15 In-person Biotechnology Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 18 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you are thinking about a future in medicine, genetics, or applied science, biotechnology may already be on your radar. But before choosing a college major, it helps to explore that interest. An in-person biotechnology program gives you that opportunity while you are still in high school. As a participant, you may spend time in a lab handling equipment, working with biological samples, and following scientific procedures. You will begin to see how research is designed, how data is recorded, and why small errors can affect results. Working alongside peers who are serious about science often pushes you to think more critically and ask stronger questions.
Why should I participate in an in-person biotechnology program in high school?
An in-person biotechnology program gives you exposure to how lab research works. You will learn to follow protocols, handle equipment, and understand how experiments are designed and evaluated. Being in a lab environment helps you decide whether you enjoy the precision and structure that scientific work requires. It can also strengthen your college applications by giving you concrete biotechnology projects to discuss in your essays and interviews.
With that, here is a curated list of 15 in-person biotechnology programs for high school students!
Location: DNA Learning Center (DNALC) NYC, Downtown Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free; $500 stipend upon completion of research and symposium presentation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 36 students accepted annually
Dates: Year-long program, summer lab training in late August, followed by academic-year research; symposium in May or June
Application Deadline: Spring application required, interviews held in July; proposal deadlines run October 22–January 7
Eligibility: Open to grades 9-12 in the NY Metropolitan area; requires a sponsoring teacher/mentor
The Urban Barcode Research Program at the DNA Learning Center in New York City is a year-long biotechnology research experience focused on DNA barcoding and biodiversity analysis. After completing summer lab training, you will work in a small team with a scientist mentor during the academic year to design and carry out a molecular biology project. You collect samples, extract DNA, run PCR, analyze sequencing results, and interpret genetic data. You also develop a research proposal and present your findings at a formal symposium. The program gives you structured exposure to how molecular biotechnology research is conducted from start to finish.
Location: Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Boston
Cost: Tuition-based (varies by location; financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small-group instruction (typically 7–10 students)
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer (multiple cohorts)
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions (varies by cohort)
Eligibility: Students aged 13–18 currently enrolled in middle or high school
Immerse Education’s Biotechnology Track allows you to explore biotechnology in a residential, university-style setting at leading academic hubs around the world. You live on campus and learn in small seminar-style groups led by tutors affiliated with top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. The curriculum emphasizes experiential learning, helping you understand how biological science is applied in medicine, research, and innovation-driven industries. While the broader Academic Insights Program spans more than 20 subject areas, the biotechnology track focuses on developing analytical thinking and applied scientific skills through projects and case-based learning. Throughout the program, you work toward a personal project that reflects your academic interests and receive individualized written feedback from instructors. Upon completion, you earn a certificate of completion documenting your participation in an immersive, in-person biotechnology program.
Location: Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA
Cost: Paid and unpaid options available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; approximately 4–10 interns accepted
Dates: June 29–August 21
Application Deadline: Typically, Mid-March
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors only (current 11th graders)
The Institute for Systems Biology Summer Internship in Seattle places you in a research lab for eight weeks. You will work on a mentor-guided project related to areas such as computational biology, cancer research, microbiology, or immunology. Depending on your placement, you may analyze biological datasets, assist with experimental procedures, or contribute to modeling projects. The internship includes professional development sessions and documentation of your research work. It provides an in-person experience within an active biotechnology research institute.
Location: Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA
Cost: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; limited number of scholars accepted
Dates: June 8–August 7
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+ who live and attend school in San Diego County; completion of at least one year of high school biology and chemistry required
The Heithoff-Brody Summer Scholars Program at the Salk Institute is an eight-week research internship for high school students in San Diego County. You will work alongside research scientists on a biological project and participate in laboratory procedures relevant to molecular biology and biotechnology. The program includes seminars, industry site visits, and a final research presentation. You gain experience with laboratory methods, data interpretation, and research documentation in a professional institute environment.
Location: Emeryville, CA
Cost: Free; $3,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; limited cohort
Dates: Prep week: June 8–June 12 (mostly virtual); In-person research: June 15–July 24
Application Deadline: Not publicly specified
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors aged 16+; must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, reside in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco County, meet income eligibility requirements, and have passed Algebra I and Biology with a minimum 2.5 GPA
The Summer Science Intensive iCLEM program in Emeryville is a six-week biotechnology research experience focused on microbiology and biomanufacturing. You will complete a mentored laboratory project while learning core concepts in molecular biology, biochemistry, and synthetic biology. The program includes structured lab training and exposure to biotechnology applications in energy and manufacturing. College preparation sessions run alongside laboratory work. Participants receive a stipend upon completion.
Location: Genspace, New York City, NY
Cost: Free; $2,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: Spring session February–May; Summer session July 6–August 14
Application Deadline: Applications open November 1
Eligibility: NYC public or charter high school students aged 16+; must live or attend school within 45 minutes of Genspace
The Biorocket Research Internship at Genspace in New York City is a multi-month, in-person biotechnology program centered on genetic engineering and molecular biology. You work with scientist mentors to design and carry out a collaborative lab project. Training includes core biotechnology techniques and structured research development. The program also incorporates science communication workshops and field visits to research facilities. Participants receive a stipend and sustained mentorship throughout the internship period.
