Most research internships for high school students place you in a university, federal or institute lab for five to ten weeks in summer. You work on a project with a scientist and usually finish with a poster, talk or paper.
We picked programs that put you in research with a mentor, accept high school students and list 2026 or 2027 details on an official page. Most 2027 deadlines fall between November 2026 and March 2027.
For summer programs that aren't research, see our list of summer programs for high school students.
Facts checked October 2026. Dates, costs and rules come from each program's official page as of October 28, 2026. Where a 2027 date isn't posted yet, we give the 2026 date and label it.
15 research internships at a glance
- RSI: juniors; free; December 11, 2026
- Simons (Stony Brook): juniors nominated by their school; no tuition; February 5, 2027
- Clark Scholars (Texas Tech): rising seniors and graduates, 17+; stipend plus room and board; February 15, 2027
- SEAP (Navy labs): 16+ and past 9th grade; $4,000 stipend; November 30, 2026
- NIST SHIP: juniors and seniors within 50 miles of a NIST campus; unpaid; end of January 2027
- NASA OSTEM: graduating seniors aged 18; most paid; March 1, 2027
- MIT PRIMES-USA: sophomores and juniors; free; November 2, 2026
- UC San Diego REHS: Southern California, grades 10 to 12; $2,000 fee with aid; 2026 deadline March 15
- Stanford SHTEM: juniors and seniors; $2,500 tuition (expected), with aid; February 21, 2027 (expected)
- NASA SEES: sophomores and juniors; housing and meals covered in past years; 2026 deadline February 22
- Lamont-Doherty field research: 16+; no housing; 2026 deadline March 2
- Stanford SIMR: juniors and seniors, Bay Area favored; free; late February 2027
- Rockefeller SSRP: juniors and seniors 16+; free; January 4, 2027
- Fred Hutch SHIP: Seattle-area rising seniors; paid; 2026 deadline March 13 (2027 details due November 2026)
- NIH SIP: graduating seniors who are 18 by September 30, 2027; stipend; January 26, 2027
Which STEM research internships take high school students?
RSI, Simons, Clark Scholars, the Navy's SEAP, NIST SHIP and NASA OSTEM take high school students, and most close between November and February. SEAP has about 300 places across 38 labs, and RSI has 150.
Research Science Institute (RSI)
- Deadline: December 11, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
- Who can apply: high school juniors; seniors are not eligible
- Cost: free
- Format: six weeks, residential, at MIT (100 students) or, new in 2027, Stanford (50 students)
- Official page: CEE's RSI page
RSI starts with a week of STEM classes, then five weeks of research with a mentor, then written and oral presentations. With students applying from around the world, it's a long shot for anyone.
Our RSI guide covers eligibility, the essays and the acceptance rate.
Simons Summer Research Program (Stony Brook)
- Deadline: February 5, 2027, 11:59 p.m. EST; recommendations by February 12; application link posted November 15, 2026
- Who can apply: 11th graders who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, 16 by the start, and nominated by their high school
- Cost: no tuition; $75 application fee, with waivers; students who live on campus pay for housing and meals
- Format: June 28 to August 6, 2027, at Stony Brook, ending with a poster symposium
- Official page: Stony Brook's Simons application page
You join a faculty research group and spend at least four hours a day with your mentor or lab. Each high school can nominate only three students, so ask your counselor about the school's process early.
Clark Scholars Program (Texas Tech)
- Deadline: February 15, 2027, 11:59 p.m. CT, including recommendations; applications open January 2, 2027
- Who can apply: rising seniors and recent graduates who are at least 17 by the start and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
- Cost (2026 terms): no program fee; room and board covered; $25 application fee; $750 stipend on completion
- Format: seven weeks, June 20 to August 5, 2027, at Texas Tech in Lubbock
- Official page: Texas Tech's Clark Scholars page
Twelve students a year do research at Texas Tech, and the program takes students in almost any academic field.
Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
- Deadline: November 30, 2026, for summer 2027 (applications opened September 15, 2026)
- Who can apply: U.S. citizens who have finished 9th grade and are 16 by the start date
- Pay: $4,000 for new interns, $4,500 for returning interns
- Format: eight weeks at one of 38 Navy labs
- Official page: Naval STEM's SEAP page
You work inside a Navy lab, and some labs require a security clearance. You get yourself there each day, so apply to labs within commuting distance.
NIST Summer High School Intern Program (SHIP)
- Deadline: end of January 2027, through USAJobs
- Who can apply: U.S. citizens in 11th or 12th grade with at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA
- Location rule: you must live within 50 miles of NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland, or Boulder, Colorado
- Cost: free but unpaid; you arrange housing and transportation
- Format: seven weeks, mid-June to early August
- Official page: NIST's SHIP page
You work in a NIST lab and present your project at a poster session in August.
