15 Free Programs for High School Students in Washington State
As a high school student, structured programs are a great way for you to explore your interests, build practical skills, and try out career paths. These programs provide you with access to internships, lab work, and professional-grade technology, and allow you to gain experience and build your network. Additionally, when those opportunities are free, they become more accessible, and you can focus on learning and developing your abilities without worrying about financial barriers.
Why should you attend a program in Washington State?
Washington State is home to various universities and organizations, such as the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital, that offer programs free of cost or with financial support. In these programs, you can explore subjects like medicine, technology, and environmental science while learning from mentors and researchers who guide you through projects and experiments. Whether you live in Washington or are traveling from another state, these programs give you the chance to learn in a setting known for its strong focus on science, technology, and public service.
To make your search manageable, we have found 15 free programs for high school students in Washington State.
If you are looking for internships in Washington State, you can check out our blog here.
1. Seattle Children’s Hospital’s Research Training Program (RTP)
Location: Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $2,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 16 students
Dates: July 14 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 9
Eligibility: Rising juniors with an interest in biology, biochemistry, microbiology, public health, or a related scientific field who live within commuting distance of downtown Seattle
This option lets you step into a working biomedical research environment and build a grounded understanding of lab science. You work through activities that introduce lab techniques, major biology topics, and core research methods. As part of this free program for high school students in Washington State, you explore areas like immunotherapy, gene editing, and infectious disease through lectures and hands-on labs. You also take part in college and career workshops that show you how research connects to longer-term academic paths. By the end, you put your skills to use by designing and presenting an independent research project based on what you’ve learned.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; AI Scholars: student-to-mentor ratio of 5:1; AI Fellowship: 1:1 mentoring
Dates: Several cohorts year-round, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: AI Scholars: All high school students | The AI Fellowship requires completion of the AI Scholars program or knowledge of Python
If you’re trying to understand how artificial intelligence and data science actually work in real projects, this program gives you structured exposure to the field. The AI Scholars track walks you through core ideas in machine learning and modeling while you complete guided assignments. The AI Fellowship is a more advanced pathway that pairs you one-on-one with a mentor to build an individual AI project from scratch, which can be helpful if you want to deepen your technical experience. This setup gives you a realistic sense of what AI research and applied problem-solving look like. Since it isn’t tied to a single institution, you can use it to explore how AI concepts connect to your own interests.
3. Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program
Location: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / A financial award (unspecified amount) and an ORCA card are provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 16 students per session
Dates: June 22 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising seniors who live in Greater Seattle or the surrounding areas and are 16 or older by the start of the program
This program starts with two weeks of intensive training designed to get you comfortable with lab safety, essential techniques, and foundational biology concepts. Later, you join a research group where your daily work depends on the ongoing projects of your mentor’s lab, giving you an up-close view of how scientific teams operate. You might help with data entry, prepare materials, observe procedures, or sit in on lab meetings. Throughout the internship, you also join seminars and skill-building sessions on topics like scientific ethics, big data visualization, and presenting research. It’s a structured way to build research experience in Washington State while learning how professionals handle long-term scientific questions.
4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: 100% financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; small cohorts per cycle
Dates: Several 12-week cohorts year-round, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students who are typically from low-income families
This program, the fully-funded version of the parent Lumiere Research Scholars Program, allows you to work one-on-one with a PhD mentor while developing an independent research paper across a twelve-week timeline. You choose your topic from a wide range of fields, including psychology, international relations, physics, computer science, and more, allowing you to shape a project that matches your interests. The structure is built around guided research rather than preset coursework, so you spend most of your time learning how academics frame questions, gather sources, and design studies. A second track in the humanities and social sciences expands your options if you want to work in areas like history, sociology, or public policy.
5. Changemakers in Computing
Location: University of Washington’s Allen School, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $1200 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 20 – 25 students
Dates: July 6 – 30
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors at Washington State high schools who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
In this program, you move through a series of projects that connect introductory coding with questions about technology’s role in society. Each week focuses on a new theme, and your mentor group helps you break down assignments, discuss ideas, and navigate the technical work. The environment is collaborative and centers on learning from undergraduate mentors, who guide you through hands-on programming activities and broader discussions about computing fields. You also explore real-world issues linked to technology, giving you a sense of how computing intersects with community needs and social change. This free program builds both your technical skills and your understanding of how technology influences daily life.
6. Washington State Legislature Page Program
Location: Olympia, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend of $65/day (House of Representatives); $67/day (Senate); only available for students with a Social Security card
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; typically, limited spots
Dates: One week during the legislative session (January – April in odd-numbered years; January – March in even-numbered years)
Application Deadline: At least one month before the scheduled paging week of student
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–16
This program places you directly inside the state legislative process for a week, giving you a close look at how laws and government operations take shape. Your days are split between hands-on tasks, such as making deliveries, assisting offices, and observing chamber activity, and classroom sessions that explain how the three branches of government work. Page School uses activities and guest speakers to help you connect what you see in the Capitol to larger civics concepts. You also take part in a mock committee hearing, which lets you practice the procedural steps lawmakers use to evaluate ideas. This experience gives you a grounded understanding of how Washington’s legislative system functions.
7. University of Washington’s UDOC Program
Location: Virtual/University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 30 students
Dates: June 22 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors from Washington state
This six-week hybrid program offers a glimpse into health careers through a mix of virtual learning and an in-person residential experience. You explore different medical and allied health fields, engaging in activities that reflect real-world functions. Since the cohort is small, you get steady access to instructors, mentors, and hands-on labs that help you figure out what actually fits your interests. The structure also removes common barriers to participation, making it easier for students across the state to take part fully. UDOC offers a clear, practical pathway for rising seniors who want a deeper, more realistic understanding of health professions.
