Artificial intelligence is changing how industries work, and machine learning is a big part of this shift. If you want to understand AI better as a high school student, learning about machine learning is a great place to start. It teaches you how computers recognize patterns, improve with experience, and make decisions based on data.
Research in ML, specifically, will help you build skills in Python, data analysis, and statistics, to name a few. These are super important skills for careers in AI, software development, and data science. You will also gain experience with neural networks, natural language processing, and computer vision, technologies used in everything from chatbots to facial recognition.
To help you get started, here are 10 online machine learning research opportunities for high school students!
10 Online Machine Learning (ML) Research Opportunities for High School Students
1. Horizon’s Academic Research Program (HARP)
Cost: $5950. However, full financial aid is available.
Application Deadlines: Priority: March 23; Regular I: April 20; Regular II: May 18
Program Dates: The summer cohort starts June 16. Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply at least four weeks in advance.
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 Research Program is a mentored research program for high school students looking to develop an individual research project. The program offers several research areas, and you can choose from the following machine learning topics: “AI, Machine Learning, and Data Science”, “Machine Learning and Social Media”, and “Application of Machine Learning”.
Through the program, you will develop an in-depth 20-page research paper under the guidance of a professor/PhD mentor. You can expect to gain advanced, university-level knowledge of your chosen topic by the end of the program. You can find the application form here!
2. Stanford AI4All
Cost: $4,000
Program Dates: June 18 – July 2
Application Deadline: January 24
Eligibility: Current 9th graders/rising 10th graders who are at least 14 years of age. Basic math/computer skills are preferred. International students can apply as well!
Stanford AI4All is a two-week online program designed for high school students interested in diving into the world of artificial intelligence. Through a mix of lectures, hands-on research projects, and mentorship from AI professionals, the program helps you deepen your understanding of AI. You will explore key areas like computer vision, medical AI, natural language processing, and the positive impact AI can have on society.
One student shared her experience of developing a machine learning model to analyze X-ray images for disease detection as part of her capstone project. Throughout the program, she learned about different types of machine learning models, including regression and classification. She also gained skills in evaluating a model’s performance and analyzing data effectively.
3. Veritas AI – AI Fellowship
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application Deadline: The summer early admission application deadline is March 23!
Program Dates: Varies according to cohort.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
The Veritas AI Scholars Program is a 10-week boot camp for high school students, created by Harvard graduate students, that introduces artificial intelligence and machine learning. You’ll learn key concepts in AI, data science, and work on hands-on projects, applying AI to real-world problems across fields like healthcare and finance.
For advanced students, the 15-week AI Fellowship offers mentorship on personalized AI projects, with guidance on publishing research in high school journals. The program covers Python programming, neural networks, and data analysis, while exploring AI’s applications in areas like medicine and environmental science. Previous students have worked on projects that use machine learning models for tasks like predicting student college decisions, classifying hazardous and non-hazardous asteroids, and predicting the risk of certain medical diseases.
4. George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Cost: None. There is a $25 application fee, but waivers are available for those who need them.
Program Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students who are at least 15 years old
George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program offers high school students the chance to work on a research project with a faculty researcher from the university. As an intern, you will contribute to your mentor’s research through hands-on experience and by using various methods and equipment.
As of this year, there are 3-4 mentors who offer machine learning research in an online format. The machine learning component is generally combined with other fields like bioengineering, data science, statistics, and systems engineering, so you can expect an interdisciplinary experience. You can go through the full list of available mentors here to learn more about it.
5. Stanford AIMI’s Summer Research Internship
Cost: $850. Financial aid covering the entire tuition and application fees is available, based on demonstrated financial need.
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 14 years of age
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging offers a Summer Research Internship for high school students interested in AI applications in healthcare. This project-based program includes hands-on experiences, group work, and research, such as developing a machine learning algorithm to identify medical tubes in chest X-rays. You will also attend advanced lectures, mentoring sessions, and social activities and hear from guest speakers in the industry. Additionally, you can apply for an extended internship opportunity.
