15 STEM Summer Programs for High School Students in Houston, Texas
If you are a high school student looking to explore academic interests outside the classroom, many programs give you the chance to work on research projects, learn technical tools, and interact with professionals in fields such as engineering, medicine, computer science, and biotechnology. Some programs also introduce you to the research process, including how to collect data, analyze results, and present your work. In some cases, you may work closely with faculty members or graduate researchers who guide your projects..
Why should you attend a program in Houston?
Houston is home to several universities, research hospitals, and scientific organizations that host summer STEM programs for high school students. Institutions such as Rice University, the University of Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, and MD Anderson Cancer Center regularly offer programs that allow students to explore topics in biomedical science, engineering, technology, and public health. Depending on the program, you might work in a laboratory, participate in engineering design challenges, or learn how data and computing tools are used in scientific research.
To help you get started, we’ve narrowed down a list of 15 STEM summer programs for high school students in Houston, Texas.
If you’re looking for free summer programs in Houston, check out our blog here.
1. MohanLab Summer Internship Program
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 26
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors
This research internship places you inside a working university lab for a full summer. The first couple of weeks are focused on learning essential lab skills and understanding how scientific research is conducted. After that, you’ll spend most of the program contributing to a project in areas like biomedical science, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, or data analysis. You’ll work under the supervision of researchers and graduate students while learning the day-to-day workflow of a research lab. The program ends with an oral presentation where you explain your findings and research process. Some students may also continue working with the lab afterward on data analysis or research writing.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; need-based financial aid is available.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Rolling. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. 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, students have the opportunity to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here.
3. DACCPM Summer Research Program
Location: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free; $3,600 stipend (pre-tax)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 14
Eligibility: High school students aged 18 or older
This ten-week internship places you in a medical research environment focused on anesthesiology, critical care, and pain medicine. You’ll spend the summer working on an active research project alongside faculty mentors and research staff. During the program, you’ll help collect data, review the medical literature, and learn the basic protocols used in clinical research. You’ll be involved in a full-time research schedule, which gives you a realistic view of how hospital-based research operates. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work at a research symposium and submit a written abstract summarizing your findings.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type; need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
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. Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences
Location: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: $7,200 (10-week program); $6,480 (9-week program)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 14
Eligibility: Texas high school seniors aged 18 or older. For more details, check here.
This summer program places you in a biomedical research lab for hands-on experience with scientific methods used in cancer and medical research. You’ll spend most weekdays in the lab learning techniques used to design experiments, collect data, and analyze results. In addition to lab work, the program includes seminars where researchers discuss current topics in biomedical science. You’ll also take part in structured activities focused on scientific communication, including abstract and poster presentations. The program ends with a research symposium where you present the work you completed during the summer.
6. Emma Bowen Foundation Summer Internship
Location: Partner organizations nationwide, including Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship; stipend varies by host organization
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Approximately 150 fellows selected annually
Program Dates: May – August (exact dates vary by placement)
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: High school seniors and undergraduate students aged 18+ with a minimum 3.0 GPA
This internship places you with a media, technology, or communications organization for a full summer work experience. You’ll contribute to real projects while working alongside professionals in areas such as journalism, digital media, software development, business operations, or marketing. The program also includes mentorship and career guidance to help you understand how different roles function within the media and technology industries. You’ll spend the summer gaining practical workplace experience while building professional skills such as communication, collaboration, and project planning. Fellows are matched with partner companies and present the work they completed during their internship at the end of the program.
7. UPWARDS Summer Program
Location: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: $7,200 stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 14
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors aged 18+ who identify as economically or educationally disadvantaged, have disabilities, or are first-generation students
This program places you in a biomedical research lab focused on cancer science. You’ll spend the summer working full-time with a faculty mentor on a research project while learning how studies are designed and carried out. In addition to lab work, you’ll attend lectures that introduce key topics in cancer biology and research careers. You’ll also gain experience working with real experimental data and observing how research teams collaborate inside a major medical center. At the end of the program, you’ll present your project in a research poster session at the CATALYST symposium.
8. TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: Free; scholarships up to $1,000 may be available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Approximately 55 students
Program Dates: June 8 – August 7
Application Deadline: April 9
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors attending the University of Houston in the fall with an intended STEM major
This nine-week program helps incoming college students prepare for STEM majors before their first semester begins. You’ll take an accelerated Calculus I course along with chemistry instruction designed to mirror the pace of college classes. The program offers academic support and advising from university faculty and staff. During the summer, you'll focus on adapting to college-level coursework and forming connections with other incoming STEM students. For students who were not automatically admitted to their target major, the program may also allow them to be evaluated for admission to that department.
