Top 10 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.Â
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.Â
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
Eligibility: 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. 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.
This program will allow you to gain hands-on experience and will provide you with focused mentorship and a deeper understanding of psychology, and has an acceptance rate of 7%.
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: 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.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring.
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 psychology, neuroscience, etc. 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 find more details about the application here.
Location:Â Virtual
Eligibility:Â 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:Â Applications usually close in February.
Dates: June 17–August 9
Stipend:Â This is an unpaid internship, but need-based financial assistance may be available in some cases.
This program 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. The program will culminate in presentations from each group about the projects and their findings. 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:Â Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all spots are filled.
Dates: July 14–July 19
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). 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.
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:Â
Virtual session: June 17–June 28
In-person sessions: July 8–July 19 | July 22–August 2
Cost: $1,495 (virtual) | $2,795 (in-person). Scholarships are available for qualified applicants and you can request financial assistance in your application.
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, and present this project at the final capstone event. 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:Â
Session 1: June 30–July 19 (residential) | July 1–July 18 (commuter)Â
Session 2: July 21–August 9 (residential) | July 22–August 8 (commuter)
Cost: Residential: $7,895 | Commuter: $3,995. Financial aid is available.
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.
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 | June 16–June 21
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. 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.
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 (session 1) | July 10–July 26 (session 2)
Cost: $8,600 (residential) | $5,850 (commuter). Financial aid and scholarships are available.
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, MIÂ
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:Â Multiple 9-day sessions are offered at various locations. All sessions take place between June 12 and August 2
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.
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–July (14 months)
Stipend: $2,000 (first summer) + paid internship (second summer)
During your first summer in this 14-month program, 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 then 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.
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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