6. MIT THINK Scholars
Cost: None. $1,000 budget, weekly mentoring, and a paid trip to MIT for project completion.
Program Dates: Finalists are announced in February, and projects are completed by June
Application Deadline: January 1 of each year
Eligibility: All high school students can apply as individuals or in teams of two
The MIT THINK Scholars program is a research competition that invites STEM research proposals from under-resourced high school students. If you have a machine learning research idea but lack the resources to pursue it, this program is a great fit.
You’ll develop skills in Python, data analysis, machine learning algorithms, and model evaluation. You will also learn how to apply ML techniques to real-world problems. In addition to the research experience, you’ll receive an all-expense-paid trip to MIT and be recognized as an MIT THINK Scholar upon completing your project.
7. Johns Hopkins University’s ASPIRE
Cost: None
Program Dates: The program generally begins the last week of June and goes on for 6-9 weeks
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High-school juniors and seniors residing in one of the given Maryland counties, who have a minimum GPA of 2.8 and are at least 15 years of age.
ASPIRE is an online STEM program for high school students organized by Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory. The internship lets you explore a STEM field under the guidance of a mentor while contributing to their research projects.
For students interested in machine learning, the “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning” course is a good option. You’ll learn the basics of AI, test machine learning models, and develop deep learning techniques. Another option is the “Mathematics and Data Analysis” course, where you’ll apply machine learning techniques to study various trends.
8. Kode with Klossy Summer Camps
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Session 1 from June 2 – June 13, Session 2 from July 7 – July 18, Session 3 from July 21 – August 1, Session 4 from August 4 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Women and gender-expansive teens between the ages of 13 and 18
Kode With Klossy is a non-profit organization offering free coding-intensive summer camps for high school students interested in computer science. The program, available in both in-person and virtual formats, aims to encourage interest in STEM. As a participant, you will be placed in one of four categories: web development, mobile app, machine learning, and data science.
The machine learning category covers the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning, including topics like Python, algorithms, data sets, and natural language processing. You’ll also work on activities like using these tools to train a chatbot.
9. UC San Diego’s Machine Learning for High Schoolers
Cost: Ranges from $350-$395 per course. Scholarships are available
Program Dates: The courses are self-paced and available for specific windows during the year. You can find the details on each course page.
Application Deadline: No specific deadline.
Eligibility: All high school students
The University of California, San Diego, offers an online machine learning research opportunity for high school students through a machine learning certificate course. This program consists of three courses that must be completed in order: Python and Mathematics for Machine Learning, Machine Learning Algorithms, and Deep Neural Networks.”
The first course covers the math and programming skills essential for machine learning. The second course focuses on the complexities of model construction, and the third dives into Artificial Neural Networks. In the final course, you will also have the opportunity to build a functional framework from scratch.
10. Harvard Computer Society AI Summer Bootcamp
Cost: Ranges from $495-$595. Limited, need-based financial aid is provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Program Dates: Session 1 from June 2 – 6, Session 2 from June 9 – 13, and Session 3 from June 16 – 20
Application Deadline: May 30
Eligibility: High school students who are familiar with Python and calculus. Students applying to the advanced track should be comfortable with basic AI/ML and PyTorch.
Hosted by a Harvard student-run organization, the AI Summer Bootcamp is a 5-day intensive research opportunity for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. As a participant, you will explore AI/ML research, learn about the latest developments, and work on a mini-research project. The program includes lectures, coding exercises, group projects, and mentoring sessions.
The curriculum covers topics like generative AI, NLP applications, computer vision, reinforcement learning, and AI ethics. There is an Introductory Track for students with no experience in AI/ML and an Advanced Track for those with some background in the field, with a greater focus on independent research projects. At the end of the program, you will receive a certificate of completion and possibly additional certificates recognizing your achievements.
Image source – Harvard University