§ Collection

STEM programs for high school students

Everything in the catalog tagged to a science, technology, engineering, or math field, from wet-lab research to computer science internships.

300 programs currently listed · 248 free or stipend-paying.

What to know

—Pick the field you would still be curious about in November, not the one that sounds most impressive.
—Competitions and programs are different games. Competitions reward a finished artifact; programs reward potential.
—Filter further by your specific field using the interest pages at the bottom of this page.

Programs in this collection

Boston University
Academic Immersion
Spend three weeks immersing yourself in the study of psychology, business, medicine, or creative writing.
📍 Boston, MA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
ACE Mentor
ACE Mentor Program
Free after-school mentorship in architecture, construction, and engineering for HS students.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)
AEOP High School Apprenticeship Program
Students work alongside Army scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research projects in world-class laboratories.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 8 weeks📅 Early March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
AI Scholars at CMU
Free AI-focused summer program for rising seniors underrepresented in computing.
📍 PA⏱ 3 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Allen Institute
Allen Institute Summer Intern
Paid neuroscience and cell biology research in Seattle.
📍 WA⏱ 10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Amazon
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Scholarship for high school seniors planning to study computer science in college.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 4 years scholarship📅 December 1🎓 Grade 12
Selective
ACSL
American Computer Science League (ACSL)
A multi-division computer science competition covering both theory and programming.
📍 Nationwide⏱ School year📅 November 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Amgen Foundation
Amgen Scholars — Europe & Asia
Fully funded summer research at host institutions across Europe and Asia for undergraduates in the sciences.
📍 Various📅 January🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Amgen Foundation
Amgen Scholars Future Track
Free online biotech simulations and pipeline programs preparing high schoolers for biomedical research.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Alaska Native Science & Engineering Program
ANSEP Acceleration High School
Free year-round STEM acceleration for Alaska Native students.
📍 AK⏱ School year + summer📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Australian National University
ANU Extension
University-level courses for high-achieving high school students in Canberra.
📍 Canberra, Australia⏱ 1 year📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Arkansas State University / Arkansas Department of Education
Arkansas Governor's School
A five-week residential program for high-achieving high school students in Arkansas focused on math, science, and the arts.
📍 Russellville, AR⏱ 5 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program
ASDRP (RISE)
Free year-round Bay Area lab research. Open application.
📍 CA⏱ Year-round📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
APhO
Asian Physics Olympiad
Asia-Pacific regional physics olympiad; selection through each country's national physics olympiad.
📍 Asia-Pacific (rotating)📅 Varies by country🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
George Mason University (GMU)
Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
A summer internship program that provides high school students with the opportunity to conduct research, develop new ideas, and invent new technologies.
📍 Fairfax, VA🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Arizona State University
ASU SCENE
Free science club + research opportunities for AZ high schoolers, with focus on first-gen students.
📍 AZ⏱ Year-round📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Auburn University College of Engineering
Auburn Engineering Summer Camps (HS Track)
One-week intensive workshops in robotics, aerospace, and medical engineering for Alabama high school students.
📍 Auburn, AL⏱ 1 week📅 February 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Auburn University
Auburn Summer Science Institute
Hands-on STEM research at Auburn — Alabama residents prioritized; in-state tuition aid available.
📍 AL⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
NCWIT
Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC)
Award for girls and non-binary students in computing, providing recognition and a cash prize.
📍 Nationwide⏱ One-time📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CERN
Beamline for Schools
CERN physics competition where student teams worldwide propose and run an experiment at a real particle accelerator.
📍 Geneva, Switzerland + Remote proposals📅 April🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
MIT Lincoln Lab
Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Free MIT-led project-based courses in AI, robotics, cybersecurity.
📍 MA⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Biogen
Biogen Community Lab
Free hands-on biotech labs and high school research opportunities at Biogen sites.
📍 Cambridge, MA + RTP, NC⏱ Day to weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Black Girls CODE
Black Girls CODE Workshops
Program that provides coding workshops and tech exposure to young girls of color.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MIT
Blueprint by HackMIT
Annual learnathon and hackathon for HS students at MIT.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 2 days📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
Annual creative contest for teens combining art, writing, film, and music with environmental advocacy.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Cornell University
Boyce Thompson Institute Plant Genome Research
Paid 7-week plant-genomics research; housing provided.
📍 Ithaca, NY📅 Not yet announced — check official site for next cycle🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
International Brain Bee
BrainBee Neuroscience Competition
International neuroscience competition for high schoolers with local, national, and global rounds.
📍 Global⏱ 1 day📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Breakthrough Prize Foundation
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Create a short video explaining a big idea in science or math. Global competition for ages 13–18 with a $250K college scholarship.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Brilliant.org
Brilliant.org High School Problem Solving Track
While the physical show has locations, the virtual 'Think Tank' and 'Daily Challenge' offer online logic and math problems for students nationwide.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling (Weekly)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UKMT
British Informatics Olympiad (Open to Int'l)
Solve complex math and computer science problems created by the UK Mathematical Trust.
📍 Global⏱ 1 day📅 November 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Oxford
British Physics Olympiad
A tiered set of national physics competitions (Junior, Senior, Round 1/2) open to UK secondary students, with international variants schools worldwide can register for.
📍 United Kingdom⏱ Exam📅 Nov (senior) · Mar (junior)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Cambridge
Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
Global chemistry problem-solving competition for Y12 / 11th-grade students; open worldwide.
📍 Global📅 Late June🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of Waterloo (CEMC)
Canadian Computing Competition (CCC)
Free competitive programming contest run by Waterloo's CEMC; open worldwide and used as a qualifier for the Canadian Computing Olympiad.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ 3 hours📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
European Space Agency
CanSat Competition (ESA)
Build a satellite the size of a soda can. National rounds in ESA member states; European final each spring.
📍 Various📅 National rounds fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CEI
Caretakers of the Environment International
Annual international youth conference on environmental research and projects.
📍 Varies (International)⏱ 1 week📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie Mellon AI Scholars
Free three-week residential AI program for underrepresented students.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA⏱ 3 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Carnegie Mellon
Carnegie Mellon SAMS
Free six-week residential STEM program for underrepresented students.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA⏱ 6 weeks📅 March🎓 Grade 11
Selective
CERN
CERN Summer Student Programme
Paid 8–13 week summer programme at CERN for undergrads worldwide in physics, engineering, or computing.
