As a high school student, spending your summer learning data science, a skill useful across industries, is a solid investment for your academic and professional trajectory. By mastering this field, you’ll open doors to diverse careers in technology, business, research, and many other sectors.
One good way to engage in data science early on is by joining a summer research program. Specifically, an online summer research program in data science that allows you to conduct research without having to move states/cities for an in-person program.
These programs let you explore machine learning, statistical analysis, and data visualization while working on real-world problems. Whether you’re interested in researching exoplanets with NASA, building AI models for healthcare, or exploring quantum computing at MIT, these programs provide mentorship and project-based learning opportunities.
With so many options available, finding the best data science research program can be tricky. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 12 online data science research summer programs for high school students!
12 Online Data Science Research Summer Programs for High School Students
1. Veritas AI – AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Location: Virtual
Cost: $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Dates: Varies according to the cohort: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI with a suitable environment in which 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.
2. ASPIRE by Johns Hopkins University
Location: Offered virtually or in-person at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD
Cost/Stipend: The program is free for all accepted participants; however, it is unpaid.
Application Deadline: February 15. the ASPIRE application applies only to the summer session, and participation during the academic year is not required.
Dates: Summer session runs June 24 – August 21; academic year runs September 15 – May. Seniors need 60 hours, juniors 30 by December 31.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors aged 15 or older with a minimum GPA of 2.8 who are permanent residents of specific Maryland counties
The ASPIRE program helps high school juniors and seniors explore STEM careers before choosing a college major. You will work with APL mentors on projects that build technical and interpersonal skills. Virtual internships are remote, except for in-person onboarding, equipment returns, and IT troubleshooting.
You can choose two areas of interest and up to three project types, but mentors and projects are assigned by the program. If you’re interested in data science, research areas include AI, machine learning, data analysis, and programming. Projects may involve studying disease transmission, analyzing drone detection with AI, or modeling environmental data. The program is competitive, with a 10% acceptance rate.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program—Data Science Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Starts at $2,990. Financial aid is available!
Application Deadline: Application deadlines vary by cohort. The upcoming deadline for the summer cohort is April 13.
Dates: The program offers four cohorts: summer (June–August), fall (September–December), winter (December–February), and spring (March–June).
Eligibility: High school students with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale are encouraged to apply.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week opportunity for high school students to develop an independent research project in their chosen field with guidance from a Ph.D. mentor. Throughout the program, you will collaborate with your mentor and a writing coach to select and refine your research topic while attending workshops on research methods.
The program covers a wide range of fields, including data science, computer science, engineering, anthropology, physics, biology, history, sociology, economics, chemistry, and gender studies. If you are interested in data science research, you can explore topics such as deep learning, machine learning, and software development systems. If none of the available topics match your interests, you have the option to customize your research focus. For details on the application process, you can check here.
4. George Mason University – NASA Data Science Analysis and Scholarly Research Paper Writing
Location: Virtual, with optional in-person sessions at George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus, VA
Cost/Stipend: The program fees are not listed on the website; students can contact [email protected] for more details.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a first come, first-served basis.
Dates: June 14 – August 30
Eligibility: All high school students
The Young Scholars NASA Data Science Program gives high school students hands-on experience with NASA space data and statistical analysis. The program focuses on astronomical data analysis, where you will work on NASA missions, study exoplanet data, and develop a research paper with mentorship and study sessions.
This year’s projects focus on exoplanet candidates from NASA’s TESS mission and James Webb Space Telescope data. You will use professional tools to validate exoplanets and contribute to NASA’s follow-up program. With guidance from George Mason faculty, you will write a scholarly research paper. Completed papers may be published on the George Mason University Schar School Young Scholars Journals web page. The program accepts only 50 students.
5. MehtA+ AI/Machine Learning Research Bootcamp
Location: Virtual via Zoom
Cost: The boot camp costs $1,990, with limited need-based scholarships available.
Application Deadline: The deadline is June 11 or until all slots are filled.
Dates: June 23 – August 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12, ages 13–18
The MehtA+ Machine Learning Bootcamp is a virtual six-week program led by engineers from MIT and Stanford, introducing high school students to fundamental and advanced concepts in data science. You’ll learn the mathematical foundations of AI, machine learning, and deep learning models, along with data processing techniques and AI model training. By the end of the camp, you will have developed the foundational skills for entry-level roles in data science and machine learning.
You’ll also work on midterm and final projects in groups of 3–4, focusing on machine learning applications in fields such as medicine, economics, digital humanities, and linguistics. Research papers from these projects are published online, and you’ll get to present your findings at the annual MehtA+ Machine Learning conference to university professors. You can explore past projects from the camp here.
6. NASA and UT Austin’s STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Summer High School Intern Program
Location: Offered virtually or in person at the University of Texas, Austin, TX
Cost/Stipend: No cost; unpaid
Application Deadline: February 22
Dates: May 1 – July 22
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors who are U.S. citizens, at least 16 years old, and have not previously participated as SEES interns
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Sciences (SEES) High School Summer Intern Program, run by NASA and the University of Texas at Austin, gives you hands-on experience in NASA research. You will work on data analysis and visualization with NASA experts in fields like astronomy, remote sensing, and planetary science.
