TL;DR
You’ll find 15 free medical programs for high school students below, each with its location, what it costs or pays, dates, deadline and exactly who can apply. We checked every entry against the program’s own website in October 2026. They’re split into free programs open to students anywhere in the US, free internships that pay you, free local programs and hospital volunteering, and research programs with financial aid. 7 of the 15 can pay you, from a $500 stipend up to $3,600. Deadlines start in December, and Mayo Clinic SPARK closes on December 4, 2026, so pick your top three this week. Live too far from a hospital, or worried about cost? Do medical research online with a professor or PhD mentor at Horizon, with need-based aid for families earning under $75,000.
Free medical programs are some of the most competitive programs you can apply to, because they’re free. Most put you in a hospital or research lab for the summer, and the best ones pay you to be there. The catch is eligibility: almost every free program only takes students who live near it. Want every option, paid or free? See our full list of medical programs for high school students or our guide to medical internships for high school students.
What does “free” mean for a medical program?
Free can mean four different things, and they’re not equally free.
| Type | What’s covered | What you still pay for | Examples below |
| Free to attend | No tuition or program fee | Usually housing, food and travel | SIMR, Rutgers RITMS, SMYSP |
| Free and paid | No tuition, plus a stipend or hourly pay | Housing, if you’re not local | Broad, Fred Hutch, MSK |
| Fully funded | Tuition, housing, meals and travel | Very little | Johns Hopkins ISPEED |
| Paid, with aid | Tuition is cut or waived if you qualify | Whatever aid doesn’t cover | Horizon, Veritas AI |
Free almost never means free of every cost. Most of these are commuter programs with no housing, so a summer in Boston or Palo Alto can cost more than a paid online program would. If money is the deciding factor, look hard at ISPEED, which covers everything, and at the internships that pay a stipend. For non-medical options, see our list of fully funded STEM programs.
Who can get into a free medical program?
Before you fall for a program, check these six things. Most students get ruled out by one of them, not by their grades.
- Where you live. Broad wants you within commuting distance of Cambridge, MSK wants a permanent address within 25 miles of New York City, and Roswell Park only takes four Western New York counties.
- Your age. Lab work usually needs you to be 16 by the start date. ISPEED and Roswell Park take 15-year-olds.
- Your grade. Juniors have the most options. Fred Hutch, Broad and MSK are built for the summer before senior year, and MD Anderson only takes Texas seniors.
- Citizenship. SIMR, ISPEED and Roswell Park need you to be a US citizen or permanent resident. Broad also accepts work authorization.
- Your background. SMYSP is only for low-income, first-generation students, and Stanford PIPS gives its stipend based on need.
- Your GPA. Houston Methodist and Mayo Clinic SPARK want at least a 3.5, and Rutgers RITMS wants a 3.0.
If you don’t live near a big medical center, start with the first group below. UT Southwestern’s internship is online and has no location rule at all, and online medical research opportunities are the other way around the zip code problem.
Free medical programs open to students anywhere in the US
These four take applicants from across the country. Only ISPEED pays your way there, so for SIMR and Houston Methodist you’ll need a place to stay if you’re not local.
1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (in person)
Cost: Free. There’s no standard stipend, only a small number of need-based ones.
Dates: June 7 to July 29, 2027 (tentative), 8 weeks
Application deadline: Late February 2027. The application opens December 18, 2026.
Eligibility: Juniors or seniors in the class of 2027 or 2028, 16 or older by the June start, living in and attending high school in the US, and a US citizen or permanent resident
SIMR puts you in a Stanford Medicine lab for eight weeks on a medical research project, working next to faculty, postdocs and grad students. You choose one of eight areas: immunology, cancer biology, stem cells, neuroscience, cardiovascular biology, genetics, bioinformatics or bioengineering. It’s one of the best-known free medical research programs in the country.
The catch is that Stanford says selection heavily favors Bay Area students, so treat it as a reach if you live elsewhere. Our guide to applying to SIMR walks through the application.
Who is it right for? Bay Area juniors and seniors who want a full summer in a top medical research lab.
2. Johns Hopkins ISPEED in Biomedical Engineering
Location: Johns Hopkins Homewood campus, Baltimore, MD (you live on campus)
Cost: Free. Tuition, travel to Baltimore, housing and meals are covered, and you can apply for a one-time need-based stipend.
Dates: 4 weeks in the summer. The 2026 program ran June 29 to July 24.
Application deadline: Not posted for 2027 yet. Johns Hopkins posts it about six months before the program starts.