📍 Various📅 January🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Texas Tech University
Clark Scholars Program
Intensive research with TTU faculty across STEM and humanities. $750 stipend, room and board covered.
📍 TX (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Clemson University
Clemson CAFLS Summer Program (SPECTRA)
A residential program for diverse students to explore agriculture and natural resource careers at Clemson.
📍 Clemson, SC⏱ 1 week📅 April 15🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
CMU SAMS
Fully-funded STEM immersion for rising seniors from underrepresented backgrounds.
📍 PA⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 Mid-February🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Code2College
Code2College Summer Program
Summer program for Texas students to gain technical skills and professional development.
📍 TX⏱ Various📅 February 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CodeDay
CodeDay Labs Fellowship
High school students are paired with industry mentors to build a real-world software project.
📍 Online⏱ 3 months📅 May 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Codeforces
Codeforces Educational Rounds
Free competitive programming platform with weekly contests for students worldwide.
📍 Online⏱ 2 hours📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado School of Mines REACH
Engineering immersion at Mines. Scholarships for Colorado students from underrepresented backgrounds.
📍 CO⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
Computational Biology
Pre-College Computational Biology program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
US House of Representatives
Congressional App Challenge
District-level coding competition open to every US high schooler.
📍 All US districts⏱ Self-paced📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of California
COSMOS
UC residential STEM program. Need-based fee waivers cover full cost for qualifying families.
📍 CA⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Code.org
CS Principles from Code.org
High-quality AP Computer Science preparation and advanced CS courses.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
CS Scholars
Pre-College CS Scholars program at Carnegie Mellon University.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Harvard / edX
CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
Introduction to computer science from Harvard University available for high schoolers.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 Self-paced — no fixed deadline🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Harvard University / edX
CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
Harvard's world-famous introduction to computer science. While self-paced on edX, it offers a certificate and a deep dive into programming.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 Self-paced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CyberPatriot
CyberPatriot
A cybersecurity competition for high school teams to learn and apply cybersecurity skills in a virtual environment. Teams compete to find and fix vulnerabilities in simulated operating systems.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Air Force Association
CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Defense
National youth cybersecurity competition with middle and high school divisions.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
DAAD
DAAD RISE Germany
Summer research internships in Germany for undergraduates from North America, UK, and Ireland; monthly stipend + travel.
📍 Various📅 December🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth Bound (Free)
Free fly-in program for high-achieving, low-income juniors.
📍 NH⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 March🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Davidson Institute
Davidson Fellows
Scholarships of USD 10K, 25K, and 50K for students under 18 with significant work in STEM, literature, music, or philosophy.
📍 Online application⏱ Project-based📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Duke University
Duke Summer Academy
Pre-college academic programs at Duke. Need-based scholarships.
📍 NC⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
EarthEcho International
EarthEcho Water Challenge
Global citizen-science program monitoring local water quality with thousands of student volunteers.
📍 Global⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
Society for Science
Education Outreach Day (Regeneron ISEF)
Education Outreach Day brings local middle and high school students to ISEF to meet the ISEF Finalists, participate in STEM activities, and create their own scientific questions.
📍 Phoenix, AZ (2026)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Emory University
Emory Pipeline Collaborative
Free pipeline program for Atlanta-area students interested in health professions.
📍 GA⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Academy of Engineering
EngineerGirl Writing Contest
Annual essay contest with cash prizes for K–12 students.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — next contest not yet posted🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
NCF-Envirothon
Envirothon
North America's largest high school environmental education competition.
📍 North America⏱ 1 week📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
European Space Agency
ESA Education for Schools
Free space-science education projects, CanSat, Astro Pi for European school students.
📍 Europe⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Find a Fair (for ISEF participation)
Competing at Regeneron ISEF starts at a Society-affiliated fair. Use this tool to find a local, regional, state, or national science fair.
📍 Varies📅 Varies by fair🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
FIRST Global
FIRST Global Challenge
Annual olympics-style robotics event with one team per country tackling a global grand-challenge theme (energy, oceans, food).
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 1 week (fall)📅 Team applications open winter🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
FIRST
FIRST LEGO League
LEGO-based STEM challenge for grades 4-8.
📍 Global⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 4–8
Moderate
FIRST
FIRST Robotics Competition
Team-based robotics season culminating in regional and world championships. Team participation fees vary; financial aid available.
📍 Local team + regional events⏱ 6-week build📅 Jan kickoff🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
FIRST
FIRST Tech Challenge
Smaller-scale FIRST robotics program. Team fee + parts; many teams sponsored by schools.
📍 Local team + regional events⏱ Multi-month📅 Sep-Apr season🎓 Grades 7–12
Moderate
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship
Paid cancer research in Seattle. Prioritizes students underrepresented in biomedical sciences.
📍 WA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 Late January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Stony Brook University
Garcia Research Scholars Program
Seven-week polymer research program for highly motivated high school students.
📍 Stony Brook, NY⏱ 7 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Stony Brook University
Garcia Summer Scholars
Polymer research with university mentors; partial stipend.
📍 Stony Brook, NY📅 Not yet announced — 2027 cycle dates not yet posted🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
NSA / NSF
GenCyber Summer Camp
Free summer cybersecurity camps at universities nationwide.
📍 Multiple states⏱ 1-2 weeks📅 Spring🎓 Grades 7–12
Highly Selective
Genes in Space
Genes in Space
Design a DNA experiment to be performed on the International Space Station. Annual competition with no entry fee.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 April🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
University of Georgia / GOSA
Georgia GHP - Agriscience Research
A residential summer academy for Georgia students focusing on agricultural and environmental sciences through hands-on research.
📍 Athens, GA⏱ 2 weeks📅 May 1🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Tech Summer Research at CSE
Paid CS/engineering research at Georgia Tech. Strong recruitment of Georgia students.
📍 GA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
National Park Service
Get Paid and Gain Experience: Opportunities to work with us
Find opportunities to work with us, including paid internships.
