As children grow into teens, for many parents, the search for affordable summer camps gives way to the quest for free or paid teen summer programs. Internships and enrichment opportunities, especially those with stipends, can be competitive and are increasingly scarce. Some longtime programs have closed due to funding cuts. Others’ application deadlines passed during the icy weeks that made spring feel far away.
To help families plan, Epicenter NYC reviewed metro-area opportunities and compiled a working list of programs that may interest the young people in your life. The roundup below is organized by the type of opportunity and application deadline.
Academic programs
Deadline: March 15
Who can apply: NYC public high school students age 16 and older
Dates: Aug. 10-21
Where: 1230 York Ave. (Rockefeller University)
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Provides (other than free participation): Meals and necessary equipment
SNP introduces NYC public high school students to modern brain research. About 20 participants attend interactive lectures, read and present a scientific paper, dissect a brain, design their own neuroscience experiment and visit research labs. The two-week course is led by Rockefeller graduate students. The hope is to develop young people’s passion for science, especially for students with otherwise limited opportunities.
Deadline: March 25
Dates: July 12-24
Who can apply: Current high school juniors from across the Bronx
Where: 441 East Fordham Rd. (Rose Hill campus of Fordham University)
Schedule: Sunday-Thursday, daylong: sample schedule.
Provides (other than free participation): Room and board
Hosted by Fordham University, this summer seminar invites Bronx high school upperclassmen to explore philosophical questions about society and civic life. Students read thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, José Martí and Sojourner Truth while discussing the meaning of justice and democracy.
The program also offers an early experience with college dorm life. For the duration of the program, students sleep in the dorms on Sunday through Thursday nights and return home on Friday and Saturday. They’re supervised by undergraduate residential teaching advisors who live in the dorms with the students. Meals, provided on program days at one of the Fordham dining halls, will include daily hot specials and regular pizza, pasta, fruit and salad bars, with vegetarian and vegan options.
Deadline: March 27
Dates: July 6 – Aug. 13
Who can apply: NYC or Newark young women and gender-expansive youth in grades 9-12
Schedule: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: sites can be in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx or Newark
Provides (other than free participation): $450 at the end of the program
The Summer Institute from the Sadie Nash Leadership Project is a six-week leadership program for young women and gender-expansive youth.
Participants attend workshops on leadership, identity and social justice. Previous classes offered have included art and activism, the politicization of schools and the anthropology of gender.
They meet with accomplished women and gender-expansive community leaders such as elected officials, business owners and artists to make connections and learn about how they got to where they are. They also participate in field trips across New York City.
The goal is for “Nashers” to walk away from the program equipped with tools to transform their lives, their communities and their world.
Deadline: April 12
Who can apply: NYC public high school students entering ninth and tenth grades who have a GPA of 80 or more, meet federal low-income eligibility and are first-generation college students
Dates: July 13-Aug. 7
Schedule: Monday-Thursday at 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with field trips Fridays
Location: 1150 Amsterdam Ave. (Columbia University’s Morningside Campus)
The Summer Academy, a four-week academic enrichment program run by the Double Discovery Center at Columbia University, offers students a taste of college-style learning.
Participants take classes in sociology, theater, writing, STEM and financial literacy. Courses emphasize reading, writing and research skills, while wellness workshops provide socioemotional support. Weekly field trips give students opportunities to explore beyond campus.
Priority consideration is given to students who live in or attend high school in Harlem or Washington Heights, as well as those who actively participated in Saturday Academy last fall or this spring.
Deadline: April 15
Who can apply: Students in grades 7 through 12
Dates: July 13-Aug. 7
Schedule: Weekdays in July, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Location: Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Apply. Application should be available soon. For updates, check the website link below or contact the Columbia STEP team at 212-305-4157 or sprep-ps@cumc.columbia.edu.
The State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP) at Columbia University helps students interested in medicine or STEM prepare for college.
Participants take enrichment courses designed to strengthen math and science skills, including anatomy, biochemistry, chemistry, organic chemistry, brain and cognitive science, physics, psychology, algebra, geometry, precalculus, calculus and statistics.
