16 Cognitive Science Summer Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Oct 3
- 9 min read
If you’re a high school student interested in the cognitive sciences, a good start to your career can be a research and/or clinical program that exposes you to these topics. A summer program can help you understand college-level concepts in areas such as psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, and similar fields. You can also partake in active research and understand what day-to-day life is like for a professional in the field.
We’ve narrowed down 16 of the best cognitive sciences summer programs in the US. Our criteria of selection are the prestige of the institution offering the program, the competitive and academic rigor of the program, and the opportunities you’ll get to interact and connect with relevant peers in the field. We’ve also ensured the majority of these programs are fully funded.
16 Cognitive Science Summer Programs for High School Students
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX (online option also available)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: In-person: August 9–10 | Online: July 19–20
Application Deadline: May 17
Eligibility: All high school students; in-person limited to students in the Greater Houston area
RNS NeuroCamp is a free summer camp that teaches you about neuroscience. You’ll learn through interactive lectures, hands-on activities, and discussions around topics such as neurons, neuroanatomy, and brain disorders. It's offered both in-person at Rice University (for Houston-area students) and online (open to all). The camp is led by undergraduates and faculty, and focuses on both education and mentorship. It’s a great introduction to neuroscience in a fun, interactive setting.
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June).
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Must be currently enrolled in high school; must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4); no previous knowledge of your field of interest is required
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program offers you extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs you with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project, and 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, and international relations, among others. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology, East Baltimore Campus, Baltimore, MD (virtual option also available)
Cost/Stipend: $15/hour for in-person interns; no stipend for virtual interns
Dates: In-person: 8 weeks (exact dates not specified) | Virtual: 5 weeks (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors living in Baltimore City (for in-person option)
JHIBS is a program aimed at stimulating your interest in brain science and medicine. You can participate in-person (8 weeks) or virtually (5 weeks), and it gives you exposure to professional research and a clinical environment. You will engage in hands-on research, clinical rotations, weekly seminars, and mentorship from Johns Hopkins faculty and students. You will develop a research project and share findings through a final poster or presentation. The program is especially welcoming if you’re from an underrepresented or disadvantaged background in neurological sciences.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Financial aid available.
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites, see here.
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.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free; housing and meals included
Dates: June 9 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, age 16+, with a strong interest in STEM
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is a prestigious program if you’re a high school student interested in biomedical sciences, including neuroscience. It is an 8-week, fully funded program where you are placed in Stanford research labs to work directly with faculty and graduate mentors. You will conduct experiments in molecular neuroscience, brain imaging, or computational biology. Alongside research, you will attend weekly lectures from Stanford scientists, career development sessions, and college preparation workshops. The program culminates with a poster presentation at the closing symposium.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free; housing provided
Dates: 6 weeks during the summer (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: Typically early January
Eligibility: High school juniors only (seniors are not eligible)
RSI is a six-week summer research program hosted at MIT, which begins with one week of intensive STEM coursework followed by five weeks of mentored original research. The program includes several subjects, including neuroscience and psychology. You will be paired with a top-level researcher or faculty mentor and work within an MIT lab. The program also includes evening lectures, panel discussions, and enrichment sessions, where scientists share their work. You will finish the program by writing a professional-level research paper and presenting your work at a symposium. RSI is considered one of the most selective and prestigious pre-college research programs in the country.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided (amount unspecified); meals and a laptop included
Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 9
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors, or seniors not attending college in Fall 2025; must be enrolled in a public or charter high school in Durham and be 16 years or older
The Neuroscience Experience (DUNE) at Duke University is an eight-week summer research internship that puts you into real neuroscience labs. You’ll be paired with scientists and graduate mentors and learn laboratory techniques, participate in experiments, and gain insight into how neuroscience research is conducted. Along with lab work, you will also attend workshops on scientific communication, college prep, and career paths in neuroscience. At the end of the program, you will present your findings at a poster session.
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded for eligible Philadelphia public or charter school students
Dates: July 5 – July 26
Application Deadline: Early spring (exact dates vary)
Eligibility: Current 9th–11th grade students
The Neuroscience Research Academy is a 3-week residential program that teaches you about the biological foundations of the brain, such as neuron structures and sensory systems. It also gives you an understanding of higher-order cognitive functions, such as memory, emotion, and morality. You will engage in lectures, journal clubs, and neuroethics discussions led by undergraduate and faculty mentors. It takes place on UPenn’s campus, where you become fully immersed in college life. Applicants from Philadelphia public or charter schools may attend free of charge through academic scholarships.