8. Microsoft High School Discovery Program
Location: Redmond, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; typically small cohorts
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: Typically, late February
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who live and attend high school within 50 miles of Redmond, are members or participants of Microsoft-sponsored organizations and public schools, and have completed precalculus or an equivalent course
In this program, you work in a small group to tackle a project that reflects how product teams at Microsoft explore ideas and identify user needs across four weeks. Your role shifts depending on the task: you might look at design questions, think through product management decisions, or examine engineering considerations. Mentorship sessions give you insight into different technical disciplines and help you see how large companies move from concept to solution. You’ll also join discussions and workshops that introduce Microsoft’s approach to collaboration and problem-solving. While not exclusive to Washington, the Redmond location makes it accessible for students seeking free programs.
9. Institute for Systems Biology’s Summer Internship
Location: Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective; 4–10 students
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application Deadline: March 14
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
This internship places you inside active systems biology projects, where you apply concepts from computational biology, microbiology, and engineering to real research questions. It pairs you with mentors who guide you through lab techniques, coding tasks, and data analysis, depending on your assigned project. A distinctive feature of the internship is its curriculum-development component, which lets you help build instructional materials based on your work. You also interview professionals across the organization (scientists, faculty, administrative staff, and others) to understand the range of careers connected to scientific research. By the end, you’ll have contributed to a research project, built a project website, and taken part in a STEM leadership experience that ties your learning together.
10. Youth Ocean Advocates
Location: Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; around 140 volunteers
Dates: Summer: late June – early September; School year: January – June (new students), October – June (returning students)
Application Deadline: Summer: March; School year: September
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 9 – 12 from the Puget Sound region enrolled in a high school, Running Start, GED, or homeschool program at the time of application
This program gives you hands-on exposure to marine science, conservation outreach, and public education. You spend your time learning core concepts in ocean ecology and communication, then apply them by interacting with visitors or creating digital content about marine issues. Volunteer shifts also include field-based conservation work such as beach cleanups or community science projects, giving you a practical look at how local ecosystems are monitored and maintained. You also get to see how different advocacy approaches fit into real conservation efforts in the Puget Sound region. It offers a structured way to build experience in environmental education and stewardship without needing a prior background.
11. UW Engineering Academy
Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 40 students per year
Dates: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: Typically, mid-to-late April
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors from the greater Seattle area
This weeklong program introduces you to engineering through short design challenges, campus exploration, and conversations with faculty and students. You move through different engineering disciplines, seeing how each one approaches problem-solving in the real world. The daily schedule is built around hands-on activities, so you spend most of your time testing ideas and refining them with your peers. Since it gathers students from across the region, it also exposes you to a range of perspectives on engineering pathways. This program gives you a straightforward look at what engineering study feels like in a university setting.
12. University of Puget Sound’s Summer Academic Challenge (SAC)
Location: University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically focused groups
Dates: Mid-June – mid-July
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Public high school students who are first-generation college students and/or from underrepresented minority groups/socio-economic status from the Tacoma and greater Pierce County areas
This month-long program introduces you to STEAM concepts through themed, project-based classes. Much of your time is spent building models, conducting experiments, writing, presenting, and participating in field-based activities that tie classroom learning to regional issues. You also collaborate with university faculty and student mentors, giving you exposure to academic expectations and different STEAM pathways. This free program for high school students in Washington State offers structured academic exploration. Previously, the 9th–10th graders studied salmon, water systems, and the cultural history of the Puget Sound region, while 11th–12th graders examined the evolution of transportation and its impact on communities.
13. Gonzaga University’s SEAS Summer Immersion Program (SSIP)
Location: Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 16 students
Dates: July 6 – 11
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: All high school students
This week-long experience introduces you to engineering and computer science through projects, lab tours, and activities built around real problem-solving. You spend the week testing ideas, building things like mousetrap cars or simple robots, and seeing how research fits into everyday engineering work. The program also highlights what the field looks like for women in STEM, giving you a chance to meet faculty, student researchers, and professionals who walk you through different career routes. Since it’s structured around hands-on exploration rather than lectures, you get a practical snapshot of what studying engineering in college actually feels like.
14. Port of Seattle High School Internship Program
Location: Port of Seattle facilities, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 10 – 20 students
Dates: 8 weeks typically between mid-June or early July through the end of August
Application Deadline: May 18
Eligibility: Current/recently graduated high school students or students enrolled in a GED completion program who are at least 16 years old | Authorized to work in the U.S.
This internship places you inside a major public organization where you contribute to projects related to aviation, maritime operations, environmental work, or community engagement. You learn workplace tools, communication standards, and project workflows that mirror those of full-time employees. You also rotate through career-awareness activities like facility tours, mentorship meetings, resume workshops, and networking sessions to get a clearer sense of how large public organizations function. The experience is built to give you practical, resume-ready skills in areas like project management, leadership, and professional communication.
15. King County Metro Internship
Location: King County Metro facilities in Seattle, WA, and surrounding areas
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 12 – 15 interns
Dates: 3 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Usually, early to mid-May
Eligibility: High school students aged 15 – 18
This internship places you inside a major public transit agency, where you can explore fields like engineering, planning, communications, or operations. You contribute directly to projects that shape how transit functions across King County. You also learn how decisions are made in the public sector; everything from planning routes to evaluating service data and supporting community-facing initiatives. The experience gives a glimpse into careers related to transportation systems, mobility equity, and city infrastructure. For high school students in Washington State interested in public service, this is a clear way to see how large-scale civic systems operate.
Image source - Veritas AI