9. SMS Summer Research Program
Location: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: None; minimum-wage stipend provided
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: April 17
Eligibility: High school students aged 18+ who previously participated in Saturday Morning Science or an affiliated program
This eight-week internship places you in a research lab at a major medical school where you’ll work closely with a researcher on a project for about 40 hours per week while learning how laboratory research is conducted. The program also includes weekly Lunch and Learn sessions that focus on research skills and career development. You’ll gain direct exposure to the pace and structure of biomedical research within an academic medical center. At the end of the summer, you’ll present your project at the SMS Summer Research Symposium.
10. Digital Health Workforce Initiative (DHWI)
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Stipend: Up to $1,800 stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Software Track: June 8 – 18 | Hardware Track: June 22 – July 2
Application Deadline: February 8
Eligibility: Current 9th–10th graders
This program introduces you to digital health technologies through hands-on research experiences. You can choose between two tracks: one focused on wearable hardware devices and the other on software tools for healthcare data and artificial intelligence. During the summer sessions, you’ll work with researchers and healthcare professionals to explore how digital technologies are applied in medicine. The program continues during the school year with additional mentorship and training sessions. You’ll present your work at the Spring Innovator Showcase, where students share their projects and results.
11. High School Emerging Researcher Experience
Location: Houston Methodist Hospital – Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 30
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (16+) with a minimum 3.5 GPA
This eight-week research program introduces you to translational medical research inside a hospital research environment. You’ll work alongside undergraduate interns and researchers on a defined project while learning common lab techniques and research practices. The program includes mentorship from faculty members and research staff who guide you through the project’s structure and goals. You’ll experience how laboratory discoveries move toward clinical applications in healthcare settings. At the end of the program, you’ll present your findings as a research poster at the MAPTA Symposium.
12. Summer Design Experience – The Idea Factory
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: $500 per session
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 8 – 12 (Session I) | June 15 – 19 (Session II)
Application Deadline: June 1
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders
This one-week design program focuses on how engineers and designers turn ideas into real products. You’ll work through guided design challenges that introduce concepts such as materials, structural thinking, and product development. In the first session, you’ll experiment with transforming flat cardboard into functional furniture using cutting and folding techniques. The second session focuses on designing and building a lamp while exploring mold design and material properties. You’ll spend most of the week building prototypes and testing design ideas in a workshop-style setting. The program offers a short yet practical look at how design thinking connects to engineering and manufacturing.
13. BioTechnology Academy
Location: University of Houston, Houston, TX
Cost: $400
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 9 – 13 (tentative, based on previous years)
Application Deadline: June 6 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th graders
This short summer program introduces you to the basics of biotechnology through a mix of lectures and lab sessions. You’ll work in university labs while learning about topics such as molecular structure visualization, coding basics, and drug discovery. The program also explores how algorithms and computational tools are used in biological research. You’ll spend time working with lab equipment and software used to study molecular interactions.
14. Rice ELITE Tech Camp
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: $1,799 (commuter) | $3,899 (residential)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Multiple dates between June 21 and July 25
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
This one-week engineering camp introduces you to technical topics through project-based learning. You’ll choose two subject areas, one for the morning and one for the afternoon, such as robotics, artificial intelligence, data science, or biomedical engineering. The program combines short lectures with hands-on challenges where you apply engineering concepts to solve practical problems. You’ll work in small teams to build and test projects while learning the engineering design process used in university courses. The experience gives you a preview of how engineering is taught at the college level.
15. Global Teen Medical Summit
Location: The Health Museum, Houston, TX
Cost: $1,950; scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 14 – 19 | July 19 – 24
Application Deadline: June 7 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–18
This short medical program explores how science, technology, and ethics intersect in healthcare. You’ll participate in interactive workshops, simulations, and group challenges that examine real-world medical problems. Throughout the program, you’ll collaborate with peers to analyze clinical scenarios and develop potential solutions. Sessions also include discussions with professionals from the Texas Medical Center about different careers in medicine and healthcare. The program ends with a team design challenge based on a real medical or ethical issue.