§ ME

Research programs in Maine.

106 local programs run in Maine, 63 of them free or paid. Plus 210 nationwide programs open to anyone in the US.

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Local to Maine

Friends of Acadia / Acadia National Park
Acadia Youth Conservation Corps
An 8-week, non-residential paid summer conservation program for youth ages 15-18, working alongside Acadia National Park's trail crew and resource-management divisions on trail maintenance, invasive-species removal, and water-quality monitoring.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
A Climate to Thrive
ACTT High School Internship Program
Paid internship program for young people starting at age 17 to work on community-based climate solutions on Mount Desert Island, including large-scale solar, single-use plastics reduction, and the Sustainable MDI restaurant initiative, plus a self-designed sustainability project.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership
Advanced Ocean Lab — Surrounded by Science
Students in grades 10–12 complete a longer advanced ocean-science residential experience emphasizing scientific practice and field-based learning.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
Maine Community Foundation
Agnes Freyer Gibbs Scholarship Fund
Graduating Maine high-school students intending to pursue journalism or related print, broadcast, or electronic-media fields can compete for renewable support.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
University of Maine Advanced Manufacturing Center
AMC B.O.T. Loft Robotics Summer Camp
Students work directly with industrial robotics, tour a manufacturing facility, and work toward a Universal Robots Educational Robotics Training credential during a residential camp.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
American Legion, Department of Maine
American Legion Maine Oratorical Contest
A public-speaking competition on the U.S. Constitution for grades 9-12, combining a prepared 8-10 minute oration with an extemporaneous 3-5 minute response to an assigned constitutional topic, advancing from local posts to district and state finals.
📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership
Bio Blitz — Understanding Biodiversity
Students investigate biodiversity across intertidal, forest, shoreline, freshwater, and marine ecosystems while developing scientific-research and environmental-leadership skills.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Bioscience Association of Maine (BioME)
BioME Student Showcase
A life-science research poster competition for Maine students in grades 9-12, focused on projects in healthcare, agriculture, or industrial/environmental biotechnology, judged by Maine scientists and entrepreneurs.
📅 March🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Music Educators Association (MMEA)
BOC and Jazz All-State Festival
Audition-based statewide Band/Orchestra/Choir and Jazz festivals for Maine high school musicians, culminating in All-State ensemble performances after a competitive audition process run through students' music teachers.
📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (CES)
A Farmington, Maine nonprofit where youth ages 10-24 launch and run real businesses out of a retail store, makerspace, and 'Changemaker Campus,' guided by workshops from engineers and working professionals.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Maine Pulp & Paper Foundation
Chip Moody Consider Engineering Program
High-school juniors attend a competitive four-day residential program involving approximately 20 engineering activities and interaction with UMaine faculty, engineers, and engineering students.
🎓 Grade 11
Selective
University of Maine Cohen Institute for Leadership & Public Service
Cohen High School Summer Leadership Program
Rising seniors nominated by their schools attend a fully funded residential program combining college-level leadership study, public service, team-building, outdoor leadership, and interaction with prominent leaders.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Office of Congressman Jared Golden
Congressional App Challenge - Maine's 2nd District
An annual nationwide coding competition, open to middle and high school students residing in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, who design an original app for desktop, web, mobile, or other devices in any programming language.
📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Community Foundation
Daniel Cardillo Charitable Fund
Maine young people needing financial assistance can receive support to pursue meaningful artistic, academic, athletic, vocational, or experiential opportunities outside traditional school.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The American Legion, Department of Maine
Dirigo State
Week-long residential youth government leadership program at Colby College simulating Maine's state government, combining the traditional Boys State and Girls State programs into one unified experience for high school students.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Maine Audubon
Environmental Education Assistant
Teens age 15+ assist Maine Audubon educators with summer camps, help implement lessons and outdoor activities, serve as role models for younger campers, and build environmental-education and leadership skills.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Maine Early College
FITS: Fieldwork Innovations and Technology Using Sensors
Students complete three weeks of online learning followed by a residential week using sensors in fields such as engineering, ecology, health science, marine science, wildlife, computing, and design, earning three college credits and a micro-badge.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of New England
Future Teachers of Maine Summer Institute
A four-day summer institute at UNE for rising high school seniors interested in becoming teachers, featuring mock college classes, classroom visits, and mentorship from UNE education students, funded by a Maine DOE workforce grant.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Maine / Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code Overnight Camp at UMaine
A free, five-day residential coding camp at UMaine Orono for middle and high school girls, non-binary students, and students of color (male allies welcome), covering hands-on coding projects and tech career exploration.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Community Foundation
Guy P. Gannett Journalism Scholarship
Graduates of Maine high schools pursuing journalism or closely related media fields can receive substantial renewable awards based on journalism commitment, academics, and financial need.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
University of New England / Maine AHEC Network
Health Careers Explorations Camp
A free camp for Maine students entering grades 10-12 who are interested in healthcare careers, offering hands-on activities in dental hygiene, medicine, nursing, therapy, pharmacy, and public health.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership
High School Art & Marine Science
A one-week residential program on Hurricane Island for rising 9th-12th graders that pairs marine-science observation with art-making and ends with a public gallery exhibition.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership
High School Oceanography
A one-week residential program on Hurricane Island for rising 9th-12th graders focused on ocean science, including boat-based data collection on ocean circulation, stratification and climate-driven change.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
MDI Biological Laboratory
High School Summer Fellowship
A 7-10 week research fellowship in Bar Harbor where high school students age 16+ work alongside MDI Biological Laboratory scientists on hands-on biomedical research projects, with free room and board for residents.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership
High School Sustainable Sea
A one-week residential program on Hurricane Island for rising 9th-12th graders on aquaculture and fisheries in the Gulf of Maine, including sea-farm work and a UMaine aquaculture microcredential.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership
High School Terrestrial Ecology
A one-week residential program on Hurricane Island for rising 9th-12th graders researching the island's forests, meadows, ponds and soils.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine State Senate
Honorary Page Program
Students from third grade through high school can serve as Honorary Pages on the Senate floor while it is in session, delivering messages and materials to senators under supervision of the Sergeant-at-Arms.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Coast Waldorf School
Inkblot Writing Contest
A free fiction and poetry contest open to all Maine students in grades 4-12, judged within three grade divisions including 9-12, with cash prizes for winners and runners-up in each category.
📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MaineHealth / Maine Medical Center / Tufts University School of Medicine
Inside Medicine Summer Program
A free virtual statewide program where Maine high school students explore medical careers, hear from MaineHealth clinicians, learn healthcare terminology, and solve medical mystery cases guided by Tufts University medical students.
📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
College of the Atlantic
Islands Through Time
A two-week pre-college program for rising juniors and seniors exploring the ecology, culture, and history of the Maine coast through marine biology, field ecology, writing, and art, based at College of the Atlantic's island field stations.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
Junior Achievement of Maine
JA Company Program
A hands-on entrepreneurship program in which Maine high school students conceptualize, fund, and manage their own student-led business venture with mentorship from community volunteers, with a path to the JA Company of the Year national competition.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Junior Achievement of Maine
JA Titan
A simulation-based program where Maine high school students compete as CEOs running a virtual phone company, making production, marketing, and R&D decisions over five mentored weeks before a statewide competition.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Jackson Lab
Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
Independent genetics research; $6,500 stipend, room & board.
📅 Not yet announced — check official site for next cycle🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
The Jackson Laboratory
JAX Summer Student Program (Bar Harbor)
A 10-week residential research fellowship at The Jackson Laboratory's Bar Harbor, Maine campus, where high school seniors and undergraduates join ongoing genetics and genomics research under a scientific mentor and present their findings at summer's end.
📅 January🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center
Junior Volunteers / Summer Volunteer Program
A hospital volunteer program at Maine Medical Center's Portland campus open to students age 14 and up, with a dedicated summer-only track for high school and college students to gain healthcare-setting experience.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Community Foundation
K. William Wiseman Engineering Scholarship
Graduating seniors from Maine high schools planning to pursue engineering at an accredited college or university can apply for renewable financial support.
