13 Physics Programs for High School Students in Houston, Texas
Physics programs can be exciting for those who enjoy exploring fundamental questions, such as understanding how the universe operates. Your time will be spent experimenting, constructing, and testing ideas in physics, making the subject more engaging. In addition to exposing you to practical skills in the discipline, it will also give you insight into the industry and academic research focused on the subject. Most physics programs include components such as lab work, coding, engineering projects, and more that provide you with an overview of what it is like to work in physics-related fields.
Why should you attend a program in Houston, Texas?
From campus-based programs at Rice University or the University of Houston to aerospace experiences at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston offers access to physics programs that you may not find in other cities. As a participant in one of these programs, you may engage in activities such as working with robotics kits, practicing quantum computing, and discovering how space missions are planned, among others. This variety of options makes it easy for you to explore different branches of physics and related fields while still in high school.
To make your search easier, we have 13 physics programs for high school students in Houston, Texas.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
1. Rice University Sustainable Futures Academy
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Space is very limited
Dates: July 7 – 11
Application Deadline: June 7
Eligibility: 10th and 11th grades
If selected to participate in the Sustainable Futures Academy, you will spend your time learning some of the fundamental concepts in science and its role in people’s daily lives. You will also try your hand at different engineering activities at Rice University’s laboratories, particularly those related to sustainability. Some of the engineering tasks you may do include using Microbits to study circuits, using TI Nspire Rovers to discuss motion principles, and more. The program will engage you in discussions about physics topics, their link to engineering, and how these connections can be used to make sustainable designs.
2. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies according to the 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, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students looking to get started in AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and have the opportunity to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students have the opportunity to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. High School Aerospace Scholars
Location: Virtual and Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: October 6 – March 8 for the online course | Week 1 (June 1 – 5) or Week 2 (June 8 – 12) for the Summer Virtual Moonshot experience | The Residential experience is hosted in July. Check here to know the dates for the other activities hosted as part of the year-long program
Application Deadline: July 1 – September 27
Eligibility: 11th graders who are US citizens and Texas residents
The High School Aerospace Scholars gives you the opportunity to participate in NASA’s missions while preparing yourself for a career in space exploration. In this year-long program, you will spend the first five months studying earth science, technology, and aeronautics, and familiarizing yourself with coding, computer-aided design (CAD), and engineering skills through online learning sessions. Students who perform well in this online cohort will get to participate in a five-day virtual summer experience (Moonshot) hosted by NASA scientists and engineers. NASA then picks those students who also did remarkably in Moonshot to attend its residential experience at the Johnson Space Center.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Physics Track
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid is 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: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
This is an intensive program that provides you the opportunity to work on a research project individually while receiving one-on-one mentorship. This mentor would be a Ph.D. or a post-doc scholar. You will spend the 12-week duration of the program conducting your research and writing your academic paper under the guidance of your mentor. Note: you will have a total of 9 sessions with your mentor and 2 with a writing coach. Given that the research program allows you to choose from a wide range of subject areas, you can also consider physics, engineering, astrophysics, quantum mechanics, and other related fields. You can find more details about the application here and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Lazarus Energy Empowerment Program
Location: Energy sector companies across Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Stipends vary by the internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by the company
Dates: Exact dates vary by the internship
Application Deadline: March 27
Eligibility: 9th to 11th graders from Houston who are legally eligible to work in the US and are at least 16 years old
Organized year-round, the Lazarus Energy Empowerment Program places high school students at energy sector companies as interns. By working in these companies, you will not only get to apply your knowledge of the energy concepts that you learned in your physics class but also gain skills that open up more career opportunities for you in the future. In the process, you will get to network with professionals in the field. The program aims to build your confidence in problem-solving, teamwork, planning, communication, and other soft skills. In addition to the work component, LEEP also assists you in college preparation through college visits, admission guidance, and financial aid strategy.
6. TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free; participants receive up to $1,000 in scholarships. Orientation costs $150
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 55 students
Dates: June 8 – August 7
Application Deadline: Students interested in participating in the program should attend an information session, held online or in person, in February, March, or April to receive the application form via email and complete it by April 9. Check out the dates for the information session here.
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who are considering a major in the University of Houston’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics or the Cullen College of Engineering, and are enrolled in or have completed pre-calculus in high school
The TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy is designed for academically talented high school students considering studying at the University of Houston’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics or the Cullen College of Engineering. As a participant in the nine-week program, you will attend college-level classes on calculus and receive credits for it. Given the intensive nature of the program, you can expect to do homework every day. Moreover, the program guides you through your transition from high school to college by having you meet with professors, students, and administrative staff at UH.
