If you are interested in the natural world and how it functions, consider attending an academic program in environmental science research. What these programs offer goes far beyond the high school level, teaching you about ocean currents, biodiversity, or soil chemistry.
Additionally, you learn about scientific inquiry, research methods, data analysis, and scientific presentation, which are valuable skills you will use in the long term. Here are 10 environmental science research programs for high school students — ranging from pre-college programs to internships and expeditions — that you could consider:
Subject area: Environmental Health and Engineering
Application Date: Rolling dates
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Location: Virtual
About the program:
Horizon is a trimester-long research program and one of the few programs where you can choose between quantitative and qualitative research. One of its available research areas is Environmental Health and Engineering, which focuses on developing solutions to environmental catastrophes. As a student, you will explore sustainability issues in agricultural production, urbanization, infrastructure, resource use, etc.
The program culminates with you developing a 20-page research paper for which you will study a university-level environmental studies curriculum. Some examples of previous topics addressed in this area are “How can city infrastructure be designed for the predicted climate change?” and “Are hydroponic and vertical farming the food production methods of the future?”
Subject area: Environment & The World
Application deadline: Four cohorts throughout the year, applications due in February, May, September, and December. You can apply here.
Eligibility: All high school students
Program dates: There are four cohorts throughout the year: spring, summer, fall, and winter
Location: Online
Financial assistance: You can check out the Lumiere Foundation, a non-profit research program, that offers assistance to low-income students
About the program:
Lumiere is another research program where you will be paired with a PhD mentor, who will guide you on an independent research project. Lumiere’s approach to environmental studies looks at global warming and the Earth's environmental history. You also have the scope to work on a niche topic that interests you. One of the previous students’ final projects was “Rethinking Urban Disaster Management: A Case Study of Mumbai's Inclusion of Informal Workers”.
Subject area: Multiple fields available
Application deadline: Varies depending on the cohort. Winter cohort deadline – November 24, 2024
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Fee: Programs start at $2490
Financial aid: Available
About the program:
Ladder Internship allows you to work with a start-up, and environmental science is an available subject area. During the internship, you will learn from the start-up founders and build a real-world project such as a report, business plan, machine learning model, white paper, or campaign. You will get 1-on-1 training from your supervisor and a Ladder Coach. At the end of the program, you will get a chance to present your research work.
Subject area: Environment, Geology, and Energy
Application deadline: March 15, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Students who live and attend school in the San Francisco Bay Area and have completed at least one year of high school
Program dates: Third Tuesday in June – First Thursday in August
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Fee: Free. A diversity honorarium is available for those who qualify
About the program:
Organized by the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, the Stanford Young Investigators program is an internship in environmental science research for high school students. As an intern, you will be part of a research group and conduct research in Stanford’s laboratories where you will spend 15-30 hours working per week. Remember that this is not a residential program and social activities are kept to a minimum as the focus is on work.
There are three tracks to choose from: Environment, Geology, and Energy. The Environment track has previously included projects on soil chemistry, ocean life, terrestrial bacteria, arsenic cycling, and more. The Geology track consists of topics like cosmogenic nuclides, seismology, and digitizing maps. The Energy track focuses on battery efficiency, crude oil interfaces, and microfluidic devices. Only 6-30 scholars are accepted from 175-275 applications, making this a competitive program to apply for.
Subject area: Environmental Science
Application deadline: February 5, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Students who live in or around Philadelphia, have completed grades 9, 10, or 11 by the summer, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply
Program dates: July 8, 2025 – August 5, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Fee: Free
About the program:
UPenn offers a free mentored experience in environmental science research for high school students through the TREES program. As a participant, you will spend the first two weeks learning basic lab skills and the rest of the program developing an independent research project under the guidance of a mentor. You can design your project hypothesis with the only condition being that it tackles an environmental issue.
You will learn about scientific methodologies, conduct library research, and perform hands-on bench science. Your work will culminate in a research report and a presentation for program guests. Approximately 8 students are accepted per cohort, which makes this a considerably selective program.
