15 Science Programs for High School Students in Massachusetts
Science programs give high school students the chance to move beyond what's covered in a classroom, working with real equipment, real data, and real researchers on problems that actually matter. Depending on the program, you might be running experiments in a university lab, analyzing environmental samples, working alongside a faculty mentor on an ongoing study, or presenting findings at a research symposium. These experiences help you build practical skills like experimental design, scientific writing, data interpretation, lab protocols, and the kind of scientific thinking that shows up clearly in college application essays.
Why should you attend a Science program in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is home to institutions such as MIT, Harvard University, Northeastern University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution that offer science programs for high school students. Through these programs, you may conduct laboratory research, analyze scientific data, participate in field studies, complete engineering projects, or take college-level coursework under the guidance of faculty and researchers. Whether you are a Massachusetts student looking for opportunities close to home or an out-of-state student interested in studying in the region, these programs provide several ways to explore scientific subjects outside the classroom.
To help you get started, here are 15 science programs for high school students in Massachusetts.
If you’re looking for online summer programs, check out our blog here.
1. Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Six weeks during the summer
Deadline: Early to mid-December
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who will have one year remaining before graduation; must be at least 16 years old by July 1 of the program year; open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international students from participating countries
Research Science Institute (RSI) is a highly selective six-week summer research program hosted at MIT that combines advanced STEM coursework with independent research. The program begins with intensive seminars led by professors and researchers across disciplines such as biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and physics, as well as lectures from leading scientists and technology professionals. Students then spend five weeks conducting original research under the guidance of a mentor, culminating in a written research paper and a presentation at the RSI Symposium. The program also includes visits to scientific and cultural institutions throughout the Boston area, along with a variety of community-building activities.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students looking to get started in AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and have the opportunity to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, you get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that you have access to the in-house publication team to help you secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
3. MIT PRIMES
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Year-long program running January through December
Deadline: December 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors residing in the United States, including homeschooled students; local students meet mentors in person, non-local students via teleconferencing; international students are not eligible
MIT PRIMES is a free, year-long research program that gives you the chance to work on original, unsolved problems in mathematics and computational biology alongside MIT graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. The program runs through four structured phases across the calendar year. You’ll start with an advanced reading period in January, where your assigned mentor guides you through background material relevant to a potential research project. You'll need to submit a reading report by mid-March to move forward. From there, you’ll enter the active research phase, working on your project weekly with your mentor from March through June, followed by an independent study period over the summer that fits around any other commitments you may have. The program culminates in a research paper and a presentation at the Fall-Term PRIMES conference in October, which is open to family and friends. Your final paper is posted on the PRIMES website and can be submitted to national science competitions or professional research journals. Juniors work on individual or group projects, and sophomores work in groups.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program’s Science Track
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and 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. MITES Summer
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Six weeks, late June through early August
Deadline: Applications open in the fall semester of junior year
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently in 11th grade; strongly encourages applications from students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in STEM, first-generation college students, and students from low-income or under-resourced school environments
MITES Summer is a residential program at MIT for high school juniors, designed to give students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds a full immersion in college-level STEM. You’ll take five courses over the summer: one in math, one in life sciences, one in physics, one in humanities, and a project-based elective with placement in the core science courses determined by a knowledge inventory at the start of the program. Past elective options have included machine learning, genomics, engineering design, electronics, and architecture. Beyond coursework, the program includes lab tours at MIT, visits to companies that employ MITES alumni, seminars with STEM professionals, and a college fair where you can speak directly with admissions counselors from a range of universities. At the end of the six weeks, each of you will receive a written evaluation from your instructor that outlines strengths and areas of growth
6. MIT Women's Technology Program (WTP)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free for families with income under $120,000; sliding scale fees apply for higher income brackets up to $20,000 for families earning $400,000 or more
Program Dates: June 27–July 25
Deadline: December 15
Eligibility: Current 11th-grade students with a permanent U.S. family address who excel at math and science but have little to no prior background in engineering; a women-focused program that especially encourages applications from students who are underrepresented or underserved in engineering
The MIT Women's Technology Program is a four-week residential summer program at MIT designed for rising seniors who love math and science but haven't yet had much exposure to engineering. The program runs in one track, Mechanical Engineering (ME), with daily classes plus occasional evening and weekend activities, including academic field trips and social outings. Courses are taught by MIT graduate students in the ME department and cover a range of foundational engineering subjects: fluid mechanics, materials science, statics, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and engineering design. The hands-on format means you're designing and building actual engineering projects alongside your peers throughout the four weeks. WTP is intentionally designed for students who are new to engineering, including those from high schools with limited STEM offerings, who would be the first in their family to attend college, or who have been otherwise discouraged from pursuing technical fields.
7. Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE)
Location: MIT campus, Cambridge, MA, and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 12–25
Deadline: March 11
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who will be rising seniors; must be U.S. citizens; must be passionate about science, math, and engineering
LLRISE is a free, two-week residential radar-building workshop run by MIT Lincoln Laboratory, held at both the MIT campus in Cambridge and the Lincoln Laboratory facility in Lexington. The program's core challenge is straightforward: over two weeks, you’ll build your own Doppler and range radar systems from scratch. That means populating circuit boards, soldering components, learning the physics behind radar signal processing, and working through problems with scientists and engineers from Lincoln Laboratory. The program combines college-level technical lectures with intensive hands-on lab work, and you’ll also tour laboratory facilities to see how radar technology is applied in real research and national defense contexts. At the end of the two weeks, you’ll present the results of your radar experiments and group projects to the Laboratory community, including Lincoln Laboratory staff and alumni.
8. Northeastern University Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 22 for 6 weeks
Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Permanent Massachusetts residents who live and attend school in Massachusetts within commuting distance of Northeastern University; current high school juniors entering 12th grade in fall; U.S. citizens or permanent residents only
The Northeastern University Young Scholars Program is a six-week summer research experience for rising seniors who live within commuting distance of Boston. You're placed in a working research laboratory within Northeastern's Colleges of Engineering, Science, or Health Sciences, where you’ll contribute to ongoing faculty research alongside graduate students and lab staff. Past students have worked on projects ranging from agent-based modeling of active particles in fluid flow to optimizing battery chemistries for remote energy systems, to evaluating cancer therapies and drug resistance mechanisms.
Alongside lab work, the program includes a seminar series where faculty from chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, and industrial engineering walk you through their fields, covering topics like radar, superconductivity, biotechnology, lasers, and robotics. You'll also attend field trips to organizations like Biogen, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, and the MIT Chemical Engineering Labs to see how scientists and engineers work in corporate and government settings. Career and college counseling is built into the program as well, including one-on-one sessions with program coordinators and mentors.
9. O-STEAM Fellowship (WHOI Sea Grant)
Location: Woods Hole, MA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Week 1: August 2–8 | Week 2: August 9–15
Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: Current Massachusetts residents who attend school in Massachusetts; current high school sophomores and juniors; all levels of interest and experience welcome
The O-STEAM Fellowship is an ocean science program offered by WHOI Sea Grant, designed specifically for Massachusetts high school students. During the week, you’ll work alongside WHOI researchers and program staff on a range of marine science activities, including building your own underwater microphone (hydrophone) and testing it by towing it while kayaking, analyzing recordings of dolphin vocalizations, conducting water quality tests, constructing and deploying an ocean drifter, and going on a whale watch expedition.
The program also incorporates a communications component where you'll work with WHOI's communications team to learn how to translate your research and field experiences for a broader audience. You’ll get the chance to connect with scientists, educators, and STEAM professionals throughout the week, getting exposure to the range of careers that exist in ocean science and related fields.
10. Harvard Secondary School Program (SSP)
Location: Cambridge, MA
Cost: $4,180–$15,735 depending on session length and format
Program Dates: 4-week session: July 12–August 8 | 7-week session: June 20–August 8
Deadline: February 11
Eligibility: Students who will graduate from high school and enter college within the next three years, and meet Harvard Summer School age requirements
Harvard's Secondary School Program gives high school students the chance to take actual college-level courses at Harvard for credit. The 7-week session lets you take up to two 4-credit courses, while the 4-week session focuses on one. Science-focused students can choose from courses in astronomy, biology, chemistry, environmental studies, physics, psychology, and neuroscience, among others, all taught by Harvard faculty or distinguished visiting faculty. Each course you complete earns you college credit that you can list on your college application, and the transcript you receive comes directly from Harvard. Beyond the coursework, the program is structured to give you a genuine preview of what college life looks like. You’ll manage your own schedule outside of class, balance academic work with social and extracurricular activities, and live on campus with students from around the world.
