Best Research Opportunities for High School Students (2026)
Updated: Aug 26
Updated 26th August, 2026
TL;DR
You'll find over 40 research opportunities on this page, grouped by format, cost, subject, and competitiveness, from online mentorships to lab-based summer internships. Several programs cost nothing, and some even pay a stipend, including QuarkNet at Fermilab and the Broad Summer Scholars Program. Whether you're a freshman testing out a subject or a junior building a college application, you'll find options across every grade level from 9 through 12. The most selective programs, like the Research Science Institute, admit fewer than 3% of applicants, so it's worth applying broadly alongside them. If you want a rigorous, mentor-led research project rather than a fixed-curriculum program, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you 1:1 with a PhD mentor.
Doing real research in high school is one of the clearest ways to show a college that your interest in a subject goes past the classroom. It also tells you something useful before you commit to a major: whether you actually enjoy the slow, uncertain work that research really is.
How to get into research opportunities as a high schooler?
With acceptance rates as low as 2 to 3% at the most selective opportunities, getting in takes more than strong grades alone.
While there's no specified formula, successful students tend to share a few things in common:
Excel in your coursework: Take the most rigorous subject-relevant classes your school offers, and earn top grades in them. This signals you can handle the academic intensity these programs expect, since the coursework often previews the program's pace.
Pursue research before you apply: Independent or mentored research, even informal, shows genuine interest in the subject rather than just classroom achievement. The Council on Undergraduate Research is a good reference point for what counts as substantive research experience if you're not sure your project measures up.
Compete wherever you can: Science fairs, Olympiads, and subject competitions strengthen your academic profile, help you build independent thinking skills, and give admissions readers something concrete to point to. Regeneron ISEF, the most prestigious science fair for high schoolers, is a clear example of this.
Write essays that show curiosity, not a resume: Use your application essays to demonstrate how you think and what you're curious about, rather than restating your accomplishments. Admissions readers are trained to notice the difference between a listed achievement and an actual question you're trying to answer, so it helps to understand what admissions officers actually look for in essays before you start drafting.
Apply earlier than you think you need to: Many of the most selective programs set deadlines as early as December for the following summer, so starting in grade 9 or 10 gives you more time to build a good track record. Waiting until junior year often means competing for the same spots with a thinner application than students who started earlier.
Do research opportunities help with your college applications?
Yes, and research can be one of the strongest parts of an application, though it works best as one clear element of a wider profile. It helps in a few specific ways:
It sets you apart from similar applicants: at selective schools, strong grades and test scores are common. Original research is far rarer, and it signals initiative and academic curiosity beyond what a class requires.
It shows a clear academic direction: a completed project demonstrates sustained interest in a subject, which strengthens applications to competitive majors and gives real substance to the field you say you want to study.
It earns you a credible recommender: a research mentor who has supervised your work can speak in specific, concrete terms about how you think and solve problems, which carries more weight than a reference who knows you only from class.
Our admissions report backs this up. Analyzing 492 scholars from the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, we found they were roughly 4x more likely to be admitted to a top university than the average applicant, with early acceptances from UPenn, Princeton, Columbia, and Cornell. The report breaks down where the Class of 2030 was admitted and how students positioned their research alongside the rest of their applications, so read the full admissions report for the details.
How we selected these research opportunities
We built this list by evaluating every program against the factors that matter most to students and families. We weighed five criteria:
Mentor credentials and involvement: who guides the research, their academic background, and how much one-on-one time each student actually gets.
What you produce by the end: whether you finish with a genuine output like a paper, publication, presentation, or completed project, rather than only a certificate of attendance.
Cost and transparency: the full price of the program, including any application or hidden fees, and how clearly that is communicated before you commit.
Verifiable outcomes: evidence we could check ourselves, such as published student work or admissions data, rather than marketing claims.
Community and networking: the peers, alumni, and academic connections a program opens up, which often matter long after it ends.
Section | Top programs | Cost | Best for |
Most competitive | Lumiere Research Scholar Program, RSI, SIMR, Clark Scholars, SSRP Rockefeller | Free – $11,900 | Elite students with strong academic records targeting top universities |
STEM | RSI, NHRE, Carnegie Mellon Pre-College, GeoCorps | Free – $1,500 | Students focused on science, engineering, or CS |
Medical and health | RUYES, St. Jude, NIH HiSTEP, Monell (MSAP) | Free (stipends provided) | Students pursuing medicine or biomedical research |
Online and virtual | PRIMES-USA, Stanford AI4ALL, Immerse Education | Free – $250+ | Students without local university access |
Free and low-cost | QuarkNet, Broad Summer Scholars | Free (stipends up to $3,600) | Students who can't or don't want to pay |
Summer and school-year | Sandia, MITES Semester, NASA OSTEM, Princeton Lab Learning | Free – $8,250 | Students who want research beyond a single summer |
Humanities and social science | Hoover History Lab, JIOP, NYU Art Intensive, Sotheby's Institute | $2,000 – $7,265 | Students interested in law, history, or art research |
Most competitive research opportunities
These are super selective programs hosted by prestigious labs, universities, and government organizations. They're worth applying to, but owing to their very low acceptance rates (usually in the single digits), it’s a good idea to also have backup plans!
