15 Summer Research Programs for High School Students in New York
If you’re a high school student interested in research programs, summer research programs may represent a brilliant opportunity for you! You get the chance to build practical skills such as data analysis, academic writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving. You also get a chance to work in structured environments like university labs or research institutes, where you understand how real projects are planned and completed from start to finish. New York is a great place for high school research because it has many top colleges and hospitals packed into one area. This gives students the chance to work face-to-face with real scientists on exciting summer projects.
If you’re interested in other subject-specific programs in New York, check out a list of business programs here & medical programs here!
Why should I participate in a summer research opportunity in high school?
Participating in a summer research opportunity in high school allows you to explore academic interests more deeply and practically. They allow you to apply concepts in real-world settings through projects, experiments, and guided research work. This helps you better understand subjects you are interested in and decide what you may want to pursue in the future. These programs also help you develop important skills such as analytical thinking, scientific writing, teamwork, and problem-solving. You learn how to work with data, interpret results, and communicate your findings clearly and professionally, which are essential skills for both college and future careers.
To help you find the perfect programs that match your interests and goals, we have curated a carefully selected list of 15 summer research opportunities for high school students.
1.NYU Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn/New York, NY
Stipend: $1,000
Dates: June 1 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are NYC residents enrolled in NYC schools
In this research program at New York University, you spend 10 weeks developing research skills through both training and hands-on lab work. The program begins with four weeks of structured workshops where you learn about lab safety, research fundamentals, data analysis, and scientific writing. After this training period, you spend the next six weeks working in an NYU research laboratory, gaining around 120 hours of hands-on experience while being guided by faculty members and graduate mentors. Depending on your placement, chemistry research may involve areas such as flow chemistry, crystal engineering, or other applied chemical studies.
2.Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on the program type; financial assistance is available
Dates: Multiple sessions, including summer cohorts, are scheduled each year; duration ranges from 12 weeks to a year, based on the format you choose.
Application Deadline: May deadlines for summer cohorts
Eligibility: High school students; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0
Founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you one-on-one with a top-tier PhD mentor to create an independent research paper. You can explore all available program topics, including biology, computer science, physics and astrophysics, medicine, mathematics, engineering, chemistry, data science, architecture, neuroscience, economics, psychology, business, law, history, philosophy, sociology, linguistics, education, classics, gender studies, environmental studies, and international relations. During the 12-week program, you will meet individually with your mentor, design a specific research question, draft a complete academic paper, and present your final work at a symposium. The program's most unique features are its highly personalized university-level mentorship and its non-profit foundation that provides significant financial aid to make world-class research accessible to low-income students.
3.Columbia Engineering / Columbia University – Engineering the Next Generation (ENG)
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $16.50–$17.00 per hour stipend
Dates: July 6 – August 13
Application Deadline: January 9
Eligibility: Current 11th-grade students (rising seniors) residing in New York City; legally allowed to work in NYC; prior work or volunteer experience required
In this program, you will conduct authentic engineering and social science research alongside Columbia University faculty, postdocs, and graduate students. You will dive directly into active laboratories, exploring complex disciplines such as biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, and computer science. Through practical laboratory workflows, you will develop critical technical skills in data science, coding, and artificial intelligence tools. Depending on your assigned track, you might investigate urban mobility applications, computer vision, or Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to address modern infrastructure challenges. Beyond your primary technical responsibilities, you will enhance your scientific writing, participate in science communication workshops, and present your findings at a concluding poster symposium.
4.Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid is available
Dates: Multiple year-round cohorts; spring (January), summer (May), fall (September), and winter (November) cohorts
Application Deadline: Varies as per cohort - spring (January), summer (May), fall (August), and winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students are eligible; they should be able to work for 5 - 10 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
Ladder Internships is a selective virtual internship program for ambitious high school students eager to work with high-growth start-ups, which are companies that, on average, raise over $1 million. Start-ups offering healthcare internships span diverse industries, including mental health, neurology, ophthalmology, health tech, and more. Earlier host companies included June Brain, IPMD, and Softenmind. You will work closely with the host company's managers and a Ladder Coach on a real-world project, which could be a product, service, or strategy, and present your work to the host company.You will receive one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other key professional and research skills, and attend group training sessions with other interns in your cohort.
5.Stony Brook University’s Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 5
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are U.S. citizens and/or permanent residents and at least 16 years old by the start of the program
The Stony Brook University Simons Summer Research Program places you within a university research group for an intensive summer research experience. In this program, you work with a faculty mentor on a defined research project, with placements spanning several STEM fields, including chemistry. Along with hands-on lab work, the program features weekly faculty talks and research workshops that help you deepen your understanding of scientific research. You may also gain experience using advanced research equipment and collaborating with a research team. The program concludes with the submission of a written abstract and a poster presentation showcasing your research.
