High School Summer Program in Greece
About the program
Key information
- Dates: June 29 - July 14, 2026
- Location: Nafplio (Greece)
- Organized by: CHS Greece, in cooperation with Harvard's Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, and with the support of Harvard's Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, and Harvard's Department of the Classics
- Open to: High school students (up to 24 positions)
- Application Period: January 26 - March 31, 2026
- Language: English
- Faculty: Nicolas Prevelakis (Program Director, Harvard/CHS), other Harvard faculty, and up to 5 Harvard undergraduate students as Teaching Fellows
- Activity Administration: Matina Goga (CHS Greece)
- Supporting Institutions: Directorates of Secondary Education of Argolis and of Arcadia, Odyssey Charter School in Delaware, USA
- Contact number and email: (+30) 27520 47030 int. line 1, matina.goga@chs.harvard.edu
Overview
Launched in 2012, the CHS Greece High School Summer Program (HSSP) remains an innovative program for high school students conducted in English. HSSP is offered without any participation cost to students from all disciplines, with the goal to enrich and broaden their educational horizons and cultivate their way of thinking, their knowledge, and their skills.
Students attend an intensive daily seminar entitled “Introduction to the Study of Humanity.” The seminar is based on courses offered by the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies at Harvard University, and designed by Harvard faculty and teaching fellows studying at Harvard.
Seminars & structure
HSSP introduces students to the foundations of the social and political thought, and covers such topics as the different types of human societies, the factors that lead to social change, the relationship between morality and politics, and the role of economics, gender, and religion in today’s world. The participants experience a college-level seminar course, relying on student participation, discussion, writing assignments, independent research, and final presentations. They split into groups, in order to ensure close interaction among the students and the teaching team. They also work closely with the teaching fellows from Harvard who, under the guidance of the program’s faculty, coordinate all sessions and provide the students substantial help and guidance throughout the course.
Each day consists of a seminar, during which the students engage in a mixture of thought-provoking activities such as lectures, debates, projects, presentations, and simulation games. Another session follows during which the participants collaborate closely with the teaching fellows, work with philosophical texts, and participate in activities. The students develop research projects which they present during the closing event on the program’s final day.
The Educational Advisor and American Program Coordinator of the Fulbright Foundation in Greece is invited for a session in which the American educational system is presented, and students are informed about educational opportunities and university application procedures in the US.
Eligibility
HSSP is offered free of charge to all participants by CHS in cooperation with Harvard's Committee on Degrees in Social Studies, and with the support of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies and the Department of the Classics.
In 2026 the program will be capped at 24 students.
Eligible to apply in 2026 are high school students from:
- High Schools, the Music School, and the Art School of the Argolis region
- The 1st High School, the 2nd Model High School, and the 3rd High School of Tripoli, the High School of Megalopolis, and the High School of Tropaia of the Arcadia region
- Odyssey Charter School in Delaware, USA
- The winner of the international leg of the annual Panhellenic Philosophical Essay Competition for High School Students
Accessibility in our programs
The Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please email matina.goga@chs.harvard.edu or call (+30) 27520 47030 and then press "1," in advance of your participation. Requests for accommodations should be made as far in advance as possible. We will explore each request on a case-by-case basis. However, please note that all services are subject to availability.
Glimpses of HSSP
