Top College Research Programs for High School Students (2026)
Updated: Sep 20
Updated September 1, 2026
TL;DR
Most college and university research programs for high schoolers fall into three groups: fully remote mentorships you can join from anywhere, fully-funded residential programs that fly students in from across the country, and free local internships restricted to one metro area. Of the 14 programs here, only the Lumiere Research Scholar Program is open to any high schooler worldwide with no campus visit required, MIT's Research Science Institute, the Clark Scholars Program, and Stony Brook's Simons program provide housing so your zip code doesn't matter, and the other ten (Stanford SIMR, Duke DUNE, NYU ARISE, UChicago's DSI Summer Lab, Harvard's Project Success, Rockefeller's SSRP, Washington University's Young Scientist Program, Northeastern's Young Scholars Program, UCSD's REHS, and Johns Hopkins' BRBT) only take students who live in or near that specific city. If you don't live near a research university or want a finished paper instead of a poster session, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you 1:1 with a PhD mentor for a project you design yourself.
For a high schooler, this matters because most of these programs decide who gets a lab seat almost entirely by home address, not by how motivated the applicant is. Knowing which bucket a program falls into before you fall in love with it saves you weeks of wasted application effort.
How we selected these programs
We only included programs that place a high school student inside an actual university, hospital, or research institute lab or give them a comparable mentored research experience, not general campus tours or lecture series.
We verified every deadline, cost, and eligibility rule against each program's official page as of September 2026, since several details have changed since the last update.
We grouped programs by what students actually filter on first: whether you need to live nearby, whether housing is provided, and whether the program pays you or charges tuition.
For a broader view of the field, see our guides to science research opportunities for high school students, virtual and free research opportunities currently accepting applications, the best research opportunities for high schoolers, and our roundup of summer research programs for high school students.
Does research help with college applications for students eyeing a college-affiliated program?
It gives you something concrete to write about. A finished paper, poster, or lab project gives admissions officers a specific accomplishment to point to instead of a generic "interested in science" line.
It shows you can handle unstructured work. Every program on this list expects you to read literature, troubleshoot a project, and manage a mentor relationship, which are skills that don't show up on a transcript.
It can turn into a real credential. Lumiere alumni have gone on to more than 215 universities worldwide, and the program's own admissions data comes from a pool of roughly 4,000 applicants competing for about 500 spots each cycle, so a completed project is genuinely something admissions officers see other applicants doing too.
It's not a magic bullet. A research credential helps most when it's paired with a real interest in the subject, not when it's collected purely to pad an activities list.
How to get into a college research program as a high schooler
Start in the fall, not the spring. Most of these deadlines cluster between December and March for the following summer, and a few (RSI, DUNE, UChicago DSI) close as early as December or January.
Check the residency rule before you fall in love with a program. Ten of the 14 programs here only accept students who live in one specific city or state. Confirm this first; it's the single most common reason applicants get screened out.
Watch for nomination requirements. Stony Brook's Simons program requires your high school to formally nominate you in addition to the online application, and it allows only two nominees per school. If your school doesn't already have a contact on file, start that conversation early.
Line up your recommenders months in advance. Programs like the Clark Scholars Program and Rockefeller's SSRP require multiple teacher recommendations submitted through separate online forms, and they don't accept late letters.
If you're a freshman or sophomore, don't wait for junior year. Most programs only take rising juniors or seniors, but the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, NYU's ARISE, and UCSD's REHS all accept younger students right now.
Read the fine print on stipends versus fees. Almost everything here is free to attend, and several pay you, but a few (Lumiere and optionally Simons if you live on campus) involve a cost. Don't assume "prestigious" means "expensive," or the reverse.
How to choose
If you... | Recommended program(s) |
Don't live near a research university, or live outside the US | Lumiere Research Scholar Program |
Are a freshman or sophomore | Lumiere Research Scholar Program, NYU ARISE (NYC only), UCSD REHS (Southern California only) |
Want housing covered so your home state doesn't matter | |
Want the single most recognized name on your application | |
Want to get paid the most | UChicago DSI Summer Lab ($4,800), Washington University Young Scientist Program ($4,800) |
Live in the Boston/Cambridge area | |
Live in the New York City area | |
Want a written paper instead of a poster session | |
Have no local lab access but want computational or data-driven research |
Remote, open to any student
Application deadline: Rolling, with cohorts starting in spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Duration: 12 weeks to 1 year, depending on the track.
Location: Fully remote, open to students anywhere in the world.
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in high school, any grade, with strong academic performance.