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: No cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Under 5%; 80 rising seniors selected per year
Dates: June 22 – August 2
Application deadline: December 11
Eligibility: Rising seniors worldwide meeting academic criteria
RSI is among the most prestigious high school research programs globally, selecting 80 rising seniors for a fully funded STEM research experience. Students conduct independent research in fields like computer science, engineering, and mathematics under mentor guidance, culminating in a professional-style symposium with oral and written reports.
Who it's best for: An elite STEM student, typically already an Olympiad or major-competition qualifier, ready for a fully independent research project.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $40 application fee; stipend of $500–$1,500 based on financial need
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3%; ~50 students selected annually
Dates: June 9 – July 31
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, 16+
SIMR pairs students with graduate student and postdoctoral mentors across eight biomedical focus areas. The program opens with orientation and two weeks of lectures and lab sessions, then moves into hands-on lab research, lecture collaboration, and preparation for a final capstone. At the capstone, students present findings to mentors and the wider Stanford community.
Who it's best for: A student serious about medicine or biomedical research who can commit eight weeks to the Bay Area and wants one of the most recognized names on this list.
Location: Texas Tech University
Cost/Stipend: ~$6,000, need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Under 3%; only 12 students selected
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors
Clark Scholars is a seven-week program placing 12 students with Texas Tech faculty across cell and molecular biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, engineering, history, and more. Applying requires an online application, short essays, transcripts, test scores, three recommendations (two from teachers), and a top-five extracurricular list, making it one of the more application-intensive programs on this list.
Who it's best for: An academically excellent student open to any field — sciences, humanities, or engineering — who wants a fully-funded, ultra-small-cohort research experience.
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; travel covered, need-based stipends may be available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3–4%; ~32 students selected per cohort
Dates: June 24 – August 7
Application deadline: January 3
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors, at least 16 at program start
SSRP places 32 students annually in biomedical science mentorships at Rockefeller University. Beyond the core lab placement, the program adds elective science courses, guest lectures, and social events, closing with a formal symposium where students present findings to the university community.
Who it's best for: A biomedical-research-focused student who wants a free, prestigious NYC lab placement.
Location: Five campus options: Purdue, UNC Chapel Hill, University of Colorado, New Mexico State, Indiana University
Cost/Stipend: $8,800; need-based financial aid available, including full waivers
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~10%
Dates: Mid-June to July (tentative)
Application deadline: February 16
Eligibility: Juniors and a few sophomores, at least 15, having completed required prerequisite courses
SSP lets students choose one of three research tracks — astrophysics (near-Earth asteroid orbit determination), biochemistry (fungal crop pathogens), or genomics (antibiotic resistance evolution). The curriculum combines classroom lectures, lab sessions, and guest lectures, and despite the high cost, is well regarded for its college-level research depth and networking.
Who it's best for: A strong math/physics student who can afford the program cost and wants an intensive, data-driven astrophysics, biochemistry, or genomics project.
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type. No stipend offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort.
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 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.
Who it's best for: Ambitious high school students looking for an accessible way to work on independent research and publish under the guidance of a mentor.
Location: Stony Brook University (commuter and residential options)
Cost/Stipend: Free; students cover transportation/residential costs; stipend award at closing symposium
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 8%; requires school nomination plus two recommendation letters
Dates: July 1 – August 9
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Current juniors, at least 16
Simons Summer Research Program places a nominated cohort of juniors directly into Stony Brook University research labs for a hands-on, faculty-mentored summer. Students choose from a wide range of fields — including biochemistry, computer science, geoscience, pharmacological sciences, and astronomy — and are paired one-on-one with a faculty mentor for the full seven weeks, closing with a stipend award and a research symposium presentation.
Who it's best for: A nominated junior who wants broad subject choice — from computer science to astronomy — in a free, university-run research program.
Location: UC Santa Barbara (commuter and residential options)
Cost/Stipend: $4,975 (commuter) / $11,874 (residential); limited need-based scholarships
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 4–6%
Dates: June 17 – August 2
Application deadline: March 18
Eligibility: 10th and 11th graders with a minimum 3.8 GPA
RMP spans STEM and humanities disciplines — computer science, anthropology, marine biology, psychology, ecology, and more. Students are paired with a mentor for fieldwork and data collection culminating in a symposium research paper, with the option to earn up to 8 college credits. Despite the high cost, the acceptance rate and research depth keep it on prestige lists.
