15 Best STEM Programs for High School Students
Whether you’re interested in the sciences, technology, engineering, mathematics, or even medicine, participating in a STEM program while still in high school is a solid way to explore these fields and even gain hands-on experience. Many STEM programs offer you the chance to take learning beyond the classroom, placing you in labs or professional environments, where you will develop essential workplace skills or technical skills relevant to your field of choice. As a participant, you will also have the opportunity to work alongside field experts, scientists, or professors, as well as like-minded peers.
What are the benefits of a STEM program?
STEM programs give you the opportunity to explore subjects like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in greater depth while still in high school. Through projects, research activities, and structured coursework, you can build problem-solving, analytical, and technical skills while learning how these fields connect to different careers. Participating in a STEM program can also help you clarify your academic interests, strengthen your college applications, and connect with mentors and peers who share similar goals.
With that, here are 15 of the best STEM programs for high school students that are worth checking out!
If you’re looking for online STEM research programs, check out our blog here.
1. Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Non-refundable application fee of $75; Application fee waivers available
Acceptance Rate: Less than 2.5%
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application
Deadline: Early to mid-December
Eligibility: High school juniors (16+); More info here
The Research Science Institute (RSI) is a highly selective, prestigious program that gives you the chance to spend the summer conducting hands-on research across various STEM fields, including chemistry, engineering, physics, and more. As a participant, you'll split your time between on-campus classes focused on scientific theory and off-campus research in science and tech. The program kicks off with a week of intense STEM classes, and then you'll spend the next five weeks on a mentored research internship. You'll be expected to read up on current literature in your area, develop a detailed research plan, and prepare written and oral reports about your work. The program also offers opportunities to take field trips to nearby cultural sites and science and technology facilities.
2. AFRL Scholars Program
Location: Various locations across the U.S.
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: At least 8 weeks (varies by project and site)
Application Deadline: October 10 – January 10
Eligibility: U.S. high school students (16+); GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale highly recommended; More info available here
The AFRL Scholars Program offers an opportunity to engage in practical research alongside full-time AFRL scientists and engineers. As a participant, you will have the chance to contribute to select research and technology projects. Areas of work vary by site and may include STEM fields such as aerodynamics, robotics, fuze technology, materials science, bioscience, and more. By the end of the program, you will be expected to prepare a technical report and present your research to your respective branch. Additionally, there may be opportunities to present at the AFRL Scholars Poster Session.
3. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students looking to get started in AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and have the opportunity to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students have the opportunity to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
4. Anson L. Clark Scholar Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; $750 stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 12 students per year
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or recent high school graduates (17+)
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a highly competitive and intensive summer research program for high school students that offers the opportunity to collaborate with distinguished faculty. As a participant, you’ll get to choose from various research areas in STEM, including computer science, chemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and more. The program also includes weekly seminars, discussions, and educational field trips. It concludes with the submission of a research project report.
5. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: STEM Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply here
Eligibility: High school students
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a challenging research program designed for high school students. It offers plenty of 1-on-1 research opportunities across a wide range of subjects.You can pick topics from areas like STEM, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, psychology, international relations, and more. The program pairs you with a Ph.D. mentor who will work with you on an independent research project. By the end of the 12 weeks, you'll have a research paper that you’ll get to present at a closing symposium.
6. Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free (residential costs may apply); Stipend offered Acceptance Rate: <5%
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 5
Eligibility: Current high school juniors (16+); U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Simons Summer Research Program offers you the chance to join a research team and work with faculty mentors at Stony Brook University, contributing to ongoing research projects in fields like STEM and more. You will also have the opportunity to attend weekly faculty research presentations, workshops, tours, and additional events. By the end of the program, you’ll need to create and share a research abstract and poster of your work at the closing poster session. When applying, you'll be expected to pick your top three research areas, and you'll be assigned to a research group and mentor based on your choices. You can see the mentors and research areas here.
7. Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences
Location: The University of Texas – MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: $7,200 (10 weeks); $6,480 (9 weeks)
Cohort Size: Up to 6 students
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline: November 17 – January 14
Eligibility: Current high school seniors (18+) in Texas
As a participant in the High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences, you'll have the chance to get hands-on experience working on a biomedical research project with guidance from a full-time MD Anderson faculty member. During the program, you'll learn the basics of scientific investigation and put them into practice. You'll spend time in the lab doing real work, which will give you a taste of what it’s like to be a biomedical researcher. You’ll also be able to attend seminars on a variety of research topics. Additionally, the program offers a unique opportunity to participate in abstract, poster, and elevator speech competitions. By the end of it, you'll be expected to present your findings.
8. Johns Hopkins’ ASPIRE Program
Location: Johns Hopkins University – Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), Laurel, MD
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: <10%
Dates: June 23 – August 21 (applicants may continue the program into the academic year)
Application Deadline: January 1 – February 15
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors or seniors (15+) with a minimum 2.8 GPA and permanent residence in select Maryland or Virginia counties or the District of Columbia; More info here
The ASPIRE program gives you the chance to explore various STEM careers before committing to a field in college. As an intern, you will be paired with an APL staff mentor and solve problems, work on projects, and develop the technical and interpersonal skills necessary for the professional environment. When applying, you can choose one of several areas of placement in fields like engineering, AI and machine learning, mathematics, physical science, computer science, STEM communications and education, and more. The types of projects you’ll get to work on depend on mentor availability. For this, you may choose up to 3 project types, such as coding and software development, design, tech, research and development, and more.
