Updated November 2026
TL;DR
The Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) runs paid summer STEM and business programs in Greater Boston, and its one-week courses are open enrollment while its three-week research programs require an application. The 2027 three-week schedule is posted (late June to late July), tuition is $2,500 for three weeks or $699 for one week, and housing costs extra. There's no formal deadline: applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with decisions in about 7 to 10 days.
The Boston Leadership Institute is one of the most flexible summer options for high schoolers: you can spend one week trying out surgery or forensics with no application, or apply to a three-week research program in a field like neurosurgery, biomedical engineering or finance. Three-week instructors hold advanced degrees such as PhDs, MDs and MBAs, and BLI has run programs at three Greater Boston campuses since 2011.
Because the two formats are so different, the questions worth asking are about the track you choose. BLI is one of the options in our list of summer programs in Boston for high school students, and our guide on how to get a research internship in high school is a good next step if you want to build toward research.
Comparing a few options? See our list of free summer programs for high school students in Boston, or browse more medical programs for high school students if you're leaning toward medicine.
Boston Leadership Institute at a glance
|
Detail |
What you need to know |
|
Run by |
The Boston Leadership Institute, an independent summer program (not run by a university) |
|
Locations |
Greater Wellesley (Babson College), Waltham (Gann Academy/Bentley University) and Boston (The Newman School); two programs are remote |
|
Formats |
One-week introductory courses, three-week competitive-admissions programs, remote programs and pre-high school programs |
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Eligibility |
Students entering 8th grade through entering college; pre-high school programs are for rising 6th to 8th graders |
|
Cost |
One week: $699 tuition (+ $699 residential) · Three weeks: $2,500 tuition (+ $2,097 residential) · Remote: $1,200 |
|
2027 dates |
Three-week sessions run June 21 to July 30, 2027; one-week courses run June 21 to August 13, 2027 |
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Application deadline |
No formal deadline; rolling review, decisions in about 7 to 10 days |
|
Acceptance rate |
Not published |
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Best for |
Students who want a hands-on summer introduction to a STEM or business field, and can attend in Greater Boston |
Who can apply to the Boston Leadership Institute?
The main programs are open to students entering 8th grade through students entering college, and pre-high school programs are for rising 6th to 8th graders. How you get in depends on the track:
One-week and pre-high school programs: no application. BLI says they're open to students who perform at grade level or above, so you simply register.
Three-week and remote programs: competitive. You apply, and BLI's admissions team decides.
Selectivity: BLI doesn't publish an acceptance rate or applicant numbers.
Class size: most programs have around 15 to 20 students, with a target ratio of 10 students per staff member.
International students: welcome. BLI provides visa paperwork once the program is paid in full.
How long is the Boston Leadership Institute summer program, and what's a typical day?
Programs last one or three weeks (the remote programs run two), and they only run in summer, so they won't clash with school. Here's what a day looks like:
Class hours: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, mixing classroom and lab time (the balance varies by program).
Extended day: until 5 p.m. at no extra charge for day students.
Residential life: dining-hall meals, evening activities with counselors and weekend trips into Boston, according to BLI's sample week.
Remote programs: on Zoom, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern.
What subjects can you study at the Boston Leadership Institute?
BLI's 2027 three-week programs cover science, medicine, engineering and business, and the one-week courses offer lighter introductions to many of the same fields.
Science (three-week): Astrophysics, Biological Research (Synthetic Biology), Chemistry Research, Forensic Science, Marine Biology, Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmaceutical Research, Neuroscience Research, and the new Psychiatry & Clinical Psychology.
Medicine (three-week): Biomedical & Surgical Research, Cardiology & Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine & Critical Care, Neurosurgery Research, and Veterinary Medicine.
Engineering (three-week): Applied Physics & Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electronics & Robotics, and Engineering Research.
Business (three-week): Finance Research, and Entrepreneurship & Business Development.
Remote in 2027: Biotech Research, and Biomedical & Surgical Research.
One-week courses: forensics, marine biology, psychology, cryptography, architecture, investment banking, sports statistics, and "Edge" courses that prepare you for an upcoming biology, chemistry or physics class.
One-week medicine courses: Anatomy, Intro to Surgery, Nursing, Pathology Lab, Pediatrics and Sports Medicine.
To see what a three-week program looks like, BLI says Biomedical & Surgical Research students learn surgical knots in the first few days, then use a laparoscopic simulator, implant a mock pacemaker in a cow heart and develop an original research project. Course lists change yearly, so check the current schedule.
7 things to know before booking a spot at the Boston Leadership Institute
1. BLI's one-week and three-week programs are different experiences
A one-week course is a low-commitment way to test an interest; a three-week program is BLI's in-depth, application-based option with research experience. A one-week course shows curiosity, while a three-week program shows you were reviewed and admitted, so decide which you need before comparing dates.
2. BLI isn't run by a university, even though classes meet on college campuses
BLI is an independent summer program that holds classes and houses students at Babson College, Bentley University, Gann Academy and The Newman School. Attending BLI at Babson isn't the same as a Babson summer program, so list it as "Boston Leadership Institute" on applications. BLI's awards page includes a Boston Globe "Fastest Growing Companies in New England" ranking for 2025.
