15 Summer Programs for High School Students in Georgia

If you are a high school student wondering how to make your summer meaningful and build your college admissions profile, a summer program is worth considering. These programs let you explore new subjects, develop your skills, and get insight into college life or future careers. Across Georgia, there are lots of programs for high schoolers that combine learning with industry experiences. You might spend your summer doing research, working on projects, or learning from professionals who work in different fields.

In this blog, you will find 15 great summer programs for high school students in Georgia. This list covers everything from science, technology, engineering, art, and writing to leadership. Each program helps you explore a subject, build skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and communication, and connect with peers with similar interests. Whether you want to prepare for college, learn about a career path, or expand your knowledge, these programs can help you make the most of your summer.

1. CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp

Location: CDC headquarters, Atlanta, GA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 23 - 27 and July 21 - 25
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students in the summer before their junior or senior year who will be at least 16 years old on the first day of the program

The CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp introduces you to the world of public health and epidemiology – the science of how diseases spread and how to stop them. You will work on disease outbreak investigations, practice speaking in simulated press conferences, learn how to use data tables, and track chronic diseases. You will also work in teams with other students to solve health problems, just like CDC scientists do. The camp does not focus on clinical medicine, but it is a good way to build skills and explore your interest in public health, epidemiology, or global health.

2. Ladder Internship Program

Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). 
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!

Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average, raising over a million dollars. Interns work closely with their manager at the startup on real-world projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.

3. Georgia Tech’s Science, Technology, and Engineering Program (STEP)

Location: 4C Academy, Albany, GA, and Georgia Tech main campus, Atlanta, GA
Cost: Free
Program dates: July 7 – 18
Application deadline: March 9
Eligibility: Georgia residents at least 16 years old by the start of the program.

The Georgia Tech Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering runs STEP, a hands-on engineering program for high school students. In this program, you will work in teams on a challenge based on Georgia Tech research. Under guidance from a faculty mentor, you’ll work on real research problems, brainstorming ideas and creating your own solutions – just like actual engineers. At the end of the program, you will present your results at a poster session attended by parents, faculty, and industry professionals. Past STEM students have designed an autonomous rover that could navigate a course on its own, improved a rover model with technology for future Mars missions, and built a lightweight rover that could complete a challenge course in the shortest time.

4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Location: Remote ,  you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here. 

5. Early College Program in Art History and Curatorial Studies @ Spelman College

Location: Spelman College, the Atlanta University Center, and the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June - July
Application deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors

The Early College Program in Art History and Curatorial Studies is designed for high school students of color who wish to explore art history and curatorial studies. In this program, you will take part in lectures, workshops, site visits, and group discussions to understand how art is studied, explained, and shown in museums and cultural spaces. As part of the program, you will take the course, “Ways of Seeing: Art History, Curating, and Museums,” which gives you three college credits in art history and curatorial studies. The course teaches you the basics of the subject with a focus on African American and Western art. You will also gain hands-on experience by working with people in the field, practicing research and writing, planning small exhibition projects using the High Museum of Art’s collection, and visiting museums, archives, and libraries in Atlanta.

6. Emory University’s Oxford College Summer Experience Program

Location: Oxford College of Emory University, Oxford, GA
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: June 2 – 6
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students entering 10th or 11th grade from Newton County School System or Putnam County Charter School System in Georgia

The Oxford College Summer Experience program gives high school students an opportunity to spend a week on a liberal arts college campus, getting a head start on the college application process. During the week-long program, you will attend lectures with faculty from subjects such as political science, chemistry, and English. You will take part in workshops where you will practice writing personal essays, learn how to choose your high school courses strategically, and understand how to build connections with faculty. You will also acquire skills that will help you apply to colleges and look for financial aid or scholarships. Outside the classroom, you will join activities including team-building, games, competitions, and field trips – getting a taste of true campus life and making new friends along the way.

7. Bank of America Student Leaders Program

Location: Multiple sites in Georgia
Cost: Paid internship
Program Dates: Varies by location
Application deadline: Applications open in October and close in January
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who live in an eligible area and are not employees of Bank of America or their immediate family members

The Student Leaders Program by Bank of America is an eight-week paid internship program for high school students at a local nonprofit. In this program, you will gain hands-on experience and build leadership skills. As a student leader, you will work on projects that make a positive change in your community and see how nonprofits make an impact each day. You will also attend the national Student Leaders Summit, where you will learn how government, business, and nonprofits work together to bring social change. This program gives you both work experience and civic education, helping you grow as a leader and changemaker. 

8. Microsoft Discovery Program

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Cost: No cost. $20 per hour
Program dates: Typically runs from July to August
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school seniors graduating this year who live in or near Atlanta, GA

Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program is a paid internship that lets high school students explore careers in computer science and technology while learning from professionals at one of the world’s leading tech companies. As an intern, you’ll get an inside look at how new products come to life. You’ll take part in the design stage of the product development cycle and see how software engineering, computer science, and UX design come together to solve real-world problems. You will work in a group on a hands-on project where you will study customer needs and help with product design and development. Through this work, you will build valuable communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, while also strengthening your technical abilities for a future in tech. You will also be able to connect with Microsoft employees, gaining insights from people who are shaping the future of technology.

