If you’re a high school student fascinated by artificial intelligence, you’ve probably already encountered its impact in everyday life. But beyond headlines and basic coding exercises, you might still wonder what researching AI actually involves. One of the most engaging ways to explore this discipline more deeply is through an AI research program.

Imagine spending your summer working on real research questions alongside mentors, analyzing datasets, training machine learning models, or exploring how algorithms interpret images, language, or patterns. AI research programs for high school students provide structured environments where you can move beyond basic coding and begin understanding how innovation happens in academic and industry labs.

How do you choose the right AI research programs for high school students?

With many opportunities available, it’s important to distinguish between programs that simply teach introductory coding and those that provide meaningful research exposure. Some programs emphasize guided projects with faculty mentors, while others focus on collaborative research teams or independent investigations. Thoughtful research helps you identify programs that provide both technical depth and structured support.

Across universities, research institutes, and technology organizations, AI research programs may explore areas such as machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, and data science. You might participate in small-group research labs, work on open-ended technical projects, or present your work in a symposium-style setting at the end of the program.

You’ll learn from experienced researchers, collaborate with motivated peers, and strengthen key skills such as computational thinking, analytical reasoning, and scientific communication. Along the way, you’ll gain a clearer sense of what studying artificial intelligence or computer science at the university level might truly involve.

To help you get started, we’ve curated a list of 15 AI Research Programs for High School Students.

For adjacent opportunities, you can explore online AI programs. To apply your skills in a work environment, check out tech internship opportunities for high schoolers.

15 AI Research Programs for High School Students

1. AIMI Summer Research Internship Program

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: A non-refundable application fee of $45 and a program participation fee of $2,400 (limited number of need-based financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 50 students per session
Dates: Session A: June 15-26 or Session B: July 6-17
Application Deadline: December 15th – February 21st; February 13th for those who need to apply for financial aid
Eligibility: 9th through 12th graders who live and attend a high school in the US and are at least 14 years old

As one of the pioneers of conducting research to implement AI in healthcare, this program is the Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI)’s way of introducing more high school students to this interdisciplinary field. The program includes lectures, research work, and group projects that teach you how AI is and can be used in the research and healthcare fields.

You will collaborate with other participants and have Stanford Student Leads and research mentors guiding you in completing an AI research project that touches on a health topic. There will also be some industry experts who will talk to you about their work with AI and the different career choices available in the field. 

Why it stands out: In addition to teaching you concepts like medical imaging AI, clinical applications, model evaluation, and more, the program also engages you in projects where you can apply them.

2. Immerse Education’s AI Summer School

Location: Cambridge, Oxford, Singapore, Sydney, San Francisco, New York, and Online
Cost/Stipend: Varies; summer school scholarship available through their bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions.
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school, living anywhere in the world

Among the more accessible AI research programs for high school students, Immerse Education’s AI Summer School is well suited to those who do not know much about AI but are very curious to learn. The curriculum dives into topics such as machine learning, neural networks, and the ethics behind AI.

You will also work on AI simulations and coding projects that further expand your understanding of AI. The program also aims to enhance your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. While in the summer school, you will also be expected to complete an AI-focused research project on your own. 

Why it stands out: Given that you will be attending the program at a top university, you will have the opportunity to learn from some talented and experienced professors. 

3. High School Internship Program at the U.S. National Science Foundation AI Research Institute for Advances in Optimization

Location: AI4OPT – CODA Building, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: Not publicly available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 14th – August 15th
Application Deadline: Not publicly available
Eligibility: Rising 10th to 12th graders worldwide with experience in Python

This internship program by NSF AI4OPT is offered to high schoolers with a genuine interest in subjects like computer science, mathematics, and engineering. If you are one of them, you will get to work on AI research projects that focus on topics like machine learning and natural language processing.

For this purpose, you will collaborate with AI researchers, data scientists, and engineers while learning from them. You will become more familiar with Python, data analysis, machine learning frameworks, and critical research methods. 

Why it stands out: The internship program’s curriculum is designed to ensure that you gain real-world experience and the skills required to succeed in a career focusing on AI research. 

4. Beaver Works Summer Institute @ MIT

Location: Online or in-person at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free for students with a household income of $200,000 and $2,400 for others
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: February 2nd – June 19th to complete the online course, and the summer program runs from July 6th to August 1st or 2nd.
Application Deadline: Registration for the prerequisite online course opens in December; students get login information in mid-January; and the summer institute application is open March 2-30
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders who live or attend a high school in the US

In this program offered by MIT, you will have the chance to explore some advanced topics that focus on artificial intelligence, radar, satellites, and more by being involved in workshops and projects. During your participation in the intensive four-week program, you will research and come up with solutions for problems that are affecting AI and other industries, such as cybersecurity, robotics, and more.

By the end of the program, you’ll be more confident in your critical thinking and teamwork skills, which are vital in STEM. All students are required to attend an online course, typically accessible from February 2, prior to the program.

Why it stands out: Students get to pick and learn a specific topic, which include options like Serious Games Development with Artificial Intelligence, thus gaining an in-depth understanding of it.

