15 Best Free STEM Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in STEM, participating in a specialized program can help you explore advanced topics beyond what is typically available in school. Many STEM programs allow you to work on projects, conduct academic research, write code, analyze data, and solve technical problems in fields such as engineering, computer science, biology, medicine, and public health. Through these experiences, you can build practical skills in areas like laboratory technique, scientific writing, programming, data analysis, teamwork, and public speaking while gaining a clearer understanding of potential academic and career paths. Free programs are particularly valuable because they provide access to these opportunities without the high tuition costs often associated with pre-college exploration.
What are the benefits of a STEM program?
STEM programs can help you develop skills and experience that strengthen both your academic profile and your college applications. Many include opportunities to conduct independent or team-based research, present findings at poster symposia, collaborate with professional mentors, and gain exposure to specialized tools and technologies used in real research and engineering settings. These experiences can provide concrete material for college essays, demonstrate sustained interest in a field, and add meaningful academic achievements to your resume. STEM programs also help you evaluate your long-term interests by exposing you to disciplines such as biomedical research, artificial intelligence, engineering design, and public health before college.
To help you identify the strongest options, we’ve narrowed this list to the 15 best free STEM programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for STEM research programs, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These programs span biomedical research, AI, aerospace, cybersecurity, public health, and engineering, with several offering stipends on top of being free, including MSK Cancer Center ($1,200), NYU ARISE ($2,000), and SEAP ($4,000 to $4,500).
Acceptance rates are extremely low across the board, with MSK Cancer Center at 2%, RSI under 2.5%, and Simons Summer Research under 5%, so students should apply to several programs.
Most programs are residential and require travel to campus, but a few, such as Veritas AI, Lumiere, and EDIT AI, are fully virtual and open to students regardless of location.
Application deadlines range from as early as August (SEAP opens) and December (RSI, MSK Cancer Center) to as late as April (EDIT AI), so students should begin researching options well ahead of the summer.
1. Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free, except for an application fee of $75 (need-based fee waivers available) | None
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Less than 2.5% acceptance rate | Around 100 students from around the world
Program dates: June 28 – August 8
Application deadline: December 10
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with good academic standing
RSI, hosted in collaboration with MIT, is a six-week summer research program for high-achieving high school students that combines advanced STEM coursework with independent scientific research. You’ll begin with a week of intensive seminars and classes taught by professors covering topics in biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics, and related fields. The core of the program is a five-week research internship in which you’ll complete an individual research project under the guidance of professional scientists and researchers. Throughout the summer, you’ll engage with the full research process by reviewing scientific literature, developing research plans, analyzing data, and preparing formal written and oral reports. The program will conclude with conference-style presentations and research papers presented at the RSI Symposium, where selected projects will receive special commendation from an external review panel. Participants will also attend evening lectures from leading scientists and technology professionals and take part in organized field trips to scientific and cultural sites in the Boston area.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available. | None
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective
Program dates: Multiple 12–15-week cohorts throughout the year, including 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: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, you get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that you have access to the in-house publication team to help you 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.
