Summer is a good time to explore a subject in depth outside the classroom, especially if you are interested in research. If you are a high school student in Texas, there are multiple free programs that can help you engage in research in fields like science, engineering, medicine, and more. These research programs connect you with mentors and give you a chance to learn by doing, all without the high costs often associated with pre-college programs or camps.
As a researcher, you might work in a lab, help with a study, or join a team solving a real problem via primary and secondary research. It is also a way to build research skills, learn how academic work is done, and explore what subjects interest you most. Since these programs are free, they make research more accessible to students from all backgrounds! To get started, here are 10 free research summer programs for high school students in Texas!
10 Free Research Summer Programs for High School Students in Texas
1. Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Cost: None. A stipend of $6,800 will be provided.
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Current Texas high school seniors aged 18 or older by the program start date.
Hosted by the University of Texas and MD Anderson Cancer Center, this 10-week program lets Texas high school seniors explore biomedical research. You learn to design experiments, collect biological samples, perform statistical analysis, and interpret data sets. You’ll also develop skills in pipetting, cell culture techniques, and using lab equipment like microscopes.
Through seminars, you study cancer biology, molecular biology, and ethical research practices. You attend workshops on drafting research proposals and preparing for graduate school. At the end, you deliver a final presentation and compete in an elevator pitch session.
2. Houston Methodist’s High School Emerging Researcher Experience Program
Location: Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas
Cost: No cost.
Program Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: High school students who are currently in their junior or senior year and will be at least 16 years old by the start of the program with a minimum GPA of 3.5.
The High School Emerging Researcher Experience Program at Houston Methodist gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to get hands-on with translational research. You learn to collect data using lab techniques, analyze results with statistical software, and design experiments.
You’ll also develop skills in PCR, gel electrophoresis, and maintaining lab notebooks. At the end, you create a research poster and present it at a symposium.
3. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: $5,950 (Full financial aid available)
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts.
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.
The Horizon Academic Summer Research Program is a unique chance for high school students to dive deep into college-level research across fields like data science, machine learning, and political theory. You’ll be paired with a professor or PhD mentor who will guide you through every stage of your project, from initial brainstorming to final edits.
By the end of the trimester, you’ll produce a 20-page research paper, polished and ready for academic journal submission. You’ll also receive feedback and a letter of recommendation to help with your future academic endeavors.
4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Virtual
Cost: Full financial aid is available.
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The regular admissions deadline for the Summer Cohort I is May 11.
Eligibility: Must be currently enrolled in high school with a GPA of 3.3 or higher; no prior knowledge of the field required.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper. You can apply here!
5. UT Dallas’ NanoExplorers Program
Location: University of Texas, Dallas (Dallas, TX)
Cost: No cost
Program Dates: June 3 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: High school students entering the 10th – 12th grades.
The NanoExplorers Program at UT Dallas provides high school students in grades 10–12 with a hands-on introduction to nanotechnology research. You join faculty and researchers in university labs, working on real nanotechnology projects funded by grants.
You learn to use scanning electron microscopes to examine tiny structures, mix chemicals to create nanomaterials, and measure how materials behave at the nanoscale. Through seminars, you will also explore how nanotechnology shapes fields like medicine and energy. You team up with others to tackle problems, such as building better batteries or designing drug delivery systems.
6. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University
Location: Texas Tech University campus, Lubbock, TX
Cost: No cost. Students will receive a $750 stipend.
Program Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 24
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 17 years of age by the program start date and should graduate in the next two years.
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University is a competitive 7-week summer research experience for high school students from across the country. In this program, you’ll be paired with a faculty mentor to work on independent research projects in areas such as computer science, including AI, data analysis, and virtual reality. You’ll also gain hands-on experience through lab work, seminars, field trips, and engaging discussions that will expand your academic perspective.
7. Rice University’s PATHS-UP Young Scholars Digital Health Summer Program
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: Free.
Program Dates: June 9 – June 26
Application Deadline: April 4
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are residents of the Houston area can apply.
Rice University’s PATHS-UP Young Scholars Digital Health Summer Program is a three-week opportunity for 10th and 11th graders interested in digital health technologies. Hosted by Rice’s engineering faculty and the PATHS-UP initiative, this program introduces you to digital circuits, computer science, and physics through hands-on projects.
You’ll get to work with sensors and devices, building an introductory prototype that simulates real-world medical technology. Throughout the program, you’ll develop important skills in engineering research, problem-solving, and scientific communication. You’ll also gain experience in designing and testing prototypes while learning how digital health innovations impact the medical field.
8. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center DACCPM Summer Research Program
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
Cost: Free.
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: High school seniors who are 18 years or older and in good academic standing.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center DACCPM Summer Research Program is a 10-week intensive program designed for students interested in both lab and clinical research. As part of this program, you’ll be matched with a faculty mentor and dive into a research project related to cancer recurrence, pain management, or perioperative care.
The program starts with a Cancer Biology boot camp and includes seminars focused on graduate school preparation. Throughout your research, you’ll develop key skills in scientific inquiry, data analysis, and communication. The experience concludes with a poster symposium, where you’ll present your findings, and you’ll receive a copy of The Biology of Cancer to help guide your learning.
9. NASA and UT Austin’s SEES High School Summer Intern Program
Location: Hybrid. The on-site portion of the internship is conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, TX.
Cost: Free.
Program Dates: Virtual: June 1 – July 5; On-site: July 6-19
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Open to current high school sophomores or juniors.
NASA and UT Austin’s SEES High School Summer Intern Program offers a hybrid internship that lets students dive into Earth and space science. The program starts with online modules covering Earth science and Python programming. Then, you’ll spend July at UT Austin, working alongside NASA experts on real satellite data. Research topics may include remote sensing, mission design, Earth’s gravity, and other advanced areas in space science.
Throughout the program, you’ll gain hands-on experience with satellite data, building your skills in data analysis, research methods, and scientific communication. The internship wraps up with a virtual symposium where you’ll present your findings, and you’ll receive a NASA certificate of completion.
10. University of Houston’s Mohan Lab Summer Internship
Location: MohanLab, University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: Free.
Program Dates: June 2 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors.
The University of Houston’s Mohan Lab Summer Internship is a 9–10-week opportunity for high school students interested in biomedical and health-related research. The program begins with 1–2 weeks of lab training, where you’ll learn essential lab techniques, followed by 8 weeks of hands-on research under the guidance of a scientist or grad student mentor. During the internship, you’ll work on projects that may focus on areas like biomarkers in bladder cancer or the molecular mechanisms of kidney disease.
Image source – University of Houston