15 Genetics Research Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 11 min read
For high school students with a strong interest in genetics, research-focused genetics programs are a valuable first step into the world of DNA sequencing and genomic science. These programs go beyond textbook learning, giving you the chance to engage in real research projects, work alongside university mentors, and explore topics and lab techniques that aren’t typically taught in high school.
Whether it’s DNA extraction, analyzing genetic data, or studying inherited traits, these research programs provide hands-on experiences that introduce you to how genetics research is done in academic and professional settings. You'll also develop practical skills in various research methodologies, scientific writing, and data interpretation—foundational tools for any future in STEM.
We’ve curated a list of 15 genetics research programs—virtual and in-person—designed for motivated high school students.
15 Genetics Research Programs for High School Students
Location: Virtual — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies by program
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program 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: You must be currently enrolled in high school; students 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 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: The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, ME
Cost | Stipend: None | $6,500 plus room, board, and travel
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Approximately 24 to 28 positions
Program Dates: May 31 – August 8
Application Deadline: Late October – January 27
Eligibility: High school seniors (must have completed grade 12) and undergraduate students; At least 18 years old; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program is a highly selective in-person research internship where you’ll work on real-world genetics and genomics projects alongside professional scientists. Depending on your research placement, you may study topics like cancer biology, neurogenetics, immunology, or developmental biology and aging using techniques such as CRISPR, gene mapping, and computational analysis. You’ll also attend expert-led seminars, participate in workshops, and present your findings to peers and researchers at the end of the program. Along the way, you’ll strengthen your skills in lab techniques, scientific communication, literature review, and data interpretation. Click here to learn more about the application process.
Location: Virtual — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies by program type
Acceptance Rate: Selective
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’s AI + Medicine track is an online research program designed for high school students interested in the applications of AI and machine learning (ML) in medical and genetics research. Founded and run by Harvard graduates, the program offers a deep dive into topics like genomics, medical imaging, and clinical decision-making using AI tools. Over several weeks, you'll learn to analyze genetic data, predict disease outcomes, interpret medical scans, and work on a flagship AI group project—all under the direct mentorship of leading AI experts. Previous student projects have explored areas such as predicting breast cancer from genes using various ML models. Here is the program brochure and the application form for more information.
Location: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Cost | Stipend: None | $3,600
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: November 13 – January 22
Eligibility: Rising seniors who attend high school in MA within commuting distance to the Broad; US citizens, permanent residents, or non-US citizens with employment authorization; B grade or better in Science and Math classes
BSSP is a six-week, in-person research experience where you’ll work on an original project in fields like genetics, cancer biology, computational biology, or infectious disease. You'll be paired with a Broad Institute scientist and gain hands-on experience with both experimental and computational techniques. You will also get to present your findings to the Broad community at a scientific poster session. The program also includes wet lab training, a college fair, and weekly one-on-one tutoring sessions to help you bridge the gap between your high school knowledge and research work.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost | Stipend: None | $1,000
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 6 – February 21
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are full-time NYC residents and attend schools in the area
NYU’s ARISE program is a free, 10-week summer research experience where you’ll gain around 120 hours of lab experience working on real-world projects in fields like genetics and molecular inheritance. The first four weeks focus on safety training, academic writing, and research methodologies. You will spend the next six weeks doing hands-on lab work in one of over 80 NYU research labs, including the Chromatin Genomics lab and Chromosome Inheritance Lab. You’ll develop skills in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific communication while contributing to ongoing faculty-led research. The program also includes college prep support, networking opportunities, and the chance to present your work at both an internal colloquium and a public poster symposium at the American Museum of Natural History.
Location: Scripps Research Translational Institute, La Jolla, CA
Cost: None
Program Dates: June 2 – August 8 or June 16 – August 22
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old, as well as undergraduate, graduate, and professional students
STRI Student Research Internship is a 10-week summer opportunity where you’ll explore translational medical research with a focus on genomics, mHealth, and personalized medicine. You’ll work with a mentor on a research project aligned with your interests and study how genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data can inform healthcare decisions. The program also covers key topics like genetic association studies and mobile health data analysis. You’ll also develop skills in scientific writing and presentation through discussions with researchers and regular check-ins with your mentor.
Location: Stanford University
Cost | Stipend: None | Limited number of need-based scholarships available to make the program more accessible
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 20 positions
Program Dates: June 16 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 28 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students from Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Santa Cruz counties; 16+; Prior knowledge of biology, chemistry, or computer programming through coursework or extracurricular activities; minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0
GRIPS is an eight-week research internship for high school students interested in computational genetics and genomics. Hosted by Stanford University, the program allows you to work in an active research lab under the guidance of a lab mentor on real-world genomics research projects. Additionally, you’ll also attend weekly cohort sessions, participate in panels and seminars on careers in biomedical research, and meet regularly with your mentor for feedback and support. The program emphasizes both research and professional development, helping you build skills in scientific inquiry, collaboration, and communication.
Location: City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Cost | Stipend: None | $4,500
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 9.5% (based on last year’s numbers); 60% of accepted participants were high school students last year
Program Dates: 10 weeks starting from June 2
Application Deadline: March 12
Eligibility: High school or undergraduate students; 16+ years old; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
At the Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy, you’ll spend 10 weeks working full-time in a biomedical research lab on a project aligned with your interests. Guided by world-renowned physicians and scientists, you’ll develop critical thinking, research design, and lab skills while contributing to real-world biomedical studies. Weekly seminars and workshops will introduce you to topics such as DNA repair and neural stem cells, as well as help you build scientific writing and presentation skills. You will also have the opportunity to present your work to peers, researchers, and scientists during the annual poster session at the end of the program.
