11 Fellowships for High School Students
Fellowships offer a variety of benefits that can significantly enhance your academic, personal, and professional development. They provide access to specialized courses, projects, and mentors. You also have the chance to develop research, writing, public speaking, and critical analysis skills. They’re a stand-out factor on college applications, showcasing your dedication, expertise, and passion for academics, and are often fully funded.
To help you get started, we have put together a list of 10 fellowships for high school students. This list includes fellowships in many different disciplines and locations. There’s something for everyone!
1. Lumiere Education Research Fellowship
Location: Remote/online
Cost: $8,900. Financial aid is available
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions for different sessions. The Summer II 2024 application deadline is June 26th.
Program Dates: Varies depending on session admission, but the fellowship runs for 6-12 months
Eligibility: Must be a high school student.
The Lumiere Research fellowship is a 6-12 month long research fellowship where you can develop your own research paper on a topic of your choice, work alongside mentors who are Ph.D candidates from top universities, and work to get your research published or submitted in a prestigious research competition.
Apart from working with your mentor itself, you will have sessions with a writing coach and publication specialists, and workshops on the writing and research project! Here’s the updated application form.
Location: Online/Remote
Cost: $4,900
Application Deadline: Summer II Cohort Deadline is June 23, 2024
Program Dates: The program takes place over 12-15 weeks, with the summer II cohort starting on July 15
Eligibility: Must be a high school student with a basic understanding of Python or completion of AI Scholars by Veritas AI is required
Veritas AI focuses on providing high school students who are passionate about the field of AI a suitable environment to explore their interests. The programs include collaborative learning, project development, and 1-on-1 mentorship. These programs are designed and run by Harvard graduate students and alumni and you can expect a great, fulfilling educational experience. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of Python or are recommended to complete the AI scholars program before pursuing the fellowship.
The AI Fellowship program will have students pursue their own independent AI research project. Students work on their own individual research projects over a period of 12-15 weeks and can opt to combine AI with any other field of interest. In the past, students have worked on research papers in the field of AI & medicine, AI & finance, AI & environmental science, AI & education, and more! You can find examples of previous projects here.
3. Horizon Academic Research Program
Location: Virtual
Application Date: May 21, 2024 for the summer cohort, and September 25, 2024 for the fall cohort
Program Dates:
Summer seminar - June 24, 2024 - September 2, 2024
Fall seminar - October 23, 2024 - February 19, 2025
Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and on college applications. Apply here!
4. Bill of Rights Institute Fellowship
Location: Remote with the exception of one week in June, where students meet in person in Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: December 1 of the preceding year.
Program Dates: The program begins in January and runs through June.
Eligibility: You must be 15-18 years old and currently be a junior or senior in high school.
The Bill of Rights Institute Fellowship is a leadership development program with a political science and government focus. You will meet twice a month for sessions, and your workload will involve short readings, discussions and writing assignments. The fellowship will conclude with a week-long capstone experience that is in Philadelphia and Washington, DC!
Only 20 fellows are selected for the program, making it highly competitive. You’ll write posts or articles, lead developmental public programs, and be immersed in leadership and citizenship research and discussions.
5. The Jackson Laboratory Academic Year Fellowships
Location: Bar Harbor, Maine or Farmington, Connecticut
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. They recommend you submit your application before July for the Maine location and before September for the Connecticut location.
Program Dates: Fall to late spring
Eligibility:
Must be a high school junior or senior, 16 years or older.
Must be able to prove that your project will count toward an academic requirement as set up by your school.
You must also be able to commute to your laboratory campus even if you have a hybrid or remote fellowship. This will either be to Jackson Laboratory campus in Farmington, CT or Bar Harbor, ME.
The Jackson Lab offers in-person, hybrid, and a few fully remote research opportunities. As they offer rolling admissions, you can expect to start your research project in the fall and continue through late spring.
The program focuses on developing technical research skills and soft skills such as problem-solving, effective scientific communication, and time management in a lab under close mentorship from professional researchers. You’ll design your own independent project within the scope of the lab’s ongoing research. Your project will cover all aspects of research from experimental design, to data analysis, to presenting results. You are required to commit to 180 hours of work total
6. The Lundquist High School Summer Fellows Program
Location: Torrance, CA
Cost: The program is free and you’ll receive a stipend upon completion.
Application Deadline: March 31st of the applying year.
Program Dates: Varies by year, but normally runs from mid-June to early August.
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors with demonstrated academic excellence in science coursework.
This fellowship allows you to work in the biomedical field with leading scientists. You can expect hands-on training and the opportunity to work on an intensive research project, culminating in a presentation to peers, family, and the research community.
