10 Free Medical Research Opportunities for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Apr 28
- 6 min read
If you're a high school student interested in medicine or biology, medical research opportunities can give you early exposure to how science and healthcare interact in an academic setting. Some of these programs are free to join and often allow students to engage with real-world research, shadow professionals, or explore topics like genetics, disease prevention, and public health. They can also help you understand how medical discoveries move from the lab to real-life applications.
You might take part in hands-on projects, attend research seminars, or work with mentors in hospitals or universities. Whether you’re curious about how diseases are tracked, how treatments are tested, or how health data is analyzed, these programs help you build knowledge and skills early on.
We’ve put together 10 free medical research opportunities for high school students that can help you get started.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Summer: June - August | Fall: September - December | Winter: December - February | Spring: March - June
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Eligibility: Open to current high school students with strong academic performance
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper. You can apply here!
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Starts at $2,290 (Full financial aid is available)
Program Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Open to high school students who have prior experience with AI/ML or have completed a Veritas AI program.
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, students learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry.
Students get a chance to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients. Here is the application form.
Location: Institutes of Medicine at Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Stipend: At least a $500 stipend, but those from underrepresented groups in biomedical research may get $1,500 through special grants.
Program Dates: July 9 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors aged 16 years or older
SIMR is an 8-week summer internship for high school juniors and seniors to conduct hands-on, medically-oriented research with Stanford faculty and researchers. You will be matched with a mentor in one of eight research institutes based on your interests.
Alongside research, you'll engage in seminars and discussions that expose you to real-world applications of science and medicine. The program also offers a Bioengineering Bootcamp for students seeking a more structured, non-lab experience.
Location: Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
Stipend: Students will receive a $4,400 stipend
Program Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: Application typically closes in the first week of February.
Eligibility: High school senior over the age of 18 and a Colorado resident.
This competitive summer internship introduces high school students to child health research through hands-on projects and guided mentorship. As an intern, you will attend weekly research seminars, contribute to real research alongside experienced scientists, and present your findings through oral or poster presentations at the program’s conclusion.
Students must also submit a written summary of their research experience. Notably, if your research is accepted at a local or national conference, the program may cover your travel and registration costs, offering a real-world entry into academic research.
Location: Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 3 - December 2
Application Deadline: December 31
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors enrolled in Duval or St. Johns counties in Florida with a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA.
SPARK offers high school juniors and seniors in Duval and St. Johns counties a hands-on research experience in the Mayo Clinic’s state-of-the-art labs. Over the summer, students work at least 25 hours per week in areas like immunology, neuroscience, AI, and cancer biology. Scholars receive mentorship from top researchers, attend seminars, and present their work at science fairs. Many go on to win awards and pursue STEM fields in college.
Location: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 26 - August 8
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: High school juniors residing in Western New York who are 15 or older by the program’s start date.
The Roswell Park High School Summer Research Program offers high school students hands-on research experience in cancer science at Roswell Park, the only NCI-designated cancer center in Upstate New York. You will work in wet or dry labs, attend lectures on cancer biology, imaging, AI, and more, and build foundational skills in research ethics and communication. The program culminates in a research symposium where students present their findings. It’s a great opportunity to explore careers across health sciences and medical research.
Location: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: Participants receive a stipend of $3,600
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 22
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors attending schools in Massachusetts within commuting distance of the Broad Institute. Check more details here.
BSSP is a 6-week medical research internship for high school students at the Broad Institute, where you'll work alongside scientists on real projects in cancer biology, infectious disease, and more. You'll develop lab skills, explore computational tools, and attend seminars on topics like bioethics and disease research. The program wraps up with a poster presentation showcasing your findings. It also includes college prep events, talks from researchers, and community-building activities.
Location: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free. Students will receive a stipend at the end of the program.
Program Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students entering their senior year
SHIP is an 8-week, full-time, paid internship for high school seniors from underrepresented backgrounds in biomedical sciences. It starts with two weeks of hands-on lab safety and research training, followed by six weeks of mentored research at Fred Hutch in Seattle. You'll attend seminars, career workshops, and social events while gaining real lab experience. The program ends with a formal presentation of your research to the Fred Hutch community.
Location: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
Stipend: A stipend of $4,800 will be provided.
Program Dates: June 2 – July 25
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Current junior at a high school in the Memphis-Shelby County area and immediate surrounding counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, aged 16 and having a cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0.
This 8-week, full-time, paid internship is open to rising seniors from Memphis and nearby areas. You'll be paired with a mentor to work on hands-on research projects in fields like lab science, psychology, epidemiology, or data science.
The program includes workshops on scientific thinking and college prep, including personal statement writing. It concludes with a community exhibition where you present your findings through a scientific poster.
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Cost: No cost. A stipend of $6,800 will be provided.
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Current Texas high school seniors aged 18 or older by the program start date.
The Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation Program offers 12 Texas high school seniors a 10-week, full-time research experience at one of the nation’s top cancer centers. As a participant, you will work alongside MD Anderson faculty in biomedical research labs, gaining hands-on skills in lab techniques, data analysis, and scientific investigation. The program also features seminars, abstract writing, poster presentations, and elevator pitch competitions. It concludes with a formal research presentation to peers, faculty, and family.
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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