Medical and biology programs for high school students.
Hospital programs, lab research and science competitions for students thinking about medicine or biology.
43 opportunities, 22 free · Links and programs checked October 18, 2026 · By Lokesh Pampatti, founder of Clarity Prep
Paid “medical leadership” conferences are everywhere, and admissions readers know most of them take nearly everyone who pays. Lab research, a hospital program that selects students, or steady volunteering where you actually help patients says more.
43 of 43 shown
Research & internshipsFreeBrooklyn, NY
NYU Tandon School of Engineering ARISE
NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Ten-week research program with a stipend for NYC students.
Our take: Free, paid research in NYU labs for New York City public and charter school students.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Breakthrough Prize Foundation
Global video competition for ages 13–18.
Our take: A three-minute video explaining a scientific idea. The winner gets a $250,000 scholarship; finalists are a real distinction. Thousands enter, so make it genuinely good.
Research & internshipsFreeCambridge, MA
Broad Summer Scholars Program
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Six weeks of research at the Broad with a stipend.
Our take: Paid genomics research for Massachusetts rising seniors. If you live near Boston, this is a top-tier free option.
Research & internshipsFreeLubbock, TX
Clark Scholars Program
Texas Tech University
Seven-week intensive research program with Texas Tech faculty. Free with a stipend.
Our take: Twelve students a year, a $750 stipend, any field including humanities. Age 17 by the start date.
ScholarshipFreeOnline
Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Davidson Institute
Scholarships for students 18 and under who have completed a significant piece of work in their field.
Our take: $10,000 to $50,000 for a significant completed project. Only worth it if you have graduate-level work; if you do, few things read better.
Research & internshipsFreeUniversity and Army labs nationwide
High School Apprenticeships
Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)
Stipend-paid summer apprenticeships in Army-sponsored labs.
Our take: Paid research placements funded by the Army, many at universities near you. Less famous than NIH or NASA, which helps your odds.
Research & internshipsFreeNew York, NY
HOPP Summer Student Program
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Eight-week research in Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program labs.
Our take: Paid cancer research at MSK for students 14 and up. Commuter only.
CompetitionFreeRegional symposia → national
Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
JSHS / Department of Defense
Research presentation competition with regional symposia in every state and a national finale.
Our take: Present original research as a talk, not a poster. Fewer entrants than the science fair circuit, real scholarship money.
Research & internshipsFreePrinceton, NJ
Laboratory Learning Program
Princeton University
Unpaid research placement with Princeton faculty in engineering and natural sciences.
Our take: Free, full-time research in a Princeton lab. No housing, so it is realistic only if you can commute. Age 16 and up.
CompetitionFreeOnline
Regeneron Science Talent Search
Society for Science
Nationwide competition for original research by high school seniors; 300 scholars, 40 finalists.
Our take: The oldest and most prestigious research competition for seniors. You need completed original research by November of senior year, which means starting as a sophomore or junior.
Research & internshipsFreeCambridge, MA
Center for Excellence in Education / MIT Research Science Institute (RSI)
Center for Excellence in Education / MIT
Six weeks of original STEM research with MIT and Broad Institute mentors, entirely free.
Our take: The most selective summer program in the country, about 100 students worldwide. If you have research already, apply; if not, this is not the place to start.
Research & internshipsFreeStony Brook, NY
Simons Summer Research Program
Stony Brook University
Hands-on research with Stony Brook faculty for rising seniors, with a stipend.
Our take: Real lab, real stipend, a poster at the end. You need a teacher nomination; ask in December.
Research & internshipsFreeStanford, CA
Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Stanford School of Medicine
Eight weeks of hands-on medical research with a stipend.
Our take: Paid biomedical research at Stanford Medicine. No housing is provided, so Bay Area students have a practical edge.
Research & internshipsFreeStanford, CA
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program
Stanford School of Medicine
Five-week medical science and college-readiness program.
Our take: Free residential program for low-income Northern and Central California students interested in medicine.
Research & internshipsFreeSeattle, WA
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Eight-week paid internship at Fred Hutch.
