13 Research Programs for High School Students in Nebraska
- Stephen Turban
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
If you’re interested in research, participating in a structured program during high school can help you explore how scientific and academic work is conducted beyond the classroom. These opportunities introduce you to fields such as biomedical science, engineering, computer science, healthcare, and data analysis while helping you build skills in critical thinking, experimentation, and scientific communication. They also provide opportunities to work with mentors, contribute to research projects, and experience university or laboratory environments firsthand.
In Nebraska, research programs are offered through medical centers, universities, and STEM institutes. These opportunities include laboratory internships, mentored research projects, healthcare-focused programs, and technology-based experiences that vary in format, duration, and level of specialization.
Why should I do a research program in high school?
Research programs allow you to explore advanced topics while learning how experiments, data analysis, and academic investigations are carried out in professional settings. You might work in biomedical or engineering labs, conduct computational or AI-focused research, analyze scientific data, contribute to healthcare projects, or develop independent research papers while learning from faculty and researchers. Over time, these experiences can help you strengthen analytical and communication skills, explore future academic interests, and prepare for college-level study and STEM-related careers.
To help with your search, below is a list of 13 research programs for high school students in Nebraska.
If you’re looking for summer programs in Nebraska, check out our blog here.
Location: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Cost/Stipend: No cost | Stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive | 10–15 students
Dates: June 1–August 7
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents | Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher | Have completed at least one science course such as biology or chemistry | At least 16 years old | Graduating seniors and international students are not eligible
The Summer High School Advanced Research Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center is a ten-week program for high school students interested in intensive laboratory work. You’ll be placed on active research teams as you engage in benchside research. You will explore research methods, examine data, and learn biomedical lab techniques. Finally, you will develop a research poster and present your findings at the end of the program.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type | Full financial aid available
Dates: Vary by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring | Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
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 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.
Location: University of Nebraska Medical Center(UNMC), Omaha, NE
Stipend: $1,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 10 weeks beginning June 1 (40 hours per week)
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors aged 16+ | Must be a US citizen or a permanent resident
The Summer Training in Anesthesia Research (STAR) fellowship at UNMC’s Department of Anesthesiology is a paid, full-time, ten-week summer internship for high school students interested in medical research. The core of the program is extensive experience in UNMC labs, helping you build awareness in basic, preclinical, and clinical research. You will participate in weekly seminars to develop strong presentation skills and have the opportunity to interact with basic and clinical scientists in the department. The program culminates in your research presentation at the university-wide summer undergraduate student poster session.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type | Financial aid available
Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September)
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply | Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more. Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. Apply here.
Location: University of Nebraska–Lincoln, NE
Cost/Stipend: Paid ($15/hour)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective | Limited placements
Dates: ~8-week session starting June 2
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Lincoln-area high school students, 16 years or older, who have not yet graduated | U.S. citizenship required
The STEM High School Internship offered by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience is a paid, eight-week internship program for high school students interested in STEM research. You’ll have the opportunity to work in UNL physics, engineering, or chemistry labs for 20 hours a week, under the guidance of UNL faculty and research scientists. You will explore and learn experimental and theoretical techniques working in these STEM labs. At the end of the program, you will present your findings at the concluding poster session.
Location: University of Nebraska–Lincoln and University of Nebraska–Omaha (in-person)
Cost/Stipend: Paid ($15/hour)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective | Limited research placements
Dates: Early June–Early August (up to 8 weeks)
Application Deadline: Early spring (varies by project)
Eligibility: Nebraska residents aged 16+ | Typically 10th–11th grade students | U.S. citizenship or work authorization required
The Young Nebraska Scientists (YNS) High School Researchers (HSR) Program offers high school students the opportunity to work with scientist-educators in active research laboratories across Nebraska. Research area options include biomechanics, climate science, physics, and nanoscience, among others. You will collaborate with your assigned faculty mentor for the overall schedule and responsibilities. You’ll learn coding and explore research methods and data analysis. You’ll present your research poster at the end of the summer.
Location: Creighton University, Omaha, NE
Cost/Stipend: No cost | $1,200 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive | Roughly 4–6 students per summer
Dates: June 1–July 10 | Colloquium (Oral Presentations): July 23
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors with a GPA of 2.5 or higher who can arrange housing in the Omaha area for the program
The Summer High School Community-Based Research Program at Creighton University is a six-week program designed for underrepresented high school students interested in community-based research. You will work at a community-based organization for the duration of the program, receive training in health disparities, and engage in research projects for the community. You’ll first understand the community's issues through surveys, data analysis, and community mapping. Accordingly, you will recommend policies addressing the recognized issues. There are scheduled field trips to Omaha Jazz on the Green and the Juneteenth Parade, along with other STEM activities ongoing in Omaha. The program culminates in a colloquium where you present your final findings.