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: Highly competitive, with only 12 students selected each year
Program dates: June 21 – August 6
Application deadline: February 16
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors aged 17 and above | Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
Texas Tech University’s Anson L. Clark Scholars Program offers high-achieving high school students a seven-week residential research experience focused on completing original research projects under faculty mentorship. You’ll be paired one-on-one with university professors and work on individual research projects in disciplines such as cancer biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, or other academic fields. Daily activities will center around active research and may involve laboratory work, computational modeling, data analysis, or literature-based investigation. The program will also include weekly seminars and discussions that’ll introduce broader academic and interdisciplinary topics beyond your project. In addition, you’ll take part in organized field trips that connect your research experience to real-world applications. At the end of the program, you’ll submit a formal written research report summarizing your work.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote; you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Approximately 12.5%
Program dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application deadline: Varies based on cohort.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, architecture, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, medicine, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)’s ASPIRE Program
Location: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Less than 10% | Up to 200 students
Program dates: June 23 – August 21; some students might have the opportunity to continue into the academic year (September – May)
Application deadline: January 1 – February 15
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who are at least 15 years old | Must be U.S. citizens | Required minimum GPA is 2.8
Johns Hopkins University APL’s ASPIRE Program is a full-time summer internship that allows high school students to explore STEM careers through applied research and engineering projects. As an intern, you will work 30–40 hours per week under the guidance of an APL staff mentor and contribute to projects in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, aerospace engineering, cybersecurity, environmental science, and quantum computing. Depending on your assigned placement, you may write code, analyze data, prototype hardware, conduct laboratory experiments, or support technical design and development efforts. The application will allow you to rank projects and placement preferences across multiple STEM areas, though final assignments depend on mentor availability. The program will conclude with the ASPIRE Student Showcase, where you’ll present your work to the broader APL community through a poster presentation. Select participants may also have the opportunity to extend their project work into the academic year with mentor approval.
6. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: Top university labs, U.S. Army Research Laboratories, and Centers across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free | Stipend amount varies by position, depending on the internship location and program duration
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Less than 15%
Program dates: Internships are available in the summer and the academic year
Application deadline: Varies by internship
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents; must be at least 14 years old (additional prerequisites and eligibility requirements may apply based on the lab; check here)
The AEOP High School Internships allow students to work in paid research positions at U.S. Army laboratories and affiliated university research labs across the country. You’ll be matched with professional scientists or engineers and contribute to active research projects in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum science, hypersonic flight, synthetic biology, additive manufacturing, autonomy, and materials science. Through this internship, you’ll gain hands-on experience using professional laboratory tools and research methods while building technical and analytical skills in a real STEM workplace. In addition to lab work, AEOP will provide access to workshops, webinars, and career-readiness resources designed to support your academic and professional development. Most internships are full-time and in-person, though some part-time internships are offered during the academic year.
7. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Department of the Navy (DoN) laboratories across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free | $4,000 for new participants and $4,500 for returning participants
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Competitive, with around 300 placements in more than 38 DoN laboratories around the U.S.
Program dates: 8 weeks in the summer, with the possibility of extending up to two more weeks
Application deadline: August 1 – November 1
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, as well as graduating high school seniors | Must be at least 16 years old | Must be U.S. citizens
SEAP offers high school students an eight-week summer internship in DoN research laboratories, where you’ll take part in real-world scientific and engineering projects under the guidance of professional researchers. You’ll work directly with scientists and engineers on hands-on assignments that support ongoing laboratory research, allowing you to gain practical experience in a professional STEM environment. The program will help you develop technical and analytical skills while exposing you to the research methods used in government laboratories. Throughout the internship, you’ll collaborate with mentors and research staff who’ll provide supervision and career insight. Depending on your placement, you may also get to present or formally document your work at the conclusion of the experience.
8. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free, except for an application fee of $50 (fee waivers available) | Typically unpaid, but there will be a very limited number of stipends given out from a special grant based on need
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: 50 students (tentative; may vary depending on funding and participating labs)
Program dates: June 8 – July 30
Application deadline: December 19 – February 21
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old | Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently living in and attending school in the country (preference may be given to Bay Area students)
SIMR is an eight-week biomedical research internship that allows high school juniors and seniors to work in Stanford research labs on medically oriented projects. You’ll be paired with graduate students or postdoctoral mentors and contribute to ongoing research in fields such as cancer biology, immunology, neurobiology, genetics, bioinformatics, and stem cell research. Through full-time lab work, lectures, and safety training, you’ll gain exposure to the scientific research process while developing practical laboratory and analytical skills. The program will conclude with a research poster session where you’ll present your findings to the Stanford community, educators, and family members. Students interested in engineering-focused research may also apply to the bioengineering bootcamp track, which will give you the chance to work on hands-on bioengineering projects.
