19 Summer Programs in Kansas for High Schoolers in 2024
What’s Covered:
Summertime is a wonderful opportunity to start a project, explore an interest, or get a head start on the coming school year. With summer programs, also known as pre-college summer programs, you can do all three!
These programs lend a little more structure to the summer months, and even provide high schoolers with the opportunity to explore a potential major or career. Topics range from STEM to theater to business management, with no shortage of options in between. No matter what your passions are, there’s surely a summer program out there to match it.
19 Summer Programs in Kansas for High Schoolers
1. Summer Youth Enrichment Program
Dates: Varies
Location: Johnson County Community College
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: Varies
With the opportunity to select from classes on art, design, science, engineering, computers, languages, and more, the Summer Youth Enrichment Program is a great opportunity for students of all disciplines.
Attendees will be hosted by Johnson County Community College and will enjoy an array of hands-on classes, labs, and activities, so if you have a wide range of interests, this program could be a great fit for you!
2. Summer Music Camp
Dates: June 9 – 13
Location: Kansas State University
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $300 – $550
If you love to play an instrument and want to spend a week with other like-minded students, you could attend Kansas State University’s Summer Music Camp. A typical day of camp consists of two group rehearsals, two sectionals, and recreation time at the City Park Pool or K-State Student Union.
Students will work directly with some great musicians in Kansas and some KSU music students. There is both a residential option—where you live on campus in KSU dorms—and a day camp option, with varying costs for each one.
3. Health Professions Summer Program
Dates:
- Session 1: June 23 – 28
- Session 2: July 7 – 12
Location: Kansas State University
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $600
Kansas State University’s Health Professions Summer Program is a great week-long opportunity for rising juniors and seniors who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine. During the program, you will explore a variety of human health-related professions, partake in hands-on activities and experiences, and meet Kansas State faculty, alumni, and current students in healthcare fields.
Students also get to live on KSU’s campus and bond with other students who are passionate about medicine. If you are interested in this program, don’t wait too long, because only 20 spots are available each session and they fill up quickly!
4. Young Writers’ Workshop
Dates: June 24 – 28
Location: Kansas State University
Application Deadline: May 15
Cost: Free
For rising freshmen and sophomores who are passionate about writing, you should consider this week-long workshop that will ignite your creativity. Students will have the opportunity to meet with published authors of various genres, including playwrights and graphic novelists, as well as create their own original works.
The program is completely free, but there are only 15 spots available. Students who wish to attend have to submit an application and include a 150-word essay about their interest in the program.
5. EXCITE Summer Workshop
Dates: June 5 – 7
Location: Kansas State University
Application Deadline: April for early-bird pricing and scholarship opportunities
Cost: $290
Kansas State University is committed to making STEM fields more gender inclusive through its three-day EXCITE Summer Workshop. This program is available to high school students of all genders who are interested in pursuing STEM or pre-health professions.
Students get to live in KSU dorms, eat in the residence halls, and participate in fun evening activities when they aren’t doing hands-on exploration in labs and classrooms during the day.
6. College of Business Summer Institute
Dates:
- Session 1: June 2 – 5
- Session 2: June 23 – 26
Location: Kansas State University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $75
Through this four-day, three-night summer program, high schoolers in grades 10, 11, and 12 can learn business fundamentals and explore potential careers. Participants explore fields including accounting, finance, management, and marketing. Students also immerse themselves into campus life, to gain first-hand experience of what life is like as a business student at KSU.
The institute culminates with students pitching their entrepreneurial ideas as part of an interdisciplinary business challenge.
7. K-State Shakespeare Camp
Dates:
- Session 1: June 17 -21
- Session 2: June 24 – 28
Location: Kansas State University
Application Deadline: June 1
Cost: $439
Aspiring actors in this residential theatre camp learn Shakespeare’s language, stories, characters, and ideas. Students explore “The Bard’s” text through classes incorporating voice, movement, and acting, emphasizing creativity and collaboration. The camp concludes with a performance for friends and family.
8. Summer Venture in Business
Dates:
- Session 1: June 9 – 14
- Session 2: July 14 – 19
Location: University of Kansas
Application Deadline:
- Session 1: March 31
- Session 2: April 28
Cost: Free
The University of Kansas offers a pre-college program for rising 10th through 12th graders interested in business who are underrepresented minorities or potential first-generation students.
This free program familiarizes students with business topics and principles, as well as college applications and tools for success in college. Students will engage in academic sessions and workshops while living in campus dorms and eating at the school’s dining halls.
9. School of Engineering Summer Camp
Dates:
- Session 1: July 7 – 12
- Session 2: July 14 – 19
Location: University of Kansas
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $750
If you love engineering or want to learn more about it, KU’s School of Engineering Summer Camp is a great option for you. The University of Kansas allows high school students to live on campus for a week and work with KU faculty to develop and complete a hands-on engineering project in the university’s state-of-the-art labs. Students can choose which course they want to focus on from the following options:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Aircraft Design and Fabrication
- Bioengineering
- Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
- Civil/Architectural Engineering
- Computer Science
- Computer Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
10. Jayhawk Media Workshop
Dates: June 9 – 12
Location: University of Kansas
Application Deadline: May 24 (April 19 for early bird pricing)
Cost: $425 if registered before April 19, $475 after this date
Participants in this summer program gain hands-on experience with producing a variety of media, including news publications, videos, photography, and yearbooks. The program helps students build the skills needed for a successful following year at a student-run publication, and is a great preview of a career in journalism.
