Summertime Pre-College Programs & Courses for Upper School Students
Pre-College Summer Programs and Courses are offered to varying grade levels typically in the “high school” years. It provides an opportunity for a student to develop their understanding and awareness of college and university types and experiences. Sometimes these types of programs even offer students the opportunity to attain college credit (which may be transferable to other schools) or scholarships to their college.
Programs are (attempted to be) organized by earliest deadline. This is not a comprehensive list; if there is a school you are interested in please investigate their available summer offerings!
*THIS PAGE last updated January 2025*
- Rising 12th GRADERS (Class of 2026): Christendom College’s Best Week Ever (Shenandoah Valley, VA)
- When: Summer 2025 (sessions June-July)
- Cost: all-inclusive fee of $600 includes tuition, room and board, books and activity fees; apply early to receive a $200 discount and only pay $400 total
- Deadline: Rolling Admission until full
- To learn more please click here.
- RISING 12th GRADERS: Thomas Aquinas College’s High School Great Books Program (Northfield, MA-New England / Santa Paula, California locations)
- When: New England’s will be held July 13-26, 2025; CA’s will be held July 6-19 or July 27-August 3, 2025
- Cost: 1 week program is $600; 2 week program is $975
- Deadline: rolling admissions
- To learn more please click here.
- Rising 11th-12th GRADERS: Georgia Tech College of Design’s Pre-College Program; Focuses available in Architecture, Construction Science & Management, Industrial Design, or Music Technology (Atlanta, GA)
- When: Session 1- June 15-June 27; Session 2- July 6-July 18 2025
- Cost: $2,750 (includes deposit, room & board, meals, all supplies & materials, activities)
- Deadline: Application opens January 10, 2025 and first decisions released January 31, 2025 as available (rolling)
- To learn more and apply click here.
- Rising 10th-12th GRADERS: Notre Dame’s Pre-College Programs: Leadership Seminars, Summer Scholars, and Study Abroad (Online courses & Global Scholars also available to high school students throughout the school year)
- When: Various dates Summer 2025
- Cost: $210 (Leadership Seminar); $4,950 (total cost-tuition, housing, and fees for Summer Scholars); $8,375-$10,450 (Study Abroad)
- Deadline: January 22, 2025 for Leadership Seminar; February 19, 2025 for Summer Scholars; dates program dependent for Study Abroad
- To learn more, please click here.
- 10-12th GRADERS: Harvard Summer School (Cambridge, MA)
- When: Various Summer 2025 months dependent on program.
- Cost: $4,050-$14,950 plus a $75 application fee.
- Deadline: Regular deadline February 12, 2025
- To learn more and to apply please click here.
- Rising 8th-12th GRADERS: Boston University’s Summer Pre-College Programs (Boston, MA)
- When: various weeks and sessions June 15 – August 9, 2025
- Cost: cost varies
- Deadline: Varies by program (February 14 – Rolling Admission until full)
- To learn more, please click here.
- To learn more about Boston University’s Summer Journalism Academy, please click here (deadline for Journalism Academy is April 19).
- RISING 11th-12th GRADERS: Hillsdale College’s High School Summer Study and Travel Programs
- What: Earn 3 college credits from Hillsdale College while traveling to cultural and historic destinations domestic and abroad
- When: Various dates Summer 2025
- Cost: $2,695(domestic) & $4,695 (international)
- Deadline: February 15, 2025 or until program reaches capacity
- To learn more please click here.
- Rising 10th-12th GRADERS: Rhodes College’s Mock Trial Academy (Memphis, TN)
- When: June 15-22, 2025
- Cost: Early decision tuition (before 2/15) $2000; Regular tuition: $2300
- Deadline: Early Decision is February 15
- To learn more, please here.
- Rising 10th-12th GRADERS pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Art degree in visual art, design, or creative writing in college: The Art Academy of Cincinnati: Future BFA Pre-College portfolio and college prep program
- When: July 6-July 26, 2025
- Cost: $1,300
- Deadline: Scholarship Application Deadline is February 28, 2025
- To learn more and apply, please click here.
- 11th GRADERS with a 3.5+ GPA & 25+ACT (or test equivalent score): Murray State University’s Commonwealth Honors Academy (Murray, KY): 90 rising high school seniors from Kentucky and regional states selected; upon the completion of the academy, students receive 3 hours of university studies credit and a 4-year in-state full-tuition scholarship to Murray
- When: June 7 – June 28, 2025
- Cost: $250 tuition processing fee.* In addition, students are responsible for personal articles, snacks, and incidental expenses.
