15 Free Summer Programs for High School Students in NC (North Carolina)

Free summer programs are an excellent opportunity for high school students to gain practical skills, industry exposure, and valuable connections. Offered by top universities and major organizations, these programs provide learning experiences, mentorship from experts, and a chance to explore potential college majors or career paths. By participating, you can build a strong profile for college applications and network with professionals who can guide your academic and career paths.

Free summer programs in North Carolina, many hosted by prestigious institutions like the UNC System universities, such as UNC-Chapel Hill and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM), provide academic learning in fields like STEM, research, arts, and leadership. These programs are a good way to expand your knowledge, build new skills, and complete projects that you can add to your portfolio. Below, we have listed 15 free summer programs for high school students in North Carolina.

1. Duke University Neuroscience Experience (DUNE)

Location: Duke’s campus, Durham, NC 
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 8
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 16 years old by June 16 and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents who attend a public or charter school in Durham, NC (school list here).

The Duke University Neuroscience Experience (DUNE) is a summer research initiative where you are integrated into a Duke neuroscience laboratory, focusing on an assigned project. You receive close guidance from research mentors, including faculty, postdocs, and graduate students, throughout your work. The program augments this lab experience with regular workshops concentrating on scientific communication, college readiness, and career advancement. Furthermore, you engage in community sessions to network with professionals across medicine, industry, and academia. The internship culminates with a formal poster session where you present your research findings to fellow students and Duke scientists.

2. Ladder Internships

Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: 100% financial aid is available / No stipend
Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year; Summer Cohorts I and II start June 2 and July 14, respectively
Application Deadline: Varies as per cohort; Summer Cohort I: May 12; Summer Cohort II: June 23
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can commit 10-20 hours per week for 8 – 12 weeks

Ladder Internships, a remote program launched by Harvard alumni, offers high school students access to global nonprofits and startups. Many host organizations boast affiliations with esteemed venture capital firms, such as Y Combinator, or are helmed by professionals with experience at major companies such as Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey. You engage in authentic, meaningful projects across diverse sectors, including AI, finance, health tech, software engineering, and environmental science. Throughout the experience, you'll benefit from mentorship provided by a dedicated coach and site manager, participate in collaborative group sessions, and hone essential communication and time management skills. The program culminates in a final presentation of your project contributions to your host organization.

3. NIH High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP)

Location: NIH campuses across the country, including Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend of $2,530 before graduation and $2,840 after graduation
Dates: 8 weeks in summer between mid-June and mid-August
Application Deadline: Typically mid-February
Eligibility: High school students who are 18 and enrolled in an accredited educational institution, and are U.S. citizens and permanent residents

NIH’s High School Summer Internship Program allows students to conduct research in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences. As an SIP intern, you will work directly under NIH principal investigators and contribute to ongoing research in areas such as biology, chemistry, nursing, physics, computer science, psychology, mathematics, and many other fields. Throughout the program, you’ll gain hands-on lab experience while also accessing professional development workshops, career talks, and educational advising. These opportunities help you learn about research careers, strengthen your scientific skills, and explore future academic pathways within the health and science fields.

4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation

Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Full financial aid is available
Dates: Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies as per cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students who demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)

The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation is a non-profit research program tailored for gifted students from low-income backgrounds. The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education and provides the same access to independent research experiences at zero cost. It pairs you with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more.

5. Duke Clinical Research Institute’s (DCRI) STAR Program

Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: None / $4,000 stipend
Dates: June 22 – July 24
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents

The Duke STAR Program provides an organized simulation of academic research, guiding you from framing a question through to manuscript preparation. You join Duke faculty-led teams to execute a hypothesis-driven project, receiving specialized instruction in statistics, research methods, and scientific writing. This experience, sometimes incorporating clinical shadowing, bridges basic science with patient care for contextual learning. The main goal is to help you become a co-author on a peer-reviewed publication, elevating your academic standing through mentorship and advanced coursework in subjects like pharmacology and neonatology.

6. Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP)

Location: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 
Cost/Stipend: No cost, except a $25 nonrefundable application fee / Stipend paid  
Dates: June 15 – 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are U.S. citizens and have a 2.8 GPA

This two-week residential program allows rising high school juniors and seniors to explore food, agricultural, and environmental science. You will be paired with a research scientist, under whose direct supervision you will conduct an independent research project within animal science, human nutrition, or natural resources. You will engage in hands-on laboratory demonstrations and fieldwork, where you’ll actively work with chemicals, collect samples (like milk on the farm), manage data, and use state-of-the-art research facilities and equipment. You will also participate in field trips to research stations or related industries, as well as workshops focused on computer applications and technical skills.

7. Conservation Corps North Carolina (CCNC) – Youth Conservation Crews

Location: Various locations across North Carolina
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified 
Dates: 3 – 6 weeks between June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: North Carolina high school students aged 15 – 18

YCCN is an empowerment program for teens ages 15–18 who want to take part in conservation work across North Carolina. The program is divided into small crews, and you can choose which one you want to join. The Camping Crew stays and works in the Uwharrie National Forest, where you’ll help with habitat restoration, trail maintenance, and fence installation. The Durham Day Crew focuses on improving local land by gardening, removing invasive plants, and supporting community green spaces. Each crew is small and close-knit, usually made up of 4–6 students and guided by two trained crew leaders, giving you a supportive environment to learn teamwork, leadership, and hands-on conservation skills.

