Best Summer Programs in Atlanta – 2026

February 10, 2026

Whether you’re a native of the Peach State or looking for adventure away from home, Atlanta brims with fantastic opportunities. Home to many selective colleges—like Georgia Tech, Spelman, Emory, Morehouse, and Agnes Scott—Atlanta is also regarded as the birthplace of the civil rights movement. In addition, Georgia’s capital city is known for being a business and cultural hotspot. Moreover, the University of Georgia’s main campus, located in Athens, is only an hour east of Atlanta. As the flagship school of the University System of Georgia, it hosts its own slate of excellent programming. Below, we’ve profiled the best summer programs in Atlanta for high school students.

Best Summer Programs in Atlanta

1) Accelerated Business Program at the Terry College of Business

Instructional Method: In-person (residential) / Online
Program Length: 1 week
Cost: $395 (in-person) / $75 (online)
Eligibility: Rising juniors, seniors, and rising UGA freshmen
Application Deadline: March 26 (in-oerson) / June 14 (online)

Geared toward rising upperclassmen, the Accelerated Business Program is a highly selective residential summer program that is also incredibly affordable. Facilitated by the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, the program provides in-depth exposure to the business world, particularly on high-demand career paths. As such, students will have the opportunity to interact with executives from companies like Google, Chick-fil-A, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Moreover, students live in a UGA residence hall, dine on campus, attend lectures, and participate in social activities.

To apply, students must complete five short answer questions. In their responses, students are required to detail their extracurricular activities. They also must explain why they’d like to participate in the program. Additionally, they must submit a letter of recommendation as well as a copy of their transcript.

2) Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Pre-College Programs

Instructional Method: In-person (residential or communter)
Program Length: 4 weeks (Rising Star) / 1 week (Summer Seminar)
Cost: $6,620 (Rising Star) / Summer Seminars: $1,450 (commuter) / $1,750 (resident)
Eligibility: Rising seniors (Rising Star) / rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors (Summer Seminar)
Application Deadline: Rolling

SCAD Rising Star: This challenging four-week program awards college credit to rising high school seniors who are ready for a university experience. Students enroll in two college-level classes and have the opportunity to build or enhance their portfolios.

SCAD Summer Seminars: Participants gain valuable educational experience while developing their creative vision through intriguing art and design assignments and projects.

3) Emory National Debate Institute Summer Programs

Instructional Method: In-person (residential or commuter)
Program Length: 2 weeks
Cost: $1,850 (commuter) / $2,200 (residential)
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Application Deadline: April 1 (Early Bird) / May 15 (regular)

Emory’s National Debate Institute runs a popular Atlanta summer program for high school students. The Policy Debate Institute – their signature offering – is two weeks long and offered in mid-June. Here, students spend two weeks developing or honing basic debate skills. The intention is that students will transition to a competitive debate team post-institute. As such, students learn how to prepare for, organize, and deliver various debate topics. Moreover, students have the opportunity to take part in electives and social experiences.

4) CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp

Instructional Method: In-person (commuter)
Program Length: 1 week
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors, aged 16+
Application Deadline: Late March

Held at the CDC Headquarters for one week, Disease Detective Camp teaches students the fundamentals of public health and epidemiology. Topics vary, but past areas of focus have included public health law, injury prevention, and emergency preparedness. Moreover, the camp is both fast-paced and academically demanding. As such, students may find themselves re-creating outbreaks or in mock press conferences.

As there are only 27 slots available for each session in this Atlanta summer program, the application process is competitive. Students are evaluated based on their responses to several essay questions as well as a teacher recommendation.

5) Spelman Early College Program in Art History & Curatorial Studies

Instructional Method: In-person (residential)
Program Length: 4 weeks
Cost: Free (fully funded by Spelman)
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors of color
Application Deadline: April 1; application opens in February

At Spelman’s four-week, co-educational Early College Program in Art History & Curatorial Studies, students can earn up to three college credits. Over the course of the experience, they’ll be introduced to art history studies, particularly African American and Western art, as well as the curatorial profession. Lectures, workshops, and exhibition projects that take place at Spelman, the Atlanta University Center, and the High Museum of Art provide an immersive, comprehensive foundation for future study in art history and curation.

The application has several parts—in addition to demonstrating an interest in art history & curatorial studies via several written responses, students will also need to submit teacher and guidance counselor recommendations.

6) CEISMC Expanded Learning Programs at Georgia Tech

Instructional Method: In-person (commuter)
Program Length: Weekly options available throughout the summer
Cost: $400-650
Eligibility: Rising freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Application Deadline: Rolling

Hoping to increase STEAM knowledge and provide experiential learning opportunities, Georgia Tech offers weekly programming throughout the summer months. In past years, students have been able to choose from topics such as music production & coding, film production, psychology, materials science, and alternative energy. Each camp offers a range of activities. For example, during the “Energy Unplugged” camp, students experimented with radio-controlled vehicles, learned about the future of energy, and visited an Atlanta-area energy facility.

For all programs, registration typically opens in early March. It is available until all program slots are filled. Programs are taught by a mix of Georgia Tech faculty and students as well as local instructors.

Final Thoughts – Atlanta Summer Programs

Looking for more summer program resources? Be sure to check out the following:

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Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).