3. BLI's full cost depends on the format and whether you stay overnight
|
Format |
Tuition |
Residential fee |
Total if you stay on campus |
|
One-week course |
$699 |
$699 |
$1,398 |
|
Three-week program |
$2,500 |
$2,097 |
$4,597 |
|
Remote program |
$1,200 |
Not applicable |
$1,200 |
The residential fee covers housing, three meals a day and staff supervision. Extras include an airport shuttle ($99 round trip) and a linen rental ($50), per BLI's FAQ. Day students skip the residential fee entirely.
4. BLI's financial aid is limited
BLI offers need-based scholarships to "a very limited number of students." What to know:
No aid for housing: scholarships don't cover the residential fee.
No aid for international students.
GI Partners scholarship: in its last posted cycle, eight full scholarships to three-week research programs for Greater Boston rising seniors with household income at or below the Massachusetts median, reviewed May 15 to 31 (housing and transportation not covered).
5. BLI's deposits are only refundable for a short window
You reserve a spot with a deposit, and BLI's 2026 payment terms gave you only a short window to change your mind:
Deposit: $200 for one-week courses; $500 for three-week and remote programs.
Refund window: seven days for deposits made by May 15; 72 hours after May 15.
Full payment: due May 15, or two weeks after the deposit for later registrations.
After a payment deadline: tuition and residential fees aren't refunded if you cancel.
BLI hasn't posted 2027 payment terms yet, so check the registration page before you pay.
6. BLI's campus and housing depend on your program
Each program runs at a specific campus, so where you study and sleep depends on what you sign up for, according to BLI's locations and about pages:
Greater Wellesley: housing at Babson College (BLI also uses Regis College in Weston for part of the summer).
Waltham: classes at Gann Academy, housing at Bentley University.
Boston: classes and housing at The Newman School in Back Bay.
7. BLI can cancel a class or change instructors
BLI's terms let it cancel a class that doesn't fill due to low enrollment, and teachers aren't guaranteed. If a teacher can't teach, BLI finds a replacement, but you don't get a refund for the change. Wait for confirmation that your program is running before buying nonrefundable flights.
Is the Boston Leadership Institute summer program worth it?
The Boston Leadership Institute is worth it if you want a structured, hands-on summer in a specific field and the cost fits your family's budget. Which track suits you:
Still exploring: a one-week course is a quick, low-cost way to learn whether you actually like a subject.
Defined interest: a three-week program gives you longer, project-based work and an admissions process behind it.
For college applications: what counts is what you did there (a lab skill, a project you can explain), not the BLI name.
If you also want experience beyond a summer course, Ladder Internships places high school students in remote, eight-week start-up internships with a company coach, where you work on a real project and finish with a deliverable.
How do you apply to the Boston Leadership Institute, and when are the deadlines?
For a three-week or remote program, fill out BLI's online application, now open for Summer 2027; for one-week and pre-high school programs, just register. The application steps:
Application form and essay: you or a parent complete the form; BLI asks you to write the essay yourself, not with AI.
Grades: a current report card can help; accepted students send an unofficial transcript later.
Decision: BLI reviews applications about once a week and usually decides within 7 to 10 days.
Confirm your spot: pay the deposit once you're accepted.
|
Program |
2027 dates |
Application deadline |
|
Three-week programs |
Sessions between June 21 and July 30, 2027 (most run June 21 – July 9, June 28 – July 16 or July 12 – 30) |
No formal deadline; rolling review |
|
Remote programs |
Biotech Research: June 28 – July 9, 2027 · Biomedical & Surgical Research: July 5 – 16, 2027 |
No formal deadline; rolling review |
|
One-week courses |
Weekly sessions between June 21 and August 13, 2027 |
No application; register while spots last |
|
Pre-high school programs |
2027 dates not yet posted; 2026 sessions ran June 22 to August 7 |
No application |
Because admission is rolling, applying early gives you the most choice of sessions and campuses. Payment in full was due May 15 in the 2026 cycle, so plan for a mid-May deadline unless BLI posts a different one.
Common questions about the Boston Leadership Institute
Is the Boston Leadership Institute legit?
Yes. BLI is an established independent summer program that has run since 2011, with day and residential options at three Greater Boston campuses. It isn't part of a university, so judge it by the specific program, instructors and work rather than the campus it meets on.
What do you do in the first days of a BLI three-week program?
It depends on the program. In Biomedical & Surgical Research, for example, BLI says students learn to tie surgical knots in the first few days before moving on to mock surgical procedures, case studies and their own research project.
Is the Boston Leadership Institute selective?
Only partly. The three-week and remote programs require an application and an admissions decision, while one-week and pre-high school programs are open enrollment. BLI doesn't publish an acceptance rate.
Is there a school-year alternative to BLI?
BLI only runs in the summer. If you want something you can do alongside school, Ladder Internships runs remote, eight-week start-up internships at 5 to 10 hours a week, in fields including healthcare and biotech, engineering, finance and AI, with a company coach guiding your project. The next deadline is November 15, 2026, for the Winter I cohort starting December 7, 2026. You can apply on Ladder's application page.
Contact us at contact@ladderinternships.com if you have any questions!