15 Neuroscience Courses for High School Students

If you are a high school student interested in neuroscience and want to learn more about the field, enrolling in a neuroscience course is a practical and financially good place to start. These courses help you build foundational knowledge in areas like neuroanatomy, cognitive science, neural computation, and biomedical research, going beyond what is usually covered in school biology classes.

Through high school neuroscience courses, you learn how scientists actually study the brain. You may work with data, understand how behavioral experiments are designed, learn the basics of tools like EEG or microscopy, or explore simple computational models. This helps you see how research questions are tested and how results are interpreted, rather than just reading about findings. 

If you are also interested in more hands-on research programs or internships in neuroscience, you can explore options on this list. Without further ado, here is a list of 15 neuroscience courses for high school students worth exploring!

Key Takeaways

• 15 neuroscience courses range from free online programs like Rice University’s NeuroCamp and sci-MI’s Mentorship Program, to intensive in-person research placements like DUNE at Duke and the MPFI High School Internship in Florida.
• Several programs offer paid stipends alongside free tuition. The Max Planck Florida Institute’s internship pays $13 per hour, and Duke’s DUNE program and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Program both provide stipends without charging tuition.
• Computational and quantitative approaches to neuroscience are becoming more common. Neuromatch Academy’s Computational Neuroscience Course has students use Python to build neural network models, and ENIGMA-U focuses specifically on MRI techniques and brain network data analysis.
• Several programs are geographically restricted despite their research depth. Duke’s DUNE program is limited to students attending Durham public or charter schools, the MPFI internship requires Palm Beach or Martin County residency, and BRAINYAC is limited to NYC students with preference for Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx.
• Program length varies considerably, from Rice’s one-day NeuroCamp, to multi-week summer internships like UCLA’s Neuroscience High School Scholars Program, to year-long commitments like Columbia’s BrainSTORM program running from June through the following May.
• Cost varies enormously for the paid options, from William & Mary’s Cognitive Psychology course at $1,595, up to UC Irvine’s Brain Camp at $2,995 and Stanford’s in-person CNI-X program at $3,325.
• Neuroscience courses are a strong way to explore brain science and build foundational research skills, but they are not the only path for a student interested in independent research in other fields. Those who want to pursue a research project outside neuroscience might consider Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs, a mentored virtual research program with 600+ specializations across subjects like data science, political theory, and chemistry.

1. Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Education and Research Program

Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Education and Research Program places you inside a neurology research lab for the summer, working alongside mentors from the MGH Neurology Department. You begin with a short bootcamp that covers research basics, lab expectations, and clinical orientation, then join a lab with another student to support an active research project under a faculty mentor. Throughout the program, you attend weekly talks led by neurologists and neuroscientists who explain different areas of brain research and clinical practice. The experience also includes informal lunches and occasional site visits that make it easier to ask questions and learn how the field works day to day.

2. Stanford University Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X)

Over two weeks, CNI-X introduces you to how neuroscience, psychiatry, and psychology connect in both research and clinical settings. Through seminars, small-group discussions, and collaborative projects, you examine topics such as neuroimaging, behavioral neuroscience, sports psychiatry, eating disorders, and recent developments in psychiatric care. You also get exposure to different career paths within medicine and research. Working in a small team, you create a capstone project focused on a mental health or neuroscience-related social issue and present your group’s findings at the end of the program. 

3. sci-MI Neuroscience Mentorship Program

The Neuroscience Mentorship Program (NMP) is a five-week online research experience where you work through neuroscience topics independently using openly available materials. Each week, you take part in journal clubs and lectures that show you how to read scientific papers, interpret results, and discuss research in a structured way. These sessions help you understand how scientific questions are formed and evaluated. If you participate in the live version, you’re paired with a mentor who supports you as you design a research question, write a short paper based on your findings, and present your work at the end of the program. 

4. Max Planck Florida Institute (MPFI) for Neuroscience’s High School Internship

During this six-week internship, you work with scientists at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience on projects related to brain structure, function, and development. You’re introduced to laboratory methods such as advanced imaging, genetic engineering techniques, histological staining, and different forms of microscopy. As you contribute to ongoing research, you see how these tools are used to study neural circuits and address specific questions in neuroscience. By the end of the program, you will write an abstract summarizing your work and give a final presentation to members of the research community. 

5. Rice University NeuroCamp

Rice’s NeuroCamp is a one-day online program that introduces core neuroscience ideas, including how neurons and synapses work and how certain neurological conditions are studied. You also examine simple computational models and discuss topics related to the philosophy of mind, giving you a chance to practice analytical and problem-solving skills. In addition to the academic sessions, the program includes workshops on professional development, a careers panel, and conversations with Rice undergraduates about their experiences in STEM and college life. 

6. Duke University Neuroscience Experience (DUNE)

Through DUNE, you spend eight weeks working on neuroscience research in a Duke lab under the guidance of scientists and mentors. Your lab placement is based on your research interests, and throughout the summer, you take part in a structured project that introduces you to day-to-day research practices. You also attend workshops on scientific communication, career exploration, and other practical skills relevant to academic and professional paths. The program includes regular opportunities to meet with peers and mentors through group discussions, informal lunches, and a final presentation where you share your research.

