25 NYC Summer Programs for High Schoolers in 2023
What’s Covered:
Summer is a time to relax, yes, but for future college students, it’s also a time to explore your passions, build your skills, and gain experience. If you live in New York City, opportunities abound for high schoolers. From the arts to STEM, there’s a wide range of niches to explore.
Here are 25 summer programs for high school in NYC students to check out.
25 Summer Programs in New York
1. All Star Code Summer Intensive
Application Deadline: April 14, 2023
Dates: July 10-August 18, 2023
Cost: Free
This virtual coding program helps boys and young men of color build technical and soft skills that are essential for web development. The six-week program is the equivalent of a year of college-level computer science education! Participants also have the opportunity to network and receive mentorship from professionals in the tech industry.
This program is open to high schoolers of color who identify as male.
2. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Application Deadline: March 5, 2023
Dates: June 28-August 11, 2023
Cost: Students are paid
A seven-week program from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, ARISE is open to students in grades 10 and 11 with strong interests in pursuing STEM careers. Participants engage in college-level workshops, lab research, and scientific methods. They also explore fields like civil and urban engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, and robotics. Students are mentored by graduate or postdoctoral students and receive a $750 stipend.
The ARISE program is only open to students who live in New York City.
3. Democracy Scholars
Application Deadline: April 14, 2023
Dates: 2 weeks
Cost: Free
This two-week free summer program is for New York City high schoolers entering their senior year, and helps students build essential skills in critical thinking along with college-level reading and writing. Over the course of the program, students will participate in discussion-based seminars led by NYU faculty and meet with student leaders, community activists, and global citizens.
Students who complete the program will continue to meet throughout the following academic year and receive assistance with college admissions.
4. Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities (ieSoSC)
Application Deadline: April 14, 2023
Dates: July 5-August 4, 2023
Cost: Free
This program allows New York City students in grades 8-10 to explore the science behind urban infrastructure. The five-week program challenges participants to grow their skills in computer science, engineering, and technology, while also providing hands-on experience designing prototypes.
5. Summer @ the Bronfman Center
Application Deadline: April 16, 2023
Dates:
- Session 1: July 10-July 14, 2023
- Session 2: July 31-August 4, 2023
Cost: $600
This program for students in grades 10-12 who live within a commutable distance of New York City allows them to explore Jewish identity and develop professional and leadership skills. The program helps students better understand different Jewish backgrounds and experiences while providing a space to build relationships within their cohort and experience what it’s like to be a college student at NYU.
6. Apollo Theater Academy Summer Internship Program
Application Deadline: N/A
Dates: 6 weeks
Cost: N/A
Interested in the production side of theater? The Apollo Theater Academy Summer Internship Program gives students experience in technical theater and digital production. Interns work with members of Apollo’s production crew, where they learn about lighting design, videography, audio engineering, set design, and production design. The internship is open to rising seniors who are residents of New York City.
7. Baruch College STEP Academy
Application Deadline: N/A
Dates: 4 weeks
Cost: Free
Funded by the New York Education Department, the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) is open to students in grades 7-12 who want to pursue careers in STEM fields. Students participate in labs, STEM enrichment courses, and college preparatory workshops.
8. Business Leadership Academy
Application Deadline: Rolling
Dates:
- Session 1: June 25-July 1, 2023
- Session 2: July 9-July 15, 2023
- Session 3: July 23-July 29, 2023
Cost: $595
Business Leadership Academy is a week-long, business-focused program hosted by Mercy College. Rising high school seniors get a taste of business careers from professors who have worked at some of the top companies in the world. Participants will have the opportunity to visit Fortune 500 Companies, explore careers, and take part in team-building exercises, such as a Shark Tank-themed activity.
Tuition and board are provided for free, however, there is a $595 fee to cover food and activities.
9. College Now
Application Deadline: Varies
Dates: Varies
Cost: Free
College Now allows New York City public high school students who are rising juniors or seniors to take real college-credit courses online or at campuses like Baruch College and the Borough of Manhattan Community College. From business to robotics to sociology, there are a multitude of course options across a range of fields.
10. American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP)
Application Deadline: March 5, 2023
Dates: August-June (1 year)
Cost: Students get paid!
