9 Research Programs for High School Students in Washington
High school students in Washington can benefit from participating in research programs, which provide an early path to scientific discovery and hands-on learning. These programs offer the chance to work on real-world projects, engage with cutting-edge research, and receive mentorship from university faculty or industry professionals.
Research programs allow skill development that goes beyond the typical high school classroom. Participating in research programs enhances your college applications, particularly if you’re targeting competitive STEM undergraduate programs.
Here’s a list of 9 research programs in Washington designed 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 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.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
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: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June).
The Seattle Children’s Research Training Program is a summer opportunity for high school students interested in biomedical research. This program, led by PhD-level scientists, includes lectures on topics such as biochemistry, immunotherapy, and infectious diseases. You can develop experience in lab techniques like gene editing, PCR, and microscopy. You will also participate in college and career workshops and group research projects. The program prioritizes applicants from historically underrepresented backgrounds and provides stipends for transportation and meals. Housing is not provided, and applicants must live near Seattle.
Location: Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free
Dates: The program typically runs between July and August
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March/April
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 10, 11, or 12 who reside within commuting distance of downtown Seattle
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the 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, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor 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.
The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
Location: Virtual
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
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.
SEAP places high school students in the Department of Navy laboratories for eight weeks to participate in research related to naval science and technology. You will engage in hands-on projects in STEM fields, gaining mentorship from Navy scientists and engineers. The program is competitive, with over 300 placements in 38+ laboratories nationwide, offering an opportunity to develop skills and build connections that could lead to careers in naval research. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.
Cost: Free. $4,000 will be provided as a stipend for new participants and $4,500 for returning participants.
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer. The exact dates will vary depending on the lab you choose.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in November.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors. Participants must be 16 years old or older.
The Summer High School Internship Program is a research-intensive opportunity for 11th and 12th-grade students from underrepresented backgrounds in biomedical science. Over eight weeks, you will explore cutting-edge biomedical research under the mentorship of Fred Hutch scientists. The program begins with rigorous lab training on safety and technical skills, followed by six weeks of hands-on research in cancer biology and immunotherapy. You will also engage in seminars, workshops, and professional development, culminating in a presentation of your research findings.
Location: Seattle, WA
Cost: No cost; interns will receive a stipend.
Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school student entering senior year or final term after the summer.
The Neuroscience Summer Scholars Program at UW Medicine provides a research-based experience combining basic, translational, and clinical neuroscience. Over eight weeks, you will participate in hands-on lab placements, clinical shadowing, and weekly neuroscience lectures. You will also attend Neurological Surgery Grand Rounds and complete a capstone presentation showcasing your research focus. With mentoring from faculty, this program aims to inspire underrepresented students to pursue careers in neuroscience, medicine, or research and offers exposure to cutting-edge neurological studies.
Location: Various lab locations across Seattle
Cost: Not mentioned
Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: January 1
Eligibility: High School students may apply if they are 18 years of age or older and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. You can check more details here.
Stanford AI4ALL is a two-week summer program designed to increase diversity in artificial intelligence. The program combines interactive lectures, hands-on research projects, and mentoring to foster interest and skill development in AI. You will explore applications in fields like robotics, medical AI, and natural language processing while collaborating with Stanford AI Lab researchers. The program emphasizes the societal impacts of AI and career development and concludes with a certificate of achievement.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $4,000
Dates: June 18 – July 2
Application Deadline: January 24
Eligibility: 9th graders or rising 10th graders in the summertime who will be 14 years old at the start of the program.
The INSIGHT High School Program introduces students to public health, biomedical research, and medicine while emphasizing social justice and health equity. Over four weeks, you will engage in original public health research projects, collecting and analyzing field data on injury and violence prevention. You will gain practical experience in public health communication, critical thinking, and data visualization, culminating in a collaborative capstone project. The program includes seminars, workshops, and speaker panels, fostering research skills and connections in medicine and public health.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,200
Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: May 19
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9-12 or those who recently graduated are eligible.
The Stanford Compression Forum Summer Internship introduces high school and community college students to interdisciplinary research. Conducted remotely, this program pairs you with mentors to explore topics like engineering, neuroscience, psychology, computer science, arts, and design. You will commit 30–40 hours weekly to multifaceted projects, often utilizing materials provided for hardware work. Mentored by Stanford faculty and industry experts, you will gain hands-on experience and insights into diverse fields. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: The program typically runs between June and August
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February
Eligibility: Students who will be in grades 11-12 at the time of application and full-time community college students are eligible. Check more details here.
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.