Chemistry programs for high school students in New Jersey introduce you to laboratory techniques, experimental design, and chemical analysis. Instead of only learning theory, you typically perform experiments involving reactions, materials, or environmental samples. Many programs also include data analysis and basic computational tools used in chemistry research. You may work in small teams to conduct experiments, analyze results, and present findings. These activities help you develop practical lab skills and scientific reasoning used in university chemistry labs.
Why should you choose a program in New Jersey?
New Jersey hosts several universities and research institutions that offer chemistry programs for high school students. Institutions such as Princeton University, Rutgers University, and NJIT run summer programs, outreach workshops, and research experiences where you can explore chemistry concepts in laboratory settings. These programs often include experiments, chemical analysis projects, and exposure to fields like materials science, environmental chemistry, or chemical engineering. If you’re living in or near the state, these opportunities provide access to university labs and structured STEM learning environments.
Here is a list of 15 Chemistry Programs for High School Students in New Jersey. You can also check our blogs on chemistry programs for high school students here and here.
15 Chemistry Programs for High School Students in New Jersey
1. Princeton University — Laboratory Learning Program (LLP)
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: small cohort
Dates: 5–6 weeks during summer (late June to mid-August); schedule determined by individual lab
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15 (online application; no extensions)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens enrolled in a local NJ high school; must be at least 16 by June 15; local housing required (no university housing provided)
Princeton’s LLP places you directly inside an active faculty research lab for 5–6 weeks, working full-time alongside graduate students and postdocs on ongoing projects in natural sciences or engineering, which includes chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science. You’re not working on a pre-designed exercise; you’re contributing to real research, which means you’ll use professional-grade equipment, help design experiments, collect and analyze data, and write a two-page summary report at the end. Research topics change each year based on which labs participate. Around 700 students apply annually for approximately 40 spots, giving it a ~6% acceptance rate.
2. Rutgers University — LEEDAR Chemistry Summer Research Program
Location: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: one on one
Dates: Late June – mid-August (6–8 weeks; exact schedule arranged with your professor)
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with an interest in chemistry and scientific research
LEEDAR (Learning Enhanced through Experimental Design and Analysis at Rutgers) is a one-on-one research program run through the Rutgers Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. You choose a laboratory from those participating in the program, then work directly with a professor on that lab’s active research project. The program is explicitly designed to teach you how scientific research actually works, not following a predetermined protocol, but thinking through experimental design, deciding what to measure, and interpreting your own results. Past projects have included organometallic chemistry, catalysis, and synthetic chemistry. No prior research experience is required.
3. Rutgers University — Pre-College Summer Scholars Program
Location: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Tuition-based (scholarships available); check precollegesummer.rutgers.edu for current rates
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: Multiple summer sessions
Application Deadline: Rolling; apply early, courses fill up
Eligibility: High school students at least 16 years old; minimum 3.0 GPA; U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or valid visa holders
Rutgers’ Summer Scholars Program lets high school students take introductory college-level courses on campus, including chemistry. You attend lectures, participate in labs, and work with Rutgers faculty all before college. You can earn up to six transferable college credits. The program covers foundational chemistry topics, including atomic structure, periodic trends, bonding, equilibria, thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. If you’re looking to get ahead in chemistry coursework or test whether you’re ready for college-level science, this is a direct way to do it with real credentials.
4. Governor’s School of New Jersey in the Sciences — Drew University
Location: Drew University, Madison, NJ (residential)
Cost/Stipend: Free (tuition, housing, and meals included)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: small
Dates: July 12 – August 1
Application Deadline: Nominations submitted mid-November to mid-January through your high school guidance office; final decisions by early April
Eligibility: NJ residents who have completed 11th grade; nominated by your high school (each school has a limited number of nominations based on class size); 20–25% of nominees are accepted
The NJ Governor’s School in the Sciences is a three-week residential program where you take three core science courses, which can include chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and anthropology, plus one lab course and work on a team research project. There are no grades or exams; the emphasis is on collaborative learning, scientific thinking, and research. Lab courses have included organic chemistry, biology, computer science, and physics. Past team projects have covered chemical kinetics, quantum mechanics, and experimental psychology. This is one of the most competitive and prestigious free STEM programs available to NJ high school students.
