15 Summer Programs in Maryland for High Schoolers

Is your child looking to participate in a meaningful experience, meet like-minded people, and learn something new this summer? Then a summer program may be just the ticket. Maryland is home to world-class institutions, including college, university, and government departments, that offer plenty of experiences for high school students.

Why Attend a Summer Program?

There are many reasons why your student should attend a summer program. For one, colleges appreciate that students have a choice of how to spend their summers and are opting to learn beyond the high school curriculum and challenge themselves by engaging in college-level work—sometimes even earning credit.

Students can also explore the topics that interest them the most, from robotics to studio art, all while learning from faculty and professionals in their field of choice and working alongside like-minded peers who have similar interests and skills. Furthermore, whether they’re commuting or living on campus, high schoolers engage with real coursework and navigate the independence that characterizes life at university.

15 Summer Programs in Maryland for High School Students

1. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program

High school students will have the opportunity to gain real experience working in Department of Defense laboratories. Paired with mentors who are practicing DoD scientists, they will participate in research and learn about the inner-workings of the facilities.

• Affiliation: Department of Defense
• Area of Specialization: STEM
• Cost: Free
• Grades: 10 and 11
• Application Deadline: 2/28/19
• Apply Now

2. High School Apprenticeship Program

Sponsored by the Army Research Office, HSAP gives high school students the opportunity to learn about research methods and develop skills used in Army critical research areas while working with researchers in a university lab setting.

• Affiliation: Department of Defense
• Area of Specialization: STEM
• Cost: Free
• Grades: 10 and 11
• Application Deadline: 2/28/19
• Apply Now

3. Research & Engineering Apprenticeship Program

Working under the direct supervisor of a mentor, talented, underserved students participate in a hands-on research project at local colleges and universities. In addition to gaining real-world research experience and mentorship, they will learn about career opportunities in STEM and receive a stipend for their participation.

• Affiliation: Department of Defense
• Area of Specialization: Engineering
• Cost: Free
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: 2/28/19
• Apply Now
• Additional Information: applicants must meet certain requirements regarding race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and family history.

4. Pre-college Studio Residency Program

Hosted by Maryland Institute College of Art, one of the country’s premier art institutes, high schoolers will learn from expert faculty and working artists as they earn college credit and build a portfolio for their college applications. They will also travel around Baltimore and to cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., or Philadelphia. Five-, three-, or two-week options are available.

• Affiliation: Maryland Institute College of Art
• Area of Specialization: Studio Art
• Cost: $2,730
• Grades: N/A
• Application Deadline: 4/16/18
• Apply Now

5. Summer Science Academy | Zombie Science

Over the course of five days, students learn college-level material, exploring the prevalence of zombies in popular culture. Using the CDC’s preparedness plan for a zombie apocalypse, the course explores the hypothetical as a metaphor for disaster situations and a lens to study topics in psychology, neuroscience, physics, biology, physiology, and mathematics.

• Affiliation: McDaniel College
• Area of Specialization: General Science
• Cost: $925
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: Rolling
• Apply Now

6. Summer Science Academy | Marine Science

Students conduct practical laboratory experiments and fieldwork in marine ecology, biological oceanography, and physical oceanography in this week-long course. They will also have the opportunity to participate in a field trip on a working oceanographic research vessel.

• Affiliation: McDaniel College
• Area of Specialization: Life Sciences/Biology
• Cost: $925
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: Rolling
• Apply Now

7. Summer Science Academy | Cooking Science

Calling all chef-scientists! Fusing scientific principles with the art of cooking, students will experiment with food, preparing dishes as a lens for learning about physical principles and chemical laws, the quantification of mixtures and compounds, and related chemical reactions.

• Affiliation: McDaniel College
• Area of Specialization: Physical Sciences
• Cost: $925
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: Rolling
• Apply Now

Check out  our pre-college summer programs guide to learn about even more programs and select one that’s right for you.

8. Summer Science Academy | Real World Physical Science Laboratory

This course takes students beyond the high school science curriculum to tackle real-world problems from biomedical application to environmental problem-solving. They will participate in real experiments using state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. Completion of one year of high-school physics or chemistry is recommended but not required.

• Affiliation: McDaniel College
• Area of Specialization: Physical Sciences
• Cost: $925
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: Rolling
• Apply Now

9. Summer Science Academy | Pre-Health Science: How the Heart Works

Is your child interested in a career in medicine? In this course, she will learn about the inner workings of the heart and cardiovascular system. Students will also learn how to measure blood pressure, the electrical activity of the heart (ECG), and other techniques to see how well the heart is working.

• Affiliation: McDaniel College
• Area of Specialization: Medicine
• Cost: $925
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: Rolling
• Apply Now

10. Summer Science Academy | Environmental Science

Students participate in field trips, activities, lab exercises, and discussions to explore environmental science topics including water, remediation, life cycle analysis, climate change, food, regeneration, and sustainable development.

• Affiliation: McDaniel College
• Area of Specialization: Life Sciences/Biology
• Cost: $925
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: Rolling
• Apply Now

11. Morgan State Summer Academy of Mathematics and Science

Students who are interested in pursuing a Mathematics, Actuarial Science, or Computer Science degree at Morgan State University will get a headstart on their college curriculum by participating in Mathematics and Computer Science courses and learning about careers and majors in the fields. They will also take part in fields trips and professional development activities to help them understand what it really means to work in STEM industries.

• Affiliation: Morgan State University
• Area of Specialization: General Academic
• Cost: $150
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: N/A
• Apply Now

12. Terp Young Scholars

Residential and commuter students get a taste of college life and have the opportunity to earn three college credits during this summer program at UMD. They will choose from courses across a wide range of disciplines and participate in activities and workshops, such as fitness and drawing. Students will also take a weekend day trip to Washington, D.C. and take part in social activities.

• Affiliation: University of Maryland
• Area of Specialization: General Academic
• Cost: $3,850
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: 6/15/19
• Apply Now
• Additional Information: applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

13. Physics Summer Girls Program

Open to young women interested in physics, this program offers hands-on activities, research labs, speakers, and more. The program is separated by age group, with entering 9th graders exploring introductory topics in physics and entering 10th and 11th graders delving into complex areas like relativity, antimatter, quantum mechanics, physical uncertainty, quantum computing and more.

• Affiliation: University of Maryland
• Area of Specialization: STEM
• Cost: $25
• Grades: 9, 10, and 11
• Application Deadline: 3/1/19
• Apply Now

14. Summer Seminar

Is your child a natural or aspiring leader? Students who are considering applying to the Naval Academy will undergo academic, athletic, and professional training while living on campus and learning from midshipmen and faculty.

• Affiliation: U.S. Naval Academy
• Area of Specialization: General Academic
• Cost: $525
• Grades: 11
• Application Deadline: 3/31/19
• Apply Now

15. Summer STEM

Building skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration, students will create projects across areas like coding, game development, design, and robotics. Students also stay on campus and participate in a field trip to Washington, D.C.

• Affiliation: U.S. Naval Academy
• Area of Specialization: STEM
• Cost: $550
• Grades: 9 and 10
• Application Deadline: 4/15/19
• Apply Now

Looking for more summer programs in Maryland? Check out our articles on summer programs at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, Baltimore Country.

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