Biotech programs are specialized educational experiences that allow you to explore the intersections of biology, technology, and engineering. These programs are an excellent opportunity to explore advanced, college-level topics such as molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics, and computational biology—often from the comfort of your home or in local university labs. The best of these programs allow you to engage with virtual or wet labs, run simulations, code for biological applications, and even design CRISPR experiments!
Why should you choose a spring biotech program?
Spring biotech programs offer a unique advantage: they are typically shorter, highly structured, and intensely focused on specific technical competencies compared to broad summer camps. You’ll get direct, mentor-guided exposure to industry-standard software, lab protocols, and experimental design principles, allowing you to rapidly upskill and add a concrete project to your portfolio during the school year. If you want to conduct research, analyze complex datasets, and build the advanced technical skills required for modern STEM careers, then these programs are a solid option.
If you’re interested in exploring other facets of biology, like marine biology, check out this blog on marine biology programs.
With that, here are our top picks for spring programs in biotechnology for high school students.
15 Biotech Spring Programs for High School Students
1. BioBuilder High School Apprenticeship Challenge
Location: BioBuilder, Newton, MA (hybrid)
Stipend: $500
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: March – May
Application Deadline: Rolling; applications open in January
Eligibility: Massachusetts public high school students (16+)
The BioBuilder High School Apprenticeship Challenge teaches you the fundamentals of synthetic biology and biodesign, and the application of the principles of standardization and abstraction to biological systems. The curriculum covers the design-build-test cycle, where you’ll develop skills in designing genetic circuits and understanding cellular logic. You’ll also gain exposure to the technical side of the bio-economy, analyzing how synthetic biology integrates with industrial applications like sustainable material production.
2. Columbia University Pre-College: Cell and Molecular Biology of Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,815; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: January 23 – March 29
Application Deadline: December 15
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12 who have completed one year of high school biology
Columbia University Pre-College offers several college-level courses in a variety of subject areas for interested high school students. If you’re eager to learn more about biotech, consider the Cell and Molecular Biology of Medicine course. This course lets you examine the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drug development, analyzing how specific molecules interact with cellular targets to treat disease. You’ll also develop analytical skills by reviewing case studies on mechanism-based therapies and exploring the molecular pathways involved in conditions like cancer and diabetes.
3. Genspace Biorocket Research Internship
Location: Genspace, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $2,000
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: February 25 – May 21
Application Deadline: November 1 – January 10
Eligibility: High school students (16+), either living in/near NYC or attending a NYC Public or Charter School within 45 minutes of Genspace
During the Genspace Biorocket Research Internship, you’ll participate in a semester-long research experience that combines wet-lab techniques with biotechnology research. You’ll master skills in DNA extraction, PCR amplification, gel electrophoresis, and DNA barcoding while contributing to authentic research projects. The program also emphasizes science communication, requiring you to translate complex genomic data into accessible presentations for scientific and public audiences.
4. Fred Hutch HutchCAN (Career Awareness Network)
Location: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
Stipend: $250
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: March 4 – April 19
Application Deadline: January 23
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12
The Fred Hutch HutchCAN (Career Awareness Network) program provides the rare opportunity to engage directly with the research environment of a premier cancer center, exploring computational biology and clinical research operations. You will participate in tours and hands-on demonstrations that cover high-throughput sequencing, flow cytometry, and histology. The program focuses on understanding the “bench-to-bedside” pipeline, giving you insight into how basic biological data is translated into clinical therapies.
5. DNA Learning Center Spring Camps: DNA Science
Location: Cold Spring Harbor, NY or Sleepy Hollow, NY
Cost: $675 (early bird); $700 (January 1 onwards)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: April 6 – 10
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
As a participant in the DNA Learning Center Spring Camps, you will participate in highly technical workshops focused on genetics and genomics. The DNA Science camp teaches you to use bioinformatics tools to analyze DNA sequences, construct phylogenetic trees, and identify species using DNA barcoding data. The curriculum is rooted in the research of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, ensuring you learn accurate, current scientific protocols for the isolation and analysis of nucleic acids.
6. UCSD Research Scholars: Bioengineering
Location: UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA (online, hybrid & in-person options available)
Cost: $2,600 (spring courses)
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Dates: April 4 – May 24
Application Deadline: March 5 (spring)
Eligibility: High schoolers in grades 9-12 with a minimum GPA of 3.0; Must have completed the BE-BOAT course in the winter to participate in the spring courses
UCSD Research Scholars introduces you to the foundational concepts of bioengineering, bioinformatics, and systems biology. You’ll explore topics like biomaterials, tissue engineering, and genetic data analysis through a combination of lectures and virtual labs. You’ll gain insight into the technical constraints and design specifications required to engineer biological solutions for medical problems, often using software like R or Python for data interpretation.
7. Johns Hopkins CTY: Biotechnology
Location: Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA
Cost: Varies depending on course format; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 18 students
Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the year; Spring A starts January 26, and Spring B starts March 23 (tentative, as per previous years)
Application Deadline: January 5 OR February 17
Eligibility: High schoolers in grades 9-12 who meet JHU’s criteria
In this course, you’ll investigate the intersection of genetics and technology, examining how genomic sequencing informs the treatment of congenital diseases and cancer. You will learn the fundamental principles of cell biology, analyzing how errors in mitosis and DNA replication lead to cellular dysfunction. In the lab, you will execute technical protocols to isolate bacterial DNA, digest genes using restriction enzymes, and analyze fragments via gel electrophoresis. The curriculum extends to modeling polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and evaluating the mechanism of DNA vaccines. The program concludes with you synthesizing primary research into an original abstract and drafting executive summaries that address the ethical implications of biotech innovation for government policymakers.