Location: Various locations in Oakland, Berkeley, or San Francisco
Cost | Stipend: None | $3,000 for high school students and up to $4,300 for undergraduate students, depending on the program granting agencies
Program Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 14 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who have completed at least one year in math and biology (also open to undergraduate students); at least 16 years old by June 1 of the year of the program; Students with a background considered underrepresented in the sciences (check out the FAQ page for more details)
The UCSF Summer Student Research Program is a 9-week research experience where you'll work one-on-one with a mentor on a clinical or basic science project in fields like genetics, molecular biology, and public health. You’ll take part in structured research training, read and analyze scientific papers with your peers, write research abstracts and proposals, and present your findings at the final research symposium. You will also have access to several workshops, seminars, training sessions, simulations, and networking opportunities throughout the program.
Location: University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA
Cost | Stipend: None | $800
Program Dates: June 17 – August 2
Application Deadline: April 18
Eligibility: High school students or incoming freshmen who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or already in the U.S. on a valid immigration status
The BUGS Jr. Program is a hands-on summer research experience where you’ll work in state-of-the-art USC laboratories alongside faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows on projects related to human biology and health—including genetics, biomedical materials, disease models, and computational biology. You’ll also participate in journal clubs, technical panels, campus tours, and interdisciplinary seminars that expose you to a wide range of scientific fields and career paths. Throughout the program, you’ll build your research, presentation, and collaboration skills, culminating in a final poster session where you present your work to the university community.
Location: Stanford University
Cost | Stipend: $40 application fee | Minimum stipend of $500
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 50 students (may vary depending on funding and the number of participating labs)
Program Dates: June 9 – July 31
Application Deadline: December 15 – February 22
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old; U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are currently residing in and attending school in the U.S.; the selection process will heavily favor local (Bay Area) students
SIMR is an eight-week internship during which high school juniors and seniors gain hands-on experience conducting biomedical research at Stanford University. Under the guidance of a dedicated mentor, you’ll work on a medically-oriented research project in one of eight focus areas, including Genetics and Genomics. The program offers you the opportunity to learn how scientific research is conducted in university labs and to explore career paths in medicine and biology. You'll collaborate with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students while developing essential skills in data analysis, critical thinking, and scientific communication.
Location: UCSD Campus, La Jolla, CA
Cost: $1,500 (financial aid available)
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15
Eligibility: Southern California residents who are in grades 10, 11, or 12; At least 16 years old; minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
REHS is an eight-week summer internship that introduces students to computational science and biomedical research. Hosted by the San Diego Supercomputer Center, the program places you in a lab where you’ll work on real research projects that explore the molecular mechanisms of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and autism spectrum disorders. You will work in small groups, attend regular lab meetings, and receive one-on-one mentoring from UCSD scientists and graduate researchers. You will learn to test hypotheses, conduct computational experiments, analyze data, and communicate your findings in a poster presentation at the end of the program.
Location: Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, NJ
Cost: Free, but participants must cover their own housing and transportation costs
Program Dates: Four weeks from mid-July to mid August
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: U.S. high school students who are at least 17 years old
The Coriell Institute’s Summer Experience is a hands-on research program for high school students interested in molecular biology and genetics. You’ll work in professional labs that manage one of the world’s largest cell repositories and gain hands-on experience in areas like aseptic technique, cell passaging, and sample validation protocols. Projects may involve culturing stem cells, preparing DNA and RNA for sequencing, or analyzing chromosomes with karyotyping software. You’ll also attend weekly seminars exploring topics such as genetic privacy, ethical tissue sourcing, and the role of biobanking in regenerative medicine. The program provides a strong foundation in both laboratory practice and the ethical considerations of modern genetic research.
Location: Mayo Clinic campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ; Virtual options available
Cost | Stipend: Free | Students accepted into the in-person program receive a stipend
Program Dates: 4 weeks from June to July (In-person) | Virtual program starts on September 27
Application Deadline: February 1 (in-person summer program) and May 31 (virtual program)
Eligibility: Arizona high school students in grades 9–11 can apply to the in-person program; Arizona high school students in grades 9–12 can apply to the virtual program
Mayo Clinic CARES is a free summer program in Arizona for high school students interested in exploring careers in medicine, clinical genomics, biomedical research, and public health. Through interactive workshops, virtual simulations, and hands-on activities led by Mayo Clinic professionals, you’ll gain insight into a wide range of healthcare fields. You’ll also build practical skills through sessions on communication, resume writing, and personal wellness. After the summer, you’ll get the opportunity to be paired with a mentor in your chosen field for ongoing academic and career guidance throughout the year.
Location: Albion College, Pacific University, Lehigh University, Purdue University, University of Guelph
Cost: $9,800 (financial aid available; click here to learn more)
Program Dates: The program takes place between June and August and lasts 5 weeks (exact dates vary based on the university)
Application Deadline: December 12 – February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors who have completed or are in the process of completing any level of high school biology and algebra II
SSP’s Bacterial Genomics track offers an immersive research experience where you’ll explore how bacteria evolve resistance to environmental stress. Working in teams, you’ll conduct hands-on lab experiments in microbiology and molecular biology, culturing bacteria, extracting DNA, performing PCR, and using tools and techniques like gel electrophoresis and chemostats. You’ll then analyze genomic data using bioinformatics platforms like Galaxy to assemble genomes, annotate genes, and identify mutations. Throughout the program, you’ll gain experience with scientific writing and presentation, including collaborative manuscript and poster authorship. You’ll also attend lectures by genomic scientists and guest speakers to deepen your understanding of evolution and genetics.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
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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