14 Summer Research Programs for High School Students in New Jersey
Research programs, internships, and fellowships are a great way for high school students to gain practical skills and industry exposure. These programs, many run by top universities and research institutes, allow you to work on research projects alongside experienced mentors. You can learn laboratory techniques, data analysis skills, and teamwork, which can strengthen your college applications and future career prospects.
In New Jersey, many institutions such as Princeton University, Rutgers University, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), and the Waksman Institute offer research programs for high school students. These programs connect you with expert mentors, faculty, and peers, preparing you for the rigor of undergraduate academics. They help deepen your subject knowledge, which can set you up for academic success.
Below, we’ve narrowed the field to the 14 best summer research programs for high school students in New Jersey. They also include a few virtual summer research programs that allow students in New Jersey to apply.
14 Summer Research Programs for High School Students in New Jersey
1. Princeton University: Laboratory Learning Program (LLP)
Location: Princeton, NJ (Princeton campus labs)
Cost: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective / 15 - 20 students
Dates: July 15 – August 20
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Must be 16 years old or more by June 15 | Currently enrolled in a US high school | US citizen or legal permanent resident
This is a free, full-time research internship that enables local high school students to assist in authentic undergraduate-level labs under the supervision of Princeton faculty or research staff. You will contribute to ongoing scientific experiments and gain exposure to advanced techniques and lab environments. You’ll cap your experience with a two-page summary report, synthesizing your methods, results, and conclusions, reinforcing your skills in scientific communication. While extremely selective, LLP offers a rare opportunity to conduct hands-on research at a top-tier university, fostering growth in both technical ability and intellectual curiosity.
2. Ladder Internships—Research Track
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; financial aid is available / None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective / 70 - 100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter; Summer Cohorts I and II start on June 2 and July 14, respectively
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Summer Cohorts I and II deadlines are on May 12 and June 23, respectively
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students able to work 10-20 hours/week for 8-15 weeks
Ladder Internships is a selective 8-week summer internship program that pairs high school students with fast-growing startup companies. Founded by Harvard alumni, the program matches ambitious interns with global startup founders, where each student works 5–10 hours per week on a real project that the company needs. You also attend professional development workshops and receive guidance from venture-backed CEOs. This experience provides concrete deliverables (e.g., market analyses, apps, or business plans) and insight into startup life. Ladder’s startups are backed by Y Combinator, whose founders have experience at companies such as Google, McKinsey, and Microsoft.
3. Rutgers University – Youth Enjoy Science (RUYES) Program
Location: Rutgers Cancer Institute research labs, New Brunswick, NJ
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: June 4th week – August 25
Application Deadline: March 8 (rolling until positions filled)
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who attend a school in New Jersey | Aged 16 by June 15 | U.S. citizens or permanent residents
RUYES offers you a two-summer biomedical research apprenticeship conducted in Rutgers Cancer Institute laboratories, where you spend approximately 35 hours per week conducting hands-on cancer research under faculty mentorship. You work on authentic investigations in areas like tumor biology, genomics, immunology, or cancer pharmacology, and present your findings via a research poster and 10-minute talk at an Annual Research Day. In addition to lab work, you attend educational seminars, professional development workshops, and community outreach activities, such as cancer science modules delivered in middle and high school settings. Completing RUYES cultivates research competence, communication skills, and sustained support over two summers, distinguishing you with substantive cancer research experience.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: Summer Cohorts I: June 2; Summer Cohort II: July 14
Application Deadline: Summer I - May 11; Summer II - June 23
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in high school | Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
Founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors for intensive, individualized research training. Over a typical 12-week course, you select a topic of interest (from physics and computer science to psychology or international relations) and work one-on-one with a mentor from a top research university. The curriculum includes regular mentor meetings and workshops on research methodology, culminating in the student authoring a full-length independent research paper by the program’s end. This paper is suitable for college applications or even submission to academic journals, and you may be eligible for UCSD college credit upon completion of the program.
5. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) High School Summer Internship
Location: Princeton, NJ (PPPL facility on Princeton campus)
Stipend: No information available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: June 30 - August 1
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors who are at least 16 years of age | Authorised to work in the U.S.
