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.

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

  1. New York University GSTEM / Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences

    NYU GSTEM Summer Research ProgramRemove
    Application deadline
    Not published
    Cost
    $5,7502026 cycle
    Financial aid
    2026: GSTEM need-based scholarship. Applies toward the program cost only; Winston Data Scholarship (full program cost). Requires a separate data science essay; recipients take a weekly data science class.
    Expenses and aid conditions
    2026: Optional six-week housing with meal plan: $3,966. Need-based aid does not cover housing; NYU application fee: $50. Fee waivers are available; GSTEM need-based scholarship. Applies toward the program cost only; Winston Data Scholarship (full program cost). Requires a separate data science essay; recipients take a weekly data science class.
    Stipend or pay
    Not published
    Eligibility
    Grade 11 when applying; summer rising grade is one higher
    Additional eligibility
    Citizenship: U.S. citizens (living anywhere); Citizenship: Non-citizens in the U.S. on an F-1 student visa; Requirement: Open to students currently in grade 11 when applying; Requirement: High aptitude in STEM; Requirement: Available for every day of the six-week program and not enrolled in another program at the same time
    Session dates or duration
    Starts June 28, 2027; Ends August 6, 2027; 6 weeks
    Format
    In person
    Housing and supervision
    Non-residential
    Location
    New York, NY
    Selection and application
    Selection: GSTEM admits 40 current juniors. Review is competitive and considers academic work, essays, STEM activities, and one recommendation. Application materials: Four essays; One letter of recommendation from a teacher, advisor or counselor
    Official sources
    Source 1 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 2 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 3 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 4 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 5 · checked Aug 22, 2026Source 6 · checked Aug 20, 2026

  2. National Institutes of Health Office of Intramural Training & Education

    NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) — High School Senior EligibilityRemove
    Application deadline
    January 26, 2027
    Cost
    Free (other costs may apply)
    Financial aid
    Not published
    Expenses and aid conditions
    Not published
    Stipend or pay
    Not published
    Eligibility
    Grade 12 when applying; check the provider's rules for graduating seniors
    Additional eligibility
    Minimum age 17; Citizenship: US citizen; Citizenship: US permanent resident; Requirement: Open to students currently in grade 12 when applying; Requirement: Enrolled at least half-time as a high school senior and graduated before the internship starts; Requirement: 18 years old by September 30, 2027; a graduating senior who is 17 on June 1, 2027 must have a permanent home address within 40 miles of an NIH campus; Requirement: Permanent residents must attend or be accepted to a U.S. educational institution
    Session dates or duration
    Not published
    Format
    In person
    Housing and supervision
    Non-residential
    Location
    Bethesda, MD
    Selection and application
    Selection: There is no centralized selection. Individual NIH PIs search applications, interview candidates, choose interns and supply funding; satisfying minimum eligibility does not guarantee a match. Application materials: Personal statement; Two references who submit letters of recommendation; Outreach to NIH Principal Investigators and interviews with them
    Official sources
    Source 1 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 2 · checked Aug 22, 2026

  3. MathPath

    MathPathRemove
    Application deadline
    Not published
    Cost
    $6,6002026 cycle
    Financial aid
    Need-based financial aid: Up to $6,600. Scaled to reported family income; considered after admission and does not affect the admissions decision.2026 cycle
    Expenses and aid conditions
    Application fee: $0. Applying to MathPath is free; Minimum registration deposit: $500; Need-based financial aid: Up to $6,600. Scaled to reported family income; considered after admission and does not affect the admissions decision.2026 cycle
    Stipend or pay
    Not published
    Eligibility
    Not published
    Additional eligibility
    Ages 11–14; Requirement: Turn 11 before the program starts and turn 15 only after the last day of the program
    Session dates or duration
    Starts June 28, 2026; Ends July 26, 2026; 4 weeks2026 cycle
    Format
    In person
    Housing and supervision
    Residential
    Location
    Not published
    Selection and application
    Selection: Merit-based selection centered on the Qualifying Test and application context
    Official sources
    Source 1 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 2 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 3 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 4 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 5 · checked Oct 24, 2026Source 6 · checked Aug 20, 2026Source 7 · checked Aug 20, 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 169–180 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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  • Purdue University Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute

    GER²I Summer Residential — PULSAR

    Purdue’s GER²I PULSAR serves current grades 9–12. The published 2026 two-week fee was $2,990 plus a $100 application fee; 2027 terms are unannounced.

