15 Programs for High School Students in Philadelphia
If you're a high school student exploring potential academic or career paths, participating in a formal, structured program is an excellent way to validate your interests before choosing a college major. These programs can provide access to working research laboratories, faculty mentorship, and project-based work that connects academic learning with practical problems and solutions. You will gain professional exposure through research, case competitions, or industry site visits, helping you develop practical skills that strengthen both your college applications and future career pathways. You will also have the opportunity to network with peers and mentors who can support your academic and professional journey.
Why should you attend a program in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia is home to a strong concentration of universities and research institutions, such as Penn, the Wistar Institute, and Thomas Jefferson University, that offer programs for high school students. These institutions offer a wide range of opportunities, including lab-based cancer research, legal studies through an accelerated law school curriculum, building a tech prototype under Wharton faculty, and exposure to data science and machine learning. These programs attract talented students from Philadelphia and across the United States, creating a diverse learning environment.
To help you get started, we’ve put together 15 programs for high school students in Philadelphia.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These 15 programs span biomedical research, cancer biology, neuroscience, chemical senses, data science, AI, law, engineering, and business strategy, so students with a wide range of academic interests can find a relevant option in Philadelphia or online.
Several programs are free or provide stipends, including Wistar Institute ($1,500 stipend), CHOP-RISES (stipend provided), Monell MSAP (stipend provided), and Fox Chase TRIPxJ&J (free), while Penn SAS academies offer full scholarships for Philadelphia public and charter school students, and Penn Carey Law offers full scholarships for Philadelphia students.
Many programs specifically prioritize Philadelphia residents or students from the School District of Philadelphia, including Wistar Institute, CHOP-RISES, Monell MSAP, Fox Chase TRIPxJ&J, and Penn SAS academies, so local students should take note of these targeted opportunities.
Programs vary significantly in length and format, from two-week residential intensives, such as Drexel Neuroscience Camp, to multi-year sequential programs, such as CHOP-RISES, which spans two consecutive summers with an optional third year, so students can choose based on their availability and depth of interest.
Application deadlines for competitive programs fall early, including Wharton LBW and M&TSI (January 28 priority), ESAP (January 31 priority), Wistar Institute (March 20), and CHOP-RISES (April 3), so students should begin preparing applications in the fall.
1. Wistar Institute High School Fellowship in Biomedical Research
Location: University City, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free, $1,500 stipend awarded on completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 6 - 30
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Current high school students, aged 16 years or above, who have successfully completed at least one high school science course | Priority is given to students in the School District of Philadelphia.
The four-week summer program at the Wistar Institute provides the opportunity to work in a professional biomedical training laboratory, where you apply real techniques used in fields such as cancer biology, vaccine development, and infectious disease research. You'll develop competency in standard laboratory procedures while learning how to read and evaluate scientific literature as a tool for supporting your own work. Your work will contribute to ongoing Wistar research, and the program concludes in a presentation of your findings to the Wistar scientific community. A select group of participants gets an offer to extend for three additional weeks, working one-on-one with a mentor in one of the Institute's active cancer research laboratories.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program | Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12 - 15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment | Deadlines vary by cohort – summer (May), fall (September), spring (January), and winter (November) | You can check details and apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students | AI Fellowship with Publication and Showcase accepts previous AI Scholars participants or those with some experience working with AI or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers various online programs for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. If you are looking to get started with artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data science, you can choose the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will learn about the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another track for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. During this program, you will have the opportunity to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities to complete an independent AI project. A key feature of this program is that it offers you access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can check out some examples of past projects here.
