20 Mental Health Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in psychology, helping people through emotional or behavioral challenges, or exploring neuroscience, a mental health program can be a worthwhile way to explore the field in great detail. Many leading universities and organizations offer mental health programs for high school students that can help them understand emotional well-being, manage stress, build healthy relationships, and develop coping skills. These programs will introduce you to fields such as psychology, counseling, social work, and psychiatry, as well as related areas such as occupational therapy, addiction studies, art therapy, and forensic or school psychology.
If you want to look at other programs available, check out a list of free leadership programs here, or if you want to explore the coding route, find a list of programs here!
Why should I do a mental health program in high school?
Mental health programs allow you to shadow therapists, contribute to community wellness projects, take part in mentorship, participate in research, or take college-level courses. You can also learn about mindfulness, stress management, confidence-building, communication, and mental health advocacy. As mental healthcare is a growing field, these experiences can help you make an informed decision about what to study in college and build your resume. Whether you want to plan a career in mental health or are simply curious about this field, these programs will allow you to interact with trained professionals, develop real skills, and understand how to care for yourself and others.
To help you get started, we’ve put together 20 mental health programs for high school students.
Quick Look
20 programs total spanning clinical psychology, neuroscience, advocacy, and research, mixing remote options with in-person residential programs at institutions including Harvard, Stanford, Brown, and USC
Several programs are free with a stipend, including Active Minds' Advocacy Academy, Child Mind Institute's Youth Mental Health Academy ($1,750), and Mental Health America's Young Leaders Council ($1,000)
Stanford appears with its Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X), a highly selective program (roughly 12% acceptance) with both virtual and in-person tracks
Costs vary enormously, from free programs like Barrow Neurological Institute and JSSA to premium residential programs like Penn's Neuroscience Research Academy (over $10,000) and USC's Psychological Science & Society (up to $11,570)
Ladder Internships and Lumiere are the only fully flexible, remote options with no fixed location, open to students regardless of where they live
1. Active Minds Mental Health Advocacy Academy
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free | students earn a stipend after pre-and post-program evaluations
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Cohorts are available in summer and fall
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort
Eligibility: Rising 9th - 12th graders who attend school in the United States and identify as LGBTQ+, BIPOC, or both
The Mental Health Advocacy Academy is a paid leadership program for high school students who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, or both and want to make an impact in mental health. The academy will help you build a strong foundation in advocacy, education, policy, awareness, and equity. You will learn from people driving global change and connect with other student leaders who have already made an impact in their own schools and communities. Throughout the program, you will grow your leadership skills through collaboration with student changemakers nationwide. You will conclude the program with clear ideas and plans for improving mental health support in your school and community.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 19%, though the exact percentage varies depending on the internship and the cohort
Dates: Programs run year-round in 8 - 12 week sessions during spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort – Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, or gap year students who can work for 8 - 12 weeks, devoting 10 - 20 hours/week
Ladder Internships is a remote program that connects high school students with nonprofits and startups worldwide. Many of these organizations are backed by Y Combinator or led by professionals from organizations such as Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey. Founded by Harvard graduates, the program offers internships in areas like nonprofits, mental health, health tech, finance, AI, environmental science, consulting, software engineering, and journalism. As an intern, you’ll work on real projects for your host organization and present your work at the end of the program. You’ll also join group sessions with other interns, build communication and time management skills, and get support from a ladder coach and a site manager throughout your internship. If you want to plan things ahead, you can look at the application form to see which internships are currently open.
3. UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Inspiring Careers in Mental Health Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free | unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 1 - 5 | June 8 - 12
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and college freshmen
UT Southwestern’s Internship for high school students is a virtual program for students interested in mental health careers. The sessions are led by neuropsychologists, licensed clinical social workers, physician assistants, psychiatrists, and other professionals who will share their day-to-day experiences with you. During the interactive sessions, clinicians talk about their work, discuss career options, and offer guidance on topics such as paying for medical school or getting started in the field. Before each session, you’ll read assigned news articles or scientific papers that help you prepare. You’ll also explore different areas of mental health, such as neuroscience, psychotherapy, interventional psychiatry, neuropsychological testing, and community psychiatry, to gain a clearer understanding of the different mental health professions.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program; complete financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10 - 25%
Dates: Cohorts run in fall, summer, winter, and spring; options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary based on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students with an unweighted minimum GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale are encouraged to apply
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous 12-week research program for high school students. You’ll work one-on-one with a PhD mentor to design and complete an independent research project. You can choose a topic in STEM, the humanities, or social sciences, with guidance from research method workshops and writing support. A writing coach will also help you develop an academic paper. You can select research topics from subjects such as psychology, neuroscience, data science, computer science, chemistry, physics, economics, engineering, linguistics, international relations, and more. If your exact interest lies outside the listed topics, you can work with your mentor to create a custom topic. While the program isn’t affiliated with a university, it may help you earn UCSD credit. You can find more details about the application here, and check out reviews provided by students for the program here and here.
