Summer Programs
Research Summer Programs for High School Students
19 research programs for middle and high school students. 8 are free to attend and 10 are residential.
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- Programs
- 19
- Free to attend
- 8
- Residential
- 10
- 2027 deadline posted
- 8
- of 19
| Program | Where | Who can apply | Cost | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEOPArmy Educational Outreach Program | Multiple locationsCommuter | Current high school students (also open to undergraduates) | Free with stipend | Varies by position; applications are always openLast cycle’s date |
| Clark ScholarsTexas Tech University | Lubbock, TXResidential | Rising high school seniors and recent high school graduates | Free with stipend | February 15, 2027, 11:59 pm CT |
| GarciaGarcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces, Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NYResidential or commuter | High school students at least 16 years old | Paid | Not posted |
| LLPPrinceton University Science Outreach | Princeton, NJCommuter | Local New Jersey high school students age 16 or older | Free | March 15, 2026, 11:59 pm ESTLast cycle’s date |
| REACHScripps Research | La Jolla, CACommuter | High school students at least 16 years old | Free with stipend | March 22, 2026Last cycle’s date |
| RIBSUniversity of Chicago Summer Session | Chicago, ILResidential | 10th and 11th grade students | Paid, aid available | Priority February 11, 2026; regular March 12, 2026Last cycle’s date |
| RISEBoston University Summer Term | Boston, MAResidential or commuter | Current high school juniors (entering senior year) | Paid, aid available | February 3, 2027, 11:59 pm Eastern |
| RMPUC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions | Santa Barbara, CAResidential or commuter | 10th or 11th grade (outstanding 9th graders accepted case by case) | Paid, aid available | March 8, 2027 |
| RSICenter for Excellence in Education, hosted at MIT | Cambridge, MA | High school juniors (seniors are not eligible) | Free | December 11, 2026, 11:59 pm |
| SimonsSRPStony Brook University | Stony Brook, NYResidential or commuter | Current high school juniors (11th grade) | Free | February 5, 2026, 11:59 pm EST (school nomination due January 30, 2026; recommendations due February 13, 2026)Last cycle’s date |
| SIMRStanford University School of Medicine | Stanford, CACommuter | Current juniors and seniors as of fall 2026 (graduating classes of 2027 or 2028) | Free | Late February 2027 (the 2026 deadline was February 21, 2026) |
| SIPUC Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CAResidential or commuter | High school students ages 14 to 17 for the duration of the program | Paid, aid available | February 26, 2027 at 12:00 noon PST |
| SRAUC Santa Barbara Summer Sessions | Santa Barbara, CAResidential or commuter | 9th, 10th, or 11th grade | Paid, aid available | March 22, 2027 |
| SRCCaltech Center for Teaching, Learning, and Outreach | Pasadena, CACommuter | Rising 10th to 12th graders in Pasadena Unified School District high schools | Not posted | Not posted |
| SSPSummer Science Program International | Multiple locationsResidential | High school juniors (rising seniors) | Paid, aid available | Anticipated January 2027 for international applicants and February 2027 for domestic applicants |
| SSRPThe Rockefeller University (RockEDU Science Outreach) | New York, NYCommuter | Current high school juniors and seniors | Free | January 2, 2026, 11:59 pm ET (letters of recommendation due January 5, 2026)Last cycle’s date |
| UC San Diego Research ScholarsUC San Diego Division of Extended Studies | La Jolla, CAHybrid | High school students | Paid | Not posted |
| YSPUC Davis School of Education | Davis, CAResidential | Rising juniors and rising seniors (sophomores or juniors when applying) | Paid, aid available | March 1, 2026Last cycle’s date |
| YSPAYale University, Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium | New Haven, CTHybrid | Current 11th graders (rising seniors) | Paid, aid available | March 6, 2026, 11:59 pm ESTLast cycle’s date |
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Frequently asked questions
When should I start a summer program application?
Each program sets its own deadline, and some fall months before summer. Check each deadline in the table and work backward from the earliest one.
Do summer programs help with college admissions?
A program is one line on an application. What a student did there, and what they did next with it, matters more than the name.
Each program was read from its own official site. A date or fee the site has not posted is left blank. Last checked 2026-10-09. A deadline marked “last cycle’s date” is from the previous year, shown because the new one is not posted. Dewey Smart is not affiliated with these programs.
