15 Summer Programs in Florida for High Schoolers
What’s Covered:
- 15 Summer Programs in Florida for High Schoolers
- How do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
There’s no shortage of great summer activities available to Florida high schoolers. Although enjoying one of the state’s great beaches, renowned theme parks, or simply hanging out with friends might sound like fun, they don’t move you closer to fulfilling your college and career dreams. Luckily, there are many notable summer programs for Florida high schoolers that blend academic interests with enjoyable activities where you can build valuable skills, explore new fields (or deep-dive old favorites), make new friends, gain firsthand experience, and ultimately put yourself on the path to success.
15 Summer Programs in Florida for High Schoolers
1. UM Summer Scholars
Affiliate organization: University of Miami
Grades: 10th, 11th, and 12th
Cost: $6,625-$8,850
Deadline: 5/1/22
Additional requirements:
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Transcript
- Personal statement
- Essay
- Teacher recommendation
- Counselor recommendation
The University of Miami’s three-week Summer Scholars program provides high schoolers with the opportunity to sample the college experience—taking college-level work, earning college credit, and learning from the university’s faculty. A wide variety of courses are available in five fields:
- Healthcare and medicine
- Exploration sciences
- Communication and media
- Architecture, engineering, and tech
- Business, law, and global studies
2. UM Academies
Affiliate organization: University of Miami
Grades: 10th, 11th, and 12th
Cost: : $3,612- $5,100
Deadline: 5/1/22
Additional requirements:
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Transcript
- Personal statement
- Essay
- Teacher recommendation
- Counselor recommendation
UM Academies allow high schoolers to gain hands-on experience in the fields they’re passionate about. These two-week-long immersive academic experiences feature courses (not for credit) both in the morning and afternoon while leaving time to explore college life at one of the nation’s most well-known research universities. Courses in three academic areas are offered:
- Business Academy: An Entrepreneurship Crash Course
- Hurricane Academy: Extreme Weather and Atmosphere Research
- Spanish Immersion Academy: Español Sin Pasaporte
3. Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Affiliate organization: Florida State University
Grades: 11th graders
Cost: Free
Deadline: 2/15/22
Additional requirements:
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- Scored in the 90th percentile or better in math on a nationally standardized exam (such as the SAT, PSAT, ACT, or PLAN)
- Enrolled in or have completed Pre-Calculus
- Essay
- Recommendation
The YSP is a six-week residential program aimed at Florida high schoolers with an interest in pursuing careers in STEM. Participants typically attend three courses in the fields of math, science, and computer programming—the courses are specifically designed for this program. Coursework is rigorous, but there are also abundant social and athletic activities scheduled, including themed dances, canoe trips, fireworks, and scavenger hunts.
4. Medicine Summer Institute
Affiliate organization: Florida State University
Grades: 10th and 11th graders
Cost: $600-$1,200
Deadline: N/A
Additional requirements:
- Transcript
- Essay
- Science teacher recommendation
- Guidance counselor recommendation
This program is perfect for rising sophomores and juniors with an interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Participants get an up-close look at college life and what it’s like to be a medical student—sampling med school curriculum, meeting faculty, and interacting with like-minded peers.
5. Upward Bound Math-Science Summer Residential Program
Affiliate organization: Florida International University
Grades: 9th and 10th graders
Cost: Free
Deadline: N/A
Additional requirements:
- Minimum 3.3 GPA
- Interest in pursuing a degree in a STEM field
- Meet Department of Education income needs
The Upward Bound Math-Science program provides a unique opportunity to experience college to Pell Grant-eligible, first-generation students from North Miami, North Miami Beach, Miami Central, Miami Northwestern, Miami Norland, and Miami Carol City. Participants take classes during the day, live in dorms, and participate in a variety of activities that are personal, career, and culturally focused.
6. Virtual Forensic Science/CSI Camp
Affiliate organization: Florida International University
Ages: 13-18
Cost: $350
Deadline: N/A
Students who love detective novels and can’t get enough of true crime stories will want to check out this awesome Florida summer program. Participants in the week-long CSI Camp learn about forensic science and what it takes to become a crime scene expert while covering a variety of related topics including how to process crime scenes, bloodstain pattern analysis, and developing fingerprints.
7. St. Petersburg College (SPC) Summer Musical Theater Program
Affiliate organization: St. Petersburg College
Grades: High school students and undergraduates
Cost: Free
Deadline: 5/17/22
This is a great chance for high school and college students to gain firsthand acting and technical theater experience over the summer. The program runs for five weeks and culminates in performances in front of real audiences. Past SPC Summer Musical Theater performances of Urinetown and Pippin have earned accolades and been counted among the “Top 10 Productions in Tampa Bay.” Inclusion in the production is not guaranteed; those interested are required to audition.
