If you’re a high school student interested in subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, or environmental science, participating in a natural sciences program is a great way to explore those interests. Natural sciences programs offered by universities will give you structured, hands-on exposure to these subjects through lab work and research experiences. In these programs, you might run lab experiments by using tools such as microscopes, spectrometers, or chromatography setups, analyze datasets with platforms such as Excel or Python, or learn fieldwork methods such as ecological sampling and data logging. You might also learn important scientific practices, including writing lab reports, following safety procedures, and designing small research projects.
Why should I participate in a Natural Sciences University Program?
If you are thinking about studying science in college, these programs help you understand what that path really looks like. Universities such as Stanford, UPenn, and Harvard offer short-term programs where you can sit in on faculty lectures, work in labs, and explore different scientific fields. You get to work with real tools, participate in experiments, and learn how scientists approach problems. Experiences like these can make it easier to figure out which subjects you enjoy and what you might want to study later. Along the way, you can build useful skills such as data analysis, observation, and scientific writing. These skills can come in handy for school projects, future research, and college applications.
Here are 15 natural sciences university programs for high school students. If you’re specifically looking for university-led physics programs for high school students, you can find them here. You can also check out free university science summer programs here.
1. University of Florida’s Research Explorations (REx) Program
Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $2,500 + $35 non-refundable application fee; limited need-based scholarships are available for Florida high school students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 21 – July 3 | July 19 – 31
Application Deadline: January 5 – March 25
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors
The University of Florida Research Explorations program introduces rising high school juniors and seniors to the world of scientific research and discovery. You’ll learn how scientists and engineers create new knowledge and turn ideas into solutions, therapies, and technologies. You’ll visit active labs, take part in discussions on current UF research, and join hands-on activities with faculty and graduate students.
You can choose between two tracks based on your interests. In the Environmental Science and Toxicology track, you’ll explore topics such as human health impacts, conservation methods, air and water pollution, aquatic health, and the effects of pollution and invasive species on ecosystems. In the Biomedical Science track, you’ll study topics ranging from basic discovery to clinical treatments, while learning laboratory techniques such as DNA and protein science, CRISPR, and gel electrophoresis.
2. Columbia University’s NYC Residential Summer Program — Modern Biology & Its Real World Applications
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $12,837 / session + at least $50 for course materials + $80 application fee + course-specific fees
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 29 – July 17 | July 21 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 2 (early deadline) | March 2 (general deadline) | May 11 (extended deadline)
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders, including current seniors, who are at least 15 years old
Columbia University’s NYC Residential Summer Pre-College Program gives high school students the opportunity to experience college-level academics while living and learning in New York City. You can choose from over 70 college-level courses across subjects such as biology, physics, engineering, chemistry, psychology, environmental science, and neuroscience. You’ll also join college-prep sessions, faculty talks, wellness activities, and community events that introduce you to different aspects of student life.
In one of the program’s science-focused offerings, the Modern Biology and Its Real World Applications course, you’ll study molecular biology, genetics, and evolution, and learn how they connect to ecology, medicine, and agriculture. You’ll study DNA, RNA, and proteins, and explore fields such as cancer biology, biotechnology, immunology, genetic engineering, virology, bioethics, and climate biology. Participating in lectures, discussions, online labs, and multimedia work will help you build scientific knowledge and understand how biology impacts everyday life.
3. UPenn’s Chemistry Research Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $10,050 (program fees and housing) + $100 non-refundable application fee; Philadelphia public or charter high school students may qualify for a Penn Summer Scholarship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class sizes
Dates: July 11 – August 1
Application Deadline: December 1 – May 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 and 11 with a GPA of at least 3.5 who have completed at least one year of high school chemistry before the program starts
UPenn’s Chemistry Research Academy is a residential program that introduces high school students to college-level chemistry through lab work and faculty-led instructions. The program is designed to help you build foundational knowledge in chemistry while learning directly from research professors and students. You’ll spend about half your time in the lab working on hands-on experiments, using techniques such as spectroscopy and gas chromatography, optimizing synthetic methods, and tackling open-ended challenges. You’ll also attend research lectures on topics such as nanoscale materials, rare earth metals, protein modification, and coordination complexes.
