15 Summer STEM Programs for Teens
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 12 min read
A summer STEM program can be a strong way for you to explore science, technology, engineering, or math in more depth than a typical school year allows. Along the way, you'll build skills in areas like data analysis, coding, or experimental design while working alongside faculty, researchers, or industry professionals. These programs can also give you a clearer sense of what a STEM career actually involves, whether your interests lean toward research, robotics, cybersecurity, or artificial intelligence.
What should you look for in a summer STEM program?
A summer STEM program can give you access to labs, mentorship, and research questions that go beyond what a standard classroom offers. Depending on the program you choose, you could conduct research at a university lab, work through an engineering or robotics project, or take part in a federal lab internship. Whether you're looking for something local or a residential program elsewhere in the country, you can find a program suited to your interests and experience level.
With that, here's a list of 15 summer STEM programs for teens!
If you’re looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These programs span biomedical research, AI, cybersecurity, engineering, and applied physics, so teens with a wide range of STEM interests can find a relevant program regardless of location or budget.
Most programs are free, including RSI, MITES Summer, SAMS, ASPIRE, CS4CS, NIST SHIP, and CMU AI Scholars, with several, such as SEAP, ARISE, and Simons Summer Research, also providing stipends.
Acceptance rates are extremely low across the board, with RSI at 2 to 5%, MITES Summer at 2 to 3%, and CMU AI Scholars at 5 to 10%, so students should apply broadly and early.
Many programs are residential and require travel to campus, but a few, such as Lumiere and Veritas AI, are fully virtual and open to students regardless of location.
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free except an application fee of $75 (fee waiver available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective (5% - 2%); 100 students selected annually
Dates: June 28 – August 8
Application Deadline: December 10
Eligibility: High school juniors who will be at least 16 years of age by July 1 of the program year
The Research Science Institute (RSI) gives you a chance to experience what scientific research actually looks like at one of the world's leading STEM institutions. The program opens with a week of intensive lectures in mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and computer science before you join a research lab for the remaining weeks. Working alongside scientists and researchers, you investigate an original problem, review scientific literature, develop research methods, analyze data, and refine your findings as the project evolves. Evening talks by Nobel laureates, faculty, and technology leaders offer a glimpse into current scientific breakthroughs and research careers. By the end of the program, you'll write a technical research paper and present your work in a conference-style symposium.
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort.
Eligibility: You 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 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas. 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, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Location: Multiple lab locations are available across the country
Cost: No cost / Stipend of $4,000 for new participants, $4,500 for returning participants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Eight weeks during the summer, with the option to extend for up to two more weeks
Application Deadline: November 1
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least 9th grade, are at least 16 years old, and are U.S. citizens. Students should check the specific lab’s additional requirements or exceptions.
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) places you inside Department of the Navy laboratories for an eight-week STEM research internship focused on real defense and engineering projects. You work under professional scientists and engineers in areas like robotics, AI, cybersecurity, applied mathematics, and computer science, depending on lab placement. Daily work includes hands-on tasks such as coding prototypes, running simulations, data analysis, and documenting technical results using real research tools. You also gain structured mentorship that helps you understand how federal labs approach large-scale innovation and long-term technology development.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Application deadline: Rolling. 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 looking to get started in 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 have the opportunity 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: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost: None except a $25 application fee / $750 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 12 students
Dates: June 21 – August 6
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 17 years old by the start of the program
The Anson L. Clark Scholar Program is a highly selective seven-week residential research program at Texas Tech University where you work closely with faculty mentors on an independent research project. You can explore fields such as biology, cancer research, chemistry, computer science, engineering, physics, humanities, or the social sciences while gaining hands-on experience with experimental methods, data analysis, and academic research practices. Alongside lab and project work, you attend seminars, guest lectures, and field trips that expose you to different career paths and research areas. The program also emphasizes scientific communication, helping you strengthen your presentation, writing, and critical thinking skills in a professional academic environment.
