11 Neuroscience Summer Programs for High School Students
Do the mysteries of the human mind compel you? Curious to understand the inner workings of the brain? If this sounds like you, it sounds like you might be interested in learning more about neuroscience! These summer programs are a good way for high schoolers to begin to understand this field. So, without further ado, here are 11 neuroscience high school programs to make the best of your summer! Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program - Neuroscience Track
Application deadline: four cohorts throughout the year, applications due in February, May, September, and December, you can find the application form here.
Eligibility: All high school students may apply.
Program dates: There are four cohorts throughout the year in spring, summer, fall, and winter
Location: Virtual
Lumiere has been founded by researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Hundreds of ambitious high school students do research in neuroscience through the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs. Each student is paired with a top PhD and works with their mentor 1-1 to produce a university-level research paper. The programs are fully virtual and vary in durations based on the student’s end goal with respect to how much of a deep dive they would prefer.
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Students from Baltimore City and from Greater Baltimore Metropolitan area schools
Program dates: June 26 – August 14
Location: John Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Neurology. A virtual track is available too
Stipend: $15/hour and travel costs will be compensated
This internship was started with the aim of introducing students from underrepresented backgrounds to the field of neurological sciences. As an intern, you will be matched with a scientist for a specific project as well as participate in clinical rotations with Johns Hopkins neurologists. The program also includes seminars and weekly sessions on professional development. With only 5-6 students per cohort and a rigorous admission process, JHIBS is a highly selective program.
Location: Virtual
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research.
Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
Application deadline: April 17, but priority is given to applications received before April 3
Eligibility: Open to students between the ages of 16 and 18.
Program dates: June 17 - August 5 for the secondary school program
Location: Harvard University (residential, commuting, or virtual)
Fee: Anywhere between $3,600–$13,750 depending on course selection; Need-based scholarship awards are available
Psychology and neuroscience is one of the domains of research covered in Harvard’s Secondary School program, where you can choose up to 8 credits of coursework. Some of the interdisciplinary courses offered are Becoming a Brain Scientist: Neuroscience and Psychology Research, Neuroinvesting: Neuroscience and Financial Decision Making, and Law and Psychology. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, Harvard also offers these free online courses that provide an introduction to neuroscience.
Application deadline: February 25
Eligibility: Juniors or seniors who are graduating and are at least 16 years old
Program dates: June 12 – August 3
Location: Stanford Medicine
Stipend: In-between $500 - $1,500, depending on other applicable supporting grants
Another research program, SIMR offers the chance to work with Stanford faculty on a medically oriented project. You will have lectures thrice a week in the mornings and spend the rest of your time working in the lab. Neurobiology is one of the research areas for which you can put down your preference during the application process. If you’re looking for a shorter stint, you can opt for the Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) at Stanford University. However, this is a paid program.
Application deadline: Applications for the internship open on January 7.
Eligibility: 16-year-old students who are entering their junior or senior year in Fall in a Palm Beach or Martin County school
Program dates: June 12 – July 21
Location: MPFI, Jupiter, Florida
Stipend: $12/hour
Run by the non-profit research organization Max Planck Society, the MPFI provides a lab experience by the end of which you will have written a scientific abstract and delivered a presentation of your research project. The program’s neuroscience track will give you experience in “wet lab” techniques such as genetic engineering, microbiology preparations, histological staining, and microscopy.
Application deadline: May 20
Eligibility: All students can apply, but preference is given to those from underrepresented backgrounds and those who haven’t had such opportunities before
Program dates: Beginning of July – Beginning of August
Location: Virtual
Fee: Free
Organized by the non-profit Science Mentorship Institute, the NMP will allow students to work on an individual research project in the field of neuroscience that culminates in a presentation and write-up. The program's highlight is its focus on open-source research, meaning you will learn to do research with free and available resources like software, papers, volunteer mentors, and more. Apart from a weekly lecture, the five-week program includes a weekly journal club where you will choose and present a research paper.
Application deadline: April 21
Eligibility: Greater Houston area students can apply for the in-person camp, while anyone can apply for the virtual one
Program dates: August 5 – August 6 for the in-person program and July 8 OR July 9 for the online version
Location: In-person and virtual tracks available
Fee: Free
Rice University’s free two-day camp (one day for the online version) in neuroscience is a great way to get an all-around introduction to the subject. It aims to teach research skills through lab experiments, mentor through sessions on university life and career options, and cover high-level topics like computational neuroscience and philosophy of mind. No prior knowledge of the subject is required!
9. University of Minnesota’s High-School Neuroscience Summer Program for Underrepresented Minorities
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors from underrepresented groups attending Twin Cities schools
Program dates: July 11 – July 15
Location: University of Minnesota
Fee: $400 and a transportation pass
Also known as Go4Brains, this week-long program includes short 30-minute lectures, career skills sessions, experiments, and visits to research laboratories. Most helpful is a mentoring program that will match you with a member of the faculty to guide you through the program and even beyond it. Enrolling only 10 students per cohort makes it a very selective program. On the bright side, you might get to hold a real human brain!
Application deadline: Usually, the deadline is May 1, but applications are accepted on a rolling basis. If you are a student from the Philadelphia School District, you may still submit an application for this program.
Eligibility: Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who have completed a year of high school biology and chemistry and have a minimum GPA of 3.3
Program dates: July 9 – July 29
Location: University of Penn, residential
Fee: $9,700; Students attending a City of Philadelphia public high school or charter high school are eligible for limited scholarships
Through a combination of lectures, journal club, lab experience, and visits to museums/research institutes, this residential program will give you a strong foundation in neuroscience. Topics will range from the cellular structure of the neuron to cognitive functions such as memory, emotion, and morality. You will also take part in the neuroethics club, where you will debate current ethical dilemmas in the field.
Application deadline: April 17
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who have a background in biology, chemistry, or research
Program dates: July 10 – July 21
Location: Queen Lane Campus, Drexel University
Fee: $2,200
Like most of the programs on this list, Drexel University’s Neuroscience Camp features a combination of lectures, lab experience, field trips, and project work. Apart from the basics of neuroscience, you will learn concepts of molecular neurobiology, neurophysiology, and neuroanatomy. You will also attend live brain activity recordings. Keep in mind that this is a competitive program, and the application requires two letters of recommendation.
Bonus entry:
Application deadline: December 31st
Eligibility: Open to students from grades 6 to 12
Program dates: July 24 - August 4
Location: University of California, Irvine
Fee: $2,150; Need-based scholarships available
Organized by UCI’s Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, this camp is at an introductory level fit for middle and high schoolers. The program includes lectures on topics like neuropathology and brain-machine interface, lab work using electrophysiology and optogenetics, workshops on experimental design and data analysis, and even dissections. Some bonus options for you: since psychology and neuroscience often intersect, Camp Psych at Gettysburg College is another option you can consider. More Psychology programs can be found here!
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.
Image source: Stock image