Our take: Paid cancer research internship for Washington rising seniors from groups underrepresented in science.
Research & internshipsFreeBethesda, MD and other NIH campuses
National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (SIP)
National Institutes of Health
Summer research internships in NIH labs. High school seniors can apply if they meet the age rule.
Our take: Paid research in an NIH lab. The separate high school track (HS-SIP) was folded into the main program, so it is now for graduating seniors who are 18 by the start, with a narrow exception for 17-year-olds who live near a campus. Check the age rule before you apply.
Research & internshipsFreeNew York, NY
The Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program
The Rockefeller University
Seven weeks of mentored research for students 16 and up.
Our take: Team-based research at one of the top biomedical institutions. Free, commuter, early deadline.
Research & internshipsFreeBar Harbor, ME and Farmington, CT
The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
The Jackson Laboratory
Independent research project in a JAX lab with a mentor.
Our take: Ten weeks of genetics and genomics research with a stipend and housing paid. Mostly undergraduates; a few rising seniors get in each year.
Research & internshipsFreeOnline
THINK Scholars
MIT THINK
Student-run program that funds and mentors high school STEM projects.
Our take: You propose a project; MIT students mentor it and fund up to $1,000. The proposal is a real piece of writing; give it weeks.
CompetitionUnder $1kRegional → state → international
Regeneron ISEF (via your regional fair)
Society for Science
The world's largest pre-college science competition, fed by affiliated fairs.
Our take: You get there by winning your regional and state fair. Even a state-level award is a real line; ISEF itself is a big one.
CompetitionUnder $1kAt your school
USA Biology Olympiad
Center for Excellence in Education
Open exam → semifinal → national finals.
Our take: Semifinalist (top ~10%) is the threshold that shows up on applications.
Research & internshipsCost variesNew Mexico, Colorado, Indiana, and others
Summer Science Program (SSP)
Summer Science Program
Immersive team research program with a 60-year track record.
Our take: Need-blind admission and a sliding-scale fee down to zero. Astrophysics, biochemistry, genomics, or synthetic chemistry, in a team, at full intensity.
Program$1k–5kUC Davis, Irvine, San Diego, Santa Cruz, LA
COSMOS — California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science
University of California
Four-week residential STEM program across UC campuses, with clusters in specific topics.
Our take: For California students this is the one to get. Out-of-state applicants are admitted at a higher cost and lower odds.
Program$1k–5kEast Lansing, MI
High School Honors Science, Math and Engineering Program
Michigan State University
Full-time research placement for rising seniors, with a final presentation.
Our take: Seven weeks in a real lab with an MSU researcher, small cohort, long track record. Underrated.
Research & internshipsFreePlacements near you
Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
American Fisheries Society
Summer mentoring program in fisheries and aquatic science, with a stipend.
Our take: Paid ($3,000) fieldwork with a fisheries biologist, placed near where you live. Underapplied.
CompetitionFreeRegional → national finals in Washington, DC
National Science Bowl
U.S. Department of Energy
Team quiz competition for high school students.
Our take: Fast-buzzer science trivia at a high level. Winning your regional is the achievement; nationals is all-expenses-paid.
CompetitionFreeState → national → Stockholm
Stockholm Junior Water Prize (U.S.)
Water Environment Federation
Research competition for water-related science and engineering projects.
Our take: For a water-related research project, the state round is very winnable. The national winner goes to Sweden.
CompetitionUnder $1kOnline
Conrad Challenge
Conrad Foundation
Multi-phase innovation and entrepreneurship competition for ages 13–18.
Our take: Invent a product in aerospace, energy, health, or cyber and defend the business case. Finalists pitch at the Innovation Summit.
CompetitionUnder $1kAthens, GA
Georgia Science and Engineering Fair
University of Georgia
Georgia's state science fair, an ISEF-affiliated competition.
Our take: Georgia's path to ISEF. You qualify through your regional fair first; ask your science teacher in the fall which one your school uses.