Location: MIT Campus, Cambridge, MA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 2% - 3%
Dates: June 20 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors (U.S. citizens or permanent residents)
The MITES Summer Program at MIT is a free six-week residential STEM program for high school juniors that immerses you in rigorous college-level academics and campus life at MIT. You take five intensive courses across math, science, humanities, and STEM electives while working on hands-on projects that explore real-world applications in areas such as machine learning, genomics, and engineering. Beyond academics, the program includes lab tours, seminars with STEM professionals, admissions counseling, and a college fair to help you prepare for college and future STEM careers. You also live on MIT’s campus, build connections with peers from across the country, and participate in social activities and excursions around the Greater Boston area.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: $50 application fee; The application fee will be waived if your gross family income is under $80,000. A very limited number of stipends will be awarded from a special grant based on need.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50 students
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: Must be juniors or seniors in the graduating class of this or next year, at least 16 years old by the program’s start date, and currently living in the U.S. while attending high school as U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a green card
SIMR is an eight-week biomedical research program where you work in a Stanford School of Medicine lab alongside faculty, postdocs, and research scientists on medically focused projects. You gain hands-on experience in areas such as bioengineering, stem cell biology, genetics, immunology, neurobiology, cancer biology, and bioinformatics while learning how scientific research is conducted in professional lab settings. You will contribute to ongoing research projects, analyze data, and develop skills in laboratory safety, experimental design, and scientific communication. The program concludes with a formal poster presentation where you present your findings in a conference-style setting.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school juniors (must be 16 years old by program start)
Carnegie Mellon's Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) is a six-week residential program that introduces you to college-level STEM through rigorous coursework and collaborative projects. You'll take classes in mathematics and science, work through challenging problem sets, and apply what you learn in hands-on activities that reflect the pace of university study. Throughout the program, you'll learn from Carnegie Mellon faculty while receiving guidance from mentors and current students who help you navigate both academics and college life. Beyond the classroom, workshops on college preparation, research, and STEM careers help connect your coursework to future opportunities. The program also includes a virtual component before and after the residential session.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, New York City, NY
Cost: No cost; $2000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: New York City residents in 10th or 11th grade
ARISE (Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering) is a 10-week research program at NYU Tandon where you gain hands-on experience in fields like AI, robotics, bioengineering, and molecular engineering. You begin with a structured virtual phase focused on research training, safety, and scientific writing, followed by six weeks of in-person lab work alongside NYU faculty and graduate researchers. You contribute directly to ongoing real-world research projects while building skills in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific communication. The program also includes mentorship sessions, lab tours, and workshops that strengthen public speaking and college readiness. It concludes with a formal research presentation at NYU and a poster symposium at the American Museum of Natural History.
Location: Johns Hopkins University Campus, Baltimore, MD
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; the admissions rate is less than 10%
Dates: June 23 – August 21
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school junior or senior who is at least 15 years of age with a minimum 2.8 GPA. Check more details here.
The ASPIRE Program at Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) places you in a professional STEM environment where you work directly with scientists and engineers on real technical projects. You engage in hands-on work such as Python programming, robotics, software development, virtual modeling, and engineering design while contributing to ongoing research efforts. You receive mentorship from APL staff and gain insight into how large-scale technical projects are planned, developed, and refined over time. The program emphasizes independent thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to learn quickly in a real-world research setting. It is a full-time, on-site summer experience that helps you understand STEM careers before choosing your college path.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: July 13 – August 7
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: New York City residents currently in 10th or 11th grade
If you're curious about ethical hacking and digital security, NYU Tandon's CS4CS offers a practical introduction to cybersecurity through workshops, coding exercises, and real security challenges. Over three weeks, you'll explore topics such as cryptography, digital forensics, privacy, network security, and cyber threats while solving Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges that mirror real-world security problems. You'll also learn basic scripting and work with tools commonly used in cybersecurity to understand how attacks are detected and prevented. The program welcomes students with any level of coding experience, making it approachable even if you're new to computer science. By the end, you'll have completed hands-on cybersecurity projects and gained a solid foundation in one of the fastest-growing areas of computer science.
