Why are research opportunities for high school students in 2024 so exciting? Well, there are a few reasons. Firstly, teenagers in the 21st century are coming of age during a thrilling era of cutting-edge scientific development. Technology advances exponentially every day, breaking down barriers to interdisciplinary knowledge. What’s more, high school students have unprecedented access to research opportunities that can significantly enhance their academic and professional futures. Under the right guidance, research experience can add a serious competitive edge to a young student’s resume.
It’s true. Engaging in research not only cultivates critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills for young adults, but also provides a platform for today’s students to contribute to real-world advancements and innovations. As we step into 2024, the breadth and diversity of research opportunities available to high school students are more varied than ever, encompassing fields from the sciences and engineering to the humanities and social sciences.
Are you excited yet? Let’s dive into what options are available.
Start Your Search for Your Dream Research Opportunity
This article explores the myriad of incredible research opportunities accessible to high school students this year, detailing programs, internships, and competitions that can help aspiring scholars gain invaluable experience and make meaningful contributions to their chosen fields.
Whether your interest lies in laboratory research, social science studies, or interdisciplinary projects, there is an opportunity waiting to help you unleash your potential and prepare for the future. Let’s get this research party started!
40 Incredible Research Opportunities for High Schoolers
Next up we have a list of some of the best research opportunities out there for high school students in 2024, presented for you to browse. These options are presented in no particular order.
1. Research Mentorship Program
Along with their mentor, students will learn about research techniques, gain insight into professional research-based opportunities, and mature their academic goals. The GRIT talks lecture series will connect students to some of the best minds within the UC Santa Barbara research community as they present their ground-breaking research and innovative technology.
- Apply to: University of California, Santa Barbara
- Age Eligibility: Freshman (9th), Sophomores (10th), and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Santa Barbara, California
2. Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program (ASDRP)
Students participate in research projects across various subjects in STEM, including chemistry, biology, computational modeling, computer science, and much more. Students publish and present their work as well in venues within and outside of ASDRP. Research in ASDRP is supervised by highly skilled scientists and engineerson the research faculty, who are clustered under one of three departments—Biological/Human/Life Sciences, Chemistry/Biochemistry/Physics, or Computer Science & Engineering.
- Apply to: Olive Children Foundation Engineering Research Laboratory
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (9th-12th)
- Location: Fremont, California
3. QuarkNet Summer Research Program
QuarkNet offers summer research opportunities in science and technology for students who have demonstrated a strong interest in and aptitude for science and mathematics. Students work with scientists for seven weeks on projects related to the Fermilab research program.
- Apply to: Fermilab Research Alliance
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: Fermilab campus in Illinois
4. Student Research Institute
Projects will focus on using Python, Java or other programming languages for interesting applications such as in cryptography or in global data trend evaluations. Computational science projects will utilize molecular modeling and drug design methods for biological or medicinal applications (cancer and other diseases).
- Apply to: Quest SRI
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: Virtual meetings
5. Student Research Internships
The Student Research Internship Program is a 10-week summer program designed for high school, undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The primary goal is to equip students interested in health sciences, statistics, and computational/computer science to become future leaders in the realm of translational medical research.
- Apply to: Scripps Research Institute
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (9th-12th)
- Location: San Diego, California
6. Simons Summer Research Program
The Simons Summer Research Program gives academically talented, motivated high school students the opportunity to engage in hands-on research in science, math or engineering at Stony Brook University. Simons Fellows work with distinguished faculty mentors, learn laboratory techniques and tools, become part of active research teams, and experience life at a research university.
- Apply to: Stony Brook University
- Age Eligibility: Juniors (11th)
- Location: New York campus
7. Summer Research Experience Program
Computer Science and Informatics Summer Research Experience Program (CSIRE) is a 6-week research experience program on computer science and informatics for high school students. The program assumes the participant already has good skills in programming or data analytics. Since launching in 2017, the program has become increasingly competitive.
- Apply to: Stony Brook University
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (9th-12th)
- Location: New York campus OR virtual meetings
8. WYSE Summer Engineering Camp
These summer camps are designed to allow students to experience authentic & challenging projects & activities, world-class instructors, and a collegiate experience from one of the best engineering schools in the world. Camps provide exposure to different areas of engineering through demonstrations, lab tours, classroom presentations, hands-on activities, and interactions with various students, staff, and professors in those fields.
