15 Free Biotechnology Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Jun 15
- 10 min read
If biotechnology is a subject that interests you and you want to study it more seriously, participating in a biotechnology program during high school can be an excellent step!
Biotechnology programs give you the chance to explore how biotechnology research is conducted beyond what is usually covered in school lessons. These programs introduce topics such as DNA analysis, genetic research, and laboratory techniques used in biological sciences. You may learn how experiments are planned, how results are analyzed, and how scientists conduct research on living systems.
Why should I participate in a free biotechnology program in high school?
A biotechnology program allows you to explore biological research in a structured academic setting. You may work through experiments, study scientific data, and understand how biotechnology is applied in areas such as medicine and genetics.
Since these programs are free, you do not have to worry about the high costs that many summer programs usually require. Many of them are fully funded, and some even offer stipends for participants. Participation can also strengthen your college applications by showing that you explored advanced scientific topics beyond your school curriculum.
With that in mind, here are 15 free biotechnology programs for high school students!
If you’re looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.
Location: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA
Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 13 - 24
Application Deadline: February 26
Eligibility: Must be 16 or older by the start of the workshop
The Biotech Summer Experience at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory places you directly inside a research lab environment where you work through the same molecular biology techniques used by professional scientists. During the two-week workshop, you isolate and characterize genes from Landoltia punctata, a freshwater duckweed species studied in genetic research. Your work includes isolating plasmid DNA, running PCR reactions, performing restriction digests, and separating DNA fragments through gel electrophoresis. You also analyze genetic sequences using bioinformatics tools and prepare validated sequences for submission to GenBank, where accepted entries list students as contributors.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: The program is fully funded.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation is a fully funded research program that supports talented, low-income students in pursuing advanced academic research. Through its flagship Breakthrough Scholar Program, participants are paired 1-on-1 with world-class Ph.D. mentors to develop an independent research project over 12 weeks. You can explore interdisciplinary topics across fields such as biology, psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, and international relations. By the end of the program, each scholar produces a polished, independent research paper. The program mirrors the structure and rigor of Lumiere’s Individual Research Scholar Program while ensuring access through need-based funding. It is an excellent opportunity for high-achieving students seeking intensive mentorship and hands-on research experience.
Location: Stanford, CA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 8 - July 30
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
Stanford’s Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program places you inside a biomedical research lab for eight weeks, where you work alongside faculty, researchers, and graduate students on a focused scientific project. You are matched with a research group working in areas connected to biology, human health, or medical science, and most of your time is spent contributing to experiments or analyzing data related to the lab’s ongoing work. Through this process, you see how research questions are formed, how experiments are designed, and how scientific conclusions are drawn from evidence. The program also exposes you to the daily routine of biomedical research, from lab meetings and data analysis to discussions with mentors about scientific careers.
Location: Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Boston
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts; rolling admissions.
Program Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school
The Academic Insights Program lets high school students experience university life firsthand. You will live on campus, study in small groups of 7-10, and learn from tutors from top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. You can explore a wide range of subjects spanning 20+ options, including Architecture, AI, Business Management, Computer Science, Economics, Medicine, Philosophy, and more. The courses are experiential and focus on hands-on learning. You may find yourself conducting dissections in medicine, designing a robotic arm in engineering, participating in a moot court for law, or building creative writing portfolios and business case studies. By the end of the program, you’ll complete a personal project, receive written feedback, and receive a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts (residential at)
Stipend:$600 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 28 - July 24
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Current Massachusetts high school sophomores or juniors
The High School Health Careers Program at UMass Chan Medical School is a four-week residential summer program designed to introduce you to careers in biomedical science and healthcare. You’ll take part in academic enrichment courses in biology, math, English, communication skills, and information technology, with field trips that reinforce what you’re learning in the classroom. You’ll also complete a health equity–focused research project and gain exposure to clinical and biomedical research environments. A major focus of HSHCP is helping you build confidence and practical skills, including critical thinking, communication, and preparation for college admissions and standardized exams.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, New York City
Stipend: $2,000 stipend provided upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective.
Dates: June 1 - August 14
Application Deadline: Mid-February
Eligibility: New York City high school students currently in 10th or 11th grade; strong academic record; demonstrated interest in STEM
The Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) program gives you the chance to work directly in NYU STEM labs on real, ongoing research projects. Over ten weeks, you’ll begin with remote evening workshops in June and then spend six weeks in person conducting lab research alongside NYU faculty and graduate researchers. Research areas span fields like biomedical engineering, computer and data science, life sciences, and mechanical and civil engineering, allowing you to explore advanced topics that go well beyond a typical high school curriculum. You’ll also receive training in presentation and public speaking skills and present your work at a final research colloquium.
Location: Department of the Navy laboratories nationwide
Stipend: Paid stipend ($4,000 for new participants; $4,500 for returning participants)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 300 placements annually
Dates: Eight weeks (with possible extension up to two additional weeks)
Application Deadline: Mid-February
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least Grade 9; currently enrolled in high school (including students taking college-level classes)
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program places you in a Department of the Navy research lab, where you’ll spend your summer working alongside professional scientists and engineers on real-world STEM projects. Over eight weeks, you’ll contribute to ongoing naval research while learning how scientific and engineering work is done in a government lab setting. The program emphasizes mentorship, so you’ll receive guidance from experienced researchers as you explore topics related to science, engineering, and technology. SEAP is competitive, with selection based on academics, personal statements, recommendations, and your research interests.
