15 Summer Science Programs for High School Students in NYC (New York City)
If you are a high school student in NYC interested in science, the summer is a great time to explore the field beyond the classroom. Summer science programs for high school students in NYC provide exposure to laboratory tools and research methods and opportunities to connect with peers and professionals.
From research internships to project-based bootcamps, these programs offer opportunities to get some work experience and build technical and soft skills to pursue STEM. These programs also offer exposure to various careers in science. Many of them are free, low-cost, or pay stipends, making them an accessible entry point to scientific discovery.
To help you find the right opportunity, we have come up with 15 summer science programs for high school students in NYC. Whether you are curious about biology, chemistry, computer science, or interdisciplinary science research, you will likely find an option in the list that aligns with your interests.
1. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: RockEDU Science Outreach Laboratory @ The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipends available for students with financial need who meet attendance and research requirements
Cohort size: 32
Dates: June 23 – August 7
Application deadline: January 3
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program
The SSRP is a seven-week, in-person summer internship where you will conduct hands-on research in biomedical science or bioinformatics. You will be assigned to a research track based on your interests and work closely with a small team of peers and 1–3 mentors. Your days will consist of lab work, technical workshops, guest lectures, and elective classes, all hosted at the RockEDU lab. The program requires a commitment of up to 35 hours per week, offering you access to lab resources and the support of mentors from Rockefeller University, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering.
2. Veritas AI’s AI Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small cohorts with 1:1 mentorship
Dates: Several 15-week cohorts, including in the summer
Application deadline: May/June for the summer session
Eligibility: High school students with prior experience in Python or AI, or those who have completed the Veritas AI Scholars program
The Veritas AI Fellowship is a research-focused experience where you will work one-on-one with an expert mentor to develop an independent AI project. Over 15 weeks, you will explore advanced concepts like neural network design, model evaluation, and data preprocessing, while working on a project that utilizes AI to address a real problem in any field of choice. You will present your work at a final showcase and get access to support for submitting your work to publication or competitions. The program is designed to help you build a research portfolio that demonstrates your technical ability.
3. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Summer Student Program
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2%; 20 students/year
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application deadline: February 7
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 14, have a minimum GPA of 3.5, and reside in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut within 25 miles of MSK’s Main Campus in NYC
Held at one of the world’s leading cancer research institutions, the Summer Student Program is an eight-week summer internship that offers hands-on experience in biomedical and computational science. You will work under the guidance of a Memorial Sloan Kettering faculty member, gaining exposure to laboratory techniques and participating in a mentored research project. Research opportunities are available in various areas, including genomics, immunology, optics, and pharmacology, providing an introduction to translational cancer research. You will create and present a research poster based on your project. You will also attend seminars and professional development workshops, which will help you build both technical and scientific communication skills.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several 12-week cohorts each year, including in summer
Application deadline: May/June for summer sessions
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic performance
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a virtual research opportunity that pairs you with a Ph.D. mentor to explore advanced topics in your chosen field. Over the course of 12 weeks, you will engage in one-on-one discussions with your mentor to design and conduct an independent research project, developing skills in literature review, data analysis, and academic writing in the process. The program offers support and resources tailored to your subject area, helping you investigate a topic in detail. You will finish the program with a polished academic paper that can be submitted to research competitions or journals.
5. NYU’s ARISE Program
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; a $1,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 3 – August 9
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are residents of NYC
The Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) program at NYU offers a comprehensive summer research experience for New York high school students. Over 10 weeks, you will participate in research ethics seminars, hands-on lab work, and technical training in data analysis and scientific inquiry. You will be paired with a research lab in a field of choice, which can be engineering, computer science, neuroscience, environmental studies, or any other STEM field, and contribute to research. You will also complete a final presentation to showcase your research findings. Through ARISE, you will gain 120 hours of lab experience, opportunities to refine public speaking skills, and guidance on your college applications.
6. NYU’s Cyber Security for Computer Science (CS4CS)
Location: NYU, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not publicly specified
Dates: July 14 – August 8
Application deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 10 and 11 who reside in NYC or Nassau County
CS4CS is a fully funded summer program at NYU that introduces high schoolers to key concepts in cybersecurity and computer science without requiring prior experience. You will study topics such as ethical hacking, cryptography, digital forensics, and behavioral sciences, including phishing and identity theft. The curriculum combines hands-on activities with real-world tools to investigate threats and secure digital environments. Additionally, it offers insights into privacy and data protection. You will also get access to an improv-based theater program that can help you exercise and refine your public speaking and collaboration skills.
7. Columbia’s Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE)
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $5,880; limited need-based scholarships available
Cohort size: 450 total students across 18 classes—on average, 25 students/class
Dates: Session 1: July 7 – 25 | Session 2: July 28 – August 16
Application deadline: March 3
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent graduates
Columbia University’s SHAPE is a summer program introducing high schoolers to university-level engineering. You can select from specialized engineering courses covering biomedical, civil, chemical, sustainable, data science, or robotics engineering. Taught by Columbia faculty, the program features project-based learning that emphasizes both theory and application. For instance, if you choose robotics courses, you will get to design and build a robotic car from scratch. In addition to your main coursework, you will attend elective sessions, college preparation sessions, and workshops on public speaking skills.
8. HK Maker Lab
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 7 – August 8
Application deadline: Priority deadline: December 18; Regular deadline: January 8
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors enrolled in NYC public or charter schools who can demonstrate educational or economic disadvantage
The HK Maker Lab is a free, six-week summer program in biomedical engineering and innovation, hosted at Columbia University in partnership with HYPOTHEkids. It combines Columbia’s SHAPE program along with two weeks of digital media experience. As a participant, you will work on a team project that combines digital media and healthcare innovation, while learning core concepts in engineering design, user-centered thinking, and prototyping. The program provides experience in solving real-world medical challenges and is supported by mentorship from Columbia faculty and professionals. Upon completing the program, you may qualify for a paid research internship the following summer.
9. Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity (RISE) Environmentor Prorgram
Location: RISE, Far Rockaway, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; interns receive up to $1,200
Cohort size: Selective
Dates: Six weeks; July – August
Application deadline: Applications open in March and close in May
Eligibility: High school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who live in or attend school within or near the Rockaway peninsula
RISE Environmentor is a research-based environmental science program that places students alongside scientists to investigate coastal ecology topics such as salt marsh restoration, dolphin morphology, and air quality monitoring. You will conduct an individual research project focused on the Rockaway shoreline and receive mentorship from professionals in the field. The program combines scientific research with outdoor activities, such as surfing, to create a balanced experience of inquiry and recreation. All projects are conducted in person and are designed to help you build scientific and communication skills while contributing to community-based conservation efforts.
10. Stony Brook’s Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY (less than two hours away from NYC)
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~5%
Dates: July 1 – August 9
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and at least 16 years old
The Simons Summer Research Program is a competitive science internship that allows you to engage in full-time research alongside Stony Brook University faculty and their research teams. You will have access to mentorship and spend six weeks gaining experience in scientific inquiry, lab work, and research in science, mathematics, or engineering. You can choose from various available research areas to ensure a customized experience. In addition to lab work, the program includes academic seminars and culminates in a final research abstract or poster presentation. You will also engage in skill-building and networking opportunities through workshops, tours, and social events.
11. Zuckerman Institute’s BRAINYAC
Location: Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Five weeks during the summer between June and August
Application deadline: Applications open in October
Eligibility: NYC students in grades 10–11 nominated by specific partner schools or programs (S-PREP, Lang Youth, Double Discovery Center, Columbia Secondary School, and BioBus); preference for students from upper Manhattan and the South Bronx
The BRAINYAC (Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia) program offers a neuroscience-focused summer research experience for NYC high school students, pairing you with a Columbia University neuroscientist for a hands-on lab apprenticeship. Over five weeks, you will work on an individual research project, applying lab techniques to explore topics like neural communication, sensory processing, and brain structure. The program combines mentorship and lab instruction with training in neuroanatomy, pipetting, Python, research literature, microscopy, and responsible research conduct.
12. American Chemical Society Project SEED
Location: Varies by placement; opportunities available in New York City
Cost/Stipend: Free; $4,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Over 350 students selected annually
Dates: 8–10 weeks, June–August
Application deadline: April 14
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, seniors, or recent graduates who have completed at least one chemistry course and belong to low-income households (those with an annual income of ≤300% based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines)
Project SEED is a national initiative that provides full-time summer research experiences in chemistry to high school students from underserved backgrounds. You will work in a university, industrial, or government lab under the mentorship of professional chemists. The program encompasses a broad range of chemistry subfields and focuses on providing you with real-world lab experience, from formulating hypotheses to presenting results. You will also have access to other opportunities like career panels, field trips, and college prep support. The experience may conclude with a poster presentation or even an invitation to attend a major ACS conference.
13. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
Location: Opportunities throughout the U.S., including in NYC. You will be assigned a mentor in your area within a 45-minute distance from your home.
Cost/Stipend: Free with a $3,000 stipend + a trip to the Hutton Scholars Summit covered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Eight weeks in the summer; flexible dates
Application deadline: January 19
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates who are at least 16 and live in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada
The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is a paid internship offering exposure to fisheries and aquatic science. During the program, you will work under the mentorship of fisheries professionals on projects focusing on aquatic habitat protection, restoration, and management. The program provides insight into the responsibilities of a fisheries biologist and other career paths in the animal and aquatic sciences. Additionally, you will work on tasks such as conducting fish population surveys, processing data, examining aquatic specimens, and electrofishing. Also part of the program is an all-expense-paid four-night trip to the Hutton Scholars Summit, which offers sessions on college preparation and exploration of fisheries as a career. You will present your project at the end of the internship.
14. Kode With Klossy Summer Camp
Location: Virtual or in-person in NYC
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 2 – 13 | July 7 – 18 | July 21 – August 1 | August 4 – 15
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Women and gender expansive teens who are 13 to 18 years old
Kode With Klossy offers various coding and computer science programs, including its Summer Camp, which is a two-week introduction to software development, machine learning, and programming. You will explore these concepts through one of four tracks. In the data science track, you will explore concepts such as data visualization. The mobile app track covers coding in Swift (Apple’s programming language) to help you develop an iOS mobile application. In the web development track, you will work with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS to develop an online site. The machine learning track covers AI/ML concepts, including natural language processing, algorithms, and datasets.
15. Girls Who Code Summer Programs
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free + $300 need-based grant available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer Immersion Program: July 7 – 18 (for U.S. students); July 28 – August 8 | Pathways: June 30 – August 8
Application deadline: Early acceptance: February 28 | General application: April 16
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 – 12 (only 9th – 11th graders accepted for Summer Immersion) who are between the ages of 14 and 18 and identify as girls or non-binary individuals
Girls Who Code offers two virtual summer programs to high school students interested in coding, game design, or computer science. The Summer Immersion Program is a free two-week program focusing on game design and foundational coding concepts. It offers instruction-led sessions that cover beginner to intermediate level computer science, the game design process, and the basics of UX design. Another free option is Girls Who Code’s Pathways—a six-week, self-paced program covering cybersecurity, web development, data science, and AI. Both programs offer access to industry-led events, opportunities to build real-world projects, and exposure to coding languages like Python, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
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