5. Child Mind Institute’s Youth Mental Health Academy
Location: Child Mind Institute, San Mateo, CA (summer academy); remote sessions are available during the academic year session
Cost/Stipend: Free | students earn a $1,750 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Over 1,500 students participated in this year’s program
Dates: June 22 - July 23 (summer academy) | August - March (year-round programming)
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Students enrolled in a California public or private high school with an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher can apply | applications are encouraged from students whose backgrounds or experiences are historically underrepresented in mental health careers
The Child Mind Institute’s Youth Mental Health Academy is a community-based program that gives students hands-on experience in mental health research, science, practice, and communication. You’ll be paired with a mentor working in a health-related field who will provide guidance, share their experiences, and support your academic goals. Your first summer includes a paid five-week academy with interactive lessons and discussions on mental health challenges, research, treatment, and career paths. The summer concludes with a capstone project that includes a research paper, a creative component, and a display. During the school year, you’ll stay connected with workshops, fairs, and regular mentor meetings. You’ll use what you have learned in the summer to complete your capstone project with the help of your mentor. School-year workshops cover career readiness, mental health summits, and related events.
6. Here App: Become a Teen Advisor
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: $1,200; need-based partial and full scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No fixed cohort size
Dates: Summer, fall, winter, and spring cohorts; the winter cohort runs for 10 weeks starting January 12, and the spring cohort runs for 10 Sundays from March 15 to May 24
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Here App: Become a Teen Advisor allows high school students to explore mental health while volunteering. You’ll complete a full training and commit to two remote shifts each month for one year, making it easy to balance with school and other activities. As a teen advisor, you’ll receive supervision and guidance from licensed clinicians while supporting other teens on the app. Training covers values, bias, and the experiences you may encounter. You’ll learn crisis intervention, reflective communication, and how to identify signs of mental health struggles. You’ll practice creating a calm and nonjudgmental space where teens can share and feel understood. You’ll also learn coping strategies you can use both on and off the app. Many teen advisors go on to lead mental health initiatives in their schools, families, and communities.
7. Camp Psych at Gettysburg College
Location: Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
Cost/Stipend: $1,395; one to two full-tuition waivers are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class sizes; 20 to 25 students per group
Dates: July 13 - 18
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Camp Psych is a weeklong program that allows high school students to explore how psychological science works. You’ll attend lectures, give presentations, listen to guest speakers, join discussions, work on live projects, and take part in social activities. You’ll work on hands-on research projects and learn about major research questions and methods. Topics may include how to collect and analyze data, why people help others, how to present findings, how to design experiments, and how research can help behavior related to issues such as environmental sustainability. The curriculum will allow you to develop your understanding of psychology and strengthen your critical thinking and analytical skills. Instead of only studying current topics and research, you’ll actually conduct research yourself. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at the field and prepare for college-level work. The camp will also help you learn about mental health by exploring human behavior, cognition, motivation, and social influences.
8. Dartmouth Pre-College Online Program — Psychology: Explore the Mind & Mental Wellness
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $1,895; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multi-length courses run throughout the year
Application Deadline: Each session’s deadline is one week before it begins
Eligibility: Students aged 13 - 19 years
Dartmouth’s Psychology: Explore the Mind & Mental Wellness pre-college online program introduces students to key foundations of clinical psychology and how therapists use different approaches to support mental health. You’ll learn from professionals, study how mental health conditions are diagnosed and treated, and practice analyzing cases and creating treatment plans. You’ll explore the history and major areas of clinical psychology, build skills in mindful presence and empathetic communication, and understand what goes into making a diagnosis. You’ll also learn how clinicians use different frameworks, interventions, and outcome measures when planning treatment. As part of your final capstone project, you’ll analyze a fictional character’s background, identify their concerns, suggest a diagnosis, create a treatment plan, and define goals and ways to track progress. At the end of the program, you’ll earn a certificate of completion from Dartmouth.
