15 Math Research Opportunities for High School Students
If you’re a high school student looking to explore advanced math through research, a summer math research program can be a good next step. These programs help you build core skills in mathematical thinking, problem-solving, and data analysis while working on research projects.
If you're thinking about studying engineering, computer science, economics, or math in college, this is a clear way to test your interests. It also adds weight to your college and scholarship applications by showing that you can work independently and follow through on challenging ideas.
In this list, you'll find 15 math research programs for high school students that stand out for their rigor, structure, and value!
1. Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC)
Location: Virtual and residential sessions available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective. Residential – 40 participants, Online – 64 participants
Application Deadline: February 3 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: Session One: Online June 16 - July 4 | Session Two: Online July 7 - 25 | Session One: Residential June 22 - July 18 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to rising juniors and seniors with a strong interest in mathematics. Cost/Stipend: Online: $3,580, Residential: $8,575. Need-based financial aid is available
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) is a three to four-week program where you explore advanced math through daily lectures, problem sets, and group discussions. You study either Abstract Algebra and Number Theory or Algebraic Topology, with a focus on proof-based thinking not usually taught in high school. In the residential track, you join co-curricular activities, weekend field trips, and connect with peers who share your interests. The online track offers the same academic structure with live sessions, group problem-solving, and virtual events with students from around the world.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program - Math Track
Location: Remote
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Fairly Selective
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. June 23 for the upcoming Summer Cohort II
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June)
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Cost/Stipend: Full financial aid is available!
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous 12-week research program tailored for high school students. It offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. You are paired with a Ph.D. mentor to work closely on an independent research project. 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.
3. MIT PRIMES USA
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 47
Application Deadline: November 18
Dates: Runs year-long
Eligibility: High school juniors and sophomores (or home-schooled students of the same age) residing in the United States outside the Greater Boston area. Students from Underrepresented groups and disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged
Cost/Stipend: Free
PRIMES-USA is a free, year-long mathematics research program run remotely by MIT. It’s designed for high school students who have strong mathematical foundations and are ready to pursue independent research. If you're selected, you’ll be matched with a mentor and work on an advanced research project, starting with guided readings in the spring, then moving into deep research, independent work over the summer, and a final paper and presentation in the fall. You’ll meet with your mentor each week, follow clear deadlines, and manage most of the work on your schedule. Sophomores usually work in small groups, while juniors often take on individual projects. Many students go on to submit their final papers to national science competitions or even academic journals.
4. Bryn Mawr College's MathILy
Location: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (near Philadelphia)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: approximately 45
Application Deadline: April 29 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: June 22 - July 26
Eligibility: Open to rising juniors and seniors with a strong interest in mathematics. Students turning 18 during the program are eligible only for the online format
Cost/Stipend: $5,300 ($1,060/week). Need-based financial aid is available
MathILy (Mathematics Infused with Levity) is a five-week summer program at Bryn Mawr College for high school students ready for advanced, proof-based math. You take part in collaborative, inquiry-based learning and explore topics like combinatorics, graph theory, and linear algebra while building skills in conjecture, proof, and mathematical writing. The program includes two weeks of core instruction, a “Week of Chaos” with short elective-style courses, and two weeks of advanced classes. You work closely with PhD mathematicians and graduate students who live on campus and mentor you in and out of class. Outside academics, you join math relays, trips to Philadelphia, and group conversations in the “Life Seminar” on careers and identity.
5. Horizon Academic Research Program
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Fairly welcoming
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. June 22 for the upcoming Summer Cohort II
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, the Spring and Fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the Summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June – September)
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9-12), with most accepted students being in grades 10 or 11. A strong GPA (3.67 unweighted or equivalent) and a demonstrated interest or achievement in the chosen subject are required
Cost/Stipend: Professor Seminar program $5,950, 1-1 PhD Labs program $5,950. Need-based financial aid is available
Horizon Academic Research Program is a trimester-long research program for high school students that offers 1-on-1 mentorship across subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, psychology, neuroscience, biology, chemistry, international relations, and more. For students interested in advanced math, Horizon offers a Theoretical Mathematics and Knot Theory course taught by Professor Vladimir Chernov of Dartmouth College. In this course, you study knot theory as it relates to causality in spacetime models, with applications in both math and physics. You explore how mathematicians use knot invariants like quandles and polynomials to understand whether two events in a (2+1)-dimensional spacetime are causally related. You work toward writing a 20-page, university-level research paper that can be submitted to academic journals for publication as a high school student.
