<p>Are there any prestigious summer programs that are free? Like free travel to the destination and such? If so, what are they? And what is the benefit to doing a summer program? I'm very interested.</p>
<p>You should check out the stickied thread at the very top of this page. I think most prestigious programs have closed their application for this summer. On the top of my head I can think of RSI, TASP, CMU Summer Program for Diversity as the freebies.</p>