Discover 13 NYC Summer Programs for High School Students
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Why Summer Programs Matter for High School Students
High school students are impossibly busy with academic and extracurricular demands during the academic year. For many students, summer is the only time that is truly theirs. How you decide to use your academic break this coming summer is entirely up to you, but keep in mind that there are amazing summer opportunities out there for high schoolers, and many of them would be impossible to complete during the year due to schedule restrictions and conflicts. Depending on which summer programs you find most interesting, you could have the opportunity to explore new academic courses, participate in scientific research, and/or develop professional skills.
If you’re interested in NYC summer programs, then our articles on Research and Summer Programs in New York, NYC internships for high school students, and New York summer art programs for high school students might also be useful to check out. If you’re curious about academic summer programs that can be completed remotely and that can be tailored to fit your schedule, then explore our Research Mentorship Program.
Benefits of Participating in NYC Summer Programs
New York City has a high density of summer programs specifically aimed at engaging local high school students. These programs are sponsored and coordinated by foundations, museums, and universities across the city. Whether you’re interested in engineering, theater, or environmental science research (which high schoolers can do just outside of the city), there’s a program in New York for you. All of the opportunities on this list are either free programs or paid summer internships, so you have nothing to lose by exploring your passions!
Exploring Career Paths and College Preparation
In addition to helping you explore your passions, summer programs can be opportunities to try out career paths and/or to prepare for college by improving your writing skills, learning about the engineering design process, or participating in college preparatory workshops. In many cases, the programs described below come with built-in mentorship and college application support, which can be particularly valuable for first-generation college students and students from low-income households.
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How Competitive Are NYC Summer Programs for High School Students?
Application Requirements and Selectivity
The application process varies from program to program, but almost all of the ones below require students to submit cover letters or essays explaining their motivations for participating. Summer programs tend to be quite competitive, which is why many of those listed here have limited their applicant pool to the students who will benefit the most from the opportunity. To help maximize their impacts, many programs are only open to one or two grade levels (often rising 11th and 12th graders) and only accept applications from local students residing in one of New York City’s five boroughs.
Tips for Strengthening Your Application
To give yourself the best shot at getting into a competitive summer program, start by reviewing the individual application requirements for each program as soon as possible. The majority of these programs publish their application requirements in December or January, so bookmark the programs that interest you and check back frequently. On that subject, make sure you apply to more than one program; even if there’s one that stands out as your clear favorite, keep a backup or two (or three) in mind. While you will be able to reuse some of your application materials to send to multiple opportunities (like your high school transcript), you’ll need to craft new pieces for every single application. Getting an early start allows you time to write strong essays and cover letters that clearly and concisely express your personal voice, motivations, and passions.
Choosing the Right Summer Program
Choosing the right summer program can be a daunting task, especially with the numerous options available. To make an informed decision, it’s essential to consider several factors that align with your interests, goals, and preferences. Whether you’re looking to gain college credit, explore future career goals, or simply engage in a new hobby, selecting the right summer program can make all the difference.
Factors to Consider
When selecting a summer program, consider the following factors:
Academic focus: Are you looking for a program that focuses on a specific subject or skill, such as STEM, arts, or languages? Identifying your academic interests can help narrow down your options.
Location: Do you prefer a program located in an urban or rural setting? Are you open to traveling to a new city or country? For instance, NYC high school students might prefer local programs, while others might be excited about studying abroad.
Duration: How long do you want the program to be? Are you looking for a short-term or long-term commitment? Some programs last a few weeks, while others span the entire summer.
Cost: What is your budget for the program? Are you eligible for financial aid or scholarships? Many programs offer financial assistance to help cover costs.
Reputation: What is the program’s reputation? Are they accredited by a recognized organization? Researching reviews and testimonials can provide insight into the program’s quality.
Staff and faculty: Who will be leading the program? What are their qualifications and experience? Knowing who will be teaching and mentoring you can help ensure a valuable experience.
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Top 15 NYC Summer Programs for High School Students
1. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) at NYU Summer Programs
Who: Students living in one of New York City’s five boroughs and completing 10th or 11th grade in June 2025
Where: New York University campus
When: June 2 to August 8, 2025
How to Apply: Online applications open on December 23, 2024, and close on February 21, 2025. Additionally, there are two rounds of interviews in March.
ARISE is a program offered by NYU to immerse NYC-based high school students in a summer of STEM. In 2025, ARISE is expanding to become a full-summer program lasting ten weeks. This year, the program is split into four weeks of remote learning in the evenings (in June) followed by a six-week, full-time, on-campus experience in July and August. ARISE is fully funded by the Pinkerton Foundation and other donors; all accepted students receive full-tuition scholarships. NYU summer programs, such as ARISE, offer high school students opportunities for personal growth in leadership and career readiness experiences.
The ARISE application is only open to current high school sophomores and juniors living in New York City. Going to school in New York City does not qualify students to become eligible. After the application closes in February, the students who advance to the next phase must go through two rounds of interviews in March. Admissions decisions and lab placements will be sent out between April 7 and April 9, 2025. There is an in-person, mandatory orientation on May 30, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, before the online workshops begin on June 2.
2. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Who: Current high school juniors and seniors
Where: Approximately 100 locations throughout the United States, including NYC. Free trip to Student Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.
When: 8 weeks during the summer. Student Leaders Summit takes place from July 21 - 26, 2025.
How to Apply: Online applications close on January 15, 2025.
The Bank of America Student Leaders Program operates throughout the United States and connects 11th and 12th-grade students to non-profit organizations for paid internships in their home communities. In New York State, the program has partnerships in Albany, Bronx, Erie, Kings, Monroe, Nassau, New York, Oneida, Onondaga, Queens, Richmond, and Suffolk counties. In July, Bank of America brings all participants together, funding students’ travel, meals, and accommodations for the Student Leaders Summit.
3. American Museum of Natural History Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP)
Who: Current high school sophomores and juniors in New York City. Note: specific eligibility requirements apply. Students must be currently enrolled in or have previously completed a science program at the Museum of Natural History and/or attend one of the museum’s partner high schools or programs. See complete eligibility requirements here.
Where: American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024-5102
When: 4 weeks in August, followed by a school-year program until the following June
How to Apply: Online applications close in early March 2025 (exact deadline TBD)
The American Museum of Natural History’s Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) connects New York City high schoolers with scientists and researchers at the museum for unique access to learning opportunities and mentorship. The goal of SRMP is to improve students’ access to scientific research and to introduce them to career paths in scientific fields.
The program starts in early August with a four-week summer course on scientific research methods. Three weeks of the course take place in the museum, from 10 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, with one week designated for field research in Black Rock Forest. At the conclusion of the program, students present their research findings at a symposium, emphasizing the hands-on experience and academic engagement that participants gain.
4. Met Internship Program for High School Students
Who: Current high school sophomores and juniors who reside and/or attend school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut.
Where: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
When: Orientation in late June, followed by a four-week internship from early July to early August
How to Apply: Online applications are accepted from early February to early March 2025 (exact dates TBD).
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City offers paid summer internships for high school students residing in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The program enables motivated high school students to gain work experience in museum administration and research. Based on their interests, selected interns will have the opportunity to work with the Met’s editorial, marketing, social media, education, scientific research, or conservation teams. Interns work between 10 and 20 hours per week, and their stipends are based on the New York State minimum wage.
5. NYU Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities (ieSoSC)
Who: Current 9th - 11th graders who reside in New York City
Where: New York University campus
When: Five weeks, from early July to early August 2025 (exact dates TBD)
How to Apply: Online applications open February 1, 2025, and close in mid-April (exact date TBD)
ieSoSC builds on the NYU middle school summer program on the Science of Smart Cities. This advanced program for high schoolers combines principles of modern urban design with techniques from engineering and entrepreneurship. Participants practice innovating through workshops on coding, circuit-building and deployment, and sensor integration and then take their ideas into a mock entrepreneurial setting alongside mentors in management and technology. The program teaches participants the basics of programming with Arduino and sensor technology, orienting them towards developing a concept and prototype to solve a real-world issue for a modern city. Additionally, the technology entry program, funded by the New York Education Department, offers students in grades 7-12 hands-on labs, STEM enrichment courses, and college preparatory workshops to enhance their education and skill set.
6. Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program
Who: Current high schoolers in New York City
Where: Locations vary; participants are matched with a firm or employer in New York City
When: Summer (exact dates vary from internship to internship)
How to Apply: Send an email to the program coordinator
The Thurgood Marshall Internship Program connects high school students interested in careers in law with legal offices offering rewarding summer internships. The program is administered by the New York City Bar Association. The program was established in 1993. If you’d like more information about how to intern at a law office in New York City this coming summer, we recommend you reach out to them directly! The program provides insight into the criminal justice system.
7. Columbia University's Hk Maker Lab Summer Engineering Design Program
Who: Current 10th or 11th-grade students (rising high school seniors) attending a New York City Department of Education public or charter high school. Because the program is free, applicants must demonstrate financial need when applying. For example, students who attend schools with an Economic Need Index of 0.8 or higher or whose families qualify for Medicaid, TANF, or SNAP are eligible for the program.
Where: Columbia University
When: 5 weeks from July to August
How to Apply: Online applications for the 2025 session open in early December 2024
Maker Lab is a joint program from HYPOTHEkids and Columbia Engineering. It is an engineering design program for current high school sophomores and juniors (rising juniors and seniors) at NYC public and charter schools. Students who successfully complete the program will be considered for paid internships in research labs the following summer.
The five-week program is divided into two segments:
Phase One: three weeks of courses taught by Columbia Engineering faculty. Participants are divided into different curricula based on their interests. Past course options have included Biomedical Engineering, Innovation & Design, and more.
Phase Two: participants converge for the last two weeks of the program. In small groups, participants develop final interdisciplinary projects that address global health disparities.
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8. City Limits CLARIFY News Program
Who: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors residing in New York City
Where: New York City
When: 10 days in July or six week-long programs in fall and spring semesters
How to Apply: Online applications will open soon. Send questions to [email protected].
