BU RISE: 6 Things to Know Before You Pick a Track in 2027

Sep 27

Updated November 2026

TL;DR

BU RISE is a six-week, full-time summer research program at Boston University for U.S. high school juniors, with two tracks: the Internship (your own project in a BU lab) and the Practicum (group computational research led by an instructor). For 2027, it's expected to run from June 27 to August 6. Applications open December 17, 2026, and close February 3, 2027. RISE isn't paid: in 2026 it cost $6,415 to commute and $10,735 to live on campus, with limited need-based aid.

If you want to know what research actually feels like before college, BU RISE (Boston University Research in Science & Engineering) puts you in a university research setting for six weeks. The harder question is which track to choose: the Internship matches you with a mentor in a lab, while the Practicum gives you a structured group project. This guide covers how the two differ, what each asks of you, and how to apply for summer 2027.

Comparing research options? See our lists of free summer science research programs for high school students, summer research programs for international high school students and STEM internships for high school students in Boston.

BU RISE 2027 dates, cost and deadline

BU RISE runs from June 27 to August 6, 2027, costs $6,415 to $10,735 at 2026 rates, and takes applications until February 3, 2027. Here are the key facts from BU's program pages:

Detail	What you need to know
Host	Boston University Summer Term, on BU's Boston campus
Tracks	Internship (individual lab research with a mentor) or Practicum (group computational research with an instructor)
Dates (2027)	June 27 to August 6 (residential) or June 28 to August 6 (commuter), pending approval
Time commitment	Full-time, about 40 hours a week for six weeks
Eligibility	U.S. citizens and permanent residents in 11th grade now, entering senior year in fall 2027
Cost	2026: $6,415 commuter, $10,735 residential; 2027 rates post December 17, 2026
Application deadline	February 3, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET (applications open December 17, 2026)
Acceptance rate/cohort size	Not published; about 190 students from thousands of applicants
Credit	Noncredit; you receive a certificate of completion
Best for	Rising seniors who want a full summer of hands-on STEM research

Who can apply to BU RISE in 2027?

BU RISE is open only to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents who are juniors now and will enter their senior year in fall 2027. International students can't apply, even if they attend a U.S. high school. BU's How to Apply page adds:

Grades: "The most competitive applicants will have a cumulative, unweighted GPA in the A– to A range."
Test scores: optional for summer 2027 (SAT, ACT, PSAT or PreACT).
Recommendation: one, from a STEM teacher, guidance counselor or research supervisor who has worked with you for at least six months. Tutors and coaches don't count.
Prior research: not required; you don't pick a project before admission.

RISE is highly competitive: about 190 students attended in 2026 out of thousands of applicants, according to BU's RISE FAQ, and BU expects about 190 again in 2027.

How do the BU RISE Internship and Practicum tracks differ?

The Internship is an individual research project in a BU lab with a mentor; the Practicum is group computational research in a class-like setting with a BU instructor. Both run six weeks and end at the same Poster Symposium.

Detail	Internship	Practicum
How you work	Your own project in a BU lab	Group research project
Who guides you	A faculty member, postdoctoral fellow or graduate student	A BU instructor
Daily shape	Lab research, about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.	Two-hour morning lecture, then four hours of group research
Subjects	14 areas plus medical laboratory research	Changes yearly; 2026 offered Computational Neurobiology and Data Science
Extra application step	Name three BU faculty and explain the fit (250 words)	None
What you leave with	A poster on your project; some interns enter competitions	A group poster and a letter of evaluation from your instructor

Both tracks meet one day a week for shared workshops, and only Practicum students get weekly visits to or talks from Boston-area biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

How long is BU RISE, and what does a typical day look like?

BU RISE takes six full-time weeks of your summer, so plan on it being your only big commitment. BU's calendar has residential students arriving on Sunday, June 27, 2027, and commuters starting Monday, June 28, with both finishing at the Poster Symposium on Friday, August 6. These dates are still pending approval.

Internship students research for 40 hours a week, roughly 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while Practicum students spend their mornings in lecture and their afternoons on group research. Most students live in BU dorms, two or three to a room, and commuters can stay with a relative in the area.

6 things to know before you pick a BU RISE track

1. BU RISE tracks differ most in how you do research

Choose the Internship if you want to go deep on one project in one lab; choose the Practicum if you'd rather learn alongside other students with a set structure. As an intern, you work on a project your mentor designs, inside a working research group, with less day-to-day structure. In the Practicum, you learn the fundamentals in morning lectures, then apply them in afternoon computational labs with your group.

2. The BU RISE Internship depends on a faculty match

An Internship offer comes only after a BU researcher agrees to host you, so admission is a two-step process. In your application, you name three BU faculty whose research fits your interests, in up to 250 words; BU doesn't publish a list of available mentors. BU's admissions timeline says qualified applicants then go to researchers whose work aligns with theirs, including the ones you named, though a placement with them isn't guaranteed.

Don't email professors yourself: BU says, "Please do not reach out to any faculty on your own." If you aren't matched, you can stay on a waitlist or be considered for another BU Summer Term pre-college program. Use the department faculty pages linked from the Internship track page to find your three names. The research areas are:

Sciences: astronomy, biology, chemistry, Earth and environment, neuroscience, nutrition, physics, and psychological and brain sciences.
Engineering and computing: biomedical, electrical and computer, and mechanical engineering, plus computer science.
Math and health: mathematics and statistics, and public health.
Medical laboratory research: anatomy and neurobiology; biochemistry and cell biology; virology, immunology and microbiology; pharmacology, physiology and biophysics; and psychiatry.

