Free Summer Programs for High School Students 2026: Benefits, Eligibility, Best Fully Funded Opportunities + How to Apply

By Jack Liam April 19, 2026 Education

Summer is not just a break from school but it’s actually a chance to upskill. Many high school students use this time to grow their skills and explore future careers. But can you learn and upgrade during this time?

There are multiple free summer programs for high school students in 2026. These summer programs are short courses or activities held during the holidays. So they actually help students learn outside the classroom. You can learn about computer science (coding), research, medical and even cybersecurity. However, things are not as smooth as it seems for low income students.

But don’t worry because all of these summer programs in the FreeBenefitsWireless guide are completely free, so you can learn without worrying about cost. These programs show that you are active, curious and also build your confidence.

Apart from this, you meet new people and also become capable of supporting your studies over time. So you should use it in a smart way instead of wasting summer.

We have shared all the free programs and institutions that offer it in this guide. You can also see the eligibility criteria and what you actually learn. So keep reading to find the best program for you and learn how to apply step by step.

What are the Eligibility Criteria for Summer Programs?

Here is the eligibility criteria that most of the summer programs generally follow:

High school students (Grades 9–12)
Age: usually 15–18
Good academic record (sometimes optional)
Interest in a specific field

Essays and recommendations

Some programs are:

Need-based (low-income students)
Location-based (specific states or schools)
Highly selective (top students only

The eligibility and residency rules differ in every program. We have listed the free college summer programs for high schoolers in four different categories. So make sure to read the tables for each program below for more details.

17 Free Computer Science Summer Programs For High School Students

There are multiple computer science programs available for high schoolers in 2026. Some of them are self-paced while many others are like classes. We have divided the free computer summer programs in two categories which are university- led and local.

University & Industry-Led Computer Science programs for High Schoolers in 2026

Here are the summer programs that provide free classes in 2026. Some of them are global like Google, Meta and Amazon. While many other universities led. Make sure to read the best section for a better idea in which program you should enrol.

Program / Provider	Location	Self-paced?	Who can apply	Study method	Cost	Best for
MIT Research Science Institute (RSI) from MIT / CEE	Cambridge, MA	No	Rising seniors with excellent grades; US & international students	6-week research program with lab work, lectures and final paper	Free (room & board included)	Students who want real research experience and a strong college profile
Google CSSI of Google	Online (US)	No	Graduating seniors from underrepresented backgrounds in tech	3-week program with coding lessons, live sessions and team projects	Free	Students who want tech exposure and mentorship from Google
CMU SAMS / CS Scholars of Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh, PA	No	Rising seniors; first-gen or underrepresented in STEM	5-week program covering Python, algorithms and college prep	Free (includes housing & meals)	Students who want strong CS skills and college readiness
Meta Summer Academy	Menlo Park, CA	No	High school juniors and seniors from underrepresented groups	Workshops, coding sessions and mentorship from Meta engineers	Free (some travel support)	Students near Bay Area who want Big Tech exposure
Girls Who Code (Immersion / Pathways)	Online (US)	Yes / No immersion	Girls and non-binary students (grades 9–11)	Short camps or self-paced coding courses	Free	Beginners who want to learn coding in a supportive environment
Kode With Klossy	US cities and Online	No	Girls and gender-expansive students (ages 13–18)	2-week coding camps with real projects and leadership training	Free	Students who want coding skills and confidence
Stanford, Princeton & partners	Campuses and Online	No	Underrepresented students (grades 9–11)	2–3 week program on AI, ethics and hands-on projects	Free (housing included if residential)	Students interested in AI
NYU Tandon School of Engineering	New York City, NY	No	NYC high school students; priority to underserved groups	Cybersecurity training, Python, and ethical hacking	Free	Students interested in cybersecurity careers
IBM SkillsBuild – IBM	Online (Global)	Yes	Anyone 13+ worldwide	Self-paced courses in AI, cybersecurity, and data science	Free	Students who want flexible learning and certificates
Amazon Future Engineer n	Online (US)	Yes	US students from low-income or underrepresented groups	Coding courses and scholarship opportunity	Free (+ scholarship chance)	Students who want flexible learning and college funding support
Code.org (CS101)	Online (Global)	Yes	Open to all students worldwide	Videos lessons and show codes for practice		Students who want to learn basic computer science and JavaScript

Local Computer Science Summer Programs for High Schoolers in 2026

Here are the local, regional and community based CS summer programs for high schoolers. These all are free of cost but the study style differs. Read the eligibility criteria and only choose the provider that is based in your region.