Who it's best for: A student who can afford the program fee and wants a flexible commuter or residential research placement at a UC campus.
Location: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, or UC Santa Cruz
Cost/Stipend: $4,550; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially published in aggregate; each subject cluster typically admits 20–25 students
Dates: June–August (4 weeks)
Application deadline: Tentatively January
Eligibility: California resident (20 out-of-state spots available), GPA 3.5+ typical
This intensive residential program is for students who've demonstrated an aptitude in STEM. Courses range from quantum mechanics and machine learning to microbiology and nanochemistry, with lectures, lab sessions, networking, group work, fieldwork, and a closing poster session.
Who it's best for: A California student who wants an intensive, specialized STEM cluster experience across multiple UC campuses.
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA (virtual participation available)
Cost/Stipend: Up to $1,000 in project funding for finalists
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Under 6%
Dates: Finalists announced in February; projects completed by June
Application deadline: January 1
Eligibility: All high school students, applying individually or in teams of two
MIT THINK is built for students who already have a research proposal in science, technology, or engineering. Finalists receive weekly mentoring, technical support, and up to $1,000 in funding, plus a four-day immersive visit to MIT's campus (virtual participation available). It's less an entry-level program and more a launchpad for a project a student has already started.
Who it's best for: A self-directed student who already has a research or engineering project idea and wants MIT mentorship and funding to build it out.
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: $6,800
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 12 students chosen annually
Dates: June 2 – August 8 (10 weeks)
Application deadline: Opens November, typically closes January
Eligibility: Texas high school seniors, 18+ by program start
This program places Texas high school seniors in active cancer research labs at one of the country's leading cancer centers. Students work alongside MD Anderson scientists on allied-health-focused research over a 10-week placement, gaining direct exposure to oncology research methods and clinical collaboration.
Who it's best for: A Texas senior specifically drawn to oncology research who wants exposure at a top cancer center.
Location: Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided (amount unspecified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Under 5%; cohorts of 10–15 students
Dates: September – following May
Application deadline: Applications open in May
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; international students may apply
SRMP is a year-long, part-time research mentorship run through the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, open to students across grade levels including international applicants. Students are paired with a working astrophysicist for hands-on research spanning the full academic year, culminating in a final presentation of their findings — one of the few multi-season, rather than single-summer, options on this list.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a multi-season (not just single-summer) astrophysics mentorship and can commit part-time across a full year.
STEM research opportunities
If you’re looking to do research specifically in science, technology, engineering, or math, these programs are the best opportunities in STEM fields currently open to high school students.
Location: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C.
Cost/Stipend: $8,000 stipend, plus up to $800 travel
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20–30 students
Dates: 10 weeks, May 27 – August 1
Application deadline: January 17
Eligibility: High school students or graduates accepted to (but not yet started) an undergraduate program
NHRE gives students hands-on projects like fossil preparation, mineral analysis, and educational programming contribution at the Smithsonian. Students work directly with museum scientists and refine communication skills through public outreach events with museum visitors.
Who it's best for: A student interested in natural history or biodiversity research who wants a stipend-paid Smithsonian placement.
Location: Virtual component + on-site at UT Austin
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~11%; UT Austin's Center for Space Research reports about 2,000 applications and 215 acceptances.
Dates: Not specified
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Sophomores or juniors, 16 by July 1, U.S. citizen, strong STEM interest
SEES is a nationally competitive program where students work alongside NASA subject matter experts on Earth and space research. Students assist with analyzing and visualizing data, foundational skills for aerospace engineering, closing with a Virtual SEES Science Symposium presentation.
Who it's best for: A sophomore or junior interested in Earth or space science who's comfortable with a hybrid virtual-plus-on-site format.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 4 weeks, June–July
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Sophomores for CS Scholars track; seniors for AI Scholars track
This program combines classroom instruction, research projects, faculty lectures, and tech-industry engagement. The CS Scholars track introduces algorithmic components, basic data structures, and Python problem-solving techniques, and completers may be invited back as rising seniors to the AI Scholars program the following summer.
Who it's best for: A student from an underrepresented background in tech who wants a fully-funded, no-cost residential introduction to AI or CS.
Location: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Cost/Stipend: None; summer interns are paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate; Princeton does not publish an acceptance figure
Dates: Semester-long or summer
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: 16+, graduating senior when internship begins, U.S. citizen/permanent resident; housing not provided
This internship offers direct plasma-physics lab experience under professional guidance, with options during the semester or summer. Fall or spring internships can count for academic credit, while summer interns are paid for their time — a rare academic-credit option among high school research programs.