Princeton University’s Plasma Physics Lab (PPPL) High School Summer Internship immerses graduating high school seniors in fusion energy and plasma physics research. You collaborate with PPPL scientists and engineers on projects ranging from experimental tokamak research to computational plasma simulations. Over the summer, you will gain hands-on experience in a national lab setting, working with real scientific equipment and data. Ideal candidates have a strong background in physics, chemistry, or engineering and some coding experience. The program also encourages more participation of underrepresented students in physics for Trenton Central High School students via its Plasma Pathways program.
6. NASA Internship Programs – Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM)
Location: Virtual or on-site at NASA centers
Stipend: Paid internships based on grade level and session duration
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive / >2,000 students
Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the year, including Fall, Spring, and Summer; Summer session: May – August (10 weeks)
Application Deadline: Summer Session: February 27
Eligibility: U.S. citizens | Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) | Full-time high school student | At least 16 years old at the time of application | Residing within 50 miles of a NASA center
NASA’s OSTEM internship program allows high school students to engage in real-world space, science, and engineering projects, working alongside NASA scientists and engineers. The program integrates you into active teams where you build technical skills ranging from analysis and coding to project design and documentation, gaining exposure to agency-level research. Each intern is matched with a mentor at the assigned center, ensuring guidance, professional development, and context for all assigned tasks. This internship offers a rigorous, career-building experience in aeronautics and space science research, preparing you for future academic or professional pathways in STEM.
7. Rowan University: High School Biomedical Scholars Program
Location: Rowan University Campus, Stratford, NJ
Cost/Stipend: $1,500
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Very selective
Dates: August 4 – 15
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum GPA of 3.20
Rowan’s High School Biomedical Scholars Program is an intensive two-week summer science camp run by the School of Biomedical Sciences. In this program, you will have the opportunity to shadow research faculty and graduate students and receive hands-on lab instruction in biomedical techniques. Activities include DNA/RNA experiments, chemical assays, and even a supervised Human Gross Anatomy lab dissection. Throughout the session, faculty discuss biomedical careers and graduate training. The program ends with a showcase event where students and families meet Rowan’s science faculty.
8. Rutgers University – Toxicology, Health & Environmental Disease (THED) Program
Location: Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
Cost/Stipend: $925; need-based financial assistance is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: July 21 – 25 (Session 1); July 28 – August 1 (Session 2)
Application Deadline: March 14
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10-12 in the fall of the application year
The THED High School Summer Program at Rutgers’s Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute is a weeklong camp in biomedical science. Aimed at motivated students entering 10th–12th graders, THED covers topics like laboratory safety and ethics, experimental design, genetics, pharmacology, and forensic toxicology. You conduct experiments in state-of-the-art labs (for example, testing genetic samples or analyzing drug metabolism) and learn how environmental toxins affect human health. The curriculum also includes career talks on medicine, pharmacy, toxicology, and research. Held at the Busch campus, THED immerses participants in real biomedical science over two one-week sessions each summer.
9. Rutgers University – Young Scholars Program in Discrete Mathematics
Location: Rutgers University, Busch Campus, Piscataway, NJ
Cost/Stipend: $4,600; limited need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 31 (first-come, first-served basis)
Eligibility: High school students who have completed at least one year of high school mathematics
This four-week residential program immerses you in advanced discrete mathematics under the mentorship of Rutgers faculty and graduate students. You’ll sharpen your problem-solving skills by tackling challenging, research-level problems in an environment focused on mathematical depth and collaboration. The program’s structure includes lectures, problem sets, peer discussions, and individual mentorship, offering a solid introduction to mathematical research. You live on campus and enjoy dedicated time in classrooms, computer labs, and study spaces, supporting both collaborative learning and independent inquiry. RYSP has maintained strong evaluations from participants, highlighting its role as a longstanding pillar in summer research programs for high school students in New Jersey.