Here are the local CS summer programs in 2026:

Program Name	Provider	Format / Location	Eligibility & Who Can Apply	Method of Study
The Intern Project (TIP)	LA Promise Fund / Various Companies	In-person or virtual (Los Angeles, CA)	LA County public school students (Grades 10–12), including DACA and foster youth	Work-based paid internships (15–20 hrs/week) in tech, data or web design
Research Experience for HS Students (REHS)	UC San Diego (SDSC)	Hybrid (San Diego, CA)	San Diego County students, age 16+	8 week research program in AI, bioinformatics, or cybersecurity
UCLA Summer Scholarship	UCLA Summer Sessions	Virtual	California students (Grades 9–11) with a 3.0+ GPA and financial need	Take a credit-bearing UCLA online course with university students
NYU ARISE	NYU Tandon School of Engineering	In-person (Brooklyn, NY)	NYC students finishing 10th or 11th grade	10 week engineering research program with stipend ($2,000)
Changemakers in Computing	University of Washington	In-person (Seattle, WA)	Washington State juniors and seniors from underrepresented groups	Coding & social impact projects with college prep workshops
SFUSD CTE (IT Pathway)	San Francisco Unified School District	In-person (San Francisco, CA)	SFUSD high school students	Hands-on training in IT, cybersecurity, networking and game design

Is there any fee for the Research Project track in this program?

This program is free to attend but there is a $1,500 fee only if you choose the Research Project track. You get access one on one with a scientist to produce a paper in this case. However, the standard coding workshops and seminars are mostly free.

Some students also qualify for financial help or fee waivers if they have financial need or come from underrepresented backgrounds. It is always a good idea to ask the program or your school counselor about available support before applying.

20 Free Medical Summer Programs For High School Students in 2026

There are free medical summer programs for high schoolers in 2026 as listed below. Some summer programs also give students a stipend. But the programs like City of Hope ($4,500) and UCSF SEP ($4,500) are very competitive. They pay almost like a full-time summer job so many students apply for them.

Here are the free medical and biomedical summer programs for high schoolers in 2026:

Program Name	Institution / Provider	Format / Location	Stipend / Cost	Eligibility Highlights	Study Method
SIMR (Stanford Institutes of Medicine Research)	Stanford School of Medicine	Stanford, CA	Free & $500–$1,500 stipend	US juniors/seniors (16+), highly competitive	8 week full-time lab research in cancer, neuroscience, and biology
SMYSP (Medical Youth Science Program)	Stanford University	Stanford, CA	Free & $1,250 stipend	Northern CA juniors; first-gen or low-income students	5 week program with hospital shadowing, anatomy labs, and health workshops
STaRS Internship	Stanford School of Medicine	Stanford, CA	Free (transport support possible)	Students 16+ interested in surgery or biotech	7 week exposure to surgery, robotics, and medical engineering
Eugene & Ruth Roberts Academy	City of Hope	Duarte, CA	Free & $4,500 stipend	Students 16+ (US citizens/PR)	10 week lab research on diseases like cancer and HIV
Lumiere Research Program	Lumiere Education	Remote (Global)	Fully funded for eligible students	High-achieving low-income students (3.3+ GPA)	12 week 1-on-1 mentorship with PhD to write a research paper
SEP Internship Program	UCSF	San Francisco, CA	Free & $3,200–$4,500 stipend	SFUSD juniors, underrepresented students	8 week lab research & college prep workshops
Benioff Children’s Research	UCSF Oakland	Oakland, CA	Free & $3,000–$4,300 stipend	High school juniors/seniors from underrepresented groups	9 week research & mentorship & final presentation
OPTIMUS Outreach	UC San Diego	San Diego, CA	Free & stipend	Grades 10–11 in select schools	8 week cancer research & hospital shadowing
CDC Disease Detective Camp	CDC	Atlanta, GA	Free (no housing/food)	Juniors/seniors (16+)	Public health training with mock outbreak investigations
Veritas AI and Medicine	Veritas AI	Virtual	Full financial aid available	Students with coding experience	Build AI tools for healthcare using machine learning
MAHEC Health Camp	UNC Asheville	Asheville, NC	Free	Western NC high school students	Intro to rural healthcare careers and training
BrainSport Internship	UCLA	Los Angeles, CA	Free (unpaid)	Rising juniors	Neuroscience research on brain injuries and cognition
Project Pull	City of San Francisco	San Francisco, CA	Paid ($19.25/hr)	SF students (GPA 2.75+)	8-week public service internship & mentorship
Kaiser Permanente SYEP	Kaiser Permanente	SoCal / Hawaii	Paid (part-time)	Students 16+ near hospitals	6–8 week admin work & professional development

Free Medical Volunteer & Clinical Pathway Summer Programs

It is also important to understand the difference between research and clinical programs. Research programs like SIMR are for students who want to become scientists or work in labs. Whereas programs like SMYSP or Teen Healthcare Pathways are better for students who want to become doctors, nurses or work directly with patients.