Subject area: Environmental Science
Application deadline: Applications open in March and close in May (tentative)
Eligibility: Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who live or attend school in or near the Rockaway peninsula
Program dates: June 5 – August 5, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Location: RISE Center, Far Rockaway, NY
Stipend: Interns are paid a stipend of up to $1,200
About the program:
RISE, a non-profit organization, offers this internship for high school students to engage in hands-on research in environmental science. You will be paired with a scientist from a university/research institution and work on an individual research project. The work generally includes hands-on experience on Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway shoreline.
Previous students have worked on topics like salt marsh restoration, pinniped stranding, air quality monitoring, and more. You will also engage in other activities like water safety, CPR training, kayaking, and surfing. This program accepts about 12-15 students, so keep in mind that it can be relatively selective in its admission.
Subject area: Environmental studies, Ecology and Leadership
Application deadline: May 9, 2025
Eligibility: Students completing grades 10-12, who are between the ages of 16-18
Program dates: The program dates are as follows:
- Alaska: July 6 – 26, 2025
- Eastern Sierras: June 29 – July 9, 2025
- Florida Keys: June 22 – 29, 2025
- Rhode Island: June 22 – July 3, 2025
Location: Four locations are available: Alaska, Eastern Sierras, Florida Keys, Rhode Island
Fee:
- Alaska: $6,958
- Eastern Sierras: $6,958
- Florida Keys: Not specified
- Rhode Island (Brown University campus): $5,716
Financial assistance: Fee waivers and scholarships are available (however, they do not apply to international applicants)
About the program:
BELL is a pre-college program at Brown University that provides an immersive, outdoor experience while learning about environmental science. The program combines environmental studies, ecology, and leadership to train students to become socially responsible leaders. Four tracks are available in different locations. Each one offers a different focus of learning, spanning topics like environmental advocacy, restoration of coral reefs, field methodology for data collection, and more.
No matter which track you choose, you will develop an action plan to take back home and work on. Previous students have worked on river clean-ups, created community gardens, and started awareness campaigns. At the end of the program, you will receive a digital certificate of completion.
Subject area: Environmental science and environmental policy
Application deadline: Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 14 years old and have a minimum 3.3 GPA
Program dates: The program generally takes place over two weeks in June (exact dates TBA)
Location: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, CA and Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
Fee: $4,800
Financial assistance: Not available
About the program:
If you’re interested in the intersection of environmental science and politics, this UCSD program could be explored. The Washington track of the GELS program allows you to conduct scientific research, write an issue paper, and present it to your Congressional Representative. The research will take place at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, under the guidance of its researchers, and will focus on the effect of climate change on Earth.
This program helps you learn about research methods, data collection, statistical analysis, scientific presentation, and legislative processes. You will also engage in leadership activities and learn about lobbying techniques. The program also has a Hawaii track, but that version includes a connection to environmental policymaking.
Subject area: Marine Science
Application deadline: March 1, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students
Program dates: Several two-week sessions are available from June 1, 2025 to August 28, 2025
Location: Woods Hole, MA
Fee: $5,950 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Financial assistance: Need-based financial aid is available
About the program:
The Sea Education Association is a non-profit organization that offers several high school programs within the field of marine exploration. The SEA Expedition allows you to conduct environmental science research while being at sea! While exploring the waters of Cape Cod and New England, you will learn how to sail and conduct scientific marine research. You and your team will work with data on endangered species, sea salinity, chemical nutrient measurements, readings of whales, and more.
Subject area: Tree Science
Application deadline: April 14, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students who are at least 16 years of age
Program dates: Not specified
Location: The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, IL
Stipend: Yes (amount not specified)
About the program:
A non-profit organization, The Morton Arboretum is a botanical garden and research centre focusing on tree science. The Research Technician Fellowship is one of its student programs. It allows high schoolers to join a research group, contribute to an ongoing project within tree science, and be mentored by a scientist. The 2024-25 projects included topics like the evolution of plant lineages, the archival of wood cross-sections, and the linking of root and fungal processes for whole-tree success. You can expect any project you choose to feature a combination of field, lab, and computer-based work.
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.