Master List of Humanities Summer Programs for High School Students (2024-2025)
Here's to making your search for summer enrichment programs that colleges will notice easier! This is a list of summer humanities programs for high school students. If you'd like to learn which of these programs is best for you and how you can maximize your chances of getting into them, click to schedule a free consultation with us.
1.Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS)
Location: Cornell University, University of Maryland, and University of Michigan
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: January 3
Program Dates: June 23 – August 3
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors (ages 15–18). Black and Indigenous students, other students of color, and/or those who have experienced economic hardship are strongly encouraged to apply.
Focus: A fully funded six‑week program emphasizing rigorous, college‑level humanities coursework, critical thinking, and democratic community involvement.
Website: TASS
2. Princeton Summer Journalism Program
Location: Online and in‑person at Princeton University, NJ
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: February 15
Program Dates: Multi‑week program with online workshops in July culminating in a 10‑day residential session in early August
Eligibility: High school juniors in the United States with a strong interest in journalism who meet academic and socioeconomic criteria.
Focus: A hybrid journalism experience integrating liberal arts discussions, hands‑on reporting, digital content production, and the creation of a student‑produced newspaper.
Website: Princeton Summer Journalism Program
3. University of Southern California’s Annenberg Youth Academy (AYA) for Media and Civic Engagement
Location: USC Campus, CA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: March 31
Program Dates: June 17 – July 19
Eligibility: High school students from Los Angeles County
Focus: A transformative four‑week intensive that builds skills in writing, public speaking, multimedia production, and civic engagement while exploring college prep.
Website: USC Annenberg Youth Academy
4. Bank of America Student Leaders Program
Location: Washington, DC
Cost: Free (includes a paid hourly stipend)
Application Deadline: Typically January
Program Dates: Typically 8 weeks from June – August
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors
Focus: An eight‑week paid internship with prominent nonprofits, combining hands‑on community service with leadership training at a national student summit.
Website: Bank of America Student Leaders
5. Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS)
Location: Pomona College, Claremont, CA
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Typically February
Program Dates: 4 weeks (June 23 – July 19)
Eligibility: Current 9th‑grade students from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Ventura Counties
Focus: An intensive residential program featuring Critical Inquiry seminars, data‑driven exercises, and ongoing academic support in a challenging liberal arts curriculum.
Website: Pomona College PAYS
6. Yale Young Global Scholars: Politics, Law, and Economics (PLE)
Location: Yale Campus, CT
Cost: $6,500
Application Deadline: January 10
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout June to August
Eligibility: At least 16 years old; high school sophomores or juniors (or international equivalent) and first‑time participants
Focus: An interdisciplinary exploration of public policy, human rights, and market regulation to develop critical thinking and analytical skills for addressing global issues.
Website: Yale Young Global Scholars
7. Stanford Summer Humanities Institute
Location: Stanford Campus, CA
Cost: $8,250 (financial aid available)
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates: 3 weeks (typically between June and August)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Focus: An intensive program featuring courses (e.g., “Racial Identity in the American Imagination”) designed to foster sociological inquiry and critical analysis.
Website: Stanford Summer Humanities Institute
8. Penn Arts and Sciences Social Justice Research Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania, PA
Cost: $9,700 program fee + $75 application fee
Application Deadline: TBA
Program Dates: 3 weeks between June and July
Eligibility: Current 9th–11th grade students
Focus: A liberal arts–style curriculum combining lectures, workshops, and a capstone project centered on social justice, inequality, and resistance.
9. UMass Amherst Question Everything
Location: UMass Amherst, MA
Cost: Free (full scholarships covering room, board, and materials)
Application Deadline: TBA for 2025
Program Dates: July 14 – August 3, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors from Springfield and Holyoke, MA
Focus: A residential summer philosophy program exploring themes like freedom and liberty through interactive activities, debates, and college‑level coursework.
