10 Most Competitive Tech Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in a future in a tech field, chances are that you are looking for programs that will serve as a valuable addition to your application. While most programs might add to your application, opting for competitive and prestigious programs will set you apart from the rest of your peers. This is because getting shortlisted for one of these programs clearly demonstrates your academic capabilities and your passion for your subject!
In this post, we have curated a list of 10 competitive tech programs for high school students that will enable you to experience the fields you're interested in, learn from esteemed faculty and signal your caliber to admission officers!
1. MIT’s Research Science Institute
Cost: No Cost
Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Application Deadline (based on previous year’s dates):
January 15th, 2024 (U.S. Citizens)
March 15th, 2024 (International Students)
Program Dates: June 25th to August 5th, 2024 (based on the previous year’s dates)
Eligibility:
Students who are rising seniors (you will have to apply in the middle of your junior year). High school seniors are not eligible to apply.
It is recommended that PSAT Math Scores be at least 740 (or higher) and Evidence-Based Reading/ Writing Scores be 700 (or higher). ACT math scores should be at least 33, and verbal scores should be at least 34. However, you can offset lower scores through recommendations, high school grades, and science activities.
Note. There are different application processes for U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents and International Applicants. You can look here for specific details!
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a research-based summer program sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and hosted by MIT every summer. RSI invites 80 highly talented high school juniors from all over the world to attend this program. Throughout the 6-week, fully-funded program, you can conduct independent research in computer science (or other STEM subjects) and take college-level coursework. However, RSI is a highly selective program with an acceptance rate of under 5%.
Within the first week, you will have the opportunity to experience extensive STEM Classes by accomplished faculty. However, the main section of RSI is the 5-week research internship, where you can pursue computer science projects under the mentorship of experienced scientists and researchers. The program culminates with delivering your research in conference-stye oral and written reports.
If you are interested in learning about the types of research conducted by RSI students, you can look at the projects from 2022 here! An example for robotics enthusiasts is Michelle Hua’s 3D Acoustic Simulation and Optimization for Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Delivered with Stereotactic Robotics.
Here is everything you need to know about RSI!
2. Anson L.Clark Scholars Program
Cost: No Cost
Location: Texas Tech University
Application Deadline: February 13, 2025 (tentative, based on previous year’s dates)
Program Dates: 6 weeks, June 16, 2025, to August 1, 2025 (tentative, based on last year’s dates)
Eligibility:
Applicants must be at least 17 years of age by the program start date and should graduate in 2023 or 2024 (U.S. and International)
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program was established in 1963 in honor of Anson L. Clark, a former Texas A&M student and World War II veteran who created a successful business career. This 7-week comprehensive research program will allow you to gain hands-on research under the mentorship of Texas Tech faculty. Apart from one-on-one research with faculty, you can participate in weekly seminars, discussions, and field visits!
One of the research areas available for students is the computer science track. Scholars from the 2022 cohort, like Akaash Kolluri, have researched predicting GPU energy consumption using machine learning algorithms. You can view past projects from other scholars here!
The Clark Scholars program is one of the most prestigious and selective programs, with an acceptance rate of less than 3% and only 12 students in each cohort. Therefore, having the title of an Anson L. Clark Scholar will be a valuable add-on to any college application. An additional benefit is the $750 tax-free stipend that is provided!
You can find a detailed guide on the program here!
3. Veritas AI’s Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Cost: $4900 for the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase Program
Location: Remote - you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Upcoming cohort - May 19, 2024. You can apply here!
Program Dates: Summer Cohort start date - June 3, 2024
Eligibility: You must be a high school student with some Python experience or have completed the Veritas AI Scholars Program
Veritas AI is founded and run by Harvard graduate students, and our programs are geared towards high school students who want to build individual projects from scratch. Through the AI Fellowship program, you work 1-1 with PhD mentors from top universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, CMU, and more over 12-15 weeks.
