Updated October 2026
TL;DR
The Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program is a competitive, paid, six- to eight-week biomedical research internship at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine in downtown Chicago. You can apply as a high school junior (rising senior) or as an undergraduate. You’ll work full-time alongside faculty on lung disease research and present at an annual symposium. Applications are expected to open in early January 2027, with all other dates TBA. If you want a flexible, fully online way to do mentored research, explore the Horizon Academic Research Program.
Research experience is one of the best ways to explore a scientific field, build research skills, and understand what working in a lab involves. If you’re interested in medicine or biological sciences, Northwestern University’s Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program is worth considering. It allows eligible high school and undergraduate students to work on mentored research related to lung disease. You’ll learn more about the program’s structure, eligibility, application requirements, and costs in this guide. If you’re comparing options, start with these summer medical research programs for high school students.
Quick Facts: What You Get and What You Commit To
| Details | |
| Program | Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program (KQSRP) |
| Host | Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine |
| Location | Downtown Chicago, IL (campus map) |
| Format | In person, full-time (40 hours per week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) |
| Length | Six to eight weeks |
| Research focus | Basic and clinical research related to lung disease |
| Eligibility | High school juniors at the time of application, and undergraduates; 16 or older as of May 31 |
| Application Deadline | Expected to open in early January 2027; deadline TBA |
| Program dates | TBA (historically June 22 to July 31 for high school; June 8 to July 31 for undergraduates) |
| Application fee | None |
| Pay | Competitive stipend (amount TBA) |
What Your Summer in the Lab Looks Like
You’ll be paired with a Northwestern faculty member and work on a basic or clinical research project related to lung disease. Your day-to-day work happens in the lab, where mentors teach you the skills your project needs. Beyond your own project, you can expect:
- Journal article discussions: You read and discuss current research with peers, which builds your scientific communication skills.
- Data discussions: You talk through results with other researchers and learn how data gets interpreted.
- Clinician shadowing: You get the chance to shadow a clinician and see how research connects to patient care.
- Career and application workshops: You get guidance on college or graduate school applications and learn about career paths in science and medicine.
- Research symposium: You present your findings at the annual Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Symposium, held on the final day.
If youwant to build lab skills before you apply, browse these biology research opportunities for high school students!
Who Can Apply: Grade, Age, and Coursework Requirements
To apply, you must:
- Be 16 or older as of May 31 in the year the program takes place.
- Be a junior at the time you apply, if you’re in high school (you’ll be a rising senior during the program).
- Be enrolled at an accredited college or university, if you’re an undergraduate. Your planned and completed coursework must show a serious interest in the biological sciences or a future career in medicine.
You can apply from anywhere in the country. The program is competitive, and no minimum GPA or acceptance rate is published.
Dates and Deadlines
Applications are expected to open in early January 2027, and Northwestern will post updated details on the official page in December 2026. Historical dates below come from the 2026 cycle.
| Milestone | Dates |
| Application opens | Expected early January 2027 |
| Application deadline | TBA |
| Deadline to request reconsideration of a prior-year application | TBA (historically January 6) |
| Acceptance notification | TBA (historically March 10) |
| Deadline to accept and confirm your spot | TBA (historically March 17) |
| Waitlist notification | TBA (historically March 18) |
| Waitlist confirmation deadline | TBA (historically March 25) |
| Final onboarding forms due | TBA (historically April 2) |
| Your start date as an undergraduate | TBA (historically June 8) |
| Your start date as a high school junior | TBA (historically June 22) |
| Poster day and last day of the program | TBA (historically July 31) |
What You Need to Submit
Your application has three required parts:
- An online application, including a CV or resume in PDF format.
- A transcript from your most recent completed academic year.
- Two letters of recommendation from faculty or teachers.
You can’t submit your own transcript or recommendation letters. When you submit your application, your referees and transcript providers are emailed instructions automatically. Apply early so your school and teachers have enough time to send their materials. There is no cost to apply.
Pay, Costs, and Housing: What You Cover Yourself
Applying is free, and you receive a competitive stipend. The amount isn’t published, and the 2027 stipend is TBA.
The main expense is living in Chicago. You arrange and pay for your own housing and transportation to the downtown campus, which is why many people in the program live or stay with family in the Chicago area. Without a local place to stay, the stipend may not cover the extra cost of housing and commuting, so plan your budget before you apply. If relocating isn’t realistic, these free online research programs for high school students let you do research from home.
Strengths and Trade-Offs to Weigh
Strengths
- You’re paid: You receive a competitive stipend.
- You do real lab work: You work in a collaborative lab alongside established researchers on current projects.
- You get strong mentorship: Faculty mentors guide you through your research step by step.
- You see the full research process: You read papers, discuss data, shadow a clinician, and present your own results.
- You build a network: You connect with peers, lab researchers, and staff.
Trade-offs
- Full workload: You commit to 40 hours a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
- Housing and transportation: You pay for both, which can be costly if you don’t have family or friends in Chicago.
- One chance in high school: High school applicants must be juniors, so you get one application window before graduating.
Who the Program Is Designed For
The program matches your situation if all of the following are true:
- You’re a current high school junior, or an undergraduate at an accredited college or university.
- You’re 16 or older as of May 31 of the program year.
- Your planned and completed coursework shows a serious interest in the biological sciences or a future career in medicine (a requirement for undergraduates).
- You can commit 40 hours a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for six to eight weeks.
- You can arrange your own housing and transportation to downtown Chicago.
- Your school or teachers can send your transcript and two letters of recommendation.
- You’re open to working on a basic or clinical research project related to lung disease.
If one of these doesn’t fit, the guides below cover other ways to build research experience.
Free medical research programs for high school students: Options that cost nothing to join, so you can build experience without worrying about tuition.
20 summer medical research programs for high school students: A broad comparison of medical research programs across locations and formats.
Pre-college medical programs for high school students: Programs that give you an early look at medicine and healthcare.
Biology summer research programs for high school students: Summer options if lab biology is your main interest.
Online biology research programs for high school students: Remote research you can do without relocating.
High school research programs you need to check out: A wide-ranging list across subjects and formats.
Online biology programs for high school students: Virtual courses and programs to build your biology background.
Biology programs for high school students: A mix of in-person and online programs to deepen your biology knowledge.
One More Option: Horizon Academic Research Program
If you want mentored research without traveling or arranging housing, the Horizon Academic Research Program is an online, one-to-one research mentorship experience that typically runs 10 to 15 weeks and ends with an independent research paper. It can also strengthen your research background before you apply to in-person programs.
What you might be wondering about this research internship
Prior lab experience isn’t listed as a requirement. Mentors teach the techniques your project needs, and undergraduates mainly need coursework that shows a serious interest in biology or medicine. If you haven’t done research before, school science classes and projects are a strong way to show your curiosity.
It can be either. You’ll join a faculty member on a basic or clinical project related to lung disease, so some projects lean toward the bench while others sit closer to clinical questions. Your mentor and project shape what your summer looks like.
Not yet. High school applicants must be juniors at the time of application, so you can apply once you reach junior year. In the meantime, advanced science courses and a research or science club can strengthen your application.
Yes. In-person programs usually expect you to arrange your own housing and transportation, which isn’t possible for everyone. Online mentored research is a flexible alternative, and the Horizon Academic Research Program pairs you one-on-one with a mentor to write an independent research paper from home.
Image source: Northwestern University