9. JSSA High School Internship
Location: Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia
Cost/Stipend: Free | unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Minimum 8 - 10 weeks
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students who live in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia
The JSSA High School Internship gives you hands-on experience inside a human services nonprofit and shows how mental health and community programs operate in a real clinical environment. You can choose a weekly schedule between 12 and 16 hours. You’ll learn how a multidisciplinary agency works on a daily basis and get an opportunity to collaborate with different departments based on your interests. Depending on your placement, you might observe case consultations, learn how teams collaborate, assist with youth camps and summer programs, or assist with tasks such as data analysis, writing reports, coordinating training, outreach, and issuing continuing education certificates. You may also support community presentations, focused on mental health, attend cross-department meetings to track the progress of your projects, and contribute to ongoing projects across JSSA’s programs. Since JSSA is an approved student service-learning site, you may also earn service-learning credit.
10. Wake Forest University’s Summer Immersion Program: Psychology Institute
Location: Wake Forest University Reynolda Campus, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost/Stipend: $3,500 plus $60 non-refundable application fee; limited need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 - 30 students per week
Dates: July 12 - 17 | July 19 - 24
Application Deadline: Applications open on November 1; rolling admissions
Eligibility: Current high school students in grades 9 - 12 who are in good academic standing
The Wake Forest Summer Immersion Psychology Institute gives students a chance to explore how the brain works through hands-on activities. You might explore illusions, emotion, sensation, perception, and bias, dissect a sheep brain, and learn how the brain helps us interpret information. You’ll learn about hypothesis testing, research design, and the psychology behind marketing. You’ll work in teams to collect data, develop your own research project, and present your findings. Activities include neuroplasticity exercises, a sensory perception lab, tours and trips, observational research, and brain training. You’ll learn about mental health by exploring the brain, emotions, and perception through labs, dissections, and real-world observation. The program will also help you build a solid foundation in the psychological concepts that shape mental well-being.
11. Harvard University’s Secondary School Program (SSP) — Narratives of Mental Health and Mental Illness
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (virtual or in-person)
Cost/Stipend: $4,180 - $15,735 plus $75 application fee; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Maximum 50 students per class; some online courses have no enrollment limit
Dates: July 12 - August 7 (4-week session) | June 20 - August 8 (7-week session)
Application Deadline: January 7 (early deadline) | February 11 (regular deadline) | April 1 (late deadline)
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 - 19 years who plan to start college in the upcoming years can apply; please check each course page for any specific prerequisites
Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program allows students to take college courses for credit. You can choose from more than 200 courses in subjects such as psychology, neuroscience, physics, linguistics, biology, philosophy, computer science, economics, and more. Courses run for four or seven weeks and are taught by Harvard faculty and visiting instructors. You’ll get around 8 - 12 hours of homework per week, depending on the course. If you’re interested in exploring mental health, the Narratives of Mental Health and Mental Illness course examines literature and other arts from communities around the world. You’ll learn about common biases, misconceptions, myths, and stigmas surrounding mental illness and learn how these issues have been addressed in the past. The course also covers ways to reduce isolation, inequity, and loneliness as well as strengthen connection, healing, and well-being for individuals and their families having mental illness issues.
12. Georgetown University's Pre-College Online Psychology Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $3,995; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Application Deadline: Each session’s deadline is one week before it begins
Eligibility: Students aged 13 years or above
Georgetown University’s Pre-College Online Psychology Program allows students to explore major areas of psychology while earning college credit. You’ll learn how psychologists study human behavior and test those methods by designing your own experiment. You’ll learn how social media influences behavior, how praise and punishment online shape your choices, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of digital interactions. You’ll study the causes and treatments of anxiety and depression, the science behind learning disabilities, and what happens to the brain as it ages. The course also covers how the brain works, from the reward system to the effects of drugs on mood and behavior. These topics provide a solid foundation for college majors related to psychology, including counseling, teaching, social work, and psychological testing.
