Are you a high school student passionate about research? If yes, this blog is for you! Whether you’re focused on science, technology, or the humanities, research programs provide hands-on experience that sharpens your skills. These programs help you build critical thinking, problem-solving, and technical skills helping you tackle real-world challenges.
These programs are also super useful in helping you prepare for future careers by giving you a practical understanding of how research works in various fields.
Here’s a list of 10 university research programs for high school students!
10 University Research Programs for High School Students
1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is a six-week opportunity for high school students to work in Stanford’s advanced research labs. During the program, you’ll collaborate with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and researchers on various projects. These projects focus on areas like bioengineering, stem cell research, genetics, neurobiology, immunology, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, and cancer biology.
You’ll receive training in laboratory safety, research methods, and the fundamentals of conducting scientific studies. With guidance from experienced mentors, you’ll work in advanced labs and gain hands-on experience in medical research.
Subject Areas: Medicine, Biotechnology, Diseases, and Genomics.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Attending is free, but applicants must pay an application fee. Participants receive a minimum stipend of $500 for the program, with students receiving a minimum of $1,500. Neither meals nor housing are provided.
Application Deadline: February 22, 2025
Program Dates: 8 weeks, June 9- July 31, 2025
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors aged at least 16 with U.S. citizenship or permanent residency are eligible to apply!
2. Carnegie Mellon’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
Carnegie Mellon’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) is a six-week program designed to strengthen your STEM foundation. The curriculum combines traditional classroom learning with practical projects and provides opportunities for close interaction with professors and mentors.
SAMS is structured in two phases: the first is a virtual segment focused on preparing you with foundational skills before the in-person program. The second phase is a six-week on-campus experience, where you’ll participate in full-day courses and activities, culminating in a symposium to showcase your work.
Subject Areas: STEM
Location: Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA)
Cost: Fully funded
Application deadline: March 1, 2025
Program dates: 6 weeks, June 21 — August 2, 2025
Eligibility: Sophomores or juniors from high school and underrepresented communities.
3. Research Science Institute (RSI)
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a competitive program for high school students held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Each summer, 100 students from around the world participate in this cost-free, six-week program.
The experience begins with a week of STEM classes taught by accomplished professors in subjects like physics, biology, mathematics, computer science, and engineering. This is followed by five weeks of research, where you’ll work on an individual project guided by expert mentors. RSI concludes with a final week of presentations, where you’ll share your findings through written and oral reports.
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free of cost, stipend provided
Application Deadline: Currently closed for 2025. TBA for 2026.
Program Dates: 2 months between June and August (tentative, based on previous years).
Eligibility: High school juniors, including international students, are eligible to apply. Recommended scores are 740+ for PSAT Math, 700+ for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, 33 for ACT Math, and 34 for ACT Verbal. If your scores are lower, you must provide other indicators of academic excellence.
4. Simons Summer Research Program
The Simons Summer Research Program offers high school students the chance to participate in hands-on research across science, math, and engineering. You will be paired with mentors and become part of research teams, working on specific projects that culminate in either an abstract or a poster presentation.
Research topics cover areas such as biochemistry, computer science, geoscience, pharmacological sciences, and astronomy. The program offers hands-on experience with laboratory tools and research techniques, giving you a close look at university-level research.
Subject Areas: STEM
Location: Stony Brook University, featuring commuter and residential options.
Cost: Free, although students are responsible for their own transportation and residential costs. At the program’s closing symposium, students receive a stipend award.
Application Deadline: February 7, 2025.
Program Dates: June 30— August 8, 2025
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are at least 16 years of age.
5. Harvard-Smithsonian Science Research Mentoring Program
The Harvard-Smithsonian Science Research Mentoring Program lets high school students work on an astrophysics project for a full year. You’ll work with scientists from Harvard or the Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). You’ll work in small teams mentored by CfA astrophysicists, combining virtual and in-person activities. The program includes workshops, lectures, and hands-on research. At the end, you’ll present your findings at a symposium, sharing your work in a professional setting.
Subject Areas: Astrophysics
Location: Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA. Can be virtual as well.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A stipend is provided courtesy of the City of Cambridge.
Application Deadline: Applications for the 2024–2025 SRMP Cohort are closed but expected to open in May 2025 for the next cohort.
Program Dates: September — May
Eligibility: Must be a Cambridge Rindge and Latin School student, but they are looking to broaden the scope of their program.
6. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University selects 12 high school students each year for hands-on research with faculty from various disciplines. With an acceptance rate of less than 3%, the program maintains high standards. You’ll work on projects in areas like nutritional science, computer science, mechanical engineering, and history. This program gives you a practical learning experience and strengthens your understanding of research methods and academic inquiry.
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: No application cost, stipend of $750 provided.
Application deadline: February 15, 2025.
Program Dates: 7 weeks, June 22 — August 7, 2025.
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors who are at least 17 years of age.
7. NYU’s ARISE Program
ARISE at NYU offers 10th and 11th graders from New York City a unique opportunity for hands-on research experience. This free seven-week summer program allows you to work with NYU faculty on projects in computer science, machine learning, and robotics. The program has two phases: the first two weeks focus on workshops to prepare you for research, while the next five weeks involve working in labs with mentors. Through ARISE, you’ll gain exposure to college-level research, contribute to advanced lab projects, and develop professional skills while engaging in discussions with experts.
