There are free research programs for high school students, and some pay a stipend, but every one is selective and most are limited by grade, age or where you live. Below are 15 programs that charge no tuition, verified on their official pages in November 2026, plus four programs that families assume are free and are not.
Where 2027 dates are not posted, 2026 dates are given.
The 15 free or stipend-paying programs at a glance
| Program | Who it is for | Cost or stipend | Where | Length | Deadline window | Selectivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSI (CEE) | Juniors, US and participating countries | Free; $75 fee, waivers | MIT and Stanford | About 6 weeks | Dec 11, 2026 | Under 2.5% |
| Summer Science Program | Juniors, US and international | Aid covers 100% of need | 13 college campuses | 5 weeks | Jan to Feb 2027 | About 700 admitted in 2026 |
| MITES Summer | 11th graders, US citizens or PR | Free, travel only | MIT | 6 weeks | Feb 1 | Not published |
| MIT PRIMES and PRIMES-USA | Sophomores and juniors in the US | Free | Boston or remote | Calendar year | Nov 2, 2026 | "A small number" |
| Clark Scholars | Rising seniors 17+, US citizens or PR | $750 stipend, room and board; $25 fee | Texas Tech | 7 weeks | Jan 2 to Feb 15, 2027 | 12 scholars |
| AEOP Internships | High school, US citizens or PR | Free, educational stipend | Army labs nationwide | Summer, full time | Varies by posting | "Highly competitive" |
| NIH Summer Internship Program | Seniors turning 18, US citizens or PR | Stipend by education level | NIH campuses | May 10 to Aug 31 window | Jan 26, 2027 | PIs select directly |
| Simons Summer Research | Juniors 16+, US citizens or PR | Stipend award | Stony Brook, NY | 6 weeks | Opens Nov 15 | 60 of 1,864 in 2026 |
| Stanford SIMR | Juniors and seniors 16+, US citizens or PR | No fee | Stanford, Bay Area favored | 8 weeks | Late Feb 2027 | Not published |
| Rockefeller SSRP | Juniors and seniors 16+, international welcome | Free; hardship stipends only | New York City | 7 weeks | Jan 4, 2027 | 32 to 40 accepted |
| Broad Summer Scholars | Rising seniors, Massachusetts | Paid | Cambridge, MA | 6 weeks | Jan 20, 2027 | Not published |
| Fred Hutch SHIP | Rising seniors 16+, Greater Seattle | Award on completion | Seattle | 8 weeks | Mid-March | "Highly competitive" |
| MSK Summer Student Program | Juniors 16+, within 25 miles of MSK | $1,200 stipend | Manhattan | 8 weeks | Feb 5, 2027 | About 2% |
| Roswell Park SURE-CAN | Juniors 15+, four Western NY counties | Free; limited stipends | Buffalo, NY | 6 weeks | Jan 1, 2027 | Not published |
| MD Anderson High School Summer | Texas seniors 18+, college-bound | $7,200 stipend | Houston | 10 weeks | Jan 13, 2027 | Up to 6 students |
National programs open to most US students
Research Science Institute (RSI)
Juniors spend a week in STEM classes, five weeks on an individual project with a mentor, and a final week presenting. Housing and dining are covered; the $75 fee can be waived. In 2027 it runs at MIT June 20 to July 31 for 100 students and, for the first time, at Stanford June 27 to August 7 for 50. Applications close December 11, 2026 with essays, two to three recommendations, a transcript and test scores. CEE reports more than 2,500 US and 600 international applications a year and accepts under 2.5%. See our YRI vs RSI vs SSP comparison.
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Five residential weeks of research in astrophysics, bacterial genomics, biochemistry or cell biology at one of 13 campuses, including Purdue, Indiana and Lehigh. The 2026 fee was $11,800, but SSP covers 100% of demonstrated need, and families with income of about $140,000 or less receive full aid or a discounted fee. Applications open December 2026; international deadlines fall in January and domestic in February 2027. About 700 students were admitted in 2026.
MITES Summer
Six residential weeks at MIT for 11th graders who are US citizens or permanent residents. All costs are covered except travel, and travel scholarships exist. Applications are due February 1 with three recommendations. 2027 dates are TBD; 2026 ran June 20 to July 31.
MIT PRIMES and PRIMES-USA
A free, year-long math research program for sophomores and juniors living in the US. Greater Boston students meet a mentor at MIT weekly; PRIMES-USA students work remotely, and that section had 47 students in 2024. The 2027 deadline was November 2, 2026, so plan for next fall. Admission rests on a problem set (apply if you solve at least 70%) and two to three recommendations; MIT says a small number are admitted.
Clark Scholars Program
Twelve rising seniors, in any field including humanities, spend seven weeks at Texas Tech working one-on-one with faculty, June 20 to August 5, 2027. Room and board are covered and a $750 stipend is paid on completion of the research report; the only costs are a $25 fee and travel. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents and 17 by the start. The application runs January 2 to February 15, 2027 with essays, transcripts, test scores and three recommendations; the average participant SAT is usually in the 99th percentile.
