If you’re a high school student who wants to explore scientific research seriously, online science research programs can be a good place to start. These programs go beyond what you usually do in school. You’ll work on research projects and learn how to design experiments, analyze data, and use tools like R, ImageJ, or CRISPR simulations, depending on your focus area.
You can choose programs in biology, neuroscience, environmental science, genetics, or other research fields. Along the way, you’ll build technical skills, learn how to write about your research, and get guidance from researchers who work in the field. All of these programs are fully online, so you can join from anywhere.
To help you get started, here is a list of 15 online science research programs for high school students!
15 Online Science Research Programs for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program
Cost: $5,950 (full financial aid available)
Application Deadlines: Priority: March 23; Regular I: April 20; Regular II: May 18
Program Dates: The summer cohort starts June 16. Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply at least four weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students, typically in 10th or 11th grade, with a 3.67+ GPA. 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, public health and safety, social psychology, and medicine. It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
In the science-based tracks, you can explore topics such as formulation chemistry and neurodegenerative diseases. 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 well-known journals for publication as a high school student.
The program also includes a letter of recommendation and comprehensive feedback on projects that can assist with future work and college applications. Apply here!
2. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: 5 weeks in summer
Application Deadline: December 1 – March 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors across the U.S. and Canada
The virtual track of Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) is a five-week neuroscience research program for high school students interested in brain science. You’ll work on a mentored project that may involve reviewing studies in neuropsychiatry, analyzing neuroimaging data, or learning how to write research findings for a scientific audience.
Along with the research, you’ll take part in college readiness workshops, mentorship training, and professional development sessions. The virtual format focuses on building your understanding of neuroscience concepts, scientific reasoning, and research ethics, skills that are useful if you’re thinking about a neuroscience or pre-med path.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Cost: $5,900 (full financial aid available)
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The regular admissions deadline for the Summer Cohort I is May 11!
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program, founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers, offers high school students the opportunity to work one-on-one with PhD mentors to develop an independent research project in their subject area. If selected, you’ll work closely with mentors to create a college-level research paper based on your project, with additional support from writing coaches.
During this period, you’ll engage in thorough research, participate in workshops, and gradually refine your work. By the end of the program, you will have a completed research paper and have gained experience in research methods, critical thinking, and academic writing.
You can choose your subject track in the application form, such as chemistry, as well as a specific area of focus, such as organic chemistry, throughout your research experience! More details about the application are here!
4. American Psychology Association Remote Internships
Cost/Stipend: Paid and academic credit (unpaid) options available
Program Dates: Year-round (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)
Application Deadline: Rolling, varies by position
Eligibility: High school and college students enrolled at least part-time in a U.S.-based academic institution; must be eligible to work in the U.S. and reside in an APA-registered state
The American Psychological Association offers remote internships for high school and college students interested in psychology. You can work in areas like science communication, policy, publishing, or education outreach. You will attend skill-building sessions, join research projects, and connect with mentors.
If you’re placed in the Center for Psychology in Schools and Education, you’ll help apply psychology to education by contributing to research and project work. In the Practice Communications team, you might write articles, help produce podcasts, or create materials on mental health topics. You’ll build skills in research, communication, and project management while learning how psychology is used in real-world settings.
5. Wake Forest University Virtual Academy for Middle and High School Students
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 14–18
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Middle and high school students aged 14–18 from the U.S. and abroad
The Virtual Academy at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is a one-week online summer program where you explore the science behind growing tissues, engineering organs, and developing new medical technologies. You’ll study real examples of how lab-grown cells are used to replace or support damaged tissue.
Sessions cover topics such as biomaterials, scaffold design, 3D bioprinting, and the role of stem cells in tissue regeneration. You’ll also learn how research moves from a lab experiment to clinical trials and eventually to hospitals and biotech companies.
6. Stanford University Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X)
Cost: $1,595 (financial aid available)
Program Dates: June 16 – June 27
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 1 (rolling admissions)
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–18 (must not turn 19 before June 16)
The virtual version of Stanford’s CNI-X program is a discussion-based introduction to clinical neuroscience. It covers areas like psychiatry, psychology, and behavioral science, without requiring lab work or coding. Each day includes talks from faculty, Q and A sessions, and small-group work on a capstone project focused on real-world mental health challenges.
Topics covered in past sessions include neuroimaging, sleep medicine, neuroethics, forensic psychiatry, and the use of AI in neuroscience. You’ll take part in live sessions with Stanford faculty, researchers, and clinicians, and are expected to participate using video and audio.
7. NASA High School Aerospace Scholars
Cost: Free
Program Dates: October 28 – April 4 (online course); June 2–6 or June 9–13 (virtual Moonshot)
Application Deadline: August 26 – October 16
Eligibility: U.S. citizens, Texas residents, current high school juniors
This year-long NASA program is a multi-phase STEM experience focused on aerospace and designed for high school juniors in Texas. It begins with a five-month online course covering Earth systems, Moon-to-Mars exploration, aeronautics, and the International Space Station.
In the second phase, called “Moonshot,” you’ll take part in a virtual team challenge guided by NASA engineers. This part of the program focuses on systems thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative design, all within the context of current Artemis mission goals. You’ll apply what you’ve learned to real-world engineering problems, using technical skills like modeling, systems analysis, and iterative testing.