The City Limits Accountability Reporting Initiative for Youth (CLARIFY) program is an investigative reporting workshop. In addition to their six-week-long fall and spring sessions, which are paid internships, City Limits offers a free, 10-day summer program in July.
City Limits is a non-profit organization that receives funding from the Pinkerton Foundation, the Dow Jones News Fund, and donations from readers. The City Limits newsroom uses investigative journalism to identify and examine issues in New York City, such as housing, homelessness, and pollution.
9. Wooster Group Summer Institute
Who: NYC public middle and high school students (ages 12-17)
Where: The Performing Garage in Soho (33 Wooster Street)
When: 3 weeks in July (exact summer 2025 dates TBD)
How to Apply: Rolling applications open in January
The Wooster Group’s Summer Institute is a free program (including lunches and Metrocards) for NYC public middle and high school students. The institute explores theater, movement, film/video, and other aspects of performance. Accepted participants are invited back every year until they graduate high school. Students accepted into the program can return throughout their high school years.
The Wooster Group is a well-known experimental artist collective working on theater, dance, and media performances. The ensemble was founded in 1975. Willem Dafoe, John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, and Laurie Anderson are just a few of the artists who have worked with or been company members of the Wooster Group.
10. Freedom and Citizenship Program at Columbia University
Who: Current 11th graders (rising seniors) at NYC public high schools
Where: Columbia University (residential program)
When: Four-week residential summer course (July-August) followed by weekly meetings throughout the subsequent academic year (September to May)
How to Apply: Online applications open in January 2025
Columbia’s Freedom and Citizenship Program is a free program for New York City public high school students. The program centers around seminars in political philosophy taught by Ivy League professors. The goal of the program is to create civic leaders while preparing students from low-income families for successful college and professional careers.
Freedom and Citizenship is not just a summer course. After the month-long academic program at Columbia, students translate the ideas from the classroom into civic action. As they complete their projects from September to May, participants return to Columbia for meetings every two weeks to discuss civic leadership strategies and to receive college application support. Projects from past years can be viewed on the civic leadership page of the program's website. Additionally, students engage in civic leadership projects after participating in the summer seminar, emphasizing the practical application of their learning through research on political issues and the development of advocacy initiatives.
11. Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Secondary School Field Research Program (SSFRP)
Who: Current high school and undergraduate students
Where: Lamont campus of Columbia University in Palisades, NY
When: Six weeks in summer (2025 dates TBD)
How to Apply: Contact Dr. Benjamin Bostick, SSFRP Program Director
The Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is the field research center of the Columbia Climate School. This dedicated research campus houses labs studying biology, paleo-environments, geophysics, oceanography, geochemistry, and more.
This program allows high schoolers to gain hands-on experience with environmental science field research while connecting with undergraduate student mentors. Students and teachers work together to gather samples from the waters and marshes at various points along the Hudson River. Students participate in hands-on field research activities.
12. Apollo Theater Academy Internships
Who: Current high school juniors (rising seniors) residing in New York City
Where: The Apollo Theater: 253 W 125th St, New York, NY
When: Five weeks from July to August (2025 dates TBD)
How to Apply: Online applications open soon (deadline TBD)
The Apollo Theater is one of Harlem’s most iconic music halls and entertainment venues. In addition to hosting talented acts from around the world, the theater offers paid summer internship opportunities for New York City high school students (rising seniors only). Two internship experiences are available:
Arts Administration Internship: work behind the scenes on development, performance event programming, communications, and more!
Technical Stage Production Internship: stage managers apply technical theater skills such as lighting design, carpentry, audio engineering, and more to stage productions.
The program also offers opportunities for creative writing.
13. Riverside Park Conservancy Teen Corps Internships
Who: Teens who reside in West Harlem (Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, or Hamilton Heights: from 110th Street to 155th Street, between Riverside Drive and St. Nicholas Ave/Morningside Ave.)
Where: Office located at 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 455, New York, NY 10115. Field sites are located throughout the park, between 120th and 181st streets.
When: 50 hours of activity, mostly on Wednesday and Friday mornings between July and August
How to Apply: Online applications open soon (for questions, send an email to [email protected])
Teen Corps interns at Riverside Park work on horticulture and environmental restoration throughout the park. Interns assist with maintaining horticulture, managing woodlands, and various seasonal landscaping projects. After successfully logging fifty hours of service, each intern receives a stipend of $1,000. This program is similar to a summer academy, offering hands-on experience and engagement with real-world issues.
Conclusion: How Polygence Core Program Can Help You Succeed
If you know what you want to do this summer but aren’t seeing the perfect program to fit what you’re looking for, why not take control of your summer and design your own project? Polygence is a one-on-one mentorship program connecting high school students to researchers and industry experts in their field of interest, empowering students to work on the summer project of their choice. Whether you’re excited about research, have an idea for a creative project, or something completely different, Polygence will guide you as you plan your roadmap, build the skills you need, and complete and showcase your work. During ten individual mentorship sessions, you’ll receive personalized advice and answers to all of your questions.
Take a look at our Core Program, and let us know what amazing project you want to work on this summer!