📍 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code Summer Immersion
Free two-week virtual program teaching CS to high school girls and nonbinary students.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly Selective
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code Virtual Summer Programs
Free online coding workshops for girls and non-binary students focusing on web development, game design, and AI.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks or 6 weeks📅 Spring/Summer cycles🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Research Foundation Singapore
Global Young Scientists Summit
Multidisciplinary summit where young scientists — including a small cohort of high-school participants — engage with Nobel laureates and Turing / Fields medalists.
📍 Singapore⏱ 5 days (January)📅 September🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
The Climate Reality Project
Global Youth Climate Network
International youth climate leadership and action network.
📍 Global📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA / University of Toledo
GLOBE Mission EARTH (GME)
A year-long club-based program where students engage in data-driven environmental justice projects and present to scientists.
📍 Online / Various⏱ Year-round📅 October 31🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Google
Google Code-in Archive Projects
Archive of the Google Code-in competition tasks for self-guided open source learning.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Google Official
Google Generation Scholarship (Americas)
Google's scholarship aimed at supporting students with disabilities pursuing CS degrees.
📍 Nationwide⏱ One-time payment📅 Varies🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Google
Google Summer of Code — Contributor
Paid open-source contribution program. Now open to any newcomer to open source 18+, worldwide.
📍 Global📅 March🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Hack Club
Hack Club
Free worldwide network of student-run high school coding clubs and hackathons. Travel grants for in-person events.
📍 Worldwide⏱ Flexible📅 Year-round🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Hack Club
Hack Club Clubs
1,500+ in-person clubs. Find one near you, or start your own and we’ll help you get it off the ground.
📍 Various (global)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Hack Club
Hack Club Outernet & Events
Network of student-run coding clubs and hackathons.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Harvard
HackHarvard
Harvard's flagship hackathon; high schoolers can apply.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 2 days📅 Fall🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
MIT
HackMIT
Annual 24-hour student hackathon at MIT; many HS students attend HackMIT High School Hackathon (Blueprint).
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 2 days📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MIT
HackMIT / Blueprint
HackMIT's flagship HS hackathon weekend at MIT.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 1 weekend📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Harvard University
Harvard Pre-College (Need-Based Aid)
Pre-college courses with substantial need-based scholarships covering up to full tuition.
📍 MA (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 2-7 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Cambridge
HE+ Cambridge
Free supracurricular resources, subject taster videos, and reading lists from Cambridge academics — designed to stretch Year 12/13 students preparing for competitive applications.
📍 Remote (UK/Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Brookhaven National Laboratory (DOE)
High School Research Program (HSRP) at Brookhaven
Paid summer research program for local students to gain hands-on experience in physics and engineering at a major particle physics lab.
📍 Upton, NY⏱ 8 weeks📅 January 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Johns Hopkins
Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences
Eight-week paid summer neuroscience research internship for Baltimore high schoolers.
📍 Baltimore, MD⏱ 8 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Horizon
Horizon Academic Research Program
Individual research mentorship program producing a college-level paper; open worldwide.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 10 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
HOSA Future Health Professionals
HOSA Competitive Events
School-chapter health-science competitions across 60+ medical events. Local through international rounds.
📍 Chapter + state + intl⏱ School year📅 Fall-summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
HOSA Future Health Professionals
HOSA International Leadership Conference
International leadership conference and competition for future health professionals.
📍 Rotating (US)⏱ 5 days📅 Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
HSCTF Association
HSCTF (High School Capture the Flag)
One of the largest student cybersecurity competitions, featuring crypto and web exploits.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 November 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IBM
IBM BlueCamp (High School)
Students spend a week learning about technology careers and interacting with IBM engineers.
📍 Austin, TX⏱ 1 week📅 April 1🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Indian Institute of Science
IISc Summer Fellowship
Research fellowship at India's premier science institute in Bengaluru.
📍 Bengaluru, India⏱ 8 weeks📅 February🎓 Grade 12
Selective
IIT Bombay
IIT Bombay Summer Research Fellowship
Competitive summer research placement at IIT Bombay across engineering fields.
📍 Mumbai, India⏱ 8 weeks📅 March🎓 Grade 12
Selective
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
Imi Hoʻōla Pathway / UH Manoa SHARE
Free research program for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.
📍 HI⏱ 5 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Immerse Education
Immerse Education — Medicine Cambridge
Residential medicine track for teens at the University of Cambridge.
📍 Cambridge, United Kingdom⏱ 2 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
Inspirit AI
Inspirit AI Scholars Program
Live-online AI program for grades 9-12 taught by Stanford and MIT grad students.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
IOAA
International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad
International olympiad in astronomy and astrophysics with national selection rounds.
📍 Varies (International)⏱ 1 week📅 Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IBO
International Biology Olympiad (IBO)
International team competition for the four highest-scoring biology students from each participating country.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 2-day exam + travel📅 National selection: fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IChO
International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)
Annual competition for pre-university chemistry students; national teams are selected through country-level olympiads.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 2-day exam + travel📅 National selection: fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
iGeo
International Geography Olympiad
International geography olympiad with written, multimedia, and fieldwork tests.
📍 Rotates by host country📅 National selection Spring🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Terra Science
International Journal of High School Research
Open-access peer-reviewed journal for HS research across disciplines.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
IJSO
International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO)
International science competition for students aged 15 and under, combining biology, chemistry, and physics in theory and experimental rounds.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 1 week (December)📅 National selection: spring🎓 Grades 9–10
Selective
IOL
International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL)
Solve puzzles in languages you have never seen. Recruits through national contests (NACLO in the US).
📍 Various📅 National contest January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IMMC
International Mathematical Modeling Challenge
International team-based math modeling competition for high schoolers.
📍 International📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IOI
International Olympiad in Informatics
Premier international algorithmic programming competition; qualify via national CS olympiad.
📍 Rotates by host country📅 National selection Spring🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IPhO
International Physics Olympiad (IPhO)
Annual international physics competition for secondary students; entry is through the national physics olympiad in your country.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 2-day exam + travel📅 National selection: fall🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Edu Mithra
International Space Olympiad
International olympiad on space science, astronomy, and rocketry with online prelims.
📍 India + Global📅 Autumn🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
IYPT
International Young Physicists' Tournament
International team competition where students research and defend solutions to open-ended physics problems.
