Almost every university seems to be offering summer programs for high school students, and these programs come with hefty price tags of thousands of dollars (or hundreds of thousands of yen) for under a month. Often, parents feel burdened to send their children to these expensive programs in hopes that it will make them a more competitive applicant to colleges, while the real benefit of these programs is overestimated.

At these “pay to play” programs, the reason for the exorbitant price tag is just the university’s name. While paying thousands of dollars to attend a summer program at a prestigious university might sound good, it’s important to consider the value of the experience.

Students get to meet other students and learn about topics they might seek more exposure to, but there are so many opportunities that provide these same benefits with a much lower price tag–or even no price tag.

Here are the top six free opportunities in the US that Sacred Heart students (international students) are eligible to apply for. These provide an even more enriching experience than the seemingly “prestigious” ones—at no cost!

In-person

Notre Dame Leadership Seminars

Subject areas: Business, Investment, Environment, Global Issues, Inequality
Location: University of Notre Dame
Application deadline: January 22, 2025
Program duration: July 21 – 30, 2025
Eligibility: Current high school juniors

The Notre Dame Leadership Seminars is a highly competitive summer program where students engage in lectures, discussions, and projects led by Notre Dame faculty. The program is intended for academically talented students who demonstrate leadership in their communities and are interested in social justice, ethics, and global leadership.

Santa Clara Summer Engineering Seminar

Subject areas: Engineering
Location: Santa Clara University
Application deadline: March 2025
Program duration: 5 days in July
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors

The Santa Clara Summer Engineering Seminar is a competitive five-day immersion experience offering specially designed introductory workshops taught by Santa Clara engineering faculty. The workshops are presented as a mix of lecture and interactive work. The program is intended for students who have had limited exposure to engineering but are excited to learn more about the field.

Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)

Subject areas: Anti-oppressive studies
Location: Cornell University & University of Maryland
Application deadline: December 3, 2024
Program duration: June 22, 2025 – July 26, 2025
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors

TASS is a highly selective summer program for students interested in transformative justice and democratic decision-making. Through lectures, discussions, and readings, participants will explore ideas within history, politics, literature, art, and other disciplines under the guidance of renowned professors.

Virtual

Yale Center for Clinical Investigation Exposures Program (YCCI Exposures)

Subject areas: Healthcare and Clinical Research
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: Not released
Program duration: 1 month in July
Eligibility: Over 15 years of age

This internship provides highly motivated students with the opportunity to work with and learn from a multidisciplinary team of scientists, including internationally renowned investigators and leaders. The program includes coursework, lectures, a journal club, a group project, and virtual lunches with clinical and research leaders.

Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

Subject areas: Many disciplines
Location: Virtual & In-person at George Mason University
Application deadline: February 2nd, 2025
Program duration: 8 weeks, June 18th-Aug. 8th, 2025
Eligibility: Over 15 years of age

ASSIP is a selective internship program providing transformative research opportunities for high school and undergraduate students. Selected participants work one-on-one with faculty researchers at George Mason University and collaborating institutions, and they have the opportunity to publish their research at the end.

Girls Who Code

Subject areas: Game design
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: Not released
Program duration: 2 weeks in July
Eligibility: High school female & non-binary students

This program is open to anyone, and participants have the opportunity to learn about tech jobs and meet industry leaders, while also learning the fundamentals of game design. It’s a great introduction to computer science with no prior experience required!