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: Tuition-free (stipend provided)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 years old and U.S. citizens or permanent residents
At Stony Brook University's Simons Summer Research Program, you'll spend six weeks working in an active research lab under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Research placements span fields such as biochemistry, computer science, engineering, geoscience, and applied mathematics, giving you the chance to contribute to an ongoing university project. Depending on your lab, you'll run experiments, write code, analyze datasets, or learn specialized research techniques while developing your own independent project. Beyond the lab, you'll attend faculty talks, workshops, campus tours, and research seminars that introduce you to different areas of STEM and academic life. The program ends with a written research abstract and a poster presentation where you share your work with mentors, faculty, and fellow researchers.
Location: NIST campuses in Gaithersburg, MD, and Boulder, CO
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 26
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are current high school juniors or seniors at the time of application, with a minimum GPA of 3.0
The NIST Summer High School Intern Program places you in research labs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where you work with scientists and engineers on active projects in fields such as physics, engineering, cybersecurity, and computer science. Depending on your placement, you may contribute through coding, data analysis, experimental design, electronics work, or computational modeling while learning how professional research teams operate. You also gain hands-on experience using technical tools, documenting findings, and applying problem-solving skills to real scientific challenges. The program exposes you to multiple specialized laboratories focused on areas like communications technology, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and materials science.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective (5% - 10%)
Dates: June 20 – July 18
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: 11th-grade student at the time of application; U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a current U.S. green card; At least 16 years old by the program start date
Carnegie Mellon’s AI Scholars is a fully funded four-week residential program where you explore artificial intelligence through college-level coursework, hands-on projects, and research experiences at Carnegie Mellon University. You learn core AI and computing concepts directly from CMU faculty while collaborating with peers on group projects that tackle real-world problems and culminate in a final symposium presentation. The program also includes industry field trips, faculty lectures, mentorship from graduate students, and workshops focused on college admissions, financial aid, and personal growth. Before arriving on campus, you complete a virtual Python course designed to prepare students with different coding backgrounds for the program’s technical curriculum.
Location: University of Chicago Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab
Cost: No cost; stipend paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: High school students located in the Chicago area
The Data & Computing Summer Lab at the University of Chicago is an eight-week paid research program where you work alongside faculty and mentors on active projects in fields such as computer science, climate science, biomedical research, public policy, and materials science. You spend the summer embedded in a research lab, gaining hands-on experience with data analysis, computational methods, and research workflows used in academic and industry settings. The program also helps you strengthen skills in scientific communication through workshops, professional development sessions, and regular presentations of your research findings. The program concludes with a final video presentation showcased at a symposium modeled after a professional research conference.
Frequently asked questions
What summer STEM programs are available for teens?
Options include research-intensive programs, such as RSI, Simons Summer Research, and SIMR; applied engineering programs, such as ASPIRE and ARISE; AI and computer science programs, such as CMU AI Scholars, Veritas AI, and Lumiere; and specialized tracks, such as CS4CS for cybersecurity and the University of Chicago's Data & Computing Summer Lab.
Are there free summer STEM programs for teens?
Yes, most of the programs on this list are free, including RSI, MITES Summer, SAMS, ASPIRE, CS4CS, NIST SHIP, and CMU AI Scholars. Several, such as SEAP, ARISE, and the University of Chicago's Data & Computing Lab, also offer stipends in addition to being free.
Which summer STEM programs are best for students interested in biomedical research?
Students interested in biomedical research might consider SIMR at Stanford for lab-based work in genetics, immunology, and neurobiology, Simons Summer Research at Stony Brook for a broader range of STEM fields, including biochemistry, and Clark Scholars at Texas Tech for independent research across biology and cancer research.
When should I apply to summer STEM programs for teens?
The earliest deadlines are the University of Chicago's Data & Computing Lab (January 12) and NIST SHIP (January 26), followed by RSI (December 10, the earliest overall) and SEAP (November 1). Most other programs fall between February and May, so students should begin preparing applications in the fall.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop a research paper.