AEOP Internships
The Army Educational Outreach Program places high school students in Army research labs and partner university labs nationwide. Free, with an educational stipend that varies by site and duration. Placements are full-time summer positions for US citizens or permanent residents within commuting distance of the lab; deadlines vary by posting.
NIH Summer Internship Program
The NIH page that used to describe HiSTEP now redirects to the general Summer Internship Program, which admits graduating seniors who are 18 by September 30, 2027 (or 17 by June 1 if within 40 miles of an NIH campus). It is full-time and in person between May 10 and August 31, pays a stipend set by education level, and provides no housing. Applications close January 26, 2027 with coursework, a CV, a personal statement and two references. Principal investigators pick their own interns, so applicants email labs directly.
Regional programs with stipends
Simons Summer Research Program
Six weeks in a Stony Brook faculty lab, June 28 to August 6, 2027, for juniors who are US citizens or permanent residents and 16 by the start. Students receive a stipend award. In 2026 Simons received 1,864 applications and selected 60. The application link posts November 15.
Stanford SIMR
Eight weeks of medically oriented research with Stanford faculty, tentatively June 7 to July 29, 2027, for juniors and seniors who are 16, US citizens or permanent residents, and attending school in the US. Stanford says selection heavily favors Bay Area students. The application opens December 18, 2026 and is due in late February 2027.
Rockefeller SSRP
Seven weeks of team lab research in New York, June 21 to August 5, 2027. Free to apply and attend, open to juniors and seniors who are 16 by the start; students outside the US may apply but get no help with housing or visas. Stipends go only to students with financial hardship. Applications are due January 4, 2027; 32 to 40 students are accepted, and SSRP work cannot be entered in science competitions.
Broad Summer Scholars Program
Six weeks of paid biomedical research at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, July 6 to August 13, 2027, for rising seniors at Massachusetts high schools within commuting distance. Applications open November 23, 2026 and close January 20, 2027.
Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program
Eight full-time weeks in Seattle for rising seniors who are 16 and live in the Greater Seattle area, with a financial award on completion and a free transit card. The 2026 deadline was March 13; 2027 details post in November. Applicants submit four short essays, two references, a transcript and a resume, then interview on Zoom.
MSK Summer Student Program
Eight weeks at Memorial Sloan Kettering, June 29 to August 20, 2027, with a $1,200 stipend, for juniors who are 16, live within 25 miles of MSK in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut, and have a 3.5 GPA in science. MSK enrolls 20 interns from more than 1,000 applications. Applications open December 1, 2026 and close February 5, 2027.
Roswell Park SURE-CAN
Six full-time weeks in Buffalo, June 28 to August 6, 2027, for juniors who are 15, US citizens or permanent residents, and live and attend school in Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus or Chautauqua County. No fee; limited stipends. Deadline January 1, 2027.
MD Anderson High School Summer Program
Ten weeks in Houston, June 7 to August 13, 2027, with a $7,200 stipend before taxes, for Texas seniors who are 18 by the start, have graduated and are headed to college. Up to six students are selected. Applications run November 16, 2026 to January 13, 2027.
Programs that look free but are not
- Garcia Center at Stony Brook. Seven weeks of polymer research with a $4,000 laboratory fee, a $50 registration fee and optional housing at $2,599.
- BU RISE. Six weeks for domestic juniors, June 27 to August 6, 2027. The 2026 charge was $6,415 commuter or $10,735 residential, with limited need-based aid.
- UCSC Scholar Immersion Program. Eight weeks for ages 14 to 17, June 14 to August 7, 2027, with a $68 application fee; 2027 costs post in December 2026, and need-based scholarships of 25% to 100% are considered after admission. Deadline February 26, 2027.
- George Mason ASSIP. Eight weeks, in person or remote, for students 15 and up. A $25 fee and $1,299 tuition for three credits, both waivable with need. Applications run December 7, 2026 to February 12, 2027.
For a fuller list by date, see summer research program deadlines for 2027 and research internships for high school students.
How to be competitive
These programs read for the same things: sustained interest in one field, recommendations from math and science teachers who have watched you work through hard material (ask in the fall; most want two or three), and essays that describe a specific question you want to answer. RSI and Clark ask for test scores and RSI publishes recommended minimums, so take the PSAT seriously. Our guides on how to find a research mentor and how to start a research project cover the groundwork that makes an application stand out.
The odds, frankly
RSI accepts under 2.5%. Simons took 60 of 1,864 in 2026, about 3%. MSK takes 20 of more than 1,000, about 2%. Clark takes 12 students nationally. Most regional programs are limited to one metro area, and most national ones to juniors who are US citizens or permanent residents. A strong student applying to five of these should expect to be rejected by all five. The numbers say so, not the application.