5. Princeton AI4ALL

Location: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 32 students
Dates: July 9-30
Application Deadline: April 9th
Eligibility: Rising 11th graders who live in the US or Puerto Rico and match one of the following requirements: household income less than $60,000; eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at high school; or eligible for an SAT or ACT fee waiver.

Princeton’s no-cost AI4ALL program is provided exclusively for students from low-income households, ensuring access to explore the field of artificial intelligence. If you qualify and get selected for the program, you will spend the three weeks sitting in lectures and working on research projects in the university’s AI lab, all of which aim to teach you about AI.

The program will also introduce you to some of the ongoing research in the AI field. Your schedule will also include career development workshops, field trips, mentoring sessions, and social events. 

Why it stands out: With the program focusing on the impact of AI on society and its ethical use, Princeton AI4ALL will take you to Washington DC to meet with experts whose work closely links AI and public policy. 

6. The Coding School National High School Research Program

Location: Virtual with live instructions
Cost/Stipend: $3,995 (limited need-based scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29th – July 31st; project presentations are scheduled on any one day between August 5th and 14th
Application Deadline: Priority deadline on February 1st and 2nd priority deadline on March 15th
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th graders and college freshmen with basic coding skills for conducting research in AI

Organized in collaboration with Columbia University’s Data Science Institute, this program gives you the opportunity to conduct research across three different fields: artificial intelligence, data science, and quantum computing. The program will equip you with technical skills and give you the training and mentoring needed to conduct research successfully.

With this training, you will work on your independent research project using real-world data and technical applications. You even get to present your work at the TCS National Research Symposium. 

Why it stands out: You have the opportunity to learn from experts from institutions like Stanford University, Harvard University, MIT, and more. 

7. Computer Science and Informatics Research Experience (CSIRE) 

Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, or Remote
Cost/Stipend: $3,900 (limited number of scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 160 students since 2017
Dates: June 29th – August 8th
Application Deadline: March 1st
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 14 years old by the start of the program, live and attend a school in the US, and are familiar with computer science fundamentals and programming languages like Python, Java, C/C++, or others

For students who are curious about exploring the world of research, this program gives you the opportunity to do so. You would spend a significant amount of your time in the program contributing to ongoing research. As part of the research team, you will learn and come up with experiments, write and test your code, analyze your results, and share your outputs.

The program offers research work in subject areas, including artificial intelligence, medical imaging, biomedical informatics, human-computer interaction, and more. You will also be participating in research talks, career seminars, lab visits, and more. 

Why it stands out: CSIRE encourages students to continue working in its research lab even after the program ends, thus allowing you to gain longer laboratory experience and the chance to have your work published.

8. Jameel Clinic AI & Health Summer High School Bootcamp 

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: $2000 (scholarships available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 52 students participated last year
Dates: July 7-11
Application Deadline: The early deadline is January 11th, and the regular deadline is March 1st
Eligibility: 10th to 12th graders from anywhere in the world

Seeing how AI has facilitated scientists in their medical research, this program was started as a way to make high school students like you ready for the new direction that healthcare is headed in. In this program, you’ll learn how AI and machine learning can improve healthcare, with theoretical sessions covering topics like Python, clinical AI, and drug discovery.

The one-week program will also engage you in hands-on research and experiments in which you come up with solutions for an issue within the medical industry using AI. 

Why it stands out: Courses are taught by MIT professors, clinicians, and experts who work at the intersection of AI and healthcare, thus allowing you to gain a better and more practical understanding of the topics covered. 

9. The Lawrence Artificial Intelligence for Real-Life Problem Solving

Location: University of California, Berkeley, CA
Cost/Stipend: $1,550 (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: June 22-26, July 6-10, July 20-24, or July 27-31
Application Deadline: Registrations open on December 10th, and the application deadline varies by the session you are applying for
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th graders from anywhere in the world

Part of The Lawrence Hall of Science’s Teen Research Programs, this program teaches you different technologies and concepts that help you understand artificial intelligence better. You will have scientists and other professionals talk to you about the research being conducted in the AI field at the moment. You will also get to do hands-on coding experiments, which result in machine-learning models.

The program covers mathematical concepts and Python used in AI. It even gives you the opportunity to meet with graduates who have majored in AI and are currently experimenting with their AI applications.

Why it stands out: Participants get to visit a robotics lab where they can observe and learn about human-compatible AI solutions.

10. Carnegie Mellon University’s AI Scholars

Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective; national cohort of ~40–50 students
Dates: June 20th – July 18th
Application Deadline: February 1st
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders who are at least 16 years old and are US citizens or permanent residents with a green card

This fully funded pre-college program is aimed at students who demonstrate financial needs or do not have access to tools like computers to learn AI. It will be a rigorous program that will involve you in college-level courses, research projects, industry experiences, and more activities that are focused on making you understand AI better.

You will also be able to participate in seminars where you learn about preparing for college, with advice given to you regarding admissions, financial aid, and your social-emotional well-being

Why it stands out: You dive into computing and AI concepts, which you use to complete projects that address real-world problems.

