Competitive summer programs for high school students are a great way to gain exposure to college-level academics, develop practical skills, and build valuable industry connections . These programs, often hosted by prestigious organizations, may allow you to conduct research and deepen your understanding of your chosen field. Participating in a competitive summer program can also help you stand out in the college application process. 

For this list of the top 10 competitive in-person research opportunities, we focused on programs that are fully funded, have a rigorous selection process, and are hosted by esteemed institutions. Each program in this list has an acceptance rate below 10%. Whether covering STEM research, advanced medical studies, or engineering innovation, these programs can be a gateway to future academic and professional opportunities. Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.

Here are 10 competitive summer programs for high school students likely to catch the attention of admissions officers!

1. Anson L. Clark Scholars Program

This research program at Texas Tech University is highly selective, admitting only 12 high school students each year, with an acceptance rate of under 3%. This program allows you to conduct research in various fields, including nutritional science, computer science, mechanical engineering, and history. You will work on real research projects with faculty guidance. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.  

Acceptance Rate: < 3%

Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

Cost/Stipend: No application cost, stipend of $750 provided.

Application deadline: January 2

Program Dates: 7 weeks, June 22 –  August 7

Eligibility: Juniors and seniors who are at least 17 years of age.

2. Research Science Institute (RSI)

RSI is a well-known program for high school students held at MIT. With an acceptance rate of around 5%, it attracts a highly competitive group of applicants. Once accepted, you will spend a week in classes, followed by five weeks doing research under the guidance of experts in your field. Throughout the program, you’ll have the opportunity to work in labs and develop your own research project, which you will present at the end of the program. This experience enhances your knowledge in your chosen discipline and strengthens your college application by showcasing your ability to conduct independent research. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here. 

Acceptance Rate: < 5%

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA

Cost/Stipend: Free of cost, stipend provided

Application Deadline: TBA 

Program Dates: 2 months between June and August (tentative, based on previous years).

Eligibility: High school juniors, including international students, can apply. Recommended scores are 740+ for PSAT Math, 700+ for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, 33 for ACT Math, and 34 for ACT Verbal. If your scores are lower, you must provide other indicators of academic excellence.

3. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)

SIMR allows 50 high school students to participate in a six-week research experience at Stanford University. You will work in the university’s laboratories alongside faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and researchers. The program focuses on various research areas, including bioengineering, stem cell research, genetics, neurobiology, immunology, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, and cancer biology. Throughout the program, you will receive training in lab safety, research techniques, and the fundamentals of conducting scientific investigations. The program concludes with a poster presentation where you will share your findings. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here. 

Acceptance Rate: < 3%

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Cost/Stipend: There is no cost to attend, but all applicants must pay an application fee. Participants receive a minimum stipend of $500 for the program with students receiving a minimum of $1,500. Neither meals nor housing is provided.

Application Deadline: February 22

Program Dates: 8 weeks, June 9  – July 31

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors aged at least 16 with U.S. citizenship or permanent residency are eligible to apply.

4. TED Summer School Programme

Location: London, New York, Singapore, or Online

Cost: Varies by format

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; places are limited

Programme Dates: Summer 2026 (multiple two-week sessions across locations and formats)

Eligibility: Students aged 15–18 (14–18 for the virtual programme); strong English proficiency recommended.

TED Summer School is a two-week public speaking, communication, and leadership programme developed in partnership between Immerse Education and TED. Designed for motivated high school students, the programme helps participants discover meaningful ideas, develop them through structured reflection and practice, and communicate them clearly and confidently. Across small-group sessions guided by expert tutors trained by the TED team, students learn core frameworks for idea development, storytelling, and presentation. The programme culminates in each student delivering a TED-style talk, which is recorded and shared as part of a personal portfolio, alongside a formal certificate and individual feedback. You can explore the TED Summer School programme and check full guidance on eligibility, application steps, and deadlines on the application page.

5. Princeton Summer Journalism Program

The Princeton Summer Journalism Program offers a hybrid opportunity for students to explore journalism through online workshops, lectures, and a residential experience. In July, you will participate in virtual sessions led by journalists, where you will examine key issues affecting the media today. On campus, you will visit major news organizations, report on local news stories, create digital content, and participate in investigative journalism exercises. The program concludes with the production of The Princeton Summer Journal. While it focuses on developing journalistic skills, the program also integrates discussions on the humanities, arts, culture, social events, and history. To learn more about this program, check out our review here. 

Acceptance Rate: Cohort size of roughly 40 applicants. Information on the acceptance rate was not specified.

Location: Online and in-person on campus (Princeton, NJ)

Cost: Fully funded

Application Deadline: February 24

Program Dates: A multi-week, hybrid summer intensive beginning with online workshops in July and culminating in a 10-day residential experience on Princeton’s campus in August.