The program also offers PSAT preparation, alongside college preparation, career development workshops, academic counseling, field trips and college tours. Students in the program may later apply to research opportunities such as BRAINYAC or the YES in THE HEIGHTS cancer research program.
Deadline: May 15
Who can apply: Current 10th and 11th graders who live in NYC, or in Long Island near the Babylon, Ronkonkoma or Huntington LIRR lines, or in New Jersey in Richmond, Hudson, Essex, Union, Middlesex, Bergen, Passaic, Morris, or in Rockland or Westchester counties.
Dates: July 13-Aug. 7
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: 6 MetroTech Center in Brooklyn (NYU Tandon School of Engineering)
The CS4CS program at New York University Tandon School of Engineering offers hands-on training in cybersecurity. Students participate in capture-the-flag competitions and real-world security challenges while learning skills such as security-focused scripting, cryptography and digital forensics. They also conduct academic research and present their work at conferences.
Throughout the program, participants build professional networks and connect with mentors.
Deadline: Rolling admissions
Dates:
Session I: July 6-17
Session II: July 20-31
Session III: Aug. 3-14
Who can apply: High school sophomores and juniors ages 15 through 17 who are prepared to be away from home.
Schedule: To be announced
Location: Brooklyn only OR Brooklyn and upstate New YorkProvides (other than free participation):
For Brooklyn program: Travel and lunches; $640 upon successful completion of the program
For upstate program: Travel, lodging and meals; $1,280 upon successful completion of the program
The Timbuctoo Climate Science and Careers Institute, run by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in partnership with Medgar Evers College, introduces students to careers in climate science and environmental justice.
Students in the Adirondack program begin in Brooklyn before traveling upstate to Kingston and Syracuse, then spending the second week in the Adirondack Mountains.
Participants in the five-day Brooklyn program, led by Medgar Evers College faculty and staff, explore the topics locally by visiting organizations and institutions across the city.
Through lectures and field trips, students gain hands-on experience while learning about academic and professional careers at the intersection of climate, environment and justice.
Internships
Deadline: March 29
Dates: July 6-Aug. 28
Who can apply: Students ages 16 and older who are enrolled in school and have working papers or employment certification at the time they apply. They do not need to be NYC residents.
Schedule: Full-time regular office hours
Location: depends; speaker series at City Hall
Provides (other than free participation): $17 per hour
High school students can intern with the Office of the Mayor of New York City and gain firsthand experience in local government. Positions include roles in communications, nonprofit services, IT support, community engagement and legislative affairs. Learn more about available positions.
Interns will collaborate with staff on projects that may include research, managing inquiries, analyzing data, drafting briefings, staffing events and assisting with outreach. A biweekly speaker series at City Hall will introduce them to the inner workings of city government. Speakers may include deputy mayors, commissioners, program directors and other senior staff.
Interns will also tour mayor’s office facilities across the city and develop a service project together. Past projects have included Little League field restorations, NYC Parks cleanups, tree plantings and beach cleanups.
Note: Internships are also available for undergraduate and graduate students; different requirements, pay rates and dates apply.
Deadline: March 29
Who can apply: Students entering grades 10 through 12 who live in and attend school in New York, Connecticut or New Jersey
Dates: July 7-Aug. 13
Schedule: Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: 170 Central Park West
Provides (other than free participation): $700 upon successful completion of the internship
The student historian internship offers hands-on experience researching history and engaging museum visitors. Students learn to analyze primary sources and develop public history skills. Interns use the institution’s collections to conduct in-depth research and create digital projects that serve as public educational resources.
Participants also meet with professional staff to learn about careers in museums, libraries, digital humanities and history. They collaborate with fellow students to build historical thinking, communication and digital media skills. The program involves extensive research and writing, allowing interns to deepen their understanding of American history and digital humanities through academically rigorous, hands-on work.
This year’s internship theme is “Our Composite Nation: Frederick Douglass’ America.”
