Research.
Hands-on lab work and mentored research. Most require a written application and at least one teacher recommendation; many include a small stipend and finished poster or paper at the end.
109 verified programs.
AEOP High School Apprenticeship Program
Students work alongside Army scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research projects in world-class laboratories.
Amgen Scholars Future Track
Free online biotech simulations and pipeline programs preparing high schoolers for biomedical research.
ANSEP Acceleration High School
Free year-round STEM acceleration for Alaska Native students.
Argonne Exemplary Student Research Program
Chicago-area students conduct year-long research mentored by Argonne scientists.
ASDRP (RISE)
Free year-round Bay Area lab research. Open application.
ASU SCENE
Free science club + research opportunities for AZ high schoolers, with focus on first-gen students.
Auburn Summer Science Institute
Hands-on STEM research at Auburn β Alabama residents prioritized; in-state tuition aid available.
Biogen Community Lab
Free hands-on biotech labs and high school research opportunities at Biogen sites.
Boston SuccessLink
Free paid summer employment program for Boston youth ages 14-18.
Boston University Research in Science & Engineering (RISE)
Six-week summer research program in 14 STEM disciplines.
Broad Summer Scholars Program
Paid genomics research for Boston-area rising seniors from underrepresented groups.
Concord Review (Humanities Publishing)
The only quarterly journal publishing high school history research worldwide.
Coolidge Senators Program
Fully-funded public policy program at the Coolidge Foundation in Vermont.
Course-Based Research Experiences (CRE)
Propose, design, and conduct your own research project, working on topics and seeking answers to questions that are currently unknown to the specific discipline.
Dartmouth Bound (Free)
Free fly-in program for high-achieving, low-income juniors.
Doris Duke Conservation Scholars
Paid two-summer conservation research program for college students; pipeline awareness.
Duke Marine Lab Community Science Program
A hands-on summer research program at the Duke University Marine Lab focusing on ocean science and environmental justice.
Emory Pipeline Collaborative
Free pipeline program for Atlanta-area students interested in health professions.
Freedom Summer Collegiate
Free college-prep program in the Mississippi Delta taught by graduate students. Travel and housing covered.
Garcia Research Scholars Program
Seven-week polymer research program for highly motivated high school students.
Georgia Tech Summer Research at CSE
Paid CS/engineering research at Georgia Tech. Strong recruitment of Georgia students.
Global Youth Institute
An international organization that empowers students to research and propose solutions to the global food security crisis.
Horizon Academic Research Program
Online research seminar plus 1:1 mentorship producing a 20-page paper.
Imi HoΚ»Εla Pathway / UH Manoa SHARE
Free research program for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.
Indigo Research
One-on-one mentored research projects with university faculty.
Inspirit AI Scholars (Aid)
AI research projects mentored by Stanford/MIT grads. Need-based aid covers full tuition.
Institute for Youth in Policy (Economics Dept)
A youth-led organization providing resources for high schoolers to conduct and publish research in economics.
International Youth Research Conference & Mentorship
Student-run research group providing mentorship and resources for high schoolers to conduct and publish original research.
Iowa Young Writers' Studio
Premier creative writing program from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Need-based aid available.
ISEF Project Database
Searchable database of abstracts from Regeneron ISEF projects from 2014 to 2026.
Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
Paid genetics research at JAX. Highly competitive, all expenses + stipend.
Journal of Emerging Investigators
Free peer-reviewed publication venue for middle/high school STEM research. Real PhD reviewers.
KU Project SEARCH
Paid biomedical research at KU Med Center for Kansas students.
LIGO SURF
Gravitational-wave research at Caltech. Need-based travel and housing aid.
LSU HSSR (High School Summer Research)
Paid research at LSU for Louisiana students.
Lumiere Education Individual Research
One-on-one research mentorship with PhDs producing a publishable paper.
Lumiere Research Scholar (Aid)
Independent research papers with PhD mentors. Need-based financial aid up to 100%.
Matter of Trust Citizen Science
Free citizen-science volunteer projects in oil-spill remediation and sustainability.
Michigan Math & Science Scholars
Hands-on math/science programs at U-M. Need-based aid available.
MIT PRIMES-USA
Year-long research mentorship in math (PRIMES-USA is remote for HS juniors).
MoMA Teen Apprentice
Paid teen apprenticeship in arts curation, design, and education at MoMA.
Montana Apprenticeship Program (MAP)
Paid research apprenticeships at MSU for Montana Native American students.
Morgridge Institute Summer Research
Paid biomedical research in Madison.
MS Rural Physicians Pipeline (high school strand)
Free med-school pathway program for rural Mississippi students.
MSK HOPP Summer Student Program
Paid cancer research at MSK for students from groups underrepresented in medicine.
NASA Citizen Science
Dozens of free NASA citizen-science projects. Your contributions co-author published papers.
NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing
Free annual award for high-school women, genderqueer, and non-binary students with interest in computing. Affiliate and national levels.
New Mexico Supercomputing Challenge
A unique research program in New Mexico that places high school students in state-of-the-art laboratories through the Supercomputing Challenge.
NIH HiSTEP
NIH program specifically for students from underserved DC-area communities.
NYT Summer Academy
Journalism, filmmaking, and writing courses taught by Times journalists. Limited need-based aid.
NYU Tandon ARISE
Free seven-week research program for NYC HS sophomores and juniors in engineering and science.
Ohio State Young Scholars Program
Free year-round academic + research support for first-gen Ohio students.
OHSU On Track OHSU!
Free pipeline program for Oregon students from rural and underrepresented backgrounds.
OU Sooner Health Research
Paid health research at OU for Oklahoma students underrepresented in medicine.
Pioneer Academics (Aid)
Accredited college-level research with US professors. Need-based aid up to full tuition.
