15 Best STEM Summer Programs for High School Students
Summer programs can be a structured way for you to explore academic interests beyond the standard high school curriculum. If your interests lie in STEM, programs can introduce you to tools and workflows used in university-level study, such as coding environments, research databases, or scientific writing formats. These programs can also help you identify specific areas of interest within STEM. Engaging with these topics in depth can give you a clearer sense of which fields you may want to pursue further.
What are the benefits of a STEM program?
One of the main advantages of STEM programs for high school students is the opportunity to engage deeply with a specific subject area. In research-focused programs, you can work on defined projects, learning how to design experiments, analyze data, and present findings in a structured format. Other programs emphasize problem-solving, where you will develop logical reasoning skills through advanced mathematics or computational challenges. You may also gain experience with tools such as Python or specialized lab equipment, depending on the program’s focus.
To help you navigate the wide range of options, we have compiled a list of the 15 best STEM summer programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
1. MIT Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None apart from a ~$75 application fee (waivers available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~2.5% acceptance rate; 100 students selected each year
Dates: June 28 – August 8
Application deadline: December 10
Eligibility: High school juniors; check the recommended requirements here.
The Research Science Institute brings together a select group of high school students to experience the entire research cycle from start to finish. In the first week, you will attend college-level seminars covering advanced theory in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics. The core of the experience is a five-week research internship where you will conduct original, individual research projects under the direct mentorship of scientists and researchers in the Boston area. You will read current literature, draft a detailed research execution plan, and deliver professional conference-style oral and written reports on your findings. Throughout the process, you will develop skills in scientific writing, data analysis, and the presentation of technical findings.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12 – 15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment; deadlines vary by cohort: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can check details and apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students; AI Fellowship with Publication and Showcase accepts previous AI Scholars participants or those with some experience working with AI or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers online programs for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. If you are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science, you can choose the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will learn about the fundamentals of AI and data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another track for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. During this program, you will get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A key feature of this program is that it offers you access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. Texas Tech’s Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; $750 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students/year
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application deadline: February 16
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and graduating seniors, ages 17 and up, with demonstrated academic ability
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a selective program that places high school students into research-focused STEM environments across a range of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, computer science, and engineering, depending on faculty availability. You will work closely with faculty mentors on individual or small-group projects, which may involve laboratory experiments, data analysis, or theoretical research. The program also includes seminars, discussions, and field-specific workshops that broaden your understanding of academic research. Throughout the experience, you will develop skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and scientific communication. The final outcome typically includes a research report or presentation summarizing your work.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote! You can participate in the program from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in high school who 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 across a wide range of subject areas for high schoolers to explore. The program pairs you with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the program, you will have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as physics, economics, computer science, data science, psychology, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. NIST Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Location: NIST campuses in Boulder, CO, and Gaithersburg, MD
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate: 4% (Boulder, CO) | 10.6% (Gaithersburg, MD)
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application deadline: January 26
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are current high school juniors and seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA, and living within 50 miles of either the Gaithersburg, MD, or Boulder, CO NIST campus
SHIP places students in research labs to work with scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which is a non-regulatory federal agency that works on measurement science research. You will work on a defined research project under the mentorship of a NIST scientist, applying techniques and methods relevant to your assigned laboratory’s work. Placements span areas such as environmental science, materials science, physics, chemistry, engineering, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing. You will learn how to collect and analyze data, work with specialized instruments and facilities, and explore professional laboratory environments. At the end, you will present your research work in the form of a poster.
6. Carnegie Mellon University Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Rising seniors, ages 16 and up, with demonstrated financial need
The Summer Academy for Math and Science is a STEM summer program for high school students that combines coursework with project-based learning. You will take classes in subjects such as mathematics, science, and computer programming, with a focus on applying concepts to practical problems. Instruction is supplemented by group projects that require collaboration and analytical thinking. The program also incorporates academic skill-building sessions on problem-solving and technical communication. Through this structure, you will gain experience managing a college-style workload across multiple STEM disciplines.
7. NYU’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who live and attend school in NYC
ARISE is a research-oriented STEM summer program for high school students that places you in NYU labs. Placements span disciplines like engineering, biology, tech, computer science, and environmental science. You will work on applied research projects, which may involve prototyping, coding, or experimental testing, depending on the lab. Alongside lab work, the program runs workshops on research methods and data analysis. You will also engage with scientific literature to understand the context of your project. The experience emphasizes practical problem-solving and concludes with a presentation or report on your findings.
8. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost; need-based stipends may be available. Acceptance rate/cohort size: 32 students/year
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application deadline: January 2
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, ages 16 and up
The Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program is a lab-based STEM program in which high school students engage in biomedical research alongside scientists. You will be placed in a research laboratory and contribute to ongoing projects, gaining experience with experimental design and data collection. Daily work may focus on techniques such as microscopy, cell culture, or computational analysis, depending on the lab’s focus. The program also incorporates lectures and lab meetings that introduce current topics in biomedical science. At the end, you will present your findings as a poster, gaining experience in data presentation.
