If you’re planning to study marine biology in college or pursue it as a career, a summer research program can give you a great head start. As a participant, you’ll work in the field and lab settings, using skills like species identification, water quality testing, ecological surveying, and data analysis.
You’ll also use tools such as microscopes, GIS software, and statistical programs. You might collect samples from marine ecosystems, conduct biodiversity assessments, or analyze environmental data. Doing research in high school also helps you build a strong foundation for future projects and prepares you for advanced university coursework, which appeals to admissions officers.
With that, here are the 15 best marine biology summer research programs for high school students!
15 Marine Biology Summer Research Programs for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program
Location: Remote (U.S.-based mentors)
Cost: $5,950
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 worldwide
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you choose your subject and research type, you’ll be matched with a professor or PhD scholar from a top university. You’ll work with them one-on-one to write a 20-page research paper at a college level. Many students use this paper to apply to journals or strengthen their college applications.
You also receive detailed feedback on your work and a letter of recommendation when you finish.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: $2,800–$4,800
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: High school students globally
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week remote research program for high school students. You work one-on-one with a PhD mentor from a top university to develop an independent research paper.
You can choose topics across various subjects, including psychology, economics, physics, biology, chemistry, engineering, political science, computer science, international relations, neuroscience, and data science.
Once matched with a mentor, you meet weekly to review academic literature, design your research question, and work toward producing a final paper. You can find more details about the application here!
3. SEA Expedition: Sea Education Association
Location: Woods Hole, MA, and at sea
Cost: $6,400
Dates: Session 1: June 1–June 12; Session 2: June 30–July 11; Session 3: July 16–July 27; Session 4: August 1–August 12
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent graduates
This two-week program combines sailing, marine science, and team-based leadership for high school students. You will live and work aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer, a 134-foot tall ship, as it sails through the nearshore and offshore waters around Cape Cod, Stellwagen Bank, and the Gulf of Maine.
While sailing through waters like Cape Cod Bay, Stellwagen Bank, and Georges Bank, you’ll collect scientific data on sea temperature, salinity, nutrients, and biodiversity. You’ll also take sediment samples and record whale activity using acoustic equipment.
4. Keller BLOOM Program: Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Location: East Boothbay, ME
Cost: Fully funded
Dates: May 18–May 23
Application Deadline: April 14
Eligibility: High school juniors in Maine
The Keller BLOOM Program is a one-week summer program for high school juniors in Maine. You’ll live on campus at the Bigelow Laboratory in East Boothbay and work with real scientists to explore the ocean. During the week, you’ll go out on the water to collect samples, bring them back to the lab, and learn how to study them using scientific tools.
You’ll get to see how ocean ecosystems work and how scientists understand things like water quality and tiny marine organisms. By the end of the week, you’ll present what you’ve learned to other students, scientists, and guests.
5. Marine Biology Camp: Roger Williams University
Location: Bristol, RI
Cost: $1,995 (includes lodging, meals, instruction, materials, and field trips)
Dates: Multiple sessions in July and August
Application Deadline: First come, first served
Eligibility: High school students aged 15–17
The Roger Williams University Marine Biology Camp is a residential summer program for high school students aged 15 to 17. You’ll stay on the southern New England coast and use RWU’s facilities, including a wet lab and research vessels.
During the camp, you’ll take part in field trips like kayaking, snorkeling, whale watching, and plankton sampling. You’ll study coastal ecosystems and marine organisms, and attend seminars on topics like marine mammal protection and invasive species.
6. Marine Biology Program: National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC)
Location: University of Miami, FL, and University of British Columbia, Canada
Cost: $4,295
Dates: Multiple 9-day sessions in June, July, and August
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students
The NSLC Marine Biology program gives you both classroom learning and field experience in marine science. You may find yourself snorkeling to study coral reefs, simulating shark tagging to collect data, or touring marine research labs and aquariums to see how scientists work behind the scenes.
In the lab, you’ll learn through hands-on activities like dissecting marine invertebrates, using oceanographic tools, and testing water quality. You’ll also take part in workshops, group research projects, and practice sharing your findings through science communication exercises.
7. Advanced Marine Science Camp: Acadia Institute of Oceanography
Location: Seal Harbor, ME
Cost: $3,896
Dates: Session 1: July 6-18; Session 2: July 20-August 1
Application Deadline: Applications open October 15
Eligibility: Students aged 15–19 with at least one year of science education
If you’ve already studied marine science and want to go deeper, the Acadia Institute of Oceanography’s Advanced Marine Science Camp gives you a more intense, field-based experience. You’ll spend time in the lab identifying plankton, running marine chemistry tests, and managing closed saltwater tanks that mimic real ocean habitats.
You’ll also be out in the field doing ecological surveys along the rocky Maine coast. Experts in the field, including oceanographers and marine biologists, lead lectures on fisheries science, whale biology, and marine policy. You’ll work on your research project from start to finish, including collecting data, analyzing it, and writing a scientific report.
8. Marine Science Investigations: Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology
Location: Kāne‘ohe Bay, O‘ahu, HI
Cost: $1,200
Dates: July 15–July 26
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students aged 15–18
The Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology runs a two-week field program called Marine Science Investigations, based on Coconut Island in Kāne‘ohe Bay. You’ll explore different marine ecosystems around the island and learn how to collect and analyze data through hands-on fieldwork.