You can pick any field you are interested in that intersects with AI, ML, data science, or computer science to create a unique project (research paper, model/software, app, presentation) that you can submit to high school journals for publication or use on college applications. In the past, students worked on projects to predict breast cancer from genes, make stock market predictions, classify genres of music based on the waveform, classify asteroids, and more! Here are some more projects students have worked on in the past!
4. Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Cost: No Cost
Location: Rockefeller University Campus, NY
Application Deadline (2025): Beginning of January (based on previous year’s dates)
Program Dates (2025): June 24 – Thursday, August 8, 2025 (tentative, based on previous year’s dates)
Eligibility:
Current junior or senior in high school.
Must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program.
Rockefeller University is the oldest biomedical research institute in the United States, and its SSRP program allows students to design and conduct their research projects as a part of a themed research track. In this program, you will spend at least 35 hours/week at the RockEDU Laboratory, working on biomedicine research.
The program has 2 components - core sessions and research tracks. Core Sessions are spread throughout the week and aim to showcase the vast diversity of experimental approaches. You will be assigned to a research track and mentored in a specific scientific discipline with 8 other SSRP scholars.
Past research topics included Silkwork Biomaterials, Nanonbody Binding patterns, and RNA Virus Discover and Bioinformatics, just to name a few (you can find a whole list of topics here).
5. Simons Summer Research Program
Cost: No cost (Note. While there is no tuition cost, you will have to cover the expenses for your housing and dining. The estimated cost for Summer 2023 is $2781.50)
Location: Stony Brook University, NY
Application Deadline: February 10, 2025 (tentative, based on previous year’s dates)
Program Dates: July 1, 2024 - August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on previous year’s dates)
Eligibility:
Must be in their junior year at the time of applying.
Must be U.S. citizens or hold Permanent Resident status.
Must be 16 years of age by the start of the program.
The Simons Summer Research Program allows high school students to undertake hands-on research in various disciplines. In the program, you are matched with a Stony Brook faculty mentor, join a research group or team, and will assume responsibility for a project.
Apart from learning valuable techniques and experiencing life at a major research university, Simons Fellows also gain the opportunity to attend weekly faculty research talks and participate in special workshops, tours, and events.
As part of the program, you are expected to conduct your own research using cutting-edge equipment provided by the university. To complete this apprenticeship, you are required to produce a written research abstract and a research poster.
Cost: No cost; stipend provided
Location: Varies, different for each internship offered
Application Deadline: Varies from internship to internship
Program Dates: Varies from internship to internship, but should be in one of these three cohorts -
Fall - from late August/early September to mid-December (16 weeks)
Spring - from mid-January to early May (16 weeks)
Summer - from late May/early June to August (10 weeks)
Eligibility:
High School Students
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagements provides internship opportunities at all their locations around America. You can opt for internships in New York at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. However, if you live away from one, NASA also conducts virtual internships!
For the Summer 2024 internships, most NASA internships are done as a part of their year-round Climate Change Research Initiative. So, your internships will be structured around climate change research; for example, one opportunity is exploring the dynamics of exoplanetary atmospheres and oceans with ROCKE-3D!
Students interested in pursuing computer science at university can consider this program as an excellent value-add for college applications, owing to its reputation and prestige, as well as NASA.
Check out this ultimate guide to NASA’s internship programs!
Cost: No cost
Location: Remote
Application Deadline: February (tentatively, based on previous years)
Program Dates: June - December (tentatively, based on previous years)
Eligibility:
All high school juniors who are U.S. Citizens or permanent residents.
Strong academic record. While they have not specified a cutoff, you should expect PSAT math scores to be at least 740 (or higher) and evidence-based reading/ writing scores to be 700 (or higher). ACT math scores should be at least 33, and verbal scores should be at least 34.
Passion for science, technology, engineering, and math is demonstrated through extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation.
MITES Semester is a 6-month hybrid STEM program that allows you to dive deep into science and engineering disciplines. In this program, you will choose one project-based course, followed by a supplemental core course, which can be in computer science, calculus, physics, science writing, or communication.
Through this program, you can delve into interdisciplinary subjects that involve computer science. For instance, past projects have included computational biology, embedded systems, machine learning, robotics, thermodynamics, climate change, and more.
