11 Spring Research Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 22 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you are a high school student interested in exploring academic research, spring research programs can offer an accessible entry point into college-level inquiry. Whether you are curious about STEM fields, the social sciences, or interdisciplinary research, these opportunities enable you to engage with real research questions while balancing your school-year responsibilities. These programs emphasize practical learning, mentorship from experienced researchers, and exposure to academic research methods.
What are the benefits of a spring research program?
Compared to summer programs, spring options often require a smaller time commitment and can be more affordable, while still helping you build skills and develop your profile. You can collaborate with peers, present findings, or contribute to ongoing research projects, helping you explore data analysis, academic writing, and problem formulation. These experiences also provide opportunities to work under experienced mentors who help you explore your field of interest and develop your network.
Below, we’ve curated a list of 11 spring research programs for high school students, based on academic rigor, selectivity, credibility, and quality of mentorship.
If you are looking for online research programs, check out our blog here.
11 Spring Research Programs for High School Students
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on the program type | Full financial aid available
Dates: Vary by cohort, offered in summer, fall, winter, or spring | Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. You can apply here.
Eligibility: Must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive one-on-one research opportunities across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high school student. The program pairs high school students with PhD mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 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.
Location: Multiple in-person locations in the US
Stipend: $501.60-805.60/week (based on full-time work schedule)
Dates: Varies by internship location | Opportunities are offered in the spring, summer, and fall
Application Deadline: Varies by internship | Typically 5-6 months before start date
Eligibility: Current high school seniors aged 16+ (18+ for California sites) | Must be US citizens | Minimum GPA of 3.0 strongly recommended | Requires background check
The AFRL Scholars Program, a highly selective research program funded by the NASA-affiliated Universities Space Research Association, offers spring internships for advanced high school students interested in physics, aerospace engineering, and other fields across space science and technology. You’ll apply to up to three internship projects based on your interests, with each hosted by an AFRL researcher who will serve as your mentor. Each internship focuses on a specialized research topic in subjects such as Space Vehicles, Directed Energy, Aerospace Systems, and more. You’ll directly contribute to professional-level research supporting space exploration, US Air Force operations, and advanced technological developments, such as unmanned aerial systems. You’ll build industry connections with AFRL researchers, and may have opportunities to attend scientific meetings and network with Department of Defense and other federal government employees. Each internship has a specific on-site location and set of applicant criteria, so be sure to review the options carefully before applying.
3. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type | Full financial aid available
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application deadline: Rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November) | You can apply to the program here
Eligibility: High school students | AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts 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.
Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Stipend: $1,100
Dates: February 10-May 21 (Introductory Bootcamp on January 31)
Application Deadline: October 27
Eligibility: 10th and 11th-grade students attending school in NYC | Former interns are ineligible to reapply
If you’re interested in researching at the intersection of art and science, you can consider the Met Museum’s paid spring research internship program for high school students. You’ll be placed to work in one of the Met’s departments; if you’re looking for a research-focused internship, Conservation and Scientific Research placements are the best choice. You’ll focus on a specialized art collection, with options including Arms and Armor, Paintings, Paper, or Textile Conservation, or join the Scientific Research department, providing direct assistance to Met curators and preservation scientists. Your tasks might include applying preventative conservation protocols to textile exhibits, analyzing art pieces with microscopes or X-ray equipment, or assisting Met scientists in developing treatment methodologies for damaged artwork. Outside of your departmental work, you’ll participate in activities such as concerts, art classes, and educational lectures during Teen Friday sessions.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, or Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Weekly Saturday meetings | Check the site for updates
Application Deadline: Typically ~2 weeks before program start date
Eligibility: Current high school students | Some programs may have additional prerequisites and grade level restrictions, and some are only offered for girls
Beaver Works is an MIT-hosted educational initiative that offers spring research programs for high school students interested in exploring specialized STEM fields. You’ll choose from options including Digital Logic & Computer Design, Program Cognitive Assistants, and Practical Radio, attending weekly Saturday sessions led by MIT professors, industry professionals, and Lincoln Laboratory researchers. Based on your course, research projects might include programming an autonomous car, developing a machine learning algorithm, or pursuing an independent biotechnology research project. Beaver Works also offers a more advanced Summer Institute for rising high school seniors.
