Top Tips to Apply to the Rutgers Youth Enjoy Science (RUYES) Program

Updated October 2026

TL;DR

The Rutgers Youth Enjoy Science (RUYES) Program is a selective, two-year, in-person cancer research program at Rutgers Cancer Institute in New Brunswick, NJ. It is open to rising high school juniors and seniors and rising college freshmen and sophomores. You’ll spend about 10 weeks each summer in a mentor-led lab, receive compensation for your time, and present your work at an annual research day. The 2027 application timeline hasn’t been announced yet, so use the tips below to start preparing now. If you want a flexible online alternative, check out the Horizon Academic Research Program.

If you’re interested in cancer research or a healthcare career, the Rutgers Youth Enjoy Science (RUYES) Program is a great way to learn about biomedical science. You’ll learn from researchers and get an early look at college-level science. Depending on your placement, you might use laboratory equipment, follow research procedures, analyze data, and study cancer biology and genetics. You’ll also build your research and communication skills and learn about careers in science and healthcare. In this blog, you’ll learn how RUYES works, what skills you can develop, and how to prepare a strong application. If you’re still exploring options, you can also browse these free medical research programs for high school students.

What is the Rutgers Youth Enjoy Science (RUYES) Program?

RUYES is a two-year research training program for high school and undergraduate students interested in cancer research and biomedical science. Each summer, you’ll spend 10 weeks working in a laboratory with a research mentor for around 35 hours per week. The program also includes educational seminars where you’ll learn key concepts in cancer biology and read research literature.

You’ll prepare a scientific poster and a 10-minute presentation for the Annual Research Day. After each summer, you’ll continue with about 7 hours of professional development and community engagement activities each month, or around 70 hours per year. RUYES also provides compensation for your time and other possible expenses.

Location

RUYES is based at Rutgers Cancer Institute in New Brunswick, NJ. It is part of Rutgers University and the Rutgers Health system, and it is New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The program is held in person, so you must be able to commute to or live within a reasonable distance of the institute. Your research takes place in mentor-supervised laboratories, where you’ll get hands-on experience with cancer research. Past orientation materials also list wet-lab and dry-lab training, lab skills training, research presentations, and meetings with mentors.

Dates and Deadlines

2027 cohort: TBA. Rutgers hasn’t announced the next application window yet. Check the official RUYES page for updates.

Previous cycle (2026 cohort, historical):

• Applications opened on November 4, 2025, with an early decision deadline of February 23, 2026, according to the 2026 student flyer.
• Students selected for an interview were notified by the third week of March, and those not selected heard in early May.
• The program ran from the fourth week of June through August 25, 2026. Rutgers noted that dates may be modified.

The research component runs for 9 to 10 weeks each summer across two consecutive years, along with professional development and community engagement activities during the academic year.

Cost and Stipend

Cost: RUYES doesn’t list a tuition or program fee. The program page also doesn’t list housing or meals, so plan to cover your own local housing and transportation.

Stipend: You’ll receive compensation for your time and other possible expenses. Rutgers doesn’t publicly state the exact amount.

Who is eligible for RUYES?

To be eligible, you must:

• Be a rising high school junior or senior, or a rising college freshman or sophomore.
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Commit to the full two-year program.
• Have a strong academic and career interest in biomedical or cancer science.
• Attend a school or university in the Tri-State area: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, or Connecticut.
• Be able to commute to or live within a reasonable distance of Rutgers Cancer Institute in New Brunswick.
• Be at least 16 years old by June 15 of the program year.
• Meet any health and vaccination requirements Rutgers lists for participants.

The application asks for your contact and school information (plus parent or guardian consent for high school students), a transcript, an updated resume, and a personal statement. You’ll also need a reference to complete the reference form.

How is RUYES structured?

RUYES is a two-year research and professional development program. You’ll return for a second summer and stay involved with activities during the academic year.

• Mentored cancer research: You’ll work in a lab with a research mentor on basic, clinical, or population-based cancer research. Faculty mentors work in areas such as cancer metabolism and growth, immunology, clinical investigations, genomic instability, precision therapeutics, and cancer genetics. Your experience depends on your mentor and project.
• Cancer biology and laboratory training: Seminars and training cover cancer biology, lab skills, and career development, so you can connect what you learn to your lab work.
• Professional development: After each summer, you’ll complete about seven hours per month of flexible professional development and community engagement activities.
• Research presentation: You’ll create a scientific poster and a 10-minute presentation for the Annual Research Day, also called the Annual Research Symposium.
• Community engagement: You’ll train as a Community Scientist, which can include helping develop cancer-related educational modules and outreach activities for middle and high school students.
• Two-year commitment: You’ll take part in the main research experience over two consecutive summers, so you can keep building research and career skills.

Is RUYES prestigious?

Yes, RUYES is selective, especially for high school students interested in cancer research or healthcare. Rutgers doesn’t publish the number of applicants, the number of students accepted, or an acceptance rate, so there isn’t a reliable percentage to share. The cohort is also relatively small compared with many summer programs.

