12 University Biotechnology Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 2 minutes ago
- 9 min read
University-led programs are a smart way for high school students to explore advanced academics without committing to a full college course load. You can learn in actual university labs, interact with faculty and graduate students, and see what college-level science looks like. Many of these programs focus on practical learning, mentorship, and lab skills that you typically can’t get in a high school classroom. Biotechnology combines biology, chemistry, medicine, and engineering. If you’re interested in this field, early exposure can help you determine whether research, healthcare, industry work, or something else entirely is right for you.
Why Should I Participate in a University Biotechnology Program in High School?
If you’re considering a STEM major, especially biology, bioengineering, or medicine, these programs can help you test that interest before college. Participating in a university biotechnology program in high school helps you move beyond textbook biology and into applied science. You get to work with tools like PCR machines, electrophoresis gels, and lab-grade data analysis methods, which shows technical knowledge on a college application. These programs also signal initiative. Admissions officers can see that you sought out advanced academic opportunities beyond your school’s curriculum. Many students also gain mentors who can later guide academic decisions or even write letters of recommendation.
We’ve narrowed this list of university biotechnology programs for high school students based on rigor, access to labs and mentors, selectivity, funding/financial aid availability, and the reputation of the host institution. Several of these programs are highly selective, hosted by top research universities, and carry weight on college applications. Here are 12 university biotechnology programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for online STEM summer programs, check out our blog here.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $50 application fee; need-based stipend available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old by the program start date and currently live in, attend high school in, and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States.
SIMR is one of the most selective university biotechnology programs for high school students in the U.S., and it places you inside Stanford research labs. You work full-time on original research in areas like genetics, cancer biology, immunology, and bioengineering. Each student is matched with a faculty mentor, postdoc, or graduate researcher who guides experimental work and data analysis. Alongside lab work, you attend seminars on ethics, biomedical careers, and scientific communication. The program is intense and very research-focused, so it’s well-suited if you already know you want deep lab exposure. This experience closely mirrors how undergraduate and graduate biotech research actually functions.
Location: Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, Boston
Cost/Stipend: Varies
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Two weeks in summer
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Ages 13–18
The Academic Insights Program lets high school students experience university life firsthand. You will live on campus, study in small groups of 7-10, and learn from tutors from top universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Participants can explore a wide range of subjects, spanning over 20 options, including Architecture, AI, Business Management, Computer Science, Economics, Medicine, Philosophy, and more. The courses are experiential and focus on hands-on learning. You may find yourself conducting dissections in medicine, designing a robotic arm in engineering, participating in a moot court for law, or building creative writing portfolios and business case studies. By the end of the program, you’ll complete a personal project, receive written feedback, and receive a certificate of completion. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Emeryville, CA
Cost/Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 8 - July 24
Application Deadline: March 20
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors who are at least 16 years old by June 15, meet HUD low-income guidelines for Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco County, reside in one of those counties, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and have a minimum 2.5 GPA with Algebra 1 and Biology completed
iCLEM places you in research environments connected to university-affiliated bioenergy institutes, where you work on projects in microbiology, synthetic biology, environmental biotechnology, and sustainable biofuels. You conduct hands-on research while learning lab safety, data analysis, and how to collaborate effectively in a team. Mentorship is central to the experience, giving you direct exposure to world-class scientists and the wide range of STEM career pathways available. Beyond the lab, the program also supports your long-term goals by offering practical guidance for the college application process and helping you build a strong academic foundation. With its clear focus on biotechnology’s role in energy and sustainability, iCLEM is a strong choice if you are interested in applied biotech beyond medicine.
Location: University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA
Cost: ~$4,250; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 15 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–17
SIP is a research internship that gives you exposure to biotech and biology research. After an initial online week, you spend most of the summer working on campus under faculty, graduate, or postdoctoral mentors. Projects often connect to ongoing university research in biology, bioengineering, or interdisciplinary science. You’ll also learn how to read scientific papers and present your work clearly. This program is demanding but rewarding, especially if you want to understand how research progresses over time. It’s one of the more immersive university biotechnology programs for high school students.
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $15,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: June 15 - July 10
Application Deadline: Priority Deadline: February 11; Regular Deadline: March 12
Eligibility: 10th and 11th graders who have completed a year of high school biology
RIBS is for students who want a research-focused biotech experience. Using a project-based approach, the program moves from foundational lab techniques to applying modern molecular methods in cell biology, genetics, developmental biology, and cancer biology. After two weeks of core lab training, you spend the rest of the course working on an independent or semi-independent research project. Most of your day is spent in the lab, with lectures added as needed to provide context for your experiments. You keep a detailed lab notebook, complete weekly writing assignments, read original research articles, and participate in group presentations. Weekly lunchtime seminars with research faculty further expose you to real-world scientific inquiry. This program is a strong fit if you are considering a research-heavy biology or biotechnology major.