5. Stevens Institute of Technology — Medicinal Chemistry: Discovering Molecules That Cure
Location: Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ (residential)
Cost/Stipend: $3,150 (one week); includes housing, meals, and all activities
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: Session I July 6–12, Session II July 13–19
Application Deadline: March 1 (rolling thereafter until full)
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors; no prior chemistry experience required
This Stevens pre-college course, developed and taught by the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, covers the discovery and design of therapeutic molecules and how they’re developed into medicines. You’ll learn basic organic chemistry lab techniques, perform a literature search on a drug of interest, use molecular modeling and visualization software to examine three-dimensional molecular structures, and synthesize aspirin using green chemistry methods. The course concludes with a presentation in front of department faculty and parents, where you walk through your lab techniques and modeling results. You leave with a tangible lab product and documented research experience.
6. Liberty Science Center — Partners in Science
Location: Liberty Science Center and partnered university/research labs, Jersey City, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend paid upon successful completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: June 30 – August 22 (8 weeks, full-time)
Application Deadline: Typically February or March; check the website for the current cycle
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors; demonstrated ability or potential in STEM; open to students from all NJ schools
Partners in Science is an eight-week full-time summer research program where you’re matched with a mentor at a university or research lab and assigned to a real ongoing project. Chemistry placements have included electrochemistry, materials analysis, and biochemistry. You’ll learn lab protocols, use analytical instruments, collect and interpret data, and present your findings at a closing symposium. The program emphasizes scientific communication; you’ll practice writing lab reports, constructing arguments from data, and presenting to scientists. A stipend is given upon completion.
7. Liberty Science Center — Pathways to Partners in Science
Location: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: small
Dates: Cohort 1: July 13 – July 24 | Cohort 2: July 27 – August 6 (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily)
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: Rising 10th graders
Pathways is a two-week introductory research program designed as a pipeline into Partners in Science for younger students. Over two weeks, you learn the fundamentals of scientific inquiry, designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, writing in scientific format, and communicating results. Guided mini-projects expose you to lab chemistry, biology, and environmental science in a hands-on setting with mentors from LSC. If you’re a rising sophomore looking to build research skills before pursuing a full research placement, this is a direct on-ramp.
8. Rowan University — STEAM Academy (Chemistry/Science Track)
Location: Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ (residential option available)
Cost/Stipend: Tuition-based; rolling acceptance; contact [email protected] for pricing
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: Two weeks
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; apply early
Eligibility: Rising 7th–12th graders (Navigators and Pathfinders tracks earn college credit; must be rising 10th–12th grade)
Rowan’s STEAM Academy is a two-week pre-college program where you take an accredited Rowan University course each morning and participate in workshops on career development, standardized test prep, and leadership in the afternoons. Students in the Navigators and Pathfinders tracks (10th–12th grade) earn 2–3 transferable college credits. Chemistry is one of the core STEM disciplines covered; Pathfinders students can pursue a chemistry-focused research track with one-on-one mentorship from a Rowan faculty member.
9. Stevens Institute of Technology — Chemical Engineering High School Summer Research Program
Location: Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ (commuter)
Cost/Stipend: Free; $35/day stipend to cover transportation and meals
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: 6 weeks (up to 3 days/week)
Application Deadline: Contact the Dept. of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science directly; outreach conducted through local NJ and NY high schools each spring
Eligibility: Rising sophomores and juniors from NJ/NY high schools who have taken or are currently enrolled in AP Chemistry; schools historically targeted by Stevens faculty
This program was launched by Stevens’ Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science to give local high school students hands-on lab experience in a research university setting. You work up to three days a week for six weeks alongside faculty and PhD students on real research projects. The focus is on applied chemistry at a larger, more sophisticated scale than a high school lab. Past work has involved polymer synthesis, electrochemical analysis, and materials characterization using equipment like rheometers and electron microscopes. You will receive a $35 daily stipend for transportation and lunch.
10. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) — High School Summer Internship
Location: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free (no stipend)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: competitive
Dates: Summer; exact dates based on project assignment
Application Deadline: Applications open August 1 for the following summer; deadline November 1
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors (18 by program start); U.S. work authorization required; strong background in physics, chemistry, math, or engineering; coding experience (Python, Java) or CAD (SolidWorks, AutoCAD) recommended
PPPL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory operated by Princeton University. The high school internship places graduating seniors alongside PPPL scientists and engineers on real projects in plasma physics, fusion energy, and applied materials science, the last of which involves direct chemistry and electrochemistry work. You commit 40 hours/week, Monday through Friday. Work can include computational modeling, experimental data analysis, and hands-on lab tasks depending on your project. If you’re an applicant with an AP Chemistry or AP Physics background who also has some coding experience, you are at a significant advantage.