🎓 Grade 12
Highly Selective
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences
Keller BLOOM Program
Sixteen Maine high-school juniors spend a free residential week conducting ocean-science field sampling and laboratory work, collecting and analyzing data, and learning directly from Bigelow scientists.
🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School and Festival
Kneisel Hall Program for Maine Students
A five-day chamber-music day camp for intermediate-to-advanced Maine high school musicians, offering mentored rehearsals, master classes, and a free final concert; grew out of Kneisel Hall's summer festival in Blue Hill.
📅 April🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Community Foundation
Lee Patterson Scholarship Fund for Classical Voice Training
Young musicians can receive financial assistance for classical voice training in opera, operetta, and art-song repertoire. Preference is given to students from Hancock and Washington counties.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Chewonki Foundation
Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki
A four-month residential, college-preparatory semester program for high school juniors combining rigorous academics with field research in coastal ecosystems, work on a sustainable farm, and outdoor leadership on the Maine coast.
📅 Varies🎓 Grade 11
Moderate
DECA Inc. - Maine Association
Maine DECA
Career and technical student organization for high school students in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management, with local chapters competing at an Association Career Development Conference.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Department of Education
Maine DOE Student Cabinet
Students from across Maine advise the Department of Education about educational opportunities, improvements, and policy, with the state aiming for representation from every county.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Association of Conservation Districts
Maine Envirothon
North America's largest high school environmental science competition at the Maine level: teams of 3-5 students tackle hands-on stations in wildlife, water/aquatics, forestry, soils, and a current natural-resource issue at regional and state events.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine FFA / Maine Department of Education
Maine FFA Association
Statewide agricultural education organization for middle and high school students enrolled in aquaculture, agriscience, biotechnology, forestry, horticulture, or natural resource management courses, offering leadership development, competitive events, and travel opportunities.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Forensic Association
Maine Forensic Association Speech & Debate
Maine's statewide speech and debate league, recognized by the National Speech and Debate Association, running a season of tournaments in Policy, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, and Student Congress debate plus speech events like Oratory and Dramatic Interpretation.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
USM STEM Outreach / National Science Bowl
Maine High School Science Bowl
The Maine regional of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Science Bowl, where four-student high school teams face off in fast-paced question-and-answer rounds covering biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, energy, and math.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
HOSA - Future Health Professionals
Maine HOSA - Future Health Professionals
State chapter of the national career and technical student organization for high schoolers interested in health careers, offering State Conferences, competitive events, and pathways to the International Leadership Conference and Washington Leadership Academy.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance
Maine Literary Awards — Youth Awards
Maine middle- and high-school writers compete in a statewide literary competition. Youth submissions are free and are considered alongside Maine's broader annual literary awards.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Media Workshops + College
Maine Media Academy Summer Academy
Two- to four-week residential workshops for teens (14-18) in filmmaking, digital and alternative photography, and book arts & design, taught by working artists on Maine Media's Rockport campus, with portfolio-level output and optional high school credit.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
NESCom, Husson University
Maine Media Camp
A week-long residential media and communications camp at Husson University for students entering sophomore through senior year, covering journalism, video production, photography, and audio engineering alongside NESCom faculty.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Highly Selective
University of Southern Maine / Maine Model United Nations Program
Maine Model United Nations Conference (MeMUNC)
An annual three-day Model UN conference at USM's Gorham campus where Maine high schoolers simulate UN bodies and debate global issues like maternal health, environmental justice, and disinformation, developing research, negotiation, and public speaking skills.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Maine / Margaret Chase Smith Library
Maine National History Day
A year-long research and project-based competition for grades 6-12 in which students create a paper, exhibit, documentary, performance, or website on a historical topic tied to an annual theme, advancing from classroom to state to national competition.
📅 Varies🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Arts Commission / Maine Humanities Council
Maine Poetry Out Loud
A National Endowment for the Arts recitation program in which Maine high schoolers memorize and perform poetry, advancing from the classroom level through regional competition to the statewide finals.
📅 December🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Press Association
Maine Press Association Scholarship
A need-based scholarship for Maine high school seniors and college students pursuing journalism, awarded based on internship or student-news experience, a cover letter, resume, and writing samples.