Eligibility: 10th or 11th graders who are US citizens or permanent residents, at least 15 on move-in day and not yet 18 on the last day
ISPEED is where medicine meets engineering. You’ll work in a cell and tissue engineering lab and a design studio, pick up some programming and machine learning, and tour Hopkins research labs. It’s the only program on this list that pays for your travel, housing and meals, and you earn three Johns Hopkins college credits.
If the engineering side of health is your thing, our list of biomedical engineering summer programs has more like it.
Who is it right for? Sophomores and juniors anywhere in the US who like biology and building things.
3. UT Southwestern Inspiring Careers in Mental Health Internship
Location: Online
Cost: No fee is listed on the program page
Dates: 2 weeks in June
Application deadline: Early February. Applications open in late September, so the 2027 cycle is open now.
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th and 12th graders, plus rising college first-years
You’ll meet psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, physician assistants and clinical social workers, and hear what their work is actually like. Before each session, you read a packet of articles on topics like therapy, neuropsychological testing and community psychiatry. Because it’s online with no location rule, it’s the easiest program here to get to.
You’ll need a recommendation from your school counselor and a personal essay. For more in this area, see our list of mental health programs for high school students.
Who is it right for? Students anywhere who are drawn to psychiatry or psychology.
4. Houston Methodist Summer High School Research Internship
Location: Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX (in person)
Cost: No fee or stipend is listed on the program page
Dates: June 1 to August 6, 2027, full time
Application deadline: January 29, 2027. Applications open December 4, 2026.
Eligibility: Juniors or seniors who are 16, with a minimum 3.5 GPA
You’ll work on translational research, which is the step that turns lab findings into treatments, alongside undergraduate interns. Your mentor picks the project, and you present a poster at the end. The page doesn’t limit it to Texas students, but it runs 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and doesn’t mention housing.
You’ll need two essays, two recommendation letters, a resume and a transcript with your fall 2026 grades. More options near Houston are in our guide to medical research programs in Texas.
Who is it right for? High-GPA juniors and seniors who can get to Houston for the summer.
Free medical internships that pay you
These cost nothing and come with a stipend or pay. Each one only takes students who live or go to school nearby, and none of them provide housing. If you’re not local, our guides to free medical programs in NYC and free medical summer programs in California list what’s near those cities.
5. Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP)
Location: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA (in person, you commute)
Cost: Free to apply and attend, with a $3,600 stipend and partial travel reimbursement
Dates: 6 weeks. The 2026 program ran June 29 to August 7.
Application deadline: January 21 in the 2026 cycle. That application opened November 24.
Eligibility: Rising seniors at a Massachusetts high school within commuting distance of the Broad, with a B or better in science and math. You must be a US citizen, permanent resident, or have work authorization.
You’ll do an original research project with a Broad scientist, in a wet lab, on a computer, or both. It’s the best-paying program on this list, and you don’t need any research experience. Students with little STEM background are especially encouraged to apply. See our list of lab opportunities in Boston for more.
Who is it right for? Massachusetts juniors who live near Cambridge.
6. Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Location: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle, WA (in person)
Cost: Free. It’s a paid, full-time internship.
Dates: 8 weeks. The 2026 program ran June 22 to August 14.
Application deadline: March 13 in the 2026 cycle. Fred Hutch posts 2027 details in November.
Eligibility: Students going into senior year, 16 or older by the start, who live in Greater Seattle or nearby. Out-of-state and international students can’t apply.
SHIP is built for students who haven’t done research before. You spend two weeks learning lab safety and basic techniques, then six weeks working with a partner in a Fred Hutch research group. You get paid while you learn, which is rare for a beginner program. More Seattle options are in our list of lab opportunities in Seattle.
Who is it right for? Seattle-area juniors who want paid lab experience but don’t have any yet.
7. Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Student Program
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (in person)
Cost: Free, with a $1,200 stipend in the 2025 cycle. Housing isn’t provided.
Dates: 8 weeks. The 2025 program ran June 30 to August 22.
Application deadline: Not yet posted for 2027. Recent cycles have closed in early February.
Eligibility: High school juniors whose permanent address is within 25 miles of New York City
You’ll spend eight weeks in an MSK lab, at the bench or on a computer, working on cancer research with a mentor. You have to finish all eight weeks on site to get the stipend. And don’t email faculty while you apply, because MSK disqualifies applicants who do. More NYC options are in our list of research programs in New York City.
Who is it right for? New York City area juniors who want a summer in a major cancer center.
8. MD Anderson Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (in person)
Cost: Free to attend, with a stipend. The amount isn’t shown on the current program page.
Dates: June 1 or June 8 to August 7 in 2026, depending on your graduation date
Application deadline: The 2026 cycle opened November 17, 2025, and closed January 14, 2026. The 2027 dates aren’t posted yet.
