10 Research Programs for High School Students in NYC

Doing research in high school can help you explore a subject you’re interested in and develop valuable academic skills that will prepare you for college. Participating in a research program will help you connect with university faculty and researchers, providing a great opportunity to learn about their career paths. High school research experience can lead to greater opportunities for scholarships, internships, and future academic success. 

Early exposure to research can also significantly enhance your college application by demonstrating a commitment to academic excellence and intellectual curiosity. Admissions committees often look for applicants who have gone beyond the standard curriculum and shown initiative in exploring their interests. A background in research highlights a student's ability to tackle challenging problems, work collaboratively, and think analytically—qualities that are highly regarded in the college admissions process. 

1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Cost: Individual Research Program ($2,990), Premium Research & Publication Program ($5,900), the Research Fellowship ($,8900), Professor Premium Publication Program ($8,900). Need-based financial aid is available. 

Application Deadline: November 24, 2024 for the upcoming Winter Cohort

Program Dates: Individual Research (12 weeks) | Premium Research (16-20 weeks) | Research Fellowship (6-12 months) | Professor Premium (16-20 weeks)

Eligibility: Open to high school students anywhere in the world

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students, across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. 

The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.

Check out our review of Lumiere Education here! 

2. Veritas AI - Fellowship with Publication & Showcase

Cost: AI Fellowship: $5,400

Application Deadline: December 1, 2024 

Program Dates: 12-15 weeks

Eligibility: Open to high school students anywhere in the world. For the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase, students are required to have prior experience in python or should have completed the AI Scholars program. 

Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. These programs are designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni and you can expect a great, fulfilling educational experience. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship. 

The AI Fellowship program will have students pursue their own independent AI research project. Students work on their own individual research projects over a period of 12-15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. In the past, students have worked on research papers in the field of AI & medicine, AI & finance, AI & environmental science, AI & education, and more! You can find examples of previous projects here. 

3. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program

Cost: No cost; Stipend is provided to interns, but they are expected to cover transportation, dining, and residential costs, estimated to be $2,781.50

Location: Stony Brook University, NY

Application Deadline: Applications typically close in early February 

Program Dates: July 1 - August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)

Eligibility: Applicants must be:

• in their junior year (11th grade) of high school 

• U.S. citizens and/or Permanent Residents

• at least 16 years old by the start of the program

The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University provides high school juniors with a unique six-week opportunity to engage in advanced research within the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The acceptance rate is approximately 5%.  

Participants are paired with faculty mentors from Stony Brook University, who will offer guidance throughout the research process. This mentorship includes formulating hypotheses and analyzing and interpreting data.

The program features a robust curriculum designed to expand scientific knowledge and refine research skills. The experience culminates in a symposium where students present their research findings to an audience of peers, mentors, and the academic community. This comprehensive approach to research and professional growth makes the Simons Summer Research Program a highly valuable educational experience.

4. Zuckerman Institute Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC) 

Stipend: A stipend is provided to students

Location: Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University, NY

Application Deadline: Applications for BRAINYAC 2025 will open in October 2024

Program Dates: July 1 – August 16, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)

Eligibility: Applicants must:

• be sophomores or juniors in high school nominated by BRAINYAC’s partner programs.

• reside in New York City, with preference given to students in Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx.

The Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC), hosted by the Zuckerman Institute, offers high school students an engaging summer research opportunity in Columbia University's laboratories. This program provides a rare chance to work closely with established scientists and develop crucial research skills.

Participants are matched with mentors from Columbia's neuroscience department who guide them through a specific research project throughout the internship. By the end of the program, students will gain a deep understanding of how laboratory research drives innovative discoveries, explore potential academic research careers, and build a solid foundation in neuroscience. For example, previous participant Edgar Garcia investigated how certain neurons are involved in transmitting sensory information.

It is important to note that BRAINYAC is accessible only to students who have been nominated by affiliated organizations such as S-PREP, Lang Youth Medical Program, Double Discovery Center, Columbia Secondary School, and BioBus.

5. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

Location: All over the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; the program places you in a fishery or aquatic center within a 45-minute commute from your home. 

Cost: Free for all accepted participants; $3,000 stipend provided.

Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January. Check their website in November for details about applications reopening.

Program Dates: Eight weeks during the summer, typically from June to July. The exact dates vary depending on the internship. 

Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 16 years old and live in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands.

The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program, supported by the American Fisheries Society (AFS), is an 8-week summer internship that combines paid work with mentorship in the field of fisheries and aquatic sciences. Aimed at fostering interest in these areas, this program focuses on including underrepresented groups. Scholars are matched with experienced professionals and may find themselves working in diverse environments, including field sites, boats, laboratories, or offices, depending on their placement. The 2023 program accepted 43 students, with an 8% acceptance rate. 