SRMP is a year-long program for New York City high schoolers in grades 10-11. Program participants learn how to conduct scientific research under the guidance of AMNH scientists. Students are expected to participate in a three-week summer session and commit to two afternoons of research weekly during the school year. The program concludes with a symposium where participants present their research.
Students are paid $2,500 at the completion of the SRMP.
11. HK Maker Lab Summer Engineering Design Program
Application Deadline: March 15, 2023
Dates: July 5-August 4, 2023
Cost: Free
This engineering design program is run through Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. Students take classes and participate in hands-on projects under the guidance of Columbia faculty. The program culminates in an event where students show their work off to the community.
This program is aimed at students with financial need who are from underrepresented backgrounds in the STEM fields.
12. Museum of Arts and Design Artslife
Application Deadline: April 23, 2023
Dates: July 11-August 18, 2023
Cost: Students are paid
Artslife is a paid five-week internship for rising sophomores and juniors that combines art and design with leadership training, community engagement, and museum studies. Interns learn about a variety of museum-related careers while working with peers and receiving guidance and mentorship. Students will also create artwork, launch a podcast, and develop tours.
Participants are paid $15 an hour and receive an unlimited MetroCard for the duration of the internship.
13. New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute High School Internship
Application Deadline: N/A
Dates: June 5-August 11, 2023
Cost: Students are paid
This paid ten-week internship allows participants to gain firsthand experience with the fast-paced world of stem cell research, learn about career paths in science, and build their network of professionals and peers. Opportunities are available in four tracks: data science, automation/software engineering, program administration, and laboratory research.
High school interns are expected to work 35 hours a week and are paid $15 an hour.
14. NYU Computer Science for Cyber Security
Application Deadline: April 14, 2023
Dates: July 10-July 28, 2023
Cost: Free
Offered by NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, this three-week program equips students with knowledge of the fundamentals of cybersecurity and computer science. Students will explore a variety of topics over the course of the program, including “white-hat” hacking, cryptography, steganography, digital forensics, privacy, and data usage.
This free program is open to New York City residents in grades 9-12.
15. Summer Youth Podcast Academy
Application Deadline: N/A
Dates: N/A
Cost: N/A
Calling all storytellers! The Bell, in partnership with Gimlet Media, offers a three-week summer podcasting academy to help students develop the skills and experience to create their own podcasts, all while working and networking with professional storytellers, editors, and producers. Students will learn how to interview people, write scripts, record, and edit.
Summer Youth Podcast Academy is open to NYC residents ages 15-21.
16. Bossgirls Summer Program
Application Deadline: April 23, 2023
Dates: July 5-August 3, 2023
Cost: Free
This program, offered by the Zahn Innovation Center at The City College of New York, is designed to show girls and nonbinary high schoolers (grades 9-12) the ins and outs of running a business and insight into entrepreneurship. Participants work together in groups to conceptualize, create, brand, and build a product. The program culminates with groups pitching their products to an audience.
17. Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Application Deadline: January 6, 2023
Dates: June 26-August 10, 2023
Cost: Students are paid
SSRP provides high schoolers with the opportunity to design and conduct their own research project modeled after a Rockefeller University research topic and/or technique. Program participants will deepen their understanding of biomedical research and how it intersects with society.
The program is open to high school juniors and seniors 16 years of age and older. Students are expected to work 35 hours a week and are provided with a MetroCard/OMNI card to cover their travel to and from campus by public transit for the duration of the program.
18. The Wooster Group Summer Institute
Application Deadline: April 17, 2023
Dates: July 10-July 29, 2023
Cost: Free
The Wooster Group Summer Institute is a free three-week program for New York City middle and high school students that allows them to explore different aspects of performance. Participants receive intensive mentoring and build confidence, independence, and creativity. The program culminates in three public performances for friends, family, and supporters.
Students accepted into the institute are invited back every year until they graduate from high school, at which time they may return as paid interns.
19. Youth Art Connection (YAC)
Application Deadline: May 26, 2023
Dates: July 11-July 27, 2023
Cost: Free
This six-session program from the American Folk Art Museum takes place over the month of July and is aimed at high schoolers with an interest in careers in art and museums. Participants discuss pieces in the museum’s collection and create their own art inspired by the museum’s collection. Students also meet with museum staff, get a closer look at its operation, and visit other art institutions.
