11 Neuroscience Research Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in neuroscience, participating in a research program will allow you to gain practical insight and exposure to the field! Neuroscience involves the study of the nervous system, particularly how the brain impacts our cognition and behavior. It combines fields like psychology, physiology, molecular biology, developmental biology, chemistry, statistics, computer science, physics, and mathematics, so there’s plenty to explore and learn in this diverse field.
There are many opportunities available for high schoolers in neuroscience, with several universities and institutes offering research-specific programs/internships. These opportunities will allow you to collaborate on projects under the guidance of experts, interact with like-minded peers, and explore potential career options in the field. Additionally, research experience in neuroscience can also strengthen your college applications by highlighting your work experience, skillset, and commitment to your chosen field.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can check out our list of 11 neuroscience research programs for high school students!
1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program—Neuroscience track
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 and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring.
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
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: Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology, Baltimore, MD or Virtual
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors can apply. In-person internship applicants must attend a high school in Baltimore.
Application Deadline: Applications close on March 1 every year.
Dates: June–August (8 weeks in person) | July–August (5 weeks for the virtual experience)
Stipend: Hourly wages and transportation funds are paid to in-person interns, while virtual interns receive a fixed stipend of $500.
JHIBS is a summer research program offering students a chance to explore a career in the neurological sciences. The program provides two internship options:
In-Person Experience: A total of 8 students are selected for this experience to conduct a research project under the mentorship of faculty, staff, and students. Apart from research and lab work, you will participate in clinical rotations with neurologists, scientific seminars, educational and professional development sessions, meetings with faculty, and a final oral or poster presentation.
Virtual Experience: The virtual research experience includes a larger cohort and features educational presentations, mentorship training, professional development training, learning basic laboratory techniques and experiments, and more.
Location: Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications generally close in February.
Dates: June 10–August 1 (8 weeks)
Cost/Stipend: No cost to attend, although there is a $40 application fee that can be waived based on financial need. Housing and meals are not provided. All students are given a $500 minimum stipend. Stipends of $2500 and above are given on a needs-based system from special grants.
SIMR allows high school students to work on biomedical research projects with Stanford faculty, students, researchers, and postdoctoral fellows. You can choose from eight research areas by stating your preference in the application. One of the research areas includes neurobiology, allowing students to work at the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford University on research themes like neuro-discovery, neuro-health, and neuro-engineering. Once selected, you will be assigned a particular field of study (branch) based on your preference and spend two months as a mentee. You’ll present your research and experience in the poster session at the end of the program. This is a fairly competitive program with a cohort size of about 50 students and an acceptance rate of less than 3%.
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Eligibility: Current high school students in grades 9-11 can apply. Students must have completed one year of high school biology and one year of high school chemistry to apply.
Application Deadline: Applications open in the fall.
Dates: July 6–July 27
Cost: $9,700 (includes tuition, housing, meals, trips and activities, and more). Students who attend a School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school may be eligible for a Penn Summer Scholarship.
The University of Pennsylvania’s Neuroscience Research Academy is taught by members of the university’s Biological Basis of Behavior program. It explores the biological foundations of the brain, including the cellular functions of neurons, high-order cognitive functions (like memory, morality, and emotion), and sensory systems. You will learn about the field in terms of research and medicine while staying on campus and getting a taste of the college experience. The research academy includes lectures, discussions with faculty and peers, journal clubs, lab activities, films, readings, and trips and tours. You will participate in a neuroethics club to debate current ethical dilemmas within the neuroscience field.
Location: Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old, live in Palm Beach or Martin County, and have U.S. work authorization can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications open in January.
Dates: June 17–July 26 (6 weeks)
Stipend: $12.5 per hour
The MPFI Summer Research Internship allows high school students to experience working in a laboratory with researchers and neuroscientists. If selected, you will receive mentorship, learn about brain structure and development, and gain an understanding of advanced imaging techniques and technologies. You will participate in research projects alongside MPFI scientists and prepare a written scientific abstract based on your research project. During the program, you will work in wet labs, learning techniques like genetic engineering, histological staining, microbiology preparations, and microscopy. Once you complete your internship, you will get to deliver presentations to peers, researchers, and the community at large. You can take a look at past intern presentations here.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA or Virtual
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications usually close in early March.