📍 Rotates by host country📅 January (national selection)🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
IYPT US / USAYPT
International Young Physicists' Tournament (Online Regional)
Global physics competition for teams to solve 7 open-ended problems and present their results in online 'Physics Fights'.
📍 Online/Global⏱ Intermittent (matches)📅 February (Registration)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IYNC
International Youth Nuclear Congress
Biennial international conference for young professionals and students in nuclear science.
📍 Rotates by host country📅 Biennial🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
IYRC
International Youth Research Conference & Mentorship
Student-run research group providing mentorship and resources for high schoolers to conduct and publish original research.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible📅 May (for summer/fall)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
IZhO
International Zhautykov Olympiad
International math, physics, and CS olympiad hosted in Kazakhstan; individual events.
📍 Almaty, Kazakhstan📅 January🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Iowa Academy of Science
Iowa Junior Academy of Science Symposium
A statewide competition in Iowa where students present original STEM research to judges from industry and academia.
📍 Iowa City, IA⏱ 1 day📅 February 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Cambridge
Isaac Physics
Free platform of physics and math problem sets with online mentoring, mastery levels, and printable revision sheets used by GCSE, A-level, and international students worldwide.
📍 Remote (UK/Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Awards
Regeneron ISEF finalists compete for over $7 million in awards, prizes, and scholarships.
📍 Phoenix, AZ (2026)📅 Varies (part of ISEF competition)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Categories and Subcategories
Definitions and details of the categories of competition for Regeneron ISEF.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to questions for students, parents, and teachers about the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF International Rules and Guidelines
Official rules and guidelines for competition at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
ISEF Project Database
Searchable database of abstracts from Regeneron ISEF projects from 2014 to 2026.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Iowa State University
ISU Freshman-Sophomore Research Initiative
STEM research at Iowa State. In-state scholarships available.
📍 IA⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars
Free 5-year program for 7th-grade high-achieving low-income students. Includes summer programs, college advising, and scholarships.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 5 years📅 April🎓 Grade 7
Selective
The Jackson Laboratory
Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
Paid genetics research at JAX. Highly competitive, all expenses + stipend.
📍 ME⏱ 10 weeks (summer)📅 January🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
Jackson Lab
Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
Independent genetics research; $6,500 stipend, room & board.
📍 Bar Harbor, ME📅 Not yet announced — check official site for next cycle🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
JEI (Harvard)
Journal of Emerging Investigators
Free peer-reviewed publication venue for middle/high school STEM research. Real PhD reviewers.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
JHSS
Journal of High School Science
STEM and humanities journal for high school students.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
JRHS
Journal of Research High School
Multidisciplinary peer-reviewed HS journal.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
DoD / National Science Teaching Assoc
JSHS
Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. Regional and national competitions in original STEM research, with cash awards and DoD lab tours.
📍 Regional sites nationwide⏱ 2 days📅 Regional Jan-Mar🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kaggle
Kaggle Competitions
Global data-science competition platform with beginner "Getting Started" tracks, community notebooks, and cash-prize challenges accessible from anywhere.
📍 Remote (Global)⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling · anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
KAIST
KAIST International Summer Program
STEM summer program at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.
📍 Daejeon, South Korea⏱ 4 weeks📅 April🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
University of Kentucky Extension
Kentucky Forest Leadership Program
An outdoor learning experience focusing on forestry, wildlife, and natural resource management in Kentucky.
📍 Jackson, KY⏱ 1 week📅 May 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Khan Academy / Medline Plus
Khan Academy Health & Medicine Pathway
Learn the science behind medicine and the human body through interactive coursework developed by top universities. Ideal for medical-track HS students.
📍 Online⏱ Flexible (1-year access)📅 Self-paced🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy
Free two-week coding camp for girls and gender-expansive teens.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 2 weeks📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy Applications
Kode With Klossy scholars are curious, community-minded, creative individuals who want to explore the possibilities of technology. We welcome all applicants who identify as young women and gender expansive, ages 13-18 — regardless of CS experience.
📍 Multiple🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy Camp
Free two-week coding camps for girls and gender-expansive teens ages 13-18.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ 2 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Kode With Klossy
Kode With Klossy Summer Programs
Coding programs for young women and gender expansive youth, ages 13-18. No coding experience required. Programs are free.
📍 remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Kansas
KU Project SEARCH
Paid biomedical research at KU Med Center for Kansas students.
📍 KS⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Los Alamos National Laboratory
LANL UTS High School Pipeline
Paid internships at LANL for Northern New Mexico students.
📍 NM⏱ 8-10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Caltech
LIGO SURF
Gravitational-wave research at Caltech. Need-based travel and housing aid.
📍 CA⏱ 10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Louisiana State University
LSU HSSR (High School Summer Research)
Paid research at LSU for Louisiana students.
📍 LA⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Lumiere Education
Lumiere Research Scholar (Aid)
Independent research papers with PhD mentors. Need-based financial aid up to 100%.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 12 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MLH
Major League Hacking (MLH) Digital Events
MLH partners with dozens of online student-led hackathons throughout the year accessible to any student with an internet connection.
📍 Online⏱ 24-48 hours📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MLH
Major League Hacking High School Hackathons
Calendar of student hackathons; many high school-friendly.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MLH
Major League Hacking Local Hack Day
Free worldwide student hackathons run by MLH. Beginner-friendly tracks.
📍 Worldwide⏱ 1-2 days📅 Year-round🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Matter of Trust
Matter of Trust Citizen Science
Free citizen-science volunteer projects in oil-spill remediation and sustainability.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
McGill University
McGill Mini-Med School
Lecture series introducing high school and community members to medical science and clinical topics.
📍 Montreal, Canada⏱ 8 weeks📅 October🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
MD Anderson Summer Experience
Paid summer internships for high school students in Houston to explore careers in clinical care, research, and support services.
📍 Houston, TX⏱ 8 weeks📅 March 31🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft High School Internship Program (Redmond Area)
Paid summer internship doing technical research or development at Microsoft.
📍 Redmond, WA⏱ 4-10 weeks📅 February 1🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
Mississippi Department of Education
Mississippi FFA Association
A leadership and career development organization focused on agricultural education for students in Mississippi.