9. MITES Summer
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: 6 weeks from June to August
Application Deadline: November – February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
During the MITES Summer program, you'll spend six weeks on campus, diving into five rigorous courses. The program aims to give you a real look at STEM degrees and careers while helping you develop your academic and personal skills. As a participant, you'll take classes in math, life sciences, physics, and humanities, plus one project-based elective. In the past, some electives have included genomics, architecture, machine learning, and more. Through these courses, you'll see how STEM influences society and how you can use what you’ve learned in various fields.
10. STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES)
Location: UT Austin, Austin, TX (hybrid + remote options available, too)
Cost: $2,000 (in-person); Free (virtual); Full scholarships offered Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: May 15 – July 21 (see specified here)
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. current high school sophomores or juniors (16+) with a strong interest in STEM
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) program offers the opportunity to work with NASA, academic, and industry experts and gain technical experience across various STEM disciplines, including engineering, data analysis, and systems modeling. You’ll get to explore fields like aerospace, astronomy, remote sensing, space geodetic techniques, and more. In addition, you will develop skills in collaboration, design thinking, and communication while honing the technical expertise required for advanced research and engineering. Some of the project themes available to you include Planetary Geology, Remote Sensing – Explore the Use of Imaging Radar to Observe the Changing Earth, Engineer Beyond Your World, and more. You can find the full list of projects along with their details here.
11. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free (except for a $50 application fee); limited stipends offered to students with financial need.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 50 students
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: December 19 – February 21
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors (16+); U.S. citizens or permanent residents; Applicants from the Bay Area preferred
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program is an eight-week program that introduces high school students to biomedical research. During the program, you will have the chance to work closely with a one-on-one mentor in a lab at Stanford University. As a participant, you will get to conduct basic research and do hands-on work on a medical project. When applying, you can choose from eight areas of research; some of them are neurobiology, bioengineering, bioinformatics, cardiovascular biology, and more.
12. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; $1,000 stipend offered
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application Deadline: January 15 – February 20
Eligibility: NYC rising high school juniors and seniors
The ARISE program gives you the chance to spend ten weeks gaining hands-on experience, conducting research, and working alongside faculty and mentors in one of 50 labs. During the first four weeks of the program, you will attend safety training sessions and workshops focused on college writing. You will also begin to develop your research skills. For the remaining six weeks, you will engage with real-world projects, working alongside faculty and researchers and offering assistance. The program allows you to gain over 120 hours of valuable lab experience, develop public speaking and other soft skills, and contribute to cutting-edge research. You’ll also get to network with industry professionals and scholars and form long-lasting, valuable connections. By the end of the program, you’ll get to present your research at Colloquium to the NYU community and showcase your work at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) Poster Symposium.
13. High School Summer Research Experience in Cancer (SURE-CAN) Program
Location: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 26 – August 7
Application Deadline: October 1 – January 2 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school juniors (15+) from the following counties in Western New York: Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua
During the SURE-CAN Program, you’ll get to learn about cancer research, studying topics like basic statistics, research ethics, and rigor and reproducibility in cancer research, and work with state-of-the-art technologies. It also gives you the chance to explore careers in fields like cancer research, medical imaging, engineering, research administration, and more. For over six weeks, you will attend group discussions and lectures and participate in hands-on ‘dry’ or ‘wet’ lab research. The program will introduce you to the fundamentals of cancer science, allowing you to explore concepts such as cancer biology, genomics, and imaging. You’ll also get to learn about new emerging technologies in the field and the role artificial intelligence plays in their development, as well as how mathematics, physics, and engineering intersect with biology to advance cancer research. The program will culminate in a research symposium, where you will present scientific posters of your research.
14. Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipends may be offered to applicants experiencing financial hardship.
Cohort Size: 32 students per year
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application Deadline: October 13 – January 2
Eligibility: High school juniors (16+)
The Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) gives you a chance to get hands-on experience in a real lab setting. As a participant, you'll be paired with a research group that matches your scientific interests. The groups will be guided by a scientific trainee from the Tri-Institutional collaboration between Rockefeller University, MSK, and WCMC, and will mimic a real research lab environment. The program kicks off with an intro to your team's research area and making sure you're familiar with key lab techniques and skills. After that, you'll pick a research question related to the topic and dive into exploring it. Throughout the summer, you'll also attend workshops, lectures, optional courses, and more. You'll also have plenty of chances to connect with peers and industry experts. The program ends with a poster symposium where you'll present your work.
15. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Various DoN laboratories across the U.S.
Stipend: $4,000 – $4,500
Acceptance Rate: Varies by placement
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: August 1 – November 1
Eligibility: U.S. 10th-12th graders (16+), as well as graduating 12th graders
During SEAP, you will be assigned to a Department of the Navy (DON) laboratory, where you will spend approximately eight weeks contributing to meaningful Naval research. As a participant, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from leading scientists and engineers, while also gaining insight into Naval research and technology. You can choose from research disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, robotics, computer science, and more. This internship offers a valuable opportunity to explore potential careers in DON science and engineering, as well as various science, technology, research, and development fields.
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