If you’re a high school student looking for research experiences as a way to engage with advanced academics, free summer research programs can give you an accessible head start. You’ll learn how to run experiments, analyze data, write research papers, or even build models and prototypes – all without spending a ton on expensive pre-college programs.
Many free programs are typically quite competitive, so getting accepted shows colleges you’re ready for serious academic challenges.
Here’s a list of 15 free summer research programs for high school students!
15 Free Summer Research Programs for High School Students
1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an eight-week science program for high school students. It takes place at Stanford University. Each year, around 50 students join and get placed in labs that focus on specific areas like genetics, cancer research, brain science, stem cells, the immune system, the heart, bioengineering, or using computer tools to study biology.
If you get in, you’ll become part of a lab team. You’ll work with professors, postdocs, and other researchers. You’ll learn how to follow safety rules, use lab tools, and handle common lab procedures. At the end of the program, you’ll create a poster about your project and explain your research to others. To learn more, check out our complete guide on the program here.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend, but there is an application fee. Stipend: $500 minimum, up to $2500 based on need
Application Deadline: February 22
Program Dates: June 9- July 31
Eligibility: Must be juniors or seniors in the graduating class of this or next year, at least 16 years old by the program’s start date (June 9), and currently living in the U.S. while attending high school as U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a green card.
2. Research Science Institute (RSI)
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a six-week summer program for high school students who want to explore science, engineering, technology, or math. It takes place at MIT. In the first week, you’ll take classes to build a strong base in research.
After that, you’ll spend five weeks working on your project. You’ll be matched with a mentor who will guide you. You can choose a topic in the STEM area you are most interested in. You’ll either work in a lab or a research setting at the university.
By the end of the program, you’ll write a full research paper and give a presentation on what you discovered. Only a small number of students get accepted, so the program is very selective.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Application Deadline: January for US citizens and March for international students (tentative, based on previous years).
Program Dates: 2 months between June and August (tentative, based on previous years).
Eligibility: High school juniors, including international students, are eligible to apply. Recommended scores include 740+ for PSAT Math, 700+ for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, 33 for ACT Math, and 34 for ACT Verbal.
3. Horizon Academic Research Program
Horizon runs trimester-long research programs for high school students in subjects like data science, machine learning, and political theory. You get to choose if you want to do research that uses numbers and data or research that focuses on ideas, writing, and analysis.
Once you pick your topic, Horizon matches you with a mentor who is either a professor or a PhD student. Your mentor will guide you through every step of your project. By the end of the program, you’ll write a 20-page research paper. You can submit this paper to journals if you want to get published as a high school student.
You’ll also get a letter of recommendation and detailed feedback to help you with future work. Apply here!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Financial aid 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.
4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation offers a free research program for high school students from low-income backgrounds. It’s based on the same structure as the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, but is fully funded.
If you join the Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program, you’ll work one-on-one with a PhD mentor for 12 weeks. You’ll pick a topic in a subject like psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, or international relations.
Your mentor will help you design and complete a research project. At the end of the program, you’ll write a full research paper based on your work. Apply here!
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: The program is fully funded!
Program Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the Fall cohort from September to December, the Winter cohort from December to February, Spring cohort from March to June
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The deadline for Summer Cohort II is June 23
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall. Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
5. Telluride Association’s Summer Seminar
The Telluride Association Summer Seminars (TASS) is a free, six-week program for high school students interested in the humanities and social sciences. It takes place on a college campus, and only a small number of students are accepted each year.
There are two tracks you can choose from. One is TASS-CBS, which focuses on Black history, culture, and contributions. The other is TASS-AOS, which looks at systems like racism, sexism, and inequality, and helps you study how power works in society.
During the program, you’ll join daily college-level classes, take part in group discussions, and attend lectures. You’ll also work on projects with other students, manage a shared budget, and take part in service work.
Location: Cornell University and the University of Maryland
Cost: Free of cost
Application Deadline: December 3
Program Dates: June 22 – July 26
Eligibility: Open to all high school sophomores and juniors
6. NYU’s ARISE Program
The ARISE program at NYU is a ten-week summer research program for students in 10th or 11th grade who go to high school in New York City. It starts with four weeks online. During this time, you’ll join seminars and workshops to build research and technical skills.
After that, you’ll spend six weeks doing in-person research in a university lab. You’ll be matched with a team working in areas like computer science, robotics, or machine learning. During the lab work, you’ll help with real research projects and learn what it’s like to be part of a research team.
Location: New York University Campus, NY (Specific Area depends on subject area/ lab choice.
Cost/Stipend: None, stipend provided
Application Deadline: February 21
Program Dates: June 2 - August 8
Eligibility: Students living in New York City completing 10th or 11th grade in June can apply.
7. Princeton Summer Journalism Program
The Princeton Summer Journalism Program is a free program for high school students who want to explore journalism. In July, you’ll join online sessions led by professional journalists where you’ll learn how to report, interview, and write about current events and media issues.
In August, you’ll go to Princeton’s campus. There, you’ll work on assignments like writing local news stories, doing interviews, and creating multimedia pieces. You’ll also visit professional newsrooms and take part in discussions about topics like history, politics, and culture. At the end of the program, your work will be published in The Princeton Summer Journal.
Location: Online and in-person on campus (Princeton, NJ)
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Usually in February (tentative, based on previous year’s dates).