Here are the free medical volunteers and clinical pathway summar programs for high schoolers:

Program Name	Provider	Location	Details
Teen Healthcare Pathways	Clinicas del Camino Real	Oxnard / Thousand Oaks, CA	Learn basic patient care like vitals, CPR and first aid
UCLA Health Volunteen	UCLA Health	Los Angeles, CA	Help with patient transport, guidance and hospital support
CHLA Summer Volunteer	Children’s Hospital LA	Los Angeles, CA	Support families and assist staff in pediatric care
Scripps Health Volunteer	Scripps Health	Various CA locations	Assist in hospitals, rehab units and emergency departments
St. John’s Volunteer	St. John’s Hospital	Camarillo, CA	Rotation through ER, ICU and maternity care
MarinHealth Volunteer	MarinHealth	Greenbrae, CA	Long-term hospital volunteer role (1-year commitment)

Free Cybersecurity Summer Programs For High School Students in 2026

These cybersecurity summer programs focus on White-Hat hacking. This means students learn how hackers think but only to protect systems. It is safe and legal but not all programs are the same. Some programs like MIT LLCipher are more focused on math and cryptography. So they are suitable if you are strong in these subjects. Whereas programs like Pitt CyberCamp are about working with computers, systems and settings.

Many of these programs are also connected to CyberPatriot which is a national cybersecurity competition. Programs like RCC Cyber Defense are a great starting point for students who want to join a CyberPatriot team at school and practice cyber skills during the year.

Here are the free cybersecurity programs that high schoolers can learn in summers:

Program Name	Provider	Format	Cost	Who Can Apply	Study Method
Code@ TACC Cyber AI	UT Austin	Residential (Austin, TX)	Free (dorms included)	Rising 11th–12th graders	AI security labs focused on protecting networks and devices using AI
DSU Cyber Camp	Dakota State University	Residential (Madison, SD)	Free (dorms included)	Students entering grades 10–12	Cyber defense training with electives like forensics and cryptography
LLCipher	MIT Lincoln Lab	In-person (Lexington, MA)	Free (commuter program)	US students grades 9–12 with strong math skills	Learn basic cryptography using math, numbers and digital security concepts
WITH Cyber (CSUSB)	Cal State San Bernardino	Residential (San Bernardino, CA)	Free (dorms included)	California students grades 9–12	Cybersecurity training & early college (dual enrollment) experience
Pitt CyberCamp	University of Pittsburgh	In-person (Pittsburgh, PA)	Free	Grades 9–12 (Greater Pittsburgh area)	Students choose tracks like beginner cyber, advanced or hacking simulations
CyberAI Camp	San Jose State University	In-person (San Jose, CA)	Free (includes lunch)	Local high school students grades 9–12	Hands on AI projects to detect and stop cyber threats
Gateway to Cyber	Assumption University	In-person (Worcester, MA)	Free	Massachusetts students grades 10–12	Intro level cybersecurity training and online safety basics
RCC Cyber Defense	Riverside City College	In-person (Riverside, CA)	Free	Riverside & San Bernardino students	Training for cyber competitions like CyberPatriot (beginner to advanced)
AFA CyberCamps	Air Force Association	Multiple US locations	Free	Grades 9–12 (varies by site)	Cyber defense simulations on Windows and Linux systems in competition style

14 Free Research Summer Programs for High School Students (

Research summer programs are some of the most competitive opportunities for high school students. These programs let students work directly with scientists, professors and university labs. Most of these programs are fully funded and also provide stipends.

Below are some of the best free research summer programs for high school students in 2026:

