10 Machine Learning (ML) Research Programs for High School Students
As a high school student, being a part of a research program can significantly impact your college applications, as they offer practical experience in research and a deeper understanding of your area of interest. The hands-on research approach will help you understand the real-world settings associated with the field of your interest. Moreover, adding a summer program to your resume will show the admissions committee how dedicated and motivated you are.
If you are interested in machine learning, a research program will allow you to work with industry professionals and researchers in the fields of technology, ML, and AI. You can even benefit from the guidance of a professor or a mentor!
In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of 10 Machine Learning Research Programs for High school students that are bound to add to your resume and college applications.
1. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort. You can apply here!
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts are available throughout the year.
Eligibility: High school students passionate about AI; Basic understanding of Python or completion of AI scholars is required for the AI Fellowship program.
Cost: This program has a fee but offers 100% financial aid.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs geared toward high school students who want to build their foundations in computer science. In the program, students learn various concepts in data science and artificial intelligence, like neural networks, image classification, natural language processing, sentiment analysis, coding using Python, and more.
Veritas AI offers up to 100% financial aid for the 10-week AI Scholars program. Through the program, students build real-world, hands-on projects in groups of 3-5 students to showcase their interests and skills. You can also apply for the AI Fellowship, where you work 1-1 with mentors from top universities to build unique machine learning projects over 12-15 weeks. These programs are a great option for you if you’re keen to engage in hands-on learning and are a beginner!
2. MIT Research Science Institute
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA
Application Deadline: December 11, 2024
Eligibility: Open to only high school juniors, including international applicants
Program Dates: 6 weeks in the summer.
Fees: No fees; a stipend is provided.
MIT's Research Science Institute (RSI) is a prestigious program that immerses selected students in the whole research cycle, from finding out your research question to carrying out hands-on experiments.
Offered under the guidance of seasoned researchers and faculty, you will work on real-world research projects, exploring areas such as engineering, physics, and more. If your area of interest lies in machine learning, you choose to do your research on the topic. The program is structured to provide insights into the scientific process and acquaint you with the latest developments in the field.
As a part of the program, you will work on a detailed research plan, get up-to-date with current literature, and deliver conference-style oral and written reports on your findings. There will also be multiple field visits and social activities to add to the list. It is important to note that this opportunity is highly selective with a 100-120 student cohort.
If you’re interested, you can look at our blog, which covers this program in detail!
3. UCSD’s Research Experience for High School Students (REHS)
Location: UC San Diego campus (San Diego, CA)
Application deadline: March 15, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous years’ dates)
Eligibility: All high school students who reside in San Diego.
Program dates: June 17 - August 9, 2025 (tentative, based on previous years’ dates)
Fees: $1,500 with research project.
The UCSD Research Experience for High School Students (REHS) offers high school students the chance to engage in real-world scientific research. This eight-week, volunteer-based program will allow you to work on established research projects at the UC San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC). Through hands-on learning, you will get the opportunity to experience the scientific method, from formulating hypotheses and designing experiments to analyzing data and drawing conclusions.
Active involvement in research and computational experiments will aid you in developing a solid grasp of both the theoretical and practical aspects of your area of interest, machine learning. You can choose from a range of computer-related projects that include ML. You will also get to join regular lab meetings and group discussions with professionals and researchers, fostering integral skills like teamwork, critical thinking, and communication and helping you become a part of the research community.
You can check out our in-depth piece on the program here!
4. The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Honors College, Lubbock, TX
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February.
Program Dates: 6-7 weeks between the months of June and August
Eligibility: Open to high school students who are at least 17 years of age by the program start date, rising senior, or have completed their senior year of high school.
Fees: No fees; a $750 stipend will be provided upon successful completion.
The Anson L. Clark Scholars Program is a highly selective program that provides twelve excelling high school students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in a seven-week intensive research program. You will gain hands-on experience by working with and under experienced faculty members and researchers at Texas Tech University. The program gives you the freedom to conduct an independent study and choose your field of interest.
If you are interested in ML, you can involve machine learning and its applications with computer science in your research, where you might get to work with virtual and augmented reality, big data visualization, visual analytics, statistical data, computer architectures, systems software, and more!
We’ve done a deep dive into this program, so if you are interested in it, you can view our guide here!
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: March 25, 2025 (tentatively, based on previous years’ dates)
Eligibility: Rising 10th graders in the summer are eligible to apply. You must be passionate about STEM and have a strong academic background.
Program dates: July 8 - July 26, 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates)
Fees: $4,000. Financial aid options are available.
Stanford A14ALL is a three-week virtual program that offers opportunities for high school students to learn about the dynamic field of machine learning and artificial intelligence. In the program, you will gain foundational knowledge about the field through lectures and interactive learning sessions and also gain exposure to AI in critical sectors such as healthcare, disaster management, poverty, and other global issues.
You will additionally gain hands-on experience as you get to collaborate in small groups on research projects under the guidance of graduate students and researchers specializing in AI and ML. These research projects will center on real-world problems, allowing you to apply your theoretical knowledge in practical situations - a skill that college admission officers value!