- Apply to: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (91th-12th)
- Location: Urbana-Champaign, Illinois campus
9. WYSE Young Scholars Summer STEMM Program
Participate in an authentic STEMM research experience at a world-class research university for 6 weeks during the summer. Students will gain hands-on experience in areas at the forefront of various STEMM fields, such as cancer immunology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, physics, quantum mechanics, bioengineering, electrical engineering, and more!
- Apply to: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin
10. Biomedical Research Academy
The Biomedical Research Academy introduces the experimental basis of cellular, molecular, and genetic aspects of biology, focusing on relevance to diseases. Fusing daily lectures, faculty research talks, laboratory experiments, and small group investigations into current research topics, students gain insight into the core of biomedical research.
- Apply to: The University of Pennsylvania
- Age Eligibility: Freshman (9th), Sophomores (10th), and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
11. Chemistry Research Academy
Penn Chemistry is a leading center for molecular research and instruction, whose researchers are at the frontier of modern chemistry, tackling a wide variety of important societal challenges. The Chemistry Research Academy provides students with the foundational knowledge to understand this cutting-edge research, while providing opportunities to hear and learn directly from several of the research professors and students.
- Apply to: The University of Pennsylvania
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th) and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12. Experimental Physics Research Academy
The Experimental Physics Research Academy focuses on current physics, specifically mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum dynamics, and astrophysics. Through lectures, activities, projects, and discussions with their instructors, students move past memorized equations to gain an understanding of cause and effect, and ultimately an appreciation of physics on a higher level.
- Apply to: The University of Pennsylvania
- Age Eligibility: Freshman (9th), Sophomores (10th), and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
13. Neuroscience Research Academy
The Neuroscience Research Academy explores the biological foundations of the brain, progressing from the cellular foundations of the neuron to an understanding of the sensory systems, and culminating with higher-order cognitive functions such as memory, emotion, and morality. Taught by members of Penn’s Biological Basis of Behavior program, the Neuroscience Academy introduces students to this cutting-edge field in both research and medicine, which has provided important insights into understanding the mind in both health and disease.
- Apply to: The University of Pennsylvania
- Age Eligibility: Freshman (9th), Sophomores (10th)s and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
14. Social Justice Research Academy
The Social Justice Research Academy brings students from around the world together for three weeks to dive deep into the past, present, and future of social justice. Designed to encourage discussion and critical thinking about the political, historical, and cultural context of inequality and resistance, the program welcomes students with a variety of academic interests across the social sciences, humanities, and arts. Topics vary from year to year but include a selection of significant historical struggles as well as those that define our recent past and present.
- Apply to: The University of Pennsylvania
- Age Eligibility: Freshman (9th), Sophomores (10th), and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
15. Medical Sciences Summer Institute
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine has created a summer workshop for those who are at least 16 years old, interested in careers in medicine, or other healthcare related fields, and wish to gain some experience in medical research in a state-of-the art laboratory. Students will learn to formulate hypotheses, design experiments, analyze data and communicate their conclusions at a research symposium at the end of the course.
- Apply to: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th) and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
16. High School Summer Research Experience
In addition to lab work, you’ll have classroom instruction on cancer basics, seminars with invited speakers, and professional development opportunities. At the end of the summer, you’ll give a poster presentation at a research conference just like our graduate students and post-doctoral scholars do.
- Apply to: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Age Eligibility: Juniors (11th)
- Location: Buffalo, New York
17. Summer Science Research Experience
SSRP Scholars will participate on a research team designed and guided by Rockefeller trainees. SSRP teams mirror the structure of a Rockefeller laboratory, where one trainee serves as team lead with support from dedicated scientist-mentors. Each team will have their own space in the RockEDU laboratory.
- Apply to: The Rockefeller University
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: New York City, New York
18. Medical Institute Summer Research Program (SIMR)
This is an eight-week program in which high school students with a broad range of experiences, interests and backgrounds are invited to perform basic research with Stanford faculty, postdoctoral fellows, students and researchers on a medically-oriented project. The goals of the program include increasing interest in biological sciences and medicine in high school students and helping students to understand how scientific research is performed.
- Apply to: Stanford University
- Age Eligibility: Juniors (11th) or Seniors (12th)
- Location: Palo Alto, California
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19. GRIPS Program
GRIPS is a twenty hour, eight week long research intensive experience for high school students. Program participants will be placed in a research laboratory for the summer and conduct genomics research under the supervision of a lab mentor.
