TL;DR: If you’ve never done research before, the hardest part is usually knowing where to start. The 14 programs below teach the process from scratch, asking a question, reviewing existing work, gathering evidence, analyzing it, and revising your thinking. Horizon, pairs you one-on-one with a PhD mentor without requiring you to live near a specific city. You can see full program details at horizoninspires.com.
If you’ve never done research before, the hardest part is knowing what to do first. A beginner program solves that by teaching you the process: how researchers form questions, search existing work, collect evidence, analyze it, and revise their thinking. You don’t need to arrive knowing how to use statistical software or write a 20-page paper. That’s what you’re there to learn.
A beginner program’s real value is letting you make first-timer mistakes with someone there to explain them: why a question needs to be specific, why a source isn’t automatically reliable, why more information isn’t the same as better research. It’s also a good way to find out whether you actually enjoy research before committing further time to it later.
For more on scoping an actual research question, this guide to picking a research topic is worth reading first.
How do you choose the right beginner program for you?
- Do you need a program open to your location, or can you go anywhere? Several programs favor or require residency in a specific region.
- Do you want individual mentorship, or are you comfortable in a lab team? Horizon pairs you one-on-one with a mentor on your own project. Others place you into an existing lab’s team.
- What can you afford, and have you checked for aid? Costs range from free with a stipend to over $10,000. Many offer aid that isn’t obvious from the sticker price.
- Do you want a physical lab, or is virtual fine? Virtual and mentorship-based programs remove the location requirement entirely.
- How selective is the program relative to your application? Applying to a mix of selective and accessible options is a reasonable strategy.
14 Research Programs for Complete Beginners (No Prior Experience Required)
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Subject areas: 600+ specializations across STEM, humanities, and social sciences
Location: Online, open worldwide
Cost: Varies by cohort; financial aid available
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, spanning spring, summer, and fall
Eligibility: High school students in good academic standing; no prior research experience required
Who it’s right for: Students anywhere in the world who want individual mentorship on their own question, without needing to live near a research university.
Horizon pairs you one-on-one with a PhD scholar or professor, from universities including Oxford, Stanford, and Columbia, teaching you the research process from scratch. Your mentor guides you through scoping a question, reviewing literature, choosing a methodology, and building toward a full 20-page, university-level paper over a trimester.
2. Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program (ASDRP)
Subject areas: Biology, chemistry, computer science, physics, psychology, medicine, engineering, machine learning, astronomy
Location: Fremont, CA
Cost: Ranges from free to around $1,070, based on financial need
Program dates: Vary by research term
Eligibility: Grades 9 to 12, from the Bay Area, across the US, or internationally
Who it’s right for: Students who want a structured, lab-based introduction across many STEM fields, with the option to pursue publication.
ASDRP has you work directly with scientists, engineers, and researchers on a STEM project. You’ll attend Research 101 sessions, weekly research meetings, and faculty seminars, with some projects contributing to a conference presentation or publication.
3. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Subject areas: Biomedical research
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Free for accepted students, with a small application fee (waivers available)
Program dates: Typically June through late July
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors at least 16, US citizens or permanent residents; selection favors Bay Area students
Who it’s right for: Students set on biomedical research who want a full-time lab experience alongside Stanford faculty and researchers.
SIMR gives you a summer on a biomedical research project alongside Stanford faculty, postdocs, and graduate students in a full-time lab, covering everything from planning experiments to analyzing results.
4. STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) High School Summer Intern Program
Subject areas: Earth science, remote sensing, planetary science, aerospace engineering, astronomy, data analysis
Location: University of Texas at Austin, with virtual and on-site options
Cost: Free for scholarship recipients; a paid track costs around $2,000
Program dates: Typically June through late July, with an on-site component in July
Eligibility: US high school sophomores or juniors, at least 16 by early July, US citizens
Who it’s right for: Students interested in Earth or space science who want to work with real NASA data and mentors.
SEES combines online coursework with a research project in Earth and space science, working with NASA scientists on topics like remote sensing or planetary science, ending in a presentation at the SEES Science Symposium.
5. Boyce Thompson Institute High School Research Experience
Subject areas: Plant science, computational biology
Location: Ithaca, NY
Cost: Free, with a stipend of around $4,200
Program dates: Six weeks, typically late June through early August
Eligibility: At least 16, living within about an hour of Ithaca year-round
Who it’s right for: Local Ithaca-area students interested in plant science or computational biology, since residency is required.
This program gives you your first lab research project in plant science or computational biology, working closely with graduate students, postdocs, and faculty, ending in a research symposium with a scientific poster.
6. University of Chicago Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab
Subject areas: Data science, computer science, public policy, climate and energy, social science, biomedical research
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: Paid internship; stipend amount not publicly disclosed
Program dates: Typically mid-June through early August
Eligibility: Chicago-area residents; no prior research experience required
Who it’s right for: Chicago-area students who want hands-on experience with real data-driven research questions.
This program has you join a research team working on real data-driven questions, learning to organize and analyze data alongside faculty mentors.
7. ACS Project SEED
Subject areas: Chemistry and other STEM fields
Location: Multiple research institutions across the US
Cost: Free, with a fellowship stipend
Program dates: 8 to 10 weeks during summer
Eligibility: High school students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds meeting local site requirements
Who it’s right for: Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds specifically interested in chemistry and lab-based research.
Project SEED places you in a research lab working with scientists on a summer project in chemistry or other STEM areas, alongside college readiness and career exploration activities. The American Chemical Society’s education page has current site listings and applications.
