17 Best High School Research Opportunities in New York
Finding a great summer opportunity can be difficult, particularly in a place as competitive as New York. Because we're a group of research nerds, we wanted to compile opportunities for students looking for research opportunities in the state!
In this article, we list 17 of the best research-oriented programs in (and around) New York that provide a valuable learning experience. The opportunities range from highly selective to fairly welcoming, and while some have a fee associated with them, others provide a stipend. There is something here for everyone.
Not seeing something you like? You can also look at the opportunities we’ve curated in psychology research, medical research, biology research, and virtual research.
17 Best High School Research Opportunities in New York
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
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 and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring.
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
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.
Subject areas: Biology, medicine
Location: Multiple locations where Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centers are located, at Weill Cornell Medicine or Rockefeller University.
Stipend: $1,200
Application deadline: Applications for the program will open on December 5.
Program dates: end of June to mid-August (based on previous year’s schedule)
Program selectivity: High
Eligibility: Applicants should have completed their junior year at high school by June, be at least 14 years old, and be eligible to work in the United States. They should have at least a 3.5 grade point average in science subjects.
This 8-week summer program exposes students to the fundamentals of research by mentoring them through independent research projects. Students are guided by postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, or research technicians and present their projects at a poster symposium.
Subject areas: STEM
Location: New York University Campus
Stipend: The program offers a stipend of at least $750.
Application deadline: Applications open in November
Program dates: June 28 to August 12
Program selectivity: Moderate
Eligibility: Applicants must be New York City residents completing sophomore or junior year in high school in June.
This 7-week program combines college-level workshops and lab research in subjects such as civil and urban engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, and robotics. Students get supervision from graduate or postdoctoral students at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
4. Veritas AI - AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Location: Virtual
Cost: $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase
Application deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Varies according to the cohort: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI with a suitable environment in which to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. 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 allow students to pursue 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.You can find examples of previous projects here.
Subject areas: Multidisciplinary
Location: New York University Campus. Some courses are available virtually.
Cost/stipend: None
Application deadline: April
Program dates: Typically, in July, but may vary depending on the program.
Program selectivity: Open enrollment
Eligibility: This program is open to all high school students.
These programs range from 1-12 weeks and span an array of subject areas. The programs offer in-depth academic experiences for high school students to understand fundamental concepts and strengthen their research skills.
Subject areas: STEM
Location: Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, NY)
Cost/stipend: The program offers a stipend, but the amount is not known.
Application deadline: February
Program dates: June 26 - August 11
Program selectivity: High
Eligibility: Applicants must belong to high schools that are enrolled in the partner database and must be nominated by their schools. Applicants should be at least 16 years of age and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
This 7-week program allows high school students to undertake research in various disciplines, ranging from science and math to engineering. Students can join research teams, collaborate with faculty members, learn about laboratory equipment and methodologies, and get to experience life at a research university.
Subject areas: Business and leadership
Location: Mercy College (students will be directed to Hudson Falls, NY)
Cost/stipend: Fee - $495 to cover the cost of food and activities.
Application deadline: Applications are on a rolling basis.
Program dates: Students can attend 1 of 3 sessions: June 25 – July 1, July 9 – July 15, or July 23 – July 29.
Program selectivity: Moderate
Eligibility: For high school juniors with a cumulative, weighted GPA above 90 and demonstrated leadership and public speaking skills.
This program gives students the opportunity to learn about leadership and business careers from the Executive Faculty at Mercy College who have worked at top global companies.
Subject areas: STEM
Location: Baruch College (Manhattan, NY)
Cost/stipend: The program offers a stipend of $750.
Application deadline: December 2. Apply here.
Program dates: January - May followed by July - August and a spring course prior to that.
Program selectivity: High
Eligibility: Applicants must be a junior at an NYC public high school with PSAT/SAT Verbal (Min. 480) OR English Language Arts Regents (Min. 75), Math Regents (Min. 80), and Living Environment Regent (min. 75). Must have an overall 80+ average. Must have an overall 80+ English average, 80+ Math average, and 80+ Science average. Sophomores who meet the above criteria may also be considered.
This STEM research program is designed to allow students to build their science knowledge and skills by engaging in ‘authentic inquiry’ activities. Selected students will be enrolled in courses to strengthen basic skills such as formulating researchable questions, designing testable experiments, performing literature searches, and reading scientific literature. The courses will be conducted in spring. Upon successful completion of the spring course, students interested in conducting research over the summer will be matched with CUNY research faculty and participate in a structured 6-week internship program.
Subject areas: Ecology
Location: Wave Hill (Bronx, NY)
Cost/stipend: Total compensation for the 14-month program is at least $3,900. Other benefits include earning 9 college credits and 30 hours of community service.
