Updated November 2026
TL;DR
The Stanford STaRS Internship Program is a free, eight-week, full-time research internship in Stanford Medicine's Jill Helms Lab for high school and community college students who are at least 16 and live in the U.S. About 20 interns are invited each summer, no lab experience is needed, and you learn techniques such as histology and immunohistochemistry. It's unpaid and doesn't cover housing, meals or travel, and Stanford hasn't posted 2027 dates yet; the 2026 program ran June 15 to August 7.
Most high school science happens in a classroom, where the experiment already has a known answer. The Stanford STaRS Internship Program (officially the Science, Technology, and Reconstructive Surgery Summer Program) puts you in a working Stanford lab instead, on research into why tissue heals more slowly with age. It's run by Stanford Medicine's Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and it's built for students who have never held a pipette.
That makes STaRS one of the more open doors into serious biomedical research, if you can get to Stanford for eight weeks. If you're still comparing options, see our list of medical research internships for high school students or summer science programs for high school students.
Weighing other Stanford options? Read our guides to the Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) and Stanford's SHTEM summer internships.
What is the Stanford STaRS Internship Program, and what does it cost?
STaRS is a free, eight-week, in-person research internship in a Stanford Medicine lab, but it's unpaid and you cover your own housing, meals and travel. Here are the key facts for the 2027 cycle:
|
Detail |
What you need to know |
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Host |
Stanford Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Jill Helms Lab) |
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Format |
In person at Stanford, California; full time, Monday to Friday |
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Dates |
2027 dates not posted; the 2026 program ran June 15 to August 7, 2026 |
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Eligibility |
High school and community college students who are 16 by the first day and live in the U.S. or its territories |
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Cohort size |
About 20 interns each summer; acceptance rate not published |
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Cost |
No program fee; typically unpaid, with no housing, meals or travel provided |
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Application deadline |
2027 deadline not posted; recent cycles closed in the fall |
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Best for |
Students curious about regenerative medicine who can commute to Stanford or fund eight weeks nearby |
Stanford says the program "does not charge for participation" and calls it fully funded, so your real cost is living near Stanford for eight weeks, which matters far more if you're outside the Bay Area.
Who can apply to the Stanford STaRS Internship Program?
High school and community college students who will be 16 by the day the internship starts and who live in the U.S. or its associated territories can apply. Stanford's apply page and FAQ set these rules:
Age: 16 on the day the internship starts, with "no exceptions." The apply page's age line still shows an older cycle's date, so email starsprogram@stanford.edu if your birthday falls close to the start.
Location: U.S. and associated territories only; international applicants aren't accepted.
Experience: none required. Stanford encourages students with limited access to research to apply.
Commitment: you must attend the full eight weeks; if you'll miss a week or more, Stanford asks you to apply in a later year.
Recommendation: a letter of recommendation is mandatory, and applications without one aren't considered.
STaRS is small: Stanford says "approximately 20 people will be invited to join us each summer," and it doesn't publish an acceptance rate. Applications come from across the country, so expect real competition for those places.
How long is the Stanford STaRS Internship Program, and what's the schedule?
STaRS runs for eight consecutive weeks over the summer, full time, so you can't combine it with school, summer classes or a job; the 2026 program ran Monday, June 15 to Friday, August 7, 2026. Stanford's apply page lists Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while its FAQ describes lab days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with Wednesdays "reserved for out-of-lab learning experiences," usually 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you'd rather build experience around school, Ladder Internships offers remote, eight-week start-up internships at 5 to 10 hours a week, including in healthcare and biotech.
What research do Stanford STaRS interns do in the Helms Lab?
Every Stanford STaRS intern joins an ongoing project in the lab of Jill Helms, DDS, PhD, Professor of Surgery (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery) and the program's director. Her lab studies why tissue repair slows with age and how to reawaken a patient's own stem cells to heal bone, cartilage, skin and hair, so there are no tracks to choose from. Past intern stories cover bone healing, jaw and dental biology, and 3D image analysis in software such as CT Analyzer, Avizo and Drishti.
According to Stanford's program components page, you learn histology, immunohistochemistry, genotyping and imaging, with workshops on scientific communication and paths into STEM and medicine. Day-to-day guidance comes from postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates on the mentors page, including Fabiana Aellos, Bo Liu and Melody Ly.
6 reasons to apply to the Stanford STaRS Internship Program
1. The Stanford STaRS Internship Program puts you in a working lab, not a classroom
You spend eight weeks on the Helms Lab's real projects, running experiments and analyzing results. In her 2025 intern story, Angela Lin says she arrived with no research experience and was trusted to perform immunohistochemistry on current projects by week three.