7. R-STEM Academy
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited slots
Dates: February 7 and 21
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: 3rd to 12th graders who have applied in advance online; check specific workshops for the eligible grade levels
Open to students in grades 3-12, R-STEM Academy offers one-day educational workshops tailored to your grade level. Each session will focus on STEM topics such as nanotechnology, thermal energy, electricity, and many more. The goal of the program is to engage you in hands-on projects that introduce you to new concepts and provide a practical understanding. The topics selected for the R-STEM Academy are based on the research being conducted by the professors and students at Rice University.
8. Houston Pre-Freshman Enrichment Program (Houston PREP)
Location: University of Houston-Downtown, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – July 18
Application Deadline: April 4
Eligibility: Students should be in 7th, 8th, or 9th grade to enter the First Year of Houston PREP and have an average grade of B or higher, or have a minimum grade of C if you are in honors, enrichment, or gifted and talented classes; you should be from the Greater Houston area
If you are considering studying and pursuing a career in STEM fields, this enrichment program, held over four consecutive summers, would be a good fit. Over the four years of the program, you will explore various STEM fields, including robotics, engineering, physics, algebraic structures, statistics, and more. Besides, the curriculum is heavily math-centric, making it a better fit for you given your interest in physics. In addition to classes taught by STEM educators, you will be mentored by college students majoring in STEM subjects.
9. Tapia STEM Camps
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Early Bird (before March 1): $2,200 per student | Regular (before May 1): $2,500 per student (Limited number of scholarships available for individual participants, and discounted pricing for school officials and large groups is available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: Session 1: July 5 – 10 | Session 2: July 12 – 17 | Session 3: July 19 – 24
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising 8th through 12th graders
The Taipa STEM Camps give you an insight into what it is like to be a student at Rice University while giving you the opportunity to dive into STEM topics through projects and presentations. As a participant in this residential camp, you will learn about data centers and their impact on real-life decision-making. You will demonstrate this by developing a college admissions algorithm using mathematical and physical techniques to determine whether a video is AI-generated. You will also be scheduled for a Techniques of a Pro Mathematician session that teaches you tips that experts use to solve math problems quickly.
10. Rice ELITE Tech Camp
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: $1,799 for commuting campers | $3,899 for residential campers (a limited number of partial scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: Multiple sessions across June and July
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Open to high school students
The aim of the Rice ELITE Tech Camp is to prepare students for success in engineering and technology fields. With the program organized by the Rice University School of Engineering and the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership (RCEL), you will have academically talented engineering students with an average GPA of 3.96 teaching you. You will have the opportunity to learn robotics, Python, and C++ programming, IoT applications, 3D modeling, and more that you will use to complete engineering projects. Working on your engineering project will ultimately help you enhance your technical, scientific, and analytical thinking.
11. Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP)
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 24
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: 9th to 11th graders from anywhere in the world
Stanford University’s physics department and the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology have partnered to offer this three-week program to high school students from around the world interested in physics. Participating in this program from home, you will dive into important physics principles and the research scientists are currently pursuing in the field. You will dive into a wide array of subjects, including quantum physics, quantum computing, astrophysics, cosmology, and other physics-related disciplines. The program will also teach you to code in Python and give you practice applying it to physics projects.
12. Rice University Summer Credit Courses
Location: Online or face-to-face at Rice University, Houston, TX (varies by course)
Cost/Stipend: $1,300 per credit hour and $500 per course if you are only auditing (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small class size
Dates: 6 flexible summer blocks from May to August; students can attend as many sessions as they want
Application Deadline: Opens on December 5 and is filled on a rolling basis; the deadline varies by the summer block you plan to attend
Eligibility: High school students need to check individual courses to confirm if they are open to them
Rice University offers high schoolers and undergraduates the chance to earn college credits by attending classes on campus during the summer. With the classes being offered by various departments within the university, you will also find some from the physics department. These include options such as general physics with lab, electricity and magnetism with lab, and more. The courses follow an accelerated format so that the syllabus can cover as much information as possible. This makes the program suitable for high school students who want to dive into a particular subject and see if they actually find it intriguing.
13. George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Virtual options available
Cost/Stipend: $1,299 + $25 application fee for the 3 credits offered; Tuition and application fees can be waived for students who are eligible for free/reduced lunch assistance or eligible for Pell Grant financial aid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 15 years old by the start of the program; you should be at least 16 years old to apply for the "wet-lab" in-person or hybrid internships alone
In ASSIP, offered by George Mason University, you will have the opportunity to work on a research project alongside a professor from the university or other institutions that are part of the program. As someone who is enthusiastic about physics, you may have the opportunity to work on research topics like spectroscopy of solar magnetic loops using satellite data; atmospheric, space, and planetary science; the NASA Landolt mission; exoplanet astronomy; and more. By the end of the program, you will become skilled in scientific writing and communication. You can choose up to three mentors you would like to work with on your application.