6. SPARK Summer Internship Program
Location: Greater Seattle Area/Virtual
Application Deadline: Applications for 2025 will open in March/April 2025
Program dates: Between June–August 2025 (tentatively, based on the previous year’s dates)
Eligibility: High school students studying in grades 9th-12th and enrolled in the United States.
Fees: None; some projects also include a stipend.
The SPARK Summer Internship Program (SPARK SIP) is a solid 8- to 10-week program for students to work on hands-on projects to explore real-world challenges. These hands-on projects will include research as a part of coming up with solutions. There have been multiple projects related to machine learning offered before, so we recommend looking at the project briefs to see what would suit your requirements.
Moreover, you will get to network and work with industry experts, professors, and community leaders in a professional setting. An added bonus is that you will be guided by a mentor throughout the course of your internship. Additionally, SPARK provides opportunities and resources that you can utilize to benefit your college applications.
7. Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, NY
Application Deadline: The applications typically close in February.
Program Dates: June 30, 2025 - August 8, 2025
Eligibility: High School students in their junior year at the time of application who are at least 16 years of age and are U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents.
Fees: No fees; however, you must cover transportation/and dining costs if you commute and residential costs if you choose to dorm on campus
The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University provides highly academically oriented high school students with the opportunity to engage in hands-on, novel scientific research. Over six weeks, you will collaborate with faculty mentors on research projects, immersing yourself in the complete research process. You will be matched with a faculty mentor, join a research group or team, and formulate questions as well as interpret and present data.
As a participant, you will gain access to advanced laboratory techniques, computational tools, and fieldwork. The program culminates in a research symposium, where you will present your research findings to faculty, peers, and guests!
Note. Although the list for 2025 projects has not been published, you can look at this list for examples of potential projects that you will work on.
8. Beaver Works Summer Institute at MIT
Location: Virtual/ Cambridge, MA
Application Deadline: March 2025 (tentatively, based on previous years’ dates)
Program Dates: four weeks between July and August
Eligibility: High school students between grades 9th and 11th. Seniors or rising college students will not be considered.
Fees: $1,750
The Beaver Works Summer Institute, supported by MIT’s School of Engineering and the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, offers high school students an immersive experience in advanced, hands-on STEM related to technology, ML, and AI. This four-week virtual and in-person program provides specialized courses in areas like robotics, quantum software, and serious game development with AI, among others.
You will work in a team to solve complex problems using modern technologies in project-based learning environments that mirror professional research settings. You will additionally be mentored by MIT faculty and researchers, enabling you to gain exposure to cutting-edge developments in ML in a collaborative yet competitive environment.
Do note that the online course is considered a prerequisite for the summer course offered subsequently, and it is mandatory to attend and participate in the summer course.
We have covered this program in detail, which you can check out in this blog here!
9. NASA OSTEM High School Program
Location: Multiple locations across the United States.
Application Deadline: February 28th, 2025 (Summer) and May 16th, 2025 (Fall)
Program dates: Tentatively, Summer Session (Early June- August), Fall session (Early September - December)
Eligibility: High school students have to meet the following criteria:
Be a U.S. citizen
Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
Be a minimum of 16 years of age at the time of application
Fees: No fees; some of the labs provide a stipend.
The NASA OSTEM High School Internship Program provides high school students with interest in space technology with exposure to multiple subject areas in the field. The internships are offered in a range of subjects and disciplines, including space science, engineering, aeronautics, technology, machine learning, computer science, and more. The internship is the perfect setting within which you can apply the theoretical knowledge you have garnered so far to real-world problems and find solutions through research.
The internship program also provides you with additional access to high-end NASA facilities and resources. You will gain hands-on experience within the world-class NASA labs, be a part of ongoing projects, and work together with technology experts. Some of the current internships offered by NASA that use applications of machine learning are:
Machine Learning for Multi-Sensor Fire and Smoke Detection in ODIN
Remote Sensing for Disaster Applications
Flight Interactive System Techniques and Sustainment
Air quality prediction using TEMPO data
You can explore different opportunities related to machine learning by using the filter option and choosing the location and project of your choice. If you are interested, we’ve created a guide to NASA’s internship programs, which you can check out here!
10. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internship Program
Location: Multiple locations across the US. You can check current opportunities here.
Application deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Eligibility: Those applying must be current high school students who are U.S. citizens. Additional eligibility requirements vary by location. Check details here.
Program Dates: Typically, in the summer months, specific dates vary from location to location.
Fees: No cost
The AEOP High School Internship Program offers high school students the chance to do fundamental research in a laboratory and delve into STEM-related careers. In this internship, you will get the opportunity to collaborate closely with a university researcher or a Department of Defense (DoD) scientist mentor on cutting-edge research projects. As an intern, you'll gain hands-on experience with advanced equipment and innovative techniques within modern lab environments while also having direct access to professional scientists and engineers.
If your