11. NYU Tandon School of Engineering IDEA

Location:  NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost/Stipend: Depends on the partnership package
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Dates: 2 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Depends on the partnership package
Eligibility: 9th to 12th graders and graduating seniors who are at least 15 years old; international students can apply through special partnerships

This program combines artificial intelligence with entrepreneurship. It engages you in case studies and research projects that let you explore how you can use AI to make different products in the public service industries better. You will analyze the case study given to you, identify issues, and come up with ideas for an AI product that can make the business better.

For this purpose, you also learn some entrepreneurial theories that can be used in AI design and innovation. You will also study some core AI concepts and the research being done in the area. 

Why it stands out: By the end of the program, you will have a strong understanding of AI and the skills to build AI products that generate profit. 

12. IMSA Summer Research and Experiential Learning Opportunities

Location: Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, Aurora, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots; some projects have 10 spots, while others have 20
Dates: Vary by the research project
Application Deadline: March 6th
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th-graders who reside in Illinois 

The summer SRELO program gives rising juniors and seniors the opportunity to spend two weeks of their summer conducting research alongside IMSA staff while being mentored by them. The program lists unique research topics every year, and you are sure to find something that caters to your interest in AI.

For instance, the 2026 projects list includes options like ‘Design and Development of New Games Using Pygame and AI’ and ‘Making Artificial Intelligence Accessible: Bit by Bit.’ Note: the program requires you to have previous research experience, and those experiences can include participation in another research program, a research course, or an external science fair.

Why it stands out: If you lack the necessary experience, IMSA offers the Research Fundamentals course, an asynchronous online course running from March 9 to May 29.

13. Simons Summer Research Program

Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Low acceptance rate; about <5%
Dates: June 29th – August 7th
Application Deadline: Deadline for school nominations is January 30, and the deadline for submitting applications is February 5th
Eligibility: 11th graders who are US citizens and/or permanent residents and at least 16 years old by the start of the program; interested students need to be nominated by their high school teachers to be able to apply for the program, and each school can only nominate two students

This research program pairs you with Stony Brook University professors across the science, math, and engineering disciplines so you can participate in their ongoing research projects. You can list your top three preferences of the mentors or research areas in your application by referring to this.

Some examples include using AI for coastal flooding prediction by the Applied Mathematics & Statistics department, a project from the Computer Science department focused on AI algorithms for medical imaging, the Physics & Astronomy department’s work on using AI tools to analyze nanoscale data, and more. Students are also required to submit a research abstract and poster by the end of the program. 

Why it stands out: By contributing to the research, you will simultaneously become familiar with different laboratory tools and techniques. 

14. Young Scholars Summer STEM Research Programs

Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign County, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free with stipends provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; about 30 lab spots available
Dates: Online orientations on May 29th, June 10th & 11th; in-person orientation on June 15th & 16th; and research program runs June 17th – July 31st (all dates are tentative)
Application Deadline: Opens in February and typically closes towards the end of March or early April
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th graders from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin

This is a six-week summer program that offers research opportunities across STEMM fields, including but not limited to artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, cancer immunology, and neuroscience. Your schedule will predominantly consist of working on the research, which you would be expected to present as a poster at the end-of-the-program symposium.

Apart from that, you will also participate in college-readiness and professional development workshops that are conducted on a weekly basis. More importantly, this is a rigorous program in which students typically spend 30–35 hours engaging in research and other activities. 

Why it stands out: This research program has two research groups, including the SpHERES Young Scholars and Grainger Engineering Young Scholars, and you will be placed in the one that best suits your interests according to your application.

15. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)

Location: Varies by the mentor; Virtual, hybrid, or in-person (Fairfax, VA)
Cost/Stipend: An application fee of $25 and the program costs $1,299 for the 3 credits offered; Tuition and application fees can be waived for students who are eligible for free/reduced lunch assistance or eligible for Pell Grant financial aid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 18th – August 12th
Application Deadline: December 8th – February 15th
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 15 years old by the start of the program; you should be at least 16 years old to apply for the  “wet-lab” in-person or hybrid internships alone

ASSIP matches you with a professor from George Mason University and other institutions that are participating in the program, allowing you to work one-on-one with the faculty on a research project. Through your participation, you will learn to use some of the most advanced tools and technologies used in research.

You will also improve your skills in scientific writing and communication. You can choose up to three mentors you would like to work with, and there are professors from the computer science department who typically conduct AI-focused research every year. 

Why it stands out: The program also helps you enhance your creative thinking skills so you can come up with innovative ideas when you are working on your future research projects. 

Take Your AI Ambition Towards University Success

Exploring AI early can change how you think, learn, and solve problems, giving you a clearer sense of how technology connects with research, ethics, and innovation.

The AI research programs for high school students featured here show how summer learning can build technical confidence, deepen curiosity, and strengthen your academic direction.

That experience matters when university choices begin to feel more serious, because it helps you understand your interests, refine your goals, and recognise future possibilities.

If these programmes have sparked something bigger, explore our University Preparation blogs to shape that ambition into a clearer path towards the university future you want.