CompetitionUnder $1kChapter → state → international
HOSA Competitive Events → International Leadership Conference
HOSA — Future Health Professionals
Health science competitive events through school chapters.
Our take: For pre-med students without a HOSA chapter, starting one is a better story than joining. Placing at state or ILC is the achievement.
CompetitionUnder $1kState → international
NCF-Envirothon
National Conservation Foundation
Team competition across soils, aquatics, forestry, wildlife, and a current issue.
Our take: Field-based environmental science in teams of five. Underused by students who list "environment" as an interest.
CompetitionUnder $1kSchool team → regional → state → national
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad Inc.
Twenty-three events spanning biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, and earth science.
Our take: Team-based and school-run, so the signal is medals at state or national, plus any leadership you take on.
Research & internships$1k–5kStony Brook, NY
Garcia Summer Scholars
Stony Brook University Garcia Center
Seven-week research program in materials science with an optional year-round continuation.
Our take: Polymer and materials research that often continues through the school year and into science fairs. There is a fee.
Program$1k–5kAnn Arbor, MI
Michigan Math and Science Scholars
University of Michigan
Intensive courses in math and science taught by university faculty.
Our take: Two-week deep dives taught by Michigan faculty. Reasonable cost for the category; scholarships exist.
ProgramOver $5kPhiladelphia, PA
University of Pennsylvania Pre-College and Summer Academies
University of Pennsylvania
Subject-focused summer academies plus a broader pre-college program.
Our take: The Academies (biomedical research, neuroscience, etc.) are more selective than the general pre-college and produce real work. Still paid.
ProgramOver $5kSanta Barbara, CA
UC Santa Barbara Research Mentorship Program
UC Santa Barbara
Six-week mentored research program ending in a technical paper and symposium.
Our take: University research with a graduate-student mentor. Expensive; some aid. The paper you write is the takeaway.
ProgramOver $5kBoston, MA
RISE — Research in Science & Engineering
Boston University
Six weeks of university lab research (Internship track) or a research-methods course (Practicum track).
Our take: Real lab placement and a poster session. You pay for it, which readers know, but the work can stand on its own.
ProgramOver $5kIowa City, IA
Secondary Student Training Program
University of Iowa
Six weeks of mentored university research ending in a poster and paper.
Our take: Real research placement with a faculty mentor. Costly, but the output is a project you can talk about.
Program$1k–5kCampus rentals + online
Biomedical Workshops
Rosetta Institute of Biomedical Research
Molecular biology and medicine workshops for high school students.
Our take: Open-enrollment lab workshops held on university campuses. The university is the venue, not the organizer.
Competition$1k–5kRochester, NY
GENIUS Olympiad
Terra Science and Education
International environmental-themed project fair with high finalist and medal rates.
Our take: You pay to attend after a light screening. Readers who know it weigh it well below ISEF or Regeneron.
ProgramOver $5kAtlanta, GA
Emory University Pre-College Program
Emory University
Credit and non-credit courses for rising juniors and seniors on Emory's campus.
Our take: Metro Atlanta students can commute, which cuts the cost a lot. Still a paid class; neutral for Emory admissions.
ProgramOver $5kBaltimore, MD + online
Johns Hopkins University Pre-College Programs
Johns Hopkins University
Summer courses and immersion programs for high school students.
Our take: Same category as Brown and Harvard: paid, open, a fine class, not a credential.
ProgramOver $5kWashington, DC + online
Georgetown University Summer High School Programs
Georgetown University
Pre-college academies and credit courses.
Our take: Open enrollment, DC location. The "Academies" are one-week camps with a Georgetown logo.
“Helps an application” is our read on how much an admissions reader is likely to weigh it: Strong means getting in or placing is a real achievement, Solid means it shows real interest and effort, and Light usually means most students who apply and pay can attend. It’s our opinion, not a ranking from any college, and a light one can still be a great summer.
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Every program here is real and links to its own official site. Dates, costs and rules change every year, so check the official page before you apply. Deadlines are shown as the months they usually close. Spot something out of date? Email sessions@joinclarityprep.com.