In class, you’ll study analytical chemistry, chemical bonding, and materials science by joining discussions, activities, and presentations. The program includes visits to scientific institutions and research facilities such as the Science History Institute, the Singh Center for Nanomaterials, and university research labs. You’ll also develop skills in reading research papers and complete a capstone project, in which you’ll design and plan an independent research study.
4. Rockefeller University’s Summer Neuroscience Program (SNP)
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students
Dates: August 10 – 21
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students attending a New York City public school who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program
The Rockefeller University Summer Neuroscience Program is a two-week experience for NYC public high school students who want to explore how the brain works and how neuroscience connects to everyday life. Led by graduate students at Rockefeller University, the program gives you the space to explore your own ideas. You’ll work with a mentor and a partner to design a neuroscience experiment, read and present a scientific paper, and attend interactive lectures.
Hands-on activities are a major part of the experience and include dissecting a sheep brain and a cow eye to study the anatomical structures discussed in lectures and group sessions. In small groups, you’ll break down research articles with help from your mentor. You’ll also tour research labs and university facilities to see how neuroscience research is done, learn about the role of experimental animals in scientific studies, and present your work at the end of each week.
5. Texas Tech Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Honors College, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee | Students earn $750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application Deadline: January 2 – February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors graduating this year or next who are at least 17 years old at the program’s start and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Texas Tech’s Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a seven-week research program that gives high school students the opportunity to conduct hands-on research while working one-on-one with a faculty mentor. If you are interested in the natural sciences, you can explore fields such as biology, cancer biology, chemistry, cellular and microbiology, and physics, as well as related areas such as computer science and engineering. You’ll also take part in weekly discussions, seminars, field trips, and social activities that give you a sense of college-level research and campus life. These activities also expose you to different areas of research. Past student projects have explored topics such as predation and eDNA detection, selection in bacterial genes, synthesis of chemical compounds for sensors, pulsars as gravitational-wave detectors, and the effect of PYY on food intake and feeding behavior in frogs. More past project examples are available here.
6. Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; on-campus housing and meals cost $2,450 (optional) | Paid (amount not specified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 5%
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program allows high school students to take part in STEM research and choose up to three preferred areas or mentors across different fields. During the program, you’ll work with a faculty mentor, join a research group, and learn lab techniques, research methods, and experimental design. You’ll also attend workshops, lab tours, and faculty talks that introduce different areas of STEM research and scientific careers.
The program covers life sciences such as biology, neurobiology, biochemistry, genetics, and ecology, as well as physical sciences such as physics, astronomy, geosciences, and chemistry. You might study aging and nuclear pore dysfunction, create circular solutions linking food, water, and environment, explore quantum materials using optical nanoscopy techniques, or build machine learning models to study disease risk and drug treatments using patient data. At the end of the program, you’ll write a scientific abstract and present your work through a research poster at a final symposium
7. Pre-College Marine Science Program at Eckerd
Location: Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL
Cost: $2,250
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 14 – 19 | June 21 – 26
Application Deadline: Students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who pass a swim test by completing three full laps totaling 150 yards without touching the bottom, using any stroke, with no time limit
The Pre-College Marine Science Program at Eckerd College gives high school students the opportunity to explore marine science through hands-on work, laboratory activities, and coastal research experiences. The program introduces you to Eckerd’s undergraduate marine science curriculum and allows you to work closely with faculty along the Gulf of Mexico. You’ll take part in labs in marine biology, geology, and chemistry, and get hands-on experience through fieldwork.
You’ll photograph wild dolphins to study their behavior in Florida coastal waters, catch and release nearshore fish and invertebrates such as shrimp, crabs, and zooplankton, and observe alligators, tortoises, snakes, and birds of prey at a local nature preserve. You’ll also use scientific tools and techniques commonly used in marine research, including examining live plankton under a microscope, collecting sediment cores, conducting plankton tows from a vessel, and studying shorebirds. Outside of academic activities, you’ll spend afternoons, evenings, and overnight time with residential counselors.
8. Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: RockEDU Science Outreach Laboratory, Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; an OMNY card or MetroCard for NYC transit is provided | Need-based travel stipends are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 32 students
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application Deadline: October 13 – January 2
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by the program start
The Summer Science Research Program at Rockefeller University gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to work on team-based research in fields such as cancer biology, genetics, immunology, biochemistry, neuroscience, cell biology, and computational biology. During the program, you are placed in a team of 8–10 students and guided by one to three lead mentors and other scientists, similar to a real research lab. Your team is matched with mentors based on shared interests. You’ll work with trainees from Weill Cornell Medicine, Rockefeller, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center using dedicated RockEDU lab space and equipment.
You’ll develop a research question, collect and analyze data, learn lab skills, and strengthen your understanding of scientific methods. You’ll also attend guest talks, workshops, electives, and social and networking events. At the end of the program, you’ll present your team’s research project at a final symposium.
9. George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Remote, hybrid, or in-person at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, the Potomac Science Center, Woodbridge Campus, VA, or the Science and Technology Campus, Manassas, VA
Cost: $1,299 for 3 college course credits + $25 application fee (both waivable based on financial need)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10%
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application Deadline: December 8 – February 15
Eligibility: For computer lab internships (remote, in-person, or hybrid), students must be at least 15 years old by the start date. For wet-lab internships (in-person or hybrid), students must be at least 16 years old
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) is a STEM research program that allows you to work one-on-one with faculty researchers at George Mason University and partner institutions on advanced research topics across a wide range of scientific disciplines. Depending on your mentor and project, your internship can be remote, in person, or hybrid. You can explore life sciences such as cancer biology, microbiology, genetics, neuroscience, and ecology, as well as physical sciences such as chemistry, physics, atmospheric science, and materials science.
You can also study earth and environmental sciences, which include areas such as climate change, conservation, oceanography, and sustainable botany, or dive into astronomy topics such as solar physics, exoplanet discovery, and space weather. Some projects might lead to opportunities for publication or a conference presentation.
10. Hofstra University’s Summer Science Research Program (HUSSRP)
Location: Virtual and in person at Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Cost: $2,250 (commuter tuition) + $65 nonrefundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Acceptance depends on faculty availability
Dates: July 6 – 31; the Poster Session takes place on August 6
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Current 10th or 11th grade students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, are at least 15 years old, and have completed at least one year of a lab-based science or research course in high school
Hofstra University’s Summer Science Research Program gives high school students the opportunity to take part in on-campus research with faculty mentors across fields such as biology, chemistry, math, engineering, sociology, geology, and public health. As part of the program, you are matched with a mentor based on your interests and the mentor’s availability. If you’re selected, you will interview in person or on Zoom to discuss your project.
Throughout the summer, you’ll work on original research projects on topics such as brain mapping, volcanic signals, or environmental studies in the Mill River Basin watershed. The program starts with orientation sessions and lab safety training, moves on to weekly seminars and lunch, and ends with an August poster presentation. You’ll also have the option to submit your research to science competitions and research fairs.
11. Florida International University Center for Translational Science (FIU-CTS) High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Florida International University Center for Translational Science, Miami, FL
Cost: Free; for more information, you can reach out at [email protected]
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 8 – July 9
Application Deadline: Students should contact their school counselor, STEM advisor, or science teacher for application details and deadlines
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who live in and attend school in St. Lucie County
The Florida International University (FIU) Center for Translational Science Summer Internship Program gives local students the opportunity to explore biomedical research in modern labs. During the internship, you’ll analyze data, run experiments, and follow the process from forming a hypothesis to interpreting results. You’ll get hands-on experience and guidance from scientists working in areas such as drug discovery and delivery, aging and wellness, brain and spinal cord injury, mitochondria and metabolism, heart and lung health, inflammation and immunity, and neuroscience.
As part of the program, you’ll create a scientific poster for competitions and presentations and present your work at the CTS High School Summer Internship Luncheon. Students who complete the program will earn over 100 volunteer hours, receive a letter signed by the Program Director, and a participation certificate. You can find more details here.