Cost: Tuition-based, with full need-based financial aid available through the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation.
Selectivity: Selective. Roughly 4,000 students apply each cycle for about 500 spots across all subjects.
Lumiere pairs you 1:1 with a PhD mentor to design and complete an independent research project, ending in a college-level paper you write yourself. Because it's individual rather than cohort-based, you pick the topic, whether that's psychology, computer science, economics, or something more niche, and the pace adjusts to your schedule rather than a fixed lab timeline. Longer tracks add publication support for students aiming at high school research journals.
Who it's right for: Students outside the US, students who don't live near a research university, freshmen and sophomores who can't yet apply to the campus programs below, and anyone who wants a finished paper rather than a poster session.
National residential programs, open regardless of where you live
Application deadline: Typically early to mid-December for the following summer.
Duration: Six weeks, late June to early August.
Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA. Fully residential; housing, meals, and program costs are covered.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors only. Seniors and sophomores are not eligible. Open to international students sponsored by partner organizations.
Cost: Free for admitted students. A modest application fee applies, with waivers available.
Selectivity: Highly selective. Around 100 students are admitted from roughly 3,000 to 3,100 applicants each year, an acceptance rate near 3%.
RSI opens with a week of intensive STEM coursework taught by MIT faculty, then moves into five weeks of original research under a scientist mentor in your chosen field, from math to the humanities. You close the program with a written paper and an oral presentation modeled on academic conferences. The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) co-sponsors it and handles admissions.
Who it's right for: Current juniors anywhere in the country or world (with sponsorship) who want the single most competitive research credential on this list and don't mind that seniors can't apply.
Application deadline: Mid-February for the following summer.
Duration: Seven weeks, mid-June to early August.
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. Fully residential; room and board covered.
Eligibility: Rising seniors or recent high school graduates, at least 17 by the program start date, US citizens or permanent residents.
Cost: Free, plus a $750 stipend upon completing a research project report.
Selectivity: Highly selective. Only 12 students are chosen each year from several hundred applicants, an acceptance rate around 2%.
Clark Scholars work one-on-one with Texas Tech faculty across an unusually wide range of fields, not just STEM, including history, chemistry, and electrical engineering. The small cohort means genuinely close faculty contact, and the program runs weekly seminars, discussions, and field trips alongside the research itself.
Who it's right for: Rising seniors or recent grads nationwide who want a small, highly selective residential program outside the usual Northeast cluster and are open to fields beyond STEM.
Application deadline: Late January to early February, with a school nomination due slightly earlier. Only two nominees per school are accepted.
Duration: About six weeks, late June to early August.
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY. Students can live on campus or commute.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors only, at least 16 by the program start, US citizens or permanent residents. Requires a formal nomination from your high school in addition to the online application.
Cost: No tuition fee. Students who choose on-campus housing pay roughly $2,400 to $2,450 for dorm and meal costs; commuting students avoid this cost. A stipend is provided.
Selectivity: Highly selective, with fewer than 10% of applicants admitted.
Simons Fellows are matched with a Stony Brook faculty mentor across biochemistry, applied math, computer science, physics, and related fields, based on their top three preferences. Beyond the lab work, the program runs weekly research talks and closes with a written abstract and poster at a symposium.
Who it's right for: Juniors nationwide willing to navigate a school nomination process, especially those who want the option of commuting rather than paying for housing.
Regional programs, restricted to one city or metro area
Application deadline: Late February for the following summer.
Duration: Eight weeks, early June to late July.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA. Commuter program; Stanford does not provide housing.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors, at least 16 by the program start, US citizens or permanent residents living in and attending school in the US. Strong preference given to students within an hour's drive of Stanford.
Cost: Free to attend, with a $40 application fee (waivable). A minimum $500 stipend is provided, with need-based stipends of $2,500 or more available.
Selectivity: Highly selective. Around 50 students are admitted each year, an acceptance rate under 3%.
SIMR places you one-on-one with a Stanford graduate student or postdoc across eight research areas, including immunology, neurobiology, and bioengineering. Two weeks of morning lectures and lab training lead into six weeks of research, ending in a poster presentation to Stanford faculty and family.
Who it's right for: Bay Area juniors and seniors, since housing isn't provided and the program openly favors local applicants; students from elsewhere need their own housing plan to realistically attend.
Application deadline: Early February, with the application period opening mid-December.
Duration: Eight weeks, mid-June to early August.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NC. Commuter program; no residential option.
