15 Free STEM Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 9 min read
As a high school student, structured programs can be a great way to dive into your interests in STEM before college. STEM programs combine instruction with research, lab work, and project work to help you explore the applications of theoretical concepts beyond the classroom. Many of these programs are also free or offer financial assistance, making them accessible options to explore and allowing you to focus on learning without the financial burden.
Why should you attend a STEM program?
Through STEM programs, you can design experiments, analyze data, code simulations, or work on research projects guided by mentors. They also offer opportunities to connect with peers, professors, and professionals who share your interests, helping you build a strong academic and career network. The participation experience can help you assess if your chosen STEM field is something you want to pursue in college and beyond.
To help you shortlist suitable options, we have put together a list of 15 free STEM programs for high school students.
If you are looking for STEM internships, check out our blog here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~2.5%; 100 students selected/year
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free
Dates: June 28 – August 8 (can vary by year; the program runs for six weeks in the summer)
Application deadline: December 10
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors, ages 16 and up
RSI is a selective summer program that allows high schoolers to engage in research at MIT. The program combines on-campus coursework focused on scientific theory with off-campus STEM research experiences. You will start with one week of seminars covering topics in STEM. Then, you will work with a mentor to conduct individual research projects. The experience culminates in professional conference-style oral and written presentations. Field trips to science and tech facilities in Boston are also part of the program.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12-week cohorts offered in the spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students who demonstrate high levels of academic achievement and financial hardship
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.
Location: Virtual + UT Austin campus, Austin, TX
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~10.75%; 215 students/year
Dates: Online modules and project work: May 15 – July 3; On-site projects: July 5 – 18; Virtual symposium: July 20 and 21
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are U.S. citizens and at least 16 years old
The SEES Internship is a competitive NASA-supported research program that allows you to work directly with NASA scientists and engineers on Earth and space science projects. You will begin with distance-learning modules in Earth and space science, Python, and mission design before collaborating remotely or on-site at UT Austin on projects. You will work with satellite data and gain insights into the workflow of professional space agencies. At the end of the program, you will present your research at a virtual symposium.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; 100% financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Program cohorts run year-round in sessions lasting 10–15 weeks; dates vary by program and cohort you choose.
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students; the AI Fellowship is open to previous AI Scholar participants or those with some experience working with AI or Python.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students who are passionate about artificial intelligence. Students who are looking to get started with AI, ML, and data science would benefit from the AI Scholars program. Through this 10-session boot camp, students are introduced to the fundamentals of AI & data science and get a chance to work on real-world projects. Another option for more advanced students is the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase. Through this program, students get a chance to work 1:1 with mentors from top universities on a unique, individual project. A bonus of this program is that students have access to the in-house publication team to help them secure publications in high school research journals. You can also check out some examples of past projects here and read about a student’s experience in the program here.
5. MITES Summer
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Late June – early August (six weeks in the summer)
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
MITES Summer is a six-week residential program that immerses high school juniors in advanced STEM coursework and social life at MIT. You will take five courses covering math, physics, life sciences, humanities, and a project-based elective such as Machine Learning, Engineering Design, or Architecture. The experience is designed to mirror a fast-paced semester of college. You will also connect with admissions counselors and STEM professionals, gaining insights into selective college applications and career pathways. Lab tours and social events are also part of the experience.
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: No tuition fee; an optional housing and dining fee of ~$2,460 is applicable to residential participants. Stipends are available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~5% applicants selected/year
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old and U.S. citizens/
The Simons Summer Research Program is a competitive research program that matches you with Stony Brook University faculty mentors to engage in team-based scientific inquiry. You will join a research group, work on a research project, and undergo training in laboratory techniques and scientific methodology. Throughout the program, you will attend weekly faculty-led research talks, workshops, tours, and other events designed to offer exposure to university-level research. You will present your project at a symposium at the end of the program.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Free + limited travel assistance available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are at least 16 years old
The Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars Program is a four-week program focused on artificial intelligence. As a participant, you will attend lectures led by CMU faculty, learn about AI research projects, and hear from industry professionals about the current applications of AI. Throughout the program, you will collaborate with peers on a group project that you will present at the end of four weeks. The program emphasizes classroom learning and problem-solving, allowing you to engage in a mix of theory and application-based sessions. This is also an opportunity to experience life on a college campus.