2. STaRS teaches techniques biomedical researchers actually use
Histology, immunohistochemistry, genotyping and imaging are everyday methods in biomedical labs. Learning them shows you how researchers prepare tissue, find structures under a microscope and check genetic differences, which is hard to see in a school lab.
3. The Stanford STaRS Internship Program charges no fee
There's no application or program fee, so the main cost is getting to Stanford and living nearby. If you live within commuting distance, STaRS can cost you little more than transit and lunch.
4. STaRS is built for beginners
Stanford says prior lab experience isn't required and encourages students with no experience to apply. The program starts with an orientation on lab techniques, team members and goals, every participant gets safety training, and Stanford provides all protective equipment.
5. Stanford STaRS mentorship comes from every level of the lab
You learn from postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates, under the program's faculty director. That gives you a close look at several stages of a research career, and someone nearby who does each technique every day.
6. The Stanford STaRS Internship Program ends with a presentation you can talk about
Every intern presents findings to faculty, peers and guests at a final showcase. Explaining your question, methods and results out loud gives you a concrete story for interviews and essays.
Interns also join weekly community activities and Bay Area excursions, such as a tour of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
4 drawbacks of the Stanford STaRS Internship Program to weigh
1. Stanford STaRS doesn't cover housing, meals or travel
Free tuition doesn't make the summer free. STaRS is "typically" unpaid, there's no on-campus housing, and interns bring their own lunch. Stanford covers daily rail or bus fares only "in some extenuating cases," so if you can't commute, budget for eight weeks of rent, food and local transport.
2. STaRS takes your whole summer
Eight full-time weeks with no missed days rules out summer school, a job or another program. Check your family's plans and your school calendar before you apply.
3. The Stanford STaRS Internship Program covers one lab's research
All projects come from the Helms Lab, so the focus is regenerative medicine and tissue repair. If your interest is chemistry, physics, computer science or ecology, a broader program will fit you better.
4. Stanford STaRS is small and doesn't publish its odds
With about 20 places and applicants from across the U.S., admission is competitive, and Stanford doesn't share how many people apply. Have a backup plan for the summer.
Is the Stanford STaRS Internship Program worth it, and does it help with college admissions?
Yes, if you're curious about regenerative medicine or lab-based research and you can commute to Stanford or cover eight weeks of living costs. It won't get you into college on its own, but a place in a cohort of about 20, full-time lab work and a final presentation give you real specifics to write about. What counts is what you contributed and learned, not the Stanford name: Stanford's STaRS page highlights a 2024 intern admitted to Stanford's class of 2030, but one story isn't an admissions edge.
Ladder Internships places high school students in remote, eight-week start-up internships, where they work on a real project with a company coach. Interns choose fields such as healthcare and biotech, and full financial aid is available.
How do you apply to the Stanford STaRS Internship Program, and when is the 2027 deadline?
Stanford hasn't posted the 2027 application window yet; as of November 2, 2026, the apply page still says "Applications for STaRS 2026 are now closed." Recent cycles have opened and closed in the fall, months before the June start, so check the apply page often from September. To apply:
Complete the online application on Stanford's apply page.
Line up one letter of recommendation early; an application without it isn't considered.
Show curiosity, persistence and enthusiasm for learning, the qualities Stanford says it looks for. A lack of lab experience isn't a weakness here.
Confirm you can attend all eight weeks and plan your housing and transport before you submit.
|
Detail |
2026 cycle (last) |
2027 cycle |
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Program dates |
June 15 to August 7, 2026 |
Not posted; usually mid-June to early August |
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Application deadline |
No longer listed |
Not posted; recent cycles closed in the fall |
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Age cutoff |
16 by the first day |
Not posted; expect the same rule |
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Questions |
Common questions about the Stanford STaRS Internship Program
Can freshmen apply to the Stanford STaRS Internship Program?
Stanford sets an age rule, not a grade rule: you must be 16 on the day the internship starts. Most freshmen won't be 16 by June, but if you will be, and you're a high school student in the U.S., you can apply.
What happens in the first week of the Stanford STaRS Internship Program?
You start with an orientation that introduces lab techniques, team members and program goals, plus safety training and protective equipment. Then you join one of the Helms Lab's ongoing projects alongside your mentors.
Can international students apply to the Stanford STaRS Internship Program?
No. Stanford currently accepts applicants only from the U.S. and its associated territories.
What if you can't commit to the Stanford STaRS Internship Program's eight weeks?
You can still get hands-on experience from home. Ladder Internships places high school students in remote, eight-week start-up internships with a company coach, at 5 to 10 hours a week, with full financial aid available. The next deadline is November 15, 2026, for the Winter I cohort starting December 7, 2026. You can also browse these online medical internships for high school students.
Contact us at contact@ladderinternships.com if you have any questions!