15 Research Opportunities for High School Students in Ontario
If you are a high school student in Ontario looking for a way to explore a field or topic in detail, a research program is worth considering! Research programs can help you deepen your academic interests and gain experience in data collection, analysis, and presentation. As a participant, you will learn how to develop strong research questions, work with data, read academic literature, and share your findings with the academic community. You will also benefit from mentorship and access to research facilities.
Early exposure to research can also help strengthen your college applications, highlighting your willingness to learn beyond the classroom. Some programs also offer support for writing a full-length research paper that could be submitted to competitions or journals.
To help you get started, here are 15 research opportunities for high school students in Ontario. From engineering and law to psychology and medicine, you can find opportunities here that align with your interests.
1. Women's College Hospital High School Summer Student Research Program
Location: Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: No cost; stipends of 17.2 CAD per hour provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: July 8 – August 16
Application deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Grade 11 and 12 students who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized women, 2SLGBTQI+, trans, two-spirit, non-binary, or persons with a disability; applicants must be at least 16 years of age by the program start date
The Women's College Hospital High School Summer Student Research Program, supported by the Emily Stowe Scholar Program, is a six-week, full-time research opportunity. The program is designed for high school students from underserved communities interested in engaging in research and learning about healthcare. Here, you will spend about 35 hours a week working on a health research project alongside professionals, engaging in panel discussions and seminars, and networking with the hospital community. You will assist researchers with tasks like literature searches, data entry, and preparing materials for presentation. You will have weekly check-ins about your research progress, which culminate in your presentation at the end of the program’s Research Symposium.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts each year, running from anywhere between 12 weeks and a year
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort; August 24 for the upcoming Fall cohort
Eligibility: High school students anywhere in the world
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a mentored research opportunity for high school students around the world. You can choose from a wide variety of research areas, including engineering, neuroscience, computer science, chemistry, medicine, international relations, tech, law, and business, among other subjects you can explore as a high schooler. You will spend 12 weeks or more working one-on-one with a Ph.D. mentor on an independent research project. At the end of the program, you will have developed an independent research paper! You can find more details about the application and available program formats here.
3. Hamilton Health Sciences Secondary School Research Bursary
Location: Hamilton Health Sciences or McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
Stipend: 1,500 CAD
Cohort size: 15
Dates: June 30 – August 15
Application deadline: March 23
Eligibility: High school students in grades 11 and 12
Hosted by McMaster University Medical Centre and Hamilton Health Sciences, the Secondary School Research Bursary is a seven-week summer internship for students willing to explore careers in Health or Life Sciences. During the program, you will conduct basic or clinical research activities in health sciences in a professional research environment. You will engage in tasks like shadowing researchers, reading scientific articles, compiling findings, and entering data relevant to studies. You will also find opportunities to network with researchers and peers.
4. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Application deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Varies according to the cohort: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI with a suitable environment in which to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship. The AI Fellowship program will allow students to pursue independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. You can find examples of previous projects here.
5. Quantum School for Young Students (QSYS)
Location: Virtual + optional in-person lab day at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON
Cost: Free
Cohort size: Up to 200 students
Dates: August 11–15 + optional in-person day: August 18
Application deadline: June 8
Eligibility: High school students with strong math skills and an interest in quantum science
The Quantum School for Young Students is a virtual program for high school students interested in exploring quantum information, quantum technology, and quantum research. Hosted by the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, the week-long program offers opportunities to engage with quantum science researchers on topics including quantum superposition and entanglement, and the impact of quantum technology on computing, imaging, and cryptography. You will also learn about topics like quantum computing and algorithms, quantum cryptography, complex numbers, experimental physics, linear algebra, quantum mechanics, and quantum optics. If you live in Waterloo, you can be one of the 25 students who get invited for an in-person lab day, during which you will work with real quantum equipment.
6. Youreka Canada
Location: In-person at university campuses across Canada
Cost: Registration fee 80
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies each year
Dates: 10 weeks between January and April
Application deadline: Kingston: December 28; All other regions: January 6
Eligibility: Canadian students in grades 9 to 12, CEGEP, or first year at Queen’s University
Youreka Canada offers a 10-week research program for high school students. Here, you will work in a team under the guidance of undergraduate mentors from Youreka's partner universities to design and complete a research project using open-source data, with topics ranging from bioinformatics and public health to economics. The program follows a weekly structure centered around three main blocks. You begin by exploring the foundations of scientific reasoning and experimental design, and then move on to engaging in statistics and data visualization using the R programming language. Finally, you present findings to your peers for feedback. At the end of the program, you will present your work at a regional symposium. If selected as a top team, you will get to compete nationwide. Your manuscript, if shortlisted, is eligible for publication after peer review.
7. University of Toronto’s Blueprint
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Toronto, ON
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 7 – August 1 + biweekly engagement from October to February
Application deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Black students in grades 10 and 11
Blueprint, an outreach program offered by the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, focuses on helping students explore the engineering-design process and apply it to real scenarios. You will take two courses—Engineering and Human Health, and Mechatronics and Automation—taught by the University of Toronto’s master's and doctoral students, with undergraduates as your mentors. You will also engage in research discussions during the program. After the summer, as a grade 11 student, you continue with a year-long program called Prepare, which will help you develop soft skills and leadership abilities. If you are in grade 12, you will join MAPS (My Academic Preparation Sessions), where the focus is on preparing you for college applications as well as life at a university.
