Summer research programs allow you to develop advanced skills and practical experience in academic settings, especially in fields like STEM. The programs listed in this blog are rigorous research programs for high school students who have demonstrated strong interest or aptitude in fields like STEM, social sciences, or the humanities, and are looking to engage in in-depth, mentor-guided research.
Unlike general summer camps or pre-college programs, these opportunities are super selective, with structured timelines, rigorous application processes, and the chance to work alongside faculty, graduate students, or professionals in a field of your choice. You will gain exposure to research methodologies, data analysis, and academic writing, often culminating in presentations or publications. If you are considering future careers in research or academia, these programs can help develop content knowledge and understand the discipline of a researcher. Plus, they look great on your resume!
This list highlights 15 competitive research opportunities for high school students across disciplines:
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Financial aid is available
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 subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more. It 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 acts as a mentor 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 and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
2. MIT’s Research Science Institute
Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None
Application Deadline: December 11
Program Dates: June 22 – August 2
Eligibility: Students who are rising seniors (you will have to apply in the middle of your junior year). High school seniors are not eligible to apply.
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a six-week, fully funded program at MIT for high school juniors with demonstrated aptitude in STEM. Hosted by the Center for Excellence in Education, it admits 80 students worldwide and is a highly selective program.
You begin with one week of intensive STEM coursework, followed by five weeks of mentored research in fields like computer science, biology, and applied mathematics. The program emphasizes experimental design, data analysis, and academic writing, concluding with a technical paper and oral presentation modeled after professional research standards.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Financial aid is available
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year.
Eligibility: High school students who 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 research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs you 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 subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
4. Stanford Institute of Medicine Summer Research Program
Location: Stanford University campus, CA
Cost: None; $500 stipend provided
Application Deadline: March 22
Program Dates: June 9 – July 31
Eligibility: High school students who are US Citizens older than 16 years old by the start of the program
The Stanford Institute of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an intensive research experience for high school students interested in medicine and biomedical science. You work in Stanford labs, gaining exposure to research methods, data analysis, and scientific literature review, while receiving mentorship from faculty.
You will also contribute to active projects, develop core research and communication skills, and present your work through oral and written reports. The program includes workshops, guest lectures, and networking with biomedical researchers. Admission is highly selective, and you are expected to be fully engaged in the research process.
5. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program
Location: Rockefeller University campus, NY
Cost: None
Application Deadline: January 3
Program Dates: June 23 – August 7
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are 16 years or older by the start of the program
The Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program offers high school students a hands-on research experience in areas such as biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and genetics. You are placed in active research labs, working alongside scientists on experiments, data analysis, and independent projects.
The program emphasizes scientific inquiry and research design, and you will present your findings to peers and mentors. Some projects may lead to academic presentations or publication opportunities. In addition to lab work, the program includes networking with researchers and seminars, supporting students in building both technical and professional skills in the life sciences.
6. Princeton University’s Laboratory Learning Program
Location: Princeton University campus, NJ
Cost: None
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15
Program Dates: 5 weeks during the summer
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 16 and 18
The Laboratory Learning Program (LLP) at Princeton University is a full-time, unpaid research experience for local high school students interested in science or engineering. You are embedded in active research labs, where you assist with ongoing projects under the close supervision of Princeton faculty and research staff.
No housing, transportation, or social programming will be provided, and you must live locally. Projects typically run 5–6 weeks during standard work hours, with schedules set by each lab. All research is conducted in person, and placement depends on lab availability and project needs.
7. MIT’s THINK Scholar Program
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15
Program Dates: 6 months with final presentations in the summer
Eligibility: High school students who are US citizens
The THINK Scholars Program, run by MIT undergraduates, supports high school students who have a well-researched idea for a science, engineering, or tech project but are still in the early stages of development. Rather than requiring completed work, THINK is designed for students who’ve conducted background research and need mentorship and funding to begin experimentation.
Finalists receive weekly mentorship, up to $1,000 in project funding, and an all-expenses-paid visit to MIT to tour labs and present their proposals to students and faculty. Projects often focus on areas like green tech, practical software tools, or engineering solutions. The program emphasizes early-stage research support, helping you move from concept to execution.
8. University of Texas at Austin High School Research Academy (HSRA)
Location: University of Texas at Austin campus, Austin, TX
Cost: Not specified
Application Deadline: March 23
Program Dates: June 9 – July 16
Eligibility: High school students who are Texas residents and older than 15 years old by June 1
The High School Research Academy (HSRA) at UT Austin is a five-week, non-residential program where students conduct research in College of Natural Sciences labs. Projects span areas such as biochemistry, neuroscience, genetics, data science, and environmental studies, with training in lab techniques and data interpretation provided by faculty and undergraduate mentors.
Alongside lab work, you attend weekly seminars with guest speakers, building context around scientific inquiry. The program concludes with a poster symposium, where you present your findings and practice formal scientific communication.