Location: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Cost/Stipend: $425; financial aid available
Dates: July 14 – July 18
Application Deadline: Typically announced in February
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10–12
HumCog offers you an intensive, week-long exploration into the brain, combining cognitive science and the humanities. Typical mornings consist of lectures delivered by world-renowned professors, while the afternoons are for hands-on learning and discussions. You’ll also interact with OSU students and faculty, and engage in critical thinking exercises that bridge science and the humanities. The program gives you a taste of university campus life and provides a platform to interact with like-minded peers. While the program is in-person, you are not required to be a local resident.
Location: University of California, San Francisco, CA
Cost/Stipend: $3,200 (part-time) or $4,500 (full-time)
Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: High school juniors attending SFUSD or other San Francisco charter schools
This eight-week immersive program at UCSF connects you with research in biomedical fields, including neuroscience. It is a highly competitive program with a cohort size of 25, selected from 50 interviewed students. You’ll work directly in active labs, contributing to ongoing projects while honing your research and lab technique skills. The program also includes college counseling, which teaches you how to prepare a resume, learn about colleges and programs, and apply for financial aid. You also get to build your professional network with scientists and other professionals at UCSF.
Location: UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: June 15 – July 23 (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays)
Application Deadline: February 9
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
This is a six-week program that introduces you to the fundamentals of brain functions and the nervous system through interactive and hands-on projects. The specific topics explored in the program are related to Alzheimer’s and related memory disorders. You will attend live seminars and speak to guest speakers from diverse medical backgrounds. The program also features journal clubs and virtual lab activities. At the end of the program, you will present a final research project.
Location: Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL
Cost/Stipend: $13 per hour
Dates: June – July (6 weeks; exact dates announced on the website)
Application Deadline: March 4
Eligibility: High school students entering their junior or senior year in Palm Beach or Martin County, 16 years or older
If you’re interested in neuroscience, this six-week intensive research internship could be the one you want! You can choose from three tracks, one of which is neuroscience. In the neuroscience track, you experience doing hands-on “wet lab” techniques such as genetic engineering, microbiology preparations, histological staining, and microscopy. You work side-by-side with scientists in labs, using advanced imaging techniques like two-photon microscopy and learning computational analysis. You'll also take part in seminars and career development workshops. At the end of the program, you present your own mini-research project. It’s a fully hands-on program, and it helps you build strong scientific thinking and lab skills.
Location: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and recent high school graduates living or studying in Massachusetts
The Mass General Youth Neurology Education and Research Program is a paid summer internship that introduces you to real neuroscience research. You’ll work at Mass General research labs under the neurology faculty’s guidance. You'll start with a “bootcamp” to learn lab safety, professional expectations, and training essentials. After that, you’ll be paired with a neurology faculty mentor and work hands-on in a lab on ongoing research projects. After the program ends, you continue to receive long-term mentorship for resume building, career guidance, and scientific networking.
Location: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Cost/Stipend: $1,000
Dates: July 15 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are at least 16 years old by the program start date
CHOP’s Neurology High School Scholars Program offers you a five-week paid internship in neuroscience. You will be paired with a neurologist or neuroscientist to work on a clinical or basic science research project, while also attending weekly lectures and shadowing professionals. At the end of the program, you will prepare a poster presentation outlining your project results and present the poster at a conference. The program structure includes paired mentorship, clinical exposure, educational sessions, and a capstone poster.
14. UT Southwestern Medical Center – High School Student Internship (Psychiatry & Neuroscience Focus)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: 2 weeks in June
Application Deadline: Typically early February
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students
UT Southwestern’s high school internship in the Department of Psychiatry offers you a two-week virtual program in neuroscience and mental health professions. You get to learn how the brain works and understand mental health and its treatment. You attend sessions by trained psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, social workers, and physician assistants, and get a window into their regular jobs. In group sessions, you explore topics such as neuropsychological testing, progression in neuroscience, therapy methods, and mental health services delivery.
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: June 20 – August 15
Application Deadline: Applications open in October
Eligibility: 10th and 11th-grade students currently enrolled in one of the following partner programs: S-PREP, Lang Youth Medical, Double Discovery Center, Columbia Secondary School, or BioBus
BRAINYAC is a free and hands-on neuroscience internship in which you can explore topics such as neural circuitry, brain development, sensory processing, memory, and cognitive disorders. The final presentation would be a scientific poster communicating your contribution to the research. Previous students have had projects processing and staining tissues, analyzing behavior videos, or performing PCR on a new set of samples as part of a preliminary study.
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.
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