9. NIST Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Location: NIST campuses in Boulder, CO, or Gaithersburg, MD
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Around 10%
Program dates: June 22 – August 7
Application deadline: November 1 – January 26
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0/4.0 | Must be U.S. citizens; applicants must live within a 50-mile radius of their host campus.
SHIP allows high school juniors and seniors to complete a seven-week research internship at NIST’s Boulder or Gaithersburg campuses. You’ll work with NIST scientists and engineers on individual research projects in one of the institute’s laboratories, with placement areas including physics, materials science, cybersecurity, engineering, communications technology, information technology, and advanced manufacturing. Through this internship, you’ll gain hands-on experience conducting research in a U.S. Navy laboratory while building technical and analytical skills relevant to scientific investigation. The program will allow you to explore specialized research areas by applying directly to the laboratory division that best matches your interests and coursework background. SHIP is an unpaid educational internship, and student are responsible for their own housing and transportation during the program.
10. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Programs
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free | Accepted students receive a stipend, but the exact amount is not specified
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Around a 5% acceptance rate
Program dates: June 14 – July 31, with an online orientation on May 29, June 10, and June 11 (tentative; subject to change)
Application deadline: March 31 is the priority deadline
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, or Wisconsin
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Programs give rising 10th–12th graders from eligible Midwestern states the opportunity to participate in a six-week summer research experience at a major research university. You’ll work 30–35 hours per week in active research labs on projects across STEMM fields such as neuroscience, artificial intelligence, cancer immunology, bioengineering, quantum mechanics, and electrical engineering. The program will combine hands-on lab or research work with weekly seminars focused on scientific communication, research poster preparation, and college readiness. Through the experience, you’ll receive mentorship from faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, medical students, and other STEMM professionals. At the end of the program, you’ll present your research at a formal symposium through a poster presentation.
11. Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center’s Summer Student Program
Location: MSK Cancer Center, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free | $1,200
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Highly competitive, with a 2% acceptance rate | Only 20 interns are accepted per summer
Program dates: June 29 – August 21
Application deadline: December 1 – February 6
Eligibility: Current high school juniors living in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut within 25 miles of the Main Campus of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on the Upper East Side in Manhattan | Must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in science subjects | Must be at least 14 years old
MSK Cancer Center’s Summer Student Program allows high school students to complete an eight-week full-time biomedical research internship in a professional research setting. You’ll be placed in an MSK laboratory and paired with a mentor who’ll guide your work as you complete a self-directed project supporting the lab’s broader research goals. Research opportunities span areas such as cancer biology, immunology, pharmacology, computational biology, genomics, and structural biology. In addition to lab work, you’ll participate in laboratory meetings and program sessions that expose you to researchers, clinicians, and other professionals across the institution. The program will also include professional development events focused on translational medicine, clinical research, and scientific career pathways.
12. The Emerging Diagnostic and Investigative Technologies (EDIT) AI High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Around 90 participants
Program dates: Onboarding will be approximately from April to June, with the program taking place from June to late August
Application deadline: April 15 (tentative; based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students with prior programming experience in Python
Dartmouth Health organizes the EDIT AI High School Summer Internship Program in collaboration with Dartmouth Cancer Center and Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center. It offers high school students the opportunity to explore the use of artificial intelligence in clinical and biomedical research. You’ll work on projects that apply machine learning to areas such as cancer diagnostics, pathology imaging, electronic health records, and multi-omics data. You’ll have access to a Virtual Student Laboratory and attend seminars on pathology and medical AI. Along the way, you may get to work on coding, data analysis, and algorithm development using tools like Python, R, and high-performance computing systems. You’ll also gain experience presenting technical findings to scientific and medical audiences as part of the program.