Pioneer Academics Research Program
One-on-one online research program with US professors across humanities, social sciences, and STEM; produces publishable paper.
Pioneer Research Institute
The worldβs only fully accredited online research program for high school students. Work directly with leading professors to conduct original research projects and earn four college credits. Beginners with research group seminars and a literature review before formulating an independent research project, then work 1:1 with a professor to develop an original, undergraduate-level research paper.
Polygence Core Program
One-on-one online research mentorship with PhDs in any field; produces a tangible project.
Polygence Scholars (Financial Aid)
1:1 research mentorship with PhDs across any field. Full financial aid for qualifying students.
PPPL Plasma Physics Research
DOE national lab program β fusion and plasma research mentorship.
Princeton Laboratory Learning Program
Free competitive lab research program for HS students in NJ-area Princeton labs.
Princeton Summer Journalism Program
Fully-funded journalism program for high-achieving, low-income juniors. Travel and lodging covered.
Princeton Summer Journalism Program
Fully free 10-day intensive for low-income rising seniors with strong journalism interest. All travel, room, and board paid. Participants get a 4-year journalism mentor.
Rockefeller Summer Science Research
NYC-area students do paid biomedical research at Rockefeller.
Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI)
Free college-prep and research program for rural Alaska Native and rural Alaska students.
Rutgers Future Scholars Research
Free college-prep + research for first-gen New Jersey students.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The longest-running recognition program for creative teens in the US β writing, visual art, photography, film.
Scholastic Writing Awards
Regional and national recognition for student writers in 11 categories. Need-based fee waivers available.
SD Mines Summer Tech Academy
STEM camps at SD Mines. In-state aid.
Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP)
Five-week research internship for rising 11th/12th graders at U Iowa labs.
SEES High School Summer Intern Program
An intensive research-based program where students work on projects in earth and space sciences using NASA satellite data.
SETI Institute REU
Astrobiology and astronomy summer research.
Simons Summer Research Program
Seven-week stipended research program for HS juniors in STEM at Stony Brook labs.
Smith Summer Science & Engineering Program
Research courses for young women in STEM. Substantial need-based aid.
SPARK Summer Mentorship Program
Free 1:1 mentorship with industry researchers. Started by WA students, now nationwide.
Stanford AIM-HI
Free Stanford program for under-resourced Bay Area students interested in health equity careers.
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR)
Medical research at Stanford labs. Need-based stipend available. Strong focus on accessibility.
TARGET Program
Students engage in cutting-edge research in high-energy physics and accelerator science at a national laboratory.
Texas Tech Clark Scholars Program
Highly selective seven-week paid research program for 12 high schoolers across all fields.
The Concord Review
The only quarterly journal publishing high school history research essays. Students submit 5K-9K word papers; selected essays are printed and indexed.
Tufts Summer Research Experience
Ambitious high school students have the opportunity to learn from renowned faculty and experience rigorous academics at a leading higher education institution.
U of U ACCESS Program
Year-long STEM research program for women entering the U of U from Utah high schools.
UAMS Summer Science Program
Paid biomedical research for Arkansas students underrepresented in healthcare.
UD Marine Science Summer Camp (Advanced Track)
High school students conduct marine science and oceanography experiments at the University of Delaware's coastal campus.
UGA Young Scholars Program (CAES)
Laboratory-based research for high school students in agricultural and natural resource sciences.
UIC High School Summer Research Program (ResearcHStart)
High school students in Illinois work in University of Illinois Chicago labs on health-related research.
UIUC Worldwide Youth in Science & Engineering
STEM camps at UIUC. Need-based aid for Illinois students.
UMD Young Scholars
Pre-college research at UMD. Need-based aid available.
UMN Eureka! and Talented Youth Math
Free STEM enrichment for Minnesota girls and underrepresented students.
UND Summer Healthcare Programs
Free intro programs for North Dakota students, including INMED for Native American students.
UNL Young Nebraska Scientists
Free STEM camps at UNL for Nebraska students.
UO Saturday Academy ASE
Paid 1:1 research apprenticeships across Oregon. Strong equity focus.
USC Bovard Scholars
Fully-funded college-prep and academic program for high-achieving, low-income California juniors.
UT Austin High School Research Academy
Course-based research at UT Austin. Need-based aid.
UVA Summer Medical Leadership Program
Free medical exposure program at UVA for Virginia students underrepresented in medicine.
UW Bothell Research Experiences
Local UW Bothell faculty research opportunities β great for North Seattle students.
UW Genome Sciences Summer Bridge
Seattle-area paid genomics research. Strong support for first-gen and low-income students.
UW-Madison PEOPLE Program
Free year-round college-prep + research for Wisconsin students of color and first-gen.
UWyo High School Institute
Free residential STEM camps at UWyo for Wyoming students.
Vanderbilt Summer Academy
Pre-college research at Vanderbilt. Need-based aid available.
Veritas AI
AI research mentorship and publishing program. Financial aid available.
Virginia Tech C-TechΒ²
Free cybersecurity and tech camp for high school women.
WashU Young Scientist Program
Paid biomedical research for St. Louis-area students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Wharton Leadership in the Business World
Wharton business program. Need-based aid available.
Winship Cancer Institute Summer Program (Winship Win)
Program at Emory focusing on cancer research, providing hands-on laboratory experience and professional development.
WorkReady Philadelphia
Free paid summer work experience for Philadelphia youth ages 12-24.
WVU Health Sciences Summer Camp
Free health-sciences exposure for West Virginia students from rural communities.
Yale Discovery to Cure High School Internship
A competitive program where students engage in biomedical research with world-class investigators at Yale.
YES Abroad
Fully-funded year-long high school exchange to countries with significant Muslim populations.