9. Summer Science Program (SSP)
Location: Multiple university campuses across the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free for participants with a family income of $75,000 or less | Scaled fees up to $11,800 for other students; a limited $3,000 lost wages/stipend provided for eligible students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 36 students/campus
Dates: Five weeks in the summer
Application deadline: February 19
Eligibility: High school juniors who meet the prerequisite coursework requirements
SSP is a collaborative STEM program for high school students centered on intensive, project-based learning. It offers four distinct research tracks: Astrophysics, Biochemistry, Bacterial Genomics, and Cell Biology. In your chosen track, you will work within a team to complete a research project, gaining exposure to investigations like determining the orbit of an asteroid or analyzing biochemical data. The program integrates lectures with hands-on work, requiring you to apply concepts from physics, mathematics, and programming. By the end of the program, you will produce a detailed report and gain experience working through complex scientific problems as part of a group.
10. Young Scholars Program (YSP) @ Northeastern University
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive selection with limited placements for rising seniors
Dates: June 22 – July 30 (Monday through Thursday research and activities)
Application Deadline: Applications close March 2
Eligibility: Current high school juniors (rising seniors) who are Massachusetts residents and within commuting distance
The Young Scholars Program (YSP) offers high school students a six‑week, hands‑on research opportunity in which they work in Northeastern University laboratories alongside faculty and graduate mentors on meaningful STEM projects. Participants deepen their understanding of scientific methods by contributing to ongoing research across disciplines such as computer engineering, biology, chemistry, and bioengineering, while gaining technical skills and research confidence. Throughout the program, students attend lectures, take field trips to corporate and government labs, and participate in structured sessions that support academic and career exploration. The experience culminates in a final presentation and poster session where students share their work, helping to connect academic learning with professional scientific environments.
11. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $50 application fee (waivers available) + limited number of need-based stipends
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~50 students/year
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, ages 16 and up, who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents; preference given to Bay Area students
This STEM summer program gives high school students the opportunity to perform basic scientific research directly in Stanford University's medical laboratories. You will select a specialization such as bioengineering, neurobiology, or cancer biology, and work on a related research project. The program includes foundational lectures that provide context for your work, alongside hands-on activities and data analysis. You will also learn how to interpret scientific literature and present research findings. The experience will conclude with a poster presentation that reflects the structure of academic research dissemination.
12. Johns Hopkins’ ASPIRE Program
Location: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Less than 10%
Dates: June 23 – August 21
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors aged 15+ who are U.S. citizens; specific county residency requirements may apply
ASPIRE places high school juniors and seniors in rigorous STEM internships where they work on real technical projects under the mentorship of professional scientists and engineers. Interns spend 30–40 hours per week collaborating with their mentors on tasks ranging from data analysis and programming to engineering design and scientific research, gaining practical technical skills and professional insight. Throughout the summer, students also take part in onboarding, research discussions, and the capstone Student Showcase, where they share their work with peers and mentors. This program gives motivated students direct exposure to STEM careers in a world‑class research environment while developing communication, problem‑solving, and teamwork skills.
13. MITES Summer
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Late June – early August (six weeks)
Application deadline: February 2
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
MITES Summer is a free, six-week residential program held on the MIT campus where you will take five college-level courses over the summer, including one each in math, life sciences, physics, and humanities, plus a project-based elective. Past electives have covered topics like machine learning, genomics, architecture, and electronics, all areas that go beyond what most high school curricula include. The schedule consists of classes and activities, and evenings and weekends are a mix of homework, office hours, and social events around the Greater Boston area. You will also get college admissions guidance, attend a college fair with admissions counselors, and tour MIT labs and local companies. At the end of the program, you will receive a written evaluation from each of your instructors, which you can submit as supplemental material with your college applications.
14. JAX Summer Student Program
Location: The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME
Cost/Stipend: Free + $7,500 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ~24 – 28 positions/year
Dates: May 30 – August 7
Application deadline: January 26
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors, ages 18 and up, who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
This 10-week research internship at The Jackson Laboratory lets you join active biomedical research labs to work on projects in biology or biomedicine. You will work closely with a JAX scientist mentor, join an ongoing research program, and develop an independent project with increasing autonomy over the summer. Research areas include cancer biology, immunology, bioinformatics, neuroscience, genetics, genomics, and computational biology. Throughout the program, you will attend weekly professional development sessions covering topics such as data visualization, principles of genetic testing, science communication, and peer review. You will also attend journal club meetings and informal interactions with JAX scientists across areas, including scientific services experts, grant writers, attorneys, and veterinarians, to explore the breadth of scientific careers. The program concludes with a formal research presentation in which you will share your findings with JAX researchers, peers, and family members.
15. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: No tuition, but $2,450 housing costs apply for residential students; a stipend is provided
Acceptance rate: <5%
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors, ages 16 and up, who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Simons Summer Research Program is a selective STEM program for high school students that focuses on hands-on research in science, math, or engineering. You will be matched with Stony Brook faculty mentors, join established research groups, and work on authentic research projects in active university laboratories. The project work may involve lab work, running simulations, or analyzing datasets, depending on the field. The program also includes lectures and workshops that introduce broader scientific concepts and research techniques. Your work will conclude with a written abstract and a presentation at a research symposium, mirroring the structure of professional academic conferences.