If you’re a high school student interested in psychology, a good way to learn more about the subject is by joining a research program. These programs allow you to see how research is done, work on projects, and understand how psychologists collect and study information about how people think, feel, and act.
Most programs cover research methods, data collection, analysis, and how to present your findings. You’ll get a better sense of how psychology works in real life and build skills you can use in college and beyond.
All the programs listed here are free or offer financial aid, so cost won’t be a barrier. Taking part in one also gives you a strong addition to your CV and shows your early commitment to the subject.
To help you begin, here are 15 free psychology summer research programs for high school students!
15 Free Psychology Summer Research Programs for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: You can find the exact cost by submitting an interest form. Full financial aid is available.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September)
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts. The summer II cohort application deadline is June 22.
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, biology, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
If you’re interested in psychology, Horizon offers a range of 72 subtopics in psychology, spanning key questions in clinical, social, developmental, and cognitive psychology. Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey.
You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and on college applications. Apply here!
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Full 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, including summer (June – August), Fall (September – December), Winter (December – February), and Spring (March – June).
Program Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 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)
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students 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.
3. University of Toronto Summer Psychology Research Initiative (SPRINT)
Location: University of Toronto, St. George campus
Cost: None
Application Deadline: Applications are usually open between April to May every year
Program Dates: Typically runs for 10 days, during the last two weeks of July (Monday to Friday).
Eligibility: Open to all high school students in Ontario, with priority given to Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, gender minorities, first-generation students, and students entering grades 11 and 12.
The University of Toronto’s Summer Psychology Research Initiative (SPRINT) is a 10-day, no-cost program for high school students in Ontario with an interest in psychology and academic research. You can choose between two tracks: a Lecture Stream that introduces core areas of psychology as a science, and a Research Stream where you can work on a group research proposal.
The program features lectures, panels, demonstrations, and workshops that simulate a university learning environment. You’ll work closely with current undergraduate and graduate students.
4. Mary S. Easton Center UCLA Neuroscience High School Scholars Summer Program
Location: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and online
Cost: None
Application Deadline: February 7 – March 3
Program Dates: June 16 – 24
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (ages 16–18)
Mary S. Easton Center Neuroscience High School Scholars Program at UCLA is a weeklong summer program for high school juniors and seniors focused on Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias. You will take part in lab-based neuroscience activities like brain dissections and research projects.
The program includes outreach work and helps you start Alzheimer’s Awareness Clubs at your school. It runs in both in-person and virtual formats. You also get access to virtual seminars with neuroscience professionals throughout the year.
5. Summer Teen Internship Program at DOROT
Location: Manhattan, New York City
Cost: None
Application Deadline: June
Program Dates: Session I: June 23 – July 16; Session II: July 23 – August 14
Eligibility: Current high school students
DOROT’s hybrid internship program offers high school students hands-on experience supporting older adults through social engagement. You will spend part of the week virtually and the rest in person, leading activities like art sessions, tech lessons, and group games. You will develop skills in empathy, communication, and leadership while learning how aging affects emotional and psychological well-being.
6. Barrow Neurological Institute Summer Internship
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Cost: None
Application Deadline: February 14
Program Dates: May 30 – July 3
Eligibility: At least 16 years of age, enrolled in high school full-time
The Barrow Neurological Institute’s Summer High School Internship Program places high school students in neuroscience research labs, where you work directly with a Barrow researcher. You will assist with ongoing projects and get hands-on experience with advanced lab techniques.
You will also learn how to read and evaluate scientific papers and build communication skills by discussing research findings. The entire program takes place in a professional lab setting.
7. Child Mind Institute Youth Mental Health Academy
Location: Remote, hybrid, and in-person options available; First Summer schedule is on-site at one of the California locations
Cost: None; $2,000 stipend provided
Application Deadline: March 31
Program Dates: First Summer: June 23 – July 24; Academic Year: August – May; Second Summer: July – August
Eligibility: Current high school students in California
The Child Mind Institute Program is a multi-phase internship focused on mental health and community engagement. It begins with a paid, project-based summer program, followed by a year of workshops and activities.
In the second summer, you will complete an internship in a mental health-related field with mentorship from early-career professionals. The program is open to students from structurally marginalized communities with a strong interest in psychology and mental health careers.
8. Inspiring Careers in Mental Health Internship for High School Students
Location: Dallas, Texas
Cost: None
Application Deadline: Early February
Program Dates: Two weeks in June
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school
This is a two-week summer program for rising 10th to 12th graders and incoming college freshmen. You will explore careers in psychology and psychiatry through interactive sessions led by clinical social workers, psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, and physician assistants.
