For families with students in grades 6–12
The summer that changes everything starts here.
Find the right summer program among 140+ curated options for middle and high school students. Narrow them by interest, grade, dates, budget and more. Build a personalized shortlist in about 90 seconds. Free.
- No account required to browse
- 140+ curated programs
Make your shortlist
in 90 seconds
Filter, heart favorites, and track in one place
We're updating our summer program listings for 2027. Sign up to be notified when the 2027 programs are ready to explore.
The problem
A stack of brochures and websites. No way to compare them.
A fully subsidized MIT program that accepts 80 students globally appears in the same undifferentiated Google search results as a $17,800 sleepaway camp with open enrollment. To compare them, parents and students open dozens of program websites—each formatted differently—just to find dates, costs, and eligibility.
Explore Summer replaces that.
How it works
From overwhelm to shortlist in under 90 seconds.
- 01
Filter by what actually matters
Grade just completed, category, format, timing, and budget. Select criteria that work for you.
- 02
Refine with a plain-English assistant
'Only fully funded' or 'in California only' updates your filters in real time. The assistant and filters work together to refine your search.
- 03
Save, compare, and decide
Shortlist becomes a tracker: status, deadlines, notes, side-by-side compare, and a shareable link for co-review.
Twelve pathways
Explore program categories.
Twelve pathways. Countless opportunities.
Show programs for
Tech & AI
Computer science, AI, robotics, coding & innovation
Science & STEM
Biology, chemistry, physics, engineering & research
Pre-College & Credit
Credit-bearing academic programs on college campuses
Marine Science
Oceanography, conservation, marine biology & more
Writing & Humanities
Creative writing, journalism, history, philosophy & more
Traditional Camps
Sleepaway camps and classic summer camp experiences
Global & Language
Languages, culture, international travel & exchange
Leadership & Gifted
Talented youth, enrichment, and leadership institutes
Math
Problem solving, competitions, advanced math & modeling
Arts & Performing Arts
Visual arts, music, theater, film & performance
Wilderness & Adventure
Outdoor leadership, expeditions & exploration
Pre-Med & Life Sciences
Medicine, healthcare, biology & biomedical research
The inside scoop
What's buried in the fine print.
A campus photo and a promise of the “college experience” don't give much insight into the day to day of the program. We read handbooks and FAQs to understand what daily life is like — curfews, check-ins, meals, and who is on duty — and add that to the card when we have researched it.
- How much of the day is scheduled versus free
- Whether students get themselves to class and meals
- Campus rules: leaving campus, check-ins, and curfew
- Who supervises, and how closely
If we also find a material catch — a residency limit, a non-refundable deposit — we flag that separately, with the source.
Start your shortlist
Decision workspace
Your shortlist, working alongside you until applications ship.
Track status from Researching through Accepted. Enter deadlines, jot notes, and compare programs side by side. We help you stay on track so that you don't miss the deadlines for the programs you found and vetted.
Deadline tracking
Keep track of key dates and requirements.
Notes per program
Essay topics, alumni contacts, interview prep.
Side-by-side compare
Line up finalists on cost, credit, and format.
Status pipeline
Researching → Applied → Accepted → Decided.
Pricing
Search free. Pay only when you're ready to commit.
No subscriptions. No sponsored placements. No lead-gen. Ever.
Browse
Free
No account needed.
- Full search & filtering
- All program cards with gotcha flags
- Every flag sourced and dated
- Direct links to program sites
Shortlist workspace
Regular price $49/season — free for entire season during early bird.
Search first — create an account when you're ready to save.
- Everything in Browse
- Saved shortlist with status tracking
- Deadline field & program notes
- Side-by-side compare + shareable link
- Export to CSV (print for PDF)
One season pass covers unlimited shortlists for your family through June 30.
For camp administrators
Make sure your program is represented accurately.
Add a new program or update an existing listing so families can find accurate information about dates, costs, admission, and aid.