§ KS

Research programs in Kansas.

77 local programs run in Kansas, 20 of them free or paid, and 1 explicitly prioritize under-resourced or first-generation students. Plus 210 nationwide programs open to anyone in the US.

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Local to Kansas

Emporia State University Honors College
Adaptive Leadership Summer Camp (Emporia State University)
A two-day residential leadership camp teaching high schoolers adaptive-leadership frameworks from Harvard and the Kansas Leadership Center, aiming to empower students to address challenges facing their communities.
📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Wichita State University College of Engineering
Advanced VEX V5 Robotics
Students with prior VEX experience build and program a robot for the current VEX competition game, develop strategies, and finish with a scrimmage.
🎓 Grades 9–10
Moderate
American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Kansas
American Legion Auxiliary Sunflower Girls State
A week-long, hands-on government simulation for high school girls between their junior and senior years, teaching the inner workings of government through a "learning by doing" approach.
📅 Varies🎓 Grade 11
Moderate
American Legion Department of Kansas
American Legion Boys State of Kansas
A week-long, learning-by-doing civic program where high school students simulate Kansas elections, political parties, and government at the state, county, and local levels to build leadership and citizenship skills.
📅 April🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
American Legion, Department of Kansas
American Legion Department of Kansas High School Oratorical Contest
A constitutional oratory contest for grades 9-12 that builds knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and public-speaking skill, progressing from district to a state (department) competition and on to nationals.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Wichita State University College of Engineering
Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning Camp
Students learn introductory Python and create machine-learning/deep-learning models for computer-vision and natural-language-processing tasks.
🎓 Grade 9
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Arts and SpaceCrafts
Students combine astronomy, engineering, science, and visual creativity through a residential series of space-inspired art and STEAM projects.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Wichita State University College of Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Camp
Students explore biomedical imaging, medical devices, bioinstrumentation, CT/MRI reconstruction software, and ultrasound through hands-on work.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Kansas Wonderful Institute for Sustainable Engineering
Chemical Engineering Experience in Research (ChEER) for Youth Interns
Students ages 15–18 conduct non-hazardous chemical-engineering research under graduate or postdoctoral mentors, participate in research meetings, analyze data, and present results. The internship is unpaid and intended for students who can commute locally.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
City of Wichita
City of Wichita Leadership Internship Program
High-school and college students can work with city departments on areas such as planning, courts, purchasing, administration, and other public-service functions. Positions may be paid or unpaid depending on placement.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Calista Education and Culture, Inc.
Ciutmuarluni
A youth leadership and postsecondary-readiness program for 11th and 12th graders in the Calista Region, combining Elder-led cultural immersion with college campus visits, financial-aid guidance, and career exploration.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Washburn University Department of Music
Coleman Hawkins Summer Jazz Camp (Washburn University)
A week-long jazz camp for grades 7-12 emphasizing improvisation, small-group performance, and jazz theory, with master classes, faculty performances, and student jam sessions.
📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Kennesaw State University College of Professional Education
DiscoverU at KSU Summer Camps
DiscoverU offers week-long, career-themed summer camps for rising 9th-12th graders at Kennesaw State, spanning tracks like AutoCAD, culinary arts, medical skills, and aerospace engineering.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Drone Camp
Students learn drone flight, explore 3D printing, solve team engineering challenges, and conclude the residential program with a drone race.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Wichita State University College of Engineering
Electrical Circuits Camp
Students investigate electricity, resistance, circuit components, batteries, energy transfer, and series circuits through hands-on experiments.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
The University of Kansas Health System
ELEVATE High School Internship
Juniors and seniors at affiliated high schools make a semester-long commitment and gain exposure to clinical and nonclinical healthcare careers through observational and limited hands-on work.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Wichita State University College of Engineering
Engineering Design: Residential Solar Management
Students explore electrical engineering, photovoltaic technology, household energy use, and engineering approaches to residential solar-system design.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University College of Engineering
Engineering Summer Camp
High-school students spend a week exploring K-State engineering facilities, meeting faculty, collaborating with peers, and completing engineering-oriented activities and challenges.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Wichita State University College of Engineering
Ethical Hacking and Capture the Flag
Students complete a cybersecurity boot camp and team-based Capture the Flag exercise focused on ethical hacking in a controlled environment.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University
EXCITE
Students in grades 9–12 participate in hands-on science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and agriculture activities through semester events and a three-day summer workshop.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University School of Consumer Sciences
Farm to Fashion Camp
Students explore sheep and wool production along with spinning, dyeing, weaving, fiber arts, and fashion design during a four-day hands-on camp.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University College of Agriculture
Feeding Your Future Summer Camp
Students explore grain production, milling, baking, animal feed, agronomy research, and related careers through laboratories, farms, and industry interactions. The 2026 fee was $75 including housing and meals.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Sternberg Museum of Natural History / Fort Hays State University
Field Paleontology Kansas
Students prospect for and excavate fossils, collect professional field records, practice mapping and fossil identification, and return specimens to the museum's research collections.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Sternberg Museum of Natural History / Fort Hays State University
Fossil Preparation Methods Kansas
Students work in the Sternberg fossil-preparation laboratory using professional tools to clean, stabilize, reconstruct, and preserve authentic fossil specimens.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Kansas / University of Houston Future of Semiconductors 2
FuSe2 Summer Camp
Eligible high-school juniors and seniors from migratory-worker families spend a week exploring semiconductor research with KU and UH researchers. Participants receive a $1,000 stipend plus travel, lodging, and food.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Kansas State University College of Education
Future EdCats Summit
Rising juniors and seniors explore teaching, counseling, educational leadership, college life, and instructional methods through faculty-led activities and a student project.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Kansas State University College of Health and Human Sciences
Health Professions Exploration Program
Incoming juniors and seniors spend a residential week exploring medicine, nursing, public health, nutrition, biomedical engineering, sports medicine, disease research, and related careers through hands-on activities.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Wichita State University College of Engineering
Imagineering an Amusement Park
Students use industrial-engineering concepts to study the people, processes, systems, and design decisions involved in creating and operating an amusement park.
🎓 Grade 9
Moderate
University of Kansas
Jayhawk Debate Institute
High-school debaters complete intensive two- or three-week policy-debate training involving argument construction, original research, practice debates, and a concluding tournament.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Jayhawk Media Workshop
High-school students spend four days producing journalism, video, photography, websites, yearbooks, and multimedia content with university and high-school journalism instructors. Scholarships are available.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus
K-State Aviation Academy
Youth ages 15–17 participate in a residential aviation program geared toward students considering professional aviation and pilot careers.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Wichita State University College of Engineering / BEST Robotics
Kansas BEST Robotics Competition
Middle- and high-school teams receive materials and seven weeks to design, build, program, and test a remote-controlled robot before competing at WSU. Participation is fee-free.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kansas DECA
Kansas DECA State Career Development Conference (SCDC)
Kansas DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management, culminating each year in the State Career Development Conference where members compete in business-focused events.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD)
Kansas Envirothon
North America's largest high school environmental education competition, where 5-student teams test their knowledge of soils, forestry, wildlife, aquatic ecology, and rangeland management, plus an annually-changing current-issue topic.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kansas Board of Regents
Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship
