15 Biology Summer Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 35 minutes ago
- 11 min read
Summer programs can be a practical way for you to add to your high school learning. These programs offer early exposure to college-level academics and campus life in a structured and supportive environment. As a participant, you will develop practical skills and academic confidence while deepening your understanding of classroom concepts through structured coursework, laboratory study, and project-based learning.
What are the benefits of a biology program?
If you are interested in biology, a focused summer program in the field can help you explore areas like human anatomy, public health, genetics, ecology, or biomedical science before committing to a college major. Many biology programs also introduce you to research environments, healthcare settings, or scientific communities, helping you understand how academic biology translates into real careers.
To help you shortlist the right options, we have put together 15 biology summer programs for high school students.
If you are looking for online STEM summer programs, check out our blog here.
15 Biology Summer Programs for High School Students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 32 students/cohort
Location: The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost: Free!
Program dates: June 22 – August 6
Application deadline: January 2 (recommendation letters due January 5)
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, ages 16 and up
SSRP is a seven-week, full-time biology research experience that lets you work on mentored laboratory projects in dedicated teaching labs at Rockefeller University. You will join a small research team guided by multiple scientist-mentors from the Tri-Institutions, developing a research question informed by your team’s scientific focus. You can indicate your preference for a biology-focused research placement. The program emphasizes experimental techniques, data analysis, and scientific reasoning, offering structured support starting from project design to results interpretation. As the summer progresses, you will analyze data and design a scientific poster. The experience culminates in a formal symposium where you will present your findings.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial assistance offered
Program dates: Multiple sessions, including summer, spring, fall, and winter cohorts, are scheduled each year
Application deadline: May deadlines for Summer cohorts
Eligibility: High school students; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0
This is a rigorous research program meant for high school students who want to explore an area and topic of interest in absolute detail. Here, you will work one-on-one with a Ph. D.-level mentor on an independent research project. You will finalize a research question with support from your mentor and also work with a writing coach to present your findings. At the end of the program, you will have developed an independent research paper! You can choose a research topic from a wide range of subjects, including biology, psychology, mental health, and neuroscience. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: National Institutes of Health main campus, Bethesda, MD, and other NIH campuses in the U.S.
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipend paid, with amount based on educational level. Check details here.
Program dates: Eight weeks starting typically in June (exact start and end dates vary by institute)
Application deadline: February 18; applications open on December 8.
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who will be 18 by September 30 and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents; those who meet other criteria but are under 18 must live within 40 miles of an NIH campus.
The NIH Summer Internship Program places you in a full-time research role within the NIH Intramural Research Program to work directly under a Principal Investigator on active biomedical research projects. You will gain hands-on exposure to experimental design, data analysis, and laboratory or clinical research workflows in biology and health-related fields. In addition to lab work, the program includes structured professional development in scientific communication, research ethics, and career planning. You will present your work at the NIH Summer Poster Day, gaining experience in scientific presentation and peer discussion. You will also have access to graduate and professional school fairs and research-focused career programming.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Program dates: Multiple cohorts each year; the summer cohort runs for 10 weeks (June – September).
Application deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students with a strong academic background (>3.67/4.0 GPA); accepted students are usually 10th/11th graders.
Horizon’s trimester-long research program is designed for high school students interested in exploring a discipline of choice. As a participant, you can choose to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research—an option rarely offered in high school-level research programs. Once you select a particular subject track, the program pairs you with a professor or a Ph.D. scholar who will serve as a mentor throughout the program. Over 10 weeks, you will work on completing a 20-page research paper that you can choose to submit to journals for publication as a high school student. The program also offers a letter of recommendation and detailed feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Placements available across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; $3,000 stipend paid
Program dates: June – August (eight weeks; exact dates set by the student and mentor)
Application deadline: January 25; applications open on November 21.
