Connecticut offers a variety of research programs for high school students designed to help them explore and develop their talents in specific fields. These programs allow you to explore subjects like science, technology, the arts, business, and more, through hands-on research, expert-led workshops, and practical experiences.
By engaging in these opportunities, you get the chance to refine your abilities, gain a deeper understanding of your interests, and build practical knowledge that could help you with future academic and research projects.
Here are 10 research programs for high school students in Connecticut:
1. The Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Program
Subject Areas: Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Cancer, Immunology, Metabolic Diseases
Location: Either of the Jackson Laboratory campuses in Bar Harbor, Maine, and Bar Harbor, & Farmington, Connecticut.
Cost/Stipend: No cost, a $6,500 stipend is provided
Application deadline: January 27, 2025
Program Dates: 9 weeks, May 31 — August 8, 2025
Eligibility: Seniors who have completed 12th grade and are at least 18 years old can apply
The Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Program offers high school students in Connecticut the chance to conduct independent research in genetics and genomics. You will get to work on mentored projects covering topics such as bioinformatics, cancer, immunology, metabolic diseases, and more.
As a participant, you will develop your research project, conduct experiments, analyze data, and present your findings. The program exposes you to an academic environment with a strong focus on hands-on learning. A stipend is provided for your work during the program.
2. Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative High School Student Research Apprentice Program
Subject Areas: Biomedical Science, Health Professions, Medical Research
Location: UConn Health, Farmington, CT or Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT
Cost: Fully funded (stipend provided)
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
Program Dates: June — July 2025 (5 weeks)
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their junior year with a B average or better, are at least 16 years old.
The UConn Health High School Student Research Apprentice Program allows you to gain experience in biomedical and health-related research. You will work alongside UConn Health researchers on projects that involve laboratory techniques like cell culture and molecular biology.
The program aims to give you a better understanding of careers in the health and biomedical sciences through direct involvement in research. This can also help you build a foundation for future academic and career opportunities in these areas.
3. Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS)
Subject Areas: STEM, Social Sciences, Humanities, Cross-disciplinary
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: $6,500 (financial aid available) + $90 nonrefundable application fee (fee waivers available)
Application Deadline: January 10, 2025 (regular decision).
Program Dates: Session I: June 22 — July 4, 2025 | Session II: July 6 — July 18, 2025 | Session III: July 20 — August 1, 2025
Eligibility: Sophomores and juniors (ages 16–18) from around the world can apply!
YYGS offers an interdisciplinary learning experience that combines seminars, simulations, and hands-on projects. In the “Politics, Law, and Economics” track, you will explore real-world policy issues and examine case studies. In the STEM sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to study topics such as dark matter, brain regeneration, and quantum mechanics.
This program can be useful for students interested in research. It provides a foundation for developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills that can help in future academic investigations.
4. UConn Pre-College Summer Program
Subject Areas: Engineering, Business, Digital Media, Environmental Science, and more
Location: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Cost: $2,050 — $8,750 depending on the number of courses taken and whether they’re credit or non-credit courses + $50 nonrefundable application fee. Details here.
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
Program Dates: Credit Session: June 16 — June 28, 2025 | Session 1: June 22— June 28, 2025 | Session 2: July 6— July 12, 2025 | Session 3: July 13— July 19, 2025 | Session 4: July 20 — July 26, 2025
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who will have completed at least 1 year of high school by the program start and have at least a 2.0 GPA can apply. Certain courses have prerequisites, which you can check here!
UConn’s Pre-College Summer program provides an opportunity to explore areas like robotics, business entrepreneurship, and digital media production. You will work with tools like Arduino in engineering labs or software like Adobe Premiere in digital media courses.
The program helps you understand the technical aspects of these fields while offering opportunities to develop skills like time management and leadership through various workshops, seminars, and guest speaker events.
5. Yale School of Medicine’s Peter E. Schwartz DTC High School Internship
Subject Areas: Biomedical Research
Location: Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
Cost: No information about cost or stipend is available.
Application Deadline: February 10, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Must have completed their junior year, be at least 16 years old, be within commuting distance to Yale’s campus, and have a teacher recommendation, with each teacher allowed to recommend up to two students from their school.
The Peter E. Schwartz Discovery to Cure High School Internship Program offers high school juniors the opportunity to engage in hands-on biomedical research at Yale University. Designed for students who will be entering their senior year in the fall, the program provides a six-week experience in a Yale biomedical lab, where you will work on a research project under the guidance of a Principal Investigator.