8. Cecil B. Keene Summer Enrichment Program (SEP)
Affiliate organization: St. Petersburg College
Grades: 8th-11th graders
Cost: N/A
Deadline: N/A
Additional requirements: Minimum 2.5 GPA and working toward a high school diploma
This selective summer program is designed to help students from Pinellas County build the skills they need to succeed in high school, college, and careers. Participants earn college credit, explore career paths, and build in-demand skills like critical thinking, time management, and communication.
9. Marine Science at Eckerd College
Affiliate organization: Eckerd College
Grades: 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Cost: $1,845
Deadline: N/A
Additional requirements: Pass a swim test
This summer program is perfect for students who want to explore college life while on the ocean. The program is modeled after Eckerd College’s undergraduate marine science program and includes lots of hands-on experience on the water and in the lab learning about marine biology, marine geology, marine chemistry, and more. Participants should prepare themselves to work hard, get wet, and have an incredible experience!
10. Theatre for Social Change
Affiliate organization: Eckerd College
Grades: 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Cost: $695
Deadline: N/A
This partnership between Eckerd College and the Asolo Repertory Theatre offers young artists the opportunity to work with professional theater artists to create and adapt stories that affect social change. During this program, participants will build the skills needed to create works of art and plant the seeds of change.
11. College Prep at Eckerd
Affiliate organization: Eckerd College
Grades: 11th and 12th graders
Cost: Free
Deadline: 4/30/22
Additional requirements: Live in St. Petersburg and come from a family with a maximum annual household income of $78,800
This residential college prep program is designed to give students a firsthand experience with college—learning what it does and what it offers them. During the program, the students will practice numerous skills essential to college survival, including navigating a college setting as an adult, experiencing the rigor of college coursework, and developing the habits needed for college success.
12. Summer Institute Computer Science
Affiliate organization: University of Central Florida
Grades: 7th-11th graders
Cost: $1,250
Deadline: 4/29/22
Additional requirements: Transcript, counselor recommendation, and teacher recommendation
This three-week program is focused on students interested in learning about computer science and computer technology. Participants build programming skills, participate in a variety of interactive activities, and listen to lectures. Participants also meet like-minded peers—building friendships and networks.
13. Competitive Programming Overview
Affiliate organization: University of Central Florida
Grades: 9th-12th graders
Cost: $2,500
Deadline: 5/20/22
Additional requirements: Transcript, counselor recommendation, and teacher recommendation
High-achieving high schoolers with a background in computer science and an interest in algorithms and programming competitions will want to check out this interesting summer program. The camp is designed specifically to help students improve their performance in contests such as USACO, CodeForces, and ultimately the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). Over its two weeks, participants learn about the algorithms and data seen in competitions, participate in practice competitions, and receive personalized coaching.
14. Biology Summer Institute
Affiliate organization: University of Central Florida
Grades: 11th and 12th graders
Cost: $425
Deadline: 5/20/22
Additional requirements: Transcript, counselor recommendation, and teacher recommendation
Rising juniors and seniors with an interest in biology will want to check out this week-long program exploring the ecosystems of Central Florida. Participants will participate in hands-on experiences under the supervision of professional biologists, learning the techniques and approaches used to assess water quality, monitor vegetation, and study gopher tortoises and marine turtles. Participants will also spend a day in the lab to build their knowledge of data analysis and the importance of clearly communicating scientific findings.
15. Aerospace Camp
Affiliate organization: Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
Ages: 15-18
Cost: $4,400
Deadline: N/A
During this extremely cool four-week camp, students learn what it’s like to be a college student at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University while exploring career paths in flight, mechanical engineering, global security, and even becoming a NASA astronaut. Students will cover topics like the history of space flight, propulsion theory, orbital mechanics fundamentals, Space Shuttle operations, and U.S. space policy—earning three college credits upon the completion of camp.
How do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
The effect your participation in a summer program will have on your college admissions odds varies depending on several factors, including everything from the selectivity of the program to the value a particular college places on extracurricular activities, like summer programs.
In general, the four tiers of extracurricular activities provide an easy-to-understand method to gauge how colleges view your participation in summer programs. Top-tier activities (tiers one and two) are the most selective, impressive, and prestigious. Consequently, colleges value them the most. The Young Scholars Program at Florida State University is a good example of a top-tier activity thanks to its stringent eligibility standards and the rigorous demands placed on its participants.
Lower-tier activities (such as those in tiers three and four) don’t have the same influence on college admissions—they’re more common and less attention-grabbing. That said, lower-tier activities can prove very valuable to college admissions as they demonstrate a motivation to pursue subjects you’re passionate about and help build valuable college skills, whether it’s writing, thinking, or auditioning.
CollegeVine can help you determine the influence extracurricular activities like summer programs have on your odds of college admission. Our free chancing calculator uses a variety of factors including grades, test scores, and extracurriculars to estimate your chances of getting into hundreds of colleges and universities while also providing insight into how to improve your profile.