Eligibility: Applicants must be a junior in high school at the time of application, live in the U.S. and intend to attend college here, have a minimum unweighted GPA of at least 3.5 out of 4.0, have an interest in journalism, and meet at least one of the socioeconomic conditions listed here. 

6. Oxford Institute for Interdisciplinary Research

The Oxford Institute for Interdisciplinary Research is a prestigious summer research program for high school students. The program offers both group and 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across every field of academic study. Students choose from a baseline group program or 3 different 1-1 research programs. The program is Oxford-based, so students work with top mentors from Oxford and Cambridge (with options from Ivy League and T-20 US Unis as well). The programs generally run as full-time, 2-to-3 week programs (ie students work 40 hours a week for 2-to-3 weeks) so they are considered highly intensive for top, motivated students interested in doing advanced research at the high school level. Their application form can be found here.

Application Deadline: Summer Priority Deadline: Feb 28

Duration: Programs range from 2-to-3 weeks with follow up publication support ranging from 2-6 months

Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!

Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.

Cost: Full financial aid is available! Programs otherwise generally cost USD $2500-$4500

7. Telluride Association’s Summer Seminar

The Telluride Association Summer Seminars (TASS) is a competitive program for high school students, with an acceptance rate of 3% to 5%. Over six weeks, the program offers an intensive academic experience focused on creative problem-solving, community engagement, and intellectual growth.

TASS offers two distinct tracks:

• TASS-CBS (Critical Black Studies) explores the history, politics, literature, art, and cultural contributions of people of African descent.

• TASS-AOS (Anti-Oppressive Studies) examines systems of power and oppression, such as white supremacy, patriarchy, and classism, and discusses ways to address these issues through scholarly analysis and critical thought in the humanities and social sciences.

As a participant, you will attend daily college-level classes totaling about 3 hours, complemented by lectures, discussions, and group projects with peers. The program also includes experiential learning activities, such as organizing community service projects and managing a budget for program-related tasks. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here. 

Acceptance Rate: 3% — 5%

Location: University of Maryland, College Park, MD; Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Cost: Free of cost

Application Deadline: Applications are expected to reopen in the fall/winter

Program Dates: June 22 – July 26

Eligibility: Open to all high school sophomores and juniors. TASS also encourages applications from students of color and underrepresented ethnic groups to help promote diversity and support underrepresented communities in each year’s cohort.

8. Carnegie Mellon University’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) Pre-College Program

SAMS is a pre-college program focused on STEM fields. The program is led by the university’s faculty and includes classroom instruction, lectures, workshops, and projects. SAMS is divided into two phases: the first is a virtual session focusing on skill development and program orientation, followed by a six-week in-person program. During the in-person portion, you will take courses and work on projects under the guidance of faculty or graduate student supervisors. The program concludes with a symposium where you will present your project. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here. 

Acceptance Rate: SAMS receives about 1,500 applications annually for 75 spots, making the acceptance rate around 6.8%

Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

Cost: Free; this is a fully-funded program.

Application Deadline: March 1

Program Dates: June 21 –  August 2

Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

9. Simons Summer Research Program

The Simons Summer Research Program offers high school students the chance to engage in research across science, math, and engineering fields. As a participant, you will be paired with a mentor, become part of a research group, and work on a project that culminates in the creation of abstracts or posters. Throughout the program, you will work with laboratory equipment and research methodologies, gaining insight into life at a research university. Research areas include biochemistry, computer science, geoscience, pharmacological sciences, astronomy, and others, giving you a range of options to explore. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here. 

Acceptance Rate: 5%–12%

Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, featuring commuter and residential options.

Cost: Free, although students are responsible for transportation and residential costs. At the program’s closing symposium, students receive a stipend award

Application Deadline: February 1

Program Dates: July 1 –  August 9

Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are at least 16 years of age

10. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS)

JHIBS allows you to explore neuroscience research through the Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery. The program offers two formats: an 8-week in-person internship and a 5-week virtual program. The in-person track involves working on a research project, receiving mentorship, and attending seminars on neurological science. You will also participate in career development sessions and present your findings. The virtual track focuses on learning basic lab techniques and developing research skills. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.  

Acceptance Rate: 5–6 students are accepted into the in-person program every year. Information on the exact acceptance rate was unspecified.

Location: Virtual or in-person at the Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology, east Baltimore Campus, Baltimore, MD

Cost: Free. The in-person program includes an hourly stipend and covers transportation (housing excluded). The virtual program provides a $500 education scholarship.

Application deadline: March 1

Program dates: The in-person program lasts 8 weeks from June–August, while the virtual program runs for 5 weeks from July – August.

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (in the U.S. for the virtual program and in Baltimore City, MD for the in-person program) from underrepresented backgrounds can apply.

One other option — the Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.

Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1–1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.