11. ACS Project SEED — New Jersey Lab Placements
Location: Various university and industry labs across New Jersey
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid stipend ($3,000–$5,000 depending on session and location)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: 8–10 weeks during summer (June–August); exact dates vary by lab
Application Deadline: Typically January–March; check acs.org/seed for the current cycle
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from economically disadvantaged backgrounds; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Project SEED is an American Chemical Society program that places economically disadvantaged high school students in paid summer research positions at university and industry chemistry labs. New Jersey has active SEED placement labs, given the density of pharmaceutical and chemical companies in the state. You spend 8–10 weeks working full-time in a real lab on a defined project. Past topics in NJ labs have included organic synthesis, drug formulation, analytical chemistry, and environmental monitoring. At the end, you write a research report and may present at the ACS National Meeting. SEED alumni receive continued support for college applications, with many going on to chemistry or chemical engineering degrees.
12. Kean University — Group Summer Scholars Research Program (GSSRP)
Location: Kean University, Union, NJ (commuter only)
Cost/Stipend: ~$1,700; full scholarships and fee waivers available for eligible students (contact [email protected])
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: 4–6 weeks in summer
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors; NJ high school students; must commit to the full program duration
GSSRP places you on a small faculty-led research team for 4–6 weeks across chemistry-heavy tracks. You analyze illicit drug compounds, stimulants, narcotics, and hallucinogens using LC-MS and GC-MS instruments used in real forensic science labs. In Modern Drug Discovery, you synthesize novel receptor antagonists and test them against cultured glioblastoma cells using actual drug-discovery screening assays. In Analytical Chemistry: Mass Spectrometry in Drug Discovery, you study how drugs are metabolized using chromatography and mass spectrometry. Each team presents a research poster at a closing ceremony. Need-based full scholarships are available.
13. NJIT High School Summer Research Internship (Provost’s Program)
Location: NJIT, Newark, NJ
Cost/Stipend: $500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: June 24 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 26
Eligibility: NJ residents completing 10th or 11th grade in June of enrollment year; minimum 3.75 unweighted GPA; demonstrated STEM interest
This NJIT program places high school students in faculty-supervised research labs across STEM disciplines, including chemistry and environmental science. You work on a defined project under a faculty advisor, gaining hands-on lab experience in areas like biosensor chemistry, environmental analysis, and materials science. The program includes professional development components and concludes with a research presentation at NJIT’s Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.
14. Coriell Institute Summer Experience for High School Students
Location: Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free; unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: small
Dates: July 17 – August 17
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Must be at least 17 by July 1; strong interest in science; advanced science coursework recommended; U.S. citizenship required; must commute to Camden (no housing provided).
Coriell is a world-leading biobank and genomics research institute. This four-week program places you in one of three tracks: Production Laboratories (biobank operations, sample generation, karyotyping), Stem Cell Lab (induced pluripotent stem cell culture), or Molecular Biology Lab (DNA extraction from varied sample types). You work directly alongside career scientists and technicians, not on a classroom exercise. The program uses professional lab equipment daily and concludes with a formal PowerPoint presentation to Coriell staff. A $1,000 stipend is awarded on completion.
15. Rutgers NJMS — SMART Summer Program
Location: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ (hybrid 4 days virtual, 1 day in-person weekly)
Cost/Stipend: $350 + $25 fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: selective
Dates: June 30 – July 25 (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–2 PM)
Application Deadline: May 9
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders; all NJ high school students welcome to apply
SMART (Science, Medicine, and Related Topics) is a four-week program run by Rutgers New Jersey Medical School that introduces high school students to biomedical science, chemistry, and health research. You attend daily sessions covering topics at the intersection of chemistry and medicine, including pharmacology basics, how drugs interact with biological systems, lab techniques used in clinical and research settings, and the science behind disease diagnosis. One day per week is in-person at the NJMS campus in Newark, giving you direct access to university facilities and faculty. This is one of the few free NJ programs that explicitly bridges chemistry with real medical research contexts, and the hybrid format makes it accessible statewide.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in chemistry, 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 – Coriell Institute for Medical Research