# High School Scientific Training and Enrichment Program (HiSTEP) HiSTEP is the National Institutes of Health's five-week summer enrichment program for rising seniors from the Washington, DC region, run by the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education on the main Bethesda campus. Unlike a lab placement, HiSTEP is a structured cohort program that opens doors to the full range of biomedical, healthcare, and STEM-M careers — and pays students a stipend of $2,150 plus public-transit benefits. ## What You'll Do - Learn about research and healthcare careers through lectures, research-group visits, and networking events - Work through small-group discussions and team projects with a cohort of peers - Get structured guidance on the college application process - Build career-readiness, leadership, and resilience/well-being skills - Spend five weeks (early July through early August) on the NIH campus in Bethesda ## Who Should Apply High school juniors (at application) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, at least 17 years old by mid-June, live in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington DC within roughly 40 miles of the NIH campus, and attend a school where at least 30% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The application for each summer opens in mid-November and closes in mid-February. ## Outcomes HiSTEP alumni finish with an NIH credential, a paid summer of career exploration, college-application support, and a direct pipeline into later NIH programs such as HiSTEP 2.0 and the High School Summer Internship Program.