15 Free Programs for High School Students in NYC (New York City)
Free programs and internships are excellent opportunities for high school students to gain experience, practical skills, and valuable industry exposure. Some programs involve research labs or creative performance, while others provide experience in professional workplaces. Many of these programs give you the chance to present your work and practice your public speaking.
Free programs in New York City for high school students include offerings by colleges such as New York University (NYU), Columbia University, and the City University of New York (CUNY) system. Across the city, universities, nonprofits, and cultural institutions offer free programs for high school students that go beyond classroom learning. We’ve put together 15 free programs for high school students in New York City that combine skill-building with exposure to college or career environments.
15 Free Programs for High School Students in NYC (New York City)
1. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $1,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 60 students
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who live and attend school in NYC
At ARISE, you spend your summer in a working research environment at NYU, learning directly from faculty and graduate mentors. In the early weeks, build your foundation through lab safety, academic writing, and research skills. You’ll explore topics like machine learning for social impact, privacy and security, smart energy, nanoelectronics, and urban mobility. Later, you are part of active research labs, contributing to projects in fields such as biology, chemistry, and engineering. Along the way, you gain experience presenting research, collaborating in a professional setting, and communicating findings to a wider audience.
2. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; moderately sized cohort
Dates: Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year across spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; January (Spring), May (Summer), September (Fall), November (Winter)
Eligibility: High school seniors who are typically from low-income families
The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation connects you one-on-one with a PhD mentor to complete an independent research paper over 12 weeks. You’ll learn how to frame a research question, review academic literature, and write your own scholarly paper under guided mentorship. The process includes multiple mentor sessions, writing workshops, and a final presentation at the Lumiere Research Symposium. You can choose topics across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and data science to history and public policy. Each stage builds your ability to think critically, conduct academic research, and communicate findings clearly. The program mirrors the parent program, i.e., Lumiere Research Scholar Program, but is offered at no cost.
3. Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: Rockefeller University, Manhattan, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Need-based stipends may be awarded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 32 students
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who will be at least 16 years old at the start of the program
The Summer Science Research Program places you on a mentored team modeled after a real laboratory environment at Rockefeller University. You work closely with scientific trainees from the Tri-Institutions - Rockefeller, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell, and design and conduct research around a shared topic. Early in the summer, you learn new lab techniques and develop your own research question under the guidance of experienced mentors. As the weeks progress, you collect and analyze data, collaborate on findings, and create a scientific poster to present at the program’s symposium. The program also includes workshops and guest lectures.
4. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: 100% financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 – 25%; 70 – 100 students
Dates: Four cohorts annually: spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students; requires a 10 – 20 hour weekly commitment for 8 – 12 weeks
Ladder Internships connects you with high-growth start-ups for an eight-week virtual internship experience. You’ll collaborate with company mentors and a dedicated coach as you work on real business projects in fields like AI, marketing, journalism, or health tech. The schedule follows a structured timeline: defining goals, developing deliverables, and presenting your work directly to company leaders. Each project challenges you to apply problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills in a fast-paced environment. The mentorship from entrepreneurs and professionals gives you a real-world sense of how start-ups operate and scale.
5. Thurgood Marshall Summer Law Internship Program (TMSLIP)
Location: Several law firms, corporations, nonprofits, and government organizations across NYC
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 35 students
Dates: 6–8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: January 6
Eligibility: NYC public high school students who are at least 16 years old by June 1
This program offers a prestigious and immersive legal internship experience, with strong emphasis on professional development and mentorship within New York City's legal community. It connects you with legal employers across New York City, including law firms, corporations, nonprofits, and government offices. You take on administrative and support responsibilities that mirror the daily operations of a professional legal workplace. Typical tasks may include handling records, organizing files, or assisting paralegals with case preparation. In addition to workplace duties, you attend professional development sessions designed to expand your understanding of the legal field.
6. State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP)
Location: Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid for participating in the BRAINYAC program, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited cohort size
Dates: Summer Session: July; Academic Year: October – May
Application Deadline: Summer Session: April 15; Academic Year: November 1
Eligibility: New York high school students in grades 7–12 with an 80% grade average in math and science
The State Pre-College Enrichment Program is a free, long-term academic preparation program designed for high school students pursuing careers in medicine or STEM fields. It offers summer and academic year sessions, where you take advanced courses in subjects like chemistry, physics, psychology, and calculus, supplemented by PSAT and SAT preparation. The program also includes college readiness and career workshops to help you navigate applications, academic planning, and professional development. You engage in field trips, campus tours, and counseling sessions that connect coursework with real-world opportunities.
7. Summer Arts Institute - New York City Department of Education
Location: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, Queens, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 12 – 16 students per year
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Rising 8th to 12th graders enrolled in or planning to enroll in a New York City Department of Education public school
At the Summer Arts Institute, you spend four weeks immersed in daily studio work led by Department of Education arts specialists and guest artists. You choose a focus, such as dance, theater, instrumental or vocal music, film, or visual arts, and refine your craft through rehearsals, performances, and portfolio development. Classes are held at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, where the environment reflects the pace and standards of professional arts training. Throughout the program, you work with cultural partners like Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic, gaining direct insight into different creative industries. You also attend performances, collaborate across disciplines, and showcase your work at the final exhibition and performance.