6. Carnegie Mellon’s Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS)
Location: Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Application Deadline: March 1 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: June 16 – 17 (virtual jumpstart), June 21 – August 2 (in-person)
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors (11th grade) who will be at least 16 years old at the start of the program.
Cost/Stipend: Fully-funded
Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS) is a fully funded, six-week residential program at Carnegie Mellon University for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. You study advanced math and science through seminars, lab work, and a STEM research project. You take courses in quantitative and computational skills, carry out biology and chemistry experiments with real lab equipment, and present your research at a final symposium. The program also includes a for-credit college course on identity and learning to support your transition to college.
7. Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM)
Location: NYC and LA, with residential summer components at college campuses
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly stated; selective, especially for continued support
Application Deadline: March 30 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: BEAM Summer Away (BSA) LA June 25 – July 23 | BSA NYC July 2 – July 30
Eligibility: Students from underserved communities who show mathematical promise
Cost/Stipend: Free
Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM) is a long-term academic program for students from underserved communities who are interested in math. It starts with BEAM Discovery, a five-week summer day program after 6th grade. After 7th grade, you attend BEAM Summer Away, a three-week residential program. You explore advanced math topics, build confidence, and join a community of mentors and peers. If you're accepted into the BEAM Pathway Program, you get support through high school and college. This includes weekend classes like Things You Need to Know (TYNTK), math enrichment, and Algebra 1 instruction if your school doesn’t offer it. You also get one-on-one advising for high school placement, summer programs, and college admissions. In college, you get continued support through advising and limited funding for internships or tuition gaps.
8. Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, 100 students worldwide
Application Deadline: December 11 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: June 22 – August 2
Eligibility: High school juniors, including international students, with a recommended PSAT Math Score of at least 740 or higher, Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Score of 700 or higher. ACT Math score should be at least 33, and verbal score at least 34. Lower scores must be balanced by recommendations, high school grades, and science activities
Cost/Stipend: Free of cost, stipend provided
Research Science Institute (RSI) is a six-week summer program at MIT that selects about 100 high school students each year from around 3000 applicants. If you are chosen for the math track, usually about 10 students, you begin with a week of advanced STEM seminars taught by MIT professors. Then you spend five weeks working with a graduate student mentor on an original research project. Past math projects have included topics like Braid Group Symmetries on Punctured Spheres and Poisson Geometry in Cluster Algebras. You learn to read academic papers, design your research plan, and present your work through a written paper and a talk, similar to a research conference.
9. Research Mentorship Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara — Math Track
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara
Acceptance rate/cohort size: around 80
Application Deadline: March 17 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: June 16 - August 1. Mandatory Preparation Webinar: May 29/May 31 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students in the 10th or 11th grade (outstanding 9th graders accepted on a case-by-case basis) with a minimum 3.80 academic weighted GPA
Cost/Stipend: Commuter $5,175, Residential $12,474. Need-based scholarships are available. Priority given to California residents
UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program (RMP) is a six-week summer program where you work full-time on an original research project with guidance from a UCSB faculty member, graduate student, or postdoc. Projects cover STEM, humanities, and social sciences, including fields like neuroscience, data science, public health, environmental policy, and media studies. Past research has included topics like Mathematical Modeling of Optimized Signal Duplication in BiSQUID Superconducting Circuits. You also take two university-level courses for 8 college credits—one in formal research writing and one in presentation techniques. You spend 35 to 50 hours each week on lab work, fieldwork, or data analysis, then write a research paper and present your findings at a final symposium.
10. IMA-MathCEP Math Modeling Camp at The University of Minnesota
Location: On-campus at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis), with limited remote slots for students in greater Minnesota who cannot commute
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Application Deadline: May 31
Dates: June 23 – 27
Eligibility: Open to high school students (including graduating seniors) who have completed a year-long course in single-variable calculus by the end of the school year
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded; students are responsible for daily commute and meals
At the IMA-MathCEP Math Modeling Camp, you’ll spend one week on the University of Minnesota campus working in teams to solve real-world problems using mathematical modeling. Under the guidance of university faculty and educators, you’ll analyze open-ended scenarios, such as traffic flow, disease spread, or environmental changes, and develop practical solutions. You’ll present your findings to peers, practicing how to communicate complex ideas. The program is designed for students who’ve completed a full year of single-variable calculus and are ready to apply their skills in a collaborative, fast-paced setting. Sessions are primarily in person, with a few remote slots available for students from greater Minnesota.