📍 Mississippi State, MS⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MIT
MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute
Four-week residential STEM program at MIT in autonomous systems, AI, cybersecurity, and more.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ 4 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
MIT Lincoln Lab
MIT BeaverWorks BWSI Hackathon
Free open hackathons run by MIT BeaverWorks alongside BWSI summer program.
📍 Cambridge, MA⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
MIT Sloan
MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference Student Programs
Premier sports analytics conference with student research competition and case competition.
📍 Boston, MA⏱ 2 days📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
MIT
MIT THINK Scholars
Funded research mentorship; finalists travel to MIT for an all-expenses-paid weekend.
📍 Online📅 Not yet announced — 2026-27 cycle not yet posted🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Mitacs (Canada)
Mitacs Globalink Research Internship
Paid 12-week summer research internship in Canada for undergraduates from partner countries.
📍 Various📅 September🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Major League Hacking
MLH Fellowship
A 12-week fellowship for aspiring software engineers to contribute to Open Source projects.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Major League Hacking
MLH Member Hackathons
A season of student-run hackathons across the world where students build software/hardware.
📍 Global⏱ 24-48 hours📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Actuarial Foundation
Modeling the Future Challenge
Free actuarial science / data analysis competition for HS students with cash scholarships.
📍 Online⏱ Year-long📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Montana State University
Montana Apprenticeship Program (MAP)
Paid research apprenticeships at MSU for Montana Native American students.
📍 MT⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Mississippi Medical Center
MS Rural Physicians Pipeline (high school strand)
Free med-school pathway program for rural Mississippi students.
📍 MS⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Memorial Sloan Kettering
MSK HOPP Summer Student Program
Paid cancer research at MSK for students from groups underrepresented in medicine.
📍 NY⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Michigan State University
MSU High School Honors Science Program
Research immersion at MSU labs. Aid available for Michigan students.
📍 MI⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Michigan State University
MSU School of Planning, Design & Construction Academy
High school program focusing on sustainable landscape design and urban ecology at Michigan State.
📍 East Lansing, MI⏱ 1 week📅 March 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Michigan State University
MSU Veterinary Medicine Enrichment Summer Program
An intensive three-week program exposing students to the diverse careers in veterinary medicine through clinical rotations and labs.
📍 East Lansing, MI⏱ 3 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NASA
NASA App Development Challenge
Open team coding challenge from NASA. Teams build a visualization of mission data. No fee; finalists visit Johnson Space Center.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 December🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Citizen Science
Dozens of free NASA citizen-science projects. Your contributions co-author published papers.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA Goddard High School Internship (OSTEM)
A paid summer internship for DC/Maryland area high school students focusing on physical sciences and earth observation.
📍 Greenbelt, MD⏱ 8 weeks📅 January 31🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NASA
NASA High School Internship Program (OSTEM)
Students participate in NASA's mission-driven projects through unique internship experiences at NASA centers across the country.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 10 weeks📅 January 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NASA
NASA International Space Apps Challenge
The largest annual global hackathon: 48 hours to solve real challenges using NASA's open data, with local host cities on every continent.
📍 300+ cities worldwide⏱ 48 hours (October)📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Internships (HS / OSTEM)
Search portal for NASA STEM internships and challenges, including high school programs.
📍 United States⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA
NASA Space Apps Challenge (Student Track)
A data science competition where students use real NASA data to solve problems.
📍 Global⏱ 48 hours📅 April 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
NASA / Future Engineers
NASA TechRise Student Challenge
Teams design space-bound experiments. Winners receive USD 1500 and their payload flies on a high-altitude balloon.
📍 Online⏱ School year📅 November🎓 Grades 6–12
Selective
NCF-Envirothon / Canon U.S.A.
National Envirothon (NFC-Envirothon)
A national environmental science competition where students study forestry, wildlife, and aquatic ecology on-site.
📍 Various Locations (Rotate Annually)⏱ 3 days📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Geographic
National Geographic Slingshot Challenge
Annual video competition for ages 13-18 on environmental solutions with cash prizes.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Winter🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
National Center for Atmospheric Research
NCAR Atmospheric Research Internship
Paid climate/atmospheric science research in Boulder.
📍 CO⏱ 10 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
National Center for Women & Information Technology
NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Award & Community
While many awards are in-person, NCWIT provides a massive online community, virtual mentorship, and networking for girls in tech nationwide.
📍 Online/Nationwide⏱ Lifetime membership📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
NCWIT
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.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Supercomputing Challenge Outreach
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.
📍 Los Alamos, NM⏱ Year-round📅 January 31🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Institutes of Health
NIH High School Summer Internship
Paid biomedical research internship at NIH labs.
📍 Bethesda, MD📅 Not yet announced — check official site for next cycle🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Nuffield Foundation
Nuffield Research Placements
Fully-funded UK STEM research placements for Year 12 students, prioritized for those from low-income backgrounds; hosted by universities, research institutes, and companies.
📍 United Kingdom⏱ 4–6 weeks (summer)📅 March (UK Year 12)🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
National University of Singapore
NUS High School Research
Undergraduate-level research mentorship at NUS for advanced high school students.
📍 Singapore⏱ 12 weeks📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
NYC DYCD
NYC Ladders for Leaders
Free paid summer internship program for NYC high schoolers. Stipend included; competitive admission.
📍 New York, NY⏱ 6 weeks📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Ocean Awareness Contest
International student contest in visual art, film, writing, and music addressing ocean conservation.
📍 Global📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind (International Finals)
International creative problem-solving competition with teams from 25+ countries.
📍 USA (worlds); regional in origin country📅 Regional Winter, Worlds May🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Ohio State University
Ohio State Young Scholars Program
Free year-round academic + research support for first-gen Ohio students.
📍 OH⏱ Year-round + summer📅 Rolling (school-based)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Oregon Health & Science University
OHSU On Track OHSU!
Free pipeline program for Oregon students from rural and underrepresented backgrounds.
📍 OR⏱ Year-round + summer📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
One Young World
One Young World Summit
Global summit for young leaders working on social impact and sustainability.
📍 Rotates by host country⏱ 1 week📅 Varies🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
Purple Comet! Math Meet
Online Math Team Championship (OMTC) / Purple Comet!
An international online math competition focused on high-level problem solving, often allowing students from rural areas to compete.