You will start with assigned readings from science articles and media, then take part in discussions and live Q&A sessions. Topics include psychotherapy, neuroscience, neuropsych testing, interventional psychiatry, and community mental health.
9. Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) at Stanford University
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA or Virtual
Cost: $1,595 (virtual) | $2,895 (in-person). Scholarships are available for qualified applicants and you can request financial assistance in your application.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in early March.
Dates: Virtual session: June 16 – June 27 | In-person sessions: July 7 – July 18 | July 21 – August 1
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors can apply.
Stanford University’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) is a two-week program that introduces you to core topics in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. You attend seminars led by Stanford faculty and researchers, covering subjects like neuroimaging, mindfulness, and sports psychiatry. You also learn about career paths in mental health and neuroscience. You work in a team on a group capstone project where you propose solutions to real-world problems in clinical neuroscience. The program ends with a final presentation where you share your research and insights.
10. Eve And Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program
Location: Los Angeles Pediatric Society, LA
Cost: Free; one participant will receive a $500 scholarship at the end of the program.
Application Deadline: February 14
Program Dates: Session 1: July 7 – 17 | Session 2: July 21 – 31
Eligibility: Current 11th and 12th grade students can apply
The Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program is a long-running mentorship initiative for high school students in Los Angeles and nearby counties. You take part in daily sessions and interactive lessons led by healthcare professionals. You get first hand exposure to careers in pediatrics, surgery, nursing, pharmacy, radiology, and therapy, including physical, speech, occupational, and cognitive fields. The program is built to help you explore medical career paths through guided learning and real-world insight.
11. Internships at the American Psychological Association (APA)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Fully funded, stipend may or may not be provided. Students can receive academic credit for their contributions.
Application Deadline: Rolling, see the application portal for open opportunities
Program Dates: There are programs available year round
Eligibility: High school student, specific details vary based on the internship
The American Psychological Association (APA) offers internships for students interested in applying psychological principles across fields such as policy, communications, research, IT, and finance. You will support APA staff with research, writing, digital projects, and administrative tasks based on your skills and the team’s needs. You also take part in structured workshops, staff presentations, and group projects that show how psychology works in real-world settings.
12. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Topics in Psychology
Location: Virtual
Cost: $3,080 (Fully-funded scholarships available)
Application Deadline: March 20
Program Dates: July 7 – 18
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors (at the time of application)
Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes offer a psychology program where you study how the human mind works. You’ll explore topics like cognitive development, behavioral neuroscience, and how to design psychological research.
You’ll take part in lectures, group projects, and hands-on experiments. You’ll also learn how to collect data, test ideas, and use scientific methods to study behavior. You can attend this program in person on campus.
13. Coursera – University of Chicago’s Understanding the Brain
Location: Online (Self-paced)
Cost: Free to audit (optional certificates available for a fee)
Application Deadline: None (Self-paced)
Program Dates: Flexible (Self-paced)
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
Offered by the University of Chicago on Coursera, this self-paced online course introduces students to neuroscience and cognitive psychology. It covers topics like brain structure, neural signaling, cognition, and behavior through video lectures, readings, quizzes, and interactive tasks. While auditing is free, students can opt to pay for a certificate upon completion.
14. University of Chicago Summer Immersion Session: Fundamentals of Psychology – Theory and Research
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $8,900 per session (includes housing and meals). Partial financial aid is available, find more details here.
Application Deadline: March 15
Program Dates: July 7 – 26
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
At the University of Chicago’s Summer Immersion Session, the psychology track on Developmental Psychology focuses on how children grow and learn from infancy through adolescence. You’ll study topics like language development, emotional control, and moral thinking. You’ll work with research tools while reading academic studies, designing small experiments, and learning how to collect and analyze data.
15. Bethel College Summer Science Institute (Psychology Focus)
Location: Bethel College, North Newton, KS (in-person and online options available).
Cost: $60 registration fee. Fee waivers are available for students needing financial assistance.
Application Deadline: April 15
Program Dates: July 13 – 18 (in-person); July 6 – 11 (virtual)
Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 10-12 and recent high school graduates.
The Bethel College Summer Science Institute is a one-week program where you can explore psychology, biology, math, or chemistry through hands-on research. If you choose psychology, you’ll study how films use psychological ideas to shape characters and stories. You’ll work with faculty to design a research question, collect and analyze data, and learn how to present your findings.
Image source –