13. NYU’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) Program
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free | $2,000
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective, with a limited number of spots
Program dates: June 1 – August 14, with an Orientation on May 29
Application deadline: January 15 – February 27
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors from NYC
NYU’s ARISE program is a free 10-week summer research program that combines foundational STEM training with hands-on lab experience. During the first four weeks, you’ll complete safety training, college writing workshops, and research skills development before transitioning into six weeks of research in an NYU lab. You will work with faculty and mentors across more than 80 research labs, contributing to projects in fields such as engineering, machine learning, environmental science, materials science, cybersecurity, biology, and urban systems. Over the course of the program, you’ll gain approximately 150 hours of laboratory experience while developing public speaking, communication, and professional research skills. The program will conclude with you presenting your work at an NYU colloquium and the American Museum of Natural History Poster Symposium. You will also receive a stipend and access to continued mentorship, college application support, and alumni networking opportunities.
14. CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp
Location: CDC Headquarters, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: Free | None
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Around 7.7% | 27 students per camp
Program dates: June 22 – 26 | July 20 – 24
Application deadline: March 7 (tentative; based on previous years); check website for updated dates
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old
The CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp allows high school students to explore public health and epidemiology through a five-day academic program held at CDC headquarters in Atlanta. You’ll learn how CDC professionals investigate and respond to public health challenges by participating in lectures and hands-on activities focused on topics such as disease surveillance, outbreak response, global health, environmental health, injury prevention, and public health law. Through the program, you’ll build skills in data analysis, scientific communication, and teamwork while working through interactive case studies and simulations. Activities may include recreated outbreak investigations, laboratory sessions, mock press conferences, and exercises involving real-world public health scenarios. You’ll also hear directly from CDC scientists and staff about their work and the range of careers available in public health.
15. Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: Tuition is free, but there might be additional costs if you opt for on-campus residential options | Stipend available, but the exact amount is not specified
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Less than 5%
Program dates: June 29 – August 7
Application deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents and are at least 16 by the time the program starts
Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program allows high school juniors to conduct hands-on research in science, mathematics, or engineering during the summer before senior year. You’ll be matched with a faculty mentor and join an active research group, where you’ll contribute to a project in areas such as biochemistry, engineering, computer science, neurobiology, marine sciences, physics, or applied mathematics. Through this experience, you’ll learn laboratory and research techniques while working alongside university faculty and research teams in a professional academic setting. The program will also include weekly faculty research talks, workshops, tours, and special events that expose you to broader areas of STEM research. At the end of the program, you’ll prepare a written research abstract and present your work through a research poster at the closing symposium. You will receive a stipend upon completion of the program.
Frequently asked questions
1. What free STEM programs are available for high school students?
Options include research-intensive programs, such as RSI, Simons Summer Research, and SIMR, applied engineering and defense-research internships, such as ASPIRE, AEOP, and SEAP, and specialized tracks, such as CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp for public health and EDIT AI for machine learning in medicine.
2. Which free STEM programs offer stipends?
Several programs pay stipends on top of being free, including SEAP ($4,000 to $4,500), NYU ARISE ($2,000), MSK Cancer Center ($1,200), Clark Scholars ($750), and AEOP, where stipend amounts vary by lab placement. Programs like RSI, ASPIRE, and NIST SHIP remain unpaid.
3. Which free STEM programs are best for students interested in biomedical research?
Students interested in biomedical research might consider SIMR at Stanford for lab-based work in cancer biology and genetics, MSK Cancer Center for oncology-focused research in New York, EDIT AI for machine learning applications in pathology and diagnostics, and Simons Summer Research for a broader range of STEM fields including neurobiology.
4. When should I apply to free STEM programs for high school students?
The earliest deadlines are SEAP (opens August 1) and RSI and MSK Cancer Center (both open in December). NIST SHIP and Illinois Young Scholars fall between January and March, while EDIT AI has the latest deadline in mid-April. Students should begin preparing applications in the fall to stay ahead of these varied timelines.