If you’re an ambitious student with a passion for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, free STEM pre-college programs for high school students can be a valuable next step. They offer you an opportunity to explore advanced STEM topics, gain hands-on research experience, and a taste of college life.
What are pre-college programs? How are they different from regular summer programs for high school students?
- Unlike regular STEM programs or camps, pre-college STEM programs for high school students are typically more intensive and academically rigorous.
- They are designed to go beyond the average high school classroom, allowing students to gain practical knowledge in real-world or laboratory settings, and participate in independent or collaborative research projects with professional mentorship from university faculty, graduate students, and industry leaders.
- They are usually held on college campuses, utilizing dorms, dining halls, classrooms, and other university facilities, giving you a glimpse into your life as a college student.
- Some programs also offer college credit, which may be transferable to a n undergraduate program at the same university.
- These programs include classes, lectures, workshops, assignments, and exams, mirroring a college semester.
Although pre-college programs are known to be quite expensive, there are several free STEM pre-college programs for high school students that you can apply to. Many are hosted by or in cooperation with top-tier research universities and simulate aspects of undergraduate education, from structured coursework to independent research and collaborative projects. Some free STEM pre-college programs for high school students even offer a stipend upon completion of the course.
To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of 15 free STEM pre-college programs for high school students.
1. MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science (MITES) Summer
Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost | Stipend: Free | None
Application Deadline: February 1
Program Dates:June– August
Eligibility: High school juniors with U.S. citizenship or Permanent Residency status
In this program, a semester of college is condensed into six weeks of summer. You will attend five rigorous, high-level classes in math, life sciences, physics, humanities, and one project-based elective course during the week. The elective courses can range from engineering design and machine learning to genomics and electronics. You will also receive guidance on college applications as part of the program. While at MIT, you will work on home and final projects and presentations, preparing for midterms and finals, and interacting with like-minded peers. You can spend the weekends exploring the MIT campus and the greater Boston area.
2. NYU’s Applied Research in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost | Stipend: Free | Students receive $1,000 stipend upon successful completion of program
Application Deadline: February 21
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are full time NYC residents and attend NYC schools
This 10-week-long program is designed to help high school students develop foundational STEM research skills through hands-on lab experience and expert mentorship. During the first four weeks of the program, you will participate in remote, after-school workshops on safety training and research skills development. The following six weeks will see you working in person at NYU research labs, mentored by NYU faculty and graduate researchers, and contributing to real-world research projects in STEM fields like biochemical engineering, aerospace engineering, evolutionary morphology, and more. You will also attend a College Readiness Workshop, during which you will have access to both group and 1-on-1 college application support. You will present your research at a final colloquium and poster symposium at the American Museum of Natural History.
3. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost | Stipend: Free | Stipend of $750 will be provided upon successful completion of a research project
Application Deadline: February 24
Program Dates: June 22 – August 7
Eligibility: A U.S. citizen or a Permanent Resident | At least 17 years of age by the program start date | Should graduate in the current academic year or the next
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a highly selective summer research program for high school juniors and seniors, with only 12 available positions. The seven-week program allows you to work one-on-one with experienced faculty on the general academic campus and the Health Science Center, equipping you with practical research skills. You will not only have access to hands-on practical research experiences in a tier-one university but also attend weekly seminars, discussions, and take field trips. Possible research areas you can apply to include cellular and microbiology, cancer biology, chemistry, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, and more.
4. CMU’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg, PA
Cost | Stipend: Free | No specified
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: June 21 – August 2, with a virtual jumpstart session on June 16 and 17
Eligibility: At least 16 years old by the program start date |In grade 11 at the time of application submission | U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident
In this six-week program, you will have the opportunity to explore areas of modern research in biochemistry and learn more about techniques of DNA isolation. You will also observe firsthand how modern analytical instruments like the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry and the High-Performance Liquid Chromatograph are used to collect and analyze real data. You will also complete a STEM-related research project under the expert guidance of faculty and graduate students and present your findings at a day-long symposium at the end of the course. The SAMS program also includes weekly writing workshops that focus on college application preparation and the “Student to Scholar” program—a research-based course designed to equip students to prepare for the transition from high school to college.
5. USC Bridge Institute BUGS Jr. Program
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free | $800 upon completion of the summer research course
Application Deadline: April 18
Program Dates: June 17 – August 2
Eligibility: Current high school students or incoming freshman | U.S. citizens, Permanent Residents, or already in the U.S. with a valid immigration status
In this program, you can choose to do research on any subject related to the human body, including but not limited to biomedical materials, computational or animal models of disease, or topics related to human health. Based on your research area, you will be paired with USC faculty, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows to conduct guided, hands-on research in state-of-the-art research labs at USC. At the end of the program, you will present your research results in a summer symposium attended by faculty, mentors, fellow students, family members, and guests. Apart from research activities, you will also participate in campus tours, journal clubs, career symposia, technical panels, research seminars, and multidisciplinary social mixers.
6. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Location: Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology on the East Baltimore campus | Virtual program also available
Cost | Stipend: Free | $15/hour for the in-person program, none for the virtual program
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: TBD; virtual: 5 weeks and In-person: 8 weeks in the summer
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors living in Baltimore City for the in-person program | High school juniors and seniors living anywhere in North America for the virtual program
In this 8-week-long internship program, you will work directly with Johns Hopkins faculty, staff, and student mentors on real-world neurological research projects. You will learn how to collect and analyze data in a professional lab setting and also shadow neurologists during clinical rotations, gaining exposure to both the research and medical sides of brain science. You will also be able to build long-term career contacts through the program’s weekly professional development sessions, scientific seminars, and regular mentoring sessions with Johns Hopkins faculty. Applicants can also opt for the 5-week virtual summer research experience where you will receive a certificate of completion at the end.
7. Research Science Institute (RSI) – MIT
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost | Stipend: Free | None
Application Deadline: December 11
Program Dates: June 22 – August 2
Eligibility: High school juniors only, who are about to enter their senior year; U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international students; click here for more details
In this six-week summer science and engineering research program, you will spend the first week in graduate-level STEM seminars, followed by five weeks conducting independent research under professional mentors in fields ranging from theoretical physics to biomedical engineering. You will also engage with the most current literature in your field of choice and utilize the cutting-edge technology at MIT labs to further your research. At the end of the program, you will develop conference-style oral and written reports that you will present at an academic conference, which will be reviewed by a panel of Boston-area academics and corporate scientists. Only 100 students out of thousands of applicants worldwide are accepted each year, making it one of the most selective free STEM pre-college programs for high school students.
8. University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign’s Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Program
Location: The Grainger College of Engineering campus, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Cost | Stipend: Free | Unspecified fellowship payment
Application Deadline: Typically late March or early April each year
Program Dates: June 17 – August 1 (online orientation sessions are held prior to the start of the program on May 29, June 11, and June 12)
Eligibility: Rising grade 10–12 students from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, or Wisconsin
This highly selective, six-week summer research program offers hands-on STEMM research experience in fields like quantum mechanics, cancer immunology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and bioengineering. You will be matched with a research group based on your academic background and the personal statement in your application. You will work on real-world research projects across fields like engineering, computer science, and medical sciences and spend over 30–35 hours per week in active research environments guided by faculty, postdoctoral researchers, or graduate students. You will eventually present your research findings at a symposium at the end of the program. In addition, you will also attend weekly seminars, receive help on navigating college admissions, and also learn scientific communication.
9. UCSF High School Intern Program (HIP)
Location: UC San Francisco, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free | $3,200 for 25 hours/week, $4,500 for 25 hours/week
Application Deadline: March 2
Program Dates: June 9 – August 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors studying in an SFUSD high school or SF charter school
HIP offers an 8-week paid internship to conduct original biomedical research alongside UCSF scientists. As part of the program, you will be matched with scientist mentors and engage in lab-based biomedical research projects in an area of your interest. Previous participants have worked on projects in areas like immunology, neuroscience, infectious diseases, cancer biology, regenerative medicine, and more. During your research project, you will work in professional lab environments, develop scientific communication skills, and build long-term academic and professional contacts with UCSF scientists and employees. Apart from your research project, you will also participate in structured college counseling sessions, including personal statement workshops and financial aid guidance.
10. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University campus
Cost | Stipend: $40 application fee; can be waived if total gross adjusted household income is less than $80,000 per year | Minimum $500
Application Deadline: February 22
Program Dates: June 9 – July 31
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors | At least 16 years of age or older by the start of the program | U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are currently living and attending high school in the U.S.
This eight-week research internship offers direct mentorship from Stanford faculty and postdoctoral scholars in medically oriented fields. You will be assigned to one of eight research institutes, which include Immunology, Neurobiology, Cancer Biology, Bioengineering, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Cardiovascular Biology, Bioinformatics, and Genetics and Genomics. In the internship, you will have the opportunity to gain practical research experience under the personalized guidance of a Stanford graduate student or postdoctoral fellow at one of the many top-class labs within the Institutes of Medicine at Stanford University. Alternatively, you can also choose to participate in the Bioengineering Bootcamp, which offers hands-on experience in the field, but does not include a lab research component.
