15 Science Programs for High School Students in Washington State

If you are a high school student interested in science, participating in a structured program can help you explore subjects beyond what is typically covered in school. Many programs offer opportunities to conduct research, learn laboratory techniques, analyze data, or investigate topics ranging from biology and environmental science to engineering and computational research. These experiences can help you develop scientific skills while exploring potential academic interests.

Why should you attend a science program in Washington State?

Washington State is home to major research institutions, universities, healthcare organizations, and environmental research centers that offer science programs for high school students. Depending on the program, you may work in research labs, study local ecosystems, explore biotechnology, contribute to engineering projects, or learn computational tools used in modern science. Whether you are interested in research, environmental studies, healthcare, or technology, Washington offers a wide range of opportunities across scientific disciplines.To help you get started, we have narrowed down 15 science programs for high school students in Washington State.

If you’re looking for free programs in Washington State, check out our blog here.

Key takeaways

• Several programs are free or provide stipends, including Seattle Children's Research Institute ($2,000 stipend), UW Neuroscience Program ($3,200 stipend), Hutton Junior Fisheries Program ($3,000 stipend), SEAP at Navy labs ($4,000 to $4,500 stipend), Fred Hutch SHIP (paid internship), Fred Hutch Coding for Cancer ($1,000 award), Fred Hutch Pathways Explorers ($500 award), and SEAS at Gonzaga (fully funded), making Washington State exceptionally strong for paid high school science programming.

• Programs span a wide range of science disciplines including cancer biology and biomedical research (Fred Hutch SHIP, Fred Hutch Pathways Explorers, Seattle Children's Research Institute), neuroscience and clinical medicine (UW Neuroscience Program), computational biology and bioinformatics (UW Genome Hackers, Fred Hutch Coding for Cancer, ISB), fisheries and aquatic science (Hutton Program), engineering and robotics (SEAS at Gonzaga, SoundBio Lab), environmental science and urban sustainability (Seattle University, University of Puget Sound SAC), and AI and machine learning (Veritas AI, Lumiere).

• Several programs specifically prioritize students from underrepresented backgrounds, including University of Puget Sound SAC (free, for underrepresented minority students and first-generation college students from Pierce County), SEAS at Gonzaga (focus on women in STEM), and Fred Hutch programs (Greater Seattle area students).

• Students looking for the longest and most immersive research experiences can apply to SEAP (eight to ten weeks at a Navy lab), Fred Hutch SHIP (eight weeks, full-time paid lab work), UW Neuroscience Program (eight weeks with clinical shadowing), and ISB High School Intern Program (eight weeks, up to 40 hours per week).

• Deadlines are spread from November through May, with SEAP closing November 1, UW Neuroscience closing December 15, Hutton Program closing January 25, and Fred Hutch programs closing in March, so students should begin identifying programs in the fall and prioritize November and December deadline programs first.

1. Seattle Children's Research Institute Summer Program 

Location: Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA

Cost/Stipend: Free; $2,000 stipend

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~24 students/year

Dates: July 13 – August 7

Application deadline: March 8 (recommendation due March 29)

Eligibility: Current 10th- and 11th-grade students who can commute to downtown Seattle and have an SSN/ITIN

This program lets you spend four weeks building real lab skills while gradually working on your own independent research project at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute. The program combines structured instruction through lectures on topics such as immunology, gene editing, and infectious diseases with hands-on lab techniques, including PCR, electrophoresis, and microscopy. As you gain confidence, you will apply what you have learned to design and carry out a small research project, culminating in a final presentation. In addition to lab work, you will attend workshops focused on college readiness and scientific careers, exploring how research fits into long-term academic paths. The environment is designed for students new to formal research, so you will be supported as you learn how a professional lab operates. 

2. Veritas AI

Location: VirtualCost: Varies depending on program type; 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: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), 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 a range of online programs for high school students passionate about artificial intelligence. If you are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science, you can choose the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, you will learn about data science and AI fundamentals and work on real-world projects. Another track for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. During this program, you will get a chance to work 1-on-1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A key feature of this program is that it offers you access to the in-house publication team to help you get your work published in high school research journals. You can check out examples of a few past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.  

3. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Pathways Research Explorers Program

Location: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA

Cost/Stipend: No cost; $500 completion award

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~32 students total (16 per session)

Dates: July 27 – August 7 | August 10 – 21

Application deadline: March 6Eligibility: Rising 10th and 11th graders; must have completed biology or chemistry; must reside in the Seattle area (U.S. citizens or permanent residents only)

If you are curious about what real biomedical research looks like before college, this short program gives you a structured, hands-on introduction inside a major cancer research center. Over two weeks, you will conduct guided experiments, collaborate with peers on team-based projects, and learn foundational techniques like PCR in a teaching lab environment. The program also incorporates lab tours and conversations with scientists at different career stages, giving you a clearer sense of pathways into research and medicine. In the process, you will gain insights into fields such as cancer biology, epidemiology, and public health, connecting lab work to real-world health challenges. Rather than focusing on independent research, the experience emphasizes exploration and skill-building in a supportive setting.

4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Science Track

Location: Remote!  You can participate in the program from anywhere in the world.

Cost: Varies by program type; full financial aid available.

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, spring, fall, and winter. Options range from 12 weeks to a year.

Application deadline: Varies based on cohort

Eligibility: Students enrolled in high school who demonstrate strong academic performance

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities across a wide range of subject areas for high schoolers to explore. The program will pair you with Ph.D. mentors to work one-on-one on a research project. At the end, you will have developed an independent research paper! You can choose from areas such as chemistry, engineering, data science, computer science, psychology, physics, international relations, economics, and more. You can learn more about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here. 

5. Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) High School Intern Programs

Location: Institute for Systems Biology labs, Seattle, WA

Stipend: Paid and unpaid positions available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 4 – 10 students/year

Eligibility: Rising high school seniors

Dates: June 29 – August 21

Application deadline: March 11

This is a summer internship at ISB that lets you work on real research in a lab while being supervised by a research mentor. Over the course of eight weeks, you may explore topics such as microbiology, infectious disease, computational biology, cancer, immune system diversity, aging, and engineering laboratory systems while working on your project. You will work up to 40 hours per week, applying science concepts to your assigned project and building skills in STEM and leadership. Alongside research, you will connect with ISB professionals to learn about potential career paths, build a website documenting your project and experience, and possibly contribute to school-based science curriculum development. 

6. SEAS Summer Immersion Program (SSIP) @ Gonzaga University

Location: Gonzaga University campus, Spokane, WA

Cost: Fully funded

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; ~18 students)

Dates: July 5 – 10

Application deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; the program focuses on students interested in engineering, computer science, and STEM, and women in STEM)

Designed as a short but intensive introduction to engineering and computer science, this free program lets you experience multiple disciplines through fast-paced, hands-on rotations. Over the course of a week, you will work with different faculty and college students on mini research projects, gaining exposure to areas like robotics, civil engineering, and programming. The structure emphasizes exploration: you will rotate through labs, use makerspace tools, and participate in collaborative activities rather than focusing on a single long-term project. Alongside technical work, you will attend talks, interact with professionals over meals, and learn about college pathways in STEM. The program ends with a research symposium where you will present your work, building both communication and technical skills. 

7. Neuroscience Summer Student Program @ University of Washington

Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Stipend: $3,200; limited housing available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Dates: June 22 – August 14

Application deadline: December 15

Eligibility: High school students, recent high school graduates, and undergraduate students who will be 18 or older when the program starts; applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and be authorized to work in the U.S

This is a full-time, eight-week program that blends lab research with direct clinical exposure, giving you a rare “bench to bedside” view of neuroscience in practice. You’ll be placed in a neuroscience lab at the UW Medicine Department of Neuroscience, where you will contribute to an ongoing research project while building technical skills and understanding experimental design. At the same time, the program incorporates clinical shadowing, ranging from neurology clinics to observing neurosurgical procedures, so you can see how research connects to patient care. Your weeks will be structured around a mix of lab work, Grand Rounds, faculty lectures, and discussions with residents, creating a comprehensive academic environment. At the end of the program, you will present your work, synthesizing both the scientific and clinical aspects of your experience. 

8. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)

Location: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA

Cost/Stipend: Paid internship (financial award provided; details shared upon selection)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Dates: June 22 – August 14

Application deadline: March 13

Eligibility: High school students entering 12th grade who are at least 16 years old and residing in the Greater Seattle area

SHIP is a paid lab-based research experience. The first two weeks focus on intensive training, where you will learn essential lab techniques like pipetting, DNA isolation, PCR, and sterile procedures, along with exploring core biological concepts. After that, you will be paired with a mentor and embedded in an active research group, contributing to ongoing projects. Your days will follow a real research schedule with full-time work, collaborative lab meetings, and skill-building workshops, giving you a realistic sense of what scientific careers involve. Throughout the program, you will also engage in sessions on ethics, data analysis, and science communication, rounding out both your technical and professional skillset. The experience concludes with a formal presentation of your work to the research community, helping you practice how scientists share findings and reflect on what you have learned.

9. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)

Location: Department of the Navy laboratories across the United States, including WA

Stipend: $4,000 for new participants | $4,500 for returning participants

Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~300 students across 38+ labs; Washington-specific numbers are not available.

Dates: Eight-week summer internship (can be extended to 10 weeks)

Application deadline: November 1

Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least grade 9, are at least 16 years old by the start date, and are U.S. citizens

At SEAP, you will be placed in a Department of the Navy lab, where you will work directly with scientists and engineers on active research projects. Rather than following a preset curriculum, your experience depends on the lab you join, meaning you could be contributing to fields like engineering, cybersecurity, ocean science, or advanced materials, among other areas. You will be expected to work full-time (around 40 hours per week), gaining exposure to how professional research environments operate while building technical and problem-solving skills. Throughout the program, mentorship is a central component, with researchers guiding your work and helping you understand both the science and potential career pathways. At the end, you will present your work, often through technical summaries or presentations, mirroring how research is shared in professional settings. 

10. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

Location: Opportunities throughout the U.S., including in Seattle, WA; mentors are assigned within a 45-minute distance from your home.

Cost/Stipend: No cost; $3,000 stipend

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small cohort each year

Dates: Eight weeks in the summer; dates are flexible.

Application deadline: January 25

Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and rising college freshmen who are at least 16 and live in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Canada

The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program offers paid summer experiences to high school students interested in learning about the work of fisheries and aquatic science. As a Hutton Scholar, you will work with fisheries professionals on projects focusing on habitat restoration, protection, and management. Additionally, you will spend time in office or field environments, working on tasks such as examining aquatic specimens, conducting surveys to track fish populations, electrofishing, and processing data. In the process, you will learn about the life of a fisheries biologist and gain a glimpse into other career paths in the animal and aquatic sciences. You may also get to present your project findings at the end of the internship. 

11. Genome Hackers Camp @ University of Washington

Location: University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Cost/Stipend: Not specified

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: July 27 – 31

Application deadline: May 31

Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9 – 12

If you are curious about how biology and coding intersect, this program is designed to be an accessible starting point. Over the course of a week, you will split your time between hands-on lab work and beginner-friendly computational lessons. In the lab, you will learn foundational techniques like pipetting, PCR, and general lab safety, while also exploring how scientists study genes across different organisms. For the coding component, you will work with Python and learn core concepts such as loops, lists, and basic data handling, with a focus on real biological applications. The program also walks you through how researchers analyze genetic information using bioinformatics tools and think about ethical questions in science. At the end of the camp, you will collaborate with peers to design and present a research poster, getting a glimpse into how scientific work is communicated in real labs.

12. Seattle University Pre-College Program Urban Sustainability 

Location: Seattle University campus, Seattle, WA

Cost: $1,500 (scholarships available)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: July 26 – 31

Application deadline: April 25

Eligibility: High school students 

In Seattle University’s Urban Sustainability program, you will spend a week working closely with faculty to investigate topics like water quality, green infrastructure, and urban biodiversity, often through field-based activities and lab analysis. The curriculum draws from multiple disciplines such as biology, chemistry, environmental science, and engineering, so you get a broad view of how environmental problems are studied and addressed. You will also engage with ideas around environmental justice, examining how social and historical factors shape environmental outcomes in cities. Rather than focusing on lectures alone, the experience emphasizes active participation, data collection, and group-based problem-solving. At the end, you will have a clearer understanding of both the science and the societal dimensions of sustainability work.

13. University of Puget Sound’s Summer Academic Challenge (SAC)

Location: University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

Cost: Free

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: Mid-June to mid-July (20 days total)

Application deadline: June 1 (student application); June 8 (parent section and reference letters)

Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 12 who currently attend a public school in Tacoma or greater Pierce County; applicants must be from underrepresented minority groups, be first-generation college students, and/or qualify for the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program. 

SAC is a free, four-week STEAM enrichment program held on the University of Puget Sound campus, where your learning is built around a theme such as robotics, flight, and sustainability. The program splits participants into three groups, each exploring a different topic: salmon ecology and water rights, probability and statistics, or home design and sustainable architecture. Your classes will be project-based, meaning you will work in teams to build models, run experiments, write code, and present your findings. Beyond the classroom, you will attend workshops on writing and public speaking, go on field trips, and take part in special campus events. University students will serve as mentors and teaching assistants throughout the program, giving you direct access to college-level guidance.

