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Writer's pictureStephen Turban

10 Research Programs for High School Students in Colorado

Are you a high school student in Colorado looking to dive deeper into research? Whether you're interested in STEM, medicine, or the humanities, participating in a research program can set you apart academically. These programs offer hands-on experience that helps you build essential skills, from critical thinking to problem-solving.


Not only will you gain valuable insight into your field of interest, but the research experience you gain can also enhance your college applications, showcasing your dedication and commitment to learning. 


In this blog, we’ll explore 10 research programs in Colorado that offer high school students the chance to develop advanced skills and explore their academic interests.




Location: Remote—participate from anywhere in the world!

Eligibility:

  • Currently enrolled in high school

  • Must demonstrate strong academic performance (unweighted GPA of 3.3 or higher)

  • No prior knowledge of the field required

Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. Winter cohort deadline: December 29, 2024 

Duration: 12 weeks to 1 year

Cohorts:

  • Summer: June to August

  • Fall: September to December

  • Winter: December to February

  • Spring: March to June

Cost: Full financial aid available


The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is an immersive research opportunity where high school students collaborate with PhD mentors on independent projects. Over 12 weeks, you'll create an in-depth research paper in a subject of your choice, including fields like psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, and international relations. Students who complete the program earn college credits from UCSD. For more details on the application process, click here!




Location: Virtual

Application Period:

  • Winter cohort: December 16, 2024 

  • Spring cohort: March 3, 2025 

Program Dates:

  • Winter cohort: Starting December 16, 2024

  • Spring cohort: Starting March 3, 2025

Eligibility:

  • High school students with a GPA of 3.67/4.0 or higher

  • Primarily for 10th and 11th graders (some tracks have specific prerequisites; details here)


Horizon offers a unique opportunity for high school students to participate in trimester-long research programs in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more. It stands out for offering both quantitative and qualitative research tracks.


Once you choose your research focus, you’ll be paired with a professor or PhD mentor from a top university. You’ll collaborate to create a 20-page, university-level research paper, which can be submitted to prestigious academic journals for potential publication.


This program is a fantastic way to dive into specialized research, develop your academic skills, and work closely with top scholars. Participants also receive a letter of recommendation and valuable feedback on their projects, which can be highly beneficial for future research and college applications. Apply here!




Location: Online

Program Costs:

  • $2,290 for the AI Scholars program

  • $5,400 for the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase

  • $6,900 for both programs

  • $9,400 for the AI Accelerator program

  • Financial aid available for the AI Scholars program

Application Deadline:

  • Rolling admissions

  • Winter cohort: December 1, 2024

Program Dates: Varies by cohort

Eligibility:

  • Open to high school students worldwide

  • Applicants for the AI Fellowship must have completed the AI Scholars program or possess prior experience with AI concepts or Python


Veritas AI, led by Harvard graduate students, offers the AI Scholars program, a 10-session boot camp designed for beginners in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science. The program introduces key AI concepts and data science techniques through hands-on, real-world projects. For more advanced learners, the AI Fellowship offers personalized mentorship from top university experts. Students work on independent AI projects and have access to a publication team to help get their work featured in high school research journals. This program allows students to combine AI with fields like finance, medicine, sports, environmental science, and more.




Location: Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO

Cost: $6,919 – $9,609. See the full-cost breakup here 

Program Dates: July 8 – 24, 2025 (based on last year’s dates)

Application Deadline: March 1, 2025 (based on last year’s dates). Additional information about Summer 2025 will be available shortly. If you have any questions, feel free to email precollege@coloradocollege.edu

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors


Colorado College offers a variety of summer pre-college programs for high school students, where they can earn 0.75 credits that are transferable to other colleges and universities. One of the courses available is ‘Climate Change and Sustainable Development,’ which is ideal for students interested in research in this field. The course covers the history and definitions of sustainable development, along with the key actors and institutions that have worked to promote it globally. You will also explore the socioeconomic, political, cultural, historical, and philosophical factors shaping current environmental conditions. The course includes perspectives on potential responses to climate change and the ongoing debates surrounding these issues.