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and rising college freshmen, ages 16+
This eight-week, mentored summer internship pairs high schoolers with a fisheries professional to work on aquatic and environmental biology projects. You will take on hands-on field and lab work, engaging in tasks like conducting fish population surveys, testing water quality, working on habitat restoration activities, running specimen analysis, and processing biological data. Internship activities vary by mentor and may include fieldwork on boats, laboratory analysis, or conservation-focused research projects. The program emphasizes one-on-one mentorship and real-world exposure to biological science careers, particularly in fisheries and aquatic ecosystems. You will often engage in physically rigorous work and apply ecological methods used by professional biologists.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact acceptance rate and cohort size are not publicly released.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost: Free to attend (housing and transportation not covered); $4,000 stipend for high schoolers
Program dates: June 22 – July 24
Application deadline: January 2; applications open on November 17.
Eligibility: Rising seniors and seniors in high school who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents; no prior research experience is required.
The Duke STAR Program is a five-week, in-person summer research experience focused on academic and clinical biology research. You will work in small teams under Duke faculty mentors to design and execute a hypothesis-driven project, progressing from literature review to data analysis and manuscript development. You will receive structured training in research methodology, applied statistics, and scientific writing, along with support from professional medical writers and statisticians. You will present your findings at the end of the program, and if you have contributed to a completed paper, you are eligible for co-authorship if the paper is submitted to journals.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 16 students/year
Location: Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME
Cost/Stipend: None
Program dates: May 17 – 22
Application deadline: April 17
Eligibility: Maine high school juniors (public, private, and homeschooled)
The Keller BLOOM Program is a short marine biology research experience designed to immerse you in ocean science at a professional research institute. You will work alongside scientists on field sampling in the Sheepscot River estuary and rotate through laboratory activities using modern oceanographic tools and techniques. You will learn about topics such as phytoplankton and zooplankton biology, marine microbes, nutrients, pigments, and marine viruses through data collection and analysis. Throughout the week, you will engage directly with researchers to understand scientific careers and associated ethics and connections to public policy. The program ends in a student research presentation, giving you experience communicating scientific work.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2%; 20 interns/year
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; students receive a $1,200 stipend.
Program dates: June 29 – August 21
Application deadline: February 6; applications open on December 1.
Eligibility: High school juniors, ages 14 and up, living in NJ, NY, or CT within 25 miles of MSK’s Manhattan campus who are authorized to work in the U.S. and hold a 3.5 GPA or higher in science
The MSK Summer Student Program is an eight-week biomedical research internship that places high schoolers in active Memorial Sloan Kettering research labs. You will work closely with a mentor to carry out a self-directed project aligned with ongoing cancer research, gaining exposure to experimental design, data collection, and laboratory workflows. Research areas span biomedical areas like cancer biology, immunology, molecular and cellular biology, genomics, and pharmacology. The program includes professional development sessions that introduce translational medicine and scientific careers. Regular lab meetings and community events will deepen your understanding of collaborative research environments. The program concludes with presentations that help you gain exposure to scientific communication and responsible research practice.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn/New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost; stipend of $1,000 available
Program dates: June 1 – August 14
Application deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who are full-time NYC residents attending NYC schools
ARISE is a 10-week summer research program that combines lab training and hands-on research work within NYU labs. The first four weeks are dedicated to training sessions that help you learn about lab safety, college writing, and research skills. Over the next six weeks, you will join one of 80+ NYU research labs, contributing to research in fields like molecular and cellular biology or bioengineering. You will spend the summer earning 120 hours of lab experience, attending seminars, and working on delivering research presentations at the end of ARISE. The program additionally offers college application support.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact details not publicly disclosed
Location: Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipends of $14/hour available
Program dates: June 22 – July 31
Application deadline: February 8; applications open on December 16.
