For high school students outside the United States, free online research programs offer an accessible way to deepen your understanding of academic fields, explore research methodologies, and build a stronger academic profile for college applications abroad.
Whether you’re interested in machine learning, biomedical science, social impact, or theoretical physics, there’s a range of programs that allow you to work with experts in the field. This list compiles 14 free online research programs that welcome international high school students to conduct research with an organization in the US.
Some are structured mentorship programs, while others simulate a lab or pre-college research environment virtually. Either way, you’re gaining exposure to tools, techniques, and academic frameworks that will help you build research skills.
Here is a list of 14 free online research programs for international high school students!
The program includes a letter of recommendation for every student, plus comprehensive feedback on projects that can assist with future work and college applications. Apply here!
1. Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
Subject Areas: Mathematics (Abstract Algebra, Number Theory, Algebraic Topology)
Cost: $3,580 (Online) (financial aid available)
Location: Online and Residential (Stanford University, CA)
Program Dates: Session One: Online – June 16–July 4 | Session Two: Online – July 7–July 25 | Session One: Residential – June 22–July 18
Application Deadline: February 3
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors (grades 10–11); international students are eligible
SUMaC’s online program offers a deep dive into advanced mathematical topics not typically covered in high school, such as abstract algebra, number theory, and algebraic topology. You’ll attend daily live sessions focused on proof-based learning, group problem solving, and theoretical exploration. Expect to engage with LaTeX for formatting mathematical work and collaborate with peers on research-oriented assignments. The program includes lectures from mathematicians and culminates in a final project that emphasizes independent mathematical thinking.
2. Veritas AI
Subject Areas: AI, Coding, Computer Science
Location: Remote
Eligibility: High school students passionate about AI; a Basic understanding of Python or completion of AI Scholars is required for the AI Fellowship program
Application Deadline: Upcoming summer cohort deadlines – April 27. You can apply here!
Program Dates: Multiple start dates are available throughout the year.
Cost: AI Scholars – $1790 (financial aid is available); AI Fellowship – $4900; Combination (AI Scholars + AI Fellowship) – $5900
Veritas AI, founded by Harvard graduates, offers two programs for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. The AI Scholars program focuses on collaborative learning in AI applications, while the AI Fellowship provides personalized mentorship from PhD experts for independent research projects.
In the AI Fellowship, you’ll examine AI’s influence on fields such as finance, medicine, and gaming, with opportunities to publish or present your work. Previous projects have explored AI in medicine, educational tools, and gaming algorithms. The program emphasizes technical skill-building and applying AI concepts to real-world challenges.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Subject Areas: STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences
Location: Remote
Cost: $2,990 (financial aid available)
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The Summer Cohort I application deadline is April 13!
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program, founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers, offers high school students the opportunity to work one-on-one with PhD mentors to develop an independent research project in their subject area. If selected, you’ll work closely with mentors to create a college-level research paper based on your project, with additional support from writing coaches.
During this period, you’ll engage in thorough research, participate in workshops, and gradually refine your work. By the end of the program, you will have completed a research paper and gained experience in research methods, critical thinking, and academic writing. More details about the application are here! You can choose your subject track in the application form, such as business, as well as a specific area of focus, such as entrepreneurship, throughout your research experience!
4. Yale Center for Clinical Investigation Exposures Program (YCCI Exposures)
Subject Areas: Clinical Research, Translational Science, Public Health, Data Science, Health Disparities, Mobile Health Technology
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Program Dates: July 7–July 31
Application Deadline: May 2
Eligibility: High school and college students ages 15–21; international students are eligible
YCCI Exposures is a four-week virtual internship that introduces you to the foundations of clinical and translational research, with a focus on public health data, health disparities, and emerging healthcare technologies. You’ll participate in seminars, journal clubs, and project work alongside a mentor from Yale’s research faculty, and you can also explore how mobile apps and digital tools are used in patient engagement and health monitoring. The program emphasizes collaborative learning, culminating in a final presentation of your independent or group research project to faculty and community leaders.
5. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Subject Areas: Biology, Neuroscience, Data Science, Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Engineering, Psychology, Public Health, Epidemiology
Cost: Free (except $25 application fee, which may be waived)
Location: Online (as determined by mentor)
Program Dates: June 18–August 8
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students age 15+; international students eligible (note: remote placements only for international students)
ASSIP is a full-time, 8-week virtual research internship that places you with a faculty mentor to conduct original research in your chosen STEM field. Online interns collaborate with mentors in areas like machine learning, bioinformatics, epidemiology, or physics using tools such as R, Python, and simulation platforms, depending on the project. You’ll participate in daily research activities, write reports, and present your findings at a virtual research symposium. Mentor availability for remote projects varies each year, and you’ll be matched based on your interests and the mentor’s preferred format. The program is competitive, but free to join, and provides an introduction to academic research for students worldwide.
6. UC San Diego Academic Connections Research Scholars
Subject Areas: Bioengineering, Life Sciences, Business, Marine Science, Neuroscience, Cell Biology
Cost: $1,500–$2,700 (financial aid available)
Location: Online
Program Dates: Varies by course (Spring and Summer sessions available)
Application Deadline: Rolling (until course capacity is reached)
Eligibility: High school students globally; no citizenship or residency restrictions
UC San Diego’s Research Scholars program offers high school students the chance to explore real-world scientific research through pre-college courses taught by university faculty. Online tracks include bioengineering, neuroscience, marine biodiversity, and business research, each with live instruction and project-based assessments. Depending on the course, you might use tools like R or Python for bioinformatics, or explore concepts in genomics, molecular biology, and imaging analysis. While you won’t need transcripts or recommendation letters to apply, the courses are academically rigorous and include regular assignments and synchronous discussions. Courses are offered for pre-college credit and may require live attendance based on scheduled class times.
7. Building U High School Internship (Research and Development Role)
Subject Areas: Education Research, Writing, Data Organization, Media, Marketing, Web Development
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Program Dates: Rolling (minimum commitment of 3 months)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12; international students are eligible
In the Resource R&D team at Building U, high school students contribute to the organization’s growing database of student opportunities by researching and writing about scholarships, programs, and internships. You’ll collaborate with peers on a content pipeline that feeds into public-facing platforms and tools. While working remotely, you’ll develop skills in structured research, collaborative writing, and digital organization. Interns can cross-collaborate with other teams, including coding, marketing, and blog development, depending on interest. The internship is flexible and student-driven, offering the chance to work on live projects with a global team.
8. Stanford University Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X)
Subject Areas: Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Psychology, Behavioral Science
Cost: $1,595 (scholarships available)
Location: Online
Program Dates: June 16–June 27
Application Deadline: December 15–March 1 (rolling until capacity is reached)
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–18; international students are eligible
CNI-X’s virtual track (CNV-X) offers an introduction to clinical neuroscience, connecting you with Stanford faculty across psychiatry, neurobiology, and behavioral health. Over two weeks, you’ll engage in live lectures, Q&A sessions, and guided discussions on topics like neuroimaging, forensic psychiatry, neurodiversity, and brain circuits. You’ll also collaborate in small teams to design and present a capstone project addressing a current issue in mental health or neuroscience. The program emphasizes critical thinking, team-based problem solving, and ethical conversations around real-world clinical topics—all within a structured Zoom-based environment.
9. EnergyMag Virtual Research Internship
Subject Areas: Renewable Energy – focusing on energy storage technology, clean energy economics, and industry analysis
Cost: Free (unpaid internship; no program fee)
Location: Online (work from home; interns connect with their mentor via email/Skype)
Program Dates: Flexible. Half-time internships (≈20 hours/week) run in 2–8 week blocks over the summer, and quarter-time internships (≈8 hours/week) run 1–9 months and can start year-round.
Application Deadline: Rolling (applications accepted any time; schedules are arranged individually)
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (10th–12th grade) from any country. A GPA ~3.25 (B+) or higher and at least one honors-level science or English class is recommended.
EnergyMag, an online magazine dedicated to energy storage, offers virtual internships for high school students passionate about sustainable energy. Interns work on research and analysis projects aimed at increasing understanding of renewable energy’s role in the world. Each intern is assigned a specific topic – for example, analyzing a battery technology, evaluating the business prospects of a solar company, or researching a niche energy market – and is mentored through the process of investigating that topic in depth. Interns learn how to gather information (including reaching out to industry or academic experts), synthesize their findings, and write a professional report. Throughout the internship, students receive as much guidance as needed from an assigned mentor and stay in daily contact online. If the final analysis report is of publishable quality, EnergyMag will edit and publish it on their site with the student credited as an author, and will issue a detailed Letter of Accomplishment recognizing the student’s work.
10. Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program
Subject Areas: Computer Science, Game Design, UX Design, Programming Fundamentals
Cost: Free (eligible U.S. students may receive a $300 needs-based grant)
Location: Online
Program Dates: Two-week sessions in summer (dates vary by cohort)
Application Deadline: Rolling (closes once filled)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–11 who identify as girls or non-binary; international students are eligible
In this two-week virtual program, high school students explore core concepts in computer science through the lens of game design, including UX principles and coding logic. You’ll build projects in a live classroom setting while collaborating with peers from around the world. Sessions also feature guest speakers from tech companies, offering insight into career paths and practical advice on entering the field. The program is beginner-friendly and emphasizes both technical learning and personal growth within a diverse peer community.
11. NC State University’s Global Training Initiative Online Research Program
Subject Areas: Data Science, Computer Science, Marketing, Engineering, Finance, Political Science, Sustainability
Cost: $1,275 (scholarships available)
Location: Online
Program Dates: June 26–July 31
Application Deadline: March 3–June 1 (rolling admissions)
Eligibility: High school students entering grade 10 or above; international students are eligible (minimum English proficiency required: TOEFL iBT 75, IELTS 6.0, or Duolingo 95)
This 4-week online program introduces you to academic research through live sessions with NC State faculty, peer collaboration, and project-based learning. You’ll choose from topics like predictive modeling for drone delivery, sustainable development, or financial derivatives pricing in Python. Each project emphasizes hands-on skill development that ranges from data analysis and visualization to digital strategy and scientific communication. Sessions meet twice weekly, and you’ll spend an additional 5–10 hours per week on independent and group work. The program concludes with a final presentation and a certificate from NC State University.
12. sci-MI Electrical Engineering Mentorship Program (EEMP)
Subject Areas: Electrical Engineering, Circuits, Computer Architecture, Signal Processing, Embedded Systems, Software Engineering
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Program Dates: July 1–August 10
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students worldwide; no prior experience required
EEMP offers high school students a 5-week virtual introduction to electrical engineering through weekly lectures, lab sessions, journal clubs, and independent research. You’ll explore foundational topics like circuit design, signal analysis, and embedded systems using open-source tools. Alongside weekly mentor check-ins, you’ll develop a self-directed project that culminates in a formal paper and presentation. The program focuses on intellectual curiosity over prior experience and is accessible to students without access to traditional summer research. Time commitment is flexible, typically 10–20 hours per week.
13. MIT RAISE: Global AI Hackathon
Subject Areas: Artificial Intelligence, App Development, UX Design, Social Impact, Sustainable Development
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Program Dates:
- Registration opens: March 3
- Submissions open: March 17
- Submission deadline: April 14
Application Deadline: April 14
Eligibility: Open to all students under 18 for the Youth categories; international students are eligible (excluding U.S.-sanctioned countries)
The Global AI Hackathon is a virtual coding challenge where you’ll build an AI-enabled app using MIT App Inventor to address a UN Sustainable Development Goal. Working solo or in a team, you’ll go through the full design process—defining a problem, building a prototype, and showcasing your work through a presentation and demo video. You’ll be judged on creativity, ethical AI use, technical implementation, and user experience. Winners from each category are invited to present their work at the MIT AI & Education Summit in Cambridge, MA, with all expenses paid.
14. Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP)
Subject Areas: Physics, Astrophysics, Quantum Physics, Quantum Computing, Cosmology, Python Programming
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Program Dates: July 7–July 25
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–11 who identify as girls or non-binary; international students are eligible (preference for rising seniors and students from underrepresented backgrounds)
SPINWIP is a virtual program designed to introduce female high school students, especially those new to physics or coding, to the fundamentals of modern physics and its computational tools. You’ll attend live sessions featuring lectures from Stanford researchers and participate in small group projects led by undergraduates. Alongside learning physics concepts, you’ll build foundational Python coding skills and use them to model real-world physics problems. The schedule includes workshops on college planning and academic careers, with opportunities to connect with mentors in both research and undergraduate life.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, 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
