Many people recognize the importance of summer schools, but they don't know how to choose the right one. Attending a high-quality summer program is very different from attending one with less rigorous content. A good summer school focuses on academic standards, often with strict admission and graduation requirements. Some programs are organized by universities to give students a taste of campus life, encouraging them to apply to that institution. Since applying to U.S. colleges is a mutual selection process, how should one choose from the many types of summer schools available?

Today, Embark mentors have compiled a list of biology-related summer schools. These programs, organized independently or by universities, are known for their excellent academic reputation and high quality, offered by top 30 schools.

1. UC Berkeley Summer Sessions

Application Requirements:

High school students, ages 16 and 17

Application Deadlines:

Non-residential: March 11, 2024, Tuesday

Residential: March 11, 2024, Tuesday

Online: June 3, 2024, Monday

Commuter: June 3, 2024, Monday

Program Dates:

Session A - Six weeks: May 2 to July 3, 2025

Session B - Ten weeks: June 9 to August 15, 2025

Session C - Eight weeks: June 23 to August 15, 2025

Session D - Six weeks: July 7 to August 15, 2025

Session E - Three weeks: July 28 to August 15, 2025

Session F - Three weeks: July 7 to July 25, 2025

12w - Twelve weeks: May 27 to August 15, 2025

2. Penn Summer Academies for High School Students

Application Requirements:

Grades 9-11

Application Period:

December 1, 2024, to April 27, 2025

Program Dates:

July 5 to July 26, 2025

3. Penn Engineering Summer Program

Application Requirements:

Grades 10-11

Application Period:

January 2 to March 1, 2025

Program Dates:

July 6 to July 26, 2025

4. Duke University Summer Session for Biological Sciences and Engineering

Application Requirements:

Grades 10-11

Application Period:

November 2023 to February 11, 2024

Program Dates:

June 10 to July 26, 2024

5. SSP (Summer Science Program)

Application Requirements:

Grade 11 or a few exceptional Grade 10 students

Application Period:

December 1, 2024

Program Dates:

2025 dates not yet announced; reference 2024: mid-June to late July

6. CTY (Center for Talented Youth)

Application Requirements:

Grades 2-12

Application Deadline:

May 2, 2025

Program Dates:

June 22 to July 11, 2025

July 13 to August 1, 2025

7. Stanford University School of Medicine Summer Research Program

Application Requirements:

11th-grade students (must have U.S. citizenship or residency)

Application Period:

December 15, 2024, to February 22, 2025

Program Dates:

June 9 to July 31, 2025

8. Johns Hopkins University Biomedical Engineering Innovation Program (Online)

Application Requirements:

11th-12th grade, a few exceptionally qualified 9th-10th grade students

Application Deadlines:

Priority Deadline: February 14, 2025

Students needing a visa: March 14, 2025

Students residing outside the continental U.S.: May 16, 2025

Final Deadline: May 28, 2025

Program Dates:

June 23 to August 1, 2025

9. UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program

Application Requirements:

10th or 11th-grade high school students (exceptional 9th-grade students considered)

Application Period:

December 15, 2024, to March 17, 2025

Program Dates:

June 16 to August 1, 2025

10. University of Chicago Biological Sciences Research Summer Program

Application Requirements:

10th-11th grade

Application Period:

2025 dates not yet announced; reference 2024 priority deadline: January 18, 2024

Program Dates:

2025 dates not yet announced; reference 2024: June 15 to July 13

11. Cornell University Summer College

Application Requirements:

Must be at least 15 years old and a high school student at the time of application

Application Period:

Begins March 17, 2025

Program Dates:

Three-week summer courses:

Session 1: June 2 - June 20, 2025

Session 2: June 23 - July 11, 2025

Session 3: July 14 - August 1, 2025

Eight-week summer course: June 9 - August 5, 2025

Six-week summer course: June 23 - August 5, 2025

Special summer courses:

Session 1: May 27 - June 27, 2025

Session 2: May 27 - August 15, 2025

12. YSP (Young Scholars Program)

Application Requirements:

Grades 10-11

Application Period:

January 15, 2025, to March 15, 2025

Program Dates:

June 22 to August 2, 2025

13. SSTP (Secondary Student Training Program)

Application Requirements:

Grades 10-11

Application Period:

December 15, 2024, to February 14, 2025

Program Dates:

June 18 to July 26, 2025

14. AIM (Adventures in Math and Science)

Application Requirements:

Grades 10-11

Application Period:

Begins December 15, 2024 (rolling admissions)

Program Dates:

July 21 to August 8, 2025

15. RSI (Research Science Institute)

Application Requirements:

Grade 11

Application Deadline:

December 11, 2024

Program Dates:

June 22 to August 2, 2025

16. VSA (Vanderbilt Summer Academy)

Application Requirements:

Grades 7-12

Application Period:

November 26, 2024, to February 15, 2025

Program Dates:

Grades 7-8: June 8 to June 13, 2025

Grades 9-10:

June 8 to June 14, 2025

July 6 to July 12, 2025

Grades 11-12:

June 22 to June 28, 2025

July 13 to July 19, 2025

July 6 to July 18, 2025

17. Harvard Pre-College Summer School

Application Requirements:

Applicants must be at least 16 years old by June 21, 2025, and under 19 years old by July 31, 2025

Application Period:

December 2, 2024, to April 9, 2025

Program Dates:

June 22 to August 1, 2025

18. Embark Exploration Program

Since its inception in 2016, Embark has focused on designing tailored scientific research training programs for teenagers, aiming to ignite their research potential. Embark core team members are graduates from top American universities, possessing deep academic backgrounds and rich educational experience.

Embark brings together over 3,000 outstanding mentors from world-renowned institutions such as the Ivy League, MIT, Caltech, Johns Hopkins University, and Carnegie Mellon University to provide premier research guidance for students.

Embark Exploration Program offer personalized one-on-one research mentorship, crafting unique research topics based on each student's interests and strengths. Embark not only helps students systematically enhance research skills and build solid research frameworks but also closely integrates research with real-world applications, ensuring students comprehend the value of research. These experiences significantly enhance students' competitive edge in university applications.

For more details, please visit the Embark. If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to contact Embark.