Application deadline: TBA
Program dates: June - August
Program selectivity: High
Eligibility: High school students, 16 years old by June 15, and a New York City resident eligible to work in the United States.
This 14-month program offers motivated high school students an opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of ecology and participate in fieldwork and science research.
Subject areas: Neuroscience, Optics, Biology, Plant Biology, Behavioral Neuroscience
Location: BioBase, Harlem (Manhattan, NY)
Cost/stipend: The program offers a stipend, but the amount is not known.
Application deadline: Rolling basis and depending on requirement for interns
Program dates: June - May
Program selectivity: Moderate
Eligibility: Applicants must be NYC high school students with a genuine interest in science and working with younger students on research.
This 14-month paid science research internship program provides students with mentored research and teaching experience. During the first summer, students participate in a boot camp to gain valuable scientific skills. Students utilize their training and gain teaching experience as camp counselors during the BioBus summer camp program. During the academic year, interns receive training and mentorship from Ph.D. scientists while developing their own independent projects using research-grade microscopes and equipment.
Subject areas: STEM
Location: Advanced Science Research Center facilities
Cost/stipend: Students earn a generous stipend, but the amount is not known.
Application deadline: Not available (to get notified, please join the mailing list)
Program dates: TBA
Program selectivity: High
Eligibility: High school students with a demonstrated aptitude for STEM.
This 8-week program exposes students to research projects in ASRC facilities and provides professional development workshops. This program has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office, the American Chemical Society Project SEED, and the Nellie Mae Educational Foundation.
Subject areas: STEM
Location: Jerome L. Greene Science Center (Columbia, NY)
Cost/stipend: Students earn a generous stipend, but the amount is not known.
Application deadline: Applications are open through Fall
Program dates: January - August
Program selectivity: High
Eligibility: A sophomore or junior in high school, 16 years of age or older by the start of the summer session. Enrolled in one of the partner programs and schools that serve students in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. (Please see the website for an updated list of partner programs.)
The Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC) program is a 6-week research experience where scientists mentor high school students in neuroscience research. This includes weekend training sessions in the winter and spring and a full-time internship during the summer.
Subject areas: Art Location: Parsons School of Design (New York City)
Cost / stipend: Fee - $4,675 plus course-specific fee Application deadline: Session 1 - May 15, Session 2 - June 8
Program dates: Session 1: June 12 - June 30; Session 2: July 10 - July 28
Program selectivity: Open enrollment Eligibility: High school students who are between 16 and 18 years old at the start of the program.
This program has 3-week courses across various areas within art and design. Students learn from the faculty at Parsons, work on their portfolios, and explore future prospects in the field of art and design. Some courses even offer college credit.
Subject areas: Biology, medicine
Location: Coriell Institute for Medical Research (Camden, NJ)
Cost/stipend: Students earn a stipend, but the amount is not known.
Application deadline: May.
Program dates: July 6 - August 3
Program selectivity: High
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 17 years old by July 1, have a strong interest in science (advanced science classes are preferred), and must be a U.S resident.
This 4-week program provides high school and college students the opportunity to work alongside scientists and researchers. Students experience the day-to-day activities in research and biobanking environments.
Subject areas: STEM
Location: Rockefeller University (Manhattan, NY) along with virtual components.
Cost/stipend: Stipends may be awarded to students experiencing financial hardship.
Application deadline: January
Program dates: June 27 - August 11
Program selectivity: Moderate
Eligibility: Students must be 16 years old at the time of application and must be a current high school junior or senior.
This 7-week program allows high school students to design and conduct their own research project as part of a themed research track. Each research track is modeled after a Rockefeller research topic and/or technique and includes a team of scientist mentors from the Rockefeller community.
Subject areas: Multidisciplinary
Location: Adelphi University (Garden City, NY)
Cost/stipend: Fee - $3,000 for commuter students and $5,200 for residential students.
Application deadline: Applications open in January
Program dates: July 9-29
Program selectivity: Open enrollment
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program.
Students can opt for a variety of courses across numerous areas such as business, communication, art, and computer science. The pre-college programs offer college credit.
Subject areas: Multidisciplinary Location: Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
Cost: Pre-College Online: Noncredit course $2,500. 3-credit course: $2985. Scholarships and financial aid are available. Other variations of courses have different charges available here.
Application deadline: Opens in December.
Program dates: Between July and August (depending on the course)
Program selectivity: Open enrollment Eligibility: This program is open to high school students.
Students can pick from an array of courses (different durations) to understand fundamentals across subject areas. Some courses offer college credit.
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.