15 Physics Research Programs for High School Students in Massachusetts
If you are a high school student interested in physics, a research program can help you test ideas rather than just read about them. These programs allow you to study advanced concepts, work in academic or laboratory settings, and connect with experienced mentors who guide your learning. You will also build practical research and problem-solving skills that can strengthen your foundation for college-level study.
Why should you attend a program in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is home to research institutions and universities that offer a wide range of physics-focused opportunities for high school students. You can collect and analyze data, simulate systems, or collaborate on ongoing projects that explore topics like quantum physics, astrophysics, or applied engineering. Whether you are a local student or traveling from out of state, you can find programs that match your interests and give you a closer look at how physics is studied and applied in research environments.
To help you with your search, we’ve narrowed down 15 physics research programs for high school students in Massachusetts.
If you are looking for internships in Massachusetts, check out our blog here.
1. Research Science Institute (RSI) @ MIT
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $75 application fee (can be waived)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <2.5%
Dates: Six weeks in the summer
Application deadline: December 10
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who meet the academic requirements
RSI is an intensive summer research internship for high school students that combines rigorous on-campus coursework in scientific theory with off-campus research in science and technology. You will first engage in a week of intensive STEM classes taught by accomplished professors before moving into the heart of the program: a five-week research internship. You will conduct individual research projects under the guidance of mentors who are experienced scientists and researchers in their field. The program requires you to read current literature, execute a detailed research plan, and deliver professional, conference-style oral and written reports on your findings.
2. Veritas AI's AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students who have a basic understanding of Python or have completed the AI Scholars program
Veritas AI’s AI Fellowship program is a selective mentorship program where high school students develop and execute an original project in the field of artificial intelligence. You will be paired with mentors who are AI experts from top universities and get to work on creating a novel AI solution in your field of interest. While centered on AI, your project can focus on the intersection of AI and a variety of scientific domains, including computational physics. The program focuses on in-depth independent research, culminating in a finished project, a personalized mentor evaluation, and support for project submission to a research journal or a science competition. It is designed to help you build advanced computational skills and a strong research portfolio.
3. Northeastern University Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free; a stipend may be provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 22 – July 30
Application deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Rising seniors who live in Massachusetts within commuting distance of Northeastern University and are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
YSP is a structured research program that places high school students in research labs to work on projects spanning various STEM fields, including physics and engineering. You will work full-time alongside Northeastern faculty, post-docs, and graduate students, contributing directly to real-world research. You will also have access to special seminar series, career counseling, and field trips to corporate and government sites where you can speak directly with engineers. The program is designed to immerse you in the scientific process that culminates in a presentation of your research findings to the university community.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Physics Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply here
Eligibility: High school students
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program provides a personalized, 1-on-1 mentorship experience where you work directly with a Ph.D. fellow or post-doc from a top university to produce an independent research project. You can choose your research topic within fields like particle physics, astrophysics, or condensed matter physics. Your mentor will guide you through defining a research question, developing a robust methodology, and executing the project over several months. The program is designed to help you produce a high-quality research paper and access support for submitting your work to selective high school or college-level journals.
5. Professional Research Opportunities to Prepare for Engineering and Life Sciences (PROPEL)
Location: University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer; dates not specified
Application deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Massachusetts high school students who are at least 16 years old
PROPEL is a summer research internship program for high school students in Massachusetts designed to develop the next generation of STEM professionals by exposing students to professional laboratory environments at UMass Lowell. This opportunity allows you to apply classroom lessons to solve real-world problems and develop practical, hands-on research skills in STEM fields. In addition to lab work, the program includes a wide range of professional development activities, such as workshops on technical writing and resume building, and field trips to local industry partners. The experience culminates in a public, end-of-program poster session where you showcase your work.
6. MIT Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE)
Location: MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, and MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 12 – 25
Application deadline: March 11
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors interested in STEM
LLRISE is a two-week physics program for high school students in Massachusetts that focuses on the principles of radar and its connections to physics and engineering. You will engage in hands-on projects where you build and test your own Doppler and range radar systems. The curriculum is project-based, blending technical lectures with assembly work to deepen understanding of electromagnetics, signal processing, and circuit design. The experience is guided by scientists and engineers from Lincoln Laboratory, providing exposure to real-world defense and aerospace technology. This program offers a tangible application of physics principles in an advanced research setting.
7. WHOI Ocean STEAM Powered Women (O-STEAM) Fellowship
Location: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: One week in
August
Application deadline: Not specified; applications open mid to late-January
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who live in Massachusetts
The O-STEAM Fellowship is a research program for high school students designed to expose young women to diverse careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM), particularly those related to oceanography. You will work closely with a predominantly female team of world-class researchers from WHOI and SEA, diving deep into marine research activities. The hands-on experience involves field and lab work, such as building and testing an underwater hydrophone, analyzing sound, and conducting shipboard oceanographic techniques, which utilize principles of acoustics and fluid physics. A key component is integrating science with the arts to tell your research story, helping you build science communication skills.
8. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: Multiple U.S. universities and labs, including sites in Massachusetts
Stipend: Available (amount not specified)
Cohort size: Varies by opportunity
Dates: May – August (6 to 10 weeks); dates vary based on the opportunity
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students; additional requirements may be applicable based on the opportunity.
AEOP offers Army-sponsored internships to high schoolers interested in STEM research. As a participant, you will contribute to research under the guidance of a university researcher or a Department of Defence scientist. A few sites also engage in physics research. You may help the lab with tasks such as running experiments, reading scientific literature, collecting data, and/or comparing datasets. During the program, you will have access to workshops and webinars that can help you prepare for future STEM academics.
9. Tufts Summer Research Experience
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Cost: $9,196 (commuter) | $11,790 (residential); financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 5 – August 14
Application deadline: May 1; application opens on December 1.
Eligibility: 11th and 12th graders who are at least 16 years old
The Tufts Summer Research Experience is a six-week research program for high school students that allows you to engage in collegiate research at a nationally ranked university. You will collaborate in small peer groups under the guidance of a Teaching Fellow to complete a research project aligned with one of several methodologies, such as experimental/lab-based research, prototyping, or observational research. The program exposes students to core research principles, data evaluation, and research ethics through hands-on sessions, guest speaker lectures, and field trips. The experience culminates in the development and presentation of a final research poster at a formal poster session.
10. UMass Amherst Summer Pre-College: Modern Astronomy
Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
Cost: $3,907 (residential) | $2,262 (commuter); scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 27 – August 9
Application deadline: May 31
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
This pre-college program for high school students in Massachusetts offers an intensive exploration of astrophysics and the techniques used in modern astronomical research. You will study topics such as stellar evolution, black holes, dark matter, and cosmology, often taught by UMass faculty or researchers. The program emphasizes hands-on data analysis, including the use of real telescope data to conduct small-scale research projects, directly connecting theoretical physics principles to current observational science. While not a traditional full-length research program, the program allows you to understand the fundamentals of astrophysics through hands-on astronomical research.
11. WPI Frontiers Program
Location: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
Cost: $4,495/session; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Frontiers I: July 5 – 17; Frontiers II: July 19 – 31
Application deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
The WPI Frontiers program is a research program for high school students designed to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). You will select two hands-on academic majors and two minors, with offerings frequently including subjects with a strong physics and research component like Quantum Physics, Aerospace Engineering, or Robotics. The curriculum is project-based, challenging you to apply theoretical knowledge to solve real-world problems in WPI's state-of-the-art laboratories. You work in teams, conduct experiments, and get introduced to collegiate-level instruction and research methodologies.
12. Wolfram High School Summer Research Program
Location: Bentley University, Boston, MA
Cost: $5,500; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: March 22 (regular decision deadline); waitlist open till May 5
Dates: June 24 – July 11
Eligibility: Students, ages 14 – 17
The Wolfram High School Summer Research Program is designed to help high schoolers build advanced programming and problem-solving skills through project-based learning. You will learn Wolfram Language through workshops, lectures, and computational challenges. Under the guidance of instructors, you will complete an independent research project, which can focus on the intersection of physics and programming. You will also produce a computational essay and get to publish your findings at the end of the program. Additionally, you will have access to social and creative activities to connect with peers.
13. Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – 25
Application deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11
SPINWIP is a fully funded three-week virtual program for high school students interested in physics. While not a typical research program, SPINWIP offers exposure to research and the opportunity to engage in physics-based project work. As a participant, you will learn about research in various areas of physics, including astrophysics, quantum physics, quantum computing, and cosmology, through sessions led by Stanford professors and researchers. You will also gain experience in Python coding and use your coding skills in completing physics-based projects while working in a small group led by Stanford students. Workshops on professional development and college planning are also part of the experience.
14. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI): Quantum Software
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free for families that earn <$150,000 annually; $2,350 otherwise
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – August 1 or 2
Application deadline: January (prerequisite course); March 30 (Summer Institute)
Eligibility: Students in grades 9, 10, and 11 who live and attend high school in the U.S.
BWSI runs several project-based courses, with the Quantum Software track being one of the options with a strong theoretical physics component. Here, you will learn the foundational physics of quantum computing and apply it to programming quantum systems. The curriculum involves lectures on quantum mechanics and algorithms, followed by significant hands-on programming with quantum computers or simulators. You will work in teams to complete a final project, such as simulating quantum systems or developing quantum algorithms. This physics program for high school students can offer insights into the intersection of modern physics, mathematics, and computer science while helping you build research-focused skills for future STEM coursework.
15. George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Virtual internships available for Massachusetts students
Cost: $25 application fee + $1,299 tuition for three course credits; fee waivers available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Students who are at least 15 years old
ASSIP offers fully remote mentored research opportunities in various fields, including astronomy and physics. You can choose a mentor engaging in physical science research and seeking online participation. Over eight weeks, you will learn about lab practices, read scientific literature, assist your mentor with active research work, and build scientific writing and communication skills. During the program, you will also learn about various career paths you can explore through discussions with researchers and STEM professionals. The program ends with a symposium where you will learn about all the research conducted at ASSIP over the summer.
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