15 Research Programs for High School Students in Illinois
As a high school student, research programs offer you valuable opportunities to develop practical skills, gain industry experience, and build meaningful connections with professionals in your field of interest. Research programs, hosted by prestigious universities and organizations, help you learn practical skills such as data analysis, scientific writing, coding, and experimental design, while also exposing you to research and industry practices. You work alongside experienced mentors, collaborate with peers, and build valuable connections that can support future academic and career paths.
Illinois is home to world-class institutions such as Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, all of which host exceptional research programs. These programs offer you unique benefits, including access to cutting-edge laboratories, mentorship from leading professionals, and exposure to diverse research fields. Whether you're passionate about medicine, computer science, artificial intelligence, engineering, or environmental science, participating in research allows you to explore advanced topics beyond the classroom.
We've carefully narrowed down our list to 15 research programs for high school students in Illinois that offer strong research components and meaningful learning experiences.
1. SpHERES High School Research Program
Location: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $2,400 summer stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: Typically end of March
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders interested in healthcare careers and engineering
SpHERES (Sparking High Schoolers' Excitement for Research in Engineering & Science) is part of the Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Programs through UIUC's Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering initiative. You'll work with research faculty members on clinically-focused research projects that bridge medicine, science, and engineering. Research areas span departments including sociology, molecular and integrative physiology, neuroscience, bioengineering, and micro and nanotechnology laboratories. You'll also participate in weekly seminars covering research projects, college readiness, innovation, entrepreneurship, holistic care, and clinical skills. The program provides exposure to health career-related research and helps you build confidence in attending college.
2. Fermilab Program for Research, Innovation, and STEM Mentorship (PRISM)
Location: Fermilab, Batavia, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $500 weekly stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically small and focused cohort
Dates: July 13 – August 7
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Illinois high school seniors or recent graduates who are U.S. citizens
The Fermilab PRISM program is a dynamic four-week summer school designed for high school seniors and recent graduates. You'll explore particle physics, quantum science, engineering design, and artificial intelligence through hands-on activities and expert-led lectures. Each week focuses on a different scientific theme, enabling you to gain a comprehensive understanding of diverse STEM career opportunities. You'll work alongside Fermilab STEM professionals who share their expertise and real-world experiences. Through facility tours, you'll see cutting-edge particle accelerators and detector systems that are pushing the boundaries of science and technology.
3. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; need-based financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 1:1 student/mentor ratio
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year (12-15 weeks per cohort)
Application Deadline: Fall (September), Winter (November), Spring (January), Summer (May); apply here
Eligibility: High school students having a basic understanding of Python or who have completed AI Scholars program
The Veritas AI Fellowship provides high school students with the opportunity to create an original artificial intelligence project under expert mentorship over 12-15 weeks. You'll work one-on-one with AI experts from top universities to develop your own unique AI model in fields like medicine, finance, environmental science, or education. The program has three phases: exploration and learning (weeks 1-4), ideation and data exploration (weeks 5-8), and execution (weeks 9-15). During the execution phase, you'll build your project, troubleshoot code, and refine ideas through regular mentorship sessions. At the program's conclusion, you'll present your project to peers and receive a personalized evaluation from your mentor.
4. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Program
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $2,400 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 5% acceptance rate; approximately 30 students
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: Typically end of March
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin
The Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Program at UIUC is a highly selective six-week experience pairing you with faculty members on active research projects. You'll choose from three tracks: POETS (power and energy systems), SpHERES (bioengineering and neuroscience), or GEnYuS (diverse fields from computer science to quantum physics). Throughout the program, you work 30-35 hours per week conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and developing critical research skills. The program includes weekly workshops on research techniques, professional development, and college admissions. You'll receive guidance from faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and high school teachers, and present your research poster at the Young Scholars Symposium.
5. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies according to the program type; full financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective (approximately 12% acceptance rate); typically small cohorts
Dates: Multiple cohorts (summer, fall, winter, spring);
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Winter I Cohort: November 16
Eligibility: Current high school students who demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program offers rigorous one-on-one research mentorship for high school students across a broad range of subjects. The program pairs you with a PhD mentor from top universities like Harvard, MIT, Yale, or Stanford to develop an independent research project over 12 weeks on any topic that fascinates you, from psychology and physics to economics, data science, and international relations. Your mentor guides you through every stage of the research process, from formulating research questions to conducting literature reviews to analyzing findings. You'll develop a complete research paper that many students use for science fairs, school presentations, or college applications. You may also be eligible for a UCSD credit upon completion.