3. CHOP Research Internship for Scholars and Emerging Scientists (CHOP-RISES)
Location: West Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Stipend awarded on completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: June 29 - August 6
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: Rising juniors aged 16+ years currently enrolled at a Philadelphia public or charter school only
CHOP-RISES is a unique multi-year research program that runs across two consecutive summers, allowing you to build on the knowledge and skills gained during the first year. At the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, you'll engage with research activity, explore healthcare and science careers in depth, and build ongoing connections with CHOP professionals who remain part of your network beyond the program. CHOP-RISES I focuses on basic hands-on laboratory training, career exploration, and personal growth seminars. CHOP-RISES II is more targeted, allowing for research specialization and collaborative projects, along with a strong mentorship component. Students who successfully complete both summers may be invited for an optional third year, while all graduates gain exclusive access to further CHOP internship opportunities.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote (you can participate in the program from anywhere in the world)
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type | Full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies by cohort – summer, winter, fall, and spring | Options range from 12 weeks to a year.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: Students in high school who demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
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. 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. Monell Chemical Senses Center Science Apprenticeship Program (MSAP)
Location: University City, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Apprentices earn a stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, about 10% or less
Dates: June 15 - July 31
Application Deadline: Applications open in October | Visit the program website for details
Eligibility: Current high school students from the greater Philadelphia area (including Camden, NJ)
The Monell Science Apprenticeship Program (MSAP) is a seven-week immersive research experience hosted by the Monell Chemical Senses Center, an independent research institute focused on the science of taste and smell. You'll be assigned to work full-time alongside an individual Monell scientist on a live project. Research projects in past years have included cloning olfactory receptors to test their responses to specific odors, studying flavor preference patterns across age groups, developing non-lethal agricultural repellents, and analyzing how air chemistry shapes health perceptions. A weekly seminar series brings in speakers with varied careers in science and medicine, and the summer concludes with a public presentation where you share your findings with Monell staff and invited guests.
6. Fox Chase Cancer Center TRIPxJ&J
Location: Fox Chase, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: September 8 - November 7
Application Deadline: June 8
Eligibility: High school students 16 years or above from the Philadelphia School District or Montgomery County, PA
TRIP Explore encourages students through a complete scientific research process, from developing their own research question, designing experiments to investigate it, collecting and analyzing their own data, and then communicating what they found. The science centers on questions about how biological and lifestyle factors, such as diet, stress, and inflammation, relate to health outcomes, and guides you through the full circle of the scientific process from hypothesis to conclusion with close guidance from Fox Chase Cancer Center mentors. The program builds scientific writing and public communication skills by having you create a blog post, a presentation, and a project image. Team building, leadership development, and career exposure are part of the curriculum as well, ensuring holistic learning.
7. Drexel University Neuroscience Camp
Location: Queen Lane Campus (College of Medicine), Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $2,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: July 20 - 31
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors with a background in biology, chemistry, or research
Held over two weeks at Drexel's Queen Lane Campus, this program covers topics such as neuroanatomy, electrophysiology, cellular neuroscience, sensory processing, neuropathology, neuropharmacology, comparative neuroanatomy, and brain-machine interfacing. A live brain activity recording demonstration is one of the more distinctive elements, putting a real-world view of the electrophysiology concepts covered in the lecture. You'll complete a group laboratory project applying neuroscience techniques to a guided investigation, and the program also covers scientific literature searching and research presentation. Field trips to the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Franklin Institute extend the neuroscience content beyond the laboratory into broader evolutionary and applied contexts.
8. SummerScience@Jefferson
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $650
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, limited to 30 participants
Dates: June 22 - July 20
Application Deadline: May 29
Eligibility: Rising 10th - 12th graders
SummerScience@Jefferson is an online, four-week research initiative that provides a laboratory kit to you before the program begins so that home experiments are part of your research investigation. You'll attend live sessions with Jefferson College of Life Sciences faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and active researchers, working through scientific questions using the methods and frameworks applied in their own work. The curriculum covers biomedical science at a college level, with particular focus on how research questions are developed, tested, and evaluated. The program concludes with a Virtual Symposium where you present a research topic you've developed to a broader audience.