Eligibility: High school students, ages 16 and up, who are entering their junior and senior year, are authorized to work in the U.S., and are residents of Palm Beach or Martin Counties (in Florida)
The MPFI Summer Research Internship is a six-week, full-time laboratory program focused on neuroscience and related biological research. You can choose the neuroscience track to work alongside MPFI scientists on projects examining neural structure and function, using wet-lab techniques such as genetic engineering, histological staining, microscopy, and microbiology preparation. Additional tracks in scientific programming, mechanical engineering, and coding support neuroscience research through data analysis, instrumentation, and public-facing tools. Each track requires you to produce a written scientific abstract and deliver a formal presentation summarizing your work at the end of the program. The program can offer hands-on exposure to modern biological research in a professional institute setting with clear research outputs and mentorship.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact details not specified
Location: The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME
Cost: Free to attend; $7,000 stipend + room, board, and travel costs covered
Program dates: May 30 – August 7
Application deadline: January 26
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors and undergraduates, ages 18 and up, who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The JAX SSP is a 10–10.5 week mentored research experience centered on genetics and genomics. You will join an active laboratory and carry out a project aligned with ongoing research, learn about genetic testing, data visualization, science communication, peer review, and responsible conduct of research, and attend weekly journal clubs. The program emphasizes professional growth through interactions with scientists across disciplines, from veterinarians to grant writers. You will present your research at the end of the summer, applying scientific communication skills.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Location: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA
Cost: Free
Program dates: July 13 – 24
Application deadline: February 26; applications open on January 19.
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10–12, ages 16 and up, with a minimum 3.3 GPA; U.S. citizenship required for participants 18+. All applicants must meet NDAA Section 3112 access requirements.
The Biotech Summer Experience is a two-week, lab-based program designed to introduce high schoolers to molecular biology and bioinformatics through a focused research project. You will practice techniques like plasmid DNA isolation, PCR, restriction digests, and gel electrophoresis, and then analyze gene sequences using professional bioinformatics tools. The curriculum centers on the genetic analysis of duckweed (Landoltia punctata), providing you with a concrete biological system to study. Student-generated DNA sequences are submitted to GenBank and credited by name, emphasizing real scientific contribution and data stewardship.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective with small cohorts (exact acceptance rate not publicly shared)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 15 – August 6
Application deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students, ages 16 and up, residing in Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Santa Cruz counties, with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0; applicants must have prior exposure to biology, chemistry, or computer programming through coursework or extracurriculars.
GRIPS is an eight-week summer internship designed to introduce high schoolers to genomics and genetics research in active Stanford laboratories. You will spend about 20 hours per week working with a lab mentor on genomics-driven research projects. In addition to lab work, you participate in cohort-wide sessions and structured check-ins that help you practice scientific thinking and collaboration. The hybrid format combines hands-on lab activities with group workshops. No prior programming experience is required, though familiarity with Python, R, or Java can shape your project placement.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~10%; 18 – 24/year
Location: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipend provided
Program dates: June 15 – July 31
Application deadline: January 14
Eligibility: High school students and some undergraduates who are eligible to work in the U.S., and are from the greater Philadelphia area, including Camden, NJ
The Monell Science Apprenticeship Program is a biology-focused apprenticeship that will place you in a working research environment under the guidance of a Monell scientist. You will spend around seven weeks engaged in structured, full-time laboratory research, gaining exposure to experimental design, data collection, and scientific reasoning in biomedical science. The program emphasizes communication skills, requiring you to present your work at a public research conference. Enrichment activities will cover topics like ethics in human and animal research, scientific writing, and public speaking. Career-focused sessions will introduce pathways in medicine and scientific research.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~50 students/summer
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Free to attend; limited need-based stipends are available.
Program dates: June 8 – July 30
Application deadline: February 21; applications open on December 19.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are 16+ when the program starts and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents; preference is given to Bay Area students.
SIMR is an eight-week, full-time summer research internship that will place you in a Stanford Medicine lab to conduct biologically focused, medically oriented research. You will work under close mentorship on a defined project, learning about experimental design, data collection, and analysis within active research groups. The program emphasizes how biological research is conducted in real academic settings, from hypothesis formation to interpretation of results. You can choose from multiple biomedical research institutes, including options focused on immunology, neurobiology, and bioinformatics, to ensure your lab placement aligns with your interests.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. 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.
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