Research camps for high school students provide an environment for participants to explore specialized fields, often through collaboration with researchers and guided problem-solving sessions. These camps emphasize learning through technical application and conceptual exploration, which allows you to approach real-world challenges creatively and methodically.
Compared to residential or online programs, research camps offer a focused learning community that encourages interdisciplinary connections, nurturing an analytical mindset. By concentrating on research, you will acquire a refined skillset that could be pivotal for your future academic and professional growth.
In this blog, we’ll list 8 awesome research camps for high school students running in 2024-2025.
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 very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research.
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research, you’ll be paired with a professor or PhD 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.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields under the guidance of a top scholar. 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 college applications. Apply here!
Subject areas: STEM, Economics, International Relations, Philosophy, Political Theory, History, and more
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: November 10, 2024 for the winter cohort, and February 9, 2025 for the spring 2025 cohort
Program dates:
- The winter seminar starts on December 2, 2024
- The spring seminar starts on March 3, 2025
- Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance
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
2. Veritas AI
Veritas AI, established by Harvard graduates, offers two key programs for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. The AI Scholars program focuses on teamwork and practical AI applications, while the AI Fellowship pairs students with PhD mentors for personalized research guidance.
In the AI Fellowship, you'll explore how AI shapes industries like finance, healthcare, and gaming, with chances to publish or present your work. Past projects have included AI in medical diagnostics, educational tools, and gaming algorithms. The program is designed to help you build technical skills and apply AI to real-world challenges.
Subject areas: Artificial Intelligence, Finance, Medicine
Cost:
- $2,290 for the AI Scholars program (10-week bootcamp)
- $5,400 for the AI Fellowship (12–15 weeks, 1:1 mentorship)
- $6,900 for both AI Scholars + Fellowship
- Need-based financial aid is available
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: Varies according to cohort. December 1, 2024 for the upcoming winter cohort
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students. Students applying to the AI Fellowship program must complete the AI Scholars program or provide evidence of previous experience in AI and Python
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program, designed by Harvard and Oxford researchers, gives high school students the opportunity to work closely with a PhD mentor on independent research. Throughout the program, you’ll receive guidance to craft a college-level research paper, with additional help from writing coaches.
You can select from a wide array of subjects, such as mathematics, biology, data science, economics, psychology, business, gender studies, linguistics, environmental studies, astrophysics, and more. The program concludes with a symposium where you can present your research, and there is an opportunity for publication.
Subject areas: STEM, Social Science, Humanities
Cost: $2,990 (12 weeks) | $5,900 (16-20 weeks). Financial aid is available
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: Summer deadlines are usually in March, April, and May
Program dates: June to August (summer). Fall, winter, and spring cohorts are also available
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA
Ladder Internships is a selective program for high school students to intern with high-growth startups across various industries, including health tech, AI, and marketing. Ladder offers industry internships and research internships. Ladder’s startups have raised over a million dollars, with some founders being YCombinator alumni or former employees of companies like Microsoft and Google. The research internship gives you personalized sessions with a research mentor, who will help you produce an original research paper that you can submit for publication. The program also gives you access to a writing coach and a publication specialist.
Subject areas: Technology, Business, Finance, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Healthcare and Medicine, Software Engineering, and more
Location: Remote
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Cost: Starting at $5,900. Financial aid is available
Eligibility: Open to all high school students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students!
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year. Summer cohort: May 12, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
NASA offers research-oriented summer camps designed for high school students interested in scientific exploration. One of these camps is the GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS), a 4-week virtual program for rising juniors and seniors focused on space life sciences. You will engage with complex biological data, explore genetic codes, and conduct bioinformatics research. This camp provides a solid introduction to computational biology research and data analysis.
Subject Areas: Genetics, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Space Life Sciences
Location: Online
Cost: No cost, stipend provided
Application Deadline: Updates on the 2025 application cycle will be posted in December 2024
Program Dates: Program dates for 2025 will be posted in January 2025
Eligibility: Students must be U.S. citizens who:
- Are at least 16 years old by December 31, 2025
- Are entering junior or senior year of high school in Fall 2025
- Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Have completed at least one biology course
Stanford University’s SUMaC program provides a challenging curriculum for high-achieving high school juniors and seniors interested in mathematics. You’ll study advanced topics like abstract algebra, number theory, and algebraic topology, building a solid foundation for exploring complex mathematical concepts. You’ll also participate in guided research projects, examining both contemporary research and the historical evolution of significant mathematical theories and their relevance across various scientific domains.
Subject Areas: Mathematics, Algebraic Topology, Number Theory, Abstract Algebra
Location: Virtual or Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: $3,550 (online), $8,250 (residential). Need-based financial aid is available
Application deadline: February 1, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Program dates: TBA for 2025. Multiple sessions were offered in 2024:
- Session one (online): June 17 – July 5, 2024
- Session one (residential): June 23 – July 19, 2024
- Session two (online): July 8 – 26, 2024
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors with experience writing and reading mathematical proofs
Science Camps of America offers science programs for students aged 13–17, with tracks in Land and Sea or Air and Space. You’ll have the chance to collect biodiversity data, identify reefs, and construct and launch model rockets. These hands-on summer camps in Hawai’i allow you to explore marine biology and astronomy while exploring the island’s natural landscapes. The camps also include recreational activities like snorkeling, swimming, and hiking.
Subject Areas: Geology, Oceanography, Marine Science, Botany, Forestry, Ecology, Biology, Astronomy, and Climatology
Location: Pahala Plantation Cottages, Pahala, HI
Cost: $2,795. Scholarships available
Application deadline: Rolling admissions
Program dates: TBA for 2025. Two sessions were offered in 2024:
- Land and Sea camp: July 1 – 10, 2024
- Air and Space camp: June 11 – 20, 2024
Eligibility: Students must be ages 13–17 entering grades 8–12
The Space Center University Martian Program is a 5-day camp at NASA’s Space Center in Houston where students design a mission to Mars and build a robotic rover. You will explore the unique conditions of the Martian environment by designing and testing materials that withstand extreme temperatures, including constructing thermal shields for heat resilience and cryo-capsules to protect against severe cold. Through these projects, you will gain hands-on research experience and insight into NASA’s engineering work in planetary exploration.
Subject Areas: Aerospace Engineering
Location: NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Cost: $779.95 for groups with less than 20 students, $679.95 for groups of more than 20 students. Note that you’re required to deposit a $300 non-refundable administration fee to secure your reservation
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Program Dates: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 15–18
David Wilkinson is a freelance writer for Horizon and currently resides in the United States.