6. ResearcHStart
Location: Multiple institutions: University of Chicago, University of Illinois Cancer Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University, and Rush University
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $3,000 taxable stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; around 30 participants
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 19
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by the program’s start and who reside in Illinois or Lake County, Indiana
ResearcHStart is a multi-institutional program welcoming high school students to explore careers in cancer research across Illinois's top universities. You'll work full-time in the laboratories of established cancer researchers, gaining hands-on experience in areas including cancer immunology, bioengineering, experimental cancer therapeutics, and cancer disparities. The program complements rigorous research training with career development workshops, a cancer-based faculty lecture series, and mentorship from faculty and peers. The experience culminates in a research symposium where you present your findings to family, friends, and the scientific community. Selection is highly competitive based on stated interest, academic record, and letters of recommendation.
7. University of Chicago’s DSI Summer Lab
Location: John Crerar Library at the University of Chicago, Hyde Park campus, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $5,600 stipend
Acceptance Rate/cohort size: Extremely selective; 20 – 50 students
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: High school seniors from the Chicago area starting college in the fall
This prestigious program offers students the chance to collaborate closely with mentors in diverse fields such as public policy, computer science, social science, materials science, climate and energy, and biomedical research. You acquire practical experience in research techniques, applied data science, and teamwork, with training tailored to each lab's specific focus. The program also features sessions where experienced researchers share their career journeys and demonstrate how they apply data to tackle real-world challenges. It includes professional development and career preparation in data science and technology. Past student projects have explored topics such as federated learning algorithms for scalability, robot coaches designed to support children’s social-emotional learning, and the application of deep learning for monitoring cattle health.
8. College Bound Research Program at Argonne National Laboratory
Location: Argonne, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend of $500 per week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; typically small cohorts
Dates: June 9 - August 1
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Graduating high school students from Illinois | Aged 18+ | Minimum 3.75 GPA | U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
The Argonne National Laboratory's College Bound Research Program offers an exclusive, remunerated summer research opportunity, crafted for a select cohort of recent high school graduates residing in Illinois. You are immersed in cutting-edge STEM investigations, utilizing computational science methodologies such as simulation and data modeling. You actively support laboratory researchers by executing computational tasks and employing specialized software for complex scientific calculations. The program emphasizes mentorship, method refinement, and optimizing code efficiency. You often contribute to projects involving high-performance computing or the deployment of Artificial Intelligence in experimental settings. Key components include systematic process documentation and co-authoring team reports, thereby cultivating proficiency in both scientific research and software engineering.
9. Northwestern University Research Program for High Schoolers (NURPH)
Location: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $4,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; limited cohort size
Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Current sophomores and juniors from Chicago Math and Science Academy, Northwestern Academy, and Holy Trinity High School
Northwestern University Research Program for High Schoolers (NURPH) is a seven-week paid program bringing university laboratory resources directly to Chicago-area high school students. You'll conduct hands-on research in Northwestern's Materials Science and Engineering Department, working on projects involving energy harvesting, mechanical characterization of metals, sustainable polymers, and nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Each week involves 20 hours of research, 5 hours of professional development, and 5 hours of materials science education under guidance from professional researchers and graduate student mentors. The program culminates in a poster session where you'll present your work to the Northwestern community, family, and friends.
10. CHESS: Cancer Health Equity Summer Scholars
Location: University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $3,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 17 – 20 students
Dates: June 16 – August 8 (as per previous year)
Application Deadline: January 20 (as per previous year)
Eligibility: High school students completing sophomore, junior, or senior years from underrepresented backgrounds
The Cancer Health Equity Summer Scholars (CHESS) program is an immersive eight-week research experience tailored primarily for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds. The program pairs you with faculty mentors, where you contribute to independent research projects within various labs focusing on disciplines like molecular biology, computational science, and biostatistics, all framed by an emphasis on understanding cancer disparities and advancing health equity in medical research. Throughout the summer, students engage in lectures, workshops, and professional development activities designed to enhance not only their scientific knowledge but also their academic and career skills. The program culminates in a research symposium where you present your findings to faculty and peers.
