talent identification. Enrollment is capacity-based and may use waitlists; no acceptance rate is published.

    Checked Official site

    IEEE TryEngineering Summer Institute and National Student Leadership Conference logo
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  • Institute for Speech and Debate

    Institute for Speech and Debate Summer Programs

    One- and two-week residential or commuter speech-and-debate institutes at UNC-Chapel Hill for middle- and high-school students, with 2027 event-specific instruction and need-based aid.

    Cost
    $2,199–$3,999
    Who can apply
    Up to grade 12
    Program dates
    Jun 26 – Jul 24, 2027 · 1⁠–⁠2 weeks
    Where
    In person · Chapel Hill, NC
    Residential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Need-based financial assistance. Limited funds awarded first-come-first-served; requires letters from the student, a parent or guardian, and a coach.

    Costs beyond tuition: Late-registration fee after May 31: $200; Optional RDU airport ground transportation: $100–$150. $150 round trip or $100 one way; must be purchased in advance; Need-based financial assistance. Limited funds awarded first-come-first-served; requires letters from the student, a parent or guardian, and a coach.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to grades up to 12

    Selection and application: Selection: Enrollment requires administrative approval and is capacity-dependent; no acceptance rate or formal academic threshold is published.

    Checked Official site

    Institute for Speech and Debate logo
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  • University of North Dakota

    International Aerospace Camp

    UND’s International Aerospace Camp introduces high-school students to aviation through aircraft lessons, simulators, air-traffic-control exercises, UAS and flight physiology in Grand Forks.

    Cost
    $2,200
    Who can apply
    Grades 11–12
    Program dates
    Jun 13–25, 2027
    Where
    In person · Grand Forks, ND
    STEMResidential
    Requirements and sources

    Costs beyond tuition: Optional R-44 helicopter introductory flight: $400

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to grades 11–12

    Checked Official site

    University of North Dakota logo
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  • Texas State University Mathworks

    Junior Summer Math Camp - Residential (JSMCR)

    Two-week residential Mathworks camp at Texas State for students currently in grades 6-8. The 2027 session runs June 6-18 and costs $2,200, with need-based scholarships.

    Cost
    $2,200
    Who can apply
    Grades 6–8 (current)
    Program dates
    Jun 6–18, 2027 · 2 weeks
    Where
    In person · San Marcos, TX
    STEMResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Need-based Mathworks camp scholarship. Request it in the financial needs portion of the application.

    Costs beyond tuition: Need-based Mathworks camp scholarship. Request it in the financial needs portion of the application.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 6–8 when applying

    Selection and application: Selection: Rolling admissions until full; current capacity and selection rubric not stated. Application materials: One-page essay written by the applicant; Teacher recommendation, preferably from your math teacher or coach

    Checked Official site

    Texas State University Mathworks logo
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  • Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, University of Utah

    Lassonde Startup Academy

    Lassonde Startup Academy provides entrepreneurship and maker learning at the University of Utah; its two-week residential session belongs to the completed 2026 cycle.

    Cost
    $4,860(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grades 9–12
    Program dates
    Jun 15–26, 2026 · 2 weeks(2026)
    Where
    In person · Salt Lake City, UT
    BusinessResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Scholarships. Apply before registering and paying any fees.

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Summer 2026 nonrefundable registration deposit: $200. Part of the program cost; Scholarships. Apply before registering and paying any fees.

    Requirements: Ages 14–18; Requirement: Open to grades 9–12

    Selection and application: Selection: The 2026 cohort reached capacity and accepted waitlist interest. Scholarships were limited and considered merit and need. Current cohort size, applicant count, acceptance rate, selection rubric, and waitlist movement are not published.

    Checked Official site

    Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, University of Utah logo
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  • The Lawrenceville School

    Lawrenceville Summer Scholars

    Three-week day or residential boarding-school enrichment program for rising grades 6-9 using small classes, Harkness discussion, Houses, and activities.