📅 February🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Maine College of Art & Design (MECA&D)
Maine Region Scholastic Art Awards
The Maine affiliate of the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, open to students in grades 7-12 to submit original artwork across eighteen categories including painting, photography, sculpture, and video game design for scholarships and national recognition.
📅 December🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Space Grant Consortium
Maine Research Internships for Teachers and Students (MERITS) — High School
Maine high-school juniors complete six weeks of paid research or technology-development work at STEM laboratories, companies, and research institutions around the state. Participants must be Maine residents and U.S. citizens.
🎓 Grade 11
Selective
Maine Science Olympiad
Maine Science Olympiad
Maine's Division C state tournament of the nationwide Science Olympiad, where high school teams of up to 15 students compete across 23 events spanning biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, math, and engineering.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Venture Fund
Maine Startup Challenge — High School Tier
Maine high-school students turn an idea into a one-page business plan and compete before entrepreneurs and investors. The high-school tier awards $1,500 for first place and $500 for runner-up.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine State Board of Education
Maine State Board of Education Student Member
One Maine sophomore from the designated congressional district is selected annually to begin a two-year term as a nonvoting State Board member, participate in education-policy discussions, and serve on Board committees.
🎓 Grade 10
Selective
Future Business Leaders of America - Maine
Maine State FBLA
Statewide career and technical student organization for high school business students, offering competitive events, leadership development, and a State Conference with qualification to the National Leadership Conference.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Association of Math Leagues (MAML)
Maine State Math Meet
MAML runs five regular-season math league meets across six regional leagues plus an annual statewide championship, testing high school teams on arithmetic-through-precalculus problems without calculators, and selects Maine's ARML team.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Jackson Laboratory & Maine Mathematics & Science Alliance
Maine State Science Fair
Maine's statewide science fair, open to students in grades 9-12 from any public, private, parochial, or home school, where participants present independent research projects to expert judges for cash prizes and college scholarships.
📅 Spring🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Southern Maine STEM Outreach
Maine STEM Film Challenge
Students create an original short film explaining a STEM topic and submit it for professional judging. Grades 9–12 compete in their own division; teams may contain 1–10 members.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Waterville Creates (Maine Film Center)
Maine Student Film + Video Festival
A free, no-entry-fee film festival open to Maine residents 19 and under in grades K-12, judging student-made Narrative, Documentary, and Creative (animation/experimental) films of up to 10 minutes.
📅 June🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Secretary of State
Maine Voting and Democracy Essay Contest
Maine students in grades 9–12 submit essays of up to 1,500 words about voting and democracy. Winners receive recognition from the Secretary of State and have their work publicized.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
MaineHealth / The Opportunity Alliance
Maine Youth Action Network (MYAN)
A statewide youth leadership network for ages 14-18 focused on community advocacy around substance use, mental health, and bullying prevention, including local Youth Policy Boards and an annual Youth Leadership Conference.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
State YMCA of Maine
Maine Youth and Government (Y&G)
A student-driven simulation of Maine state government in which high schoolers write and debate bills, run for executive office, or serve as lobbyists/media, culminating in a weekend conference in the actual Maine State House chambers in Augusta.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Youth for Climate Justice (MYCJ)
Maine Youth for Climate Justice High School Cohort
Free, peer-led statewide cohort connecting Maine high school climate and environmental activists, offering mini-grants and outreach support for student-led school and community sustainability projects; no prior organizing experience required.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Southern Maine STEM Outreach
Maine-SMART High School Research Program
Rising juniors and seniors spend a week conducting mentored research tied to Maine's targeted technology sectors. The 2026 sessions focused on algae-growth experiments involving species, growth media, agitation, and environmental variables.
🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
MaineHealth Workforce Development
MaineHealth Career Compass
Maine students in grades 9–12 attend free statewide virtual panels introducing healthcare careers through interactive sessions with people working across the health system.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Maine / Mark Cuban Foundation
Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp at UMaine
A free 20-hour AI bootcamp for Maine high schoolers in grades 9-12, held over three Saturdays at UMaine, covering generative AI, ethics, and real-world applications across healthcare, business, and the arts, ending in a mentored capstone project.