10. Coriell Institute – Summer Experience for High School Students
Location: Coriell Institute laboratories, Camden, NJ
Cost/Stipend: None / None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: Four-week program, typically mid-July to mid-August
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: High school students aged at least 17 by July 1 | Legal US residents | Able to commute to Coriell's facility in Camden
Over the four-week Coriell Summer Experience, you work alongside career scientists and technologists to learn modern methods in biobanking and biomedical research. You may rotate through labs such as Production Labs (sample generation, freezing, distribution), Stem Cell Labs (induced pluripotent stem cells), Molecular Biology Labs (DNA extraction), or witness karyotype analysis for chromosomal studies. Each week, you attend scientific seminars led by Coriell research faculty or guest speakers. The program includes small-group sessions that help you build professional skills like resume writing, interviewing, and career planning. At the conclusion, you deliver a formal presentation, reinforcing your communication and scientific thinking skills.
11. Liberty Science Center – Partners in Science Program
Location: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ
Cost/Stipend: None / Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive
Dates: 8 weeks during summer (typically late June – late August)
Application Deadline: Typically early March
Eligibility: Rising high 11th or 12th grade high school student by June | 16 years of age by July
The Partners in Science program pairs you with a mentor working in a professional science, health, or technical lab, where you participate in real research and independent projects. The program operates like a full-time lab apprenticeship: students commit 40 hours a week and are expected to contribute meaningfully to ongoing experiments or technical work. You gain hands-on experience with authentic scientific questions and methodologies, and the daily rhythm immerses you in a professional research culture. At the end of the program, you present your project findings at an annual symposium in front of peers, mentors, Liberty Science Center staff, and family members.
12. Princeton University Summer Journalism Program
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Cost: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 10 - 11% / Around 40 students
Dates: late June through early August
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. residents and planning to attend school in the U.S. | Minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5 (on 4.0 scale)
The Princeton University Summer Journalism Program is a selective, tuition-free program that offers a comprehensive introduction to various aspects of journalism, including news writing, digital storytelling, ethics, reporting techniques, and multimedia production. You participate in activities such as writing news stories, producing podcasts, conducting interviews, and engaging in newsroom visits that simulate real-world journalism experiences. Unique features of the program include personalized college counseling, mentorship from professional journalists, and a year-long curriculum that extends beyond the summer session with virtual workshops and projects. Through the program, you develop critical skills in journalistic research, storytelling, media literacy, and effective communication, along with an understanding of the responsibilities and ethics of journalism.
13. The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) - Camp Innovate and Investigate
Location: TCNJ Science Complex, Chemistry Building, Room 121, Ewing, NJ
Cost/Stipend: $475
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: March 15 (rolling admissions)
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with at least one year of high school math and science completed
The College of New Jersey's Camp Innovate and Investigate is a dynamic pre-college summer camp designed for motivated high school students entering grades 10 to 12 who have a passion for science. The program covers a broad range of STEM topics, including biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, sustainability, and applied mathematics. You engage in hands-on experiments and participate in activities like measuring and comparing temperatures in different environments, exploring hydroponic farming, designing sustainability-focused projects in collaboration with a biopharmaceutical company, and crafting eco-friendly products like toothpaste. You gain valuable skills in scientific inquiry, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication.
14. New Jersey Governor’s School in the Sciences
Location: Drew University, Madison, New Jersey
Cost: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Very competitive
Dates: July 6 – 26
Application Deadline: January 10
Eligibility: High school juniors who are New Jersey residents | Top student at school, mostly A grades in honors math and science, with excellent standardized test scores (top 5% or 90th percentile) | Must be nominated by their high school
The New Jersey Governor’s School in the Sciences (NJGSS) is a highly selective, tuition-free, three-week residential summer program at Drew University for high-achieving high school juniors with a strong interest in STEM. It covers a variety of topics, including neurobiology, modern physics, data analytics, and molecular orbital theory. You will engage in hands-on activities like taking three advanced core courses, participating in a laboratory course (such as Organic Chemistry or Computer Science), and collaboratively completing a faculty-guided mini-research project that culminates in a formal presentation. A unique feature is its focus on a supportive, grade-free environment, emphasizing collaboration and group learning.
Image Source - Princeton University Logo