- Deadline: March 1, 2025
- To learn more please click here.
- Current 9th-11th GRADERS: Carleton Summer Liberal Arts Institute
- When: July 12- August 1, 2025
- Cost: $4,900
- Deadline: 2nd (final) round application deadline is March 3, 2025
- To learn more and apply click here.
- 11th GRADERS: Asbury University’s Youth Becoming Leaders & ImpactU Camps (Wilmore, KY)
- Eligibility Criteria:
- YBL: Students who show strong academic promise (GPA 3.3 or higher) and interest in scripture + theology, serve in leadership in school or church, are actively discerning their calling and/or feeling called into vocational ministry.
- IU: Students choose one subject area to study for the entire week and enjoy academic sessions led by experienced faculty and talented college students multiple times each day.
- When: Summer 2025
- Cost: Varies (Be sure to contact someone about the discount HLS families receive for our CEP Christian Education Partnership with Asbury)
- Deadline: YBL application deadline is March 10, 2025 and ImpactU is by registration
- To learn more please click here.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- Rising 11th-12th GRADERS: Northeastern University Accelerate Pre-College Programs (Boston, MA / Oakland, CA / London)
- When: 2 week programs in June 8 – August 8, 2025 for respective locations and programs
- Cost: $6,895
- Deadline: Regular deadline is February 28, 2025; Late deadline is March 15 , 2025
- To learn more please click here.
- RISING 10th-12th GRADERS-minimum age is 15: Hillsdale College’s Liberty & Learning Youth Conference (Hillsdale, MI)
- When: July 14-17, 2025, | July 28-31, 2025
- Cost: $425
- Deadline: April 1, 2025 or until program reaches capacity
- To learn more please click here.
- 9th – 12th GRADERS (ages 14-18): Patrick Henry College Teen Leadership Camps (Purcellville, VA)
- When: Summer 2025
- Cost: Each camp is $695, but apply before April 1 and receive the Early Bird special for $620.
- Deadline to register: April 1 for Early Bird special and June 12 for normal registration
- To learn more and register, please click here.
- Rising 8th-10th GRADERS: University of Mississippi’s Summer Language Institute: Russian StarTalk Pathways (Oxford, MS)
- When: June 16 – 27, 2025
- What: Mississippi StarTalk is a program funded by the federal government to provide high school students with intensive instruction in Russian. All instructional expenses, room, and board will be covered by scholarships provided to students selected to attend this program.
- Deadline: April 1, 2025
- To learn more, please click here.
- 9th-12th GRADERS: Rose Hulman’s STEM Summer Camps (Terre Haute, IN)
- When: various weeks in June – July 2025
- Costs range: $1,600-$3,000
- Deadline: April 7th, 2025
- To learn more please click here.
- 9th-11th GRADERS: Hanover College’s Summer Academy (Hanover, IN)
- When: June 8-13, 2025
- Cost: $800 (includes cost of housing, meals, and necessary supplies). Students who enroll at Hanover will have the cost of the program deducted from their first year of tuition.
- Deadline: April 14, 2025
- To learn more please, click here.
- RISING 11th-12th GRADERS: Cedarville University’s Summer Scholars Program (Cedarville, OH)
- When: June 14-28, 2025
- Cost range: $1,145 (cost last year- cost for this year not posted as of 1/21).
- Deadline: Deadline May 1, 2025.
- To learn more please click here.
- RISING 10th-12th GRADERS: Lipscomb University’s Pre-College Summer Programs (Nashville, TN)
- When: Various weeks through June and July 2025 (still being updated)
- Cost range: $300-$1,300 dependent on program
- Deadline: varies by program (first listed date is May 1, 2025)
- To learn more please click here.
- 9th-12th GRADERS: Sewanee-The University of the South’s Pre-College Programs (Sewanee, TN)
- When: Various dates in Summer 2025.
- Cost: varies
- Deadline: varies; May 1 as general Rolling Admission deadline
- To learn more please click here.
- 10th-12th GRADERS: St. John’s College Summer Academy (Annapolis / Santa Fe locations)
- When: June-July 2025
- Cost: $1,600 – $1,800 (includes deposit)
- Deadline: encouraged by May 1; final deadline: June 1, 2025
- To learn more please click here.
- 10th-12th GRADERS (must be at least 16): University of Alabama’s Summer on Campus Early College (Tuscaloosa, AL)
- When: May 25-June 28 or June 30-Aug 2, 2024 dependent on summer 1 or 2 term
- Cost range: $2,990-$3,560
- Deadline: May 1, 2025
- To learn more please click here.