    Cost
    $2,990
    Who can apply
    Grades 9–12 (current)
    Program dates
    Jun 28 – Jul 25, 2026(2026)
    Where
    In person · West Lafayette, IN
    STEMResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Partial need-based scholarships (limited)

    Costs beyond tuition: Application fee: $100. Refunded only if the student is not accepted; Optional Saturday field trip: $100; Partial need-based scholarships (limited)

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 9–12 when applying

    Selection and application: Selection: The 2026 application documented gifted/talent indicators and course placement depended on eligibility and availability. Confirm the next-cycle process; no acceptance rate is published. Application materials: Historical 2026 instructions: One-to-two-page motivation essay or alternative media statement for new students; Historical 2026 instructions: Exactly two qualifying documents from transcript, IQ testing, achievement testing, teacher/mentor recommendation or talent-involvement documentation

    Checked Official site

    Purdue University Gifted Education Research and Resource Institute logo
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  • Glohea at JHU, a Johns Hopkins University academic student organization

    Global Health Leaders Conference at Johns Hopkins University (GHLC at JHU)

    Cost
    $99(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grades 9–12 (current)
    Program dates
    Jun 23 – Jul 16, 2026(2026)
    Where
    Online
    STEMDay program
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Registration fee assistance for financial hardship. Admitted students tell the organizers upon acceptance.

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Application fee: $0. No application fee; Registration fee assistance for financial hardship. Admitted students tell the organizers upon acceptance.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 9–12 when applying; Requirement: Professional working proficiency in English; Requirement: Open to students from any country or U.S. state

    Selection and application: Selection: Applications are reviewed holistically. The organizer publishes no minimum GPA, test requirement, acceptance rate or guarantee of admission; Student Speaker Series participation requires a separate post-admission application. Application materials: Short essays

    Checked Official site

    Glohea at JHU, a Johns Hopkins University academic student organization logo
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  • Global Works Travel

    Global Works Teen Summer Trips

    Open 2027 chaperoned residential travel programs for students entering grade 9 through graduating grade 12, with service, cultural, language, environmental and pre-med themes.

    Cost
    $3,445–$7,195
    Who can apply
    Grades 7–12 and first-year college (rising)
    Program dates
    1⁠–⁠3 weeks
    Where
    In person
    LeadershipResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Sibling discount (5% of tuition). Discounts cannot be combined; Educator-parent discount (10% of tuition). Requires proof of full-time employment as a primary or secondary educator; Scholarships through partner organizations

    Costs beyond tuition: Application fee: $95. Non-refundable; Enrollment deposit: $700; Sibling discount (5% of tuition). Discounts cannot be combined; Educator-parent discount (10% of tuition). Requires proof of full-time employment as a primary or secondary educator; Scholarships through partner organizations

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grades 7–13; Requirement: High school trips: entering 9th grade through graduating 12th grade; Requirement: Middle school trip: entering 7th grade through graduating 8th grade

    Selection and application: Selection: Capacity- and fit-based enrollment rather than a single selective cohort. A completed application and payment reserve a space subject to trip availability, documentation, health and conduct requirements.

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    Global Works Travel logo
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  • Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM), Brown University

    GoGetMath@ICERM

    Five-day, non-residential math programme at Brown ICERM for rising 10th or 11th graders, regardless of gender.

    Cost
    $100(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grades 10–11 (rising)
    Program dates
    Aug 10–14, 2026(2026)
    Where
    In person · Providence, RI
    STEMDay program
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Full financial aid

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Full financial aid

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grades 10–11

    Checked Official site

    Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (ICERM), Brown University logo
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  • Governor's Program for Gifted Children / McNeese State University

    Governor's Program for Gifted Children

    Seven-week McNeese residential program for gifted students in grades 6-10, combining project-based academics, arts, student government, and dorm life.