NASA OSTEM internships
- Deadline: March 1, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET, for summer 2027
- Who can apply: U.S. citizens with a 3.0 GPA who are 18 by the session start
- Pay: most interns receive a stipend based on academic level and session length
- Format: a 10-week summer session; you apply through NASA's STEM Gateway
- Official page: NASA's internship programs page
High school seniors can apply for the summer after graduation, but younger students can't. Our guide to NASA internships for high schoolers covers more NASA options.
Where can high school students do math and computer science research?
For math, MIT PRIMES-USA is free, remote and year-long, and it takes sophomores and juniors. RSI also places about a dozen students in math projects. UC San Diego's REHS and Stanford's SHTEM cover computing and engineering in person.
MIT PRIMES-USA
- Deadline: November 2, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST, for the 2027 program; recommendations by November 6
- Who can apply: sophomores and juniors living in the U.S.; Boston-area students apply through the same portal for in-person PRIMES
- Cost: free
- Format: year-long and remote from January 1: reading, then research, then a talk at the PRIMES conference in October and a final paper
- Official page: MIT's PRIMES-USA application page
The application includes a problem set, and MIT encourages you to apply if you solve at least 70% of it. Plan on at least 10 hours a week, including a weekly mentor meeting, for the first half of the year.
UC San Diego Research Experience for High School Students (REHS)
- Deadline: 2027 dates not posted; the 2026 application ran February 15 to March 15, 2026
- Who can apply: Southern California students in grades 10 to 12, 16 by June 15, with at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA
- Cost: free to apply; $2,000 registration fee, with full and partial scholarships based on need
- Format: eight weeks, 10 to 20 hours a week (June 8 to July 31 in 2026), ending with a required poster
- Official page: SDSC's REHS page
You work with a UC San Diego mentor at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and the program gives you a transit pass.
Stanford SHTEM Summer Internships
- Deadline: February 21, 2027 (expected); the application opens December 7, 2026
- Who can apply: juniors and seniors in 2026-27 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and at least 14 by June 20, 2027
- Cost: $95 application fee and $2,500 tuition (expected); financial aid is offered
- Format: seven weeks in person at Stanford, June 21 to August 6, 2027, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays
- Official page: Stanford's SHTEM page
SHTEM stands for science, humanities, technology, engineering and math, and you work in a group of two to five students with a mentor. Unlike most programs here, it charges tuition, so ask about aid before you rule it out.
Which environmental science programs offer research to high school students?
Two programs below fit: NASA's SEES uses NASA remote sensing data, and Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory runs a marsh field program. Earthwatch's Girls in Science Fellowship also funds one-week field expeditions for girls and nonbinary teens in California and New England.
Its 2026 application window ran from January 21 to February 28, 2026, for ages 15 to 18; 2027 dates aren't posted yet.
NASA SEES (UT Austin)
- Deadline: 2027 dates not posted; the 2026 deadline was February 22, 2026
- Who can apply: U.S. citizens in 10th or 11th grade, 16 by the on-site start (July 5 in 2026)
- Cost: no fee listed; in past years housing, meals and local transportation in Austin were provided, with a few travel scholarships
- Format: online learning from mid-May, then two weeks at UT Austin's Center for Space Research (July 5 to 18 in 2026)
- Official page: UT Austin's SEES eligibility page
Projects use NASA data on topics such as ice sheets, Earth's gravity field and natural hazards, and some teams work fully online. Since NASA's own internships require you to be 18, SEES is the NASA-linked option here for 10th and 11th graders.
Lamont-Doherty Secondary School Field Research Program
- Deadline: 2027 dates not posted; 2026 applications closed March 2, 2026
- Who can apply: high school and college students who are at least 16 when the internship starts
- Cost: not listed; the program isn't residential and doesn't provide housing
- Format: six weeks of field and lab research at Piermont Marsh, New York, ending with a poster at a summer symposium
- Official page: Lamont's field research program page
Teams work with undergraduate mentors, a teacher and a Lamont researcher on topics such as carbon storage in the marsh and invasive plant control. With no housing, it suits students who live near New York City.
Which medical research internships accept high school students?
The four below are at Stanford Medicine, Rockefeller University, Fred Hutch Cancer Center and the NIH. SIMR and SSRP are free, while Fred Hutch and NIH pay their interns.
For more options near San Diego, see our guide to medical internships in San Diego.
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
- Deadline: late February 2027; the application is due to open December 18, 2026
- Who can apply: juniors and seniors (classes of 2027 and 2028) who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and 16 by the June start
- Cost: free for students selected; the 2026 application fee was $50, waived for family incomes under $80,000
- Format: eight weeks, tentatively June 7 to July 29, 2027, in areas such as immunology, neuroscience and bioengineering
- Official page: Stanford's SIMR page
Stanford says selection heavily favors Bay Area students, and families arrange their own housing. Stipends go to a very limited number of students, based on need.
Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
- Deadline: January 4, 2027, 5 p.m. ET, including recommendation letters
- Who can apply: current juniors and seniors who are 16 by the start; sophomores can't apply
- Cost: free, with no application fee; need-based stipends are possible but not guaranteed
- Format: June 21 to August 5, 2027, about 35 hours a week in New York City, with 32 to 40 students in four teams
- Official page: Rockefeller's SSRP page
Interviews run over Zoom in March, and decisions come in April. Rockefeller can't help with housing but gives students a transit card for New York City.
Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
- Deadline: Fred Hutch said 2027 details would be posted in November 2026; the 2026 application and recommendations were due March 13, 2026
- Who can apply: rising seniors who are 16 by the start and live in the Greater Seattle area
- Pay: a financial award when you complete the internship, plus a free transit card
- Format: eight weeks, up to 40 hours a week: two weeks of lab training, then six weeks in a research group
- Official page: Fred Hutch's SHIP page
You don't need lab experience: Fred Hutch asks only for interest in science and biomedical research. Training covers pipetting, PCR and gel electrophoresis before you join a lab.
NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)
- Deadline: January 26, 2027, noon ET; references by February 2, 2027
- Who can apply: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are seniors when they apply and 18 by September 30, 2027
- Pay: a stipend set by education level; no housing
- Format: full time and in person, between May 10 and August 31, 2027
- Official page: NIH's SIP page
If you'll still be 17 on June 1, 2027, your home must be within 40 miles of an NIH campus.
How do you get a research internship in high school?
Apply to several programs at once, starting in the fall before the summer you want. Ask two teachers for recommendations early, write about the research you want to do, and email professors near you about joining their labs.
- Build a list of six to ten programs. Mix one or two long shots, such as RSI, with regional programs.
- Ask two teachers in September or October. SSRP wants letters by its January 4 deadline.
- Write about specific research. Name a lab, a method or a paper you read; Simons asks you to rank three preferred mentors or research areas.
- Email professors near you. Our guide to cold emailing professors for research has a template and a follow-up plan.
- Prepare for interviews. SSRP and Fred Hutch interview over Zoom, and PRIMES interviews its shortlist online.
Which research internships can you apply to in each grade?
Most programs here take juniors, but you can start earlier. Sophomores can apply to PRIMES-USA, NASA SEES and REHS, and SEAP takes students who will be 16 and have finished 9th grade. Seniors can apply to NIH and NASA for the summer after graduation.
Are research internships for high school students paid?
Some are: SEAP pays new interns $4,000, and Clark Scholars paid $750 plus room and board in 2026. Fred Hutch, NIH and most NASA interns are also paid. RSI, SSRP, SIMR, PRIMES-USA and NIST SHIP are free but unpaid, while SHTEM ($2,500 tuition, expected) and REHS ($2,000) charge fees, with aid.
For more no-cost options, see our list of free summer STEM programs for high school students.
Can you do a research internship online?
Yes, though most programs on this list are in person. PRIMES-USA mentors students outside Boston by video, and NASA SEES runs part of its program online. The New York Academy of Sciences' Junior Academy takes students from anywhere, and its spring applications run from November to January.
Its free 10-week online team challenges are for ages 13 to 17 and take 3 to 4 hours a week.
What if you don't get into a research internship?
Plan a backup before decisions arrive in winter and spring. Simons, for one, says it gets far more qualified applicants than it can take. Other routes into research include an independent project with a teacher, a science fair or a mentored research program.
Our guide to research opportunities for high school students lists more ways to start. Our Nova Research Program pairs you one-on-one with a mentor to develop your own research question and write it up as a paper.
What mistakes do students make when applying for research internships?
Students often apply only to the hardest programs, miss an age or distance rule, or send answers that could go to any lab. Read each program's eligibility page and rules before you start.
- Missing the age date: Simons and SSRP require 16 by the start, Clark 17, and NIH 18 by September 30, 2027.
- Using AI to write answers: Simons bans AI tools for writing or rewriting responses; grammar and spelling checks are allowed.
- Planning to reuse the work: SSRP bars using its work in science competition entries.
Guides in this series
Frequently asked questions
Are there research programs during the school year or winter?
Yes. PRIMES-USA runs from January through the year, and the Junior Academy runs online challenges in fall and spring.
Are there engineering internships for high school students?
Yes. SEAP is a science and engineering apprenticeship in Navy labs, and the Army's AEOP internships include Army research labs. Stanford's SHTEM also covers engineering.
How do you list a research internship on a college application?
On the Common App, it goes in the activities section, which asks about internships and gives you 150 characters to describe each activity. Name your project, your role and what you produced, such as a poster or paper.
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