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors attending a public or charter high school within the city of Durham, NC (a specific list of eligible schools), with reliable daily transportation to campus. This is narrower than "North Carolina residents" and does not currently include rising seniors.
Cost: Free, with a stipend and daily lunch provided.
Selectivity: Competitive; the program does not publish a specific acceptance rate.
DUNE matches you with a Duke neuroscience lab and a mentor for a full-time, self-directed research project, alongside professional development workshops on neuroscience careers and college applications. It's now in its sixth-plus year and specifically recruits students without prior research experience.
Who it's right for: Sophomores and juniors who attend a Durham public or charter high school specifically; this program is more geographically narrow than many program guides suggest.
Application deadline: Mid-to-late February for the following summer.
Duration: Ten weeks total: four weeks of remote evening workshops in June, then six weeks of in-person lab work starting in July.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, New York, NY. In-person portion is commuter-based.
Eligibility: New York City high school students currently in 10th or 11th grade. This program does not currently accept rising seniors.
Cost: Free (full scholarship). Stipend amounts have varied by year; most recent published figures list at least $750.
Selectivity: Selective; roughly 32 to 40 labs place a limited cohort each year, with a multi-step application including a group interview.
ARISE places you in an NYU lab in fields from biomedical engineering to environmental science under a graduate or postdoctoral mentor, with dedicated public speaking and college advising workshops built into the program.
Who it's right for: NYC sophomores and juniors specifically; this is one of the only programs on this list that's genuinely open to underclassmen and free.
Application deadline: Mid-January for the following summer.
Duration: Eight weeks, mid-June to early August.
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Commuter program; housing is not available for high school students.
Eligibility: High school students who reside and attend school in the Chicago area.
Cost: Free, with a $4,800 stipend.
Selectivity: Competitive; a specific acceptance rate is not published, and high school spots are limited within a program that primarily serves undergraduates.
DSI Summer Lab pairs Chicago-area high schoolers with data science mentors across computer science, public policy, climate and energy, and biomedical research, with no prior research experience required. It's one of the highest-paying programs on this list.
Who it's right for: Chicago-area students interested in data science specifically who want a strong stipend and don't need a residential option.
Application deadline: Early February for the following summer.
Duration: Seven weeks, late June to mid-August.
Location: Harvard Medical School and affiliated institutions, Boston, MA. Commuter program.
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors residing in Boston or Cambridge, MA, at least 16 by the program start, with algebra, biology, and chemistry completed. Preference given to students underrepresented in medicine or from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Cost: Free, with a paid stipend (amount not publicly specified).
Selectivity: Selective; a specific acceptance rate is not published.
Project Success places you in a Harvard Medical School or affiliated lab with mentorship from researchers and physicians, plus site visits to hospitals and biotech companies and dedicated writing and speaking instruction.
Who it's right for: Boston and Cambridge juniors and seniors, especially those interested in biomedical careers and underrepresented in the field.
Application deadline: Early January for the following summer.
Duration: Seven weeks, late June to mid-August.
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY. Commuter program; students must attend a high school in the NYC area.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors only, at least 16 by the program start. Current sophomores are not eligible.
Cost: Free, with need-based stipends and covered travel expenses for some students.
Selectivity: Highly selective; the cohort is capped at 32 students split into research teams.
SSRP students join a research team led by scientists from Rockefeller, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell, working through neuroscience, immunology, or genetics questions from an initial orientation through a closing poster symposium.
Who it's right for: NYC-area juniors and seniors interested in biomedical research who want a genuinely mentored team-based lab experience.
Application deadline: Typically late January for the following summer.
Duration: Eight weeks, June to late July.
Location: Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Commuter program.
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (current juniors) from the Greater St. Louis area, covering both Missouri and Illinois. Students from under-resourced schools are especially encouraged to apply.
Cost: Free, with a $4,800 stipend.
Selectivity: Highly selective; only 16 to 18 students are accepted each year.
Summer Focus pairs each scholar with both a faculty mentor and a graduate-student tutor for a biomedical research project, plus a science communication course and a college-readiness course, ending in a symposium presentation.
Who it's right for: St. Louis-area juniors, particularly students from under-resourced public schools, who want one of the highest-paying regional programs on this list.
Application deadline: Early March for the following summer.
Duration: Six weeks, late June to late July, Monday through Thursday.
Location: Northeastern University, Boston, MA. Commuter program; no housing or parking provided.
Eligibility: Permanent Massachusetts residents living and attending school in-state, within commuting distance of Northeastern, entering 12th grade the following fall. US citizens or permanent residents; a 3.5 unweighted GPA is typical, though exceptions exist.