9. Engineering Summer Academy at Penn (ESAP)
Location: University City, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $9,250
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 12 - 31
Application Deadline: January 31 (priority) or February 28 (general)
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors aged 15+ years with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
The ESAP offers seven distinct engineering tracks, including Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Computer Graphics, Computer Science, and AI x Bio, and lets you pursue research in those industries. You'll work through a combination of theoretical coursework, laboratory experiments, and project-based work within your chosen track led by Penn faculty. You will work in the same research facilities used by Penn undergraduate students. The coursework carries real college credit upon completion, giving it academic value that carries beyond the summer. The right mix of students from across the United States and around the world makes a more diverse intellectual environment.
10. Penn SAS Neuroscience Research Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: $10,050 | Philadelphia public and charter school students may be eligible for a full scholarship.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 11 - August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Current 9th - 11th grade students with a minimum GPA of 3.3, who have completed at least one year of high school biology and high school chemistry.
The Neuroscience Research Academy introduces students to the study of the nervous system, beginning with the biology of individual neurons and progressing to sensory systems and higher-order functions such as memory, emotion, and moral reasoning across three weeks at Penn. The program includes two core components: a Journal Club where you practice reading and critically evaluating published research papers, and a Neuroethics discussion group that brings you into live debates around brain-computer interfaces, the ethics of memory research, and the ethical implications of advances in neuroscience. Both are taught by Penn neuroscience faculty. Laboratory work and field trips to the Mütter Museum and the Franklin Institute provide rich experience and historical dimensions to the subject matter covered in class.
11. Penn SAS Biomedical Research Academy
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: $10,050 | Philadelphia public and charter school students may be eligible for a full scholarship.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 11 - August 1
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Current 9th - 11th grade students with a minimum GPA of 3.3, who have completed at least one year of high school biology. One year of high school chemistry is also recommended.
The academy covers the cellular, molecular, and genetic foundations of biology while examining how these processes contribute to human disease. Students attend daily lectures from Penn faculty, participate in laboratory experiments, and engage in small-group investigations based on current research topics. A Journal Club runs throughout the three weeks, developing your ability to critically read primary scientific literature, which is a transferable skill valuable in multiple disciplines. You’re given access to Penn's research facilities and are exposed to the different kinds of projects faculty are currently pursuing, providing a valuable insight into biomedical careers.
12. Wharton Leadership in the Business World (LBW)
Location: University City, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $11,899
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 7 - 27, June 28 - July 18, or July 19 - August 8
Application Deadline: January 28 (priority) | March 18 (final)
Eligibility: Rising seniors with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5 and demonstrated leadership experience
LBW introduces students to Wharton's undergraduate curriculum through case discussions, simulations, and frameworks. You'll explore core business topics such as organizational strategy, marketing, finance, and leadership theory through lectures from Wharton professors, then apply those ideas via Wharton Interactive's digital business simulations and team case competitions. Site visits and speaker sessions with executives across finance, real estate, entertainment, and entrepreneurship are built into the three weeks. The program concludes with a capstone case competition in which your team analyzes a real business scenario and presents a strategic recommendation under conditions that mirror those of actual business and consulting engagements.
13. Penn Carey Law Pre-College Academy
Location: University City, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: $9,899 (residential) | $6,299 (commuter) with full scholarships available for Philadelphia students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 12 - 31 (residential) | July 13 - 31 (commuter)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Current 9th - 12th graders
Penn Carey Law's program places students within an actual law school with the school's standing faculty and practicing attorneys. The first two weeks work through an accelerated version of the first-year law school curriculum, including contracts, civil procedure, torts, and constitutional law, taught via the Socratic method the school uses with its own J.D. students. You'll develop legal reasoning and persuasive writing through the same exercises used in law school coursework. The third week expands into specialized fields such as business law, environmental law, human rights, and sports and entertainment law. Field trips to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Center for Criminal Justice, and major leading law firms show you how the legal concepts you've been analyzing operate in institutional settings.