13. Summer@Brown Pre-College Program - Stigma and Mental Health
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost/Stipend: $3,096 - $10,858; some courses may have extra fees; scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class sizes
Dates: Courses run between June 15 and July 25 and last 1 - 3 weeks on campus or 5 weeks in a hybrid format
Application Deadline: January 14 - May 8
Eligibility: Students finishing grades 9 - 12 who are 14 - 18 years by June 14 can apply; please check each course page for any specific prerequisites
Brown University’s Pre-College Programs allow students to experience college-level learning using about 230 non-credit courses across many subjects. Classes are taught by experienced instructors. You’ll spend around three hours of class a day, five days a week, with an additional couple of hours for homework or group work. You can also participate in workshops, events, and other activities. If you’re interested in exploring mental health, the Stigma and Mental Health course examines how stigma shapes people’s experiences. You’ll study how stigma affects individuals with conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder, using case examples that clear up common myths. The course also covers different stigma-reduction approaches and how stigma shows up in the healthcare environment. You’ll work with videos, podcasts, peer-reviewed journal articles, and other materials. You’ll also work on a project where you’ll design a stigma-reduction intervention or public health campaign.
14. NSLC’s Psychology and Neuroscience High School Summer Program
Location: Multiple locations: Duke University, Durham, NC | University of California, Berkeley, San Francisco, CA | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost/Stipend: $4,295 - $4,495 (residential); scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Several 9-day sessions run between June 11 and July 29
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 14 - 18 years who have completed at least one year of high school, including recent high school graduates
The NSLC Psychology and Neuroscience Summer Program helps students explore how the mind and brain work. You’ll learn how psychological disorders are diagnosed and treated, study brain anatomy, and compare brain scans. Workshops, hands-on labs, and simulations introduce key areas of psychology and neuroscience, including developmental, cognitive, and abnormal psychology. You’ll analyze thinking and emotional patterns, assess patients, and discuss current treatment approaches. A multi-day team activity will allow you to interview, test, diagnose, and treat simulated patients. You’ll also dissect organs such as brains, hearts, eyes, and spinal cords to understand structure and function. Using non-invasive imaging tools, you’ll learn how professionals measure brain activity and cognitive skills. With your team, you’ll address a mental health issue or stigma affecting a community and create a public service announcement and an intervention plan.
15. University of Southern California (USC) Psychological Science & Society
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: $11,570 (residential) | $8,130 (commuter) plus $85 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 22 - July 17
Application Deadline: May 8 (domestic students)
Eligibility: High school students who have completed grade 9
USC’s Psychological Science and Society course introduces students to how the mind works through hands-on activities, labs, discussions, guest speakers, and field trips. You’ll explore major areas of psychology and connect concepts to real-world issues and personal experiences. You’ll learn how psychology helps explain behavior and offers tools to improve individual and community well-being. You’ll study classic and modern theories, practice research methods, and understand how psychology applies to everyday behavior and social topics. Topics include the history of psychology, research methods, cognitive, developmental, clinical, and social psychology, intelligence, learning, personality, motivation, the mind-body connection, social media and mental health, happiness, and more. The course will also help you build your critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and research skills.
16. Penn Arts and Sciences Neuroscience Research Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: $10,050 (program fees and housing) plus $100 non-refundable application fee | philadelphia public or charter high school students may qualify for a Penn Summer Scholarship, which covers the full cost of the program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class sizes
Dates: July 11 - August 1
Application Deadline: Applications open on December 1; rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 - 11 with a GPA of 3.5 or above who’ve completed one year each of high school biology and chemistry before the program starts
The Neuroscience Research Academy introduces students to how the brain works, from sensory systems, neurons, to higher functions such as memory, emotion, and morality. You’ll study how neuroscience connects to research and medicine, especially when studying the mind in both health and illness. You’ll also explore mental health by examining the brain’s biology, cognitive processes, and current research on both healthy minds and disordered states. You’ll attend two lectures or faculty-led discussions daily with professors from Penn’s undergraduate neuroscience program. You’ll participate in a journal club to read and present peer-reviewed papers, lab activities to practice basic experimental techniques, and a neuroethics club to discuss ethical issues in the field. Outside the class, you’ll explore neuroscience through themed films, group discussions, readings, and program outings. Past trips have included visits to the Mütter Museum and the Franklin Institute.
17. It’s Real: Teens and Mental Health for High School Students
Location: Multiple locations; both virtual and in-person opportunities are available
Cost/Stipend: Free | unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies based on the availability of the group
Dates: Year-round opportunities are available | 45-minute program
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the opportunity
Eligibility: Students aged 14 - 18 years
It’s Real: Teens and Mental Health is a 45-minute program, offered in English and Spanish to groups of high school students aged 14 to 18 years. It provides mental health education and practical resources for teens in schools or community environments. In the program, you’ll understand what mental health is, how it relates to physical health, and how to recognize signs that someone may need support. You’ll learn how to start caring conversations, explore self-care strategies for the mind, body, and surroundings, and review reliable resources. The program also highlights how reaching out to trusted adults can make it easier for teens to manage their mental health.
18. Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) at Stanford University
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA (virtual or in-person)
Cost/Stipend: $1,725 (virtual) | $3,325 (in-person) | scholarships and financial aid are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 12%
Dates: CNV-X (virtual): June 8 - 19 | June 22 - July 3 and CNI-X (in-person): July 6 - 17 | July 20 - 31
Application Deadline: December 15 - March 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors aged 14 to 18 years
Stanford’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) is designed for students interested in psychology, neuroscience, and psychiatry. This year’s theme, Clinical Neuroscience for the Whole Person, highlights new brain research and new approaches to care. You’ll take classes led by Stanford faculty and researchers and learn about ongoing work in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Sessions cover areas such as clinical neuropsychiatry, neuroscience, psychiatric epidemiology, and behavioral and social sciences. You’ll work in small groups of 8 - 10 students to study real-world issues in these fields and develop a final capstone project to present at the end of the program. Previous topics have included mindfulness for stress reduction, behavioral neuroscience, brain stimulation, neuroimaging, the role of genetics in daily life and mental health, trauma, and mental health and human rights. You’ll meet professionals about careers in science and medicine and receive helpful self-care guidance as you prepare for adulthood.
19. Barrow Neurological Institute’s Summer High School Internship Program
Location: Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ
Cost/Stipend: Free | unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 8 - July 9; orientation is scheduled on June 5
Application Deadline: January 6 - February 10
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 years and above
Barrow Neurological Institute’s Summer High School Internship Program allows students to explore research areas such as neuropsychology, stroke, neurosurgical devices, neuroimaging, neuro-oncology, and neurodegenerative diseases. You can choose a lab that matches your interests and receive mentorship as you study biology and disease, explore research questions, read scientific papers, apply lab methods, and build communication skills. You’ll also complete an independent research project that could be presented at competitions or published as well. You’ll learn how non-lab teams such as neuroscience publications, marketing, and the Barrow Neurological Foundation support scientific work. The program will also introduce you to how neuroscience connects to mental health, including conditions like Parkinson’s disease. Through hands-on projects, lab tours, and conversations with clinicians and scientists, you’ll understand how mental health fits into the broader field of neuroscience.
20. Mental Health America Young Leaders Council
Location: Virtual and in-person at multiple locations across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free | interns earn a $1,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 participants
Dates: Six-month program beginning in September
Application Deadline: August 16 (tentative)
Eligibility: Students aged 18 - 25 years who have developed creative programs or initiatives that address gaps in mental health support
The YLC supports young leaders aged 18 - 25 years who have created new programs or initiatives to address gaps in mental health support. The council gives these students a space to learn, collaborate, and show their impact. As a member, you’ll join a six-month cohort and collaborate with peers from across the country. You’ll take part in monthly 90-minute virtual meetings and get guidance from experienced mentors. You will share your projects at local and national MHA events and with partner organizations. You’ll also help contribute to MHA content, including the annual report, and share your experiences through their website, social media, and other platforms. By joining the council, you’ll become part of a broader network of MHA youth program graduates with continued access to training and community opportunities.
Questions Students Often Ask About Remote STEM Internships
1. I'm interested in advocacy rather than clinical or research work. Which programs fit that best? Active Minds' Mental Health Advocacy Academy and Mental Health America's Young Leaders Council are both built specifically around advocacy, policy, and community leadership rather than clinical training. The Here App's Teen Advisor program is also advocacy-adjacent, training you in peer support and crisis intervention rather than formal clinical practice.
2. Several programs are expensive residential experiences, like Penn's and USC's. Are there strong free alternatives? Yes. Barrow Neurological Institute, JSSA, UT Southwestern, and It's Real (AFSP) are all free. Child Mind Institute's Youth Mental Health Academy and Mental Health America's Young Leaders Council go further by offering a stipend on top of being free to join.
3. How do I choose between a research-focused program like Lumiere and a clinical shadowing program like UT Southwestern? Lumiere pairs you with a mentor to produce independent research culminating in a paper, which suits students who want a research credential. UT Southwestern is more about career exploration through direct exposure to practicing clinicians, which is better if you want to understand what day-to-day mental health careers actually look like before committing to a research path.