The program runs for eight weeks in the summer, usually from 8 am-5 pm. You can expect to work in a variety of medical fields from cancer research to genetics/genomics/personalized medicine. Some of the previous subject areas include cancer research, Interventional Preventive Cardiology, Pediatrics, Clinical and Outcomes Research, Metabolic Disorders and more!
7. Exploring Complex Solutions for a Complex World Fellowship
Location: Remote online
Cost: Free, stipend of $750
Application Deadline: Applications close in the spring
Program Dates: The program runs for a full semester during the academic year
Eligibility: You must be at least 16 at the start of the program and enrolled in high school
As a part of the Don Lavoie Fellowship, this completely remote program by George Mason University focuses on the fields of political science, economics, and social life. This program is competitive and involves online discussions and online reading sessions led by Hayek Program scholars. Moreover, if you are selected, you can directly interact with Mercatus Center scholars who hold doctoral degrees in economics, political science, and sociology!
The program takes place over a full semester with a time commitment of roughly 2 hours each week required for meetings. You’ll focus on critical political and economic analysis and receive extensive mentorship on social issues and college advice from program scholars and alumni.
8. Forward Montana High School Fellowship
Location: Primarily remote with four days spent at the civics camp at Lubrecht Forest, Montana.
Cost: The fellowship is free and provides a $500 stipend.
Application Deadline: June 14, 2024.
Program Dates: This is an intensive fellowship taking place over the course of the summer. Most of the fellowship is remote, but you must be in-person July 9-12.
Eligibility: You must be a high school student during the summer of the fellowship.
Note. It is not a requirement, but if you are located near their offices (Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Missoula and the Flathead), it’s a plus!.
This civics fellowship accepts only ten high school students per year. The program takes place over the summer and involves an intensive camp experience at Lubrecht Forest.
During your remote work, you’ll engage in civics field efforts in or near your communities and receive project-based education on civics. The program has a heavy focus on education followed by implementing your learnings in your community to help improve your community.
Location: Remote during the school year. During the summer break, International fellows travel to Spain and Domestic fellows travel to Eastern Washington University in Cheney, WA
Cost: There is no cost
Application Deadline: Applications are open from September to December of the preceding year
Program Dates: The program runs for 2.5 years beginning your sophomore year
Eligibility: Must be a Washington State resident and a rising high school sophomore. There is a preference for students who plan to be the first in their family to attend college. You must also have or be on track to obtain, 1 year of Spanish language proficiency
This program is one of the longest-running available fellowships, topping out at 2.5 years. It is a global leadership program that aims to help young Washingtonians by giving them access to unique academic, travel, and leadership opportunities and experiences. Technically, the program covers two fellowships, the International Ambassadors program and the Domestic Advocates program.
Both programs focus on leadership, cross-cultural connection, and advocacy. Both programs also focus on Spanish history and language. You’ll also attend a college bootcamp program that offers crucial elements such as college application assistance, college tours, and preparation for financial aid consideration.
You can find more information on the Domestic fellowship here, and the International fellowship here.
10. Ocean STEAM Powered Women Fellowship, Woods Hole
Location: Woods Hole, MA
Cost: No cost
Application Deadline: Early April of the program year
Program Dates: The program takes place during the summer and lasts one week. The dates vary by year
Eligibility: Must be female sophomore or junior high school student from Massachusetts
Seagrant offers a wide variety of programs including this fellowship. It is a competitive week-long, no-cost fellowship. You’ll be housed on the Sea Education Association campus with easy access to WHOI facilities.
You’ll work with WHOI research specialists and assistants to investigate marine mammal bioacoustics while meeting with female STEAM professionals. You’ll build and test your own underwater microphone (hydrophone), analyze dolphin vocalizations, and attend whale watching expeditions. This is a deeply immersive fellowship with a strong focus on mentorship.
11. The International Festival of Arts and Ideas High School Fellowship Program
Location: New Haven, CT
Cost: Not given
Application Deadline: Early November
Program Dates: January to June
Eligibility: Must be a high school sophomore, junior, or senior during the program year and live in New Haven, CT
This fellowship is for New Haven, CT sophomores, juniors, and seniors and is arts focused. The semester-long fellowship provides college-level course material in order to develop your understanding of performances, lectures, community engagement, production, and management.
You’ll attend weekly seminars and a broad range of arts-related activities and obtain marketable skills, experiences, and connections to help you build your own portfolio and apply for internships. The program culminates in the two-week festival where you’ll volunteer and attend more than 30 events.
If you’re looking to build unique projects in the field of AI/ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI was founded by Harvard graduate students, and through the programs, you get a chance to learn the fundamentals of AI and computer science while collaborating on real-world projects. You can also work 1-1 with mentors from universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more to create unique, personalized projects. In the past year, we had over 1000 students learn data science and AI with us. You can apply here!
Image Source - Lumiere Education Logo