Research Opportunities for High School Students
Discover how to get involved in academic research as a high school student. Find lab placements, mentorship programs, and research competitions.
Research Options
- University summer research programs (RSI, RISE, SSP)
- Independent research mentorship programs
- Research competitions (Regeneron STS, Siemens)
- Online research programs
- Local university lab opportunities
Current research program listings
222 matching programs are listed in the directory right now. The most recently added:
- Amgen Scholars Program — Amgen Foundation: Transform your summer with a paid high school research internship in biotech. Conduct hands-on projects at top universities to boost skills and colleg
- Yau Science Awards (Asia) — Tsinghua University / Harvard University: Showcase your scientific research skills in this prestigious high school competition. Gain hands-on experience, boost college applications, and connec
- PROMYS at Boston University — Boston University: Explore number theory in a 6-week immersive summer program for high schoolers. Build research skills, enhance college applications, and dive into hand
- Garcia SUMMER at Stony Brook — Stony Brook: Explore materials science in a hands-on summer program for high school juniors and seniors. Conduct research in nanotechnology and boost your college
- Clark Scholars Program — Texas Tech: Elite summer research program for high school juniors and seniors. Gain hands-on STEM experience, earn a $750 stipend, and boost your college applicat
- Davidson Fellows — Davidson Institute: Win $50k, $25k, or $10k scholarships in this elite STEM competition for high-achieving high school students. Boost college applications with hands-on
- Caltech Signature Award for Innovation — California Institute of Technology: Earn recognition for your groundbreaking ideas in science with this free high school research award. Boost your college applications and showcase your
- Scripps Research High School Internship Program — Scripps Research: Gain hands-on biomedical research experience in this free high school internship for grades 11-12. Build STEM skills and boost college applications th
- Fulbright U.S. Student Program — U.S. Department of State / IIE: Prestigious international fellowship offering virtual research and teaching opportunities for high school seniors. Boosts college applications and bui
- Summit STEM Fellowship (SSF) — Summit Education: The Summit STEM Fellowship (SSF) is a virtual summer program for top STEM students around the world. Students learn from mentors at Harvard, Stanford,
- International Crisis Group - Youth Engagement Program — International Crisis Group: Access conflict analysis and peacebuilding resources from one of the world's leading organizations focused on preventing deadly conflict. Free educati
- Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) Civics & Global Affairs Programs — Foreign Policy Research Institute: Philadelphia-based think tank offering students access to foreign policy analysis, teacher workshops, and global affairs educational resources. Free p
- Weill Cornell Medicine Gateway to Medicine Program — Weill Cornell Medicine: Prestigious summer clinical immersion program at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City for high school students exploring medicine, including hospit
- MIT Women in Stem Research Program Pre-College Summer Program — MIT Women in Stem Research Program: Pre-college program at MIT Women in Stem Research Program for high school students focusing on stem.
- Johns Hopkins Pre-College Program — Johns Hopkins University: Pre-college programs at Johns Hopkins University for high school students in Baltimore.
- Barry Goldwater Excellence in Education — Goldwater Foundation: Recognition program leading to Goldwater Scholarship eligibility in college.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education Fellowship — Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Biomedical science fellowship from HHMI supporting exceptional young scientists and science educators.
- North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Summer Ventures — NCSSM: Free summer research program at elite NCSSM. NC students conduct original research with faculty mentors.
- Simons Summer Research Fellowship at Rockefeller — Rockefeller University: Summer research at world-class biomedical research university.
- Global Youth Economics Congress — Youth Economics Initiative: International congress for young economists presenting research. Networking with peers globally. Demonstrates economics research and international col
- Brookhaven National Lab Science Associates Program — Brookhaven National Laboratory: Summer research internship at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory. Work with scientists on physics, chemistry, and biology research.
- AEOP High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) — U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program: Paid summer research apprenticeships with Army-sponsored labs and faculty.
- Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) — Stanford University School of Medicine: Elite 8-week paid research internship at Stanford Medicine. Mentorship from world-class researchers. Highly competitive admission.
- Society for Neuroscience Young Investigator Award — Society for Neuroscience: Recognizes exceptional high school students conducting neuroscience research. Winners present at annual neuroscience conferences.