8. U of T’s Da Vinci Engineering Enrichment Program (DEEP)
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: 725 CAD/week for domestic students; 1,100 CAD/week for international students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not available
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions from July 7 to August 15
Application deadline: Round 1 (early bird): February 25 – March 23; Round 2: March 24 – April 13
Eligibility: High school students
DEEP is a one-week academic program hosted by the University of Toronto for high school students interested in university-level engineering. Here, you will choose from courses such as Artificial Intelligence, DNA Sequencing, Cryptography, and Robotics. Each course includes hands-on work, like coding in Python, building machine learning models, or designing a self-driving algorithm. The experience can help you exercise problem-solving and creative thinking skills in a university environment. The sessions are taught by U of T faculty, graduate students, and researchers.
9. Indus Space STEM Co-Operative Placement Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Two or three students/semester
Dates: Semester-based (fall, winter, and spring sessions)
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Grade 11 and 12 students in Canada completing a school-supported co-op placement
Indus Space offers virtual co-op placement opportunities for high school students interested in space science and STEM. Here, you will work in teams of two or three on research projects. Core research topics include space exploration and its direct connections to the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics sectors. You will present your findings to peers, build communication skills, and receive guidance from your mentors for interdisciplinary STEM problems.
10. University of Toronto Summer Psychology Research Initiative (SPRINT)
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus
Cost/Stipend: Free
Cohort size: 54 high school participants; the number can vary each year
Dates: July 15 – 26
Application deadline: May 31
Eligibility: High school students in Ontario; special preference given to Indigenous, Black, and racialized (IBR) students entering grades 11 and 12
The University of Toronto’s SPRINT is a 10-day program for high school students interested in psychology. If selected, you will be placed into one of two streams based on your interests and experience. In the Lecture Stream, you will learn about psychology as a scientific research discipline, whereas in the Research Stream, you work in a small group to develop a research proposal under the guidance of mentors. U of T’s psychology community members, including undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, typically serve as program mentors, offering guidance and answers to your queries regarding psychology. The program ends with a Presentation Day where you share your research proposal. You can check past projects here.
11. STEM Fellowship’s Research Exploration Opportunity (REO)
Location: Various universities across Canada
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Typically during March break; dates vary
Application deadline: January 12 (tentative); applications open late November or early December
Eligibility: High school students in Canada
STEM Fellowship’s Research Exploration Opportunity (REO) offers high school students practical learning opportunities in research labs across partner universities in Canada. You will shadow lab personnel, attend seminars and faculty talks, and learn basic techniques used to conduct research projects. Research may span areas like data science, experimental physics, cybersecurity, and interdisciplinary STEM. The program also offers opportunities to engage in lab work and develop data analysis skills. Graduate students typically serve as mentors and guide you as you participate in experiments.
12. University of Toronto’s Youth Summer Program: Medicine Track
Location: University of Toronto’s St. George Campus, Toronto, ON
Cost: 1,668 CAD/module + one-time registration fee: CAD 98 (non-refundable)
Cohort size: Up to 120 students/week
Dates: Module 1: July 7 – 11; Module 2: July 14 – 18; Module 3: July 21 – 25; Module 4: July 28 – August 1
Application deadline: None; registration opens February 12
Eligibility: Canadian and international students in grades 10–12; grade 9 students are eligible for just Module 4
The Medicine Youth Summer Program (MED YSP) at the University of Toronto is a week-long opportunity to explore medical sciences. You will choose from four intensive academic modules, explore topics like human physiology, pharmacodynamics, DNA fingerprinting, and antibiotic resistance, and learn about research. While engaging in lectures, coursework, and discussions with experts, you will get to experience university-level science academics and learn about medical science and research. You will also have access to lab sessions, where you will conduct experiments in microbiology and human health. You will also attend talks delivered by researchers during the program.
13. RBC Summer Tech Labs
Location: Ontario; virtual/in-person hybrid depending on the year
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship experience; hourly rate will be outlined in the offer letter
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 2 – August 20
Application deadline: Opens in spring; the date varies each year
Eligibility: Grade 11 and 12 students enrolled in an Ontario high school
The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Summer Tech Labs Program is an eight-week internship, run as part of RBC’s Future Launch to prepare high school students for careers ahead. As an intern, you will work in small teams of four to build prototypes for RBC’s business unit. You will use tools like JavaScript, GitHub, and React.js to design and test new features. You also meet with senior RBC leaders to gather feedback and learn how to effectively pitch ideas. The program can offer you insights into and experience in innovative problem-solving involved in the operation of a large financial company.
14. Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program
Location: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 2 – August (end date not specified)
Application deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–12 who are at least 16 years old and legally authorized to work in Canada
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre offers high schoolers research experiences in its Focused Ultrasound Lab during the summer. During the program, you will contribute to the lab’s ongoing research efforts in the fields of engineering, medicine, physics, technology, and biology. You may engage in project work like investigating the impact of focused ultrasound on various mechanisms, designing circuit boards, and contributing to experimental studies. As a participant, you will get insights into medicine, research, and device development in the process.
15. U of T’s CREATE: Engineering Design Challenges
Location: U of T St. George Campus, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: 725 CAD/week for domestic students; 1,100 CAD/week for international students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Session A: July 7 – 11; Session B: July 14 – 18; Session C: July 21 – 25; Session D: July 28 – August 1; Session E: August 11 – August 15; Session F: August 18 – August 22
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12
CREATE is a summer program offered by the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. You participate in engineering design challenges that reflect the university’s undergraduate program curriculum. You will work on ongoing research projects mentored by current undergraduate and graduate students. The program includes lab experiments and site visits, offering practical exposure to engineering research. The one-week courses cover topics like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Neuroscience, Robotics, Virtual Reality, and 3D Graphics.
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