8. Northwestern Center for Talent Development: Biology Honors
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,325
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 30 students
Dates: January 24 – August 15 (tentative)
Application Deadline: October 4 – January 31 (tentative)
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12
Biology Honors at Northwestern lets you engage in a rigorous study of foundational biology, examining the chemical and physical principles that govern life. You will analyze cellular organization, bioenergetics, and the mechanisms of heredity, applying the scientific method to evaluate experimental limitations and design validity. Through laboratory investigations, you’ll dissect the anatomical structures of plants and animals to understand physiological homeostasis. You’ll also explore the diversity of organisms, mapping ecological interdependencies and the cycling of matter. The course challenges you to solve complex problems regarding energy transfer and the structural adaptations required to maintain biological functions.
9. Tufts University Pre-Med Courses: Biomedical Data Science
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Cost: $1,666
Acceptance Rate: Extremely selective
Dates: January 26 – March 23
Application Deadline: January 1
Eligibility: Highly qualified high schoolers
Tufts University lets extremely talented high schoolers enroll in undergraduate level precollege medical courses alongside current Tufts undergrads. In the Biomedical Data Science course, you will study the analytical frameworks necessary for interpreting complex genetic and genomic data. You will examine high-throughput technologies, specifically next-generation sequencing (NGS), to quantify DNA variants, gene expression profiles, and microbiome compositions. It also provides an opportunity to learn mainstream computational methods to process large datasets. At the end, you will execute a technical project by analyzing a publicly available dataset and applying these methodologies to solve a real-world biomedical problem.
10. UC Berkeley Extension Concurrent Enrollment
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $850 per unit + fees
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: January 20 – May 15
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12 with a 3.0+ GPA
UC Berkeley allows you to take regular university courses in Biology or Biotechnology alongside matriculated students. You’ll get exposure to rigorous academic standards, studying topics like recombinant DNA technology, protein engineering, and industrial microbiology. The program allows you to access university-level lectures and materials, providing a deep dive into the theoretical underpinnings of modern biotechnology.
11. Biogen CoLab
Location: Biogen CoLab, Cambridge, MA & Research Triangle Park, NC
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Varies by local school district partnership
Dates: Varies; batches are held by local nonprofits or teachers
Application Deadline: Rolling; coordinated through local science teachers
Eligibility: High school students in Cambridge, Somerville, Wake County, and Durham County
Biogen’s CoLab is distinct from other entries on this list. Instead of being a pre-college program or course, it is a classroom-style community laboratory. Through collaborative programming run by local nonprofits, teachers, and Biogen employees, you will engage in hands-on synthetic biology and molecular lab techniques using the state-of-the-art corporate laboratory facility provided by Biogen. It’s a good opportunity to learn standard industry protocols, such as DNA extraction, gene expression modeling, and fluorescence microscopy.
12. NYU Precollege
Location: New York, NY
Cost: $2,002 tuition per credit + $50 application fee + a $250 deposit
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: January 20 – May 5
Application Deadline: January 5
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors
NYU’s pre-college program lets you enroll in credit-bearing undergraduate STEM courses such as Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Human Biology, or An Overview of Evolution. These rigorous, college-level courses allow you to explore the biochemical pathways of cellular mechanisms, engage with advanced wet-lab simulations, and practice data modeling. In addition to academic learning, the program also features College 101, a series of information sessions and workshops on topics for college preparation.
13. Rice University Pre-College Program: Genome Engineering
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,795; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year, including spring
Application Deadline: Rolling; Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
Rice University’s pre-college program offers varied undergraduate-level courses for high school students, including one on the molecular mechanics of genome editing. As a participant in the Genome Engineering course, you will learn the biochemical principles behind the CRISPR-Cas9 system and its application in treating monogenic disorders like sickle cell disease. Through interactive simulations, you will evaluate the off-target effects of genome engineering and design a targeted gene-therapy strategy to correct beta-globin mutations as your final capstone project. While this is a remote program, the technical exposure makes it a strong contender if you’re keen on developing your academic knowledge base.
14. University of Rochester Pre-College Program: Personalized Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,595; financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple 2- and 4-week sessions available throughout the year, including in the spring
Application Deadline: Rolling; Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
The University of Rochester Pre-College Program offers several college-level courses, including the Personalized Medicine course, during which you will investigate the intersection of genetics and clinical treatment. You’ll also get to analyze how genomic sequencing informs drug efficacy and susceptibility to diseases like cancer. You will learn to interpret sequencing data to identify point mutations, specifically examining BRCA genes and their role in DNA repair. The capstone project will have you act as a gene doctor to analyze a disease from a genetic viewpoint and identify how to treat it using personalized medicine.
15. Harvard Medical School Pre-College Program: Genetics
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,895; financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Multi-length courses available throughout the year, including spring
Application Deadline: Rolling; Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
This course from Harvard Medical School lets you explore the advanced molecular architecture of DNA, RNA, and proteins, studying the mechanistic causes of genetic variance. You’ll analyze how chromosomal aberrations and epigenetic factors contribute to tumorigenesis, focusing on mitochondrial DNA, DNA repair pathways, and gene regulation. The curriculum, designed by HMS faculty, requires you to interpret complex genomic data and evaluate the efficacy of precision medicine tools currently used in clinical oncology.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects such as biotechnology, genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and biomedical ethics, 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 – University of Rochester