Location: Anschutz Medical Campus (Children’s Hospital Colorado), Aurora, CO

Eligibility: High school seniors (18+ by internship start), undergraduates, and graduate students 

Application Deadline: 2025 applications open in December 2024

Dates: June 3 – August 2, 2025 (tentative; based on last year’s dates)

Cost: No cost; students receive a stipend of $3,500 (housing and travel support)


The Child Health Research Internship offers high school students the chance to engage in hands-on research alongside faculty at Children's Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado's Department of Pediatrics. You will assist with research on child health topics and work directly in the hospital lab. Throughout the internship, you will attend weekly workshops and, at the end, present your research findings through an oral presentation or poster. This program provides valuable research experience, mentorship, and an opportunity to contribute to meaningful research in child health.




Locations: Various universities across the country, including the University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 

Eligibility: Open to high school juniors (and some sophomores) who are at least 15 years old and have completed the required coursework

Application Deadline: For international applicants: January 24, 2025; for domestic applicants: February 21, 2025

Program Dates: Typically mid to late June

Fee: $8,800. Need-based aid is available, offering partial discounts and full fee waivers


The Summer Science Program (SSP) offers high school students a research experience in one of four fields: astrophysics, biochemistry, genomics, and synthetic chemistry. You will work in groups of three on real-world projects, such as asteroid orbit determination, fungal crop pathogens, antibiotic resistance evolution, and macrocyclic drug creation. The track offered by the University of Colorado is in the field of Astrophysics, where you will learn about and research Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics, and Scientific Programming. The program is highly competitive and offers significant hands-on research experience, preparing you for advanced academic work. 




Location: University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Application Deadline: TBA for 2025

Eligibility: High school students aged 16 or older by the start of the program

Program Dates: June 7 – July 26, 2024 

Cost: $1,995


This six-week research immersion at the University of Colorado, Boulder, is ideal for students eager to gain hands-on lab research experience. You’ll be paired with a mentor and work on an assigned research project while also conducting independent studies. Throughout the program, you’ll learn key research skills such as selecting topics, analyzing data, reading scientific literature, and evaluating research validity. The program culminates in a Research Expo where you will showcase your findings through poster presentations.




Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: Fully funded; virtual interns receive a $500 stipend

Application Deadline: March 1, 2025 

Program Dates: 5 weeks, July 2024 – August 2024 (virtual)

Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors nationwide


The JHIBS 5-week virtual research program is designed for high school students from underrepresented communities, aiming to promote diversity in the neurological sciences. You will work closely with researchers at Johns Hopkins University, gaining hands-on experience in neuroscience through projects, scientific seminars, and personal development sessions. The program concludes with a presentation of research findings, either through oral or poster presentations, giving you the opportunity to showcase your contributions. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.




Location: CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO

Cost: $1,150

Application Deadline: May 31, 2025 (tentative, based on previous years)

Program Dates: June 10 – 21, 2025 (tentative, based on previous years) 

Eligibility: Students in grades 10-12


This biomedical research program lasts one week at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. You will gain hands-on experience with advanced laboratory techniques, tour the university’s facilities, and delve into the ethics and impact of biomedical research. The program also provides opportunities to explore diverse research career paths, interact with professional scientists, and develop a scientific research proposal. While prior knowledge of topics such as cells, DNA, RNA, and proteins is helpful, it’s not a requirement.




Location: Remote

Cost/Stipend: Fully funded, with stipends provided

Application Deadline: Open year-round; apply here

Program Dates: Flexible, with the option to extend internships to accommodate academic schedules

Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have completed at least one honors-level science or English course and maintain a GPA of 3.25 or higher


This internship offers a research opportunity for students eager to explore the renewable energy and energy storage sectors. Designed to accommodate various schedules, the program offers both half-time and quarter-time options, ensuring flexibility for participants. You will get to engage in a variety of tasks, including researching innovative energy technologies, analyzing market trends, and contributing to published articles and reports. The program aims to deepen your understanding of renewable energy and storage solutions while helping you develop practical research and analytical skills.


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.




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