Academically competitive, financially eligible Kansas students from qualifying groups may receive up to $1,850 annually while attending an eligible Kansas institution.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Kansas Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
Kansas FBLA State Leadership Conference
Kansas FBLA's annual State Leadership Conference brings together hundreds of high school students for business-related competitive events, networking, and a path to the National Leadership Conference.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), hosted by K-State College of Health and Human Sciences
Kansas FCCLA State Leadership Conference
The culminating event of the Kansas FCCLA year, recognizing chapter achievements, installing new officers, and hosting STAR Events competitions including culinary arts and baking & pastry.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas FFA Association
Kansas FFA Convention
The largest youth conference in Kansas, bringing over 2,700 FFA members to the K-State campus each year for Leadership Development Events, an Opportunity Fair, state band and chorus performances, and the State FFA Degree ceremony.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas Bar Foundation / Kansas Bar Association
Kansas High School Mock Trial Competition
Teams of at least six students act as attorneys and witnesses arguing both sides of a fictional case in front of real judges and legal professionals, advancing from regional tournaments to a state championship.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas History Day (National History Day affiliate)
Kansas History Day
A year-long research program where students in grades 6-12 investigate a historical topic tied to an annual theme and present findings as a paper, exhibit, performance, documentary, or website, advancing from district to state to national competition.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kansas HOSA (Future Health Professionals), chartered by KU Medical Center AHEC
Kansas HOSA State Leadership Conference
Kansas HOSA's largest annual event brings hundreds of health-science students together for competitive events, a college and career expo, and hands-on learning like virtual anatomy technology and Stop the Bleed certification.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas Corporation Commission / K-State Engineering Extension
Kansas KidWind Challenge
Teams design and test wind turbines, complete a renewable-energy knowledge component, and present their design process. Regional winners advance to the Kansas state event and potentially the World KidWind Challenge.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kansas Board of Regents
Kansas State Scholarship
Kansas seniors completing the Kansas Scholars Curriculum may be designated State Scholars using GPA and ACT performance. Financially eligible recipients can receive up to $1,000 annually at Kansas institutions.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design
KU Design Camp — Kansas City
Kansas City-area high-school students attend a lower-cost week-long day program at KU Edwards Campus with faculty-led design workshops such as footwear and product design.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design
KU Design Camp — Lawrence
Students spend a residential week completing architecture and design workshops taught by KU faculty while developing portfolio-ready projects. Topics include areas such as branding, animation, architecture, and visual communication.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Kansas Department of Mathematics
KU Mathematics and Statistics Competition — High School Division
High-school students take a 50-minute mathematics examination covering material through roughly 11th-grade mathematics. First through third places receive recognition and cash prizes.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Kansas School of Pharmacy
KU Pharmacy Summer Camp
High-school students explore pharmacy careers through hands-on activities, clinical and laboratory experiences, interaction with pharmacy students, and exposure to research and medication science.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Kansas
KU Project SEARCH
Paid biomedical research at KU Med Center for Kansas students.
⏱ 8 weeks (summer)📅 March🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
Cosmosphere
Mission: Astro Lab
Students work together on a simulated space-station mission and participate in SCUBA-related experimentation while exploring spaceflight and associated career fields.
🎓 Grades 9–10
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Mission: Lunar Trek
Students undertake a simulated lunar-landing mission and gain exposure to flight, drone training, engineering, finance, transportation, and lunar exploration.
🎓 Grades 10–11
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Mission: Martian Base
Students carry out a simulated Mars landing, design a settlement, explore manufacturing and space agriculture, practice medical skills, and train on astronaut simulators.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Cosmosphere
Mission: Moon Shot
Students complete a simulated lunar mission, launch rockets, use astronaut-training simulators, build BattleBots, and explore coding, engineering, arts, and spaceflight.
🎓 Grade 9
Moderate
Sternberg Museum of Natural History / Fort Hays State University
Museum Academy Kansas
Students use authentic fossils and scientific literature while learning museum research, collections care, scientific illustration, exhibit design, and public science communication.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
The University of Kansas Health System
Nurse Academy
High-school students gain hands-on exposure to nursing skills, nursing specialties, patient care, and hospital departments during an immersive academy.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Highly Selective
Emporia State University
Nurse Camp (Emporia State University)
A one-day exploratory camp introducing high school students to nursing as a career path, offered alongside a separate middle-school session.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Sternberg Museum of Natural History / Fort Hays State University
Paleontology Academy Kansas
Students combine fossil prospecting with laboratory work in anatomy, microfossils, paleobotany, documentation, and museum collections to understand ancient Kansas ecosystems.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Pittsburg State University Athletics
Pittsburg State High School Mega Football Camp
A one-day camp for high school football prospects led by Head Coach Tom Anthony, featuring speed and agility testing plus 1-on-1 and group drills in full pads.
📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Wichita State University College of Engineering
Python Camp
Students learn the fundamentals of Python programming and its use in engineering, industry, and internet-connected projects.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Sternberg Museum of Natural History / Fort Hays State University
Research Academy Kansas
Returning Sternberg high-school campers work with authentic 3D fossil datasets, scientific literature, anatomical measurements, and geometric morphometrics while developing and testing research questions. Applicants must previously have completed a Sternberg high-school camp.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Pittsburg Community Theatre and Pitt State Theatre
Rising Starz Theatre Camp (Pittsburg State University)
A summer theatre camp for ages 13-18 culminating in a full production (recently "Beetlejuice Jr.") staged at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts.
📅 July🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
SkillsUSA Kansas
SkillsUSA Kansas State Championships
Career and technical education students from across Kansas compete against the clock in skilled-trade contests such as automotive refinishing, cabinetmaking, culinary arts, and welding fabrication, with state gold medalists advancing to SkillsUSA Nationals.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University Department of Agronomy
Smart Farm Challenge — Precision Agriculture Workshop
Rising seniors explore precision agriculture through drones, soil sensors, field data, mapping, and variable-rate agricultural technology during a residential workshop.
🎓 Grade 12
Moderate
Kansas 4-H / Kansas State University Research and Extension
States' 4-H International Exchange (S4-H)
A "learn by doing" cultural exchange for ages 12-18 to live abroad with a host family for 4-8 weeks in summer (destinations have included Norway, Costa Rica, Taiwan, and Japan), or to host an international delegate in Kansas.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University
String Leadership Institute
High-school string musicians receive chamber and large-ensemble coaching together with leadership training, team-building, service, and performances. Scholarships are available.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University
Summer Choral Institute
Fifty freshmen through juniors receive a fully funded week of intensive choral and leadership training. Selected students also receive a $1,000 future K-State music scholarship commitment.
🎓 Grades 9–11
Selective
Kansas State University College of Architecture, Planning & Design
Summer Design Experience
High-school students explore architecture, industrial design, interior architecture, landscape architecture, and community planning through faculty-led design studios and a final project.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University School of Consumer Sciences
Summer Fashion Institute
Students explore fashion design, illustration, sewing, and careers while creating their own designs. The 2026 camp cost $100.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Kansas State University Bands
Summer Music Camp
Musicians participate in ensemble rehearsals, sectionals, specialized classes, social activities, and a final concert while experiencing campus life.
🎓 Grades 9–11
Moderate
City of Wichita
The Way to Work Summer Youth Program
Wichita and Sedgwick County youth ages 14–17 receive work-readiness preparation and summer employment experiences intended to build job skills and self-sufficiency. Income eligibility requirements apply.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine
VetMed ROCKS
High-school students participate in hands-on veterinary laboratories, interact with teaching animals, and explore veterinary careers with faculty and veterinary students.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Wichita State University College of Engineering
VEX V5 Robotics Camp
Students build and program VEX robots while developing engineering-design, project-management, teamwork, and presentation skills.
🎓 Grades 9–10
Moderate
Kansas State University School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Visual & Performing Arts Academy
Rising grades 9–12 choose tracks including musical theatre, performance theatre, choir, visual arts, dance, or technical theatre/audio production and finish with a showcase.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
The University of Kansas Health System
VolunTeen — Student Summer Volunteer Program
High-school students volunteer in clinical and nonclinical areas of an academic health system while learning about healthcare careers. Separate programs are offered for rising freshmen and rising sophomores through seniors.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Washburn University Department of Music
Washburn Summer Keyboard Academy
A piano-focused academy for grades 6-12 offering three private lessons plus workshops, music history/literature classes, and performance classes, ending in a gala concert.
📅 July🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Washburn University Department of Music
Washburn University Total Percussion Camp
A hands-on percussion camp covering marching percussion, drumset, concert percussion, and samba band, capped by evening concerts and a final student performance.
📅 July🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Kansas State University Department of English
Young Writers' Workshop
Students spend a week producing original fiction, poetry, essays, and other writing with experienced teachers and published writers. The program is free, with preference for Kansas students.
🎓 Grades 9–10
Selective
Network Kansas / Kansas State University Research and Extension
Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Series
Students develop business concepts, compete in local entrepreneurship contests, receive feedback from business mentors, and can qualify for the statewide championship and cash awards.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective

Nationwide programs open to Kansas 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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