Participants will immerse themselves in practical experiences related to fisheries science, encompassing both marine and freshwater research. Activities include electrofishing, specimen analysis, data interpretation, and habitat development. Although not directly related to medical research, studying complex biological systems in fisheries provides valuable insights that are transferable to understanding human biological systems. The skills gained, such as scientific methodology, data analysis, and laboratory techniques, are therefore also relevant to medical research. 

For more details, you can explore this article!

6.  Internships at the Biological Field Station at SUNY Oneonta

Location: SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station, Cooperstown, NY

Cost: Free for all participants; stipend of $3,000 provided.

Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Program Dates: Nine weeks in the summer; typically from late May to August. You have flexibility in deciding the start date. 

Eligibility: Open to all New York high school students who are at least 16. 

The State University of New York (SUNY) Oneonta provides a distinguished nine-week summer research internship for high school students. This is a highly competitive program with only 1 to 3 spots available each year. The program allows participants to work closely with faculty and staff in the BFS central lab, where they assist with existing research projects and also pursue their own research initiatives. At the conclusion of the internship, students present their findings through a poster session to BFS faculty, mentors, and fellow interns.

Throughout the program, students gain experience in various research activities, including laboratory analysis, fieldwork, data interpretation, and scientific writing. Past interns have engaged in tasks such as plant and fisheries surveys, fish dissections, and water sampling, providing a diverse research experience. For more information on the projects undertaken by previous interns, see BFS’s past publications.

7. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)

Location: Virtual 

Application Date: September 25, 2024, for the fall cohort 

Program Dates: 

• Fall seminar - October 23, 2024 - February 19, 2025

• Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.

Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.

Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! You note that Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research! 

Once you select a particular subject track and the type of research you wish to carry out, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar from a reputed university who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. 

This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. Apply here!

8. Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Student Program

Stipend: $1,200

Location: Upper East Side Manhattan, New York City, NY

Application Deadline: Applications for 2025 will open in December, and they typically close in February

Program Dates: June 30 – August 22, 2025. 

Eligibility: Students must be:

• Current high school juniors 

• 3.5 GPA in science subjects

• 14 or older by June 2025

• Live in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut within 25 miles of the campus

The Summer Student Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) is a rigorous eight-week internship centered on biomedical and computational research. Participants delve into various fields, such as cancer biology, molecular biology, chemical biology, computational genetics, engineering, immunology, pharmacology, and structural biology. Each intern is paired with a mentor who provides guidance throughout the program, ensuring they gain the necessary skills and knowledge.

The program accepts 20 students per year and has a 2% acceptance rate. Interns are responsible for conducting an independent project that contributes to the overarching research goals of their mentor or Principal Investigator. Beyond project work, students are immersed in the research environment through lab meetings and program sessions, offering insights into the work of professionals in their assigned labs and the broader MSKCC community.

9. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Partners for the Future Program

Stipend: Need-based stipend provided 

Location: Cold Spring Harbor, NY

Application Deadline: Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year will open in January 2025

Program Dates: September through March

Eligibility: Rising high school seniors; you must be nominated by your school’s science chairperson to participate in the program

The Partners for the Future program offers high school seniors a unique after-school experience focused on original research. Applicants go through an interview process with lab scientists and must commit to a minimum of 10 hours weekly to research activities. Throughout the program, participants are immersed in the workings of a professional lab, gaining a deep understanding of molecular biology and advanced research techniques.

Under the mentorship of a scientist, students engage in hands-on scientific inquiry and problem-solving, contributing to real research efforts. The program concludes with oral presentations, where students present their findings to an audience that includes mentors, lab leaders, parents, and teachers. This experience provides a valuable glimpse into the world of modern genetics research at a top-tier institution.

10. NYU’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)

Stipend: $750

Location: New York University Campus

Application Deadline: March 6, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)

Program Dates: June 3 - August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)

Eligibility: Open to students living in New York City and completing 10th or 11th grade in June 2025

This ten-week program merges advanced workshops with laboratory research in fields like civil and urban engineering, robotics, and mechanical and electrical engineering. Participants work under the guidance of graduate students or postdoctoral researchers at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering. ARISE aims to help underrepresented students explore engineering.

You’ll learn about scientific ethics, data collection and analysis, and research practices. Current research projects include incorporating ethical frameworks into data science, measuring biological interactions, and applying machine learning to 3D printing. You will be trained in public speaking, which will help you present your research findings at a colloquium at the program’s end. ARISE also offers help with the college application process. 

To learn more, check out this guide on NYU ARISE! 

Image Source - NYU Logo