20 Summer Programs in Texas for High Schoolers in 2026
What’s Covered:
You don’t mess with Texas is a popular saying in the Lone Star State, and it certainly holds a kernel of truth when it comes to its summer programs for high schoolers. Offerings range from STEM-focused courses at some of the largest universities in the U.S. to hands-on, high-tech programs at colleges that rank among the most prestigious in the nation.
Keep reading to learn about some great high school summer programs in Texas.
20 Summer Programs in Texas for High Schoolers
1. McCombs Six-Day Experiences
Dates:
- McCombs Future Executive Academy: May 31 – June 5
- Subiendo: The Academy for Rising Leaders: June 14 – 18
- Discover Yourself in Accounting Majors and Careers: June 21 – 26
Location: University of Texas at Austin
Application Deadline: January 31
Cost: Free
These excellent residential summer programs give current high school sophomores and juniors a glimpse at college life—what it’s like living on campus, interacting with faculty, and meeting like-minded peers.
There are three versions of the program: one focused on business, one on leadership, and one on accounting. There is also a case competition during the program that puts the skills students learn to the test. First-generation students and students who have overcome social or economic hardships are strongly encouraged to apply.
2. High School Research Academy (HSRA)
Dates: June 8 – July 15
Location: University of Texas at Austin
Application Deadline: March 22
Cost: $4,000
Participants in this science-based summer program will gain first-hand research experience by working in the University of Texas at Austin’s College of Natural Sciences laboratories alongside faculty and current undergraduate students. Research projects cover topics in a range of fields, including:
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Data Analytics
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Genetics
- Genome Engineering
- Neuroscience
At the conclusion of this five-week immersive non-residential experience, participants are awarded UT Extension course credit. Students will also have the opportunity to present (and take home) a printed poster detailing their research projects at the closing symposium.
3. Academy for Machine Learning
Dates:
- Session 1: June 21 – 26
- Session 1: July 12 – 17
- Session 1: July 19 – 24
Location: University of Texas at Austin
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $2,100
Students can deepen their understanding of machine learning while living and learning like a college student at the University of Texas at Austin. Participants learn to write code, train their own models, and explore emerging technologies, all while examining the real-world impacts of AI and the career paths in the field.
4. Academy for All
Dates:
- Session 1: June 7 – 13
- Session 2 (Machine Learning): June 14 – 19
Location: University of Texas at Austin
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: Free
Participants in this free, week-long computer science program immerse themselves in technology through hands-on activities, including coding, project management, and teamwork, as well as exploring potential career paths. Students in the standard program will learn about C++, and those in the Machine Learning Edition will work in Python.
Both sessions provide students with a sneak peek of the college experience—they tackle college-level coursework, live with students from around the world, and gain invaluable insight into what life is like as an undergraduate.
5. Summer Healthcare Experience in Oncology
Dates: July 13 – 24
Location: Online
Application Deadline: April 7
Cost: Free
Just 20 Central Texas high school students are selected to participate in this virtual program, supported by the:
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Michigan
- University of Chicago
- University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)
- University of Kentucky
Students work on a research project, conduct lab-based research, and explore opportunities in the field of ecology.
6. Research Program for HS Students – Summer 2026
Dates: June 8 – July 31
Location: University of Texas at Dallas
Application Deadline: March 1
Cost:
- Deep-dive AI Workshop: $2,000
- Intensive Research Internship in CS Labs: $1,500
- In-Person Summer Research Workshops: $1,000
- Virtual Summer Research Workshops: $900
This eight-week competitive summer research program offers two types of research opportunities: Intensive Research Internship in CS labs or Summer Research Workshops.
For the Intensive Research Internship, the type of work depends on the project or lab, but students are expected to work 20-40 hours per week. In this track, participants will conduct simulations, develop apps for specific functionality, and read research papers in addition to their lab work.
For the Summer Research Workshops track, students will learn in an informal college seminar setting that meets at least twice per week. The goal of the Summer Research Workshops is to end with a final project or paper related to the research area.
The Deep-dive AI Workshop is aimed at high-achieving high school students who have experience with Python and high school math, and are willing to work hard to learn advanced coding and data analysis.
Scholarships are available for low-income families to help with the financial burden.