At the end of the MITES program, you will receive a written evaluation from your instructor outlining your strengths and growth areas and highlighting your contributions to the class. This is a valuable supplement for any college application!
Note: MIT strongly encourages students from underrepresented and low socioeconomic backgrounds to apply.
Here is everything you need to know about applying to MITES Semester!
8. The University of Chicago’s Data Science Institute Summer Lab
Cost: No cost; stipend provided ($6,000)
Location: University of Chicago Campus, IL
Application Deadline: While the application deadline has yet to be specified, you can check their website in the fall and winter of 2024 for updates.
Program Dates: June 12th - August 18th, 2025 (tentative, based on previous year’s dates)
Eligibility:
Open to all high school students.
Familiarity with at least one programming language and relevant coursework (e.g., computer science, statistics, and math) is preferred.
The DSI Summer Lab by the University of Chicago is a 10-week, paid summer research opportunity for high school and undergraduate students that focuses on applied, interdisciplinary data science research.
In this program, you will be paired with a data science mentor in various domains, including - data science, computer science, climate and energy policy, and more! Your research mentor will engage and hone your skills in research methodologies, practices, and teamwork. You will develop an understanding of fundamental data science methodologies and be given specialized training within the application areas.
The program culminates with a presentation of your final videos - a video created by you that outlines your research findings throughout the summer. These videos will be presented in a professional conference format where you can interact with your peers and ask questions about their projects and vice versa!
9. MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute
Cost: No cost
Location: Remote + MIT Campus (Note - certain courses are in-person, while others are remote. You can look here for more details!)
Application Deadline: Rolling Admissions (Note. You must apply to the online course to receive the application link for the summer program!)
Program Dates: February 1, 2025 - August 6, 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates)
Eligibility:
Must be a student attending high school in the U.S.
The Beaver Works Summer Institute is a 4-week program that teaches STEM skills through project-based, workshop-style courses. The program consists of 2 online programs from January to May, followed by the 4-week summer program. While the online program is open to all, the summer program is limited to a select group of students.
If you are interested in engineering, look at the Autonomous Cognitive Assistance (CogWorks) course. Through this 4-week course, you will learn how to apply foundational technologies of AI to build cognitive assistants. After the online course, successful students will be considered for participation in the summer program, where you will leverage professional cognition services (e.g., Amazon Alexa/Echo) and open-source tools to develop cognitive systems. At the end of the program, your project will compete against other participants.
Participating in this program will add value to your application due to the prestige of the host university and, above all, help you build vital foundational skills (and even some advanced skills) in areas of your choice. It also allows you to demonstrate your ability to apply theoretical knowledge in practical situations. Here is everything you need to know about MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute!
10. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) - Department of Navy
Cost: Stipend of $4,000 (new participants) or $4,500 (for returning participants)
Location: Varies depending on lab choice.
Application Deadline: 1 August 2024 (for the Summer 2025 cohort).
Program Dates: Varies from lab to lab (expect it to be conducted in the summer months).
Eligibility:
Open to rising Juniors and Seniors (at the time of the program).
Must have turned 16 years old by the start date of the program.
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Note: Eligibility changes based on lab to lab (with some labs changing the grade and age minimum and others opening the program for permanent residents and dual citizens).
The SEAP Program by the Department of Navy (DoN) allows high school students to conduct Naval research and explore technology while simultaneously being mentored by scientists and engineers who currently conduct research at DoN.
Prospective students can choose between the 30 labs spread out over the country. Lab choices are based on interest (e.g., very few labs offer marine biology as a topic of interest, while statistics and engineering are more common among the labs).
Some topics of research that have been covered in the SEAP program are:
Submarine life support
Development of Ansys fluent workflow for axial fan simulation and flow around objects.
Catalytic oxidation of Li-Ion electrolyte
Analysis of CSS Georgia bones and various consolidants
Design and development of AM prints for educational purposes
Get a more detailed understanding of their contributions here!
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