15 Summer Programs in North Dakota for High Schoolers in 2025
What’s Covered:
- 15 Summer Programs in North Dakota for High Schoolers
- How do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
Summer programs are a great option to explore college life, gain real-world skills, and learn more about yourself and your goals for the future. Although it might not seem like North Dakota would be a hotspot for summer programs, some great options are available to high schoolers in the state, no matter your interests. To learn more about summer programs in North Dakota, read on!
15 Summer Programs in North Dakota for High Schoolers
1. Sanford Ambulance Explorers
Dates: N/A
Location: Fargo, Thief River Falls, and Hillsboro
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: N/A
This program is designed for high school students interested in the medical field. You’ll get to observe real, professional paramedics and EMTs at work to see what patient care, community service, and compassion look like at a high level. You may even have the chance to gain some hands-on experience yourself!
2. Explore Engineering High School Camp
Dates: July 28 – 31
Location: North Dakota State University
Application Deadline: June 6
Cost: $325 ($325 through Monday, May 12; $350 May 13 through close of registration on June 6)
During this commuter camp, students in grades 9 through 12 are introduced to various engineering disciplines. Participants will spend their mornings engaged in hands-on labs on NDSU’s campus and visit engineering-related sites in the afternoon.
3. Culinary Intensive
Dates: June 8 – 12
Location: North Dakota State College of Science
Application Deadline: May 30
Cost: $350
Do you love television shows like The Bear and Hell’s Kitchen? Or maybe you’re fascinated by TikTok recipe videos? If so, check out this residential summer program, which is designed for students with gourmet aspirations!
Participants will learn French knife skills, practice food garnishing, discover new ingredients, and gain hands-on experience in a professional kitchen. Students will also test their skills by competing in an Iron Chef competition.
4. Upward Bound
Dates: Late May/early June – early/mid July
Location: University of North Dakota
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Free
Upward Bound is a six-week, residential, college preparatory program for students in grades 9 through 11. Participants live on the University of North Dakota’s campus, take college-level courses, and build the skills required for success in college, both in and out of the classroom.
If interested, you can also work an on-campus job related to your interests, for about 10 hours per week.
5. Bridge Program
Dates: Late May/early June – early/mid July
Location: University of North Dakota
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Free
Bridge students will take courses to earn nine college credits. The Bridge component will combine five weeks of classroom and laboratory instruction with a week of field/laboratory instruction, including a trip.
6. Summer Institute (SI)
Dates: June 9 – July 10
Location: University of North Dakota
Application Deadline: March 15
Cost: Free
Open to American Indian students (you must present proof of your tribal affiliation/descendancy to apply), this six-week residential program provides academic enrichment for students interested in healthcare. Students take daily classes in subjects like biology, chemistry, math, and physics, while also honing their broader communication and study skills and practicing basic first aid. And all the while, you’ll get to live on a real college campus, and even participate in educational field trips!
Make sure to give yourself time to put together your application, as you’ll be required to write a short personal statement and submit two letters of recommendation.
7. North Dakota ALA Girls State
Dates: June 8 – 13
Location: University of North Dakota
Application Deadline: May 15
Cost: $325
In this week-long residential program, girls learn about the government and how it functions through a simulation that includes running for office, holding elections, writing ordinances/laws, and various other activities.
North Dakota Boys State is a similar program offered to young men in North Dakota.
8. Young Writers Workshops
Dates: TBA
Location: Varies
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: N/A
The Northern Plains Writing Project and Minot State University have teamed up to offer three- to five-day summer workshops to students of all ages. Participants will build word-smithing skills, develop an anthology of work, and cultivate an appreciation and passion for the writing process. Each year has a particular theme to guide students’ work.
9. Rising Leadership North Dakota
Dates: N/A
Location: University of Mary
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: N/A
This four-day residential leadership program helps driven high schoolers develop valuable skills, connect with leaders, and prepare for their futures. Students also explore career paths and gain hands-on experience in fields like business and healthcare while living and learning just like a college student—you’ll get to stay in a real residence hall, and even eat at The Crow’s Nest, an on-campus restaurant!
10. INSTEM
Dates:
- 9th and 10th graders: June 15 – 19
- 11th and 12th graders: June 22 – 26
Location: Valley City State University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Free
Indians into STEM, or INSTEM, seeks to increase Native American interest in STEM careers. The free residential program follows a cohort model and aims to have students, ranging from grades 6 through 12, return each year through their high school graduation.
11. International Music Camp | Creative Writing
Dates: June 22 – 28
Location: International Music Camp (15 miles north of Dunseith)
Application Deadline: May 1 for discounted registration fee
Cost: $670 (if registered by May 1); $685 (post-May 1 registration)
This program for students in grades 7 through 12 introduces them to a variety of writing genres, including novels, poems, and essays. Participants will hone skills such as thinking, composing, and writing while receiving feedback from instructors.
12. International Music Camp | Musical Theatre
Dates: June 29 – July 5
Location: International Music Camp (15 miles north of Dunseith)
Application Deadline: May 1 for discounted registration fee
Cost: $680 (if registered by May 1); $695 (post-May 1 registration)
This program is open to students in grades 5 through 12. However, high schoolers—those in grades 9 through 12—are treated to a more intense and immersive experience. Participants learn about the production of a staged show, including how to serve as chorus members, dancers, and lead characters.
13. International Music Camp | University Prep Program
Dates: Varies depending on musical interests
Location: International Music Camp (15 miles north of Dunseith)
Application Deadline: May 1 for discounted registration fee
Cost: $660 – $2,115
Students in grades 10 through 12 interested in majoring in music will want to check out this three-week preparatory program for instrumentalists, pianists, and vocalists. Participants explore college-level coursework, which covers topics like sight singing, music history, and composition. They also take private lessons and play in ensembles to develop their musical skills.
14. North Dakota Leadership Seminar (NDLS)
Dates: May 30 – June 1
Location: University of Jamestown
Application Deadline: Rolling
Cost: Free
Each spring, more than 100 of the state’s top students gather together for three days to build leadership and community service skills through the North Dakota Leadership Seminar. Led by volunteers from the fields of business, education, and government, students attend workshops and seminars addressing numerous aspects of our changing world and the challenges future leaders will confront. A closing banquet and program are held on Sunday, and participants’ families are encouraged to attend.
15. Scrubs Camp
Dates: June 16 – 18
Location: North Dakota State College of Science
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $200
Students can explore what a career in healthcare looks like through this interactive, hands-on, three-day summer camp. Covering specialities like nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, and more, participants will gain exposure to the many medical fields under the guidance of NDSCS professors.
How do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
The value of attending a summer program varies depending on factors like its selectivity and how much weight a particular school gives to extracurriculars in general.
Broadly speaking, the four tiers of extracurricular activities provide a good guideline for understanding how activities outside of the classroom affect your odds of admission. Tier-one and tier-two activities are the rarest, most prestigious, and most influential to colleges; consequently, they have the greatest impact on your chances of admission.
Colleges place less value on tier-three and four activities, which are less selective and more common than their higher-tiered counterparts. That said, attending a lower-tiered activity still has value—it shows you’re passionate about a subject and motivated to pursue the things that interest you.
Curious about the effect extracurricular activities have on your chances of college admission? CollegeVine can help! Our free chancing calculator uses a variety of factors, including grades, test scores, and extracurriculars, to estimate your odds of getting into hundreds of colleges and universities, and also provides insight into how to improve your profile.