📍 Online⏱ 1 week📅 Late August (yearly)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Oregon State University
Oregon State Environmental Science Internship
A program for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to participate in environmental research and data science.
📍 Corvallis, OR⏱ 6 weeks📅 March 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
ORNL High School Summer Internship
Paid DOE national lab research at Oak Ridge.
📍 TN⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Oklahoma
OU Sooner Health Research
Paid health research at OU for Oklahoma students underrepresented in medicine.
📍 OK⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Perelman School of Medicine
Penn Med Summer Mentorship
Six-week summer mentorship in healthcare for Philadelphia students from underrepresented backgrounds.
📍 Philadelphia, PA📅 Not yet announced — check official site for next cycle🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
University of Pennsylvania
PennApps
One of the oldest college hackathons; HS-track sometimes available. Travel stipends offered.
📍 Philadelphia, PA⏱ 36 hours📅 Spring/Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
AAPT
Physics Bowl
International multiple-choice physics competition for HS students.
📍 Global⏱ 45 min📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
UBC
Physics Olympics
Annual lab and theory physics competition for high schools.
📍 Vancouver, BC⏱ 1 day📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon CyLab
picoCTF
Free annual cybersecurity capture-the-flag competition for students.
📍 Online⏱ 2 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Pioneer Academics
Pioneer Academics (Aid)
Accredited college-level research with US professors. Need-based aid up to full tuition.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 15 weeks📅 Multiple cycles🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
Polygence
Polygence Scholars (Financial Aid)
1:1 research mentorship with PhDs across any field. Full financial aid for qualifying students.
📍 Remote (nationwide)⏱ 10-20 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Emory University
Pre-Med Institute
A 3-week program focused on pre-medicine, where high school students take one course. Non-credit, satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading. Offers both on-campus residential and commuter options. Includes Emory Exploration and Eagle Excursions.
📍 Atlanta, GA📅 May 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Princeton SEAS
Princeton Day of Action / Princeton AI4ALL
Various Princeton SEAS outreach programs and summer engineering experiences for HS students.
📍 Princeton, NJ⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Princeton University
Princeton Laboratory Learning Program
Free competitive lab research program for HS students in NJ-area Princeton labs.
📍 Princeton, NJ⏱ 5-6 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Purdue University
Purdue STAR (STEM Academic Research)
Free research immersion at Purdue for Indiana students underrepresented in STEM.
📍 IN⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
University of Notre Dame
RADIANT: Research, AI, Data Innovation, and New Technologies
A course offered as part of the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars program.
📍 Notre Dame, IN📅 Annual — 2027 dates not yet announced🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
The world's largest pre-college STEM research competition with affiliated fairs in 60+ countries.
📍 USA (affiliated fairs worldwide)📅 Regional fairs Winter–Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron ISEF
The largest international pre-college science fair. Qualify through an affiliated regional or state fair. Travel and lodging covered for finalists.
📍 Rotating US city⏱ 1 week📅 Regional Jan-Mar🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Society for Science
Regeneron Science Talent Search
Unique among high school competitions, the Regeneron STS focuses on identifying, inspiring, and engaging the nation’s most promising future leaders in STEM. Each year, around 2,600 students enter Regeneron STS, submitting original research in critically important scientific fields of study and full application for holistic review. $3.1 million in awards are distributed annually, including the first place prize of $250,000.
📍 Washington, D.C.📅 2026-11-05T20:00:00 EST🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
CEE × MIT
Research Science Institute (RSI)
The most selective free summer research program in the US. Six weeks of STEM research at MIT with PhD mentors.
📍 MA (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 Mid-January🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Rice University
Rice Engineering Summer Academy
Pre-college engineering at Rice. Scholarships available.
📍 TX⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Schmidt Futures × Rhodes Trust
Rise
A lifetime program for 15- to 17-year-olds worldwide; the top ~500 finalists receive scholarships, mentorship, and career support to work on problems that matter.
📍 Remote application + summer residency⏱ Ongoing📅 Late January🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Rise
Rise (Schmidt Futures × Rhodes Trust)
Global program identifying brilliant young people who need support. Scholarships, mentorship, funding.
📍 Multiple + Remote (nationwide eligibility)⏱ Lifetime support starting at age 15-17📅 January🎓 Grades 9–10
Selective
Rockefeller University
Rockefeller Summer Science Research
NYC-area students do paid biomedical research at Rockefeller.
📍 NY⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 January🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Jane Goodall Institute
Roots & Shoots
Youth-led community action for people, animals, environment.
📍 Multiple states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI)
Free college-prep and research program for rural Alaska Native and rural Alaska students.
📍 AK⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Rutgers University
Rutgers Future Scholars Research
Free college-prep + research for first-gen New Jersey students.
📍 NJ⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling (program-based)🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Department of the Navy / ONR
Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Interns work at a Naval laboratory on real-world research under the mentorship of professional scientists and engineers.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 8 weeks📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Geographic / Disney+ / Hulu
Science Fair: The Series
A three-part docuseries following young innovators, engineers, and scientists on their way to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair.
📍 Remote🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad
Team-based STEM competition with 23 events spanning earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Regional through national rounds.
📍 School team + regional⏱ School year📅 Aug-May season🎓 Grades 6–12
Moderate
South Dakota Mines
SD Mines Summer Tech Academy
STEM camps at SD Mines. In-state aid.
📍 SD⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Seattle Children's Research Institute
Seattle Children's Research Internship
Paid pediatric biomedical research in Seattle.
📍 WA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
SETI Institute
SETI Institute REU
Astrobiology and astronomy summer research.
📍 Mountain View, CA⏱ 10 weeks📅 February🎓 Grade 12
Selective
SETI Institute
SETI Institute REU and Education
Astronomy and astrobiology education programs including HS workshops.
📍 Mountain View, CA⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
SF DCYF
SF Mayors Youth Employment & Education
Free paid year-round and summer internships for SF youth.
📍 San Francisco, CA⏱ Flexible📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Sierra Club ICO
Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors
Outdoor leadership and conservation volunteer service.
📍 Multiple cities⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Sierra Club
Sierra Student Coalition
Youth-led grassroots environmental network with trainings, fellowships, and campaigns.