- Rising 10th-12th GRADERS: University of North Carolina Asheville Pre-College Programs – Art & Science offerings (Asheville, NC)
- When: June 15-20 and June 22-27, 2025
- Cost: $500 deposit and tuition starts at $1,440 and can go up to $1,890 dependent on program
- Deadline: May 1, 2025
- To learn more and register, please click here.
- RISING 12th GRADERS: Savannah College of Art and Design SCAD Rising Star (Savannah or Atlanta GA)
- When: June 29-July 25, 2025
- Cost: $6,334 total + $100 application fee (prices for 2025 not updated yet)
- Deadline: Balance due May 30, 2025; app deadline not posted
- To learn more and apply click here.
- 9th-11th GRADERS with diagnosed learning disability: Beacon College’s Summer for Success (Leesburg, FL)
- When: July 13- August 1, 2025
- Cost: Varies based on track
- Deadline: Varies based on track.
- To learn more and apply, please click here.
- RISING 10th-12th GRADERS w/ a 3.0+ GPA: Boyce College’s Boyce Academy (Louisville, KY)
- When: July 13-18, 2025
- Cost: $998
- Deadline: Application will open this spring (date not posted as of 1/21).
- To learn more / apply please click here.
- 11th GRADERS: Elon University’s (Elon NC) Emerging Journalists Program
- What: Four learning sessions on foundational journalism skills, including News Gathering & Writing; Editing & Design; Photojournalism & Multimedia Broadcast; and Law & Ethics
- When: virtual educational opportunities throughout spring 2025; completion of Exposure program makes students eligible for Immersion-an on campus residential 12-day learning workshop.
- Cost: none
- To learn more please click here.
- Rising 11th-12th GRADERS: Washington University’s Summer Programs for High School Students (St. Louis, MO)
- What: Summer programs offer highly motivated students the opportunity to experience WashU in the classroom and beyond.
- When: Various summer months 2025.
- Deadline: Deadline varies dependent on program.
- Cost: Fees vary dependent on program.
- To learn more please click here.
- RISING 11th-12th GRADERS & 2025 GRADS: Cornell College: One Course Summer Institute (Mount Vernon, IA)
- When: June 15-July 2, 2025
- Cost range: $4,000 residential
- Deadline: Rolling
- To learn more please click here.
- Rising 10th-12th GRADERS: Western Kentucky University’s Gordon College of Business High School Personal Finance Summer Camp (Bowling Green, KY)
- When: June 9-13, 2024
- Cost: Early Bird Tuition (before April 15)-$299; Reg. Tuition (after April 15)- $399
- Deadline: The deadline has passed for this year’s program.
- To learn more please click here.
- RISING 11th-12th GRADERS: Samford University’s Summer Programs: Bulldog Pharmacy Camp (Birmingham, AL)
- Rising 7th-12th GRADERS: Vanderbilt University’s Summer Academy (in-person) & Mentor Immersion (online) (Nashville, TN)
- When: various weeks June-July 2025
- Cost range: VSA = $1,920-$4,850; Mentor= $2750 per student
- Deadline: The deadline has passed for this year’s applications.
- To learn more please click here.
- 6th-12th GRADERS: Stanford University Mentors Qualia Global Scholars Summer Program: A selective pre-collegiate virtual summer program matching talented students in grades 6-12 with Stanford mentors.
- When: The program is not running for the 2025 year.
- Cost: $970
- Deadline: The program is not running for the 2025 year.
- To learn more and apply please click here.
- Rising 10th-12th GRADERS: Rochester Institute of Technology’s High School Pro-Advantage Program (Rochester, NY)
- When: July 15-July 19, 2024 / July 22 – July 26, 2024
- Cost: $1,950 (total cost)
- Deadline: The deadline has passed for this year’s program.
- To learn more and apply click here.
- K-12: Bellarmine University’s Summer Days – Classes and Camps (Louisville, KY)
- When: June 11 – July 19, 2024; each program varies
- Cost range: vary
- Deadline: The deadline has passed for this year’s program.
- To learn more about course and camp offerings please click here (view summary at bottom of page, please note “Exploring Offerings” button contains 15 pages to view).
- RISING 12th GRADERS: Indiana University’s Precollege Academy (Bloomington, IN)
- When: Summer 2024
- Cost: none
- Deadline: The deadline has passed for this year’s program.
- To learn more please click here.
- RISING 11th and 12th GRADERS: Davidson College’s Virtual Admission Intensive Workshops
- When: Various 2024 dates
- Cost: Free
- Deadline: The deadline has passed for this year’s workshops.
- To learn more and register, please click here.