Opinion: in our experience the students who win these places usually arrive with research already underway, and college admissions readers reward the paper more than the program name. See research opportunities for high school students and fellowships for high school students.
If you do not get in
Produce the result on your own timeline. The YRI Fellowship is ten weeks of one-on-one work with a PhD mentor matched to the student's field, ending in a first-author paper submitted to a peer-reviewed IEEE, Springer or Elsevier venue. ISEF and JSHS preparation and a mentor letter of recommendation are included, mentorship continues at no extra cost until the paper is published, and 87% of Fellows publish. It costs $2,997 with a three-month payment plan and scholarships case by case. Admissions are rolling, so a student rejected by RSI in March can have a submitted paper by summer. Fellows have been admitted to Brown, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Caltech and Harvard.
Apply to the free programs first. They cost nothing but time. Then make sure the year ends with a paper either way.
Download the YRI Fellowship brochure
The program, the outcomes, the mentors and the tuition, in one PDF you can read with your family.
Related guides
- Summer research program deadlines for 2027
- YRI vs RSI vs SSP, complete comparison
- Research internships for high school students
- Best research programs for high school students
- How much research programs cost
- Fellowships for high school students
Frequently Asked Questions
Which research programs are completely free for high school students?
RSI, MITES Summer, MIT PRIMES, AEOP, Rockefeller SSRP and Roswell Park charge no tuition. RSI and Clark charge small, waivable application fees. SSP charges a fee but covers 100% of demonstrated need.
Which high school research programs pay a stipend?
Clark Scholars ($750), MSK ($1,200), MD Anderson ($7,200), Simons, AEOP, NIH SIP, Broad and Fred Hutch all pay. The last five set amounts each year and do not all publish them.
Are there free online research programs for high school students?
PRIMES-USA is the main free remote option, for US sophomores and juniors with an advanced math background. Most other free programs are in person, because lab work is the point.
Can international students apply to free US research programs?
RSI accepts international students through participating countries, SSP has an international round, and Rockefeller SSRP encourages applications from outside the US. Most others require US citizenship or permanent residency.
When should I start applying?
Most deadlines fall between early December and mid-February of junior year, with recommendations due at the same time, so start in October. PRIMES closes in early November.
What should I do if I do not get into any of them?
Do the research anyway. The YRI Fellowship pairs a student with a PhD mentor for ten weeks and ends in a first-author paper submitted to an IEEE, Springer or Elsevier venue, with ISEF and JSHS preparation included. Admissions are rolling, so there is no deadline to miss.
Sources
- CEE: Research Science Institute (cost-free, 2027 deadline, MIT and Stanford cohorts)
- CEE: RSI application FAQs (applicant numbers, acceptance under 2.5%, $75 fee, requirements)
- CEE: Apply to RSI (eligibility, materials, recommended scores)
- SSP: Fees and financial aid (2026 fee, aid policy, income guideline)
- SSP: Application (2027 timeline, 700 admitted in 2026)
- SSP: Host campuses
- MITES: homepage (free of cost, six weeks)
- MITES: FAQs for MITES Semester and MITES Summer (deadline, eligibility, recommendations)
- MIT PRIMES: Program overview (free, year-long, phases)
- MIT PRIMES: How to apply (November 2, 2026 deadline, problem set, recommendations)
- MIT PRIMES-USA (remote, 47 students in 2024)
- Texas Tech: Clark Scholars program details (eligibility, $750 stipend, $25 fee, twelve scholars)
- Texas Tech: Clark Scholars application details (2027 opening and deadline, components)
- Texas Tech: Clark Scholars home (2027 dates)
- Texas Tech: About the Clark Scholars Program (selectivity)
- AEOP Internships and Fellowships (free, stipend, eligibility)
- NIH OITE: Summer Internship Program (eligibility, 2027 dates and deadline, stipend)
- Stony Brook: Simons Summer Research Program (2027 dates, 1,864 applications, 60 fellows)
- Stony Brook: Simons program information (eligibility, stipend award)
- Stanford SIMR (eligibility, tentative 2027 dates, application timing)
- Rockefeller: Summer Science Research Program (2027 dates, deadline, cohort size)
- Rockefeller: SSRP FAQs (free, stipends, international applicants)
- Broad Institute: Broad Summer Scholars Program
- Fred Hutch: Summer High School Internship Program
- MSK: Summer Student Program (stipend, eligibility, 2% acceptance, 2027 dates)
- Roswell Park: High school summer research program
- MD Anderson: High School Summer Program (stipend, 2027 dates, eligibility)
- Stony Brook Garcia Center: Apply (fees, 2026 dates)
- Stony Brook Garcia Center: Eligibility
- BU Summer Term: RISE Internship and Practicum (2027 dates, eligibility)
- BU Summer Term: RISE tuition, aid and payment
- UCSC Scholar Immersion Program: Applying to SIP (fee, scholarships, 2027 dates)
- George Mason: ASSIP (fees, eligibility, 2027 application window)