Website: Question Everything – UMass Amherst
10. Arizona State University’s The Dialectic: Philosophy Summer Camp
Location: ASU, Tempe, AZ
Cost: $375 (need‑based scholarships available)
Application Deadline: May 30, 2025 (tentative)
Program Dates: June 10 – 14, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12 and recent 8th graders
Focus: A one‑week immersive camp that fosters philosophical inquiry on ethics, reasoning, and critical thinking via interactive discussions and guest lectures.
Website: ASU The Dialectic Summer Camp
11. Philosophy and Critical Thinking (PACT) Summer Camp
Location: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Cost: $350 per session (need‑based scholarships available)
Application Deadline: February 1, 2025 (tentative)
Program Dates: Two sessions (e.g., June 10 – 14 and June 24 – 28, 2024)
Eligibility: High school students, including international students
Focus: Thematic week‑long sessions exploring topics from AI ethics to the interplay of science, faith, and reality through interactive activities and guest lectures.
Website: PACT Summer Camp – Ohio State
12. Butler University’s Philosophy & Critical Thinking Summer Camp
Location: Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
Cost: $350 (need‑based financial aid available)
Application Deadline: April 19, 2025 (tentative)
Program Dates: June 3 – 7, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen through seniors (ages 14–18)
Focus: An introductory camp that blends philosophical inquiry with personal research projects, field trips, and discussions on freedom, responsibility, and ethics—with potential college credit.
13. Oakland University Philosophy Camp
Location: Oakland University, Rochester, MI
Cost: $600 (residential option) | $250 (day camp); scholarships available
Application Deadline: Rolling (early bird discount ends May 4, 2025, tentative)
Program Dates: July 8 – 12, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students
Focus: A week‑long immersive camp with lectures, interactive activities, and an Ethics Bowl to explore questions about nature, technology, and first principles.
Website: Oakland University Philosophy Camp
14. SoCal Philosophy Academy
Location: California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA
Cost: $35
Application Deadline: June 7, 2025 (tentative)
Program Dates: June 17 – 21, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students
Focus: A week‑long institute on political philosophy designed to enhance critical thinking and public discourse through engaging dialogues and text analysis.
Website: SoCal Philosophy Academy
15. Salisbury University Philosophy Camp
Location: Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD
Cost: $75
Application Deadline: June 15, 2025 (tentative)
Program Dates: June 24 – 28, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students
Focus: A residential camp emphasizing ethical reasoning and seminar‑style discussions to prepare students for college‑level inquiry and effective communication.
Website: Salisbury University Philosophy Camp
16. Portland State University Philosophy Summer Camp
Location: Online
Cost: $220 (scholarships available)
Application Deadline: July 26, 2025 (tentative)
Program Dates: August 5 – 16, 2025 (tentative)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Focus: An interactive, discussion‑based online camp covering topics from political philosophy to environmental ethics, with project work that earns transferable college credits.
17. Iowa Young Writers’ Studio – Residential Program
Location: Online and in‑person versions available
Cost: $575 for the online version, $2,500 for the in‑person version
Financial Assistance: Several full and partial tuition grants available
Application Deadline: February 5
Program Dates:
• Session 1: June 11 – June 24
• Session 2: July 9 – July 22Eligibility: Open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Focus: One of the most prestigious writing programs in the country, offering a choice of courses (poetry, fiction, creative writing, playwriting, or TV writing) delivered via seminars and workshops led by University of Iowa graduates.
Website: Iowa Young Writers’ Studio
18. NYU Tisch’s Future Dramatic Writers Workshop
Location: Commuter program at NYU's New York City campus
Cost: Free
Financial Assistance: N/A
Application Deadline: TBA
Program Dates: February 4 – May 13
Eligibility: Open to 9th, 10th, and 11th graders
Focus: An intensive program that offers the opportunity to study and practice writing for theatre, film, and television through 14 weekly Saturday sessions (8 hours each), culminating in a yearly showcase of student work.
19. Yale Young Writers’ Workshop
Location: Online
Cost: $900
Financial Assistance: N/A
Application Deadline: April 3
Program Dates: July 9 – July 14
Eligibility: Open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Focus: A highly selective, one‑week workshop with only 12 students per session, offering an in‑depth exploration of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or graphic storytelling to help you develop your unique voice.
