15 Biology Summer Programs for High School Students in New York City (NYC)
If you are a high school student interested in exploring biology or life sciences beyond the classroom, a structured program in the field can be a great starting point. Biology programs typically offer learning experiences that let you study advanced concepts in the field and work with real data, equipment, and researchers. You may learn techniques that scientists use, like examining cells under microscopes or analyzing DNA samples, while connecting with graduate students or professors who will guide your work.
Why should you attend a program in New York City?
When it comes to STEM learning, New York City has a lot to offer with its wide range of universities and research facilities running high school programs each summer. Whether you live in NYC or are visiting the city on your school break, the programs here allow you to explore fields such as biomedicine and biochemistry while developing your profile.
To help you with your search, here is a list of 15 biology summer programs for high school students in New York City (NYC).
If you are looking for free summer programs in NYC, check out our blog here.
1. NYU ARISE (Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are NYC residents enrolled in NYC schools
ARISE is a 10-week research program designed to help high schoolers gain exposure to STEM research and professional lab environments. You will begin with four weeks of training sessions, learning about various research methodologies, scientific writing basics, and lab safety practices. In the next six weeks, you will join one of 80+ NYU research labs, where you will work with faculty and graduate mentors on STEM research projects. You can indicate your preference for a placement within bioengineering or molecular biology labs. You will wrap up the program with about 120 hours of lab experience and opportunities to present your research findings to peers and NYU faculty.
2. Veritas AI’s Deep Dive: AI + Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program type; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Vary by cohort; summer sessions available
Application deadline: May deadlines for summer cohorts
Eligibility: High school students who have completed AI Scholars or have basic Python/AI familiarity
Veritas AI runs multiple AI exploration programs for high schoolers. The AI + Medicine Deep Dive introduces you to the emerging intersection between artificial intelligence and healthcare. Here, you will learn how AI and machine learning models are used to diagnose diseases, enhance medical imaging, and interpret clinical outputs to assist physicians and patients. The curriculum includes lectures, guided coding sessions, and hands-on project development under mentorship from instructors affiliated with top universities. You will apply machine learning tools to real biomedical datasets, gaining exposure to concepts like regression, classification, neural networks, and explainable AI. You can learn more about the program through its brochure.
3. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Sites across the U.S., with placements available within a 45-minute distance from your home.
Stipend: $3,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June – August (eight weeks); dates are set by individual mentors and students.
Application deadline: January 25; applications open on November 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an eight-week paid summer internship designed to help you explore career paths in fisheries and aquatic sciences. Sponsored by the American Fisheries Society, the program allows you to work with professional fisheries biologists on hands-on field and laboratory work tailored to their local environment. For instance, you will engage in projects focusing on habitat restoration, protection, and management, and focus on tasks like examining aquatic specimens, taking fish population surveys, electrofishing, and data processing. The program offers insight into the life of a fisheries biologist and other roles in the animal and aquatic sciences.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Biology Track
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program type; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 12-week cohorts offered in the summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students demonstrating strong academic performance
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 that you can explore as a high schooler. 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 biology, psychology, neuroscience, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost: Free; need-based stipend 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
This is a group-based research experience hosted at the Rockefeller University. As a participant, you will join a group of 8–10 peers and work on a mentored project under the guidance of trainees from the Tri-Institutions—MSK, Rockefeller, and WCMC. You will begin by learning about research techniques and practices, and then move on to developing and investigating your own research questions within your assigned team. You can indicate your preference for a biology-focused learning experience. During the program, you will also take elective courses and attend social/networking events, guest lectures, and workshops. The summer program ends with a poster presentation.
6. Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Summer Student Program (SSP)
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
Application deadline: February 6; applications open on December 1.
Eligibility: High school juniors, ages 14 and up, with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in science; applicants must live within 25 miles of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, either in NJ, NY, or CT
The Summer Student Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering offers high schoolers a hands-on introduction to biomedical and computational research. You will be paired with MSK researchers and complete an independent project aligned with the lab’s scientific goals, gaining practical experience in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific communication. Research opportunities typically span biomedical fields, including cancer biology, cell/molecular/developmental biology, chemical biology, computational biology/ genomics, immunology/immuno-oncology, and structural biology. Alongside research work, you will attend lab meetings, seminars, and professional development sessions to gain exposure to translational medicine, cancer biology, and the broader scientific community at MSK.
7. CCNY College Now STEM Research Academy
Location: City College of New York (CCNY), New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; ~$1,575 stipend upon successful completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 students in the spring; 10 students in the summer
Dates: July 6 – August 6
Application deadline: January 16
Eligibility: NYC public high school students in grades 10 and 11 who meet the academic requirements
The CCNY College Now STEM Research Academy is a two-phase program that introduces you to scientific research and inquiry. In the spring, you will take a course for high school credit, learning about research basics and lab practices. In the summer, you will secure a five-week summer internship, where you will work closely with CUNY or CCNY faculty on a research project aligned with your interests. You can indicate your preference for a biology-focused project. You will spend four to five days per week in research labs, attend weekly seminars and workshops, and prepare a final presentation to be showcased both at CCNY and at the New York Science Center for Research and Mentoring (NYSCRM) poster session at the American Museum of Natural History.
8. Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC)
Location: Columbia University Zuckerman Institute, New York, NY
Stipend: Available (amount not specified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students (tentative; subject to change)
Dates: June 30 – August 15 (tentative) + 12 Saturday classes during the Spring semester
Application deadline: October 31; applications open on October 6.