11. USC’s Young Researchers Program (YRP)
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost | Stipend: Free | $300
Application Deadline: March 31
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25 (student orientation will be held on June 13)
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors in the Los Angeles, Lynwood, Compton, or Inglewood Unified School Districts
YRP offers a six-week mentored, university-level research experience in various STEM fields. You will be paired with a graduate mentor to conduct a focused research project, culminating in a final poster presentation at a public symposium. You will also attend weekly lunch seminars that cover practical topics such as optimizing your college applications, finding financial aid, and discovering up-and-coming STEM career pathways, enabling you to grow both academically and professionally. In addition to lab work and college prep, the program also encourages community building via a three-day science-focused trip to Catalina Island that includes fieldwork, hiking, snorkeling, and visiting NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
12. FSU Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Cost | Stipend: Free | Supplemental stipend available for students with significant financial need
Application Deadline: February 15
Program Dates: June 8 – July 19
Eligibility: Permanent Florida residents studying in grade 11 in Florida public or private high schools | Minimum GPA of 3.0 (unweighted) | Scored in the 90th percentile or better in math on a nationally standardized test (SAT, PSAT, ACT, or PLAN) before the application deadline | Have completed or currently enrolled in pre-calculus | Should be able to attend all six weeks of the program
In this program, you will take three intensive, STEM courses in math, science, and computer programming in the areas of game theory, linear algebra, molecular biology, neuroscience, quantum computing, IDEA lab, and R and Python programming. A highlight of the program is the Independent Research Project (IRP), where you will join active university labs at FSU, working alongside faculty, postdoctoral associates, and graduate students on cutting-edge topics in fields like neuroscience, oceanography, and computational science. While the program will consider your preferences, the instructor and the sponsoring lab will determine your course and research assignments. There are also several extracurricular activities you can participate in throughout the program.
13. Explorations in Neuroscience Research Internship Program – Ohio State University
Location: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Cost | Stipend: Free | $13/hour (subject to change)
Application Deadline: March 7
Program Dates: June 23 – August 8
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals or permanent residents
Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this seven-week paid internship is designed for high school students interested in exploring a career in neuroscience and biomedical research. As an intern, you will participate in cutting-edge research in areas like neurological injury and neurodegeneration, at the OSU Department of Neuroscience labs under the direction of professional research mentors, graduate students, and lab technicians. You will also gain access to state-of-the-art lab facilities and have exposure to a collaborative research culture that supports future success in neuroscience-related fields. Additionally, the program offers formal training in primary literature analysis and presenting research findings via the Explorations in Neuroscience journal club.
14. Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP)
Location: Virtual
Cost | Stipend: Free | None
Application Deadline: May 1
Program Dates: July 7 – 25
Eligibility: High school female students and others of all minority genders in grades 9–11 | Preference will be given to rising seniors and students from under-resourced backgrounds
Hosted by the Stanford Physics Department and Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, SPINWIP is a three-week free virtual summer program that introduces high school girls and minority genders to physics, coding, and research. As part of the program, you will attend online classes conducted by Stanford professors on topics like quantum mechanics, astrophysics, and cosmology. You will also learn to code in Python and apply them to physics-based projects. The program also includes in-class assignments, homework, problem-solving sessions, and collaborative group projects led by Stanford undergraduates. It also features workshops on college preparations and career development and provides ample networking opportunities for participants.
15. Columbia University State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP)
Location: Columbia University
Cost | Stipend: Free | Unspecified stipend for participating in the BRAINYAC program
Application Deadline: Summer: April 15 | Academic Year: September 15
Program Dates: Summer: July 7 – August 1 | Academic Year: November 9 – May 17
Eligibility: Enrolled in grades 7–12 | Economically disadvantaged, or African American, Hispanic/Latino, Alaskan Native or Native American. Click here for more information.
S-PREP is a free, year-round academic enrichment program for high school students interested in medicine or STEM careers. The program offers rigorous courses in math, science, and health fields, including Anatomy, Biochemistry, Physics, Calculus, Psychology, and more. S-PREP also offers PSAT/SAT preparation courses, college and career workshops, academic counseling, college tours, and field trips for participants. There is also a supportive pathway for students to continue in the summer if enrolled during the academic year. If you get accepted into S-PREP, you are also eligible to apply to summer research programs for high school students, such as the BRAINYAC program and the YES in THE HEIGHTS program.
Bonus Programs
1. Veritas AI – AI Fellowship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost | Stipend: $5,400 | None
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November)
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students between` grades 9-12 located anywhere in the world | Basic understanding of Python or completion of AI Scholars program
The AI Fellowship program offers high school students the chance to pursue independent research in artificial intelligence through a 1-on-1 mentorship with AI and publication experts across 15 weeks. The program allows you to pursue independent AI research projects in the fields of healthcare, climate science, economics, gaming, sports, education, political science, mental health, education, and the arts. With mentor guidance, you will build a research project from scratch, work on it under your mentor’s guidance, and present it to your peers. The fellowship requires a working knowledge of Python, and if you have no prior experience, you can complete the Veritas AI Scholars program before applying.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost | Stipend: $2,990 – $8,900 depending on the type of program (Financial aid available) | None
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: Currently enrolled in high school | Must 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 offers high school students a 12-week, 1-on-1 research experience with Ph.D. mentors. The program is designed to help students dive deep into academic fields while gaining valuable mentorship and research skills. You can create independent research papers in subjects like psychology, physics, economics, computer science, and more. By the end of the program, you will have a completed research paper and developed critical thinking and academic writing skills, along with learning research methods. Last year, over 4,000 students applied for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
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 – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