Who it's best for: A physics-focused student who wants paid exposure to fusion or plasma research at a national lab.
Location: Various U.S. locations (national parks and public lands)
Cost/Stipend: None; paid internship (varies by project)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by project
Dates: 10–12 weeks, starting early May
Application deadline: Last week of February
Eligibility: Recent high school graduates, 18+ (program text also notes 16+ eligibility elsewhere)
GeoCorps places students in national parks and public lands for hands-on field research, data collection, conservation, and environmental education work. Students are paired with professional geologist and conservationist mentors, closing with a poster presentation or written report of findings.
Who it's best for: A student drawn to earth or environmental science who wants paid, field-based work at national parks or public lands rather than a lab.
Location: UC San Diego, CA, and virtual options
Cost/Stipend: $1,500 with a research project; free without one
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially published; SDSC describes it as competitive with regional priority for San Diego County residents
Dates: Tentatively June 19 – August 11
Application deadline: Tentatively March 15
Eligibility: Rising 10th graders; primarily San Diego County residents, others accepted if housing is arranged
This 8-week program, run with the San Diego Supercomputer Center, focuses on computer science and AI. Students collaborate with UCSD faculty mentors on tailored research projects, developing hypothesis formulation, experimentation, and data analysis skills — one of the few programs on this list explicitly open to rising 10th graders.
Who it's best for: A San Diego County resident interested in computing who wants a lower-cost, mentor-guided research or non-research track.
Medical and health research opportunities
Medicine is one of the most competitive research areas to break into as a high schooler, largely because of age and liability rules around clinical settings. These programs allow you to access labwork, and mentorship opportunities from the best medical mentors in the world.
Location: Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Two consecutive summers, June 25 – August 27
Application deadline: Early decision February 23, final deadline March 8
Eligibility: Rising juniors/seniors and graduated seniors entering college as freshmen, from underrepresented groups
RUYES is a two-summer program encouraging underrepresented students toward cancer research and healthcare careers. Students spend ~35 hrs/week in the lab on ongoing cancer research, gaining hypothesis-testing and data-analysis experience, and closing each cycle with a presentation at the Annual Research Day.
Who it's best for: A New Jersey/tri-state student from an underrepresented background who can commit to a two-summer cancer-research program.
Location: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
Cost/Stipend: $4,800 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 2 – July 25
Application deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Current junior in Memphis-Shelby County area or surrounding TN/MS/AR counties, 16+, 3.0+ GPA
This 8-week paid internship pairs students with a mentor for hands-on research in lab science, psychology, epidemiology, or data science. Workshops cover scientific thinking and college prep, including personal statement writing, closing with a community exhibition and scientific poster.
Who it's best for: A Memphis-area rising senior specifically interested in pediatric or cancer research at a top children's hospital.
Location: NIH main campus, Bethesda, MD
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $2,300–$2,530/month stipend before graduation, $2,570–$2,840/month after
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not published; open to rising 12th graders from Title-I-eligible schools (30%+ free/reduced lunch)
Dates: July 2 – August 1
Application deadline: Typically closes in January
Eligibility: Rising seniors; U.S. citizens/permanent residents; 3.0+ GPA; live in DC, MD, or VA within 40 miles of Bethesda
Run by the National Institutes of Health, HiSTEP focuses on biomedical engineering and healthcare careers. Students learn about research and healthcare careers through lectures, research group visits, and small group projects, alongside college-application guidance and a resilience and well-being track. The 5-week program is built specifically for students from under-resourced schools.
Who it's best for: A DC/MD/VA-area student from a Title-I school who wants a paid introduction to NIH-level research.
Location: Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Cost/Stipend: Free; $4,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 3% or less; 15–20 students selected per cohort
Dates: June 2 – July 25
Application deadline: February
Eligibility: Rising seniors from the Greater St. Louis area (MO and IL), particularly under-resourced or underrepresented-in-STEM students
This 8-week program promotes diversity and inclusion in STEM through biomedical research placements. Students are paired with graduate student, postdoctoral, or research-staff mentors for independent projects in genetics, microbiology, cancer biology, or biomedical engineering, alongside personalized tutoring, science communication coursework, and college readiness workshops.
Who it's best for: A St. Louis-area student who wants a highly selective, stipend-paid research introduction at a top medical school.
Location: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Paid (exact amount unspecified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Under 10%; 18–24 admitted from ~200 applicants annually
Dates: June 23 – August 15 (8 weeks)
Application deadline: December 31
Eligibility: High school students from the greater Philadelphia area, including Camden, NJ
MSAP places students in biomedicine and medical research across a multidisciplinary lab setting. Students work directly with scientists on research projects while attending seminars on advanced scientific topics, science communication training, and research-ethics discussions, closing with a public conference presentation. 20–30% of participants return in later years.
