If you’re a high school student in Arkansas, there are a range of programs you can enroll in to work on your skillset and boost your profile. Whether you’re interested in science, technology, the arts, or leadership, there are opportunities across the state to conduct research, explore your interests, build new skills, and prepare a portfolio for future projects. From research camps in the Ozarks to STEM initiatives and design workshops, these programs give you the chance to learn outside the classroom and connect with peers who share similar interests.
Here is a highlight of 10 research programs in Arkansas for high school students:
1. Project CAVES
Location: Geological sites in the Ozarks, Arkansas
Cost: Fully funded. Students are responsible for the travel to and from camp and any personal expenses.
Application Deadline: May 3, 2024. TBA for 2025.
Program Dates: June 9 to 15, 2024. TBA for 2025.
Eligibility: High school students with a strong interest in science, particularly in areas such as cave ecosystems, geology, and biology. Selection is based on an application process, with only 15 students chosen to participate.
Project CAVES provides Arkansas high school students with a 7-day residential experience focused on cave science. The program includes studies in cave ecosystems, karst geology, bat populations, and hydrogeology, offering a learning experience outside a classroom setting. Hosted by the Deer/Mt. Judea School District and funded by the Office of Gifted and Talented Education, the program selects 15 students through a competitive process. All expenses, including tuition, room, board, and supplies, are covered in full.
2. AI Robotics and Ethics Camp at The University of Central Arkansas
Location: University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas
Cost: Fully funded
Application Deadline: April 19, 2024. TBA for 2025.
Program Dates: June 17 — 21, 2024. TBA for 2025.
Eligibility: Arkansas students in grades 10–12 in the 2024–2025 academic year who have taken at least one Computer Science course can apply.
The AI Robotics & Ethics Camp at the University of Central Arkansas is a free commuter camp for Arkansas high school students who have completed at least one computer science course. The camp focuses on programming, building AI-powered self-driving cars, and discussing the ethical implications of these technologies. You’ll participate in hands-on activities and explore AI and robotics as they appear in popular culture, such as movies and stories. The camp concludes with a showcase where teams present their projects and share their insights.
3. Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp
Location: University of Central Arkansas, Conway, Arkansas
Cost: Fully funded
Application Deadline: May 15, 2025
Program Dates: July 13 — July 18, 2025
Eligibility: open to students entering grades 10–12 at any public, private, or charter high school in Arkansas, as well as homeschooled students in the same grade levels, with preference given to those from low-income families; students participating in the 2025 Arkansas Governor’s School are not eligible.
The University of Central Arkansas’s Department of Government, Public Service, and International Studies offers the Arkansas and the World: International Affairs Summer Camp, focusing on international affairs and diplomacy. The camp combines classroom instruction with experiential learning, including workshops on international relations, UN fundamentals, and Model UN practices.
You will participate in UN General Assembly simulations, represent a country in committee sessions, and take part in activities like the SDGs Poster Competition and Global Trivia. The camp concludes with an emergency UN General Assembly session to address an international crisis.
4. AEGIS Summer Camp: Water & Wilderness — Plugged into Nature
Location: Ozark Natural Science Center (ONSC), Ozark Plateau, Arkansas
Cost: Fully funded
Application Deadline: May 24, 2025
Program Dates: TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Students from Arkansas entering grades 10-12 in the upcoming academic year, who have not graduated, been accepted to AGS, or plan to attend Water & Wilderness camp, and thrive in a demanding academic environment, are eligible to apply.
The Water & Wilderness: Plugged into Nature camp is a two-week summer program for Arkansas students entering grades 10–12. Funded by the Arkansas Department of Education’s AEGIS program, this free camp offers experience in field biology, where you will disconnect from digital devices and explore various Ozark habitats.
You will work with field scientists on research activities such as tracking reptiles, monitoring bats, studying birds, and examining aquatic life in the Kings River. The program also includes discussions on conservation literature, Socratic Circles on naturalist writings, reflective journaling, a capstone glade field study, a canoe trip, and an overnight camping experience.
5. The University of Arkansas’ Engineering Scholars Program
Location: University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Arkansas
Cost: NA
Application Deadline: May 15, 2024. TBA for 2025.
Program Dates: June 16–22, 2024. TBA for 2025.
Eligibility: 8th-11th grade high school students can apply.
The Engineering Scholars Program is designed to encourage more high school students in Arkansas to pursue engineering by offering hands-on projects, plant tours, and opportunities to interact with industry professionals. This one-week residential summer program provides academic and lab sessions in various engineering fields, including robotics. In addition to practical engineering experience, the program also offers counseling and advising sessions to help you plan your high school coursework and prepare for a college career in engineering.
6. The University of Arkansas’ In-Person Design Camp
Location: University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Bentonville, and Little Rock; and virtual
Cost: NA
Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 are closed. Registration for the summer 2025 camps opens in late February 2025. 2025 deadline TBA.
Program Dates: Various 4-day camps in June, specific dates vary based on the location.
Eligibility: High school students from grades 9–12 are eligible for some of the camps.
The University of Arkansas offers five-day architecture camps designed to introduce high school students to architecture. During these camps, you’ll learn basic design principles through projects, tours, presentations, and discussions. Led by faculty from the Fay Jones School of Architecture, the program provides an opportunity to explore architecture and gain early exposure to the field.
7. Arkansas Children’s Hospital Job Shadowing for High School Students
Location: Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas
Cost: No cost or stipend provided.
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Program Dates: Variable based on the department and role selected.
Eligibility: High school students (ages 16 and older) can apply.
The job shadowing program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital is available to high school students ages 16 and older. It offers an online training course and an in-person shadowing experience at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in a specific area of health care. During this experience, you will observe the hospital environment and the duties of healthcare workers, but you will not participate in direct patient care.
You can indicate your area of interest on the application, and the hospital will try to match you with a shadowing opportunity, typically lasting 1–3 days. This program gives you insight into the healthcare field, helping you explore potential career paths and gain a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities involved.
While the programs below aren’t based in Arkansas, they are competitive virtual opportunities open to high school students in Arkansas!
8. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
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.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across data science, machine learning, political theory, and more. Horizon also offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research.
Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who will mentor you throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
9. Veritas AI — AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Location: Virtual
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: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year. December 16, 2024 onwards for the Winter cohort
Eligibility: High school students who are passionate about AI, have a basic understanding of Python or have completed AI scholars.
Veritas AI provides high school students passionate about AI with a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship.
The AI Fellowship program will allow students to pursue independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. You can find examples of previous projects here.
10. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Individual Research Program ($2,990), Premium Research & Publication Program ($5,900), the Research Fellowship ($8,900), Professor Premium Publication Program ($8,900)
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June — August), Fall (September — December), Winter (December — February), and Spring (March — June).
Eligibility:
- You must be currently enrolled in high school
- Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
- No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper. You can choose research topics from psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. More details about the application are here.
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