Eligibility: Texas high school seniors. Past cycles also required you to be 18 by the start date.
This program puts you in an MD Anderson lab doing biomedical research with faculty mentors. It’s one of the few free programs you can do the summer after you graduate. You’ll need to arrange your own housing, transportation and meals.
Who is it right for? Texas seniors headed into biomedical science who can get to Houston every day.
9. Stanford Pediatrics Internship Program (PIPS)
Location: Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (in person, with some remote work possible)
Cost: Free. Admitted students who show financial need can get a $3,000 stipend.
Dates: 7 weeks at 30 hours a week. The 2026 program ran June 8 to July 24.
Application deadline: Not posted yet. Join the program’s mailing list to hear when the application opens.
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who live in the Bay Area
PIPS is designed for students with little or no research experience. You learn about science, medicine and research alongside Stanford faculty, postdocs and students, then complete a research project of your own. If you’re in the Bay Area and SIMR feels out of reach, PIPS is a strong second application.
Who is it right for? Bay Area juniors and seniors who are new to research.
10. Mayo Clinic Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology
Location: Online
Cost: No fee is listed, and you get a $500 taxable stipend
Dates: 2 weeks, 4 hours a day on weekdays. The 2026 program ran July 20 to 31.
Application deadline: April 24 in the 2026 cycle
Eligibility: Full-time high school students who live in Minnesota, from rising sophomores to rising seniors
You’ll work with students from other Midwest schools on a genetics research project and a patient case study, using lab kits sent to your home. There are faculty lectures, panels and career workshops with cancer researchers. It’s short and online, so it fits around a summer job or another program.
Who is it right for? Minnesota students who want a first taste of cancer research.
11. Roswell Park High School Summer Research Experience in Cancer (SURE-CAN)
Location: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY (in person, commuters only)
Cost: No application fee. A limited number of students get a subsistence allowance, and the amount isn’t posted.
Dates: June 28 to August 6, 2027, full time for 6 weeks
Application deadline: January 1, 2027. The application opened October 1, 2026.
Eligibility: Juniors in the class of 2028 who are 15 or older by June 27, 2027, are US citizens or permanent residents, and live and go to school in Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus or Chautauqua County, NY
You’ll join a Roswell Park lab, at the bench or on a computer, and work on a cancer research project with a faculty mentor. Lectures cover cancer biology, imaging, genomics, AI, statistics and research ethics. You finish with a technical abstract and a poster at the closing symposium. Every day is mandatory, and your school has to send a recommendation form by the deadline.
Who is it right for? Western New York juniors who want a summer of cancer research close to home.
Free local medical programs and hospital volunteering
These are free but don’t pay, and each one is limited to students in one area. They’re also among the least crowded options here, because fewer people know about them. For more volunteer roles, see our list of medical volunteer programs.
12. Mayo Clinic Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK)
Location: Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL (in person)
Cost: No cost is listed on the program page
Dates: June 3 to December 4, 2027. You work full time in the summer, then keep going once school starts.
Application deadline: December 4, 2026. The application opened October 15, and interviews are in mid-February.
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors at a high school in Duval or St. Johns County, FL, with at least a 3.5 unweighted GPA. You must be free for the first two weeks of June for orientation.
SPARK puts you in a Mayo Clinic research lab for at least 40 hours a week over the summer, in an area like cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, drug development or AI. Your project keeps going into the fall, with a talk in August, a poster symposium in December, and the option to enter science fairs in the spring.
Who is it right for? Jacksonville-area students who want a research project that lasts longer than one summer.
13. Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science (RITMS) Summer Research Program
Location: Rutgers RITMS, New Brunswick, NJ (day program, no housing)
Cost: Tuition-free
Dates: 8 weeks, from the third week of June to the second week of August
Application deadline: February 1. Scientists review applications on a rolling basis from November, so applying early helps.
Eligibility: High school students entering 10th, 11th or 12th grade who are 16 by the start, with at least a 3.0 GPA or A’s and B’s in math and science, plus parental consent
You join a lab as part of its research team, help plan and run experiments, analyze results, and write and present your findings, with scientists and grad students mentoring you. It’s one of the few free lab programs that takes rising sophomores. You arrange your own daily transportation.
Who is it right for? New Jersey students who can commute to New Brunswick and want real bench experience early.
14. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA (in person)
Cost: Tuition-free, funded by donations
Dates: 5 weeks. The 2026 program ran June 22 to July 26.
Application deadline: March 23 in the 2026 cycle
Eligibility: High school juniors who are low-income and first-generation college students living in Northern California
SMYSP gives about two dozen students an intensive introduction to health science and medicine, with mentoring from medical professionals, faculty and Stanford students. It’s as much about getting you to college and into a health career as it is about the science.
