The purpose of the HNU Upward Bound summer residential program is to provide each participant with a simulation college experience including living in the dormitories and eating in the college dining hall; attending lectures in the classrooms and completing laboratory experiments in chemistry, biology, and physics labs; exercising in recreational and fitness facilities; socializing in common areas; doing research in the library; and solving computer programs in computer labs.
For five weeks, selected participants spend the developing academically, socially, and culturally while living on the HNU campus. The first five weeks consists of a structured and challenging academic morning schedule in which participants take core curriculum classes in the areas of composition, literature, math (algebra through pre-calculus), science (with a lab), Spanish, speech, history/social science, and history ethnic studies. The sixth week, the program concludes with an out-of-area four-day college tour.
A typical day in the summer program begins at 7:00 in the morning and ends at 11:00PM in evening. Participants spend four hours a day in classes; three hours a day gaining work experience through service learning campus internships; one hour in evening seminars and workshops covering critical thinking (clarifying problems, judging information, solving problems/drawing conclusions, the consequences of actions related to personal behavior, social issues, life skills, and cultural awareness), career/vocational education and career exploration, and journalism; and an hour and a half of tutoring. Below is an example of the weekly schedule.
| Time | Monday-Thursday | Time | Friday |
| 7:00 - 8:00 | Breakfast | 7:00 - 8:00 | Breakfast |
| 8:00 - 12:00 | College Prep Courses | 8:00 - 12:00 | College Prep Courses |
| 12:00 - 1:00 | Lunch | 12:00 - 1:00 | Lunch |
| 1:00 - 4:00 | Internships | 1:00 - 4:00 | Internships |
| 4:00 - 6:00 | Jamboree Practice | 4:00 - 6:00 | House Meeting |
| 6:00 - 7:00 | Dinner | 5:00 - 6:00 | Check Out |
| 7:00 - 8:00 | Seminar/Workshop | ||
| 8:00 - 8:30 | Down Time | ||
| 8:30 - 10:00 | Homework/Tutoring | ||
| 10:00 - 11:00 | Down Time | ||
| 11:00PM | Lights Out! |