7 Research Opportunities for High School Students in New Jersey (NJ)
Are you a high school student in New Jersey who wants to conduct research? Applying for research programs, internships, or learning experiences early on can give you a significant academic advantage. Not only do these opportunities help you explore your academic interests, but they also allow you to develop critical skills like problem-solving and independent thinking. Besides building research skills, these opportunities can benefit your college applications. Getting into a selective research program can help you stand out from other college applicants.
In this blog post, we'll explore 7 research opportunities for high school students in New Jersey.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program 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 PhD 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.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
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: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
No previous knowledge of your field of interest is required!
Program Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the Fall cohort from September to December, the Winter cohort from December to February, Spring from March to June
The Partners in Science program offers high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to collaborate with experienced scientists in real lab settings. Over 8-10 weeks, you'll engage in research, gain proficiency in advanced lab techniques, and develop skills in data collection and analysis. The program spans environmental science, biology, engineering, and chemistry, providing access to professional-grade equipment. You’ll conclude by presenting your work at a symposium, refining your communication skills and receiving constructive feedback from experts in the field.
Location: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ
Cost: N/A. Students can reach out to partnersinscience@lsc.org for more information
Program dates: June 25 – August 16, 2025
Application Deadline: Applications for the 2025 program will open in January 2025
Eligibility: 11th or 12th-grade students who will be 16 years of age as of July 1, 2025
Kean University offers a STEM-focused research program for students who want to conduct research with faculty. You will get to work on advanced research projects in areas like Scientific Visualization, Cancer Biology, Machine Learning, Developmental Biology, and Modern Drug Discovery. This is a great opportunity to gain technical skills, learn teamwork in a lab setting, and contribute to scientific discoveries. The program also includes professional development workshops, equipment demonstrations, and guidance on college and career pathways in STEM fields.
Location: Kean University, Union, NJ
Cost:
4 Week Session: $1,950
2 Week Session: $950
Program dates: Usually between July and August
Application Deadline: Typically in early March
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
If you’re interested in STEM and want to gain hands-on research experience, the NJIT Provost High School Summer Research Internship is an excellent opportunity. Over six weeks, you will collaborate with faculty as well as undergraduate and graduate mentors to conduct research in science and engineering. The program begins with lab safety training and concludes with a research symposium, where you’ll practice scientific communication and presentation.
Location: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ
Cost: $500
Program dates: June 24 – August 1, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Application Deadline: February 26, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Eligibility: Applicants must have completed 10th or 11th grade in June 2024, have a 3.75 GPA, and be residents of or studying in New Jersey
The Governor's School of New Jersey in Engineering & Technology is a highly selective summer program where driven high school students can study at the Rutgers University School of Engineering. You'll collaborate with peers on a unique research project and present your findings at a research symposium. The program includes workshops, site visits to local companies, and opportunities to connect with professors, professionals, and fellow students from across New Jersey. You'll also take four academic courses, complete a small research and design project, and visit local corporations to explore future career paths.
Location: Rutgers School of Engineering, Piscataway, NJ
Cost: Free
Program dates: July 5 – 25, 2025
Application Deadline: January 10, 2025
Eligibility: New Jersey residents who are high school juniors during the current school year
The Research and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (REAP) at Stockton University gives high school juniors and seniors the chance to work closely with university faculty on STEM research projects, including chemistry, environmental science, and engineering. Sponsored by the Army Educational Outreach Program, this paid apprenticeship runs for 6-8 weeks and immerses you in lab work, advanced techniques, and hands-on experience with modern lab equipment. The program concludes with a symposium where you will present your research findings, building skills in scientific communication.
Location: Stockton University, Galloway, NJ
Cost: Students will be paid a stipend of $10/hr
Program dates: June 22 – August 7, 2025 (tentative, based on previous years)
Application Deadline: Usually between April – March
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors from groups that are underserved and underrepresented in the STEM community
This is a highly selective program for high schoolers to work with faculty and researchers at Princeton on ongoing research in engineering and the natural sciences. There are 25 Princeton laboratories which accept 40 interns annually. At the end of the program, you will produce a 2-page research summary report. Research opportunities vary depending on the laboratories participating. Some of the research projects that interns have participated in the past include machine learning methods for power magnetics modeling, heteroresistance to antibiotics, and biofuel oxidation at supercritical pressure. You can see the entire list of past research opportunities here.
Cost: None
Program dates: 5-6 weeks in the summer, depending on the research project and the researchers' schedule. Interns work full-time, Monday to Friday, with no weekend activities.
Application deadline: March 14, 2025 (tentative, based on the 2024 program)
Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Eligibility: Students who
are enrolled in a U.S. high school and are at least 16 years old
are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Are New Jersey or Pennsylvania residents who live within 50 miles of campus
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. 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.