11 Physics Research Programs for High School Students in Texas
If you’re a high school student interested in physics, research programs give you a chance to move beyond classroom problem sets and engage with how scientific questions are investigated. Through research-focused experiences, you can practice working with data, applying theoretical concepts, and thinking critically about experimental design. These programs vary in structure, with some emphasizing independent research and others focusing on guided projects or collaborative work.
Why should you attend a program in Texas?
Texas offers a range of opportunities connected to universities, research centers, and academic institutions across the state. A physics research program for high school students in Texas can expose you to lab environments, mentorship models, and areas of physics that aren’t typically covered in school courses. Whether you are a Texas resident or an out-of-state student interested in spending time in a different academic setting, these programs provide structured ways to explore physics in greater depth.
To help get you started, we’ve compiled a list of 11 physics research programs for high school students in Texas.
If you are looking for internships in Texas, check out our blog here.
1. Welch Summer Scholar Program
Location: UT Austin, UT Dallas, UT Arlington, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and UH
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: May 31 – July 3
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: Texas high school juniors and seniors
The Welch Summer Scholar Program places you in active research laboratories at major Texas universities to conduct college-level research. While the program covers the chemical sciences, you can be placed in physical chemistry, biophysics, or materials physics labs, where you can use advanced instrumentation. You work under the direct supervision of faculty mentors to complete a unique research project over five weeks. The program concludes with a formal presentation and a written research paper summarizing their findings.
2. Veritas AI's AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students who have completed the AI Scholars program or have experience with Python
The AI Fellowship is an intensive research-focused program where you work with a mentor to build a unique AI model applied to a specific field. For physics-interested students, this can involve physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) or the use of AI to analyze astronomical data or climate models. The program includes 12 individual sessions that guide you from ideation and data collection to model training and evaluation. At the end, you’ll have produced a technical research paper or a functional software prototype. The program also assists with publication in high school or undergraduate journals.
3. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Stipend: $750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 17 years old and are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
This research program for high school students in Texas enables you to conduct hands-on research across several disciplines, with a strong emphasis on physics and engineering. You’ll be paired with faculty members to work on ongoing research projects, gaining experience in laboratory techniques and data analysis. Due to the small cohort size, you’ll receive intensive, personalized mentorship from leading researchers. The curriculum includes weekly seminars, field trips, and social activities to foster a cohort environment. At the end, you’ll have produced a comprehensive research report and presented your work to the university community.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program—Physics Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Several cohorts year-round
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Founded by researchers from Harvard and Oxford, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs students with PhD mentors to produce a college-level research paper. The program is highly customizable, allowing you to focus on a specific niche within theoretical physics, biophysics, aerospace engineering, or other areas. You meet 1-on-1 with your mentor to define a research question, conduct a literature review, and perform original analysis. The premium tracks also include additional support from a writing coach and a publication specialist to help you submit your work to reputable journals or competitions.
5. TCU Research Apprentices Program (RAP)
Location: Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Typically June – July
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
RAP is a physics research program for high school students in Texas, managed by the Department of Physics & Astronomy at TCU, to bring high schoolers into professional labs. Research areas typically include observational astronomy, molecular biophysics, and solid-state physics. You work on projects (often with the intent of journal publication) and contribute to data that may appear in peer-reviewed publications. The program emphasizes team-based research, where you work alongside graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. It is a long-term commitment program that encourages you to continue your research through the academic year.
6. STEM Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES)
Location: UT Austin, Austin, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~10%
Dates: May 15 – July 1 (distance learning modules) | June – July 3 (online) | July 5 – 18 (on-site)
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are U.S. citizens and 16 or older by July 5
SEES is a research program for high school students funded by NASA that allows you to conduct authentic research using satellite data. You work alongside NASA subject matter experts and UT scientists on projects involving orbital mechanics, planetary science, and climate monitoring. The curriculum begins with several weeks of distance learning, during which you learn Python and data analysis, followed by an intensive on-campus lab week. Projects often focus on tracking space debris, analyzing Martian soil, or mapping mosquito habitats using Earth-observing satellites. The program concludes with a research symposium where your team presents your findings to NASA leadership and the scientific community.
7. STARS Summer Research Program
Location: UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old
While UT Southwestern is a medical center, the STARS program includes significant opportunities in biophysics, medical physics, and imaging sciences. You work full-time in a laboratory setting under the guidance of faculty and senior researchers. The program includes "Lunch and Learn" sessions where researchers discuss their career paths and current scientific breakthroughs. Beyond lab work, you participate in clinical rotations to see the application of physical sciences in medical technology. The experience concludes with a required poster presentation of your independent research project.
8. Texas A&M University Young Scholars
Location: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Stipend: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 9 – July 27
Application Deadline: April 11
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors from Los Fresnos CISD, Sharyland ISD, or South Texas ISD
This program is part of the NSF-funded PATHS-UP Engineering Research Center, focusing on the physics and engineering of digital health technologies. You spend three weeks on the Texas A&M campus engaged in lab research centered on biomedical sensors, wearable devices, and signal processing. Under the mentorship of faculty and graduate students, you learn how physical principles like optics and electromagnetism are used to monitor health biomarkers. Beyond technical lab work, the program includes professional development workshops and sessions on scientific ethics. The experience culminates in a multi-university virtual symposium where you present your research to peers and professors across the PATHS-UP network.
9. Northside ISD Summer Research Mentorship Program
Location: UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Typically late January or early February
Eligibility: Northside ISD high school students who are at least 16 by June 1 and have completed Biology and Chemistry
This mentorship program pairs high-achieving high school students with professional scientists and engineers for original summer research. If selected, you’ll be able to join physics and engineering labs at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) or the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). You assist with real-world projects, including materials characterization, astrophysics simulations, and robotics development. The program functions as a professional research assistantship, requiring you to maintain rigorous lab notebooks and data logs. The summer concludes with a formal research paper and a scientific poster presentation at the district’s year-end symposium.
10. George A. Jeffries NanoExplorers Summer Research Program
Location: UT Dallas, Richardson, TX
Cost: $5,000 (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~40 students
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: High school students over the age of 16
NanoExplorers is a physics research program for high school students that focuses on the intersection of physics, chemistry, and materials science. You’ll be integrated into active research labs, working on projects involving carbon nanotubes, artificial muscles, and energy storage devices. The program emphasizes learning by doing, allowing you to use high-tech equipment like scanning electron microscopes. You also attend weekly nanotechnology and professional development seminars. At the end of the summer, you present your research at a formal symposium attended by faculty and peers.
11. Summer High School Research Academy
Location: UT Austin, Austin, TX
Cost: $4,000 (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8 – July 15
Application Deadline: Typically in March
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors who live in Texas and are 15 or older by the start of the program
HSRA, a research program for high school students in Texas within the College of Natural Sciences, immerses them in UT Austin's research culture. You choose a specific stream of research, and you’ll spend the majority of your day in the lab working on group projects that address real-world scientific questions. The curriculum focuses on developing technical skills, including 3D modeling, statistical analysis, and experimental design. In addition to technical work, the program includes college-prep workshops and networking events with current UT undergraduates. At the end, you’ll present a research poster showing your work at the closing HSRA Research Symposium.