8. Research Science Institute (RSI)
Subject areas: Mathematics, computer science, physics, biology, chemistry, engineering, neuroscience, robotics
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free, including tuition, housing, and dining; small application fee (waivers available)
Program dates: Six weeks during summer
Eligibility: High school juniors at least 16, one year from graduation; highly selective
Who it’s right for: Highly accomplished STEM students ready for an intensely competitive, immersive lab experience.
RSI starts with a week of advanced STEM coursework before you move into an individual research project with scientists and university researchers, ending in a written paper and conference-style presentation.
9. Simons Summer Research Program (Simons SRP)
Subject areas: Science, mathematics, engineering
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: Students receive a stipend upon completion
Program dates: Typically late June through early August
Eligibility: High school juniors, US citizens or permanent residents, at least 16
Who it’s right for: Students who want individual placement in an active university research group across science, math, or engineering.
Simons SRP places you in a university research group working on an individual project with a faculty mentor, ending in a written abstract and a poster symposium presentation.
10. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Subject areas: Varies by assigned discipline
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: No program fee; a stipend is provided on completion
Program dates: Typically late June through early August
Eligibility: At least 17, graduating within one to two years, US citizens or permanent residents
Who it’s right for: Highly motivated students comfortable with an extremely small, competitive cohort (just 12 students a year).
With only 12 students admitted annually, this seven-week residential program pairs you one-on-one with a Texas Tech faculty mentor on an independent project, ending in a written research report.
11. Garcia Summer Research Program
Subject areas: Polymer science, materials engineering
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: A lab usage fee applies; optional housing and additional fees
Program dates: Typically late June through early August
Eligibility: Strong STEM academic preparation; international students with legal US authorization may apply
Who it’s right for: Students with a specific interest in materials or polymer science who want hands-on lab technique training.
Garcia has you conduct lab research in polymer science alongside university researchers, learning techniques like materials characterization, with opportunities to present findings through research showcases or student publications.
12. Summer Science Program (SSP) – Bacterial Genomics
Subject areas: Microbiology, genetics, computational biology
Location: Multiple US and Canadian campuses
Cost: Around $11,800, free for households under $75,000 income; financial aid available
Program dates: About five weeks, typically June through August
Eligibility: High school juniors who have completed Biology and Algebra II, ages 15 to 18
Who it’s right for: Students who’ve completed Biology and Algebra II and want hands-on genomics lab work in a team setting.
This track has you investigate how bacteria adapt to different conditions using DNA extraction, PCR, and genome sequencing, working as part of a scientific team.
13. Carnegie Mellon University CS Scholars Program
Subject areas: Computer science
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Fully funded, including tuition, housing, and meals
Program dates: Typically late June through mid-July
Eligibility: Rising juniors at least 16, demonstrating financial need
Who it’s right for: Students with financial need who want a fully-funded introduction to computer science, not necessarily an independent research project.
Though not a traditional research program, CS Scholars introduces beginners to computer science through project-based learning and mentorship, working on real-world computing challenges before a final symposium.
14. University of California, Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program (RMP)
Subject areas: Interdisciplinary, varies by placement
Location: UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: Not publicly specified
Program dates: Typically mid-June through late July
Eligibility: Qualified high school students worldwide who can attend the full program
Who it’s right for: Students open to an interdisciplinary placement who want one-on-one mentorship from graduate students and faculty.
RMP has you work on interdisciplinary university research with one-on-one mentorship from graduate students, postdocs, and faculty, alongside UCSB’s GRIT lecture series.
How do you actually write the research paper once you’re in a program?
- This guide to picking a research topic covers narrowing a broad interest into a scoped question.
- 10 steps to writing a thesis statement covers turning your question into a specific, arguable claim.
- What are the key components of a research paper breaks down what belongs in each section.
- How to format citations in a research paper covers APA, MLA, and Chicago style.
- 8 steps to writing a research paper in 90 days and how long does it actually take help you build a realistic timeline.
How does Horizon help you get started with no prior experience?
Horizon is built for students without a research background. You’re paired one-on-one with a PhD scholar or professor across more than 600 specializations, and your mentor teaches the process from the ground up. Because it runs entirely online, it works regardless of location, unlike several programs on this list. You can see full program details at horizoninspires.com.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need any prior coding or lab experience for these programs?
No, all 16 are designed for students without prior research experience, though some, like RSI and the SSP tracks, expect specific completed coursework such as Biology or Algebra II.
Why do so many of these programs restrict eligibility by location?
Programs placing you in a physical lab often favor local students to manage housing, transportation, and lab capacity. Fully virtual or mentorship-based programs, like Horizon, don’t carry this restriction.
Are free programs less rigorous than paid ones?
No. Several of the most selective programs here, including RSI and Clark Scholars, are entirely free, while some paid programs have more accessible admissions.
How many of these programs should a beginner apply to?
A small mix, one or two selective options and one or two more accessible ones, is a reasonable approach given how much acceptance rates vary.
What if you’re not sure whether you’ll actually like research?
That’s a good reason to start with a beginner program, not a reason to wait. Discovering what part of the process you enjoy or dislike is valuable before committing further time later.
Resources
More from the Horizon blog
- This guide to picking a research topic
- 10 steps to writing a thesis statement
- What are the key components of a research paper
- How to format citations in a research paper
- 8 steps to writing a research paper in 90 days
- How long does it actually take to write a research paper
Image source: Stony Brook University