    Cost
    $3,000–$4,000(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grades 6–10 (current)
    Program dates
    From Jun 7, 2026 · 7 weeks(2026)
    Where
    In person · Lake Charles, LA
    LeadershipResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Sliding-scale tuition by household income: $200–$3,000. Estimated family tuition and fees by income; families can request additional aid on the enrollment form after acceptance.

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Sliding-scale tuition by household income: $200–$3,000. Estimated family tuition and fees by income; families can request additional aid on the enrollment form after acceptance.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to students currently in grades 6–10 when applying; Requirement: Junior Division: in grade 6, 7 or 8 during the school year of application; Requirement: Senior Division: in grade 9 or 10, with at least a B average for the last full school term and the current year; Requirement: Classified as gifted by a Louisiana public school system, or scores on an acceptable aptitude test

    Selection and application: Selection: Applicants must meet gifted-identification or aptitude criteria and grade-specific requirements. Applications were reviewed until spaces filled; the program does not publish applicant counts, capacity, or an acceptance rate.

    Checked Official site

    Governor's Program for Gifted Children / McNeese State University logo
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  • Great Books Summer Program

    Great Books Summer Program Online

    Cost
    $925
    Who can apply
    Grades 6–12 (rising)
    Program dates
    Jul 4–16, 2027 · 1⁠–⁠2 weeks
    Where
    Online
    Day program
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: Limited need-based financial aid and scholarships. Awards can be used for an online program instead of an on-campus one; international students are not eligible.

    Costs beyond tuition: Non-refundable deposit due with registration: $95; Limited need-based financial aid and scholarships. Awards can be used for an online program instead of an on-campus one; international students are not eligible.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grades 6–12

    Selection and application: Selection: Registration is described as rolling while space remains and requires educator support; the provider does not publish a current applicant count, acceptance rate, section capacity, or 2027 placement process.

    Checked Official site

    Great Books Summer Program logo
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  • NYU GSTEM, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences

    GSTEM Summer Research Program

    Competitive six-week NYC STEM research program pairing 40 current juniors with university and laboratory mentors; open to all genders.

    Cost
    $5,750(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grade 11 (current)
    Program dates
    Jun 28 – Aug 6, 2027 · 6 weeks
    Where
    In person · New York, NY
    STEM
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Need-based aid toward the program cost. Can cover all or part of the program cost; does not cover housing; Winston Data Scholarship (merit-based): $5,750. Covers program tuition in full; requires a data-science essay, a weekly online class and a project.

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Optional six-week NYU housing with meal plan: $3,966; Application fee: $50. Fee waiver available on request; Need-based aid toward the program cost. Can cover all or part of the program cost; does not cover housing; Winston Data Scholarship (merit-based): $5,750. Covers program tuition in full; requires a data-science essay, a weekly online class and a project.

    Requirements: Citizenship: U.S. citizens (living anywhere); Citizenship: Non-citizens in the U.S. on an F-1 student visa; Requirement: Open to students currently in grade 11 when applying; Requirement: High aptitude in STEM; Requirement: Available for every day of the full six-week program, with no other program at the same time

    Selection and application: Selection: GSTEM describes admission as competitive and admits 40 students each summer. Decisions consider high-school academics, essays, STEM activities, and one recommendation; applicant count and acceptance rate are not published. Application materials: Four essays; One letter of recommendation from a teacher, advisor, or counselor

    Checked Official site

    NYU GSTEM, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences logo
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  • Guilford College

    Guilford College Rise

    Three-week residential college-credit institute for rising seniors; the June 29-July 17, 2026 session is complete and no 2027 cycle is announced.

    Cost
    $3,000(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grade 12 (rising)
    Program dates
    Jun 29 – Jul 17, 2026 · 3 weeks(2026)
    Where
    In person · Greensboro, NC
    BusinessResidentialPre-college
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Program scholarship

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Nonrefundable deposit to hold a spot: $250. Included in the $3,000 cost; Program scholarship

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grade 12

    Selection and application: Selection: Guilford calls Rise selective and encourages early application, but publishes no cohort size, acceptance rate, scoring rubric, or admissions threshold.

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    Guilford College logo
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  • George Washington University

    GW Pre-College Programs

    GW Pre-College includes distinct programs rather than one standard course.