Who is it right for? Low-income, first-generation juniors in Northern California.
15. Boston Medical Center Junior Summer Volunteer Program
Location: Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA (in person)
Cost: No fee is listed
Dates: 8 weeks. The 2026 program ran June 29 to August 21.
Application deadline: The 2026 cycle filled and closed on March 9 after 100 applications, so apply as soon as the 2027 form opens.
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who can attend in person for all 8 weeks. Boston residents get preference.
You volunteer one three-hour shift a week in an outpatient area, like the pediatric clinic or the food pantry, and attend a weekly talk by a surgeon, nurse, social worker or other hospital professional. It’s light enough to combine with a job or another program, and you get a certificate and credit for your hours.
Who is it right for? Boston students who want regular time inside a hospital.
Medical research programs with financial aid
These aren’t free, but they’re open to students anywhere, and aid can bring the cost down a lot. They’re the answer if you don’t live near any of the hospitals above.
16. Horizon Academic Research Program
Location: Online
Cost: $6,950 per course. Need-based aid is available for households earning under $75,000.
Dates: Fall and spring terms run 15 weeks, and summer runs 10. Cohorts start three times a year.
Application deadline: Each cohort has its own deadline. The next one is posted on the programs page.
Eligibility: High school students with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.67
There’s no course called “medicine.” Instead, you pick a medical research topic from courses like Neuroscience, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Gene Editing and CRISPR, Protein Biophysics or Medical Sociology. In a Seminar, you work in a small group led by a professor. In a Lab, you work one-on-one with a PhD scholar.
You finish with a research paper of about 5,000 words, and a writing coach and publication specialist help you get it ready to submit. It’s selective: 26% of 6,539 applicants got in.
Who is it right for? Students who want their own medical research paper, wherever they live.
17. Veritas AI Deep Dive: AI + Medicine
Location: Online
Cost: Not listed on the program page. Need-based aid can cover up to 100%, and you apply for it on the application form.
Dates: 10 weekly sessions of 2.5 hours
Application deadline: Check the program page for the next cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 to 12 who have finished Veritas AI’s AI Scholars program or have Python experience
You build AI models that spot signs of disease in public clinical datasets, then work on medical scans, genomics and drug discovery. Groups are small, with five students per mentor. No medical background is needed, but you do need some coding.
Who is it right for? Students who code and want to see how AI is used in medicine.
18. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Online, one-on-one
Cost: Not listed on the programs page, so ask about cost and aid when you apply
Dates: 12 weeks for the Individual Research Program, with longer options
Application deadline: Rolling cohorts. Check the programs page for the next one.
Eligibility: High school students
You work one-on-one with a researcher from a top university on an independent project, from picking a topic to submitting a finished paper. Biology and medicine are among the research areas, and you can propose your own topic. It’s a fit if you want a mentor’s full attention on one question.
Who is it right for? Students who want a one-on-one research mentor in medicine or biology.
Frequently asked questions
Are there free online medical programs for high school students?
Yes, but only a few. UT Southwestern’s mental health internship is online with no fee listed and no location rule. Mayo Clinic’s SHE in Oncology is online too, but only for Minnesota students. Horizon and Veritas AI are online and offer need-based aid.
Do any free medical programs pay you?
Yes, seven programs here can pay you. Broad pays a $3,600 stipend, Stanford PIPS pays $3,000 based on need, MSK paid $1,200 in 2025, and Fred Hutch, MD Anderson, Mayo Clinic SHE and Roswell Park also pay a stipend or allowance.
When should you apply to free medical programs?
Most open in November or December and close between January and March. Mayo Clinic SPARK closes December 4, 2026, Roswell Park closes January 1, 2027, and Houston Methodist closes January 29, 2027. Rutgers reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
Can a 9th or 10th grader do a free medical program?
A few. Johns Hopkins ISPEED takes 10th graders, Rutgers RITMS takes students entering 10th grade, and Mayo Clinic SHE takes rising sophomores. Most lab internships want you to be 16 and a junior. Until then, online research and medical research topics you can explore on your own are a good start.
Resources
Program websites: Stanford SIMR, Johns Hopkins ISPEED, Broad Summer Scholars Program, Fred Hutch SHIP, MSK Summer Student Program, Roswell Park SURE-CAN, Mayo Clinic SPARK, Stanford SMYSP.
More from Horizon:
- Medical programs for high school students
- Medical internships for high school students
- Medical research opportunities for high school students
- Online medical research opportunities
- Free medical programs in NYC
- Free medical summer programs in California
- Public health summer programs
- Cardiology summer programs
- Free research mentorship programs