Who it's best for: A Philadelphia-area student interested in sensory science or chemoreception who wants a paid, competitive lab placement.
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend provided (amount unspecified)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Low; rigorous selection
Dates: June 30 – August 15
Application deadline: February 3
Eligibility: Juniors/seniors from Boston or Cambridge, 16+, minimum 2.7 GPA; priority to students underrepresented in medicine
This six-week paid internship places Boston/Cambridge students in Harvard Medical School labs under leading scientists and physicians. Beyond lab research, the program includes academic seminars, site visits to hospitals and biotech companies, and workshops on writing, public speaking, and computer literacy — a broader professional-development layer than most lab-only programs.
Who it's best for: A Boston-area student who wants the Harvard Medical School name and a free, stipend-paid research introduction.
Location: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided; housing/transportation not covered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 9 – August 1 (8 weeks)
Application deadline: January 26
Eligibility: Rising seniors, at least 16
This program focuses on lung disease research and contributes to ongoing hypothesis-driven or hypothesis-generating lab work. Students are paired with a Northwestern faculty mentor to build data analysis, experimental design, and scientific writing skills, plus college-application workshops, closing with a research symposium.
Who it's best for: A Chicago-area student interested in pulmonary or lung-disease research who wants a paid Northwestern lab placement.
Online and virtual research opportunities
If an in-person research opportunity is not something you can commit to/access, the virtual programs below are open to students from across the world, and are held entirely online. Online programs also tend to be cheaper than in-person programs, so if cost is a factor for you, check out the list below!
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: estimated 5-8% acceptance rate, over a thousand students apply for a limited 100 spots
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – July 4; Session 2: July 7 – July 25
Application deadline: February 3
Eligibility: 10th or 11th grade at time of application, genuine interest in mathematics
SUMaC gives students with a strong interest in advanced math a challenging online curriculum of lectures, hands-on research, and group problem-solving. Students work on mathematical problems and advanced techniques alongside peers, mentored by Stanford faculty and graduate students, with chances to present their work and engage with the broader math community.
Who it’s best for: A rising junior/senior with a strong pure-math background who's ready for proof-based coursework beyond the standard curriculum.
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA (remote research)
Cost/Stipend: Tuition-free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: estimated to be under 10%; cohort of 46
Dates: Year-round, January 1 – December 31
Application deadline: November 18
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors and sophomores (including home-schooled) living at least 50 miles from Boston
PRIMES-USA is a year-long, tuition-free math research program run in four phases. Phase 1 builds foundational knowledge through advanced readings; Phase 2 is collaborative research with faculty and grad students; Phase 3 is independent research; and Phase 4 culminates in a conference presentation. It's a serious commitment aimed squarely at students set on advanced math research.
Who it's best for: An advanced math student comfortable working remotely on a real research problem over a full academic year.
Location: Stanford University (online)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially published; independent counselors estimate roughly 4–7%
Dates: June 18 – July 2
Application deadline: January 24
Eligibility: 9th graders or rising 10th graders, over 14 by program start, preference for math and/or computer skills
Stanford AI4ALL is a three-week online program introducing younger high schoolers to artificial intelligence through lectures, research projects, and mentorship. Students work in small groups on research projects applying AI to real societal challenges like medicine, disaster response, and poverty, guided by graduate students and postdocs. Because it targets 9th and rising 10th graders specifically, it's one of the earliest entry points on this list.
Who it's best for: A 9th grader just starting to explore AI who wants early, low-barrier exposure to Stanford's AI research community.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 2 weeks in summer
Application deadline: Multiple summer cohorts, rolling
Eligibility: 13–18, enrolled in middle or high school
Unlike a fixed pre-college curriculum, the Immerse program is a live, mentor-guided research placement: students work 1:1 or in small groups with academic tutors from Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League institutions to design and carry out an original independent project. Students choose from 20+ subjects and produce a finished research paper with written feedback and certificate, the same core deliverable a standalone research fellowship would require.Who it's best for: A student who wants 1:1 mentorship on an independent research paper without relocating, and who can use the tuition flexibility/financial aid.
Location: Virtual (Waterloo time zone)
Cost/Stipend: $250
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30–40 students/year
Dates: July 17–28
Application deadline: March 16
Eligibility: Final two years of secondary school, completed Grade 11 physics or equivalent, fluent in English
ISSYP brings together 30–40 students each year for two weeks of physics lectures and problem-solving led by researchers at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. Students work through advanced physics topics alongside peer discussion groups, with the virtual format run on Waterloo's time zone, building relationships within a small, tightly-knit international cohort.