12. Yale Summer Program in Astrophysics (YSPA)
Location: Online and in person at Yale’s Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium, New Haven, CT
Cost: $7,800 (tuition); need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 32 students
Dates: June 22 – July 3 (Online) | July 5 – August 2 (Residential)
Application Deadline: March 6
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors aged 15.5 years or older by July 5
The Yale Summer Program in Astrophysics is a six-week program for high school students interested in science, math, and astrophysics. You begin with a two-week online self-study phase that introduces you to observational astronomy and Python and prepares you for the four-week residential session. During the residential session, you’ll work in the observatory computer lab, take classes at the planetarium, and use on-site and remote telescopes to collect astronomical research data.
You’ll study topics such as spectroscopy, stellar astrophysics, CCD imaging, telescope optics, photometry, and stellar evolution throughout the program. In addition to coursework and research, you’ll attend lab tours, guest lectures, a science-focused campus tour, and a college essay workshop. At the end of the program, you’ll present a scientific paper at the YSPA mini conference. You can read about the experiences of previous participants here.
13. Florida State University’s Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Cost/Stipend: Free | Students with financial need can apply for an additional stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 7 – July 18
Application Deadline: January 1 – February 15
Eligibility: Students who have completed 11th grade at a Florida public or private high school, scored in the 90th percentile or higher in math on a nationally standardized exam before the deadline, have a GPA of at least 3.0, live in Florida, and are enrolled in or have completed Pre-Calculus
The Florida State University Young Scholars Program is a six-week residential summer program for Florida high school students interested in STEM. During the program, you’ll take three program-specific courses in science, math, and computer programming with no high school or college credit. Courses are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to instructor preferences. The science curriculum is divided into two main tracts.
In the biological sciences tract, you can choose Modern Molecular Biology Intensive to learn about cloning, qPCR, CRISPR, tissue culture, and microscopy, or the Fundamentals in Neuroscience course, where you’ll record and analyze neural signals with electrophysiology equipment. The physical sciences tract includes courses such as Intro to Quantum Computing and Information and IDEA Lab, where you’ll study design thinking and engineering technologies. Alongside coursework, you’ll complete an independent research project and present your findings through a research poster presentation. The experience also includes weekend trips, social events, and dorm activities, so you can connect with peers while experiencing college campus life.
14. Astronomy and Astrophysics Science Summer Academy at Rutgers University
Location: Rutgers University, New Brunswick campus, NJ
Cost: $2,899
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25–30 students
Dates: July 12 – 18 (Introduction) | July 19 – 25 (Advanced Topics)
Application Deadline: May 24 (Domestic students) | April 12 (International students)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors aged 16–18 with at least a 3.0 GPA and English proficiency
The Astronomy and Astrophysics Science Summer Academy at Rutgers gives high school students the opportunity to explore space science through astronomy, planetary science, astrophysics, and cosmology. The program combines lectures, activities, and field trips to introduce you to both observational astronomy and astrophysics research. You can attend for either one or two weeks, with each week covering different topics.
In Week I, you’ll tour the observatory, meet researchers, learn about their work, and understand how telescopes are used to study the universe. In Week II, you’ll learn how scientists turn observations into discoveries by working with real data using tools such as Python, SQL, SDSS, and Gaia for stellar and galactic astronomy. You’ll also learn about current research and the publication process in astrophysics. You can join an observing session if conditions allow, especially if you have completed Week I or already have a strong interest in astronomy and astrophysics.
15. University of Florida’s Gator Vet Camp
Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $1,500 + $25 non-refundable application fee; limited need-based scholarships are available for students attending a Florida high school
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots are available
Dates: June 7 – 12 (Session 1) | June 21 – 26 (Session 2)
Application Deadline: January 5 – February 27
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th-grade students who are Florida residents
The University of Florida Gator Vet Camp is a one-week residential session for high school students interested in veterinary medicine. This program is especially intended for students who are first-generation college applicants, come from low-income backgrounds, or have limited exposure to veterinary careers, yet have some experience working with animals. You’ll participate in hands-on activities that support college readiness and introduce you to careers in veterinary medicine.
You’ll work with faculty, staff, and current students on independent projects, practice clinical skills, and tour the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and its teaching and research facilities. You’ll also explore specialties such as large-animal, wildlife, and fish medicine, and learn the natural sciences through microbiology, pathology, parasitology, and animal husbandry.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program, 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: George Mason University