    Cost
    $4,615–$7,100(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grades 6–9 (rising)
    Program dates
    Jul 12–30, 2027 · 3 weeks
    Where
    In person · Lawrenceville, NJ
    Residential
    Requirements and sources

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Application fee. The current FAQ confirms the fee is nonrefundable but does not state its amount; Tuition deposit. The current FAQ confirms a deposit and historical refund rules but not the amount; Required international health insurance. Required for international scholars; current price is not stated.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grades 6–9; Requirement: International Scholars must score 4.0 or higher on Vericant's Spoken English Evaluation (SEE) before registering, unless English is their native language and they attend school full time in the United States

    Selection and application: Selection: Registration is rolling and capacity-limited. The program may use a waitlist and class-specific waitlists, but it does not publish seats, applicant volume, acceptance rates, or course capacity. Application materials: Vericant Spoken English Evaluation video interview (international Scholars)

    Checked Official site

    The Lawrenceville School logo
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  • Lehigh University Academic Outreach

    Lehigh University Pre-College Summer Camps

    Lehigh’s residential pre-college camps are for rising grades 10–12, ages 14–17 during the programme, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

    Cost
    $1,800
    Who can apply
    Grades 10–12 (rising)
    Program dates
    Jul 11–16, 2027 · 1 week
    Where
    In person · Bethlehem, PA
    ResidentialPre-college
    Requirements and sources

    Requirements: Ages 14–17; Requirement: Open to rising grades 10–12; Requirement: In good academic standing with their school

    Checked Official site

    Lehigh University Academic Outreach logo
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  • Kettering University

    Lives Improve Through Engineering & Science (LITES)

    Two-week residential engineering and science experience at Kettering University in Flint, MI for students completing 11th grade - hands-on labs from airbag design to biomedical engineering, $1,500 with need-based scholarships.

    Cost
    $1,500(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grade 11
    Program dates
    Jul 13–24, 2026 · 2 weeks(2026)
    Where
    In person · Flint, MI
    STEMResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Need-based scholarships (first come, first served)

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Need-based scholarships (first come, first served)

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to grade 11; Requirement: Finishing 11th grade by July 1 of the program summer; Requirement: Able to live on campus for the full two-week program

    Selection and application: Selection: Kettering does not publish the cohort size, applicant total, selection method or acceptance rate on the current LITES page.

    Checked Official site

    Kettering University logo
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  • MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    LLCipher

    S. high-school citizens and permanent residents.

    Cost
    Free
    Who can apply
    Grades 9–12
    Program dates
    Aug 3–7, 2026 · 1 week(2026)
    Where
    In person · Cambridge, MA
    STEMDay program
    Requirements and sources

    Requirements: Citizenship: U.S. citizen or permanent resident; Requirement: Open to grades 9–12; Requirement: Interest in mathematics or cybersecurity

    Selection and application: Selection: MIT Lincoln Laboratory selects a workshop cohort from completed applications and teacher recommendations. It does not publish the current cohort size, number of applicants, evaluation rubric or acceptance rate. Application materials: Teacher recommendation

    Checked Official site

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory logo
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Before you apply

How to check costs, eligibility and dates

Use the concrete checks below alongside the catalog examples. Where a program publishes no acceptance rate, treat selectivity as unknown; price alone cannot establish it.

Each card shows what the program has published; open the official site for anything it leaves out. A date or price from an earlier year says so beside it, and format and location can change between cycles.

Selective vs. pay-to-play guideApplication guideHow we list programs

Keep exploring

Explore Summer 2027 by interest, grade and state

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Are these programs confirmed for summer 2027?

These are existing catalog programs to research for 2027. Inclusion does not confirm a 2027 session or open applications. The cycle label matters: a 2027-cycle application deadline can fall in 2026. Dates explicitly labeled as the 2026 cycle are historical, and a detail the program has not published for 2027 is left off its card.

How should I compare program costs and formats?

Compare tuition, application fees, housing, meals and travel, then check whether attendance is online, on campus or hybrid. A free tuition offer may leave other expenses. A card shows only what the program has published; for anything it leaves out, open the official site.

Can a program pay to appear first?

No paid placements. Listings are ranked by fit, never by payment. By default, editor picks and programs whose official rules describe selective admission come first, and within each group the soonest 2027 deadline. You can sort by name, deadline or latest source check instead. Use the methodology page to understand catalog standards.

How do I save a program?

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