15 Summer Programs in Florida for High Schoolers in 2023
What’s Covered:
- 15 Summer Programs in Florida for High Schoolers
- How Do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
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
Application Deadlines: May 1, 2023
Grades: 10-12
Cost: $7,723-$8,996
Dates: July 1 – July 21, 2023
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
Application Deadline: May 1, 2023
Grades: 10-12
Cost: $3,720- $5,242
Dates: July 1 – July 14, 2023
UM Academies at the University of Miami allows high schoolers to gain hands-on experience in the fields of entrepreneurship, weather, and Spanish. These immersive academic experiences are taught by experts in the field, and they involve working in labs, visiting research facilities, and participating in cultural activities.
After classes, there’s plenty of time to explore life at one of the nation’s most well-known research universities and the surrounding area.
3. Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Application Deadline: February 15, 2023
Grades: 11th graders (rising seniors)
Cost: Free
Dates: June 11 – June 22, 2023
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. Student Science Training Program
Application Deadline: Rolling admission from March 14th onwards
Grades: 12
Cost: $5,250
Dates: July 11 – July 29, 2023
UF SSTP is a 7-week residential research program for students who will enter their senior year, aged 16 or above, and interested in science, medicine, math, computer science, or engineering careers. It focuses on research participation with a UF faculty research scientist and their team. Applicants must be capable of independent living and learning, collaborative, and genuinely interested in research.
Application requirements also include an essay, transcripts, and teacher recommendations.
5. Camp Connect
Application Deadline: May 1, 2023
Grades: 8-11
Cost: $200
Dates: June 26 – July 30, 2023
Camp Connect is an engineering program that offers activities, presentations, and lab tours to introduce students to different engineering fields. Each day features a specific department, and the activities are led by the faculty and students. Students will collaborate on a team project to be presented on the final day of the camp. Program applications must at least be 13 years old.
6. High School Cyber Camp
Application Deadline: Registration opens February 1, 2023
Grades: 9-12
Cost: $400
Dates: July 24 – July 28, 2023
The USF High School Cyber Camp aims to provide a similar experience to a professional conference, where high school students can select from a range of sessions hosted by experts and educators, take part in practical activities, and engage with peers and industry professionals to expand their knowledge and skills in cybersecurity.
This offers a valuable opportunity for students to learn, gain experience, and establish connections within the field.
7. St. Petersburg College (SPC) Summer Musical Theater Program
Application Deadline: May 17, 2023
Grades: High school students and undergraduates
Cost: Free
Dates: March 29 – April 1, 2023
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. CodeBreakHERS
Application Deadline: May 1, 2023
Grades: 8-11 (girls only)
Cost: No cost
Dates: July 10 – July 14, 2023
The USF High School Cyber Camp provides a comprehensive learning experience for students interested in cybersecurity. Through hands-on activities and expert-led sessions, students will explore key concepts such as hardware security, internet security, information encoding, error correcting codes, cryptography, and blockchain. The camp will also include Capture the Flag competitions where students can apply the knowledge they’ve gained and compete with their peers.
9. Marine Science at Eckerd College
Application Deadline: April 21, 2023
Grades: 10-12
Cost: $1,845
Dates: June 11 – 16, 2023
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
Application Deadline: April 21, 2023
Grades: 10-12
Cost: $850
Dates: June 18 – June, 23
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
Application Deadline: April 21, 2023
Grades: 11-12
Cost: Free
Dates: June 25 – June 30, 2023
This program is available to those living in St. Petersburg and coming from a family with a maximum annual household income of $78,800 (for a family of four).
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
Application Deadline: April 28, 2023
Grades: 7-11
Cost: $1,250 (along with a $300 deposit)
Dates: June 5 – June 23, 2023
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
Application Deadline: May 19, 2023
Grades: 9 – 12
Cost: $2,750 (along with a $500 deposit)
Dates: July 9 – July 21, 2023
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
Application Deadline: May 19, 2023
Grades: 11-12
Cost: $425 (along with a $150 deposit)
Dates: July 17- July 21, 2023
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
Application Deadline: Registration opens January 12, 2023
Grades: Ages 15-18
Cost: $4,500 (discount of $200 if you completed registration before April 6th)
Dates: June 23 – July 28, 2023
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.
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 1 and 2) 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 3 and 4) 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 1600+ colleges while also providing insight into how to improve your profile.
