STEM can feel very different once you step outside a classroom and start working with real problems, tools, and data. Programs designed for high school students let you transition from learning concepts to actually applying them in labs, projects, or research settings. You may have the opportunity to write code to solve a problem, test a hypothesis, analyze health data, or build something that reflects how engineers and scientists think in practice. These experiences also help you understand how different fields such as science, technology, engineering and math connect with one another instead of existing as separate subjects. With time, you start to develop not just technical knowledge, but also the ability to approach complex questions, work in teams, and communicate your ideas clearly. If you’re considering a future in STEM, this kind of early exposure can make your academic decisions more informed choices while also strengthening your college applications.
Why Pittsburgh, PA, is a great place
Few cities offer high school students access to the STEM opportunities quite like Pittsburgh. With institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh, the city brings together advanced research, healthcare innovation, and technology development in one place. That translates into programs where you’re not just learning concepts, but seeing how they’re applied in fields such as AI, medicine, environmental systems, and engineering. Many opportunities here are closely tied to active labs, hospitals, and research centers, which means your work often reflects what professionals in the field are actually doing. The range of opportunities is also notable; you can explore everything from computational science and public health to game design and biotechnology within the same city. Whether you already live nearby or considering a summer away from home, Pittsburgh gives you access to high-quality STEM experiences.
We’ve put together a list of 15 STEM programs for high school students in Pittsburgh, PA that stand out for their practical learning and strong academic focus.
1. Carnegie Mellon University’s AI Scholars
Location: Carnegie Mellon University main campus, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who are 16 or older and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
AI Scholars introduces you to artificial intelligence through a combination of coding preparation, faculty-led instruction, and collaborative project work. Before arriving on campus, you’ll build foundational Python skills so you can engage more confidently with the on-campus coursework. Once the residential program begins, you explore core AI and computing concepts while learning how these ideas connect to real research and emerging technologies. Along the way, faculty members and graduate mentors guide you through both the technical side of AI and the broader questions shaping the field. The experience also includes seminars on academic planning, college access, and long-term pathways in STEM. By the end of the program, you and your team apply what you’ve learned in a capstone project, which is presented at a final symposium.
2. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Pre-College: CS Scholars Program
Location: Carnegie Mellon University campus, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores who will be 16 years old by the program start date and are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or DACA recipients
The CS Scholars Program at Carnegie Mellon University gives you a hands-on introduction to computer science by focusing on programming, problem-solving, and computational thinking. You learn Python through lessons that cover topics such as functions, loops, conditionals, and basic data structures, while also building important skills such as testing and debugging. Group projects are a major part of the experience, giving you the chance to apply classroom concepts in a collaborative setting and work through technical challenges with peers. Alongside the academic work, you’ll attend workshops on college readiness, financial aid, and personal development. The program concludes with a final project presentation that brings together the ideas and skills you developed over the session.
3. Carnegie Mellon’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
Location: CMU main campus, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors from underrepresented communities who are 16 or older when the program begins
SAMS is built for students who want to strengthen their preparation in STEM through coursework, mentoring, and research. The experience begins with a required virtual component that helps you build the foundational skills needed before arriving on campus. After the residential portion starts, you spend your days in advanced mathematics and science coursework, while also working on a faculty-guided research project. Along the way, writing workshops and academic support sessions help you develop the communication skills needed for college-level work. A credit-bearing course focused on the transition from high school to college adds another layer to the experience, encouraging you to reflect on academic identity, planning, and self-awareness. The program culminates in a research symposium where you share your work with peers, faculty, and staff.
4. CMU Pre-College – ETC – Experience Designing Games: Exploration (EDG:E)
Location: CMU main campus, Pittsburg, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 22 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Current sophomore or junior in high school who will be at least 16 years old by the program start date; U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or registered with DACA; Must be a commuter student (parent or legal guardian must have a permanent residence within 30 miles of campus or within Allegheny County). Preference is given to students historically excluded from the gaming industry
EDG:E introduces you to game development by showing you how different skills and disciplines come together to create interactive experiences. During the first half of the program, you explore areas such as programming, art, audio, and design through workshops and lectures that show how games are actually built. The second half shifts into a team-based development format where you apply what you have learnt by working with other students to create a project from start to finish. This collaborative structure helps you understand how different creative and technical roles come together in interactive media. You also gain exposure to the tools, workflows, and practices being used in the broader game industry.
5. Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI)’s High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh
Stipend: $1800 (if household qualifies for the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program for Pennsylvania)
Dates: June 15–July 24
Application Deadline: February 9
Eligibility: High school students currently in their sophomore or junior year and 16 years old by the program start date; Permanent/primary residence in the local southwest Pennsylvania region
Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) gives high school students an opportunity to take part in biomedical research connected with women’s health, reproductive biology, infant health, and related clinical questions. As an intern, you’ll join a research lab and contribute to a defined project, guided by faculty investigators and research staff. Depending on the placement, your work may involve basic science, translational methods, or clinical research practices. The internship also includes informal sessions where scientists discuss their own career paths and the realities of working in biomedical research. The experience ends with a formal presentation in which you share your findings with the research community and invited guests.
6. University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Research Training Program (RTP)
Location: University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: 10-12 weeks starting June May be extended in the school year
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+ and undergraduate students; Must have strong interest in science, medicine, or health research
The Research Training Program gives you the opportunity to explore biomedical and health sciences research in a university environment, while working closely with a faculty mentor. You’ll build familiarity with either laboratory or clinical research, depending on your interests and placement. The program is designed to help you understand how research questions are developed, tested and communicated in fields tied to medicine and healthcare. As you progress, you’ll build practical skills related to observation, data interpretation, and the presentation of scientific knowledge. The structure of the program varies by student, so you can align the experience with your academic goals within science, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, or public health.
7. UPMC Hillman Academy
Location: UPMC Hillman Cancer Center sites, Pittsburg, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipend may be available
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school students in good academic standing; Must be at least 15 years old by the program start date for computational sites and at least 16 years old for placement in CB, TDX, Pathobiology, ICI, VISION, or WCRC sites
UPMC Hillman Academy gives you the opportunity to work in a research environment focused on cancer and biomedical science. Depending on your placement site, you might be involved in wet-lab work, data analysis, modeling, or clinical and translational research. Throughout the summer, you work closely with a faculty mentor and research team who guide your progress and introduce you to the science behind your project. Weekly lectures and seminars expand the experience by exposing you to current research questions, career pathways, and the connection between scientific investigation and patient care. The Academy also places an emphasis on professional development and scientific communication alongside technical learning. By the conclusion of the program, you’ll present your work in both oral and poster formats.
8. Pitt Public Health Science Academy
Location: Pitt Public Health building, University of Pittsburgh campus, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 22–July 17
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: Current 10th and 11th-grade students enrolled in all high schools in the Greater Pittsburgh area (or in Western PA)
The Public Health Science Academy shows you how scientific thinking is applied to population-level health challenges. At the start of the program, you build a foundation in key public health concepts through lectures, discussions, and interactive exercises centered on current issues. Beyond the classroom, field trips and conversations with professionals help you see how research, policy, and community practice are connected with each other. As the weeks progress, you shift into a group research experience guided by a faculty mentor, where teamwork and inquiry become central to the work. The program ends with a symposium where you’ll present your research findings through poster presentations.
9. ALCOSAN Clean Water Academy Program
Location: ALCOSAN service area
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 13 – 24
Application Deadline: First-come, first-served
Eligibility: High school students living or studying in the ALCOSAN service area
The Alcosan Clean Water Academy introduces you to STEM through the systems and science behind wastewater treatment and environmental infrastructure. You’ll learn how chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and technology contribute towards making clean water systems safe and functional. Facility tours help you see how large-scale water treatment systems operate on a daily basis. You’ll also participate in hands-on lab activities that connect classroom scientific concepts to real water-quality testing and treatment processes. Along the way, conversations with engineers, scientists, IT professionals, and tradespeople broaden your understanding of the range of careers connected to environmental and water sciences. The program includes a technology-focused project that lets you apply what you’ve learned in an active, problem-solving format.
10. Gene Team Research Program
Location: University of Pittsburgh, Langley Hall, Pittsburg, PA
Stipend: $1,000 upon completion
Dates: June 22 – July 17
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: Current high school students (grades 9–11) from Pittsburgh public schools and urban Pittsburgh-area high schools who have completed one year of high school biology
Gene Team gives you the opportunity to work on a biological research project within an active university research environment. During the program, you’ll carry out experiments, collect data, and contribute to laboratory work while collaborating with other high school students. Alongside the lab experience, you’ll attend sessions focused on college preparation and strategies for navigating the application process for STEM-related fields. This combination of research and advising helps connect your current academic interests to future academic and career pathways. By the end of the program, you leave with a stronger sense of both laboratory practice and the next steps involved in pursuing science after high school.
