Summertime as a student is wonderful: relaxing, refreshing, and rejuvenating.It is also a great time to increase your hours at your part-time job, volunteer in the community, participate in extracurricular activities, and intern in your field of interest. As you enter your final years of high school, it is also the perfect time to consider enrolling in a summer program.

Such programs are generally held on college campuses and give high school students a taste of college life — both academically and socially — prior to their post-secondary career. Students are able to explore various areas of study in which they may want to major, network with peers from across the nation and the globe, become familiar with the college environment, and possibly even earn credit toward their future degree.

Below, check out five of the most popular summer programs for high school students:

Carnegie Mellon Summer Opportunities for Access & Inclusion

Carnegie Mellon offers numerous summer programs that give students the opportunity to “focus on creativity and problem solving in a supportive, challenging environment, which provide building blocks for future study in a rigorous college setting.” While being immersed in this pre-collegiate experience, students will get a feel for the college classroom, meet people from across the globe, network with world-renowned faculty, enjoy campus life, and explore the city.

Possible areas of study include science and math, artificial intelligence, architecture, art, design, drama, music, and video game development.

And, there is no tuition or room/board fees for students selected to attend.

Mathcamp

Mathcamp is an intensive five-week summer program for students who are interested in advanced mathematical ideas and concepts as well as new ways of thinking. High school students meet with like-minded peers who share a love of learning and a passion for mathematics and work together while building problem-solving skills, gaining knowledge and confidence, pursuing educational goals, and exploring undergraduate and graduate-level topics. Students will study with internationally-known mathematicians and researchers as well as graduate students at the start of their careers.

American Collegiate Adventures

Through American Collegiate Adventures, students can select from several amazing locations, such as Chicago, Boston, or even the Amalfi Coast. During the week, students will benefit from one of the lowest student-to-staff ratios of any pre-college program and will prepare for college-admissions exams, write essays, participate in workshops, receive one-on-one college counseling, and visit local colleges and universities. On the weekends, students will continue to build friendships with peers from around the world by exploring their exciting cities through fully-funded excursions.

Concordia Language Villages

Further your knowledge and skills as a global citizen in the Concordia Language Villages, located in Moorhead, Minnesota. This summer program is unique to itself but is also culturally authentic, including the music played and the dishes used, and it teaches language and culture in global contexts, focusing also on responsible global citizenship. More than 150,000 villagers have attended the program over the last 50 years, and many return as counselors to further immerse themselves in the community.

Bentley University Summer Athletic Camps

For nearly 50 years, Bentley University has been at the forefront of athletic teaching camps. Student athletes are coached by the nation’s top college, high school, and club coaches, who are assisted by skilled collegiate athletes. They train at top-of-the-line facilities, including 12 full-size indoor and outdoor basketball courts, six indoor volleyball courts and six outdoor grass courts, natural and artificial turf fields, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and a newly-renovated fitness center.

There are hundreds of summer programs around the nation, including many that are likely in your own community. Such options at your local college or university often offer the option to either stay on the campus or commute from home, depending on the experience you seek.

While summer programs can be costly, there is ample financial aid available to help offset costs — and in some cases entirely cover tuition. Stay tuned next week for some of the best scholarship options.