3. BU RISE Practicum subjects change every year

Don't assume the 2027 Practicum will repeat 2026's Computational Neurobiology and Data Science; BU will announce the 2027 options in December. If you're set on one subject, check the Practicum track page when applications open.

You don't need a coding background: BU lists no prerequisite and says you "develop expertise in programming and computational modeling during the afternoon labs." You do need a Windows, Mac or Linux laptop with at least 4GB of RAM and 10GB of free space (Chromebooks don't work; the RISE FAQ lists the full specs). Past industry visits include Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, the Broad Discovery Center and MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research.

4. Your BU RISE track choice is ranked, not final

The application treats your track as a first and second choice, which can give you a second route in if your first choice doesn't work out. BU's admissions timeline says Practicum offers go to students who chose it first, and a small number of second-choice applicants may also get offers. Internship offers come later, one by one, as placements are confirmed.

5. What you produce at BU RISE depends on the track

Both tracks end with an abstract and a research poster at the RISE Poster Symposium, but the Internship gives you a project that's yours alone. BU says that "in some cases" interns submit their work to competitions such as the Regeneron Science Talent Search. Practicum students present a group poster and also receive a letter of evaluation from their instructor.

BU's alumni updates list Regeneron STS scholars, ISEF finalists and co-authored journal papers among past RISE students, so the track record is real if you use the project well.

6. BU RISE costs the same on either track; living on campus changes the price

BU lists one RISE charge for both tracks, so your choice between dorm and commute matters far more than your track. BU's tuition page gives 2026 totals of $6,415 for commuters and $10,735 for residential students, covering tuition, housing, 19 meals a week and fees. The $75 nonrefundable application fee and spending money aren't included, and 2027 rates will be posted on December 17, 2026.

Financial aid is limited and need-based. You request it in the application and submit pages from a parent's tax return plus a letter about your finances by February 3, 2027.

Which BU RISE track should you pick?

Pick the BU RISE track that matches how you like to work, not the one that sounds more impressive. The Internship suits you if you can already name three BU researchers whose work excites you, you're comfortable working independently, and you want a project you could keep building toward a competition. The Practicum suits you if you're drawn to computational biology or data science, want structure and a cohort to learn with, and would like to see how biotech companies use research.

If neither fits your summer, Ladder Internships offers remote, eight-week start-up internships for high school students at 5 to 10 hours a week, which you can do alongside school.

What is the BU RISE acceptance rate, and is it prestigious?

BU doesn't publish a RISE acceptance rate, but with about 190 spots and thousands of applicants, it's clearly selective. BU's 2026 page for faculty mentors says the Internship "places up to 100 students in STEM labs across campus." Boston University itself ranked 34th among national universities in U.S. News & World Report's latest list, BU announced in September 2026.

What colleges notice is the research you can explain, not the BU name. A finished project, a poster you presented and a skill you kept using afterward will say more on your application than the program title.

How do you apply to BU RISE, and when is the 2027 deadline?

You apply online between December 17, 2026, and 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, February 3, 2027, and every material, including your recommendation, must arrive by then. You must submit the application yourself, not a parent or counselor. You'll need:

Transcript: your full high school record from ninth grade, including fall 2026 grades; portal screenshots with your name visible are fine.
Three essays: why you chose your subject (300 words), your academic achievements (250 words) and why you want to attend RISE (200 words).
Internship question: three BU faculty and how their research fits yours (250 words).
Recommendation: requested through the Applicant Portal; BU's emailed form must be used, and outside letters aren't accepted.
Optional test scores: an unofficial copy you upload yourself.
Fee: $75, nonrefundable, paid by credit card.

Step	Date
Applications and 2027 costs posted	December 17, 2026
Application, recommendation and financial aid deadline	February 3, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET
Decisions	About six to eight weeks after the deadline (roughly mid- to late March 2027); Internship offers can come later, as matches are confirmed
Accept your offer and pay the deposit	Within one week of your offer
Program (residential / commuter)	June 27 / June 28 to August 6, 2027

Request your recommendation as soon as you know who'll write it, since a late recommendation means an incomplete application. Questions go to rise@bu.edu.

Common questions about BU RISE

Is BU RISE paid?

No. Students pay to attend BU RISE rather than earning a stipend: $6,415 to commute or $10,735 to live on campus in 2026. Limited need-based financial aid is available if you apply for it by the February 3, 2027 deadline.

Can international students apply to BU RISE?

No. For 2027, you must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. Attending a U.S. high school isn't enough without one of those statuses.

What happens in your first week of BU RISE?

Internship students meet their mentor and learn their project in the first week, since project details aren't shared at admission. BU also plans group social events for everyone that week.

What if you're not eligible for BU RISE or want something during the school year?

RISE only takes U.S. juniors for one summer session, so many students need another route. Ladder Internships places high school students in grades 9 to 12, anywhere in the world, in remote eight-week start-up internships with a company coach, including in healthcare, biotech and AI. Full financial aid is available, and the next deadline is November 15, 2026, for the Winter I cohort starting December 7, 2026.

Dhruva Bhat

Dhruva Bhat is one of the co-founders of Ladder, and a Harvard College graduate. Dhruva founded Ladder Internships as a DPhil candidate and Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, with a vision to bridge the gap between ambitious students and real-world startup experiences.