📍 United States⏱ Year-long📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Smallpeice Trust
Smallpeice Trust Engineering Courses
Residential engineering courses at UK universities for Year 10–13 students — many fully funded via bursaries; specialisms include civil, aerospace, chemical, and robotics.
📍 United Kingdom⏱ 2–5 days📅 Rolling · by course🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Smith College
Smith Summer Science & Engineering Program
Research courses for young women in STEM. Substantial need-based aid.
📍 MA⏱ 2-4 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Stanford
Stanford AI4ALL
Three-week residential AI program for underrepresented HS students.
📍 Stanford, CA⏱ 3 weeks📅 January🎓 Grade 9
Selective
Stanford School of Medicine
Stanford AIM-HI
Free Stanford program for under-resourced Bay Area students interested in health equity careers.
📍 CA⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Stanford
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR)
Medical research at Stanford labs. Need-based stipend available. Strong focus on accessibility.
📍 CA (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 Late February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Stanford School of Medicine
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program
Free five-week summer program for low-income California high schoolers exploring medicine.
📍 Stanford, CA⏱ 5 weeks📅 Winter🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Stanford University
Stanford TreeHacks (High School Track)Check Site
Youth-led hackathons and tech workshops held annually at Stanford.
📍 Stanford, CA⏱ 1 day📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
STEM Fellowship
STEM Fellowship Big Data Challenge
International data science competition with publication in STEM Fellowship Journal.
📍 Online⏱ 8 weeks📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
STEM Fellowship
STEM Fellowship Journal
Peer-reviewed journal publishing student STEM research.
📍 Online⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Security Agency (NSA)
Stokes Educational Scholarship Program
Scholarship and internship program for students interested in a career in cybersecurity.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Varies📅 December 15🎓 Grade 12
Selective
University of Florida
Student Science Training Program (SSTP)
A rigorous math program for rising high school seniors in Florida, focusing on discrete mathematics and computer science.
📍 Gainesville, FL⏱ 6 weeks📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11
Selective
SSP International
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Team-based real research in astrophysics, biochemistry, or genomics. Need-based aid covers full tuition.
📍 CA, NM, IN, CO (nationwide eligibility)⏱ 39 days (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
Surfrider Foundation
Surfrider Youth Volunteer
Coastal cleanup and ocean advocacy chapters across US.
📍 Coastal states⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Fermilab (Department of Energy)
TARGET Program
Students engage in cutting-edge research in high-energy physics and accelerator science at a national laboratory.
📍 Batavia, IL⏱ 6 weeks📅 January 31🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Technion
Technion SciTech Summer Program
Pre-university STEM program at Israel's leading engineering institute.
📍 Haifa, Israel⏱ 3 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Technovation
Technovation Girls
Global tech entrepreneurship challenge for girls 8-18.
📍 Online⏱ 12 weeks📅 October🎓 Grades 3–12
Selective
The Earth Foundation
The Earth Prize
Global environmental sustainability competition with $200k in prizes for student teams.
📍 Global📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
San Francisco State University
The Great Sunflower Project (Citizen Science)
A massive collaborative project where students collect soil samples and perform data analysis for ecological research. Hybrid model.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Ongoing📅 Early March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Knowledge Society
The Knowledge Society (TKS) Virtual Program
A 4-week virtual accelerator where high schoolers solve real-world problems for top companies like Microsoft and TKS partners.
📍 Online⏱ 4 weeks (Trial) / 10 months (Pro)📅 Rolling (Monthly cohorts)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The NSHSS Foundation
The NSHSS Foundation
Fosters the growth of students pursuing the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math), business, economics, public policy, and environmental science and sustainability fields. Connects young scholars with additional opportunities to advance their education, personal growth and career interests.
📍 US🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Toshiba / NSTA
Toshiba ExploraVision
K-12 team STEM competition forecasting future technologies.
📍 Online⏱ Annual📅 January🎓 Grades 1–12
Selective
Technology Student Association (TSA)
TSA National Competitions
The premier middle and high school competition for engineering and technology projects involving a formal design process.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Tulane University
Tulane Summer Pre-College
Pre-college courses at Tulane. Need-based scholarships available.
📍 LA⏱ 2-4 weeks (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Toronto
U of T Summer Mentorship Program
Summer research and mentorship program hosted by the University of Toronto for high school students.
📍 Toronto, Canada⏱ 4 weeks📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Highly Selective
University of Utah
U of U ACCESS Program
Year-long STEM research program for women entering the U of U from Utah high schools.
📍 UT⏱ Summer + school year📅 February🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Consortium for Ocean Leadership / NCF-Envirothon
U.S. National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) / Envirothon
The world's largest Earth Science competition where teams solve challenges in geology, meteorology, and oceanography.
📍 Nationwide⏱ Year-round📅 Rolling (Feb-April)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Arizona
UA KEYS Research Internship
Paid bioscience research at the UA — Arizona students only.
📍 AZ⏱ 7 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
UAMS Summer Science Program
Paid biomedical research for Arkansas students underrepresented in healthcare.
📍 AR⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
UC Berkeley Academic Talent Development Program
UC Berkeley AI Summer Program (ATDP)
Hands-on AI and Machine Learning summer program at Berkeley for high schoolers.
📍 Berkeley, CA⏱ 2 weeks📅 April 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Chicago
UChicago DATA High School Program
Computational science and modeling fellowship for underrepresented high school students.
📍 Chicago, IL⏱ 6 weeks📅 January 15🎓 Grade 11
Selective
UCLA
UCLA Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Paid biomedical research at UCLA for LA-area students.
📍 CA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
UC San Francisco
UCSF SEP High School Intern
Paid summer research for SFUSD students underrepresented in science.
📍 CA⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
UCSF
UCSF Summer Research Training Program
Mentored research in basic and clinical science for SF Bay Area students.
📍 San Francisco, CA📅 Not yet announced — official site says 2027 info will be posted later🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment
UD Marine Science Summer Camp (Advanced Track)
High school students conduct marine science and oceanography experiments at the University of Delaware's coastal campus.
📍 Lewes, DE⏱ 1 week📅 February 15🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
UIUC Worldwide Youth in Science & Engineering
STEM camps at UIUC. Need-based aid for Illinois students.