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors from NYC who are enrolled in S-PREP, Double Discovery Centre, Columbia Secondary School, Lang Youth Medical, or BioBus; preference is given to applicants from the South Bronx and upper Manhattan.
BRAINYAC offers high school students an opportunity to explore neuroscience through laboratory work and guided mentorship. You will first take part in spring training sessions to learn pipetting, Python basics, scientific reading, neuroanatomy, and responsible research practices. In the summer, you will work with a Columbia neuroscientist on a research project, contributing to lab tasks and experimental work. Beyond daily lab work, you will attend weekly classes and prepare a scientific poster summarizing your summer contributions. At the end of the summer, you will present your work in the form of a poster.
9. Simons–NYU Science Explorations Program
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 80 students
Dates: July 5 – 25
Application deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors, seniors, and recent high school graduates who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Simons–NYU Science Explorations is a three-week residential program for high school students interested in exploring biology, neural science, physics, chemistry, and psychology. During the program, you will manage an introductory college-level chemistry coursework and engage in laboratory research. Additionally, you will attend lab sessions and workshops designed to dive into the fundamentals of all five disciplines. The program also offers opportunities to engage in social activities in NYC.
10. BEYOND ALBERT High School Research Program
Location: Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC), Bronx, NY
Stipend:$2,500 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Late June – August (eight weeks) + academic year program from September – May
Application deadline: January 12; applications open on November 1.
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors, ages 16 and up, who reside in the Bronx and attend a Bronx high school
The BEYOND ALBERT High School Research Program allows Bronx high school students to dive into biomedical and cancer research. The program combines an eight-week summer laboratory internship with an optional after-school seminar series focused on scientific skills and college readiness. In the summer, you will work with faculty mentors, conducting research, analyzing data, and communicating your findings through written and oral presentations. You will also engage in workshops led by scientists, postdocs, and students, learning about research methods and professional pathways in cancer biology. Following the summer, you can access additional guidance on college applications, financial aid, and college preparation during the school year.
11. New York Bioforce
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY + placements at NYC labs
Cost/Stipend: No cost; stipends are available (amount not specified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies; ~27 students selected in the past
Dates: April 4 – August 14
Application deadline: January 22
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors enrolled in NYCDOE public/charter high schools that have an Economic Need Index (ENI) of 0.8/80% or higher (check additional details here); applicants must have a family income that qualifies for TANF, Medicaid, SNAP, or similar government aid.
New York Bioforce runs a two-stage program that introduces you to life science research, laboratory techniques, and professional STEM skills. You will begin with 50 hours of Saturday sessions at Columbia University, where you will dive into topics such as molecular biology, biomedical engineering, data science, and clinical science while learning research methods and communication skills. Then, you will engage in a six-week, mentored summer internship at a lab or a health care institution, working with professionals on active research. Here, you will gain experience in conducting experiments, working with data, and contributing to ongoing projects. At the end, you will present your research in a poster session at the American Museum of Natural History.
12. Summer Neuroscience Program (SNP) at The Rockefeller University
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: August 4 – 15 (tentative)
Application deadline: Typically, spring deadlines; dates TBA
Eligibility: New York City public high school students who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program
SNP is a two-week research-focused course at The Rockefeller University that introduces you to modern neuroscience through a combination of lectures and lab sessions. You will learn about current questions in brain science by reading and presenting a scientific article, participating in discussions led by graduate students, and designing an original neuroscience experiment. The program begins with classroom sessions that cover core neuroscience concepts, preparing you for independent inquiry and group collaboration. Throughout the course, you will meet in small groups and connect with Rockefeller scientists. Additionally, you will gain practical lab exposure by dissecting a brain, observing research methods, and visiting laboratories on campus.
13. Columbia Pre-College Program: Cell and Molecular Biology of Medicine
Location: Online or in-person at Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $80 application fee; tuition starts at $2,865 (varies by program format and session length)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Sessions of varying lengths and formats in spring, fall, and summer
Application deadline: Varies by program
Eligibility: High school students with one year of high school biology and one year of high school chemistry
Columbia University’s Cell and Molecular Biology of Medicine introduces high schoolers to modern medicine with a focus on the biological mechanisms behind drugs through lectures, group problem-solving, and case studies. You will explore the complete journey of a drug, from initial discovery and design to its administration and breakdown within the body. The course also covers topics like drug toxicity, aspirin metabolism, opioid treatments, insulin therapy, and innovations like CAR T-cell therapy. The course culminates in a team-based final project where you will examine a specific medical condition and its treatments.
14. NYU GSTEM (Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics)
Location: NYU, New York, NY
Cost: $5,750 (tuition) + optional $3,840 (for housing and meals); financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 40 students/year
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: 11th graders
GSTEM is a six-week research program designed for high schoolers interested in exploring advanced STEM pathways. You will be paired with NYU faculty or researchers to complete a research project, which can focus on biological science or related research areas. The program combines research with academic support, offering you access to workshops on scientific writing, data analysis, and presentation skills. The research program culminates in a final presentation that you will deliver to peers and faculty at a closing symposium.
15. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Remote
Cost: $25 application fee + $1,299 tuition for three course credits; fee waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students
The ASSIP offers a full-time, eight-week research experience that places you in cutting-edge laboratories across George Mason University and partner institutions. You will work one-on-one with faculty researchers on original scientific projects while using advanced equipment and technologies across STEM disciplines. You can choose a mentor whose research interests lie in biology or biochemistry. On completing the program, you will earn three undergraduate course credits through George Mason University and get to present your work at a culminating poster session.
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