8. Harvard’s Undergraduate OpenBio Laboratory Student Research Institute
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Summer (Exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12) worldwide
Harvard’s OpenBio Student Research Institute is a virtual summer program where you take on real research in the life sciences. You’re matched with a PhD mentor and spend the summer digging into a specific question, either through hands-on data work or a deep literature review. By the end, you’ll write a 5–6 page research paper. Some students even get their work published in an undergraduate journal.
The program runs online, but it’s structured like a real research group. You’ll join weekly sessions with guest scientists, attend workshops on research skills, and meet other students working on completely different topics. You’ll learn how to ask research questions, read academic papers, build arguments from evidence, and write in the style scientists use to publish.
9. DICR Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology
Stipend: $500
Program Dates: 2-week program in July (exact dates set by participating institutions)
Application Deadline: Varies by institution (students must apply directly to host institutions, not the ACS)
Eligibility: Female-identifying high school students (rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors) who are part of an underrepresented minority group; must be at least 16 years old before the program starts.
The SHE in Oncology program introduces high school students to the science of cancer. It is designed for students from underrepresented backgrounds and runs for two weeks online. You’ll study cancer biology through case studies, virtual lectures, and small group sessions led by scientists from the eCLOSE Institute.
The focus is on how cancer starts, spreads, and is treated. You’ll learn to read research papers, analyze data, and understand how labs study cancer cells. The program builds core research skills used in biology and biomedical science.
10. Georgetown University Medical Research
Cost: $1,795 (need-based scholarships available)
Program Dates: Multiple sessions available throughout the summer.
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and up (no transcripts or recommendation letters required)
Georgetown University’s online medical research program introduces high school students to clinical research and evidence-based medicine. You’ll learn about research ethics, epidemiology, and biostatistics, and how to design a clinical study using tools used by professionals.
You’ll read medical journal articles, work through case studies, and complete a final Capstone Project focused on cancer research. The program includes mentorship and is a good option if you’re thinking about medical school, public health, or pharmaceuticals. No prior experience is required. The course is flexible and taught through video-based instruction. You’ll earn a certificate after completing the program.
11. University of Albany RNA Institute High School Bioinformatics Summer Camp
Cost: $1,100 (early applicants) | $1,200 (standard) | Financial aid available
Eligibility: High school students (GPA 3.0+); must have completed at least one year of biology; no prior coding experience required
Application Deadline: Early (reduced cost): February 1; Final: March 31
Program Dates: July 7 – August 1
The RNA Institute’s virtual summer camp is a four-week program focused on RNA sequencing data analysis. You’ll learn how to code in R and use high-performance computing tools to study neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and Parkinson’s. The program is designed around bioinformatics, applying coding to large biological datasets.
Each day includes lectures, coding sessions, and group work. You’ll develop a research project using real RNA data and learning to process, analyze, and interpret it with guidance from mentors and guest scientists. The work ends with a final presentation of your findings.
12. UC San Diego Academic Connections Research Scholars
Cost: $1,500–$2,700 (financial aid available)
Program Dates: Varies by course (Spring and Summer sessions available)
Application Deadline: Rolling (until course capacity is reached)
Eligibility: High school students globally can apply!
UC San Diego’s Research Scholars program offers high school students a chance to take part in real research through online courses taught by university faculty. You can choose from tracks like bioengineering, neuroscience, marine biodiversity, and business research. Each course includes live sessions and project-based work.
Depending on the subject, you might use tools like R or Python and study topics such as genomics, molecular biology, or imaging analysis. The program includes regular assignments and requires you to join live discussions, so it’s important to stay on track with the schedule.
13. Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 7 – July 25
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Open to current 9th–11th grade high school students worldwide; students of any gender are welcome to apply.
SPINWIP is a free, three-week virtual summer program run by Stanford’s Physics Department and Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology. It’s designed for high school students who are curious about physics. You’ll join daily online sessions that include lectures from Stanford faculty, small group coding projects using Python, and college and career workshops.
The program introduces you to topics like quantum physics, cosmology, and astrophysics. You don’t need any background in physics or programming to join. You’ll work closely with Stanford undergraduates and connect with faculty mentors throughout the program.
14. Columbia University Vagelos College of Physician and Surgeons Medicine and Research Summer Program
Cost: $500–$750 depending on application date (limited financial aid available)
Eligibility: High school and college students worldwide
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; fee tiers based on application date
Program Dates: June 21 – August 30 (Saturdays)
In this 10-week summer program, you’ll explore both clinical and research aspects of medicine. Led by faculty and researchers from Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, the course will teach you how to take patient histories, interview standardized patients, and study systems-based anatomy.
You’ll also participate in workshops on public health topics, including mental health and chronic illness. Along with clinical work, you’ll develop a capstone research paper or community project. There is also an option to become certified as a Community Health Literacy Worker in neurology through in-person components.
15. Rutgers University Waksman Institute Summer Experience (WISE)
Cost: $2,200 (in-person) / $600 (virtual)
Location: Waksman Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ (in-person); online (vWISE)
Program Dates: August 11 – August 24
Application Deadline: Accepted on a first come, first serve basis
Eligibility: High school students who have completed a biology course.
Rutgers’ virtual WISE program (vWISE) offers hands-on learning in bioinformatics and molecular biology through real-world research with duckweed DNA. Over two weeks, you’ll develop essential skills in bioinformatics tools, data analysis, and scientific communication.
You’ll work with large biological datasets, learning how to analyze and interpret data using advanced software. Through daily seminars and group discussions, you’ll also build skills in critical thinking and research methodology.
Image source – Rutgers University