Website: Yale Young Writers’ Workshop
20. Asian American Journalists Association’s JCAMP
Location: On campus at American University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free
Financial Assistance: N/A
Application Deadline: March 17
Program Dates: July 15 – July 21
Eligibility: Open to 9th, 10th, and 11th graders
Focus: A renowned program offering multicultural, hands‑on training in journalism through workshops with industry leaders, field trips, and opportunities to produce news packages and gain published work experience.
Website: AAJA JCAMP
21.Kenyon Review Young Writer’s Summer Residential Workshop
Location: On campus at Kenyon College
Cost: $2,575
Financial Assistance: Need‑based financial aid available
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates:
• Session 1: June 25 – July 8
• Session 2: July 16 – July 29Eligibility: Open to students aged 16–18
Focus: Combines individual conferences with instructors and peer‑led group discussions, with genre‑specific sessions to help you refine your creative writing skills in a supportive, ungraded environment.
22.Bard College at Simon’s Rock Young Writers Workshop
Location: On campus at Bard College at Simon’s Rock
Cost: $3,500
Financial Assistance: Moderate
Application Deadline: Rolling (applications reviewed until full, usually by mid‑April or May)
Program Dates: July 9 – July 29
Eligibility: Open to students from grades 9–11
Focus: A three‑week workshop that enhances language and critical thinking skills essential for effective writing, featuring daily sessions in varied research areas, small‑group discussions, and portfolio building.
Website: Bard College at Simon’s Rock Young Writers Workshop
23. Sarah Lawrence Writer’s Week – A Creative Writing and Performance Art
Location: Commuter program (virtual and on‑campus options available)
Cost/Stipend: $1,125
Financial Assistance: Limited scholarships available for Yonkers Public School students
Application Deadline: Registrations open in February
Program Dates:
• Virtual: July 10 – July 14
• On campus: August 7 – August 11Eligibility: Students must be 14 years of age or older
Focus: Merges creative writing workshops and collaborative discussions with performance art training in improvisation, solo performance, and character comedy, creating an interactive and supportive environment.
Website: Sarah Lawrence Writer’s Week
24. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Online
Cost: $2,600 (for the Individual Research Program)
Financial Assistance: Generous need‑based aid available
Application Deadline: August 25, 2024
Program Dates: June 05 – August 28
Eligibility: Open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Focus: An immersive 12‑week academic research program where students work 1‑on‑1 with top PhD mentors to produce an independent research paper across multiple disciplines—including humanities, social sciences, and STEM.
Website: Lumiere Education
25. Horizon Academic Research Program
Location: Online
Cost: $5,950 tuition
Application Deadline: March 23, 2025
Program Dates: Cohort starts on June 16, 2025
Eligibility: Open to high school students (primarily sophomores and juniors)
Focus: A selective, trimester‑long online research program offering both group seminars and individualized 1‑on‑1 mentoring, culminating in a college‑level research paper across diverse subject areas.
Website: Horizon Academic Research Program
26. Pioneer Academics Research Program
Location: Online
Cost: $6,985 tuition
Application Deadline: April 6, 2025 (check website for current dates)
Program Dates: Summer term (exact dates available on the website)
Eligibility: Open to high school students (grades 9–12) with strong academic records and research potential
Focus: The world's first fully accredited online research program for high school students, offering rigorous mentorship from top faculty and opportunities to produce original, college‑level research across STEM, humanities, and social sciences.
Website: Pioneer Academics
27. Polygence Research Mentorship Program
Location: Online
Cost: Varies based on the project (custom pricing; typically starting at a competitive rate)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Program Dates: Flexible – projects can begin at any time and run for durations tailored to each student’s research goals
Eligibility: Open to high school students (grades 9–12) with a demonstrated interest in research
Focus: A personalized, one‑on‑one research mentorship program that matches students with expert mentors to design and complete independent research projects in diverse fields, strengthening college applications through a customized research experience.
Website: Polygence