9. The University of Chicago’s Data Science Institute Summer Lab
Location: University of Chicago campus, Chicago, IL
Cost: None; $4,800 stipend provided
Application Deadline: January 12
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Eligibility: High school students who have familiarity in at least one programming language (Python, Java, C++, etc.) is preferred
The DSI Summer Lab at the University of Chicago is a 10-week, paid research program focused on applied data science across domains like computer science, climate policy, and public health. Open to high school and undergraduate students, it pairs you with a research mentor for guided project work.
You develop skills in data analysis, research design, and collaborative problem-solving, with training tailored to your project area. The program concludes with a video-based research presentation, delivered in a conference-style setting to peers and mentors, emphasizing both technical communication and domain-specific insight.
10. NYU’s ARISE Program
Location: New York University campus, NY
Cost: None; $1,000 stipend provided
Application Deadline: January 12
Program Dates: June 2 – August 18
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are New York residents
ARISE at NYU is a seven-week, no-cost research program for 10th and 11th-grade students living in NYC. It offers mentorship from NYU faculty and researchers in fields such as computer science, robotics, and machine learning.
The first two weeks focus on foundational workshops in research methods and professional development. The final five weeks are spent working in university labs, where you contribute to ongoing research projects under close guidance. The program also includes colloquia and skills training, helping you build both technical and academic competencies in a real research setting.
11. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University campus, TX
Cost: None; $750 stipend provided ($25 application fee)
Application Deadline: February 24
Program Dates: June 22 – August 7
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 17 years old and graduating in 2025 or 2026
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a selective seven-week summer research program hosted by Texas Tech University. Open to just 12 high school students each year, the program pairs you with faculty mentors for independent, hands-on research across a range of disciplines.
You take part in weekly seminars, academic discussions, and site visits, building both research and professional skills. With an acceptance rate below 3%, the program is highly competitive. It offers a focused environment to deepen your academic experience and contribute to ongoing research.
12. Johns Hopkins’ Biophysics Research for Baltimore Teens
Location: Johns Hopkins University campus, Baltimore, MD
Cost: None
Application Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: July 8 – August 8
Eligibility: High school students in the Baltimore city area
The Biophysics Research for Baltimore Teens (BRBT) program at Johns Hopkins University is a summer internship for high school students in Baltimore City, focused on biophysics and biomedical research. You gain hands-on lab experience, learning techniques in microbiology, DNA manipulation, and protein engineering, while supporting ongoing biophysical studies.
You work closely with graduate students, postdocs, and faculty, gaining exposure to research environments and academic mentorship. In addition to building practical lab skills, the program emphasizes scientific literacy and career exploration in biomedical fields.
13. Northeastern University’s Young Scholars Program
Location: Northeastern University campus, Boston, MA
Cost: None
Application Deadline: February 20
Program Dates: June 23 – July 31
Eligibility: Rising 12th grade students who are residents of Massachusetts
This summer research program at Northeastern University allows high school students to work directly with faculty in the Colleges of Engineering, Science, and Health Sciences. You assist with both practical lab work and theoretical analysis, contributing to ongoing faculty-led research projects.
You also take part in an engineering seminar series, covering topics like robotics, materials science, and chemical systems, and gain broader exposure through field visits and career counseling sessions. Past projects have included work in sensor calibration, chip diagnostics, and other applied technologies, offering insight into real-world problem-solving in STEM research.
14. UCSD’s and SDSC’s Annual Research Experience for High School Students (REHS)
Location: San Diego Supercomputer Center, CA
Cost: None for Non-Research Project; $1,500 for Research Project
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Eligibility: Current high school students with a preference given to those living in the San Diego county area
The UC San Diego and San Diego Supercomputer Center offer an 8-week research program for high school students interested in computer science and artificial intelligence. You work with UCSD faculty mentors to design and execute a research project tailored to your interests.
The program emphasizes core research skills including hypothesis development, computational methods, and data analysis. You apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, gaining experience in areas like algorithm design, machine learning, and scientific computing. This structured environment supports both technical skill-building and independent project work.
15. Vanderbilt High School Summer Research Institute (REHSS)
Location: Vanderbilt University campus, Nashville, TN
Cost: None
Application Deadline: Contact your ISR Program coordinator
Program Dates: May 27 – July 3
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors; participants must be enrolled in the ISR program at Stratford STEM Magnet, Hillsboro, or John Overton High Schools; strong academic records in math and science are required.
The Research Experience for High School Students (REHSS) at Vanderbilt University is a 6-week research internship for rising seniors, offering direct lab experience in STEM fields. You are paired with faculty mentors and work on independent research projects, with a focus on experimental design, data collection, and analysis.
You learn to formulate research questions, apply advanced lab methods, and interpret data. The program concludes with a research symposium, and you are encouraged to submit your work to competitions and publications, gaining early exposure to academic research standards.
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