Dates: Virtual session: June 17–June 28; In-person sessions: July 8–July 19 | July 22–August 2
Cost: $1,495 (virtual) | $2,795 (in-person). Scholarships are available for qualified applicants.
The Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) at Stanford University exposes students to introductory concepts in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. This 2-week program will introduce you to the diverse research conducted by the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. You will attend seminars with faculty and researchers and explore professional and career possibilities. The highlight of this program is the capstone research project in which you will work in groups of 8-10 to develop innovative solutions in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. You will present this project at the final capstone event. Topics covered in the past include eating disorders, neuroimaging, mindfulness, early intervention programs, sports psychiatry, and more.
Location: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Eligibility: Massachusetts high school juniors (or rising seniors) or recent high school graduates can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications usually close in March.
Dates: July 1–August 9
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
The Youth Neurology Education and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital exposes high school students to neuroscientists and neurologists, mentored research, and publication and presentation opportunities. The initial part of the program will focus on a boot camp involving research and clinical training, building networks, improving your laboratory skills, and beginning a one-on-one mentorship. You will be paired with an undergraduate student and a faculty member with whom you will complete a research project in the laboratory. You will also attend lectures, social events, field trips, tours, and more. The program will culminate in a session where you will present your project to faculty, peers, and family.
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Eligibility: NYC students (preference is given to students in upper Manhattan and South Bronx) in grades 10–11 nominated by the program’s partner programs and schools can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications open in October.
Dates: June–August (5 weeks)
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
BRAINYAC provides high schoolers with a summer research experience in a Columbia laboratory. This program offers you the opportunity to collaborate with scientists and acquire essential research skills. You will be paired with a mentor from Columbia's neuroscience department, who will oversee your involvement in a specific research project. By the end of the program, you will have insight into an academic research career and a stronger foundation in neuroscience principles. One past participant researched the role of specific neurons in transmitting sensory information from the external environment. BRAINYAC application is exclusive to students nominated by their partner organizations, including S-PREP, Lang Youth Medical Program, Double Discovery Center, Columbia Secondary School, and BioBus.
Location: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors in high school can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications usually close in April.
Dates: June 17–August 2 (7 weeks)
Stipend: Paid (amount not specified)
This program is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), providing a paid opportunity for high school students to gain research experience in neuroscience, neurological injury, and neurodegeneration. You will conduct research in an active laboratory while receiving mentorship and access to the facilities of the laboratory and university. You will work with a trained mentor and learn from graduate students and technicians working within the lab. You can take a look at some potential research mentors here. You will also get to explore Neuroscience as an undergraduate major and career choice and present your research findings at the end of the program.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC
Eligibility: Current North Carolina high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are at least 15 years old and are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or legal residents can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications usually close in March.
Dates: June 10–August 2 (8 weeks)
Stipend: A stipend (amount not specified) is provided along with daily lunch. Students will need to commute every day as housing is not provided.
DUNE provides an opportunity for local high school students to engage in research at one of the university’s neuroscience laboratories. You will be matched with a lab and professional mentor and conduct research for a project of your choice. Further, you will attend professional development sessions and workshops to improve your understanding of neuroscience, college applications, and career opportunities. At the end of the program, you will attend a poster session where you will present your project to peers, family, and DUNE faculty. You can take a look at the past interns' and scholars’ stories here.
Location: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are at least 16 years old and can commute to the hospital for 5 days of the week are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Dates: July 7–August 9 (5 weeks)
Stipend: $1,000
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Neurology High School Scholars Program offers an opportunity to work with a neuroscientist or neurologist on a basic science or clinical research project. During the internship, you will shadow physicians in clinics, attend weekly education sessions, and deliver poster presentations at the final conference. To understand the types of projects you can work on, take a look at some past projects here. Note that apart from the application process, you might need to undergo other personal clearances such as immunizations, FBI fingerprinting, and other background checks.
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.