📍 IL⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Maryland
UMD Young Scholars
Pre-college research at UMD. Need-based aid available.
📍 MD⏱ 3 weeks (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Minnesota
UMN Eureka! and Talented Youth Math
Free STEM enrichment for Minnesota girls and underrepresented students.
📍 MN⏱ Summer + school year📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of North Dakota
UND Summer Healthcare Programs
Free intro programs for North Dakota students, including INMED for Native American students.
📍 ND⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Oxford
UNIQ Summer School
Free residential summer school for UK state-school students in Year 12 — subject-specific academic sessions on the Oxford course you'd apply to.
📍 Oxford, UK⏱ 1 week (July)📅 January (Year 12)🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
UNL Young Nebraska Scientists
Free STEM camps at UNL for Nebraska students.
📍 NE⏱ 1-2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Nevada Reno
UNR Davidson Academy Research
Pre-college STEM research at UNR. In-state scholarships.
📍 NV⏱ 2-4 weeks (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Pittsburgh
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Academy
A residential program for high-achieving high school seniors interested in careers in medicine and biomedical research.
📍 Pittsburgh, PA⏱ 4 weeks📅 Late February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
American Chemical Society (ACS)
US National Chemistry Olympiad
A multi-tiered chemistry competition for high school students, featuring local and national exams, a study camp, and selection for the International Chemistry Olympiad.
📍 US; International (for IChO participants)📅 Annual — 2026-27 cycle not yet announced (historically opens each October)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Association of Physics Teachers
US Physics Olympiad
F=ma exam then USAPhO. Top 20 attend a training camp for the International Physics Olympiad team.
📍 School-administered⏱ Multi-round📅 Jan-Mar🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Center for Excellence in Education
USA Biology Olympiad (USABO)
Free 3-round biology olympiad. Top 20 attend a residential training camp; top 4 represent the US at the International Biology Olympiad.
📍 Online + training camp⏱ Multi-round📅 Jan-Apr🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Chemical Society
USA Chemistry Olympiad
Local-section through national chemistry olympiad. Top scorers attend the USNCO study camp at the US Air Force Academy.
📍 Local section + national⏱ Multi-round📅 Mar-Apr🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
USACO
USA Computing Olympiad
Free online programming contests held four times a year. Top US students earn an invitation to the summer training camp and the IOI team.
📍 Online⏱ Multi-round📅 Dec-Apr contests🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
X-Camp
USACO Guide Summer Camp (X-Camp) (Affiliated)
Intensive summer coding bootcamp focusing on competitive programming and software dev.
📍 San Jose, CA⏱ 2-4 weeks📅 March 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
MD Anderson Cancer Center
UT MD Anderson HS Summer Program
Paid cancer research at MD Anderson for Texas students.
📍 TX⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Southern Utah University / State of Utah
Utah Governor's Honors Academy (GHA) - STEM Focus
A 4-week math/science/engineering program for high-achieving Utah high school students hosted at Southern Utah University.
📍 Cedar City, UT⏱ 4 weeks📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11
Highly Selective
University of Virginia
UVA Summer Medical Leadership Program
Free medical exposure program at UVA for Virginia students underrepresented in medicine.
📍 VA⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Vermont
UVM Summer Academy
Pre-college academic programs at UVM. Need-based scholarships.
📍 VT⏱ 1-2 weeks (summer)📅 May🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Washington Bothell
UW Bothell Research Experiences
Local UW Bothell faculty research opportunities — great for North Seattle students.
📍 WA⏱ Variable📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
University of Washington
UW Genome Sciences Summer Bridge
Seattle-area paid genomics research. Strong support for first-gen and low-income students.
📍 WA⏱ 6 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Wisconsin-Madison
UW-Madison PEOPLE Program
Free year-round college-prep + research for Wisconsin students of color and first-gen.
📍 WI⏱ Year-round + summer📅 Rolling (school-based)🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Wyoming
UWyo High School Institute
Free residential STEM camps at UWyo for Wyoming students.
📍 WY⏱ 1-2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Veritas
Veritas AI / Veritas Research
Online AI research and project programs taught by Harvard/MIT mentors.
📍 Online⏱ 10 weeks📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech C-Tech²
Free cybersecurity and tech camp for high school women.
📍 VA⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
Emory University School of Medicine
Winship Cancer Institute Summer Program (Winship Win)
Program at Emory focusing on cancer research, providing hands-on laboratory experience and professional development.
📍 Atlanta, GA⏱ 8 weeks📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
National Park Service
Work With Us (for Youth and Young Adults)
Discover jobs, paid internships, and volunteer opportunities with the National Park Service.
📍 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
WRO Association
World Robot Olympiad
Global robotics competition with regional, national, and international finals.
📍 International (national finals worldwide)📅 National rounds Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
West Virginia University
WVU Health Sciences Summer Camp
Free health-sciences exposure for West Virginia students from rural communities.
📍 WV⏱ 1 week (summer)📅 April🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Yale School of Medicine
Yale Discovery to Cure High School Internship
A competitive program where students engage in biomedical research with world-class investigators at Yale.
📍 New Haven, CT⏱ 7 weeks📅 February 28🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Yale University
Yale Young Global Scholars (Need-Based Aid)
YYGS offers full need-based scholarships covering tuition, travel, and room.
📍 CT⏱ 2 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grades 10–11
Selective
UC Davis
Young Scholars Program (YSP)
A high-level research internship where students work in labs at UC Davis on environmental and biological projects.
📍 Davis, CA⏱ 8 weeks📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Young Scientists Journal
Young Scientists Journal
Peer-reviewed journal written, edited, and reviewed by 12–20 year-old scientists worldwide.
📍 Global📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 7–12
Selective
Various
Youth Climate Leaders
Free youth climate summits and competitions. Project-based environmental advocacy.
📍 Online + regional⏱ Self-paced📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
National Park Service
Youth Conservation Corps (YCC)
A summer employment program that engages young people in meaningful work projects on public lands.
📍 Nationwide⏱ 8-10 weeks📅 Mid-April🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Zooniverse
Zooniverse Citizen Science
Free crowdsourced research platform. Contribute to active university research projects in any field from your laptop.
📍 Online⏱ Self-paced📅 Anytime🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective

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