Who it's best for: A physics-focused junior/senior who wants two weeks of graduate-level theoretical physics content from Perimeter Institute researchers.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially published; described by the Institute as a competitive process for a limited one-week virtual cohort
Dates: June or July (1 week)
Application deadline: Early April
Eligibility: Rising juniors, seniors, or graduating seniors, not yet applied to college
This week-long program has students work with PhD-level scientists, exposing them to lab work in biochemistry, immunology, infectious diseases, and gene editing. Students also join workshops and activities to prepare for college and explore careers — a short, low-barrier virtual biomedicine intro.
Who it's best for: A student new to biomedical research who wants a low-commitment, one-week introduction before committing to a longer in-person program.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Under 10%; cohort of ~60
Dates: June 17 – August 9
Application deadline: Typically closes in January
Eligibility: Grades 11–12 or full-time community college students within their first 3 years
SHTEM spans an unusually wide range of fields — information/communication science, engineering, arts, linguistics, psychology, biology, neuroscience, computer science, philosophy, and design. The program is explicitly built to integrate humanities with STEM research, giving students early exposure to advanced academic research while developing analysis and writing skills. It's a strong fit for students who don't want to pick a single lane yet.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a structured, mentored Stanford research experience but doesn't have the specific profile SIMR or AI4ALL look for.
Free and low-cost research opportunities
Cost shouldn't decide whether you get to do research. The opportunities listed below charge nothing, and several pay a stipend on top.
Location: Fermilab, Batavia, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free (transportation, housing, meals not provided); $17.20/hour stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially published nationally; individual QuarkNet centers (50+ nationwide) typically admit 5–10 students each per summer
Dates: June 17 – August 2
Application deadline: Typically closes in January (opens November)
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors at an Illinois high school; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Run under the U.S. Department of Energy, QuarkNet places students on research projects alongside Fermilab scientists. Focus areas generally include particle physics, quantum science, particle accelerators, computing, and detectors, with students handling tasks like data collection and oral presentations. It's one of the few paid, physics-specific options on this list.
Who it's best for: An Illinois-based physics student who wants hands-on particle-physics research at a national lab at no cost.
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: No cost; $3,600 stipend plus partial transportation reimbursement
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially published; recent cohorts have run under 20 students
Dates: June 24 – August 2
Application deadline: Typically closes in January (opens mid-November)Eligibility: Rising seniors at a MA high school within commuting distance of the Broad Institute; B or better in science/math; U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or DACA
The Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP) puts students at the Broad Institute for six weeks, matched with Broad scientists. Research areas span cancer biology, psychiatric disease, chemical biology, computational biology, infectious disease, and genetics/genomics; students also attend scientific talks and a college fair. The program closes with a scientific poster session for the Broad community.
Who it's best for: A Massachusetts-based student serious about genomics/biomedical research who wants a paid, small-cohort lab placement at MIT/Harvard's Broad Institute.
Summer and school-year research opportunities
Summer is the obvious choice for high school research, but there are plenty of strong programs run during term time or in the fall/winter breaks. These can be great options if your summer is already spoken for, or if you’re a high school senior looking to pad their resume before they apply to universities.
Location: Sandia sites in Livermore, CA | Albuquerque, NM | other U.S. locations
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship, varies by role and time commitment
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; varies widely by site, division, and year — Sandia does not publish an aggregate figure
Dates: Year-round and summer options; up to 25 hrs/week during school year, 40 hrs/week during breaks
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: At least 16 years old; full-time high school, college, or university student with a minimum 3.0 GPA (for R&D, technical, or business roles)
Sandia, a U.S. Department of Energy NNSA contractor, offers both year-round internships and 3–8 month co-ops during the academic term. Students contribute to national projects in cybersecurity, engineering, software development, and energy research alongside working scientists and engineers. It's one of the few paid, national-security-adjacent options on this list.
Who it's best for: A STEM-focused student open to engineering or defense-adjacent research who wants paid, real-world experience at a national lab.
Location: Virtual (hybrid option for an MIT conference)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Six months, June – December
Application deadline: November – February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors; underrepresented, underserved, and first-generation students strongly encouraged to apply
MITES Semester is a six-month hybrid STEM program combining rigorous online coursework with weekly webinars, workshops, and meetings with STEM professionals. Students take two science/engineering courses (e.g., Machine Learning, Thermodynamics, Astrophysics) plus a project-based course and a core foundational course, with the fall stretch emphasizing college application support.
Who it's best for: An underrepresented STEM student who wants a free, MIT-affiliated academic-year program without needing to relocate for a summer.
Location: Virtual and on-site options at NASA centers
Cost/Stipend: Free registration
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies by position
Application deadline: May 16
Eligibility: U.S. citizens with a minimum 3.0 GPA
NASA's OSTEM program puts students on real research and technology projects alongside NASA engineers and scientists. Depending on placement, students can work on AI for air traffic management, machine learning, robotics, augmented/virtual reality, data modeling, or aerospace systems analysis. Both virtual and on-site center placements are available.
