11 Chemistry Programs for High School Students in Chicago
If you’re a high school student with an interest in the fascinating world of chemistry and want to explore this interest further, then joining a chemistry program can be beneficial for you. Through research placements, laboratory coursework, and guided projects, you can strengthen your understanding of chemical principles while learning how experiments are designed, conducted, and analyzed. You may also receive mentorship from faculty, researchers, and graduate students who can offer academic guidance and insight into potential college and career pathways in chemistry and related fields.
Why should you attend a program in Chicago?
Chicago is home to universities, medical centers, and research institutions that host chemistry-focused opportunities for high school students. Depending on the program, you might study biomolecules, explore organic chemistry, conduct materials science research, analyze environmental samples, or examine how chemistry connects to medicine and engineering. Whether you are a local student seeking opportunities or traveling to the city for a residential experience, these programs provide structured ways to explore chemistry in an established academic setting.
To make your search easier, here are 11 chemistry programs for high school students in Chicago.
If you’re looking for online STEM programs, check out our blog here.
1. University of Chicago’s After School Matters STEM Lab Internship
Location: Multiple locations in Chicago
Stipend: Stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified; Applications open in March
Eligibility: Students attending high school in Chicago (minimum age: 16 years)
University of Chicago’s After School Matters STEM Lab Internship is a six-week summer research program. The program will introduce you to the work-life of professionals in science and engineering. You will have an opportunity to work in a research laboratory, participate in a week-long research bootcamp, and receive communication training in science. You’ll be guided by a team of mentors, including PME researchers and education staff. Participants in the past have enrolled themselves in a range of STEM fields, including chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, mathematics, and theoretical physics.
2. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship with Publication and Showcase
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Vary by cohort: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students passionate about AI with a supportive environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI Scholars program before pursuing the fellowship. The AI Fellowship program will allow students to pursue independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. You can find examples of previous projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. University of Chicago Medicine’s ResearcHStart Program
Location: University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free program; $3,000 taxable stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 19
Eligibility: High school junior or senior (minimum age: 16 years); resident of Illinois or Lake County, Indiana
University of Chicago Medicine’s ResearchHStart is a multi-institutional program for high school students. The program will introduce you to the latest research in cancer immunology, bioengineering, experimental cancer therapeutics, cancer disparities, and more. Although housed within a medical research environment, ResearchHStart exposes students to biochemistry, pharmacology, and chemical principles underlying cancer research. You will have the opportunity to participate in skill-development workshops and receive mentorship from UChicago research professionals, faculty, and program personnel. The program will conclude with a research symposium for friends, family, and members of the research community.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar- Chemistry Track
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: Highly 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: Current high school students with 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 chemistry, psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, 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. University of Chicago’s DSI Summer Lab
Location: University of Chicago Hyde Park Campus, IL
Stipend: $5,600
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: Students living and attending high school in the Chicago area
The University of Chicago’s Data Science Institute Summer Lab is an eight-week summer research program for high school students. You will be paired with mentors from domains such as materials science, biomedical research, data science, climate and energy policy, social science, and computer science. You will have the opportunity to develop your research methodology skills, work in a team environment, and participate in professional development and training. Students interested in computational chemistry or materials science may find relevant research placements within this data-driven program.
6. Biomolecules of Life - Session 1
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $9,300
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 2
Application Deadline: Priority: February 11 | Regular: March 12
Eligibility: 9th-11th grade students; familiarity with chemical bonding and acid-base reactions is helpful
Summer at UChicago’s Biomolecules of Life - Session 1 is a three-week residential program for high school students. The program will enable you to learn about the molecular building blocks, understand their structure, and comprehend their functions. You will have the opportunity to learn laboratory techniques used in biochemical and molecular biology research and to explore how proteins, such as lipids, enzymes, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates, influence the development of diseases and disorders. The program will allow you to explore research techniques applied in areas such as enzymatic assays, molecular modeling, and rational drug design. You will take examinations to assess your learning and understanding of the program. The program will conclude with a final group project based on a disease or biological process of interest.
7. Illinois Institute of Technology: From Lab to Life: A Chemistry Career Exploration
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Cost: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 17
Application Deadline: Not publicly available
Eligibility: High school and middle school students
From Lab to Life: Illinois Tech's Chemistry Career Exploration is an engaging program for high school students. It offers practical laboratory experience and supports your exploration of a career in the chemical sciences. You will have the opportunity to conduct chemical reactions, learn and apply scientific methods, and work with computational tools, chemoinformatics, and analytical instruments. You will analyze environmental and biological chemicals and understand the connection between chemistry and other disciplines such as biology, medicine, and physics.
8. UChicago: Organic Chemistry in the Lab and the Field
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost:$9,300
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 2
Application Deadline: Priority: February 11 | Regular: March 12
Eligibility: 9th-11th-grade high school students
UChicago's Organic Chemistry in the Lab and Field is a three-week program for high school students that offers hands-on experience in organic chemistry, ecology, and ethnobotany. The program will allow you to learn organic chemistry laboratory techniques, understand the importance of ecological restoration, identify the medicinal properties of indigenous and folklore plants through a prairie visit, and then analyze their structures in the laboratory. At the conclusion of the program, you will apply your learnings by completing a final project and creating your own medicinal salve.
9. Illinois Institute of Technology: Chemistry Scholars Program
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Cost: $4,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school and middle school students
Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chemistry Scholars Program is a daytime program for high school students. The program aims to provide an immersive laboratory research experience in chemistry. You will have the opportunity to conduct research in a range of topics, including bioanalytical, forensic, environmental, and materials chemistry. You will also be paired with a research advisor from the faculty of the Illinois Institute of Technology, receive expert guidance, and learn the real-world applications of research in energy, health, sustainability, and technology.
10. UChicago: Pathways in Molecular Engineering
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $9,300
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – July 23
Application Deadline: Priority: February 11 | Regular: March 12
Eligibility: 9th-11th-grade high school students
UChicago Pathways in Molecular Engineering is a three-week residential program for high school students. The program will allow you to learn concepts from a wide range of disciplines, including chemical and mechanical engineering, materials science, nanotechnology, and physics. You will have the opportunity to address real-world problems by learning the fundamentals of engineering, optimization, design principles, and modeling. You will attend lectures, lab sessions, and discussions, and create models using supercomputers. The program is a strong opportunity to understand the interconnections among the chemical, physical, engineering, and computational sciences.
11. Johns Hopkins University - Applications of Chemistry in Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $1,950 + $85 non-refundable fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 17
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students who have completed 9th grade; Cumulative GPA: 3.0/4.0
Johns Hopkins University- Applications of Chemistry in Medicine is a two-week virtual program for pre-college students. You will learn about the significant contributions of chemistry to fields such as healthcare, pharmaceutical sciences, forensics, materials science, and polymer science. The program will offer you the option to participate in group discussions and supplemental lectures. You will also cover the applications of chemistry in consumer-facing industries such as cosmetics, oil and natural gas, and paints and pigments.