Location: New York City, NY
Cost: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 5–6 new interns accepted annually
Dates: Year-long program
Application Deadline: Not publicly specified
Eligibility: New York City high school students
New York City Virus Hunters is a year-long research internship focused on infectious disease surveillance. You will collect biological samples from urban wildlife and perform laboratory testing using molecular techniques such as PCR. You analyze viral data in collaboration with research mentors from BioBus and Mount Sinai. The program connects biotechnology methods with public health research and epidemiology. Students contribute to ongoing surveillance studies and present their findings within scientific settings.
Location: Shoreline Community College, Shoreline, WA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified
Dates: Fall–Spring academic year (late September through mid-June)
Application Deadline: Applications for the next cohort open in February
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors who have completed biology and/or chemistry
The Biomanufacturing Training Program at Shoreline Community College is a year-long, after-school biotechnology course. You will train in laboratory procedures such as bioreactor operation, bacterial transformation, chromatography, electrophoresis, and CRISPR gene editing. The curriculum also covers regulatory standards and manufacturing protocols used in the biotech industry. You will earn a certificate in biomanufacturing and college credit upon completion. The program provides applied laboratory experience aligned with biotechnology workforce pathways.
Location: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; limited space
Dates: July 13–July 24
Application Deadline: January 19 - February 26
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; must be 16+ by program start, attend a Northern California high school, meet GPA requirements, and complete required science coursework
The LLNL Biotechnology Summer Experience is a competitive, in-person research program that immerses you in molecular biology and bioinformatics at a national research laboratory. During the two-week program, you will work on a research project focused on isolating, characterizing, and sequencing genes from duckweed (Landoltia punctata), a freshwater plant of scientific interest. You gain hands-on experience with core biotechnology techniques, including plasmid DNA isolation, PCR, restriction digestion, and gel electrophoresis. The program also introduces you to bioinformatic analysis, using the same tools employed by professional scientists to analyze DNA sequences. A great feature of the program is that student-generated DNA sequences are submitted to GenBank, with published entries acknowledging students by name.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Free ($55 non-refundable application fee; fee waivers and limited scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; small cohort
Dates: June 15–August 6
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors aged 16+; must reside in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Santa Cruz counties; minimum 3.0 GPA
The Genomics Research Internship Program at Stanford places you in a university-affiliated genomics laboratory for eight weeks. You will assist with research projects involving genetic data analysis, sequencing workflows, or laboratory experiments. Weekly cohort sessions support skill development and research communication. Mentors guide you through assigned responsibilities within the lab. The internship provides structured exposure to genomics research in an academic biotechnology setting.
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $875 (in person); $610 (virtual); limited partial scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; Small groups of 5-6 campers
Dates: July 13–July 17
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Current high school students; completion of at least one high school biology course required
The Biotechnology Sequencing Camp at the University of Michigan introduces you to genomics and next-generation sequencing analysis. During the week-long program, you will learn how to work with raw genome sequencing data using Linux-based bioinformatics tools. You analyze human sequencing datasets to identify viral pathogens and study genomic variation. The curriculum focuses on computational biotechnology skills that are central to modern genetic research. Instruction is guided step by step, making the program accessible even if you do not have prior programming experience.
Location: UC Berkeley (Berkeley, CA); UC San Diego (La Jolla, CA); Columbia University (New York, NY); University College London (London, UK); Alameda, CA (commuter); and online
Cost: Tuition-based
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions offered in summer, winter, and online formats
Application Deadline: Varies by workshop and session
Eligibility: Students aged 14–18 (some online workshops open to ages 12–18)
The Molecular Medicine Workshops, offered at institutions including UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and Columbia University, focus on the molecular basis of human disease. You will study how cellular and genetic mechanisms contribute to conditions such as cancer and neurological disorders. Lab sessions introduce biotechnology techniques used in diagnostics, drug development, and genetic analysis. You complete a research-based project centered on a gene, pathway, or disease mechanism. The program connects molecular biology concepts directly to biomedical research applications.
Location: Wake Forest University Reynolda Campus, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost: $3,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: Week of July 5–10 or week of July 19–24
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Current high school students
The Biology Research Institute at Wake Forest University is a residential program where you engage in laboratory and field-based biological research. You will work with PhD-level instructors to conduct experiments in areas such as molecular plant biology, disease biochemistry, and ecology. Laboratory sessions introduce core biotechnology techniques, data collection, and analysis. You compile your findings and present them at the end of the program. The experience provides structured exposure to experimental design and biological research methods.
Location: North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC
Cost: Not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified
Dates: One-week camp during the summer
Application Deadline: Not publicly specified
Eligibility: High school students with a strong interest in science
The BRITE Futures Biotechnology Camp at North Carolina Central University introduces you to laboratory techniques used in biotechnology research. You will complete experiments involving DNA analysis, gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, PCR, ELISA assays, and chromatography. Each lab session builds technical proficiency and reinforces scientific reasoning. You also tour research facilities and interact with faculty and scientists. The program focuses on practical laboratory training in a university setting.
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: $599 per week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited capacity; registration-based with competitive demand
Dates: Week A: July 6–10 or Week B: July 20–24
Application Deadline: Registration required; space is limited and filled on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11 who have completed or are currently enrolled in Biology or another high school–level science course
The Rice BioTech Academy at Rice University is a one-week laboratory program centered on genetics and biotechnology techniques. You will work in university labs practicing DNA extraction, micropipetting, bacterial transformation, and genetic analysis. Activities include structured experiments and team-based challenges related to molecular biology. The program provides guided laboratory instruction and exposure to biotechnology applications in academic research.
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, check out students’ reviews of the program here and 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 graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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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