11. AwesomeMath Summer Program
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Application Deadline: May 27 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: Session 1: June 9 – June 27 | Session 2: June 30 – July 18 | Session 3: July 21 – August 8 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to students aged 12-18
Cost/Stipend: $1,275 - $1,575, depending on application and payment date
The AwesomeMath Summer Program is a three-week, online math intensive for students interested in advanced problem-solving and mathematics competitions. You’ll choose from a range of courses in algebra, number theory, geometry, or combinatorics, each taught live, with daily homework and problem-solving sessions. Courses are grouped by difficulty, and you can take as many as you like, though most students enroll in no more than two per session. Many participants join to prepare for contests like AMC 10/12, AIME, or USA(J)MO. To earn a completion certificate, you’ll need to attend at least 75% of classes, submit half of the homework, and complete at least one assessment.
12. Hampshire College Summer Studies In Mathematics
Location: Hampshire College in Massachusetts
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 51 students
Application Deadline: April end (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: June 29 – August 9
Eligibility: Open to talented and highly motivated high school students
Cost/Stipend: $6,511; free for domestic students with family household income under $85,000
Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics (HCSSiM) is a six-week residential program where you study advanced, college-level math through daily workshops, problem sessions, and lectures. In the first three weeks, you join a workshop group that covers dense material like an undergraduate number theory or combinatorics course, taught by faculty and supported by math majors or graduate students. In the second half, you choose one maxi-course, such as topology or hyperplane arrangements, and two mini-courses for deeper study in focused areas. You also attend daily PrimeTime Theorem talks by visiting mathematicians and former winners of national competitions like Siemens and Intel STS.
13. Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Participants may elect to live on campus with other student researchers or to commute
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 5%
Application Deadline: February 7
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently in 11th grade; must be 16+ by program start (no exceptions).
Cost/Stipend: Residential: $2,360.25
At the Simons Summer Research Program, you’ll spend six weeks conducting hands-on research under the guidance of a Stony Brook University faculty mentor. You’re matched with a lab or research group and given responsibility for a specific project. Expect to spend at least four hours each day on research and to produce both a formal abstract and a poster presentation by the end of the program. After acceptance, you’re expected to reach out to your mentor, review suggested pre-readings, and attend a required lab safety session in the first week. Past research projects in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics have included developing algorithms in high-performance computing, machine learning, and multiscale modeling for medical simulations.
14. California State Summer School for Mathematics & Science (COSMOS)
Location: University of California's 5 COSMOS campuses — UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Los Angeles, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20-25 students
Application Deadline: February 7 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: July 6 – August 1
Eligibility: California students entering grades 9 through 12
Cost/Stipend: $5,256
COSMOS is a four-week residential summer program hosted across five University of California campuses, each offering its own STEM “cluster” shaped by faculty research strengths. You’ll take two advanced STEM courses and a science communication course, combining academic content with hands-on lab and fieldwork. You’ll live on campus, work in UC labs, and present your research alongside peers from across the state. Clusters are small (around 25 students), and you’ll be taught and mentored by UC faculty and researchers. COSMOS gives you a preview of college-level STEM study and connects you to California’s broader scientific community.
15. MathQuantum High School Fellowship
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 students
Application Deadline: February 14 (tentative, based on previous years)
Dates: July 25 - August 6 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students
Cost/Stipend: Free, stipend not included
MathQuantum is a Research Training Group supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation that focuses on applying advanced mathematical tools to problems in quantum information science (QIS). In this free, two-week online summer program, you’ll join a small cohort of high school students to explore the foundations of QIS through interactive coding labs, mentor-led discussions, and a final mini-project. You’ll dive into topics like linear algebra, quantum mechanics, cryptography, and the ethics of QIS, while also getting an inside look at real-world tools like ion traps and QLab. The program includes career development sessions and, if offered, participation in the Qubit by Qubit summer camp.
One other option—Veritas AI
If you’re looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
With Veritas AI, which was founded by Harvard graduate students, you can work 1-on-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn AI & ML with us. You can apply here!
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