10 Chemistry Research Programs for High School Students in Texas

If you are a high school student interested in chemistry, research programs allow you to go beyond textbooks and experience firsthand how scientific knowledge is created. By working on real problems, learning experimental methods, and receiving mentorship from researchers, you develop skills and a deeper understanding of how science functions in academic and professional settings. These experiences also help you explore potential career paths while building strong academic and research foundations.

Why should you attend a program in Texas?

Texas is home to major public research universities, medical centers, and national organizations that offer you access to well-established chemistry research environments. Through these programs, you can work on faculty-led research projects, learn core laboratory techniques, analyze data, and engage with current scientific questions in chemistry and related fields. Many of these opportunities are open to both Texas-based students and those from outside the state, making Texas a strong option if you are seeking a rigorous summer research experience in an academic setting.

To help you get started, we’ve put together 10 chemistry research programs for high school students in Texas.

If you are looking for internships in Texas, check out our blog here.

1. The Anson L. Clark Scholar Program

Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 

Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee; $750 stipend

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 participants each summer

Dates: June 21 – August 6

Application Deadline: February 16

Eligibility: Current high school juniors & seniors who are at least 17 years old by program start

The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program immerses high school juniors and seniors in a rigorous seven-week summer research experience at Texas Tech University. During the program, you will work closely with faculty mentors on independent research projects across disciplines such as chemistry, computer science, biology, physics, and engineering. You will participate in hands-on research, weekly seminars, discussions, and field activities that enhance your critical thinking and scientific abilities, while also experiencing academic life on a major research campus. Besides research, you'll engage in community and professional development activities, form enduring relationships with peers and mentors, and earn a stipend upon completion. 

2. Veritas AI Fellowship

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies by program type; financial aid is available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective

Dates: Multiple 15-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply here.

Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.

Veritas AI provides a structured, research-focused setting for high school students interested in artificial intelligence. Its programs highlight teamwork, practical projects, and tailored mentorship. Students are expected to have basic knowledge of Python or are encouraged to complete the AI Scholars program before applying to the fellowship. In the AI Fellowship, participants spend 15 weeks working on an independent research project and can choose to integrate AI with another area of interest, such as healthcare, economics, or environmental science. You can also check out some examples of past projects here. 

3. Project SEED – American Chemical Society

Location: Various locations across the U.S., including Texas (virtual options available)

Stipend: $4,000

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: 8 – 10 weeks between June and August

Application Deadline: April 14

Eligibility: Current high school students (must have completed at least one high school chemistry course)

The American Chemical Society’s Project SEED is a summer research program that provides high school students from underserved communities with direct experience in chemistry research. Each year, more than 350 participants are matched with mentors for 8–10 weeks of research in university or industry laboratories. In addition to lab work, you’ll join a virtual summer camp focused on college preparation, laboratory skills, and career pathways in chemistry and chemical engineering. With over five decades of history and a network of more than 11,000 alumni, Project SEED is one of the longest-running and most influential STEM research programs.

4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Chemistry Track

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies by program type; financial aid is available

Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June)

Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)

Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA

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 psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, 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. REACT @ TAMU

Location: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

Cost/Stipend: None

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students

Dates: July 13 – 24

Application Deadline: March 27

Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors

REACT @ TAMU Chemistry (Research Exploration and Advanced Chemistry Training) is an intensive summer workshop that introduces high school students to foundational research concepts and laboratory techniques used in modern chemistry. Hosted by Texas A&M University’s Department of Chemistry, the program blends interactive lectures, hands-on demonstrations, and technical training modules covering quantitative solution preparation, spectroscopy, chromatography, and PCR-based analysis. You will attend classes and lab sessions led by faculty and research staff, gaining early exposure to instrumentation and research practices typically encountered in college-level chemistry.

6. HSRA Summer Program

Location: University of Texas, Austin, TX

Cost: $4,000; Limited need-based scholarships available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: June 8 – July 15

Application Deadline: Applications open in late January

Eligibility: Rising Texas high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are aged 15+

The High School Research Academy (HSRA) at UT Austin offers a five-week summer program for students to participate in authentic scientific research. You’ll work in active College of Natural Sciences labs, exploring areas such as organic chemistry, genome engineering, biochemistry, ecology, and related fields. The program focuses on lab work, data analysis, and close mentorship from UT faculty and students. Weekly seminars feature guest speakers who discuss current research and career paths in science. The experience concludes with a research symposium, where you present your work via a poster, giving you a firsthand look at the academic research process.

7. Welch Summer Scholar Program (WSSP)

Location: Various Texas universities

Cost/Stipend: None

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: May 31 – July 3

Application Deadline: April 3

Eligibility: Current high-school sophomores and juniors enrolled in a Texas high school

The Welch Summer Scholar Program (WSSP) is a selective five-week research experience that places high school students in chemistry-focused labs at participating Texas universities. You’ll work alongside faculty and graduate mentors, conducting experiments, interpreting data, and learning core chemical research techniques. The program features lectures, workshops, and lab tours designed to enhance your understanding of scientific research and campus life. By the conclusion, you’ll create a final deliverable, such as a research paper, presentation, or poster, that highlights your work. Funded by the Robert A. Welch Foundation, WSSP offers an authentic introduction to university-level research and academic life. 

8. UT Southwestern Chemistry Camp

Location: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited seats
Dates: July 10 – 18
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Current 9th-grade students

UT Southwestern’s STARS Chemistry Camp gives rising high-school chemistry students an introduction to core chemical concepts through lab experiments, classroom instruction, and interactive activities. Over the camp week, you will explore foundational topics such as matter and the periodic table, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, ions and compounds, thermodynamics, and more. In the afternoons, you will participate in team-building activities and biochemistry lab tours, gaining exposure to real-world scientific environments and peer collaboration. While not a traditional research program, the camp offers a mix of conceptual understanding and practical lab skills.

9. George Mason’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

Location: Virtual 

Cost: Tuition: $1,299 + $25 application fee

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: June 18 – August 12

Application Deadline: February 15

Eligibility: High school students age 15+ at program start (for remote/hybrid projects)

The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) allows motivated high school students to work on real scientific research alongside university faculty and graduate researchers at George Mason University and partnering institutions. Over an eight-week full-time summer session, you will get to conduct hands-on research in areas ranging from environmental science and biochemistry to climate dynamics and computer science, gaining experience with state-of-the-art techniques and tools. You will enhance your scientific writing and communication skills, participate in discussion forums with STEM role models, investigate various career paths, and present your findings at a final research symposium. 

10. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: Topics in Biochemistry Course

Location: Virtual

Cost: $3,200

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: July 6 – 17

Application Deadline: March 13

Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11 at the time of the application

Stanford’s Topics in Biochemistry course offers a two-week overview of biochemistry designed for high school students. You’ll examine key macromolecules, including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids, and explore how disruptions in these systems contribute to disease. The course combines live lectures, independent assignments, small-group discussions, and team presentations. For the final project, you’ll investigate interdisciplinary topics such as CRISPR, mRNA vaccines, antibiotic resistance, or the keto diet. This program is well-suited for students interested in medicine or the life sciences who want early exposure to biochemistry.

Image source - Veritas AI