15 Best STEM Research Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in science, engineering, or technology, structured research programs can help you explore subjects beyond your regular coursework. In these programs, you study advanced topics, analyze data, write scientific reports, and sometimes contribute to academic investigations while learning from faculty members, researchers, or industry professionals. Many programs are selective and may offer stipends or financial support, and participating in them can strengthen your preparation for future STEM study.
What are the benefits of a STEM research program?
STEM research programs allow you to experience how academic research is conducted from start to finish. You may review existing research, define a research question, design experiments or computational models, analyze data, and present your findings through reports, papers, or presentations. Working in small cohorts also gives you opportunities to interact with mentors, receive feedback on your work, and learn how researchers communicate their ideas.
To help you focus on the most rigorous options, we’ve narrowed this guide to the 15 best STEM research programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for free online programs, check out our blog here.
1. Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~2.5%; 100 students/year
Dates: June 28 – August 8
Application deadline: December 10
Eligibility: High school juniors who meet the RSI academic prerequisites
At the Research Science Institute, 100 high school students from around the world spend six weeks completing advanced STEM coursework and original research. The program begins with an intensive week of lectures in scientific theory before shifting into a five-week independent research project supervised by university scientists and researchers. You read current academic literature, design and execute a research plan, and analyze your findings using MIT’s laboratories and computational resources. Projects may be experimental, theoretical, or computational, depending on the field and mentor placement. Throughout the program, you prepare both a formal research paper and a conference-style oral presentation. The experience concludes with a symposium where all participants present their work to peers and experts.
2. Veritas AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies based on program; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies according to the cohort: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November); You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students passionate about AI with a supportive environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI Scholars program before pursuing the fellowship. The AI Fellowship program will allow students to pursue independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. You can find examples of previous projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. Texas Tech University’s Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free except for a $25 application fee | $750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 12 students
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (i.e., students graduating high school in the program year or the next) who are at least 17 by the start date and U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a seven-week residential research experience for a small cohort of high-achieving high schoolers. You are paired individually with faculty mentors and complete an original research project across disciplines that may include mathematics, engineering, natural sciences, or other academic fields. Your daily work centers on active research, which can involve data analysis, laboratory investigation, computational modeling, or literature-based inquiry, depending on placement. Further, weekly seminars and discussions expose you to broader academic themes beyond your specific project. The program also includes organized field trips that connect research to applied contexts. At the end of the session, you submit a formal written research report.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial assistance offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions of varying lengths (12 weeks–1 year) available, including summer cohorts
Application deadline: Varies by cohort/multiple cohorts run each year, including in the summer. You can apply here
Eligibility: High school students; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week remote research experience that pairs you with a PhD-level mentor for individualized academic work. After selecting a field from among options such as neuroscience, biotechnology, physics, engineering, or data science, you develop an original research question and investigation plan. The program includes workshops on research methodology and academic writing to support the technical aspects of your project. You meet regularly with your mentor to refine your analysis, interpret findings, and strengthen argumentation. By the conclusion of the program, you will complete a full-length independent research paper.
5. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – Summer Student Program
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, NY
Stipend: $1,200 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2%; About 20 interns per year
Dates: June 29 – August 21
Application deadline: December 1 – February 6
Eligibility: High school juniors (14+) with a 3.5 GPA in science subjects; Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. and live within 25 miles of the main campus
Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Summer Student Program places high school students in an eight-week biomedical research internship in New York City. You are matched with a mentor (often a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, or research technician) and complete an independent project that supports ongoing cancer research. Research areas include cancer biology, immunology, pharmacology, computational biology, structural biology, and related disciplines. Your work may involve laboratory experiments, data analysis, or computational modeling, depending on the assigned lab. In addition to daily lab responsibilities, you attend journal clubs, faculty talks, and institutional seminars that provide insight into translational medicine. You wind up the program with a formal poster presentation where you share findings with researchers and peers.
6. Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: $7,200 (10 weeks), $6,480 (9 weeks)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 6 students
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application deadline: January 14
Eligibility: Current high school seniors (18+) in Texas; U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or work-eligible visa holders
Hosted by MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, this ten-week program places selected high school students in biomedical research laboratories under the supervision of full-time faculty mentors. As a participant, you work five days a week on ongoing research projects across biomedical disciplines, gaining hands-on laboratory experience. Emphasis is placed on understanding foundational principles of scientific investigation and disciplined research practice. The program supplements lab work with faculty-led seminars covering diverse research topics and concludes with formal presentations and a closing event recognizing participant work. You’ll also prepare abstracts, posters, and short presentations as part of program activities.
7. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY (less than 1.5 hours away from NYC)
Cost/Stipend: No tuition, but a residential fee of $2,450 applies to students who need university housing | Paid
Acceptance rate: ~5%
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and at least 16 when the program starts
The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University pairs high school students with faculty mentors in science, mathematics, or engineering. You join an active research group and assume responsibility for a defined project within the lab on research areas covering astronomy, physics, geoscience, chemistry, computer science, artificial intelligence, or applied mathematics. Throughout the program, you attend weekly faculty lectures and skill-building workshops focused on research methods and communication. At the end of the summer, you submit a written research abstract and present a poster at a closing symposium.
8. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Various Department of the Navy laboratories across the country
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ~300
Dates: Typically May to June
Application deadline: November 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12 who are 16 years old by the start of the program and are U.S. citizens
SEAP is an eight-week summer placement in a U.S. Department of the Navy research laboratory. Depending on your assignment, you may assist with materials testing, electronics development, environmental research, or computational simulations tied to naval systems. As an intern, you work under the supervision of professional scientists and engineers and contribute to active federal research projects. SEAP also provides stipends – $4,000 for first-time participants and $4,500 for returning students. Applications are evaluated based on academic performance, recommendations, and demonstrated STEM interest.
9. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP)
Location: NIST laboratory at Gaithersburg, MD, or Boulder, CO
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application deadline: January 26
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and U.S. citizenship
NIST’s Summer High School Intern Program is a full-time, paid research internship conducted at one of the agency’s federal laboratories. Over the course of approximately eight weeks, you work alongside scientists and engineers in areas such as advanced computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum science, or materials measurement. Daily responsibilities vary by lab and may include programming, experimental testing, data analysis, or refining measurement systems used in national standards. Interns also participate in technical seminars and professional development sessions. The program concludes with a formal poster presentation summarizing research outcomes.
10. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Stipend: $615.60 – $861.60/week (based on education level and credits earned)
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: 8–12 weeks (late May/early June – August)
Application deadline: January 10
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are at least 16 years old and have a minimum CGPA of 3.0/4.0
The AFRL Scholars Program is a paid summer internship that places high school students in U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory facilities. As an intern, you contribute to active research projects in fields such as aerospace engineering, artificial intelligence, physics, data science, or materials research. Depending on your placement, you might analyze datasets, assist with experimental design, support simulations, or contribute to software development. You are paired with a professional mentor who supervises your research tasks and introduces you to federal laboratory practices. Some projects are directly connected to mission areas such as autonomous systems or space research. You gain experience working on applied scientific problems within government research teams.
11. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Apprenticeship
Location: Various U.S. Army Research Labs and university research centers nationwide
Cost: Free; stipend is provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: Varies by location; typically June–August
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Applicants must be U.S. citizens and at least 16 years old to qualify
The AEOP High School Apprenticeship places students in university or U.S. Army–affiliated research laboratories for a paid summer research experience. You work under the supervision of a scientist or engineer on projects in areas such as materials science, regenerative medicine, cybersecurity, nanotechnology, or environmental engineering. Apprentices receive mentorship in research methods, laboratory protocols, and scientific communication. At the end of the experience, you are required to submit a formal research abstract summarizing your project. Additional programming includes virtual workshops on STEM careers and college preparation.
12. Princeton University – Laboratory Learning Program
Location: Princeton University main campus, NJ
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: 5 weeks during the summer (exact dates vary)
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents enrolled in a US high school who are 16 years old by June 15 (specific research opportunities may have additional eligibility criteria)
Princeton’s Laboratory Learning Program allows local high school students to spend five to six weeks working full-time in a university research laboratory. You are assigned to active projects in science or engineering based on lab availability and research needs. Past topics have included renewable energy systems, mechanisms of genetic diseases, and advanced materials research. Your schedule and responsibilities are determined by the lab team you join, and work may involve experimentation, modeling, or data analysis. By the end of the program, you submit a two-page research summary outlining objectives, methodology, and findings.
13. CURE Research Internship Program
Location: University of California, San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 10 – 11 students
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application deadline: February 8
Eligibility: Current 11th graders | Must have completed biology or chemistry with a grade B or better | Must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program | Minimum GPA of 2.5
The CURE Research Internship at the University of California, San Francisco is an eight-week paid program for high school students in the Bay Area. As an intern, you are paired with UCSF faculty, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows and participate in research spanning basic, clinical, behavioral, and population sciences. You contribute to experiments, data collection, and analysis while developing an understanding of biomedical research design. The program also offers professional development workshops covering academic writing, college preparation, and career pathways in health sciences. You will complete an independent research project, and the findings will be presented at a formal research symposium at the end of the internship.
14. Johns Hopkins’ ASPIRE
Location: Online or in-person at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate: Less than 10%
Dates: June 23 – August 21
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are 15 or older by June 1 of the program year, have a minimum 2.8 GPA, and are U.S citizens and residents of specific regions in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia
The ASPIRE program at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory requires high school juniors and seniors to complete at least 190 hours of on-site work over six to nine weeks. As an intern, you’ll be paired with an APL staff mentor and matched to a project based on availability and research needs. Project areas may include aerospace engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, environmental science, mathematics, programming, or theoretical physics. Work can range from coding and experimental lab tasks to research analysis or hardware development. The internship is unpaid and typically involves 30–40 hours per week in a professional research setting. Participants document their progress and present their work through a digital research poster at a closing showcase.
15. Monell Science Apprenticeship Program
Location: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: PaidAcceptance date: About 10%
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application deadline: January 14
Eligibility: High school students in the greater Philadelphia area, including Camden, NJ, with work authorization in the U.S.
The Monell Science Apprenticeship Program is a seven-week paid biomedical research experience in Philadelphia designed to broaden participation in STEM. As an apprentice, you work full-time with Monell scientists on projects that may involve neuroscience, sensory biology, or related biomedical topics. Laboratory responsibilities include conducting experiments and analyzing data under the mentor's supervision. The program incorporates enrichment sessions on scientific ethics, public speaking, and written communication. Additional career exploration activities introduce different pathways in medicine and research. At the conclusion of the apprenticeship, you’ll present your findings at a public symposium attended by scientists, peers, and family members.
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