Extracurriculars in New York

The Summer Program for Automation, Robotics, and Coding (SPARC) is a two-week, full-day residential program hosted by NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Designed for rising 9th through 12th graders, SPARC…

The National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, often called NYO USA, is a highly selective summer program that brings together some of the most talented young musicians…

The SUNY Biological Field Station Internships, offered by the State University of New York at Oneonta, are immersive summer research experiences for high school and undergraduate students interested in environmental…

The NYC Ladders for Leaders program is a competitive summer internship program run by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development that provides high school and college…

Participate in a three-week immersive program focused on artificial intelligence, data science, and product innovation. Engage in technical tracks such as Engineering Operations or Ethical Vibe Coding, and collaborate in…

The Cornell Precollege Studies Online Program is an academically rigorous virtual program that allows high school students to take real Cornell University courses and earn college credit while still in…

A rigorous, 6-unit residential conservatory program involving 28 hours of weekly studio training (e.g., Atlantic Acting School, Meisner, or Production & Design). Includes a "New York Theatre" seminar, professional guest…

Participate in a rigorous, five-week professional actor training intensive. Develop foundational skills in acting technique, scene study, Shakespeare, voice and speech, movement, and improvisation under the guidance of NYU Tisch…

A highly competitive pre-college program for young creatives. Includes core studio classes in digital art, painting, and sculpture, alongside weekly seminars and field trips to NYC galleries and museums. Participants…

The High School Fed Challenge is a prestigious economics competition organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in which teams of students research current economic conditions and present…

The NYU High School Academy is a college and career readiness program offered by New York University's School of Professional Studies that gives high school students the chance to explore…

The Columbia Pre-College Program, offered by Columbia University's School of Professional Studies, allows high school students to take rigorous college-level courses taught by world-class instructors on Columbia's historic New York…

The Summer Engineering Awareness Program is a hands-on initiative offered by Manhattan University's School of Engineering for students currently in 10th or 11th grade. Participants explore a variety of engineering…

Summer Shakespeare is a free, highly selective five-week summer intensive program offered by the Stella Adler Center for the Arts for high school students in New York City. Just 22…

The Bella Abzug Leadership Institute (BALI) Journey to Leadership Program is a six-week summer leadership program for female-identifying and gender expansive youth ages 13 to 21 in the NYC metropolitan…

The Manhattan District Attorney's High School Internship Program is a rigorous, paid five-week summer program open to juniors and seniors living in Manhattan who want an insider's look at the…

The Biorocket Research Internship Program, offered by Genspace, is a six-month science research internship for New York City public and charter high school students aged 16 and older. Participants gain…

Artslife is a highly selective paid summer internship program offered by the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) for rising sophomores and juniors attending New York City public and charter…

The Summer Leadership Academy is a selective week-long program at Mercy University designed for rising high school seniors with strong academic records, leadership experience, and a passion for business. Participants…

Writers' Week is a one-week pre-college summer program at Sarah Lawrence College that immerses high school students in creative writing and theatre arts. Since 1999, participants have taken daily workshops…

The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University is a highly selective six-week research experience where high school students work directly alongside distinguished faculty mentors in science, mathematics, or…

Hk Maker Lab is a free, five-week summer engineering design program for rising high school juniors and seniors from low-resource backgrounds in New York City. Run by HYPOTHEKIDS, INC. in…

Marist Summer Pre-College: Business is a pre-college program offered by Marist University that gives high school students a firsthand look at university-level business education and campus life. Participants engage with…

The NextGen Leadership Institute is a three-week pre-college summer program offered by Barnard College that combines rigorous academics with leadership development for high school students. Participants choose from one of…

The Athena Summer Innovation Institute is an intensive three-week program at Barnard College where high school students with entrepreneurial ambitions develop ideas for startups, nonprofits, or advocacy campaigns. Participants gain…

The Youth Ambassador Program (YAP), sponsored in part by Bank of Utica, is a year-round extracurricular opportunity for high school juniors and seniors who are passionate about theatre. Participants receive…

The BioGENEius Challenge is a prestigious national competition organized by the Biotechnology Institute that recognizes high school students for outstanding original research in biotechnology. Students submit projects in one of…

The Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Student Program is a prestigious 8-week research internship at one of the world's leading cancer centers, open to high school students interested in biomedical sciences.…

Project Belonging is a student-driven leadership program hosted by Teachers College, Columbia University, open to students in grades 6 through 12. Participants work hands-on to develop local prevention campaigns that…

NYU Democracy Scholars is a free three-week residential summer program at New York University for rising high school seniors in New York City that combines political philosophy, college preparation, and…

The Music International Grand Prix is an annual international music competition founded in 2000 that welcomes musicians from around the world to compete across categories including Voice, Piano, Strings, Winds…

The JS Bach Competition is a prestigious annual competition for string players ages 16 to 30 who perform works by J.S. Bach for unaccompanied violin, viola, or cello. Competitors prepare…

The Worldwide Plays Festival Competition is an annual playwriting competition organized by Writopia Lab for students in grades 3–12, challenging participants to write original ten-minute plays inspired by a yearly…

GENIUS Olympiad is an international high school project competition organized by Terra Science and Education that challenges students to develop innovative solutions to environmental problems. Students submit original projects in…

Youth Opportunity Teen Corps is an eight-week summer internship offered by the Riverside Park Conservancy for high school students interested in horticulture and environmental restoration. Participants meet every Tuesday and…

Youth Art Connection (YAC) is a free six-session summer program offered by the American Folk Art Museum for NYC high school students in grades 11 and 12, as well as…

The Wooster Group Summer Institute is a free, three-week intensive performance workshop for New York City public middle and high school students, held at the renowned Performing Garage in Manhattan.…

The Apollo Theater Academy Arts and Entertainment Production Internship is a paid, six-week professional development program offered by the iconic Apollo Theater in New York City, exclusively for high school…

Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and the Science of Smart Cities (ieSoSC) is a free, full-time summer program offered by NYU Tandon School of Engineering for NYC high school students in grades 9…

NYU Computer Science for Cyber Security (CS4CS) is a free, fully-funded four-week summer program offered by NYU Tandon School of Engineering for high school students currently in 10th or 11th…

Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) is a free 10-week summer program offered by NYU K12 STEM Education at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, open to rising…

The National High School Design Challenge is an annual competition hosted by Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum that invites students in grades 9 through 12 to respond to a design…

The Octavia Project Summer Institute is a free, five-week summer program in Brooklyn for young women and trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming youth ages 14 to 19 who are passionate…