- Apply to: Stanford University
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: Palo Alto, California (with hybrid meetings)
20. Summer Student Research Program
This summer program provides one-on-one mentorship with health care providers and researchers, along with access to unique workshops, seminars, training, simulations, and networking opportunities. The program culminates in a formal research symposium in which each student presents their project findings to the scientific community, many of which continue on as future grants, publications, and advances in healthcare.
- Apply to: University of California, San Francisco
- Age Eligibility: Juniors (11th) and Seniors (12th)
- Location: San Francisco, California
Video: An Opportunity Awaits
21. Educational Pathways for Cancer Research
The EPCR summer program provides mentored, high-quality, cancer-focused research experiences for graduating high school seniors and undergraduate students. Participants will develop skills to think analytically and critically; design, perform and troubleshoot experiments; interpret research data; formulate new ideas; and propose meaningful strategies for testing those ideas through experiments with guidance from mentors.
- Apply to: Indiana University
- Age Eligibility: Seniors (12th)
- Location: Bloomington, Indiana
22. Future Scientist Program
The Future Scientist Program at IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center is a summer science program for high school juniors at Indianapolis and all Marion County public schools, providing the opportunity to spend eight weeks on a research project under the mentorship of a university researcher.
- Apply to: Indiana University
- Age Eligibility: Juniors (11th)
- Location: Bloomington, Indiana
23. Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program
The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care’s Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program offers a six- to eight-week paid, competitive research experience at Northwestern University for rising high school seniors and undergraduate college/university students interested in the biological sciences. Our program combines intensive research training with support for students’ academic and professional development.
- Apply to: Northwestern School of Medicine
- Age Eligibility: Seniors (12th)
- Location: Evanston, Illinois
24. Student Research Apprentice Program
This is a five-week summer program that provides students with a research experience in one of the basic science or clinical laboratories.
- Apply to: University of Connecticut Health
- Age Eligibility: Juniors (11th)
- Location: Storrs campus in Connecticut
25. Summer Experience for Students
This is a paid opportunity for high school and college students to work alongside world-renowned scientists and researchers and gain insights into careers in science or related areas. Through our four-week Summer Experience program, we offer a limited number of students an exclusive opportunity to be a part of the day-to-day research activities in dynamic research and biobanking environments, and we offer the possibility to experience biobank operations.
- Apply to: Coriell Institute for Medical Research
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: New Jersey
26. Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS)
This four-week intensive training program is designed to expose students to a broad range of molecular, microbiological, and cell biological techniques currently used in research laboratories. Students are immersed in the research experience, giving them a taste of ‘life at the bench.’
- Apply to: The University of Chicago
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th) and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
27. High School Summer Internship Program
Our program provides students with the opportunity to participate in basic, translational, or clinical scientific research with the goal of stimulating interest in biomedical research as a potential career. During the 6-week, 240-hour program (holidays included) each student will have the opportunity to work on their own research project under the guidance of an investigator and their staff at MWRI or Magee-Womens Hospital.
- Apply to: Magee Womens Research Institute
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th) and Juniors (11th)
- Location: Southwest Pennsylvania region
28. Summer High School Research Program
Students are selected from a pool of applicants for a five-week full-time summer research experience. Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence and be recommended by their high school science teacher and/or science chair. Students are assigned to Einstein research labs and will join the lab team under the guidance of the laboratory director (or principal investigator) who will serve as a mentor.
- Apply to: Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: New York City, New York
29. Biomedical Research Workshops
Our online workshops include Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Medicinal Chemistry and Medical Bioinformatics. Intro to Cellular and Molecular Medicine is our entry-level workshop that is only two hours/day. Students in the Medicinal Chemistry and Medical Bioinformatics workshops learn how to use online tools to analyze biochemical data. For students interested in doing research or working on a project for a science fair, this is a great way to get started.
- Apply to: Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (9th-12th)
- Location: Virtual meetings
30. College Now STEM Research Academy
This is a two-part program designed to provide students with an opportunity to develop the essential skills to be strong scientific thinkers by engaging in authentic enquiry based research activities. The first component of the program is a high school credit scientific investigative course (DNA Detectives) offered during the spring semester, and the second component is a six week college credit course (BIO189, 1 credit) that meets during the summer, in which students work in research labs under the supervision and mentorship of Lehman College faculty and their graduate students. Students are selected to participate in the summer mentorship based upon successful completion of the spring semester DNA Detectives course, and meeting additional eligibility criteria.