9. Augusta University’s Summer Research Program (GCC SRE)

Location: Georgia Cancer Center (GCC) at Augusta University, Augusta, GA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June – July (6 weeks)
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 or older can apply for bench research projects in a laboratory setting. Students younger than 16 can take part in bioinformatics or community-based research projects.

The Georgia Cancer Center’s six-week program gives students an opportunity to dive into the world of cancer research. You’ll work with faculty mentors on projects that explore the development and treatment of cancer. The research areas include cell and molecular biology, cancer immunology, metabolism, genomics, population science, and cancer prevention. In this hands-on program, you will practice laboratory techniques, learn how to analyze data, and present your findings, just like real researchers. You will also attend weekly seminars about research and careers in biomedical sciences. Throughout the program, you will work with researchers from several Georgia Cancer Centre research groups, including Cancer Immunology, Inflammation and Tolerance, Molecular Oncology and Biomarkers, and Cancer Prevention, Control, and Population Health.

10. Winship Cancer Institute Summer Scholars

Location: Emory Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA
Cost: Free; $2,400 upon completing the program
Program Dates: June 9 – July 18
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising or graduating high school seniors who will be 16 years old by the program start date 

The Summer Scholars Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute is a six-week full-time program for high school seniors to experience what it is like to work in cancer research. In this program, you will work on a research project in a clinic or lab, with guidance from a physician or researcher. You will see how research is conducted and how it translates into better cancer care. You will also attend lectures from oncology experts, visit research institutions such as the CDC David J. Sencer Museum and Georgia Tech, and learn about different careers in cancer research and healthcare. At the end of the program, you will present your work in a final symposium,  giving a 10-minute talk and sharing a research poster with Winship faculty and students.

11. Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP)

Location: Typically a college campus in Georgia
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 14 – July 11
Application deadline: January 9
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors in Georgia

The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) is a four-week summer residential program that brings together high school sophomores and juniors from Georgia to a college campus to explore their academic and creative interests. To apply, you’ll need to be nominated by a teacher in one of GHP’s program areas – environmental science, engineering, music, visual arts, and more. Once selected, you will choose electives and attend classes in the mornings and afternoons in subjects that you love.  Outside the classroom, you will join seminars on different topics and attend concerts and performances by other students. This will let you see what other students have learned over four weeks. During your four weeks at GHP, you will not only build skills in your subject area, but also connect with other students, explore both academic and extracurricular interests, and get a taste of college life.

12. NASA - Office of STEM Engagement Internships

Location: Virtual and in-person at various NASA locations across the U.S.
Cost: Paid stipend (amount varies by assignment)
Program Dates: Spring runs mid-January to early May, summer late May to August, and fall late August to mid-December
Application Deadline: Summer: February 27 and Fall: May 22
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 years and older with a minimum GPA of 3.0

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement offers paid research internships for high school students who are curious about science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration. As an intern, you will join real NASA research projects and collaborate with scientists and engineers on work that pushes the boundaries of what is possible. Depending on your placement, you might work in areas such as planetary science, aerospace engineering, and space biology. During your internship, you’ll build practice skills such as research, data analysis, and teamwork while gaining STEM work experience that can support your college applications. NASA internships can be full-time or part-time, so you can find an opportunity that fits your schedule. 

13. Suwanee Summer STEM Program

Location: PCOM Georgia, Suwanee, GA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 8 – 12
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: High school students from Gwinnett County

The Suwanee Summer STEM Program at PCOM Georgia gives high school students an opportunity to explore healthcare careers while learning from faculty and student mentors. Throughout the program, you will join activities such as clinical skills simulations, CPR training, and visits to the anatomy lab. The program also guides you through the college application process and helps you connect with physicians, physician assistants, and pharmacists – giving you a first-hand look at what these careers are really like.

14. University of Georgia’s Summer Academy Camps: B.L.A.C.K. Engineering

Location: UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel, Athens, GA
Cost: $1,255
Program dates: June 8 – 13
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students aged 15–17

The UGA Summer Academy Camps’ B.L.A.C.K. (Building Leaders through Analysis, Conceptualization, and Knowledge) program introduces students to engineering and innovation. In this program, you will work on a project and learn each step of the engineering design process, from brainstorming and design to creating a solution. Along the way, you’ll think critically about how to design solutions that are both practical and ethical. The week-long residential camp will strengthen your math, physics, and science knowledge and show you how these subjects connect to engineering. This experience will also help you build skills in analysis, critical thinking, oral and written communication, and teamwork.

15. TAG-Ed High School Summer Internship

Location: Georgia (The location depends on the company hosting the internship)
Cost: $2,000 and a stipend of $1,500
Program dates: The eight-week program starts on June 2
Application deadline: Applications are typically due in March
Eligibility: Students must be high school juniors or seniors aged 17+

The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)-run TAG-Ed connects high school students with real-world STEM internships each year. If you are selected, you will be paired with other interns to work on a project that supports the goals of your host company. You will also work closely with a STEM expert and learn from their experience. This program gives you hands-on practice and shows you how STEM concepts are used in real situations. You’ll also build skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and communication. Best of all, you’ll receive regular feedback to help you improve and track your progress.

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