RUYES is affiliated with Rutgers Cancer Institute, an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Rutgers University-New Brunswick ranks #16 among U.S. public universities and #42 among national universities in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, and #1 among New Jersey public universities. Together, these make RUYES a strong choice if you want structured, mentored experience in cancer research. For other options, see these medical research programs for high school students.

What skills will you develop?

• Cancer biology and laboratory techniques, as part of your research placement.
• A sense of how researchers investigate basic, clinical, or population-based cancer questions.
• Reading and understanding scientific literature, and connecting published findings to your lab work.
• Scientific communication, through your poster and 10-minute presentation.
• Career awareness in research and healthcare, through professional development activities.
• Community education and outreach, through your Community Scientist training.

Testimonials and Feedback

Out of the limited student feedback available online, Rutgers and published research offer several useful insights into what students experienced in RUYES.

• Gabriella Gonzalez, a RUYES participant in 2022, worked with Dr. Angela Fong on research about breast cancer survivors who took part in a physical activity program. Her profile on Rutgers’ RUYES Voices page can give you an example of the clinical and community-focused research you might explore.
• Emily Zhivotovski, a Rutgers University Honors College student, also shared her experience with RUYES and discussed what she learned from her research mentor. Rutgers features her experience on its RUYES Voices page along with insights from other participants.
• A published study on RUYES found that high school students generally had positive experiences with the program. Survey results showed that the experience influenced how students viewed their education and future careers. Students also reported feeling more confident in areas such as understanding scientific research, working with others on scientific projects, and thinking critically about scientific information.
• Current RUYES students have also shared their experiences in Rutgers newsletters and publications. For example, the 2025 RUYES newsletter included reflections from students who visited Rutgers Cancer Institute. They described taking part in a hands-on laboratory activity, talking with medical professionals and RUYES students, and looking at research posters created by program participants.

The available feedback suggests that you can expect hands-on cancer research, opportunities to work with researchers, exposure to science and healthcare careers, and practice communicating scientific work.

Top Tips for a Successful Application

Here are 10 tips to help you put together a strong RUYES application.

1. Connect RUYES to your academic interests.

Explain why cancer research, biomedical science, or healthcare interests you and how RUYES fits. You don’t need your whole career planned out, but you should show you’ve thought about what you want to explore and how a research mentor can help. Mention relevant classes, projects, or experiences that sparked your interest.

2. Share a specific example of how you’ve learned and grown

The application asks you to describe an impactful learning experience and how it affected your interests, skills, or approach to learning. Pick one meaningful experience instead of listing everything you’ve done. Explain what happened, what you learned, and how it changed the way you approach problems, teamwork, or learning.

3. Highlight your science coursework.

Mention relevant classes such as biology, chemistry, physics, or anatomy, and explain what you learned or found interesting. Specific assignments or lab activities that deepened your interest in biomedical or cancer science make good examples.

4. Talk about hands-on science experience.

School lab work, science fairs, research assignments, independent projects, and STEM clubs all count. Focus on what you actually did, such as collecting or analyzing data, following an experimental procedure, using lab equipment, or presenting findings. If you want more experience before applying, these biology research opportunities for high school students are a good place to start.

5. Be clear about your research goals.

Rutgers asks applicants to discuss the skills, knowledge, and mentorship they hope to develop. You can mention an interest in cancer biology, genetics, immunology, prevention, clinical research, or another related area. You don’t need to propose a complete research project.

6. Explain your long-term goals.

The application asks about your educational and career goals and how RUYES connects to them. If you’re considering medicine, biomedical research, public health, nursing, or biotechnology, explain what interests you. Your plans don’t have to be settled. Just explain why research experience would help as you figure out your next steps. These pre-college medical programs can help you explore further.

7. Connect your experiences to your community.

Applicants are asked how RUYES could help them contribute to reducing cancer health disparities in their communities. Draw on volunteering, community service, health education, or any experience that showed you differences in access to healthcare or health information. Keep your response tied to your own experiences instead of making broad statements.

8. Show that you’re ready to learn from a mentor.

You’ll work in mentor-supervised labs for two summers, so show that you can learn from someone with more experience. Describe a time you used feedback from a teacher, coach, or supervisor to improve. It also helps to show you’re comfortable asking questions and adjusting when something doesn’t work as expected.

9. Take the video portion seriously.

Rutgers uses a second-stage video response. You record a 60- to 90-second video introducing yourself and responding to one of three areas: learning and growth, goals and aspirations, or research and community impact. Follow the official video instructions, speak clearly and naturally, keep your face visible, and avoid reading from a script. You don’t need fancy equipment or editing.

10. Proofread your application and get a second opinion

Check for spelling and grammar mistakes, make sure you’ve answered every prompt, and confirm your resume and transcript are up to date. You can also ask a teacher, counselor, or trusted adult to point out anything unclear. Keep the final version sounding like you, with your experiences, interests, and reasons for applying explained clearly.

One more option: Horizon Academic Research Program

If you want a research experience you can do from anywhere, consider the Horizon Academic Research Program. It is an online, one-to-one research mentorship experience that typically runs 10 to 15 weeks and ends with an independent research paper.

Questions students often ask about this cancer research program

Image source: Rutgers University