Summer Research Programs for High School Students: 10 Social Science, Business, and Arts Programs for 2026
Key Points
10 summer research programs for high school students across the social sciences, business, humanities, and the arts — from behavioral economics and marketing to law, history, urban design, and film scoring.
Each program is led by a faculty advisor from a top institution.
Rolling admission is open now. Programs start in June, and several are already down to their last spots.
Summer 2026 isn't only for the lab and the data set. Scholar Launch is offering 10 advanced summer research programs for high school students across the social sciences, business, humanities, and the arts, covering everything from behavioral economics and product management to law, history, urban design, and film scoring. Each program is designed for students who want to go deeper than a classroom allows, learning university-level research methodology, working directly with a faculty advisor, and producing original work they can put their name on.
A note on timing: we're now in rolling admission, and several of these programs are already down to their final spots. Programs start in June, so if one below catches your eye, it's worth applying sooner rather than later.
Here's the full lineup.
Humanities and Social Science
Storytelling through Research: Humanities and Social Sciences Versatile Research Academy
Faculty Advisor: Professor of Global Liberal Studies, New York University in Paris
A flexible academy for students who haven't locked into a single discipline yet. Students choose a topic that fits their own interests across the humanities and social sciences, then learn to turn rigorous research into a compelling, well-told narrative.
The Business of Digital Media: How Do Enterprises Leverage Technology, Media, and Innovations?
Faculty Advisor: Associate Professor, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota
Students examine how companies build, distribute, and monetize content in a media landscape reshaped by technology and platforms. The program connects media studies with the business strategy that drives it.
Unlocking History's Secrets: A Journey of Discovery Through Personal Narratives and Historical Events (Limited spots)
Faculty Advisor: Ph.D. candidate, Princeton University
History told from the ground up. Students use personal narratives and primary sources to reconstruct how individual lives intersect with the larger events around them, learning the methods historians use to read the past.
Poverty Alleviation Programs, Stakeholders, Interventions, and Key Success Factors
Faculty Advisor: Social Policy Researcher; Master of Public Administration, Cornell University
A social policy program that looks at how anti-poverty interventions are actually designed, funded, and evaluated. Students study the stakeholders involved and what separates programs that work from those that don't.
Strategy, Security, War: Global Issues
Faculty Advisor: PhD researcher, University of Pennsylvania
An introduction to the questions that drive international relations and security studies: why conflicts start, how states pursue strategy, and what shapes global stability. Built for students drawn to geopolitics and foreign policy.
Law and Justice Across Cultures (2 spots left)
Faculty Advisor: Adjunct Professor, Anthropology, Georgetown University
A look at law through an anthropological lens, examining how different societies define justice, fairness, and order. Students compare legal traditions and the cultural assumptions beneath them.
Business
Marketing and Product Management: The Secrets Behind Highly Successful Products (2 spots left)
Faculty Advisor: Lecturer in Management, Yale University
Students go behind the products they use every day to understand what makes some succeed and others fail, from positioning and product-market fit to launch strategy. A strong fit for future business and management students.
Behavioral Economics: Understanding Everyday Decisions Through Data (Limited spots)
Faculty Advisor: Development economist; PhD, University of Tokyo
Why do people make the choices they do, even when those choices aren't strictly rational? Students explore the psychology behind economic decisions and learn to test their own ideas against real data.
Art and Architecture
Architecture and the City: Sustainable Urban Design That Inspires
Faculty Advisor: Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech; Former Adjunct Associate Professor, Urban Design, Columbia University
Students explore how thoughtful design shapes the way cities live, move, and sustain themselves. The program brings architecture, urban planning, and sustainability together around a single, design-driven question.
Music Production in Film and Television: The Art and Technology of Creating Emotional Impact
Faculty Advisor: Emmy Award Winner; New York-based composer and producer
Led by an Emmy-winning composer, this program explores how music creates emotional impact on screen and the craft and technology behind producing it. Ideal for students working at the intersection of art and media.
Admissions Status
Summer 2026 is now in rolling admission. Students may be placed in a program other than their first choice depending on availability, so applying soon gives you the best shot at your preferred program. Several programs are already down to their final spots.
All programs target students in grades 9-12, start in June 2026, and run 10-12 weeks. Each program includes 6 group sessions with the faculty advisor, 6 one-on-one TA sessions, 3 recorded methodology courses, and weekly office hours with our Education Team.
Choosing the Right Summer Program
A note worth saying out loud: the best program for any given student isn't the one with the most impressive-sounding title. It's the one that connects to a question they actually want to spend a summer answering. Admissions officers can tell the difference between a student who chose a program because it sounded prestigious and one who chose it because they had a real reason to be there.
If you're not sure which direction fits, our Research Interest Exploration Program is built for exactly that: helping students figure out where their interests actually lead before committing to a specific program.
Ready to apply? Start your application here, or reach out with questions about which program might be the best fit.