Location: Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME
Cost: Free with fully-funded housing and meals
Dates: May 17–22
Application Deadline: April 17
Eligibility: Maine home-schooled, public, and private high school juniors interested in ocean or environmental science
The Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences’s BLOOM Program hosts sixteen Maine high school students each spring for a fully-funded research experience in marine, ocean, and environmental sciences. You’ll start the program with training in oceanographic research methods and equipment, practising your skills on a research vessel in the Sheepscot River Estuary. In the following days, you’ll conduct hands-on lab research analyzing samples including marine viruses and bacteria, phyto- and zooplankton, pigments, and more. You’ll attend workshops and discussions with Bigelow researchers on topics including environmental public policy and research ethics, gaining additional educational and networking opportunities. BLOOM also features a Marine Science Career Night, where you’ll explore marine science and related majors at Maine colleges and discuss career paths in the field. You’ll finish the program by delivering a presentation on your research experience to Bigelow faculty, family, and peers.
Location: University of North Carolina - Charlotte, Charlotte, NC and Virtual
Cost: $125
Dates: Spring program: January 24–April 30 (5 Saturdays and 4 Thursdays) | Program also offered in the fall
Application Deadline: January 9
Eligibility: Grades 9-12 | Students must be able to commute to campus for Saturday sessions | Limited to 25 students
UNC-Charlotte offers a data science training and research program for high school students in the Charlotte region, providing a series of weekend meetings and weekday lectures. You’ll participate in hands-on classes in data science, focusing on topics such as machine learning, statistics, and data visualization, while practising your skills by analyzing case studies and real-world data. On “Virtual Thursday” meetings, you’ll attend guest lectures from professional data scientists, including researchers and industry experts, learning about careers and academic pathways in the field. During the program, you’ll conduct your own data science research, which you’ll present at the Final Project Showcase to UNC data scientists, mentors, and your peers.
Location: New York University, New York
Cost: $200 | Financial aid available
Dates: October 18–May 2 (school year session)
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Grades 7-12 (NYC residents) | Requires a transcript, an essay on STEM interest, and meeting state-determined income criteria
The Science and Technology Entry Program supports NYC middle and high schoolers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds with a multi-year research, training, and college preparation program, including programming throughout the spring. You’ll explore advanced topics in science, math, laboratory research, and health care in Discovering Science Research courses led by NYU professors and students. Other school-year programming includes standardized test tutoring, academic writing workshops, and career development activities. In your 11th and 12th grade years, you’ll conduct research under the mentorship of NYU faculty members in your primary STEM field of interest, which you’ll present to professional researchers and peers at the STEP State Conference in Albany. In your senior year, you’ll also receive college admissions counseling, including discussion panels, application workshops, and leadership coaching.
9. NYU SPS High School Academy – Stock Investing: Valuing Companies and Advanced Research Techniques
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $850
Dates: February 28–March 21
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions ending October 10
Eligibility: Grades 9-12, able to commute to NYU weekly | Minimum B grade average and some prior experience studying business/investing recommended
The NYU School of Professional Studies offers a spring research program in stock investing for high school students interested in economics and finance. You’ll develop business analytics skills through project-based work, including company valuation, financial model development, economic growth forecasting, and discounted cash flow analysis, all while working with real-world financial data. You’ll also learn how to use these skills to your advantage through building a strong investment portfolio through strategic market analysis or launching your own company. You will understand industry research techniques used by international finance and investment firms, which you’ll apply to research projects of your own throughout the program.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by course and session length
Dates: Spring Session A: Begins week of January 26 | Spring Session B: Begins week of March 23 | Check site for updates
Application deadline: January 5 (Spring Session A) | February 17 (Spring Session B)
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–11 | Open registration for students meeting sufficient above-grade level requirements on the CTY assessment
Johns Hopkins’ CTY offers gifted and talented programming for high school students, including multiple spring research programs across STEM, social sciences, and humanities. Taught in a course-style structure, CTY programs combine upper-level education with research projects and assignments analyzing real-world problems in the field. Your work might include researching Minkowski space and simultaneity in Advanced Topics in Physics: Special Relativity, conducting a medical case study, such as "Be the Doctor: The Science Behind the Symptoms," or conducting experiments like isolating DNA molecules and splitting genes in Biotechnology. Course offerings vary from semester to semester, and some may provide grades that are transferable for academic credit.
Location: Virtual or on campus at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Cost: Varies by course and format
Dates: Six to nine-week sessions offered in the spring, summer, and fall
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students from grades 1–12 | Applicants must meet a specified tier of above-grade-level academic skills based on CTD assessment standards
Northwestern’s Center for Talent Development offers advanced research-focused courses for high school students across disciplines in its Spring sessions. You’ll choose from dozens of courses across STEM, social science, humanities, and leadership based on your interests and research goals. Based on your course, your research may involve analyzing an abnormal psychological case study, utilizing Retrieval-Augmented Generation AI models for computer engineering applications, or conducting a comparative analysis of international sociopolitical systems. CTD also offers a variety of AP courses that merge research projects with the standard curriculum and for-credit, graded classes.
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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