15 Biology Programs for High School Students in New York State
If you are looking for a way to explore biology as a career or academic path while you are in high school, enrolling in a structured biology program is worth considering. As a participant, you will engage in projects, lab experiments, research, or fieldwork that help you connect biological theory to practice and learn advanced concepts beyond the school curriculum. Many of these programs are hosted by universities and organizations that allow you to connect with professionals and like-minded peers, helping you develop your network.
Why should you attend a program in New York State?
New York is home to universities and research centers that offer biology-focused opportunities to high school students. These range from research-intensive lab internships to field-based ecology programs and university-led summer courses, which help you build research and analytical skills and learn from experienced mentors. Whether you are a local or out-of-state student, New York offers programs across a wide range of subjects that can help you explore your interests.
To help you get started, here is a list of 15 biology programs for high school students in New York State.
If you're looking for STEM programs in New York State, check our blog here.
1. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Summer Student Program
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2%; 20 interns/year
Dates: June 29 – August 21 (eight weeks)
Application deadline: February 6; Applications open on December 1.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors, ages 14 and up, with at least a 3.5 GPA in science; applicants must be legally able to work in the U.S. and live within 25 miles of MSK in NY, NJ, or CT
Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Summer Student Program is an eight-week research-focused experience for high school juniors who want to explore what real biomedical science looks like from the inside. During the program, you will join an MSK research lab, contribute to a mentor-guided project, attend lab meetings, and explore disciplines ranging from cancer biology to computational genomics. The program is designed to help you build technical skills and develop a broader view of life as a scientist through professional development events and exposure to translational medicine. At the end of eight weeks, you will present your project at a poster session.
2. Veritas AI: AI + Medicine Deep Dive
Location: Online
Cost: Varies; financial assistance available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 10-week cohorts available throughout the year in spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application deadline: Varies by cohort; you can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: Students who have completed the Veritas AI Scholars program or have prior coding experience
Veritas AI’s AI + Medicine Deep Dive is a virtual 10-session AI-focused interdisciplinary learning experience led by expert mentors in health data science and biomedical informatics. Here, you will learn how to apply machine learning to real medical challenges, such as coming up with AI solutions to improve medical imaging and genetic data collection. Over 10 weeks, you will work in small groups, complete projects, and gain direct experience building and validating AI models tailored for clinical applications. Within groups following a student-to-mentor ratio of 5:1, you will receive consistent feedback and support as you tackle healthcare or research questions.
3. Biorocket Research Internship Program
Location: Genspace, New York, NY
Stipend: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Six-month program—Spring session: February 25 – May 21 + Summer session: July 6 – August 14
Application deadline: January 5; applications open on November 1
Eligibility: NYC public or charter high school students, ages 16 and up
Biorocket is a six-month research internship designed for NYC public and charter high school students looking for practical exposure to research and a real biology lab. During the internship, you will learn core wet-lab techniques, explore genetic engineering, and work closely with scientist mentors to design and carry out a summer research project. The program blends lab training with science communication workshops, improv sessions, field trips, and exposure to the broader New York biotech ecosystem. You will also develop science communication skills by sharing your project with peers and family members.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Biology Track
Location: Online
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Cohorts run throughout the year; dates vary by program format and cohort
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic records
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is an intensive, fully online research experience where high school students work one-on-one with Ph.D.-level mentors to design and complete an original research project. Over 12 weeks, you will dive into an academic field of your choice, which can be biology or related disciplines, and develop a full research paper by the end of the program. You will work with your mentor to finalize a topic within genetics, behavior, disease, molecular systems, or other areas, and learn how to document your findings while working with a writing coach. At the end of the virtual program, you will present your work at an online symposium.
5. New York Bioforce
Location: New York City (training at Columbia University; internships across partner labs and institutions)
Cost: Free; includes a paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Phase I (Training): April – July | Phase II (Internship): July – August; dates vary by year.