8. Raleigh Summer Youth Employment Program (RSYEP)

Location: Various Raleigh Parks and Nature Preserves, Raleigh, NC
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: March 18
Eligibility: High school students aged 15 – 18 living within Raleigh city limits

The Raleigh Summer Youth Employment Program allows high school students to gain real work experience during the summer. It places you in a local government office, business, or community organization that fits your interests and strengths. Throughout the program, you learn professional workplace operations and develop responsibility and communication skills valuable for job seekers. This experience helps you strengthen your resume, explore different career paths, and understand what it’s like to join the workforce. By the end of the program, you’ll have more confidence and a better idea of the kinds of careers you may want to pursue.

9. NC State – College of Natural Resources (CNR) High School Summer Research Program

Location: NC State College of Natural Resources, Raleigh, NC, or online
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend up to $1,000
Dates: July 7 – August 1 
Application Deadline: Typically, in April 
Eligibility: High school students in North Carolina

In this program, you learn about forestry and natural resources by working on research projects at NC State. You are guided by college students and professionals, who help you understand what careers in these fields entail. You are also part of seminars that teach you basic research skills and how scientists present their work. During the summer, you get to attend the Research and Creativity Symposium, where you can see students present their projects and also learn how research is shared at the college level.

10. WakeMed Junior Volunteering Program 

Location: Cary Hospital and Raleigh campus
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Summer: May or June – August 31 
Application Deadline: Applications open on March 10 and close automatically once a sufficient number of applications have been received, which often happens on the same day it opens
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+

In the Junior Volunteer Program, you get exposure to how a hospital works by helping in different departments during the summer. You assist staff, support visitors, and learn how healthcare teams care for patients. As you move through your assigned areas, you’ll see many medical roles in action and gain a better understanding of the wide range of careers in a hospital system. The program focuses on building empathy, responsibility, and teamwork skills that are valuable in any future career. You may also observe some of the technology used in hospital settings, such as imaging equipment, patient monitoring tools, or electronic records systems.

11. UNC School of Medicine – Rural Medicine Summer Academy 

Location: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: 3 – 5 days in June
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors, especially those from rural North Carolina

In this five-day program, high school students get a close look at the medical field, where they’ll take part in medical simulations, shadow healthcare professionals, and even earn a CPR certification. You will apply your newly learned diagnostic and clinical reasoning skills in a low-stakes environment to understand how clinical medicine works in practice. You will also participate in workshops and receive advice on resume writing and the medical school application process. Participants often receive continued mentorship and guidance from an assigned advisor to support them through college and into their medical careers.

12. Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics (SVSM)

Location: Several North Carolina locations such as Appalachian State University, East Carolina University (ECU), UNC Charlotte, and UNC Wilmington (UNCW)
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: Typically, four weeks between late June to late July
Application Deadline: January 5
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are North Carolina residents

The Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics (SVSM) program is a prestigious opportunity for academically gifted rising juniors and seniors from North Carolina who are interested in STEM professions. You live on a UNC system campus and engage in advanced, college-level coursework led by university faculty, exploring subjects like Neuroscience, Biotechnology, and Discrete Mathematics. The core of the experience involves conducting an independent or partnered research project, which culminates in the preparation and delivery of a formal paper and oral presentation of findings to peers and professors. This rigorous program significantly develops crucial skills in analytical thinking, research literacy, and professional presentation.

13. IFAL (Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders)

Location: NC State, Raleigh, NC
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 15 – 20
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors in North Carolina

The Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders (IFAL) is a one-week summer program for rising high school seniors interested in agriculture, leadership, and career exploration. During the program, you will meet faculty and departmental representatives at NC State to learn about different agricultural majors and fields of study. You’ll take part in service projects, attend leadership sessions, and go on field trips to research farms, teaching facilities, and agricultural industries using modern technology. Throughout the week, you’ll build teamwork and communication skills while gaining a clearer understanding of the many career paths within agriculture and environmental sciences.

14. NCDOT High School Internship Program

Location: Raleigh, NC (various NCDOT divisions and units across North Carolina)
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Dates: Year-round program where students can work either one or consecutive semesters
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students in North Carolina  who are at least 16 years old at employment time and have a minimum overall GPA of 2.3 on a 4.0 scale

This internship gives you a paid, hands-on work experience within different divisions of the NCDOT across North Carolina. You’ll be introduced to fields like civil engineering, environmental science, transportation planning, and administrative work, all through real projects. Your tasks may include collecting and analyzing data, helping with project planning and design, going on site visits, and assisting with office responsibilities such as documentation and communication. You’ll work closely with experienced transportation professionals, which helps you understand how public infrastructure is planned and maintained. Throughout the internship, you’ll build important technical and professional skills, including research, data management, problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and time management.

15. Science and Research Summer Program at North Carolina Central University (NCCU)

Location: North Carolina Central University campus, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 23 – July 18
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: North Carolina high school juniors aged 13–17, who are currently between junior and senior year summers

The Science and Research Summer Program (SRSP) at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) provides high school students with an exceptional chance to engage in hands-on research across various STEM disciplines. You work alongside NCCU faculty on active scientific investigations in fields like biology, chemistry, and environmental science, gaining laboratory competencies. A key aim of SRSP is to cultivate a stronger enthusiasm for research careers and illuminate academic routes, particularly toward NCCU. Through intensive mentorship and direct collaborative work, you gain clarity regarding the scientific process and the nature of discovery.

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