The program is offered in residential and commuter formats. Residential participants get to sample a slice of life as a student at the University of Kansas.
11. LEAPES
Dates:
- Session 1: June 2 – 7
- Session 2: June 9 – 14
Location: University of Kansas
Application Deadline: May 1
Cost: Free
LEAPES—short for learning, exploration, and application for prospective engineering students—provides rising sophomores through seniors the opportunity to engage in hands-on research. Participants also experience what life is like as an undergraduate at University of Kansas.
The camp’s two sessions each have their own focus area: Session One centers on math and aerospace engineering, while Session Two focuses on computer science and artificial intelligence.
12. AATEE
Dates: June 16 – 28
Location: University of Kansas
Application Deadline: May 1
Cost: Free
The Advanced Aerospace Technologies Exploration Experience, or AATEE for short, is a two-week summer residential program for rising seniors. In the program, participants receive instruction in applied psychics and programming while working together on research projects like autonomous race cars and drones.
Students also get to experience a slice of college life and take part in off-campus recreational activities.
13. Pre-College Design Camp
Dates: June 9 – 15
Location: University of Kansas
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $1,000
High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in this summer pre-college program can bolster their portfolios and gain hands-on design experience. Participants in the program can choose areas of interest to pursue. Options include:
- Architectural Design Utilizing Digital Fabrication Tools
- Jayhawk Boulevard: Present and Future
- Brand You
- Architecture: A Spatial Journey
- Creating Concept, Character, and Creatures
- Web Design for Beginners
14. Investigative Summer STEM Program
Dates: June 2 – 7
Location: Newman University
Application Deadline: May 24 (April 25 for early-bird pricing)
Cost: $300 if registered before April 25, $350 after this date
This program hosted by Newman University offers students the opportunity to conduct hands-on research on a STEM topic of their choosing while getting to experience college life.
With the help of experienced faculty, you will set up experiments, collect data, and present your findings. Supplemental programming includes day trips and guest lecturers. The goal of the program is to engage more young people in STEM, but you don’t have to be committed to a career in STEM to participate.
15. Pre-College Art Lab
Dates:
- Session 1: June 16 – 18
- Session 2: July 14 – 26
Location: Kansas City Art Institute
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $2,500
For high schoolers with an artistic side, the Kansas City Art Institute’s Pre-College Art Lab is a great opportunity to live on campus and work alongside brilliant faculty. Students pick one major studio from the five available options (Animation, Illustration, Painting, Product Design, and Interdisciplinary) to focus on during the two-week program.
During the weekends, students partake in workshops and explore the vibrant Kansas City art scene.
16. WSU Engineering Summer Camps
Dates: Varies
Location: Wichita State University
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $25 – $200
Do you love to build things? Want to spend a week engineering a drone or programming a robot? If so, you might like Wichita State University’s Engineering Summer Camps.
Throughout the months of June and July, there are multiple different camps for you to choose from, ranging in cost from $25 to $200. Some exciting options include AI/Machine Learning, Engineering an Amusement Park, Solar Energy, Robotics, and more.
17. Young Entrepreneurs Summer Camp
Dates: July 9 – 12
Location: Wichita State University
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: $60
This half-day summer camp for entrepreneurial high schoolers teaches them how to turn ideas into successful ventures. Through interactive workshops and discussions, students will develop skills in ideation, design, business modeling, and financial planning while building enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. The program ends with a pitch competition and networking event.
18. Spark: MNU Arts Camp
Dates: June 3 – 7
Location: MidAmerica Nazarene University
Application Deadline: June 1
Cost: $415
High schoolers interested in the stage and screen will want to check out this week-long residential summer program. Participants gain hands-on film and theatre skills while building valuable skills in auditioning, acting, improvisation, musical theatre, directing, cinematography, producing, editing, lighting, and more.
The program concludes with a media showcase where students can share their work with friends and family.
19. Summer Intensive in Classical Architecture
Dates: July 14 – 27
Location: Benedictine College
Application Deadline: June 24 (April 15 for early-bird pricing)
Cost: $1,400 if registered before April 15, $1,700 after this date
This program introduces students—from high schoolers through those who’ve completed their first year of college—to the challenges of architecture school. Participants will develop fundamental architecture skills, including hand drafting, field sketching, and composition, while also being introduced to architectural theory and history.
Students leave the program with a deeper understanding of the demands of pursuing a degree in architecture, and a developed portfolio piece.
How Do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
Most selective colleges and universities evaluate extracurriculars according to four tiers. Tier 1 encompasses activities that are the most prestigious and specialized, while Tier 4 represents those that are the most common.
While most summer programs usually fall into Tier 3 or 4, there are some highly prestigious ones—particularly those that are free and very selective—that fall into higher tiers.
If you’re wondering how your summer program of choice and other activities will affect your chances of admission to your dream school, try our free chancing engine. This free tool takes into account factors like grades, test scores, and extracurriculars to estimate your odds of acceptance to hundreds of colleges and universities. Plus, you’ll get tips on how to boost your profile!