11. INSPIRE Program at Rosalind Franklin University
Location: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; prioritizes students from northern Lake County communities
Dates: Eight weeks during summer
Application Deadline: Typically spring
Eligibility: High school students from low-income and federally designated medically underserved areas in northern Lake County, Illinois
The INSPIRE (Influence Student Potential and Increase Representation in Education) Program is designed to build a pipeline for underrepresented students into STEM and healthcare fields. You'll conduct original biomedical research under the direction of a graduate student mentor and faculty advisor on a 1:1:1 mentorship ratio. The program includes daily academic sessions similar to introductory undergraduate biology courses, providing foundational knowledge in biological sciences. You'll participate in weekly workshops covering careers in healthcare, professional development, and academic preparedness focused on improving writing, mathematics, science skills, and workplace etiquette. Students enrolled during high school can return annually until they complete their undergraduate degree.
12. Chicago EYES on Cancer
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $5,000 taxable stipend per year (two-year commitment)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 20 – 30 students
Dates: Two-year program between January and December that includes two eight-week summer research experiences between June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: December 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors (or college freshmen/sophomores) at least 16 years old; high school applicants must reside in Cook, Lake, Will, or DuPage counties in Illinois or Lake County in Indiana
Chicago EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science) on Cancer is a two-year cancer research training program providing immersive experiences for motivated students. You'll work in the laboratories of established cancer researchers at UChicago Medicine, conducting cutting-edge research in areas like cancer immunology, pharmacogenomics, and experimental therapeutics. The program includes 8-week summer research experiences working 35-40 hours per week, complemented by monthly enrichment activities during the academic year. The program provides year-round career development, skill-building workshops, and ongoing mentorship from a network of university faculty and peers. Both summers culminate in research symposiums where you showcase your work.
13. Northwestern Medicine SciHigh Program
Location: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 6 – 12 students
Dates: 7 – 8 weeks during summer
Application Deadline: Typically mid-March
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors from Chicago high schools or neighboring Illinois suburbs with completed AP/IB Biology and Chemistry courses preferred
The SciHigh Summer Program, organized by Northwestern University's George O'Brien Kidney Research Core Center, discovers and guides highly motivated students interested in science careers. You'll participate in a comprehensive immersive enrichment experience designed to equip you with practical research skills. The centerpiece is a full-time research internship (40 hours per week) where you actively contribute to projects under expert guidance from experienced scientists. You'll be carefully matched with mentors and host labs that align with your unique skills and aspirations. At the program's conclusion, you'll present your research findings to peers, mentors, and faculty.
14. REACH (Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students)
Location: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
Cost: $2,500 for Core Program; $1,500 for REACH Further; full and partial tuition assistance is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 – 32%; 50 – 55 students
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – July 3; Session 2: July 7 – 25
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: Current high school sophomore, junior, or senior at the time of application
The Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students (REACH) program at Northwestern University is an immersive three-week summer experience that introduces participants to authentic astrophysics research. In this interactive program, you gain essential coding and data analysis skills by learning Python through the REACHpy tutorials on GitHub and using Google Colab. You apply these skills to mini-projects inspired by active research at CIERA, working closely with graduate students and postdoctoral mentors. Alongside research, the program offers career panels, solar observing sessions, and social activities, fostering collaboration and networking among peers who share a passion for astronomy.
15. Illinois Institute of Technology Summer Programs
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Tuition varies as per program and type; additional costs for room, board, and fees
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: Various dates between June and August
Application Deadline: May 3
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 12 – 17
Illinois Institute of Technology's Elevate College Prep summer programs expose middle and high school students to STEM-driven courses at Chicago's leading tech-focused university. You'll explore topics including coding and programming, robotics, sustainability, science, and research, all designed to promote comprehensive academic experiences. The curriculum includes distinctive courses such as experimental architecture and computational science, facilitated by Illinois Tech's expert faculty. The programs offer overnight residential options on Illinois Tech's Mies Campus and daytime commuter options. You'll get a firsthand taste of college life while broadening your knowledge and enhancing your problem-solving abilities.
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