Deadline: April 1
Who can apply: Students entering grades 10 through 12 who live in or attend school in Brooklyn
Dates: July 14-Aug. 6
Schedule: Tues.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: 128 Pierrepont St. (Center for Brooklyn History)
Provides (other than free participation): $800 upon successful completion of the internship; roundtrip train fare to CBH and all field trip locations
The summer scholars internship at the Center for Brooklyn History (part of the Brooklyn Public Library) introduces students to archival research, museum curation and exhibition design. This year’s program centers on the exhibition “The Battle of Brooklyn: Fought and Remembered,” exploring the borough’s role in the American Revolution and how it will be remembered.
During the internship, students work with archivists, historians and educators. They conduct research in the Othmer Library, learn about the curatorial process and see how museum educators design interactive programs. Using those skills, students create personal research collections and design mini exhibitions focused on Brooklyn history. Scholars present their work to peers and staff at the end of the program.
Participants also visit museums, archives, libraries and historic sites across the city and meet with professionals to learn about careers in cultural institutions.
Deadline: May 1; priority given to those received by April 1
Who can apply: Teens ages 16 through 18
Dates: July 7-Aug. 14
Location: 758 Enright Rd. on Governors Island (Compost Learning Center); various sites around Governors Island
Provides (other than free participation): Ferry pass
This internship run by Earth Matter NY teaches teens about composting, farming and sustainability. Interns gain hands-on experience in composting, animal care, farming, resource recovery and conservation. Participants also build leadership skills and learn about environmental stewardship.
The internship takes place primarily at Earth Matter’s Compost Learning Center, Soil Start Farm and Lavender Field on Governors Island, with additional field trips to partner compost and farm sites across New York City.
Other development programs
Deadline: April 10
Who can apply: Rising 8th graders through high school seniors
Dates: July 16-Aug. 20
Schedule: Thursdays from 5:30- to 7:30 p.m.
Locations: Queens College and the Forest Hills Library
The Youth Talk Democracy Summer Think Tank, organized by the civic advocacy group Let’s Talk Democracy, invites teens to research policy issues and develop proposals about the future of democracy.
The program builds on the group’s partnership with students in Forest Hills that launched a political awareness club.
Participants analyze local, state and national policy issues, hear from guest speakers and take part in weekly community service projects. They also collaborate with peers to develop a written policy proposal outlining their vision for the country. Students will present their final proposals at a fall youth summit at Queens College.
Deadline: May 8
Who can apply: Rising 11th through 12th graders and graduating seniors
Dates: July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30
Schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-4 p.m.
Location: 2 Lincoln Square in Manhattan (American Folk Art Museum); museum’s administrative offices in Long Island City; other arts institutions across NYC
Provides (other than free participation): OMNY cards, art supplies and snacks
This six-week program from the American Folk Art Museum introduces teens to museum careers and contemporary art. Priority is given to applicants who live in or attend school in Queens.
Participants visit cultural institutions across New York City and meet weekly in locations in Queens and Manhattan. Students are expected to travel independently to meeting sites.
Deadline: April 17
Who can apply: Rising 10th to 12th grade young women under age 20 in NYC
Dates: June 29-Aug. 8
Schedule: Three mornings per week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) 8-10 a.m. or 9-11 a.m.
Location: 156 W 56th St. (NYRR Office located in Midtown Manhattan); Central Park
Provides (other than free participation): New Balance running gear and sneakers, OMNY cards, healthy snacks, a fitness kit and a wellness kit
The Run for the Future program from New York Road Runners helps high school girls build confidence through running.
Participants train together over the summer to complete their first 5K race. They learn running techniques, goal setting and strategies for maintaining an active lifestyle. The program is designed for students with little or no experience in sports or organized physical activity.
Runners are expected to attend at least 80% of practices. Students who finish the program join an alumnae network with invitations to races and other events.
Know of other free or paid teen summer development opportunities in or around NYC whose application deadlines have not yet passed? Share in the comments or send a note at hello@epicenter-nyc.com