If you choose data science, SEES offers a three-week virtual program where you will work with experts on big data challenges. Using coding and analytical skills, you will analyze long-term environmental trends and climate change with NASA-funded GLOBE Program data. Students who complete the program receive a NASA certificate.
7. The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI)—Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $40 application fee, $850 participation fee. The application and program participation fees can be waived based on financial need.
Application Deadline: February 28
Dates: June 16 – June 27
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12 in the fall, who are at least 14 years old by the program’s start, and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging offers a project-based internship for students with coding, math, or statistics skills. You will work on AI applications in healthcare, gaining experience in both technical and clinical research.
You will analyze medical data, develop AI models, and attend lectures on AI in healthcare. The program also includes Virtual Career Lunch and Learn sessions with experts from academia, industry, and government. Each year, about 25 students are selected, and those who complete the program receive a Certificate of Completion.
8. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internship Programs
Location: Available remotely or on-site at one of NASA’s 10 field centers, depending on the project.
Cost/Stipend: Participation is free; interns may receive a stipend based on their academic level and session length.
Application Deadline: The deadline for the summer session is February 28!
Dates: These internships are offered in three sessions (Fall, Spring, and Summer), with dates depending on the specific opportunity. The summer session runs for 10 weeks, from late May or early June to August.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old, U.S. citizens, and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) offers paid internships for high school and college students in science, engineering, finance, IT, and business. You will work on projects in areas such as space science, computer science, software engineering, space microbiology, aeronautics, astronomy, robotics, ecology, and communications.
For data science, projects include AI and machine learning for air traffic management, equity strategies for aviation, and using ML for cosmic ray detection with the James Webb Space Telescope. Other AI projects involve lunar simulations with block coding and AI-driven aviation technologies. You can also attend virtual lectures from astronauts and experts. To find available internships, use the ‘Filter’ option to locate those open to high school students.
9. George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Offered in fully remote, hybrid, and in-person formats at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA
Cost/Stipend: The program is free to join, with a $25 application fee that may be waived for those with financial need. However, it does not cover transportation or housing, and the internship is unpaid.
Application Deadline: February 2
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Eligibility: Interns must be at least 15 years old for remote, hybrid, and in-person computer lab internships and at least 16 years old for hybrid or in-person wet lab internships by the start of the program.
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) at George Mason University is an eight-week research internship where you will work on projects in chemistry, bioengineering, environmental science, physics, neuroscience, astronomy, and computer science.
If you are interested in data science, you can work on projects in modeling and simulation, agent-based simulation, Earth observation, natural language processing, machine learning, and deep learning. Past projects have included developing a JupyterLab plugin for data science best practices, creating a quantitative intersectional data analysis framework, and collecting real-world data for navigation through subgoal planning.
10. NASA’s GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS) Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free for all accepted participants
Application Deadline: May 15
Dates: June 2 – August 29
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents must have a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0 and have completed at least one college-prep high school biology course
Sponsored by NASA’s Ames Research Center, GL4HS is a 12-week virtual summer program focused on NASA space biology, omics research, bioinformatics, computational biology, and data analysis. The Basic Level course offers recorded lectures with JupyterLab Notebooks, completed at your own pace, plus optional live Open Office Hours (5–6 hours per week). After completing this course, you can join the Capstone Project, forming teams of four to five to analyze bioinformatics datasets.
You’ll develop hypothesis-driven research proposals using Open Science Data Repository (OSDR) analysis and present your findings at a competitive symposium. The top eight teams enter a written proposal competition, and the top three win an all-expenses-paid trip to present at the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) conference.
11. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: Virtual or in-person at MIT in Cambridge, MA
Cost: The program costs $2,350 for students from families with an income above $150,000 but is free for those from families earning less.
Application Deadline: March 31
Dates: July 7 – August 3
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–11 who attend school in the U.S. can apply, with most accepted students typically in 11th grade.
The Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI), hosted by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and MIT’s School of Engineering, is a hands-on STEM program where high school students tackle real-world challenges in robotics, AI, cybersecurity, and more.
Data science-related online courses include Remote Sensing for Disaster Response, Medlytics, and Quantum Software. In Remote Sensing for Disaster Response, you’ll use Python to process geospatial data, analyze satellite imagery, and apply GIS, remote sensing, and deep learning for emergency management. Medlytics focuses on machine learning in medical applications, such as predicting hypothyroidism, classifying sleep states using physiological signals, and detecting cancer in mammograms.
In Quantum Software, you’ll explore quantum computing concepts through coding exercises and develop and test quantum algorithms. BWSI offers the chance to learn from MIT Lincoln Laboratory faculty, enhance programming skills, and collaborate with peers. Current course offerings can be found here.
12. Stanford AI4ALL
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,000; financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: January 24
Dates: June 18 – July 2
Eligibility: Current 9th-grade students (rising 10th graders) who will be at least 14 years old by the program’s start
Stanford AI4ALL is a two-week virtual program for high school students interested in AI. You’ll attend lectures, work on hands-on research projects, and receive mentorship. The program focuses on increasing diversity in AI and covers topics like robotics, computer vision, medical AI, and natural language processing, along with AI’s societal impact.
In partnership with the Stanford AI Lab, the program offers research experience, career development workshops, and mentorship from faculty and senior researchers. You’ll collaborate on group research projects led by graduate students and postdocs, attend expert-led lectures, and join social events with Stanford AI graduate students.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – Stanford University