Location: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive | Only 10 spots available (five for middle school and five for high school students)
Dates: July 27–31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-12 with a cumulative GPA of 3.5+
The Young Scientist Research Workshop at UNMC is a weeklong program designed for high school students interested in biomedical research. Throughout the workshop, you’ll be introduced to the various steps in the research cycle, from formulating a hypothesis to designing relevant experiments, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions. Experiment areas include insect physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology, using Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle) as a genetic model system.
Location: College of Information Science and Technology, University of Nebraska-Omaha, Omaha, NE
Cost/Stipend: No cost | Stipend may be provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective | 10–12 students per summer
Dates: June 2–July 11
Application Deadline: April 6
Eligibility: Rising 10th to 12th grade students | 16 years old at the time of application | Have parent or guardian consent, and can provide their own transportation to UNO
The Summer High School Internship Program offered by UNO’s College of Information Science & Technology is a six-week program designed for high school students interested in potential careers in IT. You will work in university labs, guided by faculty, on research and development projects across robotics, iOS and Android app development, gaming, IT innovation, and web development, among others. Expect to commit 20 hours on site weekly, along with weekly progress reports, a midterm presentation, and a final presentation concluding the program. By the end of the program, students gain exposure to IT research workflows, technical tools, and potential career pathways in computing-related fields.
Location: University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Cost: No cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective | ~65 students annually
Dates: Full academic year (August–May)
Application Deadline: Varies by district (typically January–February)
Eligibility: Students from participating school districts who are a junior or senior and at least 16 years of age at the beginning of the school year | Have completed and received a grade of “B” or above in Algebra 1, Biology, a physical science course, and a third year of science | Be enrolled in a participating high school for the entire school year
The UNMC High School Alliance is a school-year program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, designed for high school students interested in health sciences and medical careers. You attend classes on the Omaha campus, where faculty teach topics like infectious diseases, anatomy, and medical decision-making. Each semester, you take two courses that meet in smaller groups during the week, with Fridays reserved for joint sessions that include guest speakers, group work, and occasional field visits. You practice clinical and research-related skills while getting a closer look at how healthcare professionals and researchers work. Alongside coursework, you interact with doctors, researchers, and peers from across the Omaha area. By the end, you leave with subject exposure, academic experience in a medical setting, and connections that can carry into future STEM programs or applications.
Location: Remote options available
Cost: $25 application fee + $1,299 on acceptance (fee waivers available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: June 18–August 12
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Students aged 15+ for computer science and remote research tracks | 16+ for in-person wet-lab research
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) is a highly competitive, eight-week, independent project-based research program for high school students interested in advanced, guided STEM research. You’ll work one-on-one with faculty researchers at George Mason University in areas including cybersecurity, computational science, data science, and applied mathematics. Selected research work might be published in scientific journals and presented at scientific conferences. Throughout the program, you’ll develop scientific writing and communication skills, engage in discussion forums about career choices, learn innovative research methodologies, and earn three college credits from George Mason University.
Location: Virtual (hosted by Stanford University)
Cost: $2,400 + $45 (application fee) | Need-based financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: ~50 students per summer cohort
Dates: Two weeks during the summer (Session A: mid-June; Session B: early–mid July)
Application Deadline: February 20 (standard) | February 13 (financial aid)
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12 who are at least 14 years old and reside in the U.S.
The Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship is a virtual, project-based, two-week program for high school students interested in the intersection between artificial intelligence and healthcare. Guided by Stanford researchers and student leads, you will work in teams to build an AI model to solve a healthcare problem. You’ll also meet with professionals from academia, industry, and public-sector organizations. At the end of the program, students present their project and receive a certificate of completion.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited research placements
Dates: June 13–August 31
Application Deadline: March 1 | Rolling review after this till April 15
Eligibility: High school students with a strong background in computer science and prior exposure to machine learning or deep learning concepts
The EDIT AI Internship is a research-focused program by Dartmouth Health and the Dartmouth Cancer Center, designed for high school students interested in applying artificial intelligence to biomedical and cancer-related challenges. You’ll work on supervised research projects alongside clinicians and researchers, across fields like pathology, dermatology, epidemiology, and computer science. Depending on your experience, you can join a skills-based track, an advanced research track with publication work, or a peer mentor track that combines research with leadership. You’ll design and pitch your own project, contribute to open-source biomedical tools, and collaborate with a team on real datasets like pathology images and health records. By the end, you present your work to research and clinical audiences while gaining experience in scientific writing and interdisciplinary collaboration.
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 in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.