Program Dates: July 24 — August 3
Eligibility: Applicants must be a junior in high school at the time of application, live in the U.S. and intend to attend college here, have a minimum unweighted GPA of at least 3.5 out of 4.0, have an interest in journalism, and meet at least one of the socioeconomic conditions listed here!
8. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Texas Tech University offers a summer research program for a small group of high school students, usually about 12 each year. If you get accepted, you’ll work with a faculty mentor on a project in a field like computer science, mechanical engineering, or history.
During the program, you’ll study background information and help with ongoing research in your chosen area. This program gives you a chance to learn how academic research works in a university and build skills related to your interests.
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: No application cost, stipend of $750 provided.
Application deadline: February 15
Program Dates: June 22 — August 7
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors who are at least 17 years of age.
9. The Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Program
The Jackson Laboratory’s Summer Student Program gives high school and college students a chance to do research in genetics and genomics. Each year, about 40 students are chosen to work on their projects with a mentor’s help.
You’ll plan experiments, analyze results, and share your findings. Research areas include bioinformatics, cancer biology, genomics, immunology, and metabolic diseases. The program pays a stipend and has a competitive application process.
Location: The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine
Cost/Stipend: No cost, a $6,500 stipend is provided
Application Deadline: January 27
Program Dates: May 31 — August 8
Eligibility: Seniors who have completed 12th grade and are at least 18 years old can apply!
10. Simons Summer Research Program
The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University lets high school students do research in fields like biochemistry, computer science, geoscience, pharmacology, and astronomy. If you get accepted, you’ll join a research team and work closely with a mentor on a specific project.
The program focuses on giving you hands-on experience. You’ll learn how to work in a lab, analyze data, and use research methods. Only a small number of students are accepted each year, so admission is competitive.
Location: Stony Brook University, NY, featuring commuter and residential options.
Cost: Free, although students are responsible for transportation and residential costs. At the program’s closing symposium, students receive a stipend award.
Application Deadline: February 7
Program Dates: June 30 — August 8
Eligibility: Applicants must be in their junior year (11th grade) of high school at the time of application, must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and must be at least 16 years old by the start of the program.
11. University of Southern California’s Annenberg Youth Academy (AYA) for Media and Civic Engagement
The Annenberg Youth Academy for Media and Civic Engagement (AYA) at the University of Southern California is a four-week summer program for students interested in media, communication, and social issues.
You’ll learn how media and journalism shape society and develop skills like writing, critical thinking, public speaking, multimedia production, interviewing, and ethnographic research. You’ll join talks with professionals about topics like race, gender, and ethnicity in communication.
Location: University of Southern California Campus, CA.
Cost: Fully funded
Application Deadline: April 14
Program Dates: June 16 — July 3
Eligibility: Students must reside and attend a high school in Los Angeles County to be eligible to apply.
12. Princeton University’s Laboratory Learning Program
The Laboratory Learning Program lets high school students in New Jersey work on real research projects at Princeton University. You’ll work with professors and research staff in science and engineering.
In the Engineering track, students have used large language models to study environmental sustainability with computer methods. In the Natural Sciences track, students have analyzed fossil data to understand how animal sizes changed with climate over time.
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (commuter program for statewide residents).
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: March 15
Program dates: 5–6 weeks over the summer, depending on the project
Eligibility: Students must be 16 or older by June 15, enrolled in high school (or graduated but not yet 18 by June 15), and must be U.S. citizens, Legal Permanent Residents, or international students attending a U.S. high school, with some research opportunities having additional eligibility criteria.
13. Mary S. Easton Center at UCLA — Neuroscience High School Scholars Program
The UCLA Neuroscience High School Scholars Program is for juniors and seniors who want to learn about neuroscience, especially Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementia. You can join a six-week summer session in person or a virtual version.
In the in-person session, you’ll do activities like brain dissection, preparing for clinical trials, entering data, reading research papers, and giving presentations. You’ll work with mentors on research projects and take part in community outreach. Both the in-person and virtual programs help you start Alzheimer’s Awareness Clubs at your school.
Location: UCLA campus, Los Angeles, CA (in-person); and virtually
Cost: Free (No housing or transportation is provided for the in-person program).
Application deadlines: March 3
Program dates: June 16 — July 24
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (16–18 years old), particularly from underrepresented communities or those interested in working with underrepresented populations. Applicants must be motivated and interested in neuroscience.
14. Carnegie Mellon University’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) Pre-College Program
The SAMS program is a pre-college STEM program run by university faculty. It begins with an online session where you learn basic skills and key ideas. After that, you join a six-week in-person session. During this time, you take classes and work on group projects. Faculty and graduate student mentors help you as you complete your work. The program finishes with a symposium where you present your projects.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free; this is a fully-funded program.
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: June 21 — August 2
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and in their junior year at the time of application submission are eligible.
15. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging runs a two-week online internship for high school students interested in AI in healthcare. During the program, you’ll attend lectures, meet with mentors, work on group research projects, and join virtual career talks with guest speakers.
The program accepts about 50 students each year, including freshmen. It gives you a chance to learn about how AI is used in medical research and healthcare.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: No cost. This is an unpaid internship. Students will receive a certificate upon completion and the potential to extend their internship.
Application Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: June 16–27
Eligibility: Must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or have a valid visa. Entering grades 9 to 12 in the Fall. Over 14 years old by program start. Prefer experience in math, programming, or healthcare projects.
Must commit to the full 2-week program.
Image source – Stanford University