You’ll use tools like dichotomous keys for species ID, set up transects to sample marine life, and do snorkeling surveys to study biodiversity. You’ll also test water quality by measuring things like salinity, turbidity, and pH. The program covers habitat mapping, coral reef ecology, and coastal restoration.
9. Ocean Science Explorers: University of North Carolina Wilmington MarineQuest
Location: Wilmington, NC
Cost: $1,300 (includes lodging and meals)
Dates: July 14–July 20
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders
The Ocean Science Explorers program at UNCW MarineQuest is a week-long residential experience where you build core research skills in marine science. You’ll spend time in labs and out at sea on research vessels, collecting and analyzing data on ocean conditions like temperature, salinity, and depth using tools like CTDs, Secchi disks, and refractometers.
In the lab, you’ll study plankton under microscopes, learn how remote sensing is used in mapping coastlines, and explore marine biodiversity through specimen collection and transect surveys. You’ll also keep a field log, work with real environmental datasets, and use basic statistics to understand your results.
10. High School Summer Research Internship: Mote Marine Laboratory
Location: Sarasota, FL
Cost: Free
Dates: June 10–July 26
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Local rising juniors and seniors
The Mote Marine Laboratory’s High School Summer Research Internship gives you the chance to work directly with researchers on real marine science projects. You’ll be paired with a professional mentor and take part in studies focused on topics like ocean acidification, microplastic pollution, coral disease, and manatee behavior.
You’ll gain hands-on experience with techniques such as environmental DNA sampling, microscopy, and field data collection using sensors. You’ll also learn how to design experiments, log your data, and work through the full research process. By the end of the program, you’ll present your findings at a final symposium.
11. Coastal Studies for Girls (Summer Session)
Location: Freeport, ME
Cost: $4,300 (financial aid available)
Dates: June 23–July 13
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Female-identifying high school students (grades 9–12)
The Coastal Studies for Girls Summer Program is a field-based residential experience for high school girls who want to explore marine science and build leadership skills. Based on the coast of Maine, the program combines scientific research with teamwork and personal development.
You’ll spend time in the field doing quantitative surveys in intertidal zones, cataloging species with taxonomic keys, and studying habitat health using water quality tests and biodiversity measurements. In the lab, you’ll explore topics like marine physiology and coastal geology.
The leadership part of the program is woven into the research work. You’ll take part in group challenges, reflect through journaling, and join workshops on collaboration, communication, and ethics in science.
12. UC Santa Cruz Science Internship Program
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Cost: $5,000
Dates: June 24–August 16
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
In the UC Santa Cruz Science Internship Program (SIP), you work directly with PhD mentors and university faculty inside active marine biology labs. You’ll be part of ongoing research projects that explore topics like how marine ecosystems respond to climate change, kelp forest dynamics, and sea urchin development.
Alongside hands-on lab work like handling specimens, using microscopes, and learning histology techniques, you’ll also use tools like R and Python for data analysis. You’ll work with real datasets, apply methods like regression and ANOVA, and learn how to create visualizations using tools like ggplot.
13. Marine Biology Summer Camp: University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Lab
Location: Ocean Springs, MS
Cost: $1,200 (includes housing and meals)
Dates: Session I: June 10–June 21; Session II: July 8–July 19
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Grades 10–12
The Marine Biology Summer Camp at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory gives you a hands-on introduction to estuarine and coastal ecosystems. You’ll learn how to collect data using methods like trawling, seine netting, and plankton tows to study species abundance and diversity.
In the lab, you’ll focus on identifying species with dichotomous keys, testing water chemistry factors such as dissolved oxygen, pH, and nutrients, and modeling population dynamics. The program also teaches you how to use GIS for habitat mapping and introduces you to long-term ecological monitoring techniques.
14. Summer Research Program: Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Location: San Diego, CA
Cost: Free. A stipend of $3,000 is provided
Dates: June 17–August 9
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Local high school juniors and seniors from underserved backgrounds
At the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Summer Research Internship, you join active research labs under the guidance of experienced oceanographers and marine scientists. The research topics vary each year but often include ocean acidification, phytoplankton dynamics, marine genomics, and how climate affects marine biodiversity.
You’ll work with lab methods like spectrophotometry, water chemistry testing, DNA extraction, PCR, and analyzing data from remote sensors. The program focuses on building key scientific skills, including evaluating research papers, visualizing data, and designing experiments.
15. SEASCape: Ocean Studies on Cape Cod – Sea Education Association (SEA)
Location: Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Cost: $5,975. Financial aid is available
Dates: Session 1: Jun 23 – Jul 12; Session 2: July 21 – Aug 9
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
SEASCape by the Sea Education Association combines ocean science and the study of human connections to the sea. You’ll take part in fieldwork, collecting data and exploring Cape Cod’s ecosystems, while also learning about the region’s history in maritime trade, fisheries, shipbuilding, and naval activities. Through lectures, lab work, field trips, and group projects, you’ll gain hands-on experience that deepens your understanding of marine issues and conservation.
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