📅 September🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine Media Workshops + College
Midcoast Maine Summer Arts Expedition: Book Arts & Design
A two-week residential program focused on book arts and design (hand-bound sketchbooks, letterpress, zines, gelli-printing) with field trips to Midcoast Maine museums and artist estates, on Maine Media's Rockport campus.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Mitchell Institute
Mitchell Scholarship
Graduating students from Maine public high schools compete for $10,000 college scholarships plus leadership programming, professional networks, and personalized support.
🎓 Grade 12
Selective
Maine Press Association
MPA Journalism Scholarship
A scholarship of up to $2,000 for Maine high school seniors headed to college who show a demonstrated commitment to journalism through internships, employment, or student news work, plus financial need.
📅 February🎓 Grade 12
Selective
New England Music Camp
New England Music Camp
A six-week residential summer music camp on Messalonskee Lake for students ages 11-18, combining private lessons, ensembles, and chamber music with athletics, and offering specialty tracks in composition, musical theater, and classical voice.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
National High School Ethics Bowl / Tufts University
New England Regional Ethics Bowl (Maine teams)
Teams of 4-6 students discuss real-world ethical dilemmas and respond to judges' questions in a collaborative (not adversarial) debate format; Maine high schools compete in this New England regional, which qualifies teams for the national tournament.
📅 December🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Southern Maine, Department of Linguistics
North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition (NACLO)
A puzzle-based linguistics competition open to middle and high schoolers with no prior linguistics, language, or computing background required; USM's Portland campus hosts Maine's site for the Open and Invitational rounds.
📅 January🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership
Ocean Lab — Surrounded by Science
High-school students participate in an immersive residential program centered on ocean science, field investigation, scientific practice, and leadership.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
University of Southern Maine, Osher School of Music
Osher Senior Band Camp
An eight-day residential band camp for rising 9th graders through rising college freshmen, featuring concert band, sectionals, small ensembles, and a jazz band audition track, held on USM's Gorham campus.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Maine Cooperative Extension / Early College
Outdoor Leadership Early College Intensive
High-school students complete field-based university coursework in outdoor leadership while training in environmental education, guiding, search-and-rescue skills, and nationally recognized Wilderness First Aid. Participants earn four college credits.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
FIRST / Pine Tree District
Pine Tree District FIRST Robotics Competition
Maine's official FIRST Robotics Competition qualifying event, where high school teams from Maine and across New England compete head-to-head with robots they designed and built for a chance to advance to the FIRST Championship.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine College of Art & Design
Pre-College Art & Design Program
Students ages 15–18 spend three residential weeks in professional studios, choose two art/design majors, work with practicing artists, strengthen portfolios, and earn three transferable college credits.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
The Telling Room
Publishing Workshop
Students work through the real editorial and production process to create and publish an anthology while learning book publishing, communication, writing, and leadership skills.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of New England / Maine AHEC Network
Scrub Clubs
Four-day summer clinical-skills programs for students in grades 8-12, featuring suturing, casting, IV training, operating-room simulations, and CPR, first aid, and Stop the Bleed certifications.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
University of Maine College of Engineering and Computing
Semiconductor Camp
High-school students study bits, gates, transistors, circuits, integrated devices, and semiconductor systems through hands-on electronics work and a Texas Instruments visit.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
SkillsUSA Maine
SkillsUSA Maine
Career and technical student organization for Maine middle school, high school, and postsecondary students in skilled trades, hosting an annual State Leadership and Skills Conference plus a statewide Jump Start Conference.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of Maine Early College / Downeast Institute
SMS 103: Oceanography on the Ocean
Students earn four college credits during a two-week residential course studying physical, chemical, geological, and biological oceanography on Maine's coast.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
University of New England Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences
Southern Maine Brain Bee
A neuroscience quiz-bowl competition for local high school students, covering brain biology, cellular function, anatomy, physiology, and psychology, preceded by prep activities like sheep-brain dissections.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Telling Room
Statewide Writing Contest
Maine youth submit poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, playwriting, songwriting, or other creative writing. A grand-prize winner and county winners are selected, and submissions can be considered for publication.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Maine College of Art & Design
Summer Art Camp — Teen Courses
Students ages 14–17 can choose intensive week-long studio courses in areas such as oil painting, silkscreen, digital art, animation, illustration, and metalsmithing.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
Maine Policy Institute
Susan K. Hamill Summer Internship Program
A nine-week internship at a Maine public-policy think tank open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, working in public policy, development, or digital media and gaining research, fundraising, and communications skills.