Who it's best for: A student who wants the NASA name on their resume and is flexible on location and project, since placements vary widely by center.
Location: Stanford University
Cost/Stipend: $8,250; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session I: June 23 – July 12; Session II: July 14 – August 2
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors, under 18
Stanford Summer Humanities Institute is one of the few non-STEM prestige options on this list, covering history, philosophy, culture, and literature. Students build academic writing and critical thinking skills through lectures, readings, and group work, then produce an original research project alongside regular coursework.
Who it's best for: A humanities-focused student who wants an intensive, discussion-based Stanford experience outside the STEM track.
Location: The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME
Cost/Stipend: $6,500 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; 40 students total (high school and undergraduate combined)
Dates: June 1 – August 10
Application deadline: January 29
Eligibility: Seniors who have completed 12th grade, at least 18
This fellowship mixes high school and undergraduate applicants in one competitive pool, raising the academic bar. Students develop a project, conduct experiments, analyze data, and present findings, choosing from areas like bioinformatics, cancer, genomics, immunology, and metabolic diseases — the generous stipend and rigorous process both add to its prestige.
Who it's best for: A student focused on genetics or genomics who wants a paid, in-person lab placement at a leading independent research institution.
Location: New York University campus, NY (area depends on lab/subject)
Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not officially published; NYU Tandon places roughly 65–80 students per cohort from a New York City–only applicant pool
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: NYC residents completing 10th or 11th grade in June
ARISE is a ten-week, tuition-free program pairing 10th/11th graders with NYU faculty in computer science, machine learning, robotics, and more. The program splits into 4 weeks of remote workshops and 6 weeks of in-person lab work, giving students professional research-lab experience while still tuition-free.
Who it's best for: A New York City resident who wants a free, stipend-paid lab placement without having to leave the city.
Location: Princeton University, NJ (commuter, statewide residents)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: third-party sources report roughly 40 students selected from 700+ applicants annually
Dates: 5–6 weeks over the summer, varies by project
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: 16+ by June 15, enrolled in high school (or graduated but under 18 by June 15); U.S. citizens, LPRs, or international students at a U.S. high school
This program lets New Jersey high schoolers contribute to active Princeton research projects in science and engineering under faculty and research-staff guidance. Past projects have spanned an Engineering track (e.g., LLM applications in environmental sustainability) and a Natural Sciences track (e.g., a fossil size database tracking climate-driven size change) — real ongoing research rather than a structured curriculum.
Who it's best for: A New Jersey-area student who wants hands-on lab research at an Ivy League institution and doesn't need a stipend to make it work.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: Stipend available (amount unspecified), plus daily lunch and a laptop for research
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application deadline: Window: December 16 – February 9
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, or seniors at a public/charter high school in Durham, NC; at least 15; U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident, or legal resident
DUNE is an 8-week program placing students in a neuroscience lab alongside postdocs, grad students, and staff scientists. Beyond hands-on lab work, students attend workshops on scientific communication, college prep, and neuroscience career paths, closing with a poster session presenting findings to peers and scientists.
Who it's best for: A Durham-area student specifically drawn to neuroscience who wants a paid, small-cohort lab placement.
Humanities and social science research opportunities
Research isn't only a lab activity. These programs run on archives, fieldwork, datasets, and primary sources instead.
Location: New York University, East Village, Manhattan
Cost/Stipend: $7,272 (includes housing)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 54 studentsDates: July 6 – August 2
Application deadline: Feb 15 (financial aid/international); March 1 (all others)
Eligibility: 15–18, going into 10th, 11th, or 12th grade
Students develop artistic skills through studio projects and visits to NYC art institutions, staying at NYU's East Village residence hall. Students experiment with new materials and techniques while exploring artists' studios to understand creative processes, refining their portfolios by the end of the program.
Who it's best for: A student set on a studio-art or design path who wants a portfolio-building residential experience in NYC.
Location: Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Boarding $4,950–$5,250; Commuter $3,950–$4,100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 24 students
Dates: July 21 – August 1
Application deadline: Early: December 31; Final: February 28
Eligibility: Current high school students
In partnership with The Concord Review, this program teaches advanced historical research using Stanford's Green Library and the Hoover Institution's Library & Archives. Students craft a 4,000–8,000-word research paper on a topic of their choice, which they can finish after the program and potentially submit to The Concord Review for publication.
Who it's best for: A student interested in historical or policy research who wants to produce a substantial research paper under a Stanford-affiliated think tank.
