Top 9 Psychology Research Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in psychology and mental health, participating in a research program can help you gain hands-on experience in the field! In psychology, research methods play a significant role in the study of the mind and behavior of living beings and help to explore the subject in detail.
Psychology research programs, offered by universities and research centers, allow you to collaborate on projects under the guidance of experts, interact with like-minded peers, and explore potential career options in the field. Such experiences can also help boost your college applications by highlighting your proactive approach to learning, your genuine interest in psychology, and your ability to work easily in challenging environments.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 psychology research programs for high school students that you can consider!
Location: NIH campuses: Bethesda, Baltimore and Frederick, MD; Research Triangle Park, NC; Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; and Phoenix, AZ
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors of high school who are at least 17 years old and live within 40 miles of their nearest NIH campus can apply. Confirm other eligibility requirements for your respective cohort program—HiSTEP and HiSTEP 2.0.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Dates: Multiple start dates are available between May and June and the students can choose any one based on their preference. The program runs for 8 weeks between May/June and August.
Stipend: $2,300–$2,530 (if you are currently in high school) or $2,570–$2,840 (if you have graduated high school). Housing is not provided.
The High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) allows high school students to choose an institute or center where they wish to conduct research throughout the summer. The program has an acceptance rate of around 7%. This program will allow you to gain hands-on experience and will provide you with focused mentorship and a deeper understanding of psychology.
For psychology students, we recommend opting for the National Insititute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), or National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). If selected, you will work as part of a research group under the supervision of a Principal Investigator (PI), carrying out basic, translational, or clinical research. You will further attend professional development programs and educational and career advising sessions. The program will conclude with presentations on the Summer Poster Day.
Location: Child Mind Institute, San Mateo, CA + local organizations + remote sessions are available during the academic year session
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors from structurally marginalized communities in California with a GPA of at least 2.5 can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Dates: June 2024–July 2025 (14 months)
Stipend: $2,000 (first summer) + paid internship (second summer)
The Child Mind Institute’s Youth Mental Health Academy is a long and comprehensive community-based program providing experiential learning in mental health research, practice, science, and communication. If selected, you will be matched with a mentor who will guide you throughout the period.
During your first summer, you will attend a 5-week academy featuring lectures and discussions relating to mental health disorders, career options, dissemination of information, inequities, research, and treatment. This academy will culminate in a capstone project that includes a research paper, creative component, and display. Throughout the school year, you will get to attend workshops, fairs, and mentor meetings. The program will end with an internship at a youth-serving community or research organization during your second summer. Here, you will learn about fielding research, analyzing data, and using data for interventions.
Location: Virtual
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are at least 14 years old and community college students who are aged less than 21 can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications usually close in February.
Dates: June 17–August 9, 2024
Stipend: This is an unpaid internship, but need-based financial assistance may be available in some cases.
Stanford’s Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SHTEM) Summer Internship places high school and community college students in project groups, allowing for collaboration and teamwork in building and executing a research project. Each group will be mentored by students, faculty, and staff of the Stanford Compression Forum. You will spend most of the time conducting research from where you are located while maintaining regular communication with your mentors and group members. You can expect to work around 30–40 hours per week.
Psychology and neuroscience are some of the themes using which you can build your projects. You can also pursue interdisciplinary projects in these fields through biology, computer science, philosophy, design, technology, engineering, and linguistics, among others. The program will culminate in presentations from each group about the projects and their findings. This program will help you develop technical skills and foster a success-oriented mindset. Around 60 students are usually accepted into this internship.
Location: Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all spots are filled.
Dates: July 14–July 19, 2024
Cost: $1,395. 1-2 full-tuition waivers are available.
Camp Psych is a weeklong residential program that delves into the workings of psychological science. During the camp, you will get to work on hands-on research projects while learning about important research questions and methods. Topics include the psychology of helping others (and associated research questions) and experimental research (designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and making presentations). Note that the topics may change next year.
Activities include lectures, discussions, guest speaker sessions, presentations, project work, and social events. Classes are typically small in size, with each class comprising around 20-25 students. This camp is a solid opportunity for you to gain an inside view of the psychology field and guidance in preparation for college studies.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA or Virtual
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications usually close in early March.
Dates:
Virtual session: June 17–June 28, 2024
In-person sessions: July 8–July 19, 2024 | July 22–August 2, 2024
Cost: $1,495 (virtual) | $2,795 (in-person). Scholarships are available for qualified applicants and you can request financial assistance in your application.
The Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) at Stanford University exposes students to introductory concepts in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. This 2-week program will introduce you to the diverse research available in the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. During the program, you will get to attend seminars with professional faculty and researchers, explore professional and career possibilities, and learn self-care strategies.
The highlight of this program is the capstone research project in which you will work in groups of 8-10 to develop innovative solutions in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. You will then present this project at the final capstone event at the end of the program. Some topics covered in the past include eating disorders, neuroimaging, mindfulness, early intervention programs, sports psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, brain stimulation, trauma, addiction, autism, and more.
Location: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–12 can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all spots are filled.
Dates:
Session 1: June 30–July 19, 2024 (residential) | July 1–July 18, 2024 (commuter)
Session 2: July 21–August 9, 2024 (residential) | July 22–August 8, 2024 (commuter)
Cost: Residential: $7,895 | Commuter: $3,995. Financial aid is available.
EXPLO’s Psychology + Neuroscience summer camp is an opportunity for students to dive into the disciplines of psychology and neuroscience and learn how to apply theories to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses. During the program, you will get to learn about the biological bases of mental illnesses and gain exposure to the various tools used by psychologists for diagnosis, analyze nervous system anatomy and functionality through labs measuring muscle action potential, and learn about the role of psychology in the interrogation of criminal suspects.
Some activities that you can expect in this camp include dissecting a sheep’s brain, conducting an original research project, delivering presentations at the culminating Brain Summit Symposium, working in a neurochemistry lab, and receiving access to the latest neuroimaging technology. You will also get to interact with professionals and build a strong network in the field.
Location: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12 can apply.
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Dates: June 9–June 14, 2024 | June 16–June 21, 2024
Cost: $3,000. Need-based scholarships are available.
Wake Forest University’s Psychology Institute Summer Immersion Program will allow you to understand the structure of the brain through hands-on dissection and comprehend concepts like illusions, sensations, perceptions, biases, and emotions, and how we use these to interact with the world. Some activities covered include sheep brain dissection, brain training and neuroplasticity, sensory perception lab, conducting observational research, and presenting research findings.
During the program, you will be introduced to psychology design and hypothesis testing and will also get to learn about the psychology of marketing. For the observational research and presentations, you will work in teams to develop your project. Trips and tours are included in this program, several of which you will use to conduct your observational study. This institute is led by two accomplished professors at Wake Forest University, namely Dr. Christian Waugh and Dr. Melissa Maffeo.
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are at least 14 years old
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Dates: June 17–July 5, 2024 (session 1) | July 10–July 26, 2024 (session 2)
Cost: $8,600 (residential) | $5,850 (commuter). Financial aid and scholarships are available.
The Summer Immersion Program at the University of Chicago allows you to take undergraduate-level courses taught by faculty, researchers, and other professionals at the university. You will attend lectures, workshops, and seminars while working on research projects and participating in hands-on activities. If you are interested in psychology, you can opt for the following courses:
Developmental Psychology (Theories and Techniques): This course takes you through theories in developmental psychology, changes in the mind, and the impact of biological, psychological, and sociocultural elements. You will use primary empirical sources and develop and execute research projects in small groups.
Fundamentals of Psychology (Theory & Research): This course will introduce you to concepts and topics like emotions, memory, sensation and perception, development, and psychological disorders. You will work in small groups to conduct an experimental research project, part of which involves research lab demonstrations.
Location: American University, Washington, DC | Duke University, Durham, NC | UC Berkeley, San Francisco, CA | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Eligibility: High school students who are 14-18 years old and have completed at least 1 year of high school can apply (students may attend NSLC through the summer following high school graduation).
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Dates: Multiple 9-day sessions are offered at various locations. All sessions take place between June 12 and August 2, 2024.
Cost: $3,995 (residential). Scholarships are available.
The NSLC Psychology and Neuroscience High School Summer Program will introduce you to basic concepts and activities in psychology and neuroscience, such as experiential simulations, workshops, and simulations in clinical diagnostics, anatomy, cognitive and developmental psychology, and more. You will learn about scans and imaging and work in a research group to create a mental health campaign that you will then present at the end of the session.
During the program, you will develop the skills and knowledge you need for a future career in psychology with experiential simulations in patient care, attending anatomy and psychology workshops, and exploring non-invasive imaging techniques. The program additionally includes classes, lectures, guest speakers, and trips and tours to give you a comprehensive understanding and practical exposure to the field.
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs!
This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from.
You can find the application link here
One other option - the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, you could also consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
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.
Image Source: Stanford University logo
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