📅 February🎓 Grades 11–12
Selective
University of Maine Forest Bioproducts Research Institute
Sustainable Engineering Leaders of the Future (SELF)
Maine high-school students attend a free residential institute involving renewable-energy research, woody biomass, engineering, AI activities, collaborative research, and presentations.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Selective
Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership
Sustainable Sea — Aquaculture and Fisheries for the Future
Students examine sustainability challenges involving aquaculture and fisheries while practicing environmental science and leadership in an island field setting.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Moderate
College of the Atlantic
The Future of Our Oceans (COA Pre-College Program)
Nine-day pre-college field science program for rising high school juniors and seniors studying marine ecosystems and ocean resilience, including a week at COA's remote Mount Desert Rock research station 25 miles offshore.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 11–12
Moderate
R.W. Traip Academy / Maine School Garden Network
Traip Greenhouse and Garden Summer Internship
Paid ten-week summer internship for Traip Academy high school students to tend the school garden and greenhouse, run the Saturday farmers market, and learn sustainable food production and sales.
📅 Rolling🎓 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 New England
UNE NextWave Pre-College Experience
Students in grades 10–12 spend a residential week conducting original research, tackling sustainability-oriented problems with UNE faculty, collaborating in teams, and pitching findings to industry decision-makers.
🎓 Grades 10–12
Moderate
University of Maine System / Maine Department of Education
University of Maine System Early College
Eligible Maine high-school students take university courses online, on campus, or through concurrent enrollment and earn both high-school and college credit. Beginning with the Class of 2027, qualified students can receive up to 18 tuition-free credits.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
Robotics Institute of Maine
VEX V5 Maine State Championship
Maine's statewide VEX V5 Robotics Competition championship, where middle and high school teams compete in qualification matches, skills challenges, and eliminations for spots at the VEX Robotics World Championship.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
VFW Department of Maine / VFW Auxiliary
Voice of Democracy Scholarship Contest (Maine)
Statewide audio-essay scholarship competition for grades 9-12 in which students write and record a 3-5 minute patriotic-themed essay, with winners advancing from local posts to state and national judging for scholarship prizes.
📅 October🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
Washington MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement), University of Washington
Washington MESA High School Programs
Statewide pathway program run through the University of Washington offering academic support, hands-on STEM learning, career exploration, leadership development and competitions such as Washington MESA Day for high school students.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Highly Selective
The Boston Globe
Will McDonough Sports Writing Contest
A free nonfiction sports-writing contest for grades 9-12 students in Maine and New England, judged on writing quality, reporting, and use of journalism practices, with entries capped at 700 words.
📅 May🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Telling Room
Works in Progress
Students ages 12–18 developing longer writing projects meet regularly for structured peer workshop, feedback, revision, and creative development.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
The Telling Room
Young Emerging Authors (YEA) Fellowship
Four Maine young writers are selected for a free, paid 15-month fellowship to write, revise, and professionally publish their own books with one-on-one mentorship from published authors.
🎓 Grades 9–11
Selective
The Telling Room
Young Writers & Leaders
A selective nine-month program for high-school students with international and multicultural backgrounds featuring writing instruction, one-on-one coaching, public readings, publication, and paid participation.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective
League of Women Voters of Maine / Maine Students Vote
Youth Council Internship
Paid internship for Maine high schoolers who design self-directed civic engagement projects (events, PSAs, social media campaigns) around issues like voting rights, immigration, and equity. Interns work 5 hours a week for a semester and don't need prior experience.
📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12
Selective

Nationwide programs open to Maine 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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