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8 Computer Science Research Opportunities for High School Students

Writer's picture: Stephen TurbanStephen Turban

If you’re a high school student interested in computer science, participating in a research program could prepare you for college, giving you insights into cutting-edge technology and innovation. Such programs cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills, preparing you for advanced studies and careers in a rapidly evolving field. Engaging in research allows you to work on real-world projects, providing hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of computer science concepts.


A research program can also significantly enhance your college application. It proves demonstrable interest in a subject and showcases your ability to handle challenging tasks, work collaboratively, and contribute to meaningful projects, which college admissions boards value highly. 


If you’re interested in computer science, here are 8 research opportunities worth checking out: 


1. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase 

Location: Virtual

Cost: $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase

Application deadline: On a rolling basis.

Program dates: Varies according to the cohort

Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.


Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. These programs are designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni and you can expect a great, fulfilling educational experience. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship. 


The AI Fellowship program will have students pursue their independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. In the past, students have worked on research papers in the fields of AI & medicine, AI & finance, AI & environmental science, AI & education, and more! You can find examples of previous projects here. 


Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend of $750 provided

Program Dates: June 16 – August 1 (seven-week summer program) 

Application Deadline: February 15

Eligibility: Graduating U.S. high school juniors and seniors at least 17 can participate


This program allows 12 high school juniors and seniors to participate in a seven-week summer research internship in their chosen subject. This program is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of less than 3%. As a scholar, you will work closely with faculty members. Areas under computer science include virtual and augmented reality, computer architectures, computer animation, cloud computing, and statistical data analysis. You can find a detailed list of research areas here. The program also includes weekly seminars, discussions, and field trips. Students are selected based on their academic accomplishments, teacher recommendations, and career objectives. 


Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.

Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.

Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!

Eligibility:

  • You must be currently enrolled in high school

  • Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note. students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)

Program Dates: Summer cohort runs from June to August, Fall cohort from September to December, Winter cohort from December to February, Spring from March to June 


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 that you can explore as a high schooler. 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. You can find more details about the application here.


Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

Cost/Stipend: None

Program Dates: Four weeks through June-July

Application Deadline: March 1

Eligibility: Applicants must be sophomores in high school for the Computer Science Scholars Track, and seniors for the AI Scholars track


Carnegie Mellon offers programs combining classroom instruction, research projects, faculty lectures, and industry engagement with leading tech companies nationwide. In the CS Scholars track, you will be introduced to ongoing research projects and learn about algorithmic components (variables, functions, conditionals, and loops), basic data structures (lists and dictionaries), and problem-solving techniques in Python (algorithmic thinking, top-down design, testing, and debugging). You must also take a math course to strengthen your computational skills. If you complete the CS Scholars program, you may be invited to return as a rising senior to the college’s AI Scholars program the following summer. 


Location: Stony Brook University, Suffolk County, NY

Cost: $3,300 (not including housing cost for the residential option). Financial aid is available

Program Dates:  July 1 – August 9

Application Deadline: March 17

Eligibility: U.S. high school students who are at least 14 and have previous programming skills can apply 


CSIRE is a six-week program for high school students with strong programming or data analytics skills. This program offers an opportunity to engage in research at the intersection of computer science and healthcare. You will work in labs under the mentorship of faculty or Ph.D. students, contributing to research projects in machine learning,  biomedical informatics, data science, human-computer interaction, visualization, IoT, database systems, security, and computer graphics. The program includes lab visits and seminars on innovations in computer science and informatics. You will also present your research findings to your peers. Here are some of the publications resulting from research conducted during the program.


Location: New York University, Brooklyn, NY

Cost/Stipend: $750 stipend

Program Dates: June 3 – August 9 (10 weeks)

Application Deadline: March 6

Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors living in NYC can apply 


The NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s ARISE is a 10-week research program for high school students. ARISE focuses on Computer Science and Engineering and opportunities in other STEM disciplines. Past projects have included integrating ethical norms into the data science lifecycle and exploring the intersection of privacy, security, and machine learning. During this program, you will spend time conducting research in NYU faculty labs under the mentorship of professors and graduate students. The final stretch of the program is dedicated to workshops. At the program’s conclusion, you will present your research findings to NYU faculty, graduate students, and academic experts.


Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

Cost: Commuter: $4,700 | Residential: $4,700 + $6,599 as housing and meal fees. Additionally, you must pay a $75 application fee and $250 enrollment deposit 

Program Dates:  Third or fourth week of June, based on the previous year’s schedule 

Application Deadline: TBA

Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors can apply 


In this six-week program, students are paired with a mentor (either graduate students, postdocs, or faculty) to participate in a research project. Some general skills you might pick up from this program include presenting at a formal university symposium and describing your research in a paper. Depending on your project, you will dedicate 35 to 50 hours a week to research, utilizing library resources, participating in fieldwork, and collecting data. You can also earn university credits. CS research has included topics ranging from developing an open-source pH sensor to monitor ocean acidification to creating a low-rank neural network for multimodal sentiment analysis. You can find past research projects here.


Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 

Cost/Stipend: Stipend of $5,625 provided 

Program Dates: June 10 – August 2

Application Deadline: Typically in April 

Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students are eligible to apply 


The Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab program is an eight-week paid summer research program at the University of Chicago. This program pairs you with data science mentors across various domains, including computer science, materials science, and biomedical research. You will learn about research methodologies, practices, and teamwork. The program culminates in final video presentations at an end-of-summer symposium. Additionally, you will participate in professional development and training for future careers in data science. Another program highlight is a weekly speaker series with researchers and social events like baseball games, trivia, picnics, concerts, and mini golf. You do not need to have prior research experience.


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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