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Research programs in Washington, D.C..

66 local programs run in Washington, D.C., 44 of them free or paid, and 4 explicitly prioritize under-resourced or first-generation students. Plus 210 nationwide programs open to anyone in the US.

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Local to Washington, D.C.

DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
Advanced Technical Center (ATC)
A tuition-free, open-enrollment career and technical education hub where DCPS and public charter students in grades 9-11 take two-year dual-credit pathways in cybersecurity, general nursing, clinical medical assisting, or EMT while remaining enrolled at their home high school.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly Selective
Freedom Forum
Al Neuharth Free Spirit Conference
All-expenses-paid journalism conference + $1,000 scholarship for 51 students.
⏱ 1 week📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of the District of Columbia
Architecture Summer Camp
Students sketch designs, build physical models and use AI, digital modeling, laser cutting and 3D printing to develop an original architectural project.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Georgetown University
Artificial Intelligence Academy
One-week Georgetown academy introducing high-school students to artificial intelligence through academic instruction and applied activities.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
American University
AU High School Summer Scholars
Students complete a four-week asynchronous college course in areas such as international diplomacy, law, psychology or neuroscience and receive an official AU transcript.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Georgetown University
Biotechnology for Science & Health Academy
Two-week academy focused on biotechnology and its applications in health and biological science through intensive Georgetown programming.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Georgetown University
Bridges to Social Justice Academy
Three-week academy combining seminars, workshops, dialogue, site visits and project design around social justice, civic engagement and community change.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
George Washington University
Caminos al Futuro
Three-week residential program where rising seniors examine social, political and economic issues affecting Hispanic and Latino communities and develop leadership/community-impact projects.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Children's National Hospital
Colaco Scholar Program
One or two area high-school students spend about eight weeks in Children's National's clinical laboratory learning medical testing, shadowing pathologists/hematologists and participating in research projects.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American University School of International Service
Community of Scholars
Rising juniors and seniors complete a three-credit international-affairs course with two weeks on campus followed by one asynchronous online week, plus visits to government and international institutions.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Howard University School of Business
Computer Information Systems Career Awareness Program (CISCAP)
Students explore data analytics, programming, cybersecurity, networking, AI and machine learning within a business context through interactive instruction and hands-on exercises.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
University of the District of Columbia
Data STEAAM Summer Camp
Six-week business-intelligence and research program where DC students use data analytics to study agriculture, energy, architecture and public-policy problems while working in university labs and research farms.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
DC College Access Program
DC CAP University Partner Scholarship
Eligible DC public and charter seniors can receive renewable DC CAP funding combined with additional aid from participating university partners and long-term college-success coaching.
🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
Career and Technical Education DC / FBLA-PBL
DC FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America)
The high-school division of Future Business Leaders of America, giving DC students in business CTE programs access to leadership development, business competitions, and local-to-national networking and travel.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Career and Technical Education DC / HOSA
DC HOSA (Future Health Professionals)
A CTSO for DC students in health science and biomedical programs, offering competitive events, health career exploration, and leadership conferences that build toward the international HOSA conference.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
DC DOES
DC Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment
Free paid summer jobs for DC youth 14-24. Wide range of placements.
⏱ 6 weeks📅 Feb-Mar🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
DC Chess Association
DC Scholastic Chess Championship
The DC Chess Association's rated, US Chess-sanctioned state championship tournament for DC resident students in grades 6-12, with Barber and Denker national nominations awarded to top finishers.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Career and Technical Education DC / SkillsUSA
DC SkillsUSA
A partnership of DC students, CTE teachers, and industry professionals building workplace and technical skills through competitions in trades and technical occupations, from culinary arts to audio/radio production.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
DC STEM Fair
DC students present original STEM research at the District's official science and engineering fair. High-school overall winners and runners-up can advance toward Regeneron ISEF.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Career and Technical Education DC / TSA
DC TSA (Technology Student Association)
A STEM-focused CTSO for DC students at chapters including Cardozo and H.D. Woodson high schools, running competitive events in areas like technical design, debating tech issues, and extemporaneous speech.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Georgetown University
Economics Policy Academy
Three-week academy examining economic policy and how economic analysis informs major domestic and global decisions.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
FIRST Chesapeake
FIRST Robotics Competition (Chesapeake)
Teams of 10+ Maryland high schoolers build industrial-size robots with adult mentors to compete in an annually-changing field game, culminating in regional and world championship events.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
FIRST Chesapeake
FIRST Tech Challenge (Chesapeake)
Teams of 2-15 students design, build, and program robots using Android-based reusable platforms to compete head-to-head in an alliance format running September through February.
📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Georgetown University
Georgetown Summer College
Earn college credit in IR, politics, business, and more.
⏱ 3-5 weeks📅 May🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Envision
Global Young Leaders Conference
International youth leadership and diplomacy simulation in Washington DC and New York.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
George Washington University
GW Summer Immersion
Two-week residential pre-college programs use DC as a classroom for subjects including law, foreign policy, psychology, data, global development and other academic areas.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
DC Department of Employment Services
High School Internship Program (HSIP)
District students work part-time during either the fall or spring semester while receiving workplace experience and career-readiness development.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
DC Department of Human Resources & OSSE
High School Leadership Institute
A year-round internship placing DC public and public charter high school juniors and seniors in DC government agencies (including DCHR, OSSE, OCTO, DHS, and DCRA) for mentored work experience tied to their coursework and career interests.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
U.S. Capitol Page Alumni Association
House Page Program (alumni network)
Historical House page-style programs and current House internship opportunities.
⏱ 1 semester📅 Spring🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Howard University School of Business
Howard Pre-Business Program
Students choose specialized tracks in accounting, information systems/cybersecurity, actuarial science, music business, finance or entrepreneurship and complete faculty instruction, corporate visits and team projects.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
George Washington University
INSPIRE Program
Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students explore relations between tribal governments and the federal government in a three-credit pre-college experience.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Georgetown University
International Relations Academy
Students study foreign policy, international law, terrorism, nuclear weapons, global health and development and participate in an international crisis simulation.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
DC Department of Employment Services
Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute Summer Intensive
District youth participate in intensive leadership and self-development training built around hands-on experiences and civic/professional growth.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maryland-DC Scholastic Press Association (MDCSPA)
Maryland-DC Scholastic Press Association
A nonprofit partnered with the Philip Merrill College of Journalism that offers free membership to high school journalism students and teachers, hosting J-Day, a Fall Workshop, and the Maryland Journalist of the Year contest.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
DC Department of Employment Services
Mayor's Opportunity Scholarship
Eligible graduating MBSYEP participants entering college, occupational training, ROTC or the military compete for education funding based on participation, need, an essay and recommendations.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Georgetown University
Medical Academy
Students explore anatomy, physiology, radiology, surgery, oncology and biomedical ethics and complete hands-on activities including suturing, casting and patient simulation.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Children's National Hospital / George Washington University
METEOR v3
Seven-week neuroscience and clinical/translational research internship combining Children's National lectures with immersive laboratory mentorship and a final research presentation.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Georgetown International Relations Association
NAIMUN (North American Invitational Model United Nations)
The oldest and largest student-run Model UN conference for high schoolers, drawing over 3,300 delegates from school and independent delegations to simulate UN committees at the Washington Hilton.
📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
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.
⏱ 8 weeks📅 January 31🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
DC History Center (National History Day DC Affiliate)
National History Day in DC
The DC affiliate contest of the national History Day program, where students research a historical topic tied to the annual theme and present it as a paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, or website.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Scripps
National Spelling Bee
Premier US K-8 spelling competition culminating in nationals.
⏱ 1 week📅 Spring🎓 Grades 1–8
Moderate
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Capital Region
NFTE Capital Region Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
An annual pitch competition for high schoolers across Maryland, DC, and Virginia where students present original business ideas to judges for a chance to compete at the national finals for seed capital and scholarships.
📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
NMNH Summer High School Internship
Students work on museum projects in natural science, exhibitions, collections, communications and other departments while participating in field trips and career-development activities.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Office of the State Superintendent of Education / DCPS
OSSE Consortium Dual Enrollment
DCPS students can take a college course at a participating university while still in high school, with OSSE covering tuition and books for one three-credit course per semester.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Office of the State Superintendent of Education
OSSE Scholars
Academically strong DC public-school students with demonstrated financial need receive access to selective summer college programs at universities including Brown, Columbia, Emory, Harvard, Northwestern, Smith, Syracuse and Yale.
🎓 Grades 10–11
Highly Selective
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
Poetry Out Loud DC
A free recitation competition, run as part of DC's Words on Fire festival, in which high school students memorize and perform published poetry to build public speaking skills and compete for national awards.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Posse
Posse Foundation
Full-tuition leadership scholarships nominated by partner cities. High schoolers from cities like New York, Chicago, LA, Atlanta nominate by August of senior year.
⏱ Senior year📅 August🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Princeton University
Princeton Model Congress
Four-day high school simulation of Congress run by Princeton students in DC.
⏱ 4 days📅 Fall🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Q?Crew Teen Volunteer Program
Teens help visitors explore scientific specimens and activities in Q?rius while learning science communication and museum skills and earning service hours.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Howard University / Johns Hopkins University
School2Lab
NCI-sponsored summer research fellowship pairing DMV high-school students with university researchers for cancer, medical-physics, computational, biological and biomedical research plus scientific communication and a poster presentation.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
US Senate
Senate Page Program
Selective program where high school juniors serve as pages for US senators in DC.
⏱ 1 semester📅 Rolling🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Youth Engagement
Internships across Smithsonian museums and research centers.
⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
DECA Inc. - South Dakota Chartered Association
South Dakota DECA
South Dakota's chapter of DECA, which prepares emerging leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management through classroom instruction and a competitive State Career Development Conference (SCDC).
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American University
Summer Civics Institute on American Principles and Debates
Students participate in college-style seminars on constitutional government, free expression, civil disobedience and political thought, plus Washington field trips and guest lectures.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Howard University School of Business
Summer Entrepreneurship & Experiential Program (SEEP)
Students learn opportunity identification, feasibility analysis, business-model creation, financing, customer development and pitching through cases, site visits and a culminating team venture project.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Street Law
Supreme Court Summer Institute
Teacher and student programs on constitutional law and the Court.
⏱ 1 week📅 Summer🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Texas DECA
Texas DECA
Texas DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management through district, state (SCDC), and international Career Development Conferences. Open to Texas students enrolled in Marketing Education or an approved CTE class; the 2027 State Career Development Conference is February 25-27, 2027 in Houston.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Department of Education / U.S. Senate Youth Program
U.S. Senate Youth Program (Maine)
A principal-nominated program sending two Maine junior/senior delegates to a week-long, all-expenses-paid program in Washington, D.C. featuring sessions with senators, cabinet officials, and national media, plus a $12,500 undergraduate scholarship for delegates.
📅 October🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of the District of Columbia
UDC Capital Cup Entrepreneurship Competition
Teams create a business or product concept with international-market potential, submit a qualifying video pitch and finalists present their venture to judges at UDC.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
United States Senate Youth Program - DC Delegation
DC's application pathway for the national USSYP, sending two DC junior/senior student leaders to a fully funded Washington Week of briefings with government officials, plus a $12,500 undergraduate scholarship.
📅 December🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Urban Alliance
Urban Alliance High School Internship Program
Seniors complete job-skills training, receive one-on-one mentoring and can earn up to 500 hours of professional work experience with employers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
University of the District of Columbia
Urban Hydroponic Farming Summer Camp
Students learn vertical farming and hydroponic food production from seed to harvest and explore nutrition, sustainable agriculture and urban-agriculture business opportunities.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
US House
US House Page Program (alumni network)
Visit programs and learning resources from the US House of Representatives.
⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
George Washington University International Affairs Society
WAMUNC (Washington Area Model United Nations Conference)
A high school Model UN conference hosted by GW's International Affairs Society in Foggy Bottom, welcoming delegations from across the country and around the world to practice diplomatic communication on global issues.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
DC College Access Program
Ward 7 & 8 Scholarship
Seniors attending public or charter high schools located in Wards 7 or 8 can receive renewable scholarship funding and intensive college-success coaching.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Washington Urban Debate League (WUDL)
Washington Urban Debate League
The only organization offering competitive policy debate to DC public and charter school students, with a focus on Title I schools, running after-school debate, travel teams, tournaments, and a summer debate institute.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective

Nationwide programs open to Washington, D.C. students

University of Pennsylvania
Academic English & University Readiness Academy
Two-week residential academy at Penn for non-native English speakers. Students do university-style work: reading, lectures, discussions, research and group projects, ending in a final presentation. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 26 - August 8, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly 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.
⏱ 8 weeks📅 Early March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
American Foreign Service Association (AFSA)
AFSA National High School Essay Contest
An essay contest designed to engage students in thinking about peace and conflict resolution.
📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Carnegie Mellon University
AI Scholars at CMU
Free AI-focused summer program for rising seniors underrepresented in computing.
⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
AI4ALL
AI4ALL Open Learning
Girls in grades 6-12 learn AI and Python through interactive virtual classes.
⏱ 2 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Mathematical Association of America
AIME
Invitational round for top AMC scorers. 15-question, 3-hour exam that gates the USAMO. No fee for invited students.
⏱ 3 hours📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Freedom Forum
Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference
An all-expenses-paid journalism conference for one student from every US state and DC.
⏱ 1 week📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Amazon
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Scholarship for high school seniors planning to study computer science in college.
⏱ 4 years scholarship📅 December 1🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Mathematical Association of America
AMC 10/12
The entry-level American Mathematics Competition. Top scorers qualify for AIME and the path to the USAMO. Open to all US high schoolers; school registration required.
⏱ 75 minutes📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
ACSL
American Computer Science League (ACSL)
A multi-division computer science competition covering both theory and programming.
⏱ School year📅 November 30🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
American Sign Language and Deaf Culture Online Seminar
Two-week online seminar (daily Zoom sessions) teaching basic ASL conversation and narrative skills in an immersion setting, plus Deaf community perspectives through vlogs, lectures and a panel of Deaf professionals. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 13 - 24, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11
Highly Selective
Amgen Foundation
Amgen Scholars Future Track
Free online biotech simulations and pipeline programs preparing high schoolers for biomedical research.
⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Apple Inc.
Apple Swift Student Challenge
Swift coding competition hosted by Apple to showcase creativity and app development skills.
⏱ 1 month📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Berklee College of Music
Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive
The world's premier summer performance program for contemporary music, including jazz, rock, and pop.
⏱ 5 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Pennsylvania
Astronomical Techniques Research Academy
Two-week residential academy at Penn. Students learn observational astronomy and data analysis, build simple cameras and spectrometers, observe the Sun and stars, and analyze data with Python. Current 9th-11th graders; non-credit.
⏱ 2 weeks (July 11 - 25, 2026)🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
NCWIT
Award for Aspirations in Computing (AiC)
Award for girls and non-binary students in computing, providing recognition and a cash prize.
⏱ One-time📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bard College at Simon's Rock
Bard College at Simon's Rock Young Writers Workshop
A 3-week residential program where students engage in creative and analytical thinking through literature and history.
⏱ 3 weeks📅 April 1🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
MIT Lincoln Lab
Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Free MIT-led project-based courses in AI, robotics, cybersecurity.
⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11
Selective
ELASH / Bebras US
Bebras Computing Challenge (US)
An international computational thinking and informatics competition. Students can take the test remotely or through a local school coordinator.
⏱ 45 minutes📅 Early February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Bennington College
Bennington Young Writers Awards
A prestigious creative writing competition for students to win cash prizes and publication.
📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective

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