11. UMass Amherst Pre-College Programs
Location: Charles River Campus, Newton, MA
Cost: Varies by program length and format. 2-week residential: $4,119 | 3-week residential: $6,125 | 6-week research intensives: $12,813; commuter rates are lower
Program Dates: Vary by course
Deadline: Varies by course
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores through seniors
UMass Amherst's Pre-College Programs span credit-bearing and non-credit options, with course lengths ranging from two weeks to six-week research intensives, the longer formats earning up to six college credits. Science and STEM-focused students will find options in mathematics, pre-veterinary medicine, and engineering, among other fields, and the hands-on structure means you're working through real coursework rather than a lighter preview version. The six-week research intensives, in particular, are designed for those who want sustained engagement with a subject area at a level that actually builds college readiness.
12. MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost: Note specified
Program Dates: Four-week summer program
Deadline: Check the website for the latest updates
Eligibility: Current 9th, 10th, or 11th graders; must be residing in and attending high school physically in the United States for the duration of the program
The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is a four-week residential STEM program run by MIT Lincoln Laboratory and MIT, designed for high school students who want to go well beyond standard coursework. The program is built around hands-on, project-based learning across a range of advanced STEM fields, including artificial intelligence and autonomy, radar systems, satellite technology, autonomous underwater vehicles, embedded security, and hardware hacking. You’ll work through real engineering problems in a workshop-style format, building practical technical skills alongside peers who share your level of ambition. In addition to the summer program, BWSI hosts two national team-based challenges that begin each fall. Teams work with experienced mentors through a series of project milestones over the course of the year, culminating in final competitions.
13. WPI Frontiers
Location: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Worcester, MA
Cost: $4,495 per session
Program Dates: Frontiers I: July 5–17 | Frontiers II: July 19–31
Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
WPI Frontiers is a two-week residential STEM program that gives you a hands-on look at college-level science and engineering. The program lets you explore a primary STEM or business focus alongside a humanities, arts, or business minor, so if your interests don't fit neatly into one box, the structure accommodates that. You'll attend college preparation workshops and take part in social activities alongside peers from around the world who are equally focused on STEM. The emphasis throughout is on direct, project-based engagement with the subject area, which makes it useful both for building skills and for determining whether a particular field is the right fit for you.
14. SEA Pre-College: Oceanography
Location: SEA Madden Center, Woods Hole, MA
Cost: $6,975
Program Dates: Session 1: June 22–July 9; Session 2: July 13–July 30
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates interested in pursuing oceanography, environmental science, or related disciplines at the undergraduate level
The SEA Pre-College Oceanography Program is a three-week, college-level science program run by the Sea Education Association. You’ll study how physics, chemistry, biology, and geology interact to shape the ocean, covering topics including ocean circulation, biogeochemical cycles, seafloor structure, coastal processes, and marine food webs through lectures, lab work, and field sampling on Cape Cod.
The program is taught by PhD-level scientists and combines classroom learning with hands-on field work: you collect real samples, run lab analyses, and investigate how the ocean and atmosphere exchange heat and gases. A core part of the program is an original research project, which you design and carry out in a small group; past projects have examined freshwater input effects on Waquoit Bay salinity, tidal fluctuation and dissolved oxygen in salt marshes, and microplastic concentrations in the Gulf of Maine. You’ll present your findings to peers, faculty, and the broader Woods Hole science community at the end of the program.
15. Smith Summer Science and Engineering Program (SSEP)
Location: Smith College, Northampton, MA
Cost: $4,985 per two-week session; $9,970 for both sessions
Dates: Session 1: July 4–17 | Session 2: July 19–August 1
Deadline: Rolling admissions; applications close May 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12 in the fall; open to students of all backgrounds
The Smith Summer Science and Engineering Program brings together over 100 high school students each summer for lab-based science and engineering coursework with Smith College faculty. You’ll enroll in one two-week course per session, working in groups of up to 17 students alongside a Smith faculty member and undergraduate teaching assistants. The course list spans a wide range of science disciplines, options have included genetic analysis, nervous system research, novel bacteriophage discovery, robotics, digital circuits, GIS and spatial data analysis, plant biodiversity, climate change and sustainability, and the chemistry of photosynthesis and solar power. The emphasis throughout is on learning by doing: informal lectures lead into actual lab experiments and field work, with most of the work carried out collaboratively. Those who complete the program leave with sharper analytical skills, experience working with college-level lab equipment, and a clearer sense of what science and engineering actually look like in practice. You can attend one two-week session or both back-to-back for a four-week experience.