14 Virtual Research Opportunities for High School Students
Every discipline of study, from economics to physics to sociology, relies on research to fuel innovation. Research impacts the everyday functioning of industries, the direction of major policy decisions, and helps us understand the world around us. Today, research has become one of the most important ways for high school students to spend their time during the summer, with research experience becoming a distinctive advantage in the college admission process.
Students who live away from major cities and universities may have trouble accessing research opportunities. Fortunately, a number of research opportunities are now virtual, making them more accessible for students. In this blog, we've compiled 14 virtual research opportunities for high school students!
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 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. 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: 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
ISSYP is a summer program for current juniors and seniors who are interested in theoretical physics and want to pursue it in college. Students attend Perimeter Institute experts' talks on the newest theoretical physics issues, as well as short courses, keynote speeches, and mentorship sessions. ISSYP is a very competitive program that only accepts 30–40 students each year. While ISSYP used to be hosted at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Ontario, it is now an entirely online program.
Cost: $195
3. Veritas AI—AI Fellowship
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 own independent AI research projects. Students work on their own individual research projects over a period of 12-15 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.
The application requires you to fill out an online application form, answers to a few questions pertaining to your background & coding experience, math courses, and areas of interest. It is open to all ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit past experience with AI concepts or Python. Do note that the application deadline and program dates close on a rolling basis, with multiple cohorts throughout the year!
Cost:
$1,790 for the 10-week AI Scholars program
$4,900 for the 12-15 week AI Fellowship
$4,700 for both
Need-based financial aid is available. You can apply here
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research.
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research, you’ll be paired with a professor or PhD scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level 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 and college applications. Apply here!
This summer program selects 25 students to work on research with a UCSD faculty researcher in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, or Nanotechnology. The program has shifted online for the 2022 edition. The program is available to rising sophomore, junior, and senior students. The program lasts 6 weeks.
Cost: $4,200
6. Secondary Student Training Program (SSTP) (University of Iowa)
Designed for advanced students in their sophomore and junior years, this program is highly selective and offers students the chance to conduct research in a wide list of fields ranging from Biochemistry to Religious Studies. Participants are placed under the guidance of a faculty mentor. While some disciplines can only be researched offline, others are available online. The length of the program is 5 weeks. Applications for this program close on February 18th.
Cost: $6,395
Open to high school and college students, EnergyMag offers virtual research internships to students looking to gain experience working in the renewable energy sector. Students gain research and analytical skills alongside work experience by researching specific companies, technologies, and markets. Internships can be half-time (2-8 weeks, 20 hours per week) or quarter-time (1-9 months, 8 hours per week).
Cost: None
In this research fellowship, students join the MDI Biological Laboratory to develop their lab research skills. Participants receive hands-on training in research from instructors who work at premier labs. Before applying, students must be nominated by a teacher. Students receive a stipend for their participation.
Cost: None
Camp Euclid is a math research program for students that takes place online. Math problems that have never been solved before will be presented to the participants. Within a circle of fellow scholars, students spend time understanding, solving, and applying complex math problems. The opportunity is open to students over the age of 13.
Cost: $1,400
Through this training program, students can become familiar with research and gain hands-on experience as well as increase their knowledge of global health. They will also participate in workshops on college readiness and career exploration. The program has both online and in-person components.
Cost: None
The College of Chemistry at UC Berkeley coordinates and conducts the Summer Youth Intensive Program. The one-year program helps students who are interested in scientific research gain hands-on experience and improve their chances of success in college. It also aims to assist students in adjusting to college life.
Cost: $14,500
The CHORI Summer Student Research Program allows students to spend three months during the summer immersed in basic and/or clinical research. The program matches students with one or two CHORI PIs who act as mentors, guiding them through the whole research process. The phases include research design, hypothesis testing, and methodological development. At the end of the program, students present their findings to their peers.
Cost: None
Conducted from June 27th to July 29th this year, the Simons Summer Research Program gives high school students the opportunity to undertake hands-on research in a variety of disciplines, ranging from science and math to engineering. Students can join research teams, collaborate with faculty members, and learn about laboratory equipment and methodologies. Students receive a stipend for their participation.
Cost: None
This program is open to rising high school juniors and seniors. Students participate in a STEM research experience at a research university for 6 weeks during the summer. Disciplines range from cancer immunology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, physics, quantum mechanics, and bioengineering to electrical engineering. Students accepted into the program will be matched with another student and a teacher from their chosen field.
Cost: None
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.