- Apply to: Lehman College
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th) and Juniors (11th)
- Location: New York City, New York
31. Bioengineering Research Programs
The UC San Diego Department of Bioengineering and UC San Diego Extended Studies are pleased to offer courses to high school students who are excelling in scholarship and would like to explore Bioengineering. The course offerings are based on fun, experiential, remote, at-home, hands-on lab activities.
- Apply to: The University of California, San Diego
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), or Seniors (12th)
- Location: San Diego, California (or hybrid meetings)
32. Life Sciences Research Program
In partnership with Boz Institute, we will offer a unique science research learning experience. Our programs will involve field work, fundamental molecular biology topics, modern laboratory techniques, and relevant bioinformatics and statistical applications. Learn to synthesize life science fundamentals, review literature, formulate hypotheses and design experiments, collect and process samples, execute experiments, analyze data, and showcase your work through poster presentations attended by local scientists and industry leaders.
- Apply to: The University of California, San Diego
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), or Seniors (12th)
- Location: San Diego, California (or hybrid meetings)
33. Marine Science Research Program
The following programs are designed to empower high school students to share learning, network with peers, and become environmental advocates. The goal of this program is to develop problem solving, organization, creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and leadership skills that will support future career goals and aspirations.
- Apply to: The University of California, San Diego
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (9th-12th)
- Location: San Diego, California (or hybrid meetings)
34. School of Medicine Research Program
The following programs are designed with faculty from UC San Diego School of Medicine and are designed for high school students who wish to go into fields of medicine.
- Apply to: The University of California, San Diego
- Age Eligibility: Juniors (11th) and Seniors (12th)
- Location: Virtual meetings
35. Business Research Program
The following course is designed to prepare students for careers and advanced education in business innovation, entrepreneurship, and management with a solid grounding in fundamentals. While learning about topics of business innovation, design, venture financing, and growth strategy, students will gain the knowledge necessary to build an innovative business proposal and gain economic acumen.
- Apply to: The University of California, San Diego
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (9th-12th)
- Location: Virtual Meetings
36. Summer Research Program
For eight weeks in the summer, student interns usually work with the mentors in laboratories or clinics. Interns learn techniques used in the health sciences laboratories, gain research study skills, and experience professional development and career preparation through weekly program seminars. Additionally, they receive training in presentation skills, including how to prepare a presentation for a scientific meeting. At program end, all interns present their research findings at a poster session or oral symposium.
- Apply to: Louisiana State University
- Age Eligibility: Juniors (11th) and Seniors (12th)
- Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
37. High School Internships with Aspirnaut
High school students are embedded in a biomedical research laboratory for six weeks as a member of a team of researchers (chemists, biologists, physicians, mathematicians, engineers) working on diabetes, cancer and regenerative biology projects. Students conduct their own research and gather results that contribute to the data and goals of the larger research team. At the conclusion of the experience, students present their research to peers and mentors through both oral and poster presentations.
- Apply to: Vanderbilt University
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (9th-12th)
- Location: Nashville, Tennessee
38. Student Volunteer Program
NRL seeks volunteers that are currently enrolled in high school or college and possess an interest in science and engineering. Volunteer service is limited to services performed by a student as part of an agency program established for the purpose of providing educational experience for the student. The work is done strictly on an uncompensated basis.
- Apply to: US Naval Research Laboratory
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: Based in Washington, D.C.
39. Student Scholars Program
The selected interns gain valuable hands-on experiences working with full-time AFRL scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research and technology and are able to contribute to unique, research-based projects.
- Apply to: The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
- Age Eligibility: Sophomores (10th), Juniors (11th), and Seniors (12th)
- Location: Several locations across the United States
40. Full Research Programs
Our student-driven research programs teach the process of science through the creation of a field research project. By studying locations near your school campus, students strengthen their connection to the ecosystems in your community. In addition to delivering increased academic confidence, better social skills, and building science and language skills, all of our programs are designed in a fun and engaging way.
- Apply to: Headwaters Science Institute
- Age Eligibility: All high school students (9th-12th)
- Location: Multiple locations in California
There you have it, folks. That’s our roundup of incredible research opportunities for high school students in 2024. Nonetheless, if none of these options strike your fancy, there are more out there. Check out this article for more tips on STEM academic programs for high schoolers. You can also consider a more customized program like Empowerly’s Research Scholar Program. No matter your academic interest area, there’s a project out there for your student!
When it comes to your education, there’s no need to compromise. Work with the experts to ensure you’re on the right track for academic success.