Subject Areas: Computer science, Machine learning, Robotics. You can view all subject areas over here!
Location: New York University Campus, NY (Specific Area depends on subject area/ lab choice.
Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend provided
Application Deadline: February 21, 2025
Program Dates: 7 weeks, June 2 — August 8, 2025.
Eligibility: Rising juniors and rising seniors based in New York City are eligible to apply.
8. Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab at the University of Chicago
The Data Science Institute Summer Lab program at the University of Chicago offers an 8-week, paid research opportunity for high school students interested in data science. You’ll work alongside a mentor in fields such as data science, public policy, and social science, exploring how data science techniques can be applied to a variety of topics.
As a research assistant, you’ll gain hands-on experience with data analysis methods, learning how to work with large datasets and uncover patterns and trends. The program also includes a weekly speaker series where experts share their insights on applying data science to different research areas. At the end of the program, you’ll have the chance to present your work in a final video at the summer symposium.
Subject Areas: Multidisciplinary — data science, STEM, humanities, social sciences.
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost. Stipend of $4,800 provided
Application Deadline: January 12, 2025
Program Dates: June 16 — August 8, 2025
Eligibility: Applicants must be high school students based in the Chicago area or undergraduate students enrolled in college. International students can also apply but must provide documentation for work authorization in the U.S.
9. Northeastern University’s Young Scholar Program (YSP)
Northeastern University’s Young Scholar Program (YSP) offers Massachusetts high school juniors a six-week, no-cost opportunity to gain research experience in science, engineering, and health sciences. You’ll work in labs on faculty-led projects in areas like agent-based modeling, battery chemistry, cancer therapies, and model compression algorithms. The program includes hands-on lab work, seminars, and career counseling sessions, giving you exposure to advanced research and insight into future paths in science and engineering.
Subject Areas: STEM
Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend provided
Location: Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
Application Dates: February 20, 2025.
Program Dates: 6 weeks, June 23 — July 31, 2025.
Eligibility: Open to Massachusetts high school juniors with strong academics and extracurricular involvement.
10. Princeton University’s Laboratory Learning Program
The Laboratory Learning Program offers New Jersey high school students a chance to contribute to research at Princeton University. Guided by Princeton faculty and research staff, you’ll work on projects tailored to your interests, with flexible schedules.
In 2024, the Engineering track included a project on using large language models for environmental sustainability. The Natural Sciences track featured a study on the “Fossil Size Database,” exploring how animal sizes have changed with climate shifts.
Subject areas: Engineering & Natural Sciences
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (commuter program for statewide residents). Note that this program does not include housing, so students are responsible for arranging their transportation and accommodation.
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025. The application process is closed for the 2025 Summer program and will open on February 15, 2025.
Program dates: 5–6 weeks over the summer. TBD for 2025.
Eligibility: Applicants must be high school students between the ages of 16–18 and be New Jersey residents.
Bonus:
As a bonus, here are three remote research opportunities you can explore alongside the university-led research programs above.
11. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students, covering a wide range of topics such as data science, machine learning, psychology, and political theory. You can choose between quantitative or qualitative research based on your interests.
After selecting your subject track, you’ll be paired with a professor or PhD scholar who will guide you through the research process. The program includes developing a 20-page research paper, which you can submit for consideration to academic journals. You will also receive a letter of recommendation and constructive feedback to support your continued academic development and research skills.
Subject Areas: Environmental health and engineering, behavioral economics, psychology, international relations, neuroscience, data science, machine learning, network science, biophysics, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, history, philosophy, political theory, sociology, and more!
Location: Virtual
Application Deadlines: Spring 2025: February 16, 2025; Summer 2025: February 16 (early), March 23 (priority), April 20 (regular-I), May 18 (regular-II)!
Program Dates: Spring 2025: March 3, 2025; Summer 2025: June 16, 2025! Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 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.
12. Veritas AI – AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Veritas AI offers high school students a chance to explore the rapidly evolving field of AI in a collaborative setting. Their programs provide opportunities for hands-on learning, project development, and one-on-one mentorship from experienced professionals. The AI Fellowship program allows you to engage in independent research over 15 weeks, with the flexibility to integrate AI with any area of interest. Throughout the program, personalized mentorship will help you strengthen your technical skills while working on your project. You can also explore examples of past projects here to gain a better understanding of the work students have done.
Subject Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science
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 passionate about AI. A basic understanding of Python or completion of AI scholars is required for the AI Fellowship program.
13. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous 12-week research program for high school students, offering 1-on-1 mentorship with Ph.D. mentors. You can choose from a broad range of subjects, including psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, and international relations. Throughout the program, you will work on an independent research project, developing your research skills and gaining hands-on experience.
At the end, you will have a completed research paper that demonstrates your ability to conduct scholarly research. The program provides personalized guidance, allowing you to deepen your knowledge in your chosen field, and a focused, academic environment to advance your research skills. You can find more details about the application here.
Subject Areas: Multidisciplinary — biology, psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, gender studies, engineering, chemistry, business, entrepreneurship, international relations, environmental science, and more!
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, demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4), and no previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Image source – Research Science Institute logo