Cost: Free. Some cohorts have received a stipend and an MBTA transit pass, though this isn't guaranteed every year.
Selectivity: Selective; roughly 30 students are chosen each cohort.
YSP places you in a Northeastern lab across engineering, science, or health sciences, paired with faculty and graduate mentors, and includes site visits to companies like Biogen and government research facilities.
Who it's right for: Massachusetts rising seniors within commuting distance of Boston who want a structured six-week lab placement without an overnight stay.
Application deadline: Mid-March, with the application opening in mid-February.
Duration: Eight weeks, June to late July.
Location: San Diego Supercomputer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA. Commuter, unpaid volunteer program.
Eligibility: Southern California residents in grades 10 through 12, at least 16 by mid-June.
Cost: Free. This is an unpaid volunteer internship; no fee is charged and no stipend is provided.
Selectivity: Selective; roughly 40 students are chosen from applicants across more than 70 high schools.
REHS integrates you into an active SDSC research project in computational science, from computer science and computational chemistry to cancer diagnostics, with mentorship from computational research scientists and a closing poster showcase.
Who it's right for: Southern California sophomores through seniors, including underclassmen, who want computational research experience and don't need a paid position.
Application deadline: Announced in early in the year; check the official page, as the exact date varies by cycle.
Duration: Five weeks in the first year (five days a week); select returning interns complete an additional eight-week independent research summer.
Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Commuter program.
Eligibility: High school students attending school in Baltimore City.
Cost: Free, paid internship. Processed jointly with the Johns Hopkins Summer Jobs Program and Baltimore YouthWorks.
Selectivity: Competitive; a small number of internship slots are available each summer.
BRBT starts with hands-on biophysics training in a teaching lab, covering microbiology technique, DNA, and protein engineering, before select students return for a second summer of independent research in a Hopkins lab.
Who it's right for: Baltimore City high schoolers, including those with no prior research background, who want a two-summer pathway into biomedical research.
Frequently asked questions: college and university research programs for high school students
What's the difference between a "college research program" and a "university research program"?
Nothing meaningful. Both terms describe the same thing: a research experience hosted by a college or university rather than a hospital, government lab, or independent organization. Use whichever term gets you better search results; the programs underneath are the same.
Are there college research programs open to freshmen or sophomores?
Yes, though most programs on this list only take rising juniors or seniors. The Lumiere Research Scholar Program accepts any grade, NYU's ARISE takes current 10th and 11th graders in NYC, UCSD's REHS accepts grades 10 through 12 in Southern California, and Duke's DUNE currently takes sophomores and juniors in Durham specifically.
Do I need to live near the university to apply?
For most of these programs, yes. Ten of the 14 restrict eligibility to one city, county, or metro area, and several explicitly state they don't provide housing. Only the Lumiere Research Scholar Program is fully remote. MIT's RSI, the Clark Scholars Program, and Stony Brook's Simons program provide housing so your home address doesn't limit you, though Simons still requires a school nomination.
Which of these programs pay you the most?
The University of Chicago's DSI Summer Lab and Washington University's Young Scientist Program both provide a $4,800 stipend, the highest on this list. Several others, including SIMR, ARISE, and the Clark Scholars Program, provide smaller stipends in the $500 to $750 range.
Which program is hardest to get into?
Going by published acceptance rates, MIT's RSI (around 3%) and the Clark Scholars Program (around 2%) are the most selective, though Rockefeller's SSRP and Washington University's YSP are also highly competitive simply because their cohorts are capped at 32 and 16 to 18 students respectively.
How far in advance should I apply?
Start in the fall for the following summer. Several deadlines, including MIT RSI, Duke DUNE, and UChicago's DSI Summer Lab, fall in December or January, months before most students start thinking about summer plans. The Lumiere Research Scholar Program runs rolling admissions instead, with cohorts starting multiple times a year.
Do these programs actually help with college admissions?
They can, mainly by giving you something specific and real to discuss in essays and interviews rather than a generic interest in a subject. A completed paper, poster, or lab project shows sustained, independent work in a way a single grade or test score doesn't. It's not a guarantee, and it matters most when paired with genuine interest in the subject rather than treated as a box to check.
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics before beginning a PhD at Harvard Business School. A former McKinsey & Company consultant and former researcher, his research has been covered by the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, and the Washington Post. In his articles for Forbes, he writes on what students and professionals can learn from high school research, high school passion projects, critical thinking, and mentorship. At Lumiere, he leads a selective research program where students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper. Connect with him on LinkedIn.