Location: Various — CA, IL, TX, and cities including DC, Miami, NY
Cost/Stipend: $2,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Low
Dates: May – June (6 weeks)
Application deadline: Typically January
Eligibility: All high school students
JIOP places students with federal or state judges across the U.S., fostering diversity in the legal field. Students gain courtroom experience, legal research skills, and direct work with judges, providing deep exposure to the judicial process — a distinctly legal (rather than legislative or executive) track.
Who it's best for: A law-interested student from an underrepresented background who wants real courtroom or legal-research experience with a federal or state judge.
Location: New York City
Cost/Stipend: $6,990 (tuition, room, board) + $275 materials fee; total $7,265
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session 1: July 6–18; Session 2: July 20–August 1
Application deadline: No specific deadline listed
Eligibility: Rising grades 10–12 and graduating seniors, 15+ by first day
This two-week program covers gallery and museum management, painting, drawing, and art history. Students get behind-the-scenes access to galleries, auction houses, artists' studios, and museums, with insight from leading art-industry scholars and professionals.
Who it's best for: A student interested in the art market, auction world, or curation rather than lab-based research.
How to publish your research as a high schooler
Publishing as a high schooler is a possible next step after these opportunities, but it helps to go in with realistic expectations about the process.
Work with a mentor or research program that understands publication: Getting a paper accepted involves knowing how journals format submissions, what a cover letter should say, and what a realistic timeline looks like. A mentor who has been through the process before can save you months of guesswork and improve your odds of acceptance. This is one of the biggest reasons structured research programs exist: not just to help you write your research paper, but to guide you through what happens after it's written.
Learn to identify reputable journals before you submit anywhere: Look for journals that are peer-reviewed and indexed in a recognized academic database. Outlets like the Oxford Journal of Student Science and The Concord Review are good examples of publications with an editorial and review process behind them. A predatory publication on your record can do more harm than good. So, it's worth running any journal you're considering through Think, Check, Submit, a publisher-backed checklist for spotting predatory journals, before you send your work there.
Submit to more than one place: Publishing as a high schooler is difficult, even with strong research. Rejection is common, and many students submit to several journals before finding the right fit, so it's worth working from a full list of journals that accept high school research rather than betting everything on one submission. That said, the process still has value even if you don't get published. Colleges care about the fact that you conducted original research, worked through a real methodology, and produced a finished paper.
Frequently asked questions: research opportunities for high school students
How do you get research opportunities as a high schooler?
Most students get started by reaching out directly to professors or labs at nearby universities, applying to structured mentorship programs, or joining a formal summer research program. Structured programs like Lumiere Research Scholar Program remove some of that legwork by matching you directly with a PhD mentor. Location matters too: students near a research university have more informal options, while virtual programs open up access if you don't.
What are some good research projects for high schoolers?
The strongest projects start from a question you're curious about, not a topic picked to look impressive on an application. Good starting points include analyzing a public dataset, running a small qualitative study through interviews, or building on a topic from a class you enjoyed. Look at case studies of past student projects, such as fluid dynamics, refugee assimilation, or cancer biomarkers, for a sense of scope.
What are some good research topics for high school students?
Good topics usually sit at the intersection of something you already study in school and a question that hasn't been fully answered. Popular areas include biomedical science, computer science and AI, environmental science, psychology, and social science topics like migration or education policy. Humanities topics work just as well: literature, history, and linguistics all support original research with primary sources. The best test for a topic is whether you can turn it into a specific question rather than a broad subject area.
Are there free research opportunities for high school students?
Yes, several programs on this list charge nothing, and some even pay a stipend, including QuarkNet at Fermilab and the Broad Summer Scholars Program. Many paid programs also offer need-based financial aid, so cost alone shouldn't rule a program out. Free and stipended programs tend to be more selective and often restrict eligibility by state or region, so check residency requirements before applying.
Can high schoolers do research online?
Yes, several programs on this list run fully virtually, including MIT's PRIMES-USA and Immerse Education's Online Research Programme. Virtual options are a good fit if you're not near a research university or want a schedule that fits around the school year. You'll still work directly with a mentor or instructor, just remotely rather than in person.
Is it too early to start research in high school?
No, many programs accept students as young as 14, and starting earlier gives you more time to explore a subject before applying to college. Programs like Lumiere's Junior Research Program are built specifically for younger high schoolers who want structured mentorship without needing prior research experience. Starting early also means you can pursue a topic out of genuine curiosity rather than application pressure.
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics before beginning a PhD at Harvard Business School. A former McKinsey & Company consultant and former researcher, his research has been covered by the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, and the Washington Post. In his articles for Forbes, he writes on what students and professionals can learn from high school research, high school passion projects, critical thinking, and mentorship. At Lumiere, he leads a selective research program where students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper. Connect with him on LinkedIn.