6.Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Need-based stipends are available upon request for students experiencing financial hardship
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 when the program begins
The Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) is a seven-week research program for high school juniors and seniors who are interested in science. In this program, you work in a small research team with guidance from scientists at Rockefeller University, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. You spend the summer in a lab, learning research techniques, doing experiments, and working together with your team on a scientific project. Along with lab work, you also attend workshops, guest lectures, and electives that help you build your research and communication skills. The program concludes with a poster presentation in which you share your research.
7.Summer Neuroscience Program (SNP) @ Rockefeller University
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: August 10–21
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Students enrolled in a NYC public high school and are at least 16 years old
The fully funded neuroscience program for NYC public high school students that introduces you to research in an engaging, hands-on way. You explore core ideas in neuroscience through interactive lectures, group discussions, and reading scientific journal articles. You also design simple experiments, work with mentors in small teams, and take part in a brain dissection to better understand how the nervous system is built and functions. The program includes visits to university labs and research facilities, giving you a close look at real scientific environments, and focuses on learning through activities rather than homework or grades.
8.Hofstra University Summer Science Research Program (HUSSRP)
Location: Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Cost: $2, 250 + $65 application fee
Dates: July 6 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; minimum age 15 by start date
During this four-week, on-campus STEM research experience for high school students, you are paired with Hofstra science faculty and work on a lab-based project in your selected area of interest. The program starts with a brief session introducing you to lab safety and its structure. Over the four weeks, you attend weekly seminars and conduct independent research under the guidance of your faculty mentor. At the end of the summer, you return in early fall to present your work at a formal poster session.
9.CCNY College Now STEM Research Academy
Location: City College of New York, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $1,575 stipend
Dates: Spring: February 10 – May 23; Summer: July 6 – August 6
Application Deadline: January 16
Eligibility: NYC public high school 10th or 11th graders with an 80+ overall GPA, a 66+ on any Math Regents, and either a 75+ on an ELA/Science Regents or an 85+ subject GPA in English/US History
The STEM Research Academy is a two-phase opportunity for NYC public school students where you will develop core research skills.You will start with a spring course that introduces you to scientific inquiry through hands-on learning and foundational lab concepts. If selected, you will then take part in a five-week summer internship, where you will work in real laboratories alongside mentors from CUNY or CCNY faculty. Throughout the summer, you will attend seminars and workshops while completing an independent research project from start to finish. You will finish the program by presenting your work at the American Museum of Natural History, and you may also receive a stipend for completing the full experience.
10.Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: NY state labs (e.g., SUNY Buffalo, New York City)
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not disclosed
Dates: Primarily 8–10 week full-time summer sessions
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently in high school; meet lab-specific age rules
The Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) Internships are Army-sponsored STEM research opportunities for high school students, where you will gain real experience in scientific work. You will work in a university or Department of Defense research labs under the supervision of a researcher or scientist, contributing to ongoing projects that address real-world challenges. You may assist with tasks such as data collection, experimentation, analysis, and comparing results. Alongside lab work, you will also take part in workshops, webinars, online training, and learning modules designed to build your professional and research skills, helping you prepare for future studies and careers in STEM.
11.NYU Girls’ Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (GSTEM)
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $5,750 (Optional housing and meal plan: $3,840); need-based scholarships are available and can cover partial or full tuition
Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Current high school juniors with strong academic STEM records
New York University GSTEM is a six-week summer research program for high school students, especially those from groups underrepresented in STEM fields. You will be matched with a professor or researcher and work on an independent project in areas such as biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, or physics. The program begins with an orientation week and includes planned social activities to help you adjust and connect with peers. Throughout the summer, you will take part in guest lectures, workshops on scientific writing and presentations, and weekly visits to STEM organizations across New York City. The experience ends with a formal symposium where you will present your research to family, friends, and mentors.
12.BEYOND ALBERT Research Program
Location: Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Stipend: $2,500
Dates: 8 weeks between late June through August
Application Deadline: January 12
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old and enrolled in a Bronx high school
BEYOND ALBERT at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine is a two-part research and education program that introduces you to cancer biology and biomedical science through hands-on lab experiences. During the summer, you will spend eight weeks working full-time in research laboratories, where you learn biomedical techniques while attending seminars and workshops led by faculty and postdoctoral researchers. The program continues during the school year with an after-school series that includes scientific talks, career development sessions, and continued mentorship. Participants receive benefits such as a stipend, daily meal vouchers, and MetroCards, and you will also have the opportunity to present your research findings to faculty at the college.
13.Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory / Columbia Climate School – Secondary School Field Research Program (SSFRP)
Location: Palisades, NY and Piermont Marsh, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost / Stipend paid, amount not disclosed
Dates: Six weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade; at least 16 years old at the start of the program; enrolled in one of the partner schools
In this program, you will engage in rigorous environmental and ecological research alongside Columbia University scientists. Operating primarily out of the Piermont Marsh, you will join a tiered research team to develop scientific sampling protocols and collect field data. Your fieldwork will directly support laboratory experiments analyzing nutrient cycling, natural carbon sequestration, and invasive plant management. Throughout the program, you will utilize practical environmental research workflows, including preserving field samples, measuring ecosystem variables, and recording comprehensive ecological data. By the end of the summer, you will synthesize your experimental findings and formally present your research poster at a scientific symposium.