    Cost
    $4,350–$4,950(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grades 10–12 (rising)
    Program dates
    2⁠–⁠6 weeks
    Where
    In person or online · Washington, DC
    STEMResidentialPre-college
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Caminos al Futuro (fully funded). Selective residential program for rising seniors in U.S. high schools.

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Caminos al Futuro (fully funded). Selective residential program for rising seniors in U.S. high schools.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grades 10–12; Requirement: Summer Immersion: rising sophomores, juniors and seniors; Requirement: College Intensive (online, credit-bearing): rising juniors and seniors who meet the course prerequisites; Requirement: Caminos al Futuro: rising seniors in U.S. high schools

    Selection and application: Selection: GW reviews academic preparation, maturity and fit. Caminos is explicitly selective. The university does not publish a unified application count or acceptance rate across all Pre-College tracks. Application materials: Personal statement

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    George Washington University logo
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  • HCSSiM

    Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics

    Cost
    $7,208(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grades 9–12
    Program dates
    Jun 28 – Aug 8, 2026 · 6 weeks(2026)
    Where
    In person
    STEMResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: 2026: Need-based financial aid and travel grants. Free for domestic students with household income under $85,000; case-by-case awards above that and for international students.

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Application: $0. Applying is free; Need-based financial aid and travel grants. Free for domestic students with household income under $85,000; case-by-case awards above that and for international students.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to grades 9–12; Requirement: Must not have already graduated from high school; Requirement: Most participants have just finished 10th or 11th grade; students who just completed 9th grade with more advanced math have attended; Requirement: International students are welcome to apply

    Selection and application: Selection: Application review uses the form, letter, Interesting Test, and mathematical sponsor recommendation; no current acceptance rate or 2027 capacity is published. Application materials: Letter of recommendation from a sponsor who knows you in a mathematical context

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    HCSSiM logo
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  • Harvard Debate Council

    Harvard Debate Council Summer Workshops

    Paid two- or four-week online, commuter and residential debate/speech workshops for entering grades 7-12, run by Harvard College's independent Debate Council.

    Cost
    $1,599–$6,049(2026)
    Who can apply
    Grades 7–12 (rising)
    Program dates
    Jun 28 – Jul 24, 2026 · 2⁠–⁠4 weeks(2026)
    Where
    In person or online · Cambridge, MA
    LeadershipResidentialResearch
    Requirements and sources

    Costs beyond tuition: 2026: Application fee (non-refundable); Optional linen service: $75

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grades 7–12; Requirement: Online workshops: students entering grades 7-12 in the fall; Requirement: In-person workshops: students currently enrolled in high school or entering 9th grade in the fall

    Selection and application: Selection: Most divisions used automatic first-come, first-served admission after a complete application until full. Advanced tracks such as Congress required additional review.

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    Harvard Debate Council logo
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  • Indiana University High School Journalism Institute

    High School Journalism Institute (HSJI)

    Five-day IU Bloomington journalism workshops for rising grade 9 through incoming college students; 2027 sessions are July 12-16 and July 18-22, with residential, commuter, and grant-funded options.

    Cost
    $395–$1,240
    Who can apply
    Grades 9–12 and first-year college (rising)
    Program dates
    Jul 12–22, 2027 · 1 week
    Where
    In person · Bloomington, IN
    ArtsResidential
    Financial aid, requirements and sources

    Financial aid: HSJI Opportunity Grant. For students who could not attend without financial assistance; covers full registration fees, housing and meals; Bloomington Press Club Grant. Two students from Monroe and Brown county high schools; covers full registration fees, housing and meals.

    Costs beyond tuition: Extra meals added to the meal card: $75; HSJI Opportunity Grant. For students who could not attend without financial assistance; covers full registration fees, housing and meals; Bloomington Press Club Grant. Two students from Monroe and Brown county high schools; covers full registration fees, housing and meals.

    Requirements: Requirement: Open to rising grades 9–13

    Selection and application: Selection: Registration and workshop-capacity based; grant and scholarship decisions are selective, while general workshop acceptance criteria are not published as a competitive rubric.

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    Indiana University High School Journalism Institute 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

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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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