It’s important to note that the internship requires a full-time commitment, so you are expected to dedicate yourself exclusively to the program. This program is especially beneficial if you’re interested in research, as it provides direct exposure to the methods and practices used in biomedical science, helping you gain a deeper understanding of the field.
6. Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History EVO Internship
Subject Areas: History, Vertebrate Paleontology, Geochemistry
Location: Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT
Cost: No cost. Stipend provided
Application Deadline: No information
Program Dates: Summer. Specific dates are unspecified.
Eligibility: New Haven and West Haven Public high school students can apply.
The EVOLUTIONS Internship offers high school students the chance to conduct research at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. During the program, you’ll work on a specific research project related to fields like vertebrate palaeontology or geochemistry, collaborating with graduate and undergraduate students.
You’ll gain hands-on experience in both field and lab settings, dedicating about 15–20 hours per week over a total of 100 hours throughout the summer. As an intern, you’ll receive a stipend for your work and present your research findings at the end of the program at a symposium held at the Peabody Museum. This internship provides an opportunity to engage with scientists and contribute to ongoing research in a university setting.
7. Fairfield University’s BASE Summer Camp
Subject Areas: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering
Location: Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Cost: Free (includes meals and lodging)
Application Deadline: TBA for 2025
Program Dates: TBA for 2025
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors from underrepresented groups in STEM who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and in good academic standing. Preference may be given to Bridgeport applicants
BASE Camp at Fairfield University is a two-week residential program for high school students in Connecticut interested in scientific research. The camp offers hands-on experiences in subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and engineering. Past projects have included studying the effects of exercise on the body, examining microplastic contamination in penguins, and investigating forensic scientific methods.
You will work alongside faculty and undergraduate students on real-world research projects while living on campus and exploring careers in healthcare and science. The program also includes tailored college admissions counselling, a final poster presentation to share your findings with family and the university community, and access to web-based resources to help you explore scientific careers. At the end of the camp, you’ll receive a Certificate of Participation.
8. Emagination Tech Summer Camp Weekly Sessions
Subject Areas: Programming, Robotics, Game Design, 3D Printing, Digital Art, and more
Location: Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Cost: $3,760 for two weeks (overnight) | $2,080 for two weeks (day camp)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions (until sessions are full)
Program Dates: Session 1: July 15 — 26, 2025 | Session 2: July 29 — August 9, 2025
Eligibility: Students ages 8–17 can participate.
The Emagination STEM Camp at Fairfield University offers students in Connecticut the opportunity to explore a range of STEM fields, including programming, robotics, game design, and 3D printing. You can choose from a variety of workshops where you can work on projects like coding video games, building and programming robots, or designing 3D-printed models.
The camp combines technical learning with traditional summer activities, providing an environment where you can develop new skills while also making social connections. For students interested in research, the camp offers hands-on experience with technology that can serve as a foundation for future academic work in STEM fields.
9. Yale Citizens Thinkers Writers Program
Subject Areas: Humanities, Philosophy, Political Theory
Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT
Cost: Free (includes tuition, room, board, and travel expenses)
Application Deadline: March 25, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program Dates: July 14–26, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors from New Haven public schools. Preference is given to students who would be the first in their family to attend college.
The Yale Citizens Thinkers Writers Program offers high school students in Connecticut a focused introduction to the humanities. Throughout the two-week summer session, you will engage in seminars on philosophy, literature, and political theory, working closely with professors to analyze classic texts and discuss complex ideas about society and citizenship.
The program also helps you refine your writing and critical thinking skills through essays and group discussions. After the summer session, you will continue to meet with faculty for the academic year, allowing you to further develop your intellectual interests. This program encourages deeper analysis and the development of strong argumentative writing which can be useful if you’re interested in research, especially in the areas of humanities and social sciences.
The program below is not based in Connecticut, but allows students from CT to apply!
10. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Subject Areas: STEM, social sciences, humanities
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 in fields like data science, machine learning, political theory, and more. It gives you the option to choose between quantitative or qualitative research, allowing you to tailor your experience. After selecting a subject track, you’ll be paired with a professor or PhD scholar who will guide you through the research process.
Throughout the program, you’ll work toward developing a 20-page research paper, which you can submit to prestigious journals for potential publication. Additionally, you will receive a letter of recommendation and detailed project feedback to help with future research endeavours.
Image source – Yale University logo