14. SoundBio Lab National Youth Laboratory (NYL) Internship

Location: Virtual/SoundBio Lab, Seattle, WA

Cost/Stipend: Not specified

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: June 30 – August 20 (Mondays and Wednesdays)

Application deadline: April 30

Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students, ages 16 – 20

SoundBio Lab offers students the opportunity to engage in hands-on experiences in biotechnology, engineering, and design through its internships. You will take on tasks focused on DIY and low-cost technology design across fields such as biochemistry, electronics, coding, microbiology, and additive manufacturing. The core responsibility is designing and building a low-cost plate reader, which will offer you insights into synthetic biology, circuit design, and microcontroller programming. Throughout the internship, you will work with scientists and STEM professionals. The program focuses on the intersection of biology and engineering with an emphasis on developing solutions to real problems.

15. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center’s Coding for Cancer

Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: No cost; $1,000 award available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Dates: July 27 – August 21

Application deadline: March 29 (application); April 5 (teacher recommendation)

Eligibility: Students entering grades 11 and 12 in the fall; Washington State residents are preferred.

This free program, offered by the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, combines coding and R programming language training with exposure to cancer biology research. The first half of the program lets you learn about coding and cancer biology through small-group and individual exercises. In the second half, you will work on your own research project. You will practice coding, learn about computational research, and work with real tools researchers use. The sessions are led by Fred Hutch postdoctoral fellows in computational biology. Upon completing the four-week program, you will receive a $1,000 award and a digital Credly badge.

Frequently asked questions

What types of science programs are available for high school students in Washington State?

Options include paid biomedical research internships (Fred Hutch SHIP, Seattle Children's Research Institute, ISB), paid government lab internships (SEAP at Navy labs), paid fisheries and aquatic science internships (Hutton Program), paid neuroscience programs with clinical exposure (UW Neuroscience), free engineering and computer science programs (SEAS at Gonzaga), computational biology and coding programs (UW Genome Hackers, Fred Hutch Coding for Cancer), environmental science programs (Seattle University, UPS SAC), biotech and engineering programs (SoundBio Lab), and virtual AI and research programs (Veritas AI, Lumiere).

Which Washington State science programs offer the largest stipends?

SEAP at Department of the Navy labs offers $4,000 for new participants and $4,500 for returning participants. UW Neuroscience Summer Student Program provides $3,200. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program provides $3,000. Seattle Children's Research Institute provides a $2,000 stipend. Fred Hutch Coding for Cancer provides a $1,000 award and Fred Hutch Pathways Explorers provides a $500 completion award.

Which programs are best for students interested in cancer or biomedical research?

Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP) embeds students in active cancer research labs for eight weeks with full-time mentored research. Fred Hutch Pathways Research Explorers provides a two-week guided introduction to biomedical techniques including PCR and electrophoresis. Seattle Children's Research Institute program combines structured lab instruction with an independent research project over four weeks. Fred Hutch Coding for Cancer focuses on computational approaches to cancer biology using R programming.

Are there science programs in Washington State specifically for underrepresented students?

University of Puget Sound SAC is free and specifically designed for students from underrepresented minority groups, first-generation college students, and those qualifying for free or reduced lunch in Tacoma and Pierce County. SEAS at Gonzaga focuses on women in STEM and is fully funded. Fred Hutch and Seattle Children's programs prioritize Greater Seattle area students, many of whom come from underrepresented communities.

Which programs are best for students interested in computational biology or bioinformatics?

UW Genome Hackers Camp combines hands-on lab work with Python programming and bioinformatics tools in a one-week accessible format. Fred Hutch Coding for Cancer teaches R programming alongside cancer biology research over four weeks, concluding with an independent computational research project. ISB High School Intern Program may involve computational biology and data science depending on the research group placement. Veritas AI offers virtual AI and machine learning programs that connect directly to biomedical data applications.

When should I apply to science programs for high school students in Washington State?

SEAP has the earliest deadline at November 1. UW Neuroscience Program closes December 15 and Hutton Program closes January 25. Fred Hutch Pathways Explorers closes March 6, ISB closes March 11, and Fred Hutch SHIP closes March 13. Seattle Children's Research Institute closes March 8. University of Puget Sound SAC closes June 1 and UW Genome Hackers closes May 31. Students should begin researching in the fall and prioritize November and December deadline programs well before the winter break.