11. CMU Pre-College – National High School Game Academy
Location: CMU Entertainment Technology Center, Pittsburg, PA
Cost: $12,529 + $50 application fee
Dates: June 21 – August 2
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Students between 10th and 11th grade or 11th and 12th grade during the summer who are 16 years of age by program start
The National High School Game Academy takes you through the full process of designing and building video games in a team-based setting. The opening phase focuses on structured coursework across areas such as programming, game design, art, audio, storytelling, production, and public speaking. After this instructional period, you move into collaborative development, where faculty assign roles based on your demonstrated strengths and team needs. You work on two separate game projects, which gives you the chance to contribute in different group environments and refine your specialized skills. Regular presentations and critiques are built into the process, so communication becomes as important as technical execution. By the end of the program, you’ll have completed original prototypes that can also function as meaningful portfolio pieces for future academic and creative opportunities.
12. CMU Pre-College – Computational Biology
Location: CMU main campus, Pittsburg, PA
Cost: Residential – $10,750 | Commuter – $8,041 + non-refundable application fee: $50 and enrollment deposit: $800
Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application Deadline: Early: February 1 | Regular: March 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors who will be 16 years old by the program start date; Academic average of B (3.0/4.0) or better
The Computational Biology Program introduces you to an interdisciplinary field that combines biological investigation with coding and data analysis. The program is designed around the idea that modern life science research increasingly depends on both laboratory methods and computational reasoning. Throughout the experience, you’ll explore research-inspired problems by collecting or working with biological data, and analyzing the data using programming-based approaches. The curriculum covers topics such as metagenomics, sequence alignment, genome assembly, and evolutionary analysis, giving you exposure to areas that play a major role in current biological research. The daily schedule emphasizes the relationship between experimentation and interpretation, helping you understand how data moves from the lab to computational analysis. You also gain exposure to automated science tools and research workflows, learning how technology is reshaping the future of biological science.
13. CMU Pre-College – Global Cultures and Emerging Technology
Location: CMU main campus, Pittsburg, PA
Cost: Residential – $10,980 | Commuter – $8,489 + non-refundable application fee: $50 and enrollment deposit: $800
Dates: June 20 – July 25
Application Deadline: Early: February 1 | Regular: March 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors who will be 16 years old by the program start date; Minimum 3.5 GPA; Demonstrated interest in global cultures and technology through previous coursework or projects
Global Cultures and Emerging Technology explores how technological innovation is shaped by culture, ethics, and global perspectives. The program begins by building your understanding of cultural analysis and intercultural communication, and then moves into project-based work that connects those ideas to emerging technologies. Depending on the lab or workshop you join, you may engage with areas such as AI, robotics, XR, animation, or game design, while examining their broader social implications. Small-group collaboration is central to the experience, with faculty mentors guiding students through interdisciplinary research and creative problem-solving. You conclude the experience in a showcase where you present a project or prototype supported by documentation, reflection, and digital materials.
14. CMU Pre-College Summer Session
Location: CMU main campus, Pittsburg, PA
Cost: Residential, 2 Courses – $14,688 | Commuter, 1 Course – $7,409 | Commuter, 2 Courses – $11,308 + non-refundable application fee: $50 and enrollment deposit: $800
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: Early: February 1 | Regular: March 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors who will be 16 years old by the program start date; Must be in good academic standing and exhibit the ability to succeed in rigorous, fast-paced coursework
Pre-College Summer Session gives you the opportunity to experience college academics by taking actual undergraduate courses at Carnegie Mellon University. Instead of a specialized curriculum, the program places you directly into academic coursework across a range of disciplines. You complete assignments, participate in discussions and work through material at a pace similar to what first- and second-year college students experience during the academic year. This structure is especially valuable if you want to test your readiness for advanced coursework while still in high school. You can choose from multiple subject areas, meaning the program can fit a wide range of STEM and interdisciplinary interests.
15. Whitaker Center’s ‘Surgery Live!’ Program
Location: Virtual or University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: $25 + $25 for the chaperone + $10 for activities after the surgery
Dates: Various surgery dates from February to June
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
Surgery Live! gives you the opportunity to observe real surgical procedures while learning directly from the medical professionals involved in patient care. During the program, a facilitator and operating room staff explain the medical conditions being treated, the instruments being used, and the clinical decisions guiding the procedure. As the surgery takes place, the surgeon provides live commentary, so you can understand what is happening in real time. The experience is especially useful if you are interested in medicine, surgery, or clinical care and want a closer look at healthcare beyond a general career overview. Students attending in-person participants also take part in a post-procedure discussion session that clarifies medical terminology and revisits key steps from the surgical operation.
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!
Image source: Carnegie Mellon University