15 Free Mentorship Programs for High School Students

Spending your free time learning from industry professionals and engaging in real-world projects can give you an advantage before college. Mentorship programs for high school students let you explore fields like science, engineering, medicine, and technology while building skills like research, data analysis, and professional communication. Beyond the technical development, you’ll meet mentors who can offer guidance and insights into different careers. 

Mentorship programs can introduce you to top universities and organizations, showing you how research, innovation, and problem-solving happen. Additionally, the programs on this list are offered at no cost, making them accessible. We’ve put together a list of 15 great free mentorship programs for high school students that can help you learn and grow.

15 Free Mentorship Programs for High School Students 

1. University of Chicago’s DSI Summer Lab

Location: University of Chicago, Hyde Park campus, IL
Stipend: $4,800
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: Current high school seniors starting college in the fall and residing in Chicago; Applicants familiar with at least 1 programming language are preferred

The Data Science Institute Summer Lab at the University of Chicago is an eight-week paid program where you’ll get to work alongside researchers, applying data science to real-world projects. You might find yourself working in areas like climate science, computer science, public health, or social policy, depending on your placement. Each student is paired with a mentor and learns to contribute through coding, data analysis, and research writing, while also practicing how to present findings in professional formats. Throughout this mentorship program, you’ll join workshops, career development sessions, and talks by experts from academia and industry. The experience wraps up with a symposium where you share your research in a conference-style setting.

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program; Up to 100% financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students

Through the Ladder Internship Program, you’ll spend around eight weeks working remotely with a fast-growing startup or nonprofit on projects that connect directly to the organization’s goals. These placements can range from healthcare to artificial intelligence to journalism, offering a chance to explore how different industries operate beyond the classroom. You’ll have both a company mentor and a Ladder Coach who will guide your work and check in with you weekly while still encouraging independence. During the program, you’ll complete meaningful assignments and finish by presenting your contributions to the company’s leadership.

3. MIT’s Research Science Institute

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: None (except for a non-refundable application fee of $75)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Less than 2.5%; 100 students per cohort
Dates: June 22 – August 2
Application Deadline: December 10
Eligibility: High school juniors worldwide; More details here

MIT’s Research Science Institute is a six-week summer program that brings together high school students from across the globe for advanced STEM learning and research. The first week is spent in intensive seminars taught by faculty and professionals in fields like physics, biology, and engineering. After that, you’re matched with a mentor and spend five weeks developing an independent research project, whether that involves running experiments, simulations, or computational modeling. You’ll dive into reading scientific papers, refining your research question, and preparing both a paper and a presentation. Evening lectures and field trips are also part of the experience, giving you a broad view of scientific research in action. The program ends with a symposium where you present your work at a level comparable to academic conferences.

4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation

Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: The program is fully funded!
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility:You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.

The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper. You can apply here! 

5. UCSF Summer Student Research Program

Location: San Francisco and Oakland, CA
Stipend: $3,000 – $4,300, based on your eligibility and student status
Cohort Size: Approx. 35-40 students per year
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors (16+) with at least one year of completed math and biology

At UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, the Summer Student Research Program lets you spend nine weeks involved in biomedical research within clinics or laboratories. As a participant, you will be paired with a mentor and guided through a structured process that includes developing a project, writing a research abstract, and presenting your findings at a final symposium. Along the way, you will attend seminars, journal clubs, and workshops that will strengthen your understanding of science and healthcare. The program also offers skill-building in areas like writing personal statements, which can help in future academic applications. 

6. Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program

Location: All 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, and the Pacific Islands
Stipend: $3,000
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: About 3%; 27-33 students each year
Dates: June – August (flexible)
Application Deadline: November 21 – January 25
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (16+) 

The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program is an eight-week paid internship where you’ll step into the world of aquatic science under the guidance of a professional mentor. Depending on your mentor’s work, you might help with fish population surveys, water quality testing, habitat restoration, or analyzing data collected in the field. In some placements, you could be electrofishing, snorkeling, examining specimens under a microscope, or even contributing to environmental education projects. You’ll also keep logs of your experiences and write reports that document what you’ve learned along the way. The program emphasizes mentorship and is designed to give you a first-hand view of careers in fisheries and environmental sciences, while also promoting diversity in the field.

7. Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program

Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: ~5%
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors (16+) 

The Simons Summer Research Program allows you to work on original STEM research while being mentored by faculty. For seven weeks, you’ll join an active research team and gain experience with methods like coding, data visualization, or lab techniques, depending on your placement. Alongside your project, you’ll attend weekly faculty lectures, specialized workshops, and tours of research facilities that give you a clearer sense of how science operates at the university level. By the end, you’ll prepare a research abstract and present your findings through a poster at the program’s symposium. The program also includes professional development opportunities and interaction with graduate students, helping you see different pathways in research. 

8. Texas Tech University’s Anson L. Clark Scholars Program 

Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: None (except for $25 application fee); $750 stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 12 students/year
Dates: June 22 – August 7 (tentative)
Application Deadline: January 2 – February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (17+); U.S. citizens/permanent residents

The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program at Texas Tech University is a highly selective seven-week residential research experience for high school juniors and seniors. Only twelve students are chosen each year, and if selected, you’ll be paired with a faculty mentor to conduct research in an area of your choice, whether it’s biology, engineering, business, or even the humanities. Your summer is spent designing experiments, analyzing results, or conducting scholarly research, depending on your project. Outside the lab, you’ll attend seminars, field trips, and group discussions that expose you to different disciplines and broaden your academic perspective. The program concludes with a final written report and presentation.

9. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

Location: George Mason University; Remote & hybrid options available 
Cost: $25 application fee with need-based fee waivers available
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Students must be at least 15 years old for remote internships and at least 16 years old for in-person or hybrid wet-lab internships

The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program at George Mason University gives you eight weeks of full-time research experience in areas that range from neuroscience and robotics to environmental science, chemistry, or molecular medicine. You’ll join a lab or research group at the university or one of its partner institutions and work closely with a mentor on projects that have real academic value. Your responsibilities may include collecting and analyzing data, following lab protocols, and preparing reports or presentations on your findings. In addition to hands-on lab work, you’ll attend seminars and discussions where scientists share their career paths and research insights. You might even get to contribute to published papers or conference presentations.

10. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Apprenticeship

Location: Various U.S. Army Research Labs and university research centers nationwide
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Sate: Selective
Dates: Varies by location;6-10 weeks
Application Deadline: January 12 – March 5 (tentative)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens who are at least 16 years old | Site-specific requirements may apply

Through the AEOP High School Apprenticeship, you can spend your summer in a paid, full-time research role at a U.S. Army research facility or a partner university lab. As an apprentice, you’ll work alongside scientists and engineers in fields such as biology, cybersecurity, materials science, or engineering, depending on your placement. Your work may involve conducting experiments, using specialized lab equipment, or studying data with your mentor’s guidance. The free mentorship program for high school students also includes professional development opportunities like career workshops, webinars, and networking sessions with STEM professionals across the country.

11. Experiences in Research

Location: Berkeley Lab, Berkeley, CA
Stipend: $500/week
Acceptance Rate: Approx. 10% 
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 23
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12 (11th-12th graders preferred) living in Northern California (20-mile radius preferred); Must have a 3.0+ GPA and be 16+; OUSD students need the ECCCO common application

At Berkeley Lab, the Experiences in Research program gives you six weeks of paid, mentored research where you spend about 30 hours a week contributing to real projects. When you apply, you’ll share your interests, and placements will be made based on both your preferences and the lab’s needs. This means your work could involve anything from coding and data analytics to experimental science or even science communication. You’ll be paired with professionals who guide your work while helping you build skills in teamwork, project design, and problem-solving. Weekly workshops, career talks, and group activities are also part of the experience.

12. Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program 

Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: $7,200 (10 weeks); $6,480 (9 weeks)
Cohort Size: Up to 6 students
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline: November 17 – January 14
Eligibility: Current Texas public, private, or charter high school seniors (18+); U.S. citizens or permanent residents

This program at MD Anderson Cancer Center lets you step into the world of biomedical research under the mentorship of faculty scientists. You’ll join a lab full-time, where your work could include experiments, data collection, and analysis as part of an ongoing research project. The program also covers communication training, with activities like poster sessions, abstract writing, and elevator pitch competitions that help you practice explaining science clearly. Faculty-led seminars give you more context about biomedical careers and research methods, while your mentor guides you day-to-day. By the end of the program, you’ll get to present your findings and attend a celebration luncheon.

13. Houston Methodist: Summer Internship Program

Location: Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application Deadline: December 1 – January 30
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (16+) with a minimum 3.5 GPA 

At Houston Methodist, the High School Emerging Researcher Experience places you in a hospital-based research lab for the summer, where you’ll work alongside a faculty mentor and college-level interns. Your project will focus on translational research, meaning you’ll see how science in the lab can move toward medical applications. Along the way, you’ll learn lab techniques, study design, scientific writing, and data analysis while also attending seminars, lectures, and professional development sessions. At the end, you’ll share your work at a formal symposium through a research poster, practicing how to present scientific findings to an audience. The program also includes social and team events that connect you with other interns and researchers.

14. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Summer Student Program

Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, NY
Stipend: $1,200
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 2%; About 20 interns per year
Dates: June 29 – August 21
Application Deadline: December 1 – February 6
Eligibility: High school juniors (14+) with a 3.5 GPA in science subjects; Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. and live within 25 miles of the main campus 

The Summer Student Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City is an eight-week experience where you’ll work on cancer research in a biomedical or computational lab. You’ll be paired with a mentor, often a graduate student or research technician, who will guide you through an independent project in areas like immunology, pharmacology, or computational biology. Beyond lab work, the program includes journal clubs, faculty talks, and lab meetings that will help you understand how scientific questions are investigated and shared. Throughout the summer, you’ll have chances to interact with scientists and physicians while gaining exposure to a leading medical research environment. The program ends with a poster session, where you’ll showcase your research findings to peers, faculty, and mentors.

15. Tufts University Biomedical Engineering Research Scholars (TUBERS)

Location: Tufts University, Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: July 1 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Students (16+) who reside in Medford, Somerville, Arlington, Cambridge, Malden, Everett, Melrose, Revere, Chelsea, Winchester, Boston, or Quincy, MA

At Tufts University, the TUBERS program lets you spend about six weeks in a biomedical engineering lab, working closely with faculty and graduate students on research that connects engineering with biology. Depending on your placement, you could be studying cells, tissues, or systems while learning techniques like microscopy, biomaterials testing, or computational modeling. Each day in the lab involves applying the scientific method, from forming hypotheses to running experiments and analyzing results. Mentorship is a key part of the program, as your supervisors guide you through challenges and help shape your project. At the end of the summer, you’ll present your work and may even choose to submit your project to science competitions.

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