14. Wharton Management & Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI)
Location: University City, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $9,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely competitive, only 75 participants selected
Dates: July 5 - 25
Application Deadline: January 28 for priority, March 25 for final
Eligibility: Rising seniors primarily, though a selected number of rising juniors are considered
M&TSI is jointly taught by faculty from Wharton and Penn Engineering, giving you an introduction to technology innovation and entrepreneurship. Working in teams, you will design a high-tech product, build a working prototype, and develop a comprehensive go-to-market strategy before presenting to a panel of Penn faculty, entrepreneurs, and investors. Industry simulations led by partners, including Google, are integrated into the coursework alongside lectures from both business and engineering professors. The guest speakers across the Penn and M&T alumni network connect the academic growth to real career contexts. Students who successfully complete the program earn 1 official Penn Engineering college credit.
15. Wharton Data Science Academy
Location: The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Cost/Stipend: $10,599 | Financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 21 - July 11 or July 12 - August 1
Application Deadline: Priority deadline: January 28 | Final deadline: March 18
Eligibility: High school students currently enrolled in grades 10th - 11th with a strong background in mathematics and coding, and an interest in data analytics | Must have an unweighted GPA of 3.3
The program builds your ability to work with data, beginning with data wrangling and visualization, before progressing to probability, statistical modeling, classification, machine learning methods, and natural language processing. You'll develop working experience in R, one of the most widely used programming languages in professional data science and academic research. Throughout the three weeks, you will apply your learning to real data science challenges. Guest speakers from data science careers give you a clear sense of how the field operates. The program concludes with a team project where you analyze a new dataset from start to finish and present your findings to the full cohort, using the same workflow followed by professional data scientists.
Frequently asked questions
1. What programs are available for high school students in Philadelphia?
Options include biomedical and cancer research programs, such as Wistar Institute Fellowship, CHOP-RISES, Monell MSAP, and Fox Chase TRIPxJ&J, neuroscience programs, such as Drexel Neuroscience Camp and Penn SAS Neuroscience Research Academy, engineering and AI programs, such as ESAP and Veritas AI, data science programs, such as Wharton Data Science Academy, business programs, such as Wharton LBW and M&TSI, law programs, such as Penn Carey Law Pre-College Academy, and online research programs, such as Lumiere Research Scholar Program.
2. Are there free programs for high school students in Philadelphia?
Yes, Wistar Institute Fellowship, CHOP-RISES, Monell MSAP, Fox Chase TRIPxJ&J, and SummerScience@Jefferson are free or provide stipends. Penn SAS Neuroscience and Biomedical Research academies offer full scholarships for Philadelphia public and charter school students, and Penn Carey Law offers full scholarships for eligible Philadelphia students. Veritas AI and Lumiere offer need-based financial aid for virtual programs.
3. Which Philadelphia programs are best for students interested in biomedical research?
Students interested in biomedical research might consider Wistar Institute for hands-on cancer and infectious disease lab research, CHOP-RISES for a multi-year pediatric research program at a leading children's hospital, Monell MSAP for chemical senses and sensory biology research, and Penn SAS Biomedical Research Academy for molecular and cellular biology with access to Penn research facilities.
4. Do any Philadelphia programs offer college credit?
Yes, ESAP at Penn awards college credit upon completion of its engineering tracks, and Wharton M&TSI awards one official Penn Engineering college credit. Penn SAS academies and Penn Carey Law Pre-College Academy are taught by Penn faculty at a college level, and SummerScience@Jefferson culminates in a virtual research symposium presentation.
5. When should I apply to programs for high school students in Philadelphia?
The earliest deadlines include Wharton LBW and M&TSI (January 28 priority), ESAP (January 31 priority), and Drexel Neuroscience Camp (April 3). Wistar Institute closes March 20, CHOP-RISES closes April 3, and Fox Chase TRIPxJ&J closes June 8. Penn SAS academies and Penn Carey Law accept rolling admissions, so students should apply early in the spring. Students should begin researching in the fall to stay ahead of the most competitive deadlines.