Program Name	Provider	Format	Cost	Eligibility & Focus	Research Method	Best For
Research Science Institute (RSI)	MIT / CEE	Residential (Cambridge, MA)	Free (all costs covered)	Rising seniors; top academic students	Mentored lab research with real scientific problems	Students aiming for top Ivy League/MIT research careers
MITES Summer	MIT	Residential (Cambridge, MA)	Free	Underrepresented rising seniors	Project-based STEM learning in groups	Underserved students who want strong STEM exposure
Anson L. Clark Scholars	Texas Tech University	Residential (Lubbock, TX)	Free & $750 stipend	Students 17+ in STEM or humanities	One-on-one research with professor guidance	High achievers wanting personal mentorship
SIMR Program	Stanford Medicine	In-person (Stanford, CA)	Free & $500–$1,500 stipend	US juniors/seniors (16+)	Biomedical lab research in real medical labs	Future doctors and biomedical researchers
MIT PRIMES-USA	MIT	Virtual	Free	US sophomores/juniors strong in math	Remote math problem-solving with MIT mentors	Math-focused students who like abstract thinking
SSRP (Rockefeller)	Rockefeller University	In-person (NYC)	Free	Students 16+ (NYC preferred)	Team-based biomedical research projects	Students interested in lab science careers
Broad Summer Scholars	Broad Institute (MIT/Harvard)	In-person (Cambridge, MA)	Free + $3,600 stipend	MA rising seniors	Genomics research in labs	Students interested in genetics and disease research
Heithoff-Brody Scholars	Salk Institute	In-person (La Jolla, CA)	Free + paid internship	San Diego County students	Biological lab research	Students interested in biology and life sciences
NASA SEES	NASA / UT Austin	Virtual	Free	US juniors	Satellite and Earth science data analysis	Space and climate science enthusiasts
Lumiere Inclusion Foundation	Lumiere Education	Virtual	Fully funded	Low-income high achievers	Guided academic research paper writing	Students wanting a strong research paper
MSK Summer Program	Memorial Sloan Kettering	In-person (NYC)	Free & $1,200 stipend	NYC area juniors	Medical lab research	Future medical and cancer researchers
EnergyMag Internship	EnergyMag	Virtual	Free	High school sophomores–seniors	Research on energy and sustainability topics	Students interested in clean energy and policy
SAMS	Carnegie Mellon University	Residential (Pittsburgh, PA)	Free	Underserved rising juniors/seniors	STEM project based group research	Students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM
Simons Summer Research	Stony Brook University	In-person (NY)	Free + stipend	Rising seniors (16+)	Hands on lab research with university scientists	Students aiming for biology or lab science careers

State-Specific Free Summer Programs for High Schoolers in 2026

Although most of the lists above contain global summer programs that you can access. We have also listed some local programs in specific categories.

These all are free and regional so check if you live in these states:

Location	Top Local Programs (100% Free)	Type	Details
Massachusetts	MITES Summer (MIT)	STEM	Elite residential program, fully funded for selected students
Massachusetts	Broad Summer Scholars	Medical	Includes $3,600 stipend for Massachusetts seniors
New York City	Engineering the Next Gen (ENG)	Engineering	6-week research program at Columbia University
New York City	Urban Leadership Fellows	Finance / Government	Paid internship for graduating seniors
New Jersey	Governor’s School (GSET)	Tech	Free residential STEM program at Rutgers University
New Jersey	Princeton Lab Learning	Research	Work in Princeton labs with faculty mentors
Georgia	Georgia Tech Summer Institute	STEM	1-week residential program for rising juniors
Georgia	Fulton County Summer Programs	Academic	Free enrichment and credit programs for Fulton students
North Carolina	Summer Ventures (SVSM)	Math / Science	4-week residential STEM program at state universities
North Carolina	MAHEC Health Camp	Medical	Healthcare career prep for Western NC students
Houston, TX	Houston Parks Enrichment	General	Free summer programs at 33 locations
Houston, TX	HEAL (Rice University)	Environmental Science	2-week research program for grades 9–10
Philadelphia	CTE Summer Camp	Career / Tech	Hands-on training in trades and technology
Philadelphia	Summer Achievers	Academic	Academic support and enrichment for SDOP students
Maryland	Montgomery College Youth Programs	Leadership	Builds leadership skills and service learning hours
Maryland	NASA SEES (Virtual)	Space / Research	NASA-based research program with UT Austin experts

How to Apply for Free Summer Programs

Here is the step by step guide to help you apply for the summer program on time.

Core Application Requirements: Most programs ask for a few basic documents. You usually need your school transcript, a short resume or activity list, a personal essay and one or two recommendation letters from teachers or counselors.
Choose the Summer Program: After collecting documents you have to choose the program. The documents often differ on the type of program. For example, medical programs may need vaccination records and a TB test. Computer science and cyber programs may ask for a GitHub link or project work. Research programs may also request test scores like PSAT or SAT.
Location and Income Proof: Some programs are only for students in specific cities or states. You may need a school ID or utility bill to prove your address. These fully funded programs sometimes ask for income documents to check financial need.
Application Timeline: You have to start planning early. Choose programs and ask teachers for recommendations in the winter. Most top programs open applications between January and March. Local programs usually open later in the spring.
Apply and Enroll: You just have to visit their website and fill out the application form. They confirm if you qualify for a free summer program via email. Then you can easily join and study.

Conclusion

Every student should invest their high school summers in learning and upskilling. We have listed multiple fully funded summer programs for high schoolers above. Some of them even support travel. While many others offer stipends which are quite good.

You can find the summer programs for computer science, research, medical and cybersecurity above. We have also listed the eligibility, study methods and who should get them. Some of them are local while many other summer programs are global and university led.

You should start hunting for these programs early so don’t wait until the summer vacation starts. Summer programs usually open in January and March. So you can only apply if you have gathered documents.

FAQs

Are these programs really free or are there hidden costs?

All programs listed are tuition-free. Some also cover housing and meals. However, a few are commuter-only, so students must pay for daily transport and food.