Location: The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, ME
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 32 students selected out of 500 applicants
Stipend: $7,000
Dates: May 30 – August 7
Application deadline: January 26
Eligibility: High school seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program is a research fellowship for students interested in exploring genetics, genomics, and biomedical science. You will join an active research group, design and complete a mentored project, and gain increasing independence as the summer progresses. The program emphasizes both scientific discovery and communication, offering access to weekly development workshops and journal clubs. You will also get to present your findings to the JAX community at the end of the program.
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 32 students/year
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application deadline: January 2
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
Rockefeller University’s SSRP is a team-based STEM research experience. Over the course of seven weeks, you will join a group of 8–10 peers and work full-time on a mentored laboratory project guided by scientific trainees from the Tri-Institutions (Rockefeller, MSK, and WCMC). The curriculum combines hands-on experimentation and research with elective courses, networking events, guest lectures, workshops, and social activities. You will begin by learning research techniques and norms, then develop and investigate your own research questions, with your SSRP experience culminating in a poster presentation.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Fully funded merit-based program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Selective
Dates: June 20 – August 1 + virtual sessions on June 15 and 16
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Students in 11th grade who are at least 16 and U.S. citizens
SAMS is a pre-college STEM experience designed to offer high schoolers advanced exposure to biology, chemistry, and math. The program begins with a virtual Jumpstart focused on academic preparation, and then transitions into six intensive weeks on CMU’s campus where scholars take advanced courses in math, biology, chemistry, research, and writing. You will work closely with world-class faculty and mentors on hands-on projects, experiments, and analytical tasks while also participating in community-building activities. The program ends with a research symposium, where you will present your STEM project.
Location: Various universities and Army research labs across the U.S.
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size varies by location
Dates: Varies by role and location; typically, summer opportunities are available
Application deadline: Varies by opportunity
Eligibility: Current high school students who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) offers apprenticeships that allow students to contribute to research in university and army laboratories across the country. As a participant, you will work under the mentorship of a scientist or engineer on current research projects in STEM. You may work on tasks such as running experiments, collecting data, analyzing, and comparing datasets. You will also participate in workshops and webinars to build professional skills and prepare for future STEM academics.
Location: Mercy University Westchester Campus, Dobbs Ferry, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; $800 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 7 – August 2
Application deadline: June 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 – 11 with a B or better grade
The M3U program offers high school students the opportunity to explore mathematical modeling in depth during the summer. As a participant, you will spend about four weeks working on real math problems derived from natural, physical, and environmental sciences and exploring the complete modeling process through classroom instruction, laboratory work, and software-based analysis. The program also offers visits to research centers and museums, exposure to research methodologies, and access to discussions centered on ethical issues in science. Additionally, you will run experiments, write reports, participate in panel discussions and debates, and develop and present a final modeling project.
Location: Virtual and in-person; sites can vary each year
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Two weeks in the summer; dates vary by year
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Women and gender expansive teens, ages 13 – 18
Kode With Klossy runs various free programs, including its Summer Camp, which is a two-week opportunity to dive into coding/programming, software development, and machine learning. You will explore these areas through one of four tracks. In the data science track, you will examine data and draw insights using SQL, Python, and data visualization tools. The mobile app track covers coding in Swift (Apple’s programming language), allowing you to develop an iOS mobile application. In the camp’s web development track, you will learn how to work with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS and develop an online platform. The machine learning track covers AI and ML concepts such as algorithms, natural language processing, and datasets.
Location: The City College of New York, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 7 – August 7; free spring and fall programs also available
Application deadline: May 25
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 12
The CCNY STEM Institute offers free STEAM programs to middle and high school students during the summer. As a participant, you will explore various math, science, arts, engineering, and tech topics, from calculus to physics, engage in problem-solving, and work on research projects. Additionally, you can take courses in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and writing during the program. College and career skill development, as well as test prep, are also part of the program. At the end, you will present your research work at a poster symposium.
Location: Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 16 students/year
Dates: July 5 – 10
Application deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school students
SSIP at Gonzaga University is a fully funded summer program for high school students interested in engineering and science. Over the course of several days, you will explore career paths in math, engineering, and computer science through tours and project-based learning. You will connect with Gonzaga students and faculty, work on projects involving engineering mousetrap cars, robotics-focused programming, and engineering design challenges, and learn how to use makerspace tools. You will also engage in research rotations and attend a symposium where you will share your summer experience with peers and faculty. Workshops and sessions covering college prep, STEM career paths, and Gonzaga University admissions are part of the experience.
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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