14.BRAINYAC: Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Dates: Summer, June – August
Application Deadline: Varies as per partner program
Eligibility: NYC residents in grades 10 and 11 enrolled in partner programs (S-PREP, BioBus, Lang Youth Medical, Columbia Secondary School, or Double Discovery Center); preference for students in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx
BRAINYAC, run by Columbia's Zuckerman Institute, places you directly inside an active neuroscience laboratory at Columbia for an immersive summer research internship. You are matched one-on-one with a Columbia neuroscientist who mentors you through a real research project, giving you hands-on training in laboratory techniques and a close look at how research actually leads to scientific discovery. The program is intentionally limited to students nominated through specific partner organizations serving Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, including S-PREP, Lang Youth Medical, Double Discovery Center, and Columbia Secondary School, so you cannot apply directly. At the end of the summer, you present your research findings as a formal poster to the Columbia community, similar to the format used at the university's other research programs.
15.Weill Cornell Medicine – Meyer Cancer Center & Englander Institute for Precision Medicine Summer Internship Program
Location: New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: No program cost / No stipend
Dates: June 24 – August 14
Application Deadline: January 19
Eligibility: Students who are 16 years old as of March 1; enrolled in high school or college/university at the time of application; in good academic standing; proof of COVID-19, MMR, Varicella vaccinations, and TB tests required; some STEM experience required
During this seven-week internship, you gain hands-on research experience in cancer biology and precision medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. Working alongside faculty and postdoctoral fellows, you dedicate approximately 20 hours per week to mentored laboratory research and collaborative team meetings. You actively engage in program-specific didactics, journal clubs, and professional development workshops focused on academic research and computational biomedicine. Throughout the summer, you cultivate practical scientific skills by investigating cancer epidemiology and health disparities within a structured academic environment. As a culminating professional responsibility, you draft a two-page scientific paper adhering to NIH grant guidelines and present an elevator pitch of your findings at an end-of-program event.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.Do all of these programs require NYC residency, or are some open to students from elsewhere in New York or beyond?
Many of the most selective programs are restricted to NYC residents or students enrolled in NYC schools, including NYU ARISE, Columbia ENG, the Summer Neuroscience Program at Rockefeller, CCNY College Now, and BRAINYAC. A few are open more broadly: Stony Brook's Simons Summer Research Program and Hofstra's HUSSRP accept any U.S. citizen or permanent resident regardless of where in the state they live, and the Lamont-Doherty SSFRP is open to students enrolled in any partner school rather than NYC specifically. Lumiere and Ladder Internships are the only two fully remote options on this list with no geographic restriction at all.
2.Which of these programs are completely free, and which require an upfront cost?
Several programs carry no cost at all, including Columbia ENG (which also pays an hourly stipend), Rockefeller's SSRP, the Summer Neuroscience Program, CCNY College Now, AEOP, BEYOND ALBERT, Lamont-Doherty SSFRP, and Weill Cornell's Meyer Cancer Center internship. A handful require payment: Hofstra's HUSSRP costs $2,250 plus a $65 application fee, and NYU GSTEM costs $5,750 with optional housing and meals at an additional $3,840, though both offer need-based scholarships. Lumiere and Ladder Internships also carry a cost that varies by program type, with financial aid available at both.
3.I have no prior research or lab experience. Which programs are realistic starting points?
Most programs on this list are designed to teach research skills from the ground up rather than assume them. The Summer Neuroscience Program at Rockefeller is explicitly described as activity-based rather than requiring prior coursework, and NYU ARISE begins with four weeks of structured training before any lab placement starts. Lumiere similarly requires no prior subject knowledge, only strong general academic performance. The one clear exception is Weill Cornell's Meyer Cancer Center program, which states that some STEM experience is required, making it a better fit for students who already have a foundation in biology or chemistry.
Key Takeaways
This list covers 15 summer research programs for high school students in New York, anchored by some of the most recognisable research institutions in the country, including Rockefeller University, Columbia, Weill Cornell Medicine, and NYU, with the majority of in-person programs offered free of charge and several providing a paid stipend. The most generously stipended free programs are BEYOND ALBERT ($2,500 plus meal vouchers and MetroCards), CCNY College Now ($1,575), and NYU ARISE ($1,000), while Hofstra and NYU GSTEM are the two paid programs on this list, both offering need-based scholarships to offset the cost. For students outside NYC or New York State entirely, Lumiere and Ladder Internships are the only fully remote options, both running rolling cohorts throughout the year rather than a single fixed summer application cycle.