Application deadline: January 22
Eligibility: NYC public/charter school juniors and seniors;
New York Bioforce is a two-part training and internship experience designed for NYC public and charter school juniors and seniors from low-resource backgrounds looking for a pathway into science and health-related fields. The program begins with a spring session, which offers research opportunities and professional skills training through roughly 50 hours of guided sessions. Here, you will learn about core methods of scientific inquiry and essential lab techniques. Upon completing the spring portion, you will secure a six-week, paid summer internship, where you will work 1:1 with mentors in academic labs, life-science companies, or health care institutions. At the end, you will present your work at a poster session hosted by the American Museum of Natural History.
6. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering @ NYU Tandon
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $1,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – August 14 (10 weeks)
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors who are full-time NYC residents attending NYC schools
ARISE is a 10-week summer program at NYU Tandon for NYC high schoolers seeking firsthand STEM research experience. Here, you will work alongside NYU researchers, gaining about 120 hours of laboratory experience while contributing to real projects within research areas spanning STEM fields, including biology. The program offers training sessions, mentorship, and workshops to help you build essential communication and presentation skills. At the end of the program, you will share your research at NYU’s Colloquium and the American Museum of Natural History. ARISE also offers college application guidance, access to a large alumni network, and continued mentorship opportunities.
7. BEYOND ALBERT High School Research Program
Location: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Stipend: $2,500
Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer: Late June – August | Academic year: September – May (weekly commitment on Thursdays)
Application deadline: January 12
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are Bronx residents attending Bronx high schools, ages 16 and up
The BEYOND ALBERT High School Research Program offers students practical exposure to biomedical research at the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center. Over eight weeks, you will work full-time in active labs and learn scientific techniques, attend seminars led by faculty, students, and researchers, and conduct research. The program continues into the school year with weekly in-person sessions that focus on mentorship, workshops, and college readiness. You will present your summer research work to faculty, gaining scientific communication experience.
8. SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station Summer Internship
Location: SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station, Cooperstown, NY
Stipend: $3,000 for high schoolers
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1–3 high schoolers/year
Dates: Late May – August (nine weeks)
Application deadline: Not listed
Eligibility: High school students who are New York State residents and at least 16 years old
The Biological Field Station’s summer internship program offers high school and college students the chance to step directly into real ecological research on Otsego Lake and its surrounding watershed. You will spend time on the field and in the lab, working on wide-ranging tasks, from species surveys and water sampling to data analysis, technical writing, and preparing research posters. You will also join weekly seminars led by BFS faculty. Work is varied and tied closely to ongoing monitoring projects, with room for independent research available. You will also submit a technical research report and a large-format poster based on your research project at the end of the program.
9. Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Cohort size: 32 students/year
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application deadline: January 2
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old when the program starts
SSRP is a full-time, team-based laboratory experience for high school juniors and seniors who want to dive into scientific inquiry and engage in research. While applying, you can indicate your preference for a biology-focused research experience. Over seven weeks, you will join a small research group led by scientists from the Tri-Institutions (Rockefeller, MSK, and Weill Cornell), learning lab techniques, exploring your own research questions, and working toward delivering a final presentation. The program mirrors the structure of a research lab, offering access to mentors, electives, workshops, and guest lectures, and is designed to give students a realistic introduction to scientific research.
10. Columbia University Zuckerman Institute’s BRAINYAC
Location: Columbia University labs, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer internship; dates not specified
Application deadline: October 31
Eligibility: 10th and 11th graders in NYC enrolled in partner programs (S-PREP, Lang Youth Medical, Columbia Secondary School, Double Discovery Center, BioBus); NYC residency required
BRAINYAC (Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia) is a neuroscience-focused apprenticeship that places high school students in Columbia University research labs for the summer. Designed for students from partner programs in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, the program offers you the chance to work on an ongoing research project while learning the skills, routines, and expectations of a real scientific environment. Beyond the day-to-day lab work, you will gain exposure to the broader academic community at the Zuckerman Institute and develop a clearer sense of what a future in scientific research could look like. Throughout the program, you will have access to the mentorship of a Ph.D. student or researcher engaged in neuroscience-focused research.