Location: National Institutes of Health campuses
Stipend: Paid stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer (full-time; exact dates vary by research group)
Application Deadline: February 25
Eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; must be 18 years old by September 30
The NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) is a full-time, paid opportunity where you’ll work directly in a research lab within the NIH Intramural Research Program. You’ll apply to individual Principal Investigators (PIs) whose research aligns with your interests across areas like biology, engineering, psychology, computer science, epidemiology, and more. Over the summer, you’ll contribute to active research projects and gain hands-on experience in basic, translational, or clinical research settings. Beyond the lab, you can attend professional development workshops, a Graduate and Professional School Fair, and present your work at NIH’s Summer Poster Day.
Location: The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME & Farmington, CT
Stipend: $7,500 stipend plus room, board, and travel
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Bar Harbor: May 30 - August 7 (10 weeks); Farmington: May 30 - August 10 (10.5 weeks)
Application Deadline: January 26
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors
This 10-week, fully funded program places you at the forefront of real-world genetics and genomics research at one of the leading institutions in the field. You’ll work in an active research lab alongside a scientific mentor, contributing to an ongoing project and gaining greater independence as the summer unfolds. At the end of the program, you’ll present your findings to researchers, peers, and family, building both your confidence and your scientific communication skills. Beyond the lab, you’ll take part in professional development sessions on topics like genetic testing, data visualization, peer review, and science communication, along with weekly Journal Clubs and conversations with professionals across diverse career paths.
Location: Genspace, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $2,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: There is no information available
Dates: Spring Session: February 25 - May 21 Summer Session: July 6 – August 14
Application Deadline: Typically early January
Eligibility: Must be 16 or older
This six-month paid internship lets you step into a real community lab and work directly with genetic engineering and biology tools. You’ll begin in the spring by developing core lab techniques and refining research ideas alongside scientist mentors and a cohort of fellow teens. When summer arrives, you’ll collaborate on a hands-on research project and visit biotech companies and research labs across the city to see science in action. Along the way, you’ll build confidence in communicating complex scientific ideas through interactive workshops, including improv-based training designed to sharpen your clarity and public speaking skills.
Location: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center (DNALC NYC), Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $500 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 36 students invited after interviews
Dates: August 25 – 29
Application Deadline: May 27
Eligibility: Must be at least 13 years old; must reside in NYC and be a NYC high school student
Urban Barcode Research Program introduces you to biodiversity research using real DNA barcoding techniques. After applying in the spring and completing a competitive interview process, selected students begin with an in-person lab training course covering biodiversity, conservation biology, and core lab methods. From there, you’ll work in a small team matched with a scientist mentor who guides you through the full research cycle, from designing a project and writing a proposal to collecting samples, isolating DNA, amplifying barcoding regions, and analyzing sequence data. Over the school year, you’ll complete at least 55 hours of research and prepare to present your findings at a formal research symposium in late spring. Along the way, you’ll build technical lab skills, learn how biodiversity interacts with human activity in urban environments, and gain experience communicating scientific results.
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: $3,600 stipend; no cost to apply or attend
Dates: June 29 - August 7 (6 weeks)
Application Deadline: January 21
Eligibility: Must be a rising senior (apply during junior year); must attend a Massachusetts high school within commuting distance of the Broad
At the Broad Summer Scholars Program, you can spend six weeks of your summer working side by side with a Broad scientist on an original research project in fields like cancer biology, psychiatric disease, computational biology, or infectious disease. You’ll dive into active, cutting-edge biomedical research while building hands-on skills in both experimental and computational methods. Outside the lab, you’ll attend scientific talks, explore college and career pathways, participate in social activities, and have access to an on-staff tutor for academic support. By the end of the program, you’ll create and present a scientific poster to share your findings with the Broad community.
Location: Scripps Research Translational Institute, La Jolla, CA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: There is no information available
Dates: June 1 – August 7 or June 15–August 7 (10 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Open to highly motivated high school students (must be at least 16 by program start)
This internship places you in a translational research environment where biotechnology research connects with clinical science. Projects may focus on genomics, genetic association studies, or digital health technologies. Working with a mentor, you design and complete an independent research project. Weekly seminars expose you to emerging research areas in biotechnology and biomedical science. Most projects involve computational analysis and interpretation of biological datasets. At the end of the internship, you present your findings in a formal research symposium.
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Stipend: No participation fee; $750 stipend upon successful completion; room, board, and on-campus meals provided (students cover $25 application fee and travel)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students
Dates: June 21 - August 6 (7 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: Must be at least 17 years old by program start
The Clark Scholars Program is an intensive research experience where you work directly with a university professor on a scientific project. Biotechnology-related placements may involve research in biology, cancer biology, or biochemistry. Under faculty guidance, you help design experiments and analyze results connected to the project. Throughout the program, you attend research seminars that explore scientific methods and discovery. Collaboration with faculty and fellow scholars exposes you to an academic research culture. By the end, you produce a detailed research report summarizing your work.
Location: New York, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 32 students per summer
Dates: June 22–August 6
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program and able to commit full-time
The Summer Science Research Program is structured like a real laboratory research experience. You join a research team led by scientists from Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell Medicine. Together, you develop a research question related to biological science and learn laboratory techniques used in biotechnology research. Experiments involve collecting and analyzing data to test your hypothesis. Lectures and workshops throughout the program explain how biomedical research contributes to new therapies and technologies. The program ends with a research presentation summarizing your team’s work.
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.