9 Computer Science Research Opportunities for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in computer science, participating in a research program could prepare you for college, giving you insights into cutting-edge technology and innovation. Such programs cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills, preparing you for advanced studies and careers in a rapidly evolving field. Engaging in research allows you to work on real-world projects, providing hands-on experience and a deeper understanding of computer science concepts.
A research program can also significantly enhance your college application. It proves demonstrable interest in a subject and showcases your ability to handle challenging tasks, work collaboratively, and contribute to meaningful projects, which college admissions boards value highly.
If you’re interested in computer science, here are eight research opportunities worth checking out:
1. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Location: Virtual
Cost:
$2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program
$5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
$6,900 for both
Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Winter cohort deadline - December 1, 2024
Program dates: Various according to the cohort
Program selectivity: Moderately selective
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Application Requirements: Online application form, answers to a few questions about the student's background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. These programs are designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni and you can expect a great, fulfilling educational experience. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship.
The AI Fellowship program will have students pursue their independent AI research projects. Students work on their research projects over 15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. In the past, students have worked on research papers in the fields of AI & medicine, AI & finance, AI & environmental science, AI & education, and more! You can find examples of previous projects here.
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Cost/Stipend: No cost, stipend of $750 provided
Program Dates: June 16 – August 1, 2024 (seven-week summer program)
Application Deadline: February 15, 2024
Eligibility: Graduating U.S. high school juniors and seniors at least 17 can participate
The Anson L. Clark Scholar Program at Texas Tech University presents a unique chance for 12 exceptionally qualified high school juniors and seniors to participate in a concentrated seven-week summer research internship experience in their chosen subject. This program is highly selective, with an acceptance rate of less than 3%. It is known for its holistic approach to academic exploration and research. As a scholar, you will delve into research projects, working closely with experienced faculty members for valuable hands-on experience. Areas under computer science include virtual and augmented reality, computer architectures, computer animation, cloud computing, and statistical data analysis. You can find a detailed list of research areas here.
The program also includes weekly seminars, discussions, and field trips. You will be able to develop your critical thinking abilities and career interests by interacting with faculty and peers. Students are selected based on their academic accomplishments, teacher recommendations, and career objectives.
3. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Application Date: May 21, 2024 for the summer cohort, and September 25, 2024 for the fall cohort
Program Dates:
Summer seminar - June 24, 2024 - September 2, 2024
Fall seminar - October 23, 2024 - February 19, 2025
Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, computer networks, neuroscience, psychology, and more! You note that Horizon is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research! Once you select a particular subject track as well as the type of research you wish to carry out, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar from reputed universities who act as mentors throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. Apply here!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Main summer deadlines are March 15, April 15, and May 15
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility:
You must be currently enrolled in high school
Students must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement. (Note. students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Program Dates: Summer cohort runs from June to August, Fall cohort from September to December, Winter cohort from December to February, Spring from March to June
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students, across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: None
Program Dates: Four weeks through June-July 2025
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025 (based on previous years’ dates)
Eligibility: Applicants must be sophomores in high school for the Computer Science Scholars Track, and seniors for the AI Scholars track
Carnegie Mellon offers these four-week programs, combining classroom instruction, hands-on research projects, faculty lectures, and industry engagement with leading tech companies nationwide. In the CS Scholars track, you will be introduced to the various ongoing research projects and learn about algorithmic components (variables, functions, conditionals, and loops), basic data structures (lists and dictionaries), and problem-solving techniques in Python (algorithmic thinking, top-down design, testing, and debugging). You must also take a math course to strengthen your computational skills.
If you complete the CS Scholars program and demonstrate a desire to continue learning at CMU, you may be invited to return as a rising senior to the college’s AI Scholars program the following summer. The AI Scholars track also introduces its students to ongoing research projects.
You can start your application through their website!
Location: Stony Brook University, Suffolk County, NY
Cost: $3,300 (not including housing cost for the residential option). Financial aid is available
Program Dates: July 1 – August 9, 2024
Application Deadline: March 17, 2024
Eligibility: U.S. high school students who are at least 14 and have previous programming skills can apply
The Computer Science and Informatics Summer Research Experience Program (CSIRE) is a six-week program for high school students with strong programming or data analytics skills. This program offers participants a unique opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research at the intersection of computer science and healthcare. You will work in labs under the mentorship of faculty or Ph.D. students, contributing to real research projects in machine learning, biomedical informatics, data science, human-computer interaction, visualization, IoT, database systems, security, and computer graphics. The program includes lab visits and seminars on innovations in computer science and informatics. You will also present your research findings to your peers, improving your presentation and communication skills.
Here are some of the publications resulting from research conducted during the program. To apply, visit their website!
Location: New York University, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: $750 stipend
Program Dates: June 3 – August 9, 2024 (10 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 6, 2024 (similar deadline for 2025)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors living in NYC can apply
The NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) is an intensive 10-week research program for high school students. ARISE focuses on Computer Science and Engineering and opportunities in other STEM disciplines. Past projects have included integrating ethical norms into the data science lifecycle and exploring the intersection of privacy, security, and machine learning. The program covers interdisciplinary STEM topics, including Bio- and Molecular Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning. The curriculum includes hands-on work in research labs, providing students with a comprehensive and immersive research experience.
During this program, you will spend time conducting research in NYU faculty labs under the mentorship of professors and graduate students. The final stretch of the program is dedicated to workshops. At the program’s conclusion, you present your research findings to NYU faculty, graduate students, academic experts, peers, family, and friends at a seminar. To apply, you can visit this page for information on the application process and instructions!
Location: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: Commuter: $4,700 | Residential: $4,700 + $6,599 as housing and meal fees. Additionally, you must pay a $75 application fee and $250 enrollment deposit
Program Dates: Third or fourth week of June, based on the previous year’s schedule
Application Deadline: TBA for 2025
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors can apply
In this six-week intensive program, students are paired with a mentor (either graduate students, postdocs, or faculty) to participate in a specific research project. Some general skills you might pick up from this program include presenting at a formal university symposium and describing your research in a formal paper. Depending on their project, you will dedicate 35 to 50 hours a week to research, utilizing library resources, participating in fieldwork, and collecting data.
As a bonus, you can also earn university credits. CS research varies in topic choice from year to year. It has included topics ranging from developing an open-source pH sensor to monitor ocean acidification to creating a low-rank neural network for multimodal sentiment analysis. You can find rosters of different years’ research projects here. This is a great choice if you’re looking for a mentored research experience in CS. You can apply by visiting their website.
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Stipend of $5,625 provided
Program Dates: June 10 – August 2, 2024
Application Deadline: Typically in April
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students are eligible to apply
The Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab program is an immersive eight-week paid summer research program at the University of Chicago. This program pairs you with data science mentors across various domains, including computer science, materials science, and biomedical research. Participants engage in research methodologies, practices, and teamwork, honing their skills in a real-world setting.
You will be immersed in research labs, gaining hands-on experience with applied data science research. The program will culminate in final video presentations showcased at an end-of-summer symposium. Additionally, you will participate in professional development and training for future careers in data science. Another program highlight is a weekly speaker series with leading researchers and social events like baseball games, trivia, picnics, concerts, and mini golf, enriching the overall experience. You do not need to have prior research experience! To apply, you can visit their website.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.