7. Johns Hopkins University – Neuroscience and Human Behavior (AS.080.140)

Johns Hopkins’ Neuroscience and Human Behavior introduces you to how the brain influences behavior, focusing on topics like language, social interaction, and neurological disorders. You learn how neural circuits and chemical signals shape the way people think and act, often through real case studies such as changes in speech after a stroke or how certain brain receptors affect social behavior in animals. Most of the course is asynchronous, so you move through lectures and assignments on your own schedule, using regular exercises to apply what you learn. Optional live sessions give you space to ask questions and talk through ideas if you want more interaction.

8. UCLA Neuroscience High School Scholars Program

The UCLA Neuroscience High School Scholars Program is a six-week experience where you study how the brain is researched and treated, with a strong focus on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. You explore both the science and the real-world context, including how culture, health access, prevention, and treatment shape neurological care. The program includes seminars, journal clubs, neurology grand rounds, and guided work on a research project, whether you join online or on campus. If you attend in person, you also take part in hands-on activities like brain cutting sessions and community outreach. The program ends with a final project that connects what you learned in class to real health challenges and ongoing research.

9. Neuromatch Academy: Computational Neuroscience Course

Neuromatch Academy’s Computational Neuroscience Course is a remote, hands-on program where you use Python to study how the brain can be modeled with data and code. You work in a small group of around 15 students, with close support from mentors as you collaborate on coding-based projects. The course introduces ideas like neural networks, dynamical systems, causality, and deep learning, all through real neuroscience examples rather than abstract theory. Through a mix of short lectures, live sessions, and guided tutorials, you build and test your own computational models and apply them to real neural datasets. 

10. Boston Leadership Institute: Neuroscience Research

The Boston Leadership Institute’s Neuroscience Research program is a three-week summer course focused on how the brain works at the cellular and systems level. You study the structure of neurons, how they communicate through chemical and electrical signals, and how neural circuits support functions like sensation, learning, memory, emotion, stress, and sleep. The course spends time on neural pathways in major sensory systems and on the mechanisms that allow the brain to process information.

11. Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC)

Columbia University’s BRAINYAC program places you in a neuroscience lab for several weeks of hands-on research during the summer. You work under the guidance of a mentor, taking part in experiments, learning lab techniques, and helping analyze real data. Along the way, you see how research questions in brain science are formed, tested, and refined. The program also includes workshops and group sessions where you build lab skills and connect with other students interested in neuroscience. By the end, you will have completed a research project that reflects the full research process, from question to results.

12. University of California, Irvine’s Brain Camp

UCI Brain Camp is a two-week, in-person summer program that introduces middle and high school students to neuroscience, with components connected to computational approaches. You take part in lectures, seminars, hands-on workshops, lab tours, and experiments covering topics such as brain-machine interfaces, neuropharmacology, learning and memory, and comparative neuroanatomy. In the second week, you design your own experiment, analyze the results, and present your findings to faculty and peers. 

13. ENIGMA-U

ENIGMA-U is an online program that guides you through neuroimaging, brain mapping, data analysis, and foundational neuroscience concepts. You learn MRI techniques and brain network analysis, complete structured assignments in data science, and review current research literature. Completing the program can make you eligible for mentorship and summer research opportunities, giving you practical experience in neuroscience under the guidance of faculty. 

14. The BrainSTORM Program at Columbia

The Brain Seminar for Teens and Opportunities for Research Mentorship (BrainSTORM) is a year-long program for high school students interested in neuroscience. Each month, you attend online seminars led by experts in fields such as neurology and neuroimaging, exploring topics like Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy while discussing ideas with other students. You can also apply for a research mentorship, where up to 25 students are paired with a researcher to work on a guided project. Mentorship work can be completed in person or remotely, and the program ends with a symposium where you present your research findings.

15. William and Mary’s Cognitive Psychology: How the Brain Works

William & Mary’s Cognitive Psychology: How the Brain Works is an asynchronous online course that introduces you to fundamental concepts in cognitive psychology. You examine brain structure and function, attention, memory, decision-making, and how perception influences behavior, as well as how the brain processes reasoning and emotion. The course includes video lectures and interactive assignments, with mentoring support available throughout. For the final project, you analyze brain activity during a real-life decision, applying the concepts you’ve learned to a practical situation.

One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program

If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and 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!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these programs are free with no cost to attend?

Rice University’s NeuroCamp, sci-MI’s Neuroscience Mentorship Program, Duke’s DUNE program, UCLA’s Neuroscience High School Scholars Program, Columbia’s BRAINYAC and BrainSTORM programs, and ENIGMA-U are all free to attend, with several also providing a stipend.

Do any of these programs pay a stipend or hourly wage?

Yes. The Max Planck Florida Institute’s internship pays $13 per hour, and both Duke’s DUNE program and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Education and Research Program provide a stipend, though exact amounts vary.

Which programs are limited to students from a specific city or region?

Duke’s DUNE program is limited to Durham, NC public and charter school students, the MPFI internship requires residency in Palm Beach or Martin County, and Columbia’s BRAINYAC is limited to NYC sophomores and juniors with preference for Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx.

Which programs focus specifically on computational or data-driven approaches to neuroscience?

Neuromatch Academy’s Computational Neuroscience Course has students build and test neural network models using Python, and ENIGMA-U focuses on MRI techniques, brain network analysis, and structured data science assignments.

What if I am interested in research outside of neuroscience?

These programs are focused specifically on neuroscience and brain science, but students looking for a research based credential in a different subject area might consider Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs, a selective virtual research program that pairs students with a mentor to develop an original research paper across subjects like data science, political theory, and chemistry.

Image source: Rice University