20 Country-Wide Summer Ideas

Have you made plans for the summer yet? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with summer ideas for the budding scientist, creative writer, aspiring doctor, and more!

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology – Operation Catapult

This two-week summer program, Operation Catapult, lets you experience college life, make new friends, explore exciting STEM projects, and more for high school juniors and seniors. This includes robotics, biodiesel brewing, and building machines from scratch.

• Things to Know:
  • Finishing Operation Catapult means you’ll receive two hours of free elective credits if you attend Rose-Hulman
  • The deadline for applying is Monday, April 7th, 2025. There is no cost to apply.
  • This program is in-person.
  • Runs in 2 week intervals from June to July.

Nuvu – High School at MIT

NuVu offers a dynamic and immersive summer experience, where students engage in exciting studios like Code Jam, Bots v Bots, and AI Movie Making, where students can develop valuable skills and collaborate with experts.

• Things to Know:
  • Runs over three sessions, each two weeks long, with different studio options available.
  • Students may attend one, two, or all three sessions, but can only register for one studio per session.

Brown University – Summer@Brown

Brown offers courses in a wide-range of subjects including: engineering, political science, creative arts, and women’s studies. You can view more information about Summer@Brown here. 

• Things to Know:
  • The deadline for applying is Friday, May 9, 2025.
  • Brown offers virtual, residential, and hybrid summer programs. 

The Red Cross 

The Red Cross makes it easy to become a lifeguard wherever you live. Type in your zip code to find a convenient place to train or choose the “online only” option to get certified that way.

Bentley University – Wall Street 101

Bentley offers an experiential program for high school juniors interested in learning more about finance called Wall Street 101. 

• Things to Know:
  • Applications are accepted on a space-available basis until June 1 and reserved only with complete payment of tuition.
  • There are residential, commuter, and virtual programs available.
  • Prerequisite for each course varies.

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)

With NOLS high school students can immerse themselves in a variety of expeditions and take wilderness medicine courses. 

Berklee College of Music

Musically inclined? Berklee may be the place for you. This Boston-based campus provides virtual, residential, and commuter program options. 

• Things to Know:
  • Programs are filled on a first-come first-served basis. Deadlines are open until payment is due (May, June, or July 1st). Check with the program directly to see if there is still availability.
  • Several programs are college-credit eligible. 

API

It isn’t too late to study or intern abroad with API. With numerous countries to visit and a user-friendly website, it’s easy to find available summer programs with a May (or later) application deadline. 

Iowa Young Writer’s – Summer Residential Program

The Summer Residential Program at the University of Iowa offers two sessions where students will immerse themselves in creative writing through core courses in fiction, poetry, playwriting, or TV writing. Students will engage in writing exercises, receive feedback, and participate in workshops, readings, and social activities.

• Things to Know:
  • The deadline for applying is February 2, 2025.
  • This program is in-person.
  • Runs in 2-week intervals from June to July.

The Young Writers Summer Online and Residential  Workshops

Want to write from your bedroom? The Young Writers Summer Online and Residential  Workshops hosted through Kenyon College’s Kenyon Review are week-long immersive workshops where 16-18 year olds write, edit, and hone their craft. 

• Things to Know: 
  • The application deadline for residential workshops is March 1, 2025 and for the online workshops it is April 14, 2025.

Boston University – Summer Journalism Academy

Boston University will host their Summer Journalism Academy this summer for rising juniors and seniors with an interest in journalism, photography, and writing. 

• Things to know:
  • There are program options including residential, commuter, and virtual.
  • The deadline for the virtual program is May 9, 2025, and for the residential and/or commuter programs, it is April 19, 2025. 

The New School’s Parsons Academy – Summer Intensive Studies

With the city as your backdrop, New York Summer Intensive Studies in Fine Arts and Design, hosted by The New School’s Parsons Academy, is a residential or commuter program for 16-18 year-olds.

• Things to know:
  • Two sessions are offered–one in June and the other in July.
  • College credit is offered for both sessions. 

National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC)

The NSLC has programs based in: Medicine & Biological Sciences, Government & Law, Business & Leadership, Engineering & Computer Science, and Design, Art, & Media. Programs are hosted in many locations including: Washington, DC, New York City, and California.

• Things to know:
  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but many sessions will fill by late March. 

Georgetown University – Medical Academy

From the lab to the lecture hall, the one-week Hoya Summer Sessions Medical Academy at Georgetown University provides a hands-on introduction to the medical field.

• Things to know:
  • The application deadline is April 15, 2025. 

University of North Carolina Wilmington – Marine Quest

Dive below the surface with Marine Quest, a program by the University of North Carolina Wilmington, perfect for those students who want to study marine biology and science. 

• Things to know:
  • 6 programs are offered with commuter and residential options.
    

Boston University – AIM

With BU’s AIM program, dive into a subject that excites you with three weeks of intensive study on campus alongside passionate classmates. If you’re entering your junior or senior year of high school, apply now.

• Things to know:
  • Rolling application deadline, however spaces are limited.
  • This program is in-person.

Dean College – Sports Broadcasting

Dean College has a summer opportunity for those interested in sports broadcasting and is currently accepting applications. 

• Things to know:
  • Residential and commuter options offered.  

GrubStreet’s Teen Summer Writing Classes

Offers in-person (at their Boston Seaport location) or virtual writing courses with focuses on science fiction, poetry and performance, and activist writing, to name a few.

Tenacity Summer Tennis and Reading Program

Tenacity Summer Tennis and Reading Program provides volunteers with an opportunity to teach light reading and physical education, including tennis, to 4,200 Boston youths ages 6-15. 

• Things to know:
  • Contact Matthew Johnstone if you are interested in volunteering for summer 2025. 
  • There are programs offered in: Boston, Worcester, and Chelsea.

Social Justice Institute at Rosie’s Place

Students ages 16-18 interested in social justice can apply to be a part of the Social Justice Institute at Rosie’s Place, where they will learn more about the guests they will be serving and become familiar with some of the issues their communities are facing.

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