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: ~$9,300; need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: June 15th - July 2nd
Application Deadline: February 11; March 12
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11 who have taken high school biology
This three-week course introduces core biotechnology topics like genetics, cloning, and bioremediation. You balance lab work with lectures and workshops led by university researchers. The program also includes ethics discussions and collaborative mini-projects. You’ll start with an overview of the basic concepts of molecular biology and genetics. Then, as you proceed, you’ll go deeper into the other applied fields of biotechnology. It’s less research-intensive than RIBS but still gives you solid exposure to university-level biotech concepts. This option works well if you want structured learning rather than open-ended research.
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: ~$599/week; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohort
Dates: Biotech (9-11): WEEK A: July 6-10, WEEK B: July 20-24 | Biomed (9-11): WEEK A: July 6-10, WEEK B: July 13-17
Application Deadline: April 18
Eligibility: Current 9th–11th graders
Rice Bio Academies is a short, intensive introduction to biotech lab work. You learn techniques like DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, and bacterial transformation. Instruction is led by Rice faculty and graduate students. The program focuses on building comfort and accuracy in a lab setting. In the Biotech academy, you get to research genetics using biotech lab techniques. And in the Biomed academy, you dive deep into biology, medicine, and technology through hands-on experiments, guest speakers, and field experiences. It’s a good option if you’re earlier in high school and want foundational exposure without a heavy time commitment.
Location: Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA
Cost/Stipend: $6,717 - $7,549, financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~18 students per class
Dates: June 28 - July 17; July 19 - August 7
Application Deadline: June 8
Eligibility: Students in Grades 7–11 who qualify at the Quantitative CTY-Level and have earned at least a B in high school Biology (or Fast-Paced High School Biology or Anatomy and Physiology)
This CTY program explores molecular biology and biotechnology through challenging lectures and labs, using the Human Genome Project to examine how scientists sequenced human genes and what that means for treating diseases like cancer. You review key concepts such as mitosis, meiosis, Mendelian inheritance, DNA and RNA structure, and mutations. In the lab, you isolate bacterial DNA, use restriction enzymes, run gel electrophoresis, and model PCR, while also discussing applications like DNA vaccines and broader uses of biotechnology in medicine and industry. The course also addresses the ethical questions surrounding genetic innovation. Fast-paced and rigorous, it is designed for students who already perform strongly in science and want deeper theoretical and practical insight.
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Cost/Stipend: $5,530 (Commuter); $6,800 (Residential)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately competitive
Dates: June 28 – July 10
Application Deadline: Early Bird: January 31; Final Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Current 8th–12th graders in good academic standing (minimum 2.0 GPA), with students applying to the listed Non-Credit Academies required to be at least 15 years old by check-in
Georgetown’s Biotechnology for Science & Health Academy focuses on how biotechnology intersects with medicine, forensics, public health, and policy. During the program, you take part in laboratory experiments that introduce core biotech tools while also working through case studies based on real medical and public health challenges. Classroom discussions are closely tied to lab work, helping you understand not just how techniques work, but why they matter in healthcare settings. A major part of the program is its emphasis on ethics, especially around genetic testing, medical research, and emerging biotechnologies.
Location: Penn State University, University Park, PA
Cost/Stipend: $335
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohorts
Dates: July 27 - 30
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Ages 14–17
The Penn State Biotechnology Mini Summer School is a short but focused introduction to university-level biotechnology. You will conduct wet-lab experiments at the Penn State graduate biotech training laboratory, where you’ll learn techniques such as DNA cloning, PCR amplification, and gel electrophoresis. These lab sessions are supported by interactive lectures that explain how the techniques are used in medical, agricultural, and industrial biotechnology. Faculty members and graduate instructors guide you through experiments step by step, making the experience accessible even if you haven’t done lab work before. You also learn about potential college majors and career paths connected to biotechnology.
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: Residential: $2,375 | Commuter: $1,000–1,250
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Session One: June 28 - July 3 | Session Two: July 5 - 10
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors (ages 15–17) who are U.S. residents in good academic standing and have completed Regents Life Science: Biology/Living Environment (or an equivalent biology course)
Stony Brook University’s biotechnology summer program offers lab experience within a research university setting while introducing you to the growing field of biotechnology and its applications in medicine and agriculture. Under faculty supervision, you learn how experiments are designed, conducted, and interpreted, while meeting expectations common in college science courses. During the week, you work with green fluorescent protein (GFP), isolating and modifying its DNA using PCR, performing bacterial transformation and gel electrophoresis, engineering bacteria to produce GFP, and purifying the protein through chromatography and SDS-PAGE. Along the way, you build practical lab skills and gain a clearer understanding of molecular biology and genetics in action.
Location: North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC
Cost/Stipend: Nominal camp fees, exact information not publicly available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small groups
Dates: One week in the summer
Application Deadline: Early summer
Eligibility: High school students
The BRITE Futures Biotechnology Summer Camp is designed to make biotechnology approachable while providing lab exposure. You participate in hands-on experiments that introduce foundational biotech concepts related to DNA, proteins, and molecular biology. These activities are paired with discussions about how biotechnology is applied in pharmaceuticals, environmental science, and other STEM fields. The camp also includes career exploration components, helping you understand how biotech connects to different academic and professional pathways. Instruction is paced to support students with varying levels of prior experience.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here, check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
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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