7. Camp ARCH
Dates: July 6 – 11
Location: Texas A&M
Application Deadline: March 8
Cost: $1,500
This one-week residential program introduces potential students to life as an undergraduate at Texas A&M’s School of Architecture. Participants choose from four tracks—architecture, construction science, landscape architecture, and urban planning—so that they can focus on an area of particular interest while also sampling what college life is like.
8. Camp SOAR (Summer Opportunities in Aerospace Research)
Dates: July 12 – 17
Location: Texas A&M
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: N/A
Rising high school juniors and seniors with an interest in aerospace engineering and research should look into this program. Over six days, students tackle hands-on projects and tour research facilities, all while building valuable skills like critical thinking and teamwork.
Students work under the supervision of faculty and current aerospace engineering students while following one of four tracks—aircraft, rotorcraft, space robotics, and space mission design.
Need-based scholarships are available.
9. Aerospace & Aviation Academy
Dates:
- June 21 – July 2
- July 5 – 16
Location: Rice University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $6,999
This summer program is aimed at students with their heads in the clouds. More concretely, those with an interest in aviation and aerospace. Over the program’s 12 days, participants stay on Rice University’s campus and experience college life while hearing from the school’s renowned faculty, government space scientists, and NASA representatives.
Participants will also design, prototype, revise, and launch a satellite using a high-altitude weather balloon and build and launch a model rocket.
10. Rice ELITE Tech Camp
Dates:
- Residential Session 1: June 21 – 27
- Residential Session 2: July 5 – 11
- Residential Session 3: July 12 – 19
- Residential Session 4: July 19 – 25
- Commuter Session 1: June 22 – 26
- Commuter Session 2: July 6 – 10
- Commuter Session 3: July 13 – 17
- Commuter Session 4: July 20 – 20
Location: Rice University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost:
- Commuter: $1,799
- Residential: $3,899
These week-long summer camps are tailored to teach college-level engineering curriculum to high school students, while also improving their college readiness and building leadership skills. Participants engage in a variety of STEM-based activities and learn to solve real-world problems using the engineering design process.
Topics covered include:
- 3D Modeling and Printing
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Biomedical Engineering
- C++
- Python
- Robotics
ELITE Tech Camps are offered in residential and commuter formats.
11. Tapia STEM Camps
Dates:
- Session 1: July 5 – 10
- Session 2: July 12 – 17
- Session 3: July 19 – 24
Location: Rice University
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost: $2,500
Students interested in STEM will want to check out this six-day, five-night summer program, which explores a variety of STEM topics and develops the skills needed to communicate ideas effectively.
Students live and learn at Rice University while interacting with Rice students, researchers, STEM professionals, and professors, including Richard Tapia, a recipient of the National Medal of Science. Participants build valuable skills like communication, public speaking, and teamwork while learning about data centers and their impacts, especially their high energy and water demands.
Limited scholarships are available for these camps.
12. Schieffer Summer Journalism Camp
Dates: July 13 – 17
Location: Texas Christian University (TCU)
Application Deadline: April 30
Cost: $1,000
This week-long residential program is designed to teach participants the fundamentals of digital reporting, including how to generate and develop story ideas and turn them into content for newscasts and websites.
Over the course of the program, students will build their critical thinking and writing skills and meet professionals working in the Dallas/Fort Worth media to learn about careers in the field.
13. TCU Neeley Analytics Academy
Dates: July 21 – 26
Location: Texas Christian University (TCU)
Application Deadline: March 8
Cost: $1,950
This program helps participants understand how companies like Amazon, Instagram, and X use data to drive consumer-motivated behaviors (for example, purchasing and advertising). During this highly competitive, one-week residential experience, students will hone their data analytics and market research skills and discover how businesses use these tools to improve profitability.
Students will live on TCU’s campus while learning from its esteemed business school faculty to gain valuable insight into what college life is like academically and socially. This program provides hands-on experiences—allowing them to learn and strengthen their skills—to students entering 11th or 12th grade.
14. TCU Band Camp
Dates: June 15 – 18
Location: Texas Christian University (TCU)
Application Deadline: N/A
Cost:
- Residential: $650
- Commuters: $375
- All-State residential: $375
- All-State commuters: Free
TCU Band Camp offers a few tracks for high school musicians, including:
- Music and leadership: Combines playing in large ensembles and masterclasses with leadership training
- Color guard: Focused on all aspects of color guard, from technique to performance skills
- Drum major: Designed to build drum major-specific skills like conducting and vocal commands; also contains a leadership component
These summer camps leave participants prepared for success in marching band, concert band, solo, and chamber music. The camp is open to residential and commuter students.