11. BioBus Junior Scientist Internship
Location: Harlem and the Lower East Side of New York City, NY
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer dates: July 7 – August 15 | School year dates: October 1 – June 15
Application deadline: March 24
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11 enrolled in NYC public high schools
The BioBus Junior Scientist Internship offers year-long, paid learning experiences to NYC high school students who want to explore research in real laboratory settings. You will spend the first summer developing core research and experimental skills, then apply what you have learned throughout the school year by designing independent projects. You will learn how to work with advanced microscopes, collect data, present findings, and gain experience teaching younger students through BioBus community programs. The internship blends research, science communication, and mentorship from professional scientists, offering you a chance to explore the work of researchers and educators and contribute to making science more accessible in your community.
12. Simons-NYU Science Explorations Program
Location: New York University
Cost: Free
Cohort size: 80 students/year
Dates: July 5 – 25
Application deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors, rising high school seniors, and recent high school graduates who are at least 16 and U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Simons-NYU Science Explorations Program is a free summer immersion for high school students who want to explore physical and life sciences beyond the school curriculum. In this program, you will explore subjects such as biology, chemistry, neural science, physics, and psychology through lectures, labs, and guided sessions led by NYU researchers. You will connect with peers from diverse academic backgrounds. You will also gain direct exposure to cutting-edge scientific work while learning from and interacting with leading scientists in a university setting/
13. Rosewall Park SURE-CAN Program
Location: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Cost: Free; subsistence allowances available for a select number of applicants
Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 26 – August 7
Application deadline: January 2
Eligibility: High school juniors who live and attend school in Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, or Chautauqua counties; applicants must be 15+ and U.S. citizens/permanent residents.
Roswell Park’s SURE-CAN (Summer Research Experience in Cancer) program offers Western New York high school students exposure to cancer research through six weeks of lectures, group discussions, and lab work. You will explore the foundations of cancer biology, imaging, genomics, AI applications, and the ways engineering and mathematics intersect with biomedical discovery. You will also learn about basic statistics, research ethics, and scientific communication. The program culminates in a formal poster presentation at a research symposium.
14. New York Academy of Sciences The Junior Academy
Location: Online (Launchpad platform)
Cost: Free
Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Two cohorts each year—Fall Challenges: Mid-September – mid-November | Spring Challenges: Mid-February – mid-April
Application deadline: Spring: January 6 | Fall: Deadline TBA
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 to 17, who will not turn 18 during the challenge
The Junior Academy at The New York Academy of Sciences is a global, online STEM program where students collaborate in international teams to design solutions to real-world problems. The program offers a structured virtual environment for young people who are curious about scientific problem-solving and want to engage with a worldwide community of peers. Through the Academy’s virtual platform, Launchpad, you will take part in Innovation Challenges sponsored by industry partners, receive guidance from STEM mentors, and build practical skills in research, design thinking, and data analysis. Each challenge begins with a preparatory kick-off week, after which you will join teams, work closely with experts, and ultimately submit solutions evaluated by professional judges.
15. Hofstra University Summer Science Research Program (HUSSRP)
Location: Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Cost: $2,250 + $65 application fee;
Cohort size: Varies each year and depends on faculty availability
Dates: Early July – late July (four weeks)
Application deadline: January 12
Eligibility: 10th and 11th graders who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents and at least 15 years old; applicants must have taken at least one high school research course.
HUSSRP is a four-week program that allows high school students to spend four weeks engaging in faculty-mentored research on Hofstra’s campus across fields like biology, chemistry, psychology, engineering, geology, and more. The program will pair you with a mentor to work in labs, attend weekly seminars, and create a research poster, which you will present at the end of four weeks. You will learn about lab safety practices, develop skills in data collection and analysis, and gain experience in collaborating within lab settings. You will also get to explore the Hofstra University campus and connect with faculty researchers during the program.
Image source - NYU Tandon