# Free Research Programs for High School Students Every program on this page costs $0 to attend — cost should never be the reason a strong student skips research opportunities. Many free programs are more selective than paid ones precisely because they are funded; treat their deadlines seriously. 182 verified programs match this page; 30 of the featured listings are free; 6 can be done online. ## Programs (182 total, first 30 shown — full list on the canonical page) | Program | Organization | Cost | Format | Grades | Deadline | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Yau Science Awards (Asia)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/yau-science-awards) | Tsinghua University / Harvard University | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-04-30 | | [Davidson Fellows](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/davidson) | Davidson Institute | Free | virtual | Grades 11–18 | 2027-02-18 | | [Scripps Research High School Internship Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/scripps-research-internship) | Scripps Research | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-03-22 | | [Fulbright U.S. Student Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/fulbright-us-student) | U.S. Department of State / IIE | Free | virtual | Grade 12 | 2026-10-06 | | [Clark Scholars Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/clark-scholars) | Texas Tech | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-16 | | [Amgen Scholars Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/amgen-scholars-program) | Amgen Foundation | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [Caltech Signature Award for Innovation](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/caltech-signature-award) | California Institute of Technology | Free | virtual | Grades 10–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/stockholm-international-youth-science-seminar-siyss) | Swedish Federation of Young Scientists | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-05-01 | | [MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium (MCSC) Youth Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/mit-climate-and-sustainability-consortium-mcsc-youth-program) | MIT | Free | hybrid | Grades 10–12 | Rolling | | [Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/journal-of-emerging-investigators-jei) | JEI (founded by Harvard-trained scientists) | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Duke Summer Academy](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/duke-summer-academy) | Duke University | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-15 | | [Siemens Competition Regional Finals](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/siemens-competition-regional-finals) | Siemens Foundation | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [DARPA Prize Competitions](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/darpa-prize-competitions) | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | Rolling | | [Society for Neuroscience Young Investigator Award](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/society-for-neuroscience-young-investigator-award) | Society for Neuroscience | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-14 | | [Janelia High School Internships](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/janelia-high-school-internships) | HHMI Janelia Research Campus | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-01-14 | | [Garcia Summer Scholars Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/garcia-summer-scholars-program) | Stony Brook University | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-03-03 | | [TARGET Science and Engineering Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/target-science-and-engineering-program) | Fermilab | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [New York City Science and Engineering Fair](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/new-york-city-science-and-engineering-fair) | New York City Department of Education & CUNY | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-30 | | [Harvard Undergraduate Economics Association Essay Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/harvard-undergraduate-economics-association-essay-competition) | Harvard College | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2027-01-05 | | [International Young Physicists' Tournament](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/international-young-physicists-tournament) | International Young Physicists' Tournament Association | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2027-05-25 | | [International Physicists' Tournament (IPT)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/international-physicists-tournament) | International Physicists' Tournament Association | Free | in_person | Grades 9–12 | 2026-11-01 | | [Harvard-Westlake Summer Research Internship](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/harvard-westlake-summer-research-internship) | Harvard-Westlake School | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-03-01 | | [UT Southwestern STARS Summer Research Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/ut-southwestern-stars-summer-research-program) | UT Southwestern Medical Center | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-01-20 | | [Harvard Radcliffe Science Research Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/harvard-radcliffe-science-research-program) | Harvard Radcliffe Institute | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | | [Yale Pathways to Science Summer Scholars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/yale-pathways-to-science-summer-scholars) | Yale University | Free | in_person | Grades 10–11 | 2027-03-03 | | [Fermilab TARGET Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/fermilab-target-program) | Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | 2027-02-01 | | [High School Research Academy (HRA)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/high-school-research-academy-hra) | The University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences | Free | hybrid | Grades 10–12 | 2027-03-22 | | [Polygence Research Program](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/polygence-research-program) | Polygence | Free | virtual | Grades 9–12 | 2026-07-15 | | [iGEM High School Synthetic Biology Competition](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/igem-international-genetically-engineered-machine-high-school-track) | iGEM Foundation | Free | hybrid | Grades 9–12 | 2027-06-04 | | [Environmental Science & Policy Scholars Program (Duke)](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/environmental-science-policy-scholars-program-duke) | Duke University | Free | in_person | Grades 11–12 | Rolling | ## Frequently asked questions ### How many free research programs are listed for high school students? ExtracurricularHub currently lists 182 verified free research opportunities for high school students, each with cost, eligibility, deadline, and an official application link. ### Are any of these free research programs free? Yes — 30 of the programs featured on this page charge no participation fee. Free programs are often funded and can be more selective, so apply early. ### Which deadlines are coming up soonest? The next deadlines: Polygence Research Program (July 15, 2026); Fulbright U.S. Student Program (October 6, 2026); International Physicists' Tournament (IPT) (November 1, 2026). Deadlines change every cycle — always confirm on the program's official site. ### Why are these programs free? Most free programs are funded by universities, government agencies, or nonprofits with a mission to broaden access. Free rarely means easy to get into — funded programs are often the most selective. ## Related pages - [Free for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free) - [Virtual & Online Research Programs for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/virtual/research) - [Research for High School Students](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/research) - [Browse all extracurriculars](https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars) - [Find My Fit — 3-minute matching quiz](https://extracurricularhub.com/find-my-fit) --- Canonical page: https://extracurricularhub.com/extracurriculars/free/research Source: ExtracurricularHub (https://extracurricularhub.com) — a free directory of 1,826 verified extracurricular programs for high school students. Cite the canonical page above; always confirm binding details on each program's official site.