14 Biomedical Engineering Summer Programs for High School Students
Biomedical engineering requires comprehensive theoretical knowledge, as well as sound research and engineering skills, and getting a head start can be extremely helpful. If you’re a high school student interested in this field, building on these aspects early can help with your college admissions and future academics.
Biomedical engineering summer programs are a great way to gain experience in the field. These programs are usually research and theory-focused, and include various extracurricular components to provide a holistic summer pre-college experience. However, picking a program can be difficult. There are many factors to consider, such as whether it aligns with your goals, the associated costs, and access to additional resources.
To help you pick a program that fits your needs, we’ve curated a list of 14 biomedical engineering summer programs!
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
Key Takeaways
Best free options with stipend: ResearcHStart ($3,000), NYU ARISE ($2,000), DukeREP, JHU ISPEED
Best for lab research: Stanford SIMR, DukeREP, Tufts TUBERS, NYU ARISE
Best virtual/flexible option: Lumiere Research Scholars (year-round, rolling deadlines)
1. Johns Hopkins University: The Immersive Summer Program for Education, Enrichment, and Distinction (ISPEED) in Biomedical Engineering
Application deadline: March 16
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently in 10th or 11th grade, ages 15–17; students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to applyencouraged to apply.
Program dates: June 29 – July 24
Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Fee: Free; need-based stipend available
ISPEED (Immersive Summer Program for Education, Enrichment, and Distinction) is a fully funded, four-week residential biomedical engineering program at Johns Hopkins. You will work across three areas drawn from the university's top-ranked BME department: biology and life sciences in the Cell and Tissue Engineering lab, computer programming and machine learning, and healthcare design in the BME Design Studio. The program also includes seminars with STEM professionals, lab tours, and direct engagement with Hopkins faculty and researchers. Students earn three Johns Hopkins College credits upon completion, with no specific course prerequisites required.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Application deadline: Rolling, cohort-based. You can apply here!
Eligibility: High school students
Program dates: Varies by cohort
Location: Virtual
Fee: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Founded by Harvard and Oxford PhDs, Lumiere is a selective research program for high school students in which students work one-to-one with a PhD mentor to develop an independent research paper. While it offers programs across an array of disciplines, you can focus on research areas in biomedical engineering and explore its intersections with other subjects. Due to its one-to-one nature, you can expect to learn the most recent developments in the biomedical engineering field and also expand your practical skill set.
3. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Current juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years of age
Program dates: June 8- July 30
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Fee: Free
SIMR is an eight-week summer research internship at Stanford Medicine for high school juniors and seniors. Students choose from eight research areas — immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, bioengineering, stem cell and regenerative medicine, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, and genetics — and are then assigned to a specific lab for one-on-one mentorship with a Stanford researcher. A separate track, the Bioengineering Team Internship, takes a different approach: instead of individual lab research, small teams work together on a real-world biodesign project addressing a medical need, building and testing prototypes using resources like Stanford's machine shop, maker spaces, and wet labs. Both tracks conclude with a poster session where students present their work.
4. DukeREP (Duke Research in Engineering Program)
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: North Carolina high school students who are rising juniors or seniors, ages 16+; students from first-generation or economically disadvantaged backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply
Program dates: Starts mid-June; 7 weeks
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Fee: Free; stipend, daily lunch, and transportation support provided
DukeREP is a free seven-week summer research program run by Duke's Biomedical Engineering Department, where high school students are placed directly into active BME labs and paired one-on-one with Duke PhD student mentors. You will work on real research projects alongside faculty, graduate students, and professional researchers for the duration of the program. Lab work is complemented by seminars and workshops on research skills, professional development, and college advising. The program is designed to be accessible to students from all backgrounds, with no cost to attend and financial support provided throughout.