8. YES in THE HEIGHTS
Location: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 1%; likely small, focused cohort
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application Deadline: December 13
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 14 years old | U.S. citizens or permanent residents
YES in THE HEIGHTS is a free program for high school students in NYC that places you in an active cancer research setting under the mentorship of scientists from Columbia University’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. Over two summers, you work with a faculty mentor whose research aligns with your interests, contributing to real biomedical projects while learning laboratory techniques and research design. Weekly journal clubs expose you to current cancer studies and help you practice scientific communication. You’ll also build professional habits through academic writing, presentation training, and development planning.
9. Summer Neuroscience Program (SNP)
Location: Rockefeller University, Manhattan, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 18–24 students
Dates: August 4 – 15
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in a New York City public high school who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program
In the Summer Neuroscience Program, you spend two intensive weeks exploring how the brain connects to human behavior and perception. Led by graduate students at Rockefeller University, the course blends interactive lectures with practical exploration of neuroscience concepts. You’ll read and present scientific papers, design and propose your own experiment, and dissect a brain to understand neural structures. The program also introduces you to research methods and technologies used in modern neuroscience. Among free programs for high school students in NYC, SNP provides a focused look at how neuroscience research is conducted in real academic settings.
10. Secondary School Field Research Program (SSFRP)
Location: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; around 30 students
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Typically, March
Eligibility: High school students in 10th, 11th, or 12th grade enrolled in partner schools
In the Secondary School Field Research Program, you spend six weeks working on environmental science projects that combine fieldwork and lab analysis. You collaborate with researchers, undergraduate mentors, and teachers to investigate topics such as wetland ecology, nutrient cycling, and renewable energy processes in the Piermont Marsh. The program emphasizes learning through experimentation: collecting samples, developing hypotheses, and using real data to draw conclusions. You also gain experience reading scientific papers and presenting findings at a summer symposium. This program is ideal if you want to explore the research side of Earth and environmental sciences.
11. Summer Shakespeare - Stella Adler Center for the Arts
Location: 65 Broadway, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 22 students
Dates: July 7 – August 8
Application Deadline: June 23
Eligibility: NYC high school students with demonstrated financial need and a need for arts exposure
This five-week summer intensive focuses on voice, movement, ensemble work, and scene study, culminating in an abbreviated Shakespeare play production. You train in movement, voice, and ensemble work while preparing scenes for a final production. The daily sessions focus on technique and collaboration, with around 50 hours of dedicated instruction. You’ll learn to interpret classical language and apply it through live performance, developing both confidence and stage awareness. This free program for high school students in NYC is an opportunity to experience professional-level acting instruction while exploring one of literature’s most enduring playwrights.
12. Engineering the Next Generation (ENG)
Location: Columbia University, Manhattan, NY
Stipend: $15/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 20-24 students
Dates: July 7 – August 14
Application Deadline: Typical mid-April
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (current 11th graders) from local partner schools in New York City | Must comply with Columbia’s vaccination requirements (MMR)
Engineering the Next Generation (ENG) is a free program that places you in an active research environment at Columbia Engineering for six weeks, where you work alongside researchers and graduate students. You’ll contribute to authentic engineering projects while learning how research moves from concept to experiment. The program combines research experience with structured workshops on topics like science communication, college preparation, and research methods. Multi-level mentorship connects you with faculty, staff, and peers who can guide your academic development. Through these sessions, you practice presenting your ideas clearly and applying classroom theory in a real-world context.
13. Cyber Security for Computer Science (CS4CS)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 45-50 students
Dates: July 14 – August 8
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: 10th and 11th-grade students from NYC or Nassau County
CS4CS introduces you to cybersecurity through hands-on exploration of ethical hacking, digital forensics, and data protection. You’ll investigate how cryptography works, examine real security challenges, and learn about online privacy and information safety. Unlike traditional coding camps, the program blends technical learning with communication training through theater workshops, making complex tech concepts easier to grasp. The sessions progress from beginner-friendly cybersecurity fundamentals to more advanced applications like steganography and network defense. Each week focuses on a specific branch of the field, giving you a comprehensive understanding of how cybersecurity connects to computer science.
14. Freedom & Citizenship - Columbia University
Location: Columbia University, Manhattan, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically small cohort
Dates: Summer seminar: June 29 – July 25, followed by a civic leadership program from September 3 to May 3
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who live in New York City
Freedom & Citizenship is a humanities seminar that explains how ideas of democracy, liberty, and civic duty have evolved across history. Over three weeks, you study texts by thinkers from Socrates to Martin Luther King Jr., analyzing how political philosophy connects to current issues. You participate in daily discussions, write short essays, and complete a final paper synthesizing themes across readings. The course encourages you to think critically about what it means to be an active citizen in modern society. Field trips to museums and civic organizations expand these discussions beyond the classroom, linking theory to lived experience.
15. Met High School Summer Internship Program
Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; Approximately 36 students
Dates: July 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: 10th and 11th graders who live or attend a high school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut
At The Met High School Internship Program, you explore how one of the world’s largest museums operates from the inside out. You’ll rotate through departments such as education, imaging, design, or social media while working alongside museum professionals and peers. The program focuses on developing professional behavior and workplace communication through workshops, mentorship, and project-based tasks. In addition to department work, you can take part in Teen Fridays and “Teens Take The Met,” where interns lead activities for other visitors. If you’re interested in art, culture, or behind-the-scenes operations, this program helps you connect those interests to potential career paths.
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