All New York City high schoolers are eligible to apply, however, preference is given to those who live or attend school in Queens and are graduating seniors.
20. Youth Onstage! (YO!)
Application Deadline: N/A
Dates: N/A
Cost: N/A
YO! is offered three times a year: in the fall, in the spring, and as an intensive institute for young people (ages 14 to 21) that meets four times a week over the summer. During the program, students participate in a variety of activities—including ensemble building, workshops, and classes—under the direction of theatre professionals. YO! students create a showcase each summer that challenges the performers and audience to tackle difficult social and political issues.
21. Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program
Application Deadline: January 29, 2023
Dates: Varies
Cost: Students are paid
This awesome opportunity pairs New York City public high school students with paid summer jobs at legal employers, such as law firms, corporations, nonprofits, and government organizations. The program also provides professional development training, like resume writing and interview coaching. Positions vary but are typically administrative in nature.
Interns generally work between 35 and 40 hours a week and positions generally last for 6 to 8 weeks. Wages vary by employer but normally pay between $15 and $25 an hour.
22. The Karim Kharbouch Coding Fellowship
Application Deadline: N/A
Dates:
- New York/Newark Summer Session: July 10-August 17, 2023
- Atlanta/Los Angeles Summer Session: June 20-July 27, 2023
Cost: Free
Cofounded by hip-hop artist French Montana, this virtual program teaches high schoolers coding and design skills. The year-long program consists of a six-week summer phase in which participants receive technical and career instruction, explore a variety of STEM topics, and earn a stipend at its conclusion. During the school year, participants are required to commit to two hours a month of free college-preparatory and career-readiness workshops.
The program is open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are residents of New York State, Newark, Atlanta, or Los Angeles.
23. Sound Thinking NYC Summer Intensive
Application Deadline:
- Session 1: May 5, 2023
- Session 2: June 2, 2023
Dates:
- Session 1: July 10-July 28, 2023
- Session 2: July 31-August 18, 2023
Cost: Free
This free program introduces New York City high schoolers to potential career paths in the music industry, builds their leadership skills, and introduces them to professionals working in the field. Students will get a firsthand look at a variety of topics, ranging from the sound design of Broadway theatres to technologies and platforms used to distribute music to exploring the sciences and physics of sound.
24. The Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI)
Application Deadline: June 5th, 2023
Dates:
- Session 1: July 3-July 14, 2023
- Session 2: July 17-July 28, 2023
- Session 3: July 31-August 11th, 2023
Cost: Paid
The aim of BALI is to develop the leadership skills of female-identifying, LGBTQI, and gender-expansive individuals ages 13-21 residing in or from the New York City metropolitan area. Through workshops, seminars, speakers, networking, and debate labs, participants build the skills, knowledge, and confidence to actively participate in all circles of life.
The program is hosted by Hunter College and applicants from underserved neighborhoods and schools are given priority. Stipends are paid at the completion of the program.
25. Summer Shakespeare
Application Deadline: N/A
Dates: 5 weeks
Cost: Free
This free five-week summer program trains high schoolers in voice, movement, ensemble work, and scene study—culminating with the production of an abbreviated Shakespeare play. The program is open to New York City high school students with financial need and a need for exposure to the arts, such as students who don’t have access to art programming.
How Impressive Are Summer Programs?
Extracurricular activities are an important part of the admissions process. Admissions officers want to see students exploring their passions outside of the classroom, and summer programs are one way to do that.
That said, not all summer programs are equivalent in the eyes of colleges. Some are highly prestigious and selective, while others are less so. The more selective and impressive an internship, the more weight it will carry with admissions offices.
According to the four tiers of extracurricular activities, Tier 1 indicates the rarest and most exceptional extracurriculars while Tier 4 represents those that are the most common. The standard summer program is usually considered a Tier 3-4 activity, although there are some particularly impressive programs that are more prestigious and considered Tier 1-2 activities.
CollegeVine’s free chancing engine can help you determine how your extracurricular activities —along with additional factors like grades and test scores—affect your chances of admission to colleges across the country. Plus, you’ll receive tips on how to improve your profile!