15. TCU High School Investor Challenge
Dates:
- Session 1: June 1 – 5
- Session 2: June 15 – 19
Location: Texas Christian University (TCU)
Application Deadline: April 1
Cost: $1,600
This summer program for students entering their senior year takes place in two parts. First, students spend a week on TCU’s campus taking finance classes at its Neely School of Business while living and learning like an undergraduate. Students then manage a virtual $100,000 portfolio throughout the fall and spring of their senior year. During that time, students submit reports and have their portfolio decisions reviewed.
16. Story Lines
Dates: June 15 – July 17
Location: University of Houston
Application Deadline: June 1
Cost: $750
Participants in this course, which is similar to a college seminar, dive into what makes a captivating story as they explore the content and meanings of short stories and films. Students will gain a better understanding of what makes fiction work, from a writer’s creative point of view, whether on the page or the screen.
This summer program also seeks to inspire participants to pick up their pens and create themselves!
17. From The Ground Up
Dates: June 15 – July 17
Location: University of Houston
Application Deadline: June 1
Cost: $1,500
This program is aimed at high schoolers entering grades 10, 11, and 12 who are interested in architecture. The program aims to provide insight into the pursuit of architecture in college and help students build a lifetime appreciation of the field.
Participants will learn about architectural history and study some of the world’s most interesting buildings from the past and the present, as well as visit a local architect’s office and buildings of special interest. Participants will also work on their own design projects, so they’re guaranteed to leave the program with a bolstered portfolio!
It’s suggested that applicants have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, plus a high level of achievement in relevant core subjects.
18. Arete: An Introduction to the Classics
Dates: June 7 – 20
Location: University of Dallas
Application Deadline: May 1
Cost: $945
This two-week residential program allows high schoolers to sample what college life is like while learning about some of the most essential texts of Western civilization, from ancient Greek works like Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Plato’s Republic, and Shakespeare’s Henry V to modern classics such as those from Keats and Faulkner.
The course helps students develop valuable reading and writing skills, which are crucial to college success, and participants can earn three hours of college credit upon successful completion of the class.
19. Summer Art Academy
Dates: June 15 – 19
Location: University of Dallas
Application Deadline: May 15
Cost: $450
This week-long non-residential program immerses students in the process of making art. During the course, participants work in a variety of mediums—including ceramics, watercolor, and drawing—under the tutelage of university professors from the art department and staff members with experience working with young artists.
The program culminates with a student-curated art exhibit and reception that highlights students’ work.
20. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Location: Texas Tech University
Application Deadline: February 16
Cost: Free
This extremely competitive seven-week summer research program selects just 12 talented rising high school seniors and recent graduates to participate. Those selected conduct research under the mentorship of experienced faculty in fields including:
- Biology/Cell and Microbiology
- Cancer Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering & Computer Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering: Cancer Bioimaging
- Physics
In addition to research, students participate in social activities and seminars. The program is completely free; tuition, on-campus meals, room and board, and weekend activities/programming are all provided at no cost, and participants receive a $750 stipend at its conclusion.
How do Summer Programs Impact Your College Chances?
The benefits of participating in a summer program vary depending on factors, such as the program’s prestige and the value individual colleges place on extracurricular activities like summer programs.
The four tiers of extracurricular activities provide guidance for understanding how colleges view your participation in summer programs. Activities in Tier 1 and Tier 2 have the most influence on your chances of college admissions, as these activities are rare, impressive, and attention-grabbing.
Tier-3 and -4 activities are more common, less esteemed, and have less weight in college admissions. Extracurriculars in the lower tiers still provide a benefit to participants, however. For example, they demonstrate your motivation for self-improvement and desire to explore fields of interest. Many summer programs also have a college readiness component, which can give you a leg up on other college applicants.
Are you interested to learn what colleges think of your participation in a summer program? CollegeVine can help! Our free chancing calculator uses a variety of factors, including grades, standardized test scores, and extracurriculars like summer programs, to estimate your chances of getting into hundreds of colleges and universities while also providing insight into how to improve your profile.