5. Tufts University’s Biomedical Engineering Research (TUBERS) Program
Application deadline: April 17
Eligibility: Massachusetts high school students ages 16+; must attend a vocational or technical high school, a public high school in a Gateway City, a public high school with 25%+ low-income students, or be enrolled in the METCO program
Program dates: July 6 – August 14
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Fee: Free (Students are expected to organize their own transportation)
TUBERS is a free six-week summer research program at Tufts University's Department of Biomedical Engineering, where high school students work full-time (35 hours per week) in BME labs alongside faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate mentors. You will investigate real biomedical engineering questions focused on cells, tissues, and organs, learning experimental protocols, making predictions, and testing hypotheses throughout the program. Students present their findings at the end of the six weeks and are encouraged to submit their projects to local and national science competitions with faculty approval. The program is designed specifically for students from underserved and underrepresented communities in Massachusetts.
6. ResearcHStart at the University of Chicago
Application deadline: January 19
Eligibility: Illinois residents or Lake County, Indiana residents who are high school juniors or seniors, ages 16+; students are responsible for their own housing and transportation
Program dates: June 15 – August 7
Location: University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois Chicago, Northwestern University, and Rush University
Fee: Free; $3,000 taxable stipend awarded to participants
ResearcHStart is a free eight-week cancer research training program run across five Illinois universities, where high school students work full-time in the labs of established cancer researchers. You will gain hands-on experience in areas including cancer immunology, bioengineering, experimental cancer therapeutics, and cancer disparities, working 35–40 hours per week alongside faculty and graduate mentors. Lab work is complemented by career development workshops, a faculty lecture series focused on cancer research, and networking skill-building. The program concludes with a research symposium where students present their work to family, peers, and the broader scientific community.
7. Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) at New York University
Application deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Students who will complete 10th or 11th grade by June are eligible to apply. Students applying must be NYC residents.
Program dates: June 1 – August 14
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Fee: Free; $2,000 stipend awarded upon completion
ARISE is a free 10-week summer research program at NYU Tandon, where high school students work alongside faculty in one of over 80 university research labs. The first four weeks are remote, covering lab safety training, college writing workshops, and research skills development. Starting in July, students transition to in-person lab work and contribute to real research projects. Students interested in biomedical engineering can request placement in labs such as the Applied Micro-Bioengineering Lab, the Bio-Interfacial Engineering and Diagnostics Group, the Biomolecular Engineering Lab, or the Protein Engineering and Molecular Design Lab. The program concludes with a colloquium presentation at NYU and a poster symposium at the American Museum of Natural History.
If this program is on your radar, check out this ultimate guide to NYU’s ARISE program!
8. Research Scholars (Bioengineering) at the University of California, San Diego
Application deadline: Rolling; approximately 3 weeks before each course start date
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 with a minimum 3.0 GPA; ages 14+ for online, 15+ for in-person
Program Dates: Various sessions from June through July; some courses offered in winter and spring
Location: University of California, San Diego. Some programs might be conducted online or in a hybrid format.
Fee: Ranges from $1,300-$2,900. Scholarships are available.
The UC San Diego Department of Bioengineering offers a structured, multi-course program that takes high school students from foundational skills through independent research. Students begin with BE-BOAT, an introductory course in one of three tracks — biomedical imaging and 3D printing, biomechanics, or mammalian cell and tissue culture — completing hands-on lab work using custom kits from home or on campus. From there, students advance to BE-ROW, where they collaborate with active UCSD researchers to design and carry out a full research investigation in areas such as bioimaging, biomechanics, or tissue engineering. The most advanced tier, BE-SHIP, supports students in independently proposing, executing, and presenting an original bioengineering research project in partnership with a university lab, with some sessions aligned toward science fair preparation and others toward conference abstracts or manuscript submission.
9. Biomedical Laboratory Sciences Summer Immersion Program
Application deadline: May 31
Eligibility: High school students
Program dates: In-person: July 20 – July 24; Virtual: July 27 – July 31
Location: GW Virginia Science and Technology Campus, Ashburn, VA; Virtual: Blackboard LMS (synchronous)
Fee: $1,000 (in-person); $250 (virtual); financial aid available
The GW Biomedical Laboratory Sciences Summer Immersion Program is a one-week intensive offered by the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, available in both in-person and virtual formats. You will cover laboratory safety, essential lab techniques, and disease case studies, with hands-on work in blood cell differentials, microbial plating, DNA extraction, PCR, and agarose gel electrophoresis. The week concludes with a group case study project where you analyze patient laboratory findings and present your results. Students who attend all five days receive a certificate of completion.
10. Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE) at Columbia University
Application deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Current high school students in grades 9–12 and recent high school graduates; residential option requires ages 16+
Program dates: Session 1: July 6 – July 24; Session 2: July 27 – August 14
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Fee: $6,241 (commuter); $11,492 (residential); need-based full scholarships available
SHAPE (Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers) is Columbia Engineering's selective three-week pre-college program that offers college-level, project-based engineering courses taught by Columbia faculty. Students interested in biomedical engineering can enroll in the Biomedical Engineering: Where Biology, Medicine, and Design Meet course, which covers hands-on lab exercises in biomechanics, bioinstrumentation, and medical imaging, including building your own biomedical devices. All students also have access to Columbia's MakerSpace, equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC tools. The program is supplemented by electives, college preparation workshops, and industry site visits, and students may attend one or both sessions.
11. Pre-College Summer – Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut
Application deadline: Rolling; early bird deadline April 1
Eligibility: High school students
Program dates: July 19 – July 25
Location: University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Fee: 2,250 (early bird, applications by April 1); $2,350 (after April 1); scholarships available
This one-week residential course at UConn introduces high school students to biomedical engineering through a combination of lectures and hands-on lab work. You will use CAD software, 3D printing, and biomedical sensors to design and build functional medical device prototypes, with a focus on wearable devices that record human motion and activity. The course is taught by Dr. Patrick Kumavor, a UConn BME faculty member whose research spans biomedical diagnostic instruments and cancer detection technologies. By the end of the week, students present their technical results through an oral presentation and a written report.
12. Bioengineering Opportunities and Leadership Training (BOLT) Camp at University of Colorado Denver
Application deadline: Registration opens in January
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12 in the fall can apply
Program dates: Session I: June 8–11; Session II: June 15–18; Session III: June 22–25
Location: Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Denver
Fee: $1,075; limited scholarships available
BOLT is a four-day biomedical engineering camp at the CU Anschutz medical campus, where student teams work together to design, build, test, and iterate on prototype medical devices in a hands-on design competition. Throughout the week, you will explore 3D printing, tissue engineering, circuits, and clinical skills, while touring labs and meeting with doctors, researchers, and industry professionals on campus. Past highlights have included a CRISPR-Cas9 tissue-engineering experiment and an anatomy experience in the AHEC cadaver lab. A follow-on program, BOLT-ARE, is available to returning campers and provides deeper exposure to faculty research across areas such as biomechatronics, regenerative medicine, and surgical innovation.
13. Pre-College Summer Programs at Brown University Biomedical Engineering Track
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students who have completed Algebra 1 and Trigonometry; basic biology exposure is beneficial but not required
Program dates: Session I: June 22 – July 10; Session II: July 6 – July 24
Location: Online
Fee: Not specified; financial aid available
This three-week online course through Brown University's Pre-College Programs introduces students to biomedical engineering through the lens of medical implants and device design. You will study the properties of natural and synthetic tissue-replacement materials, how cells interact with them, and the mechanical principles that guide biomedical design decisions. The course culminates in a design challenge in which you develop a prototype for a novel coronary artery bypass material, applying biological, physiological, and mathematical principles throughout. Ethical considerations in biomedical engineering are also woven into the curriculum through instructor and peer discussions.
14. Biomedical Engineering: Solving the Body’s Challenges with Technology at Rochester University
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students ages 13+
Program dates: Multiple 2- and 4-week sessions offered throughout the year
Location: Online
Fee: $1,595; need-based scholarships available
This online course from the University of Rochester introduces high school students to biomedical engineering through 20–25 hours of video-based instruction, simulations, and assignments. You will explore skeletal muscle mechanics, heart function modeling, the engineering design process, and how bioengineers collect and interpret data, with topics ranging from artificial limbs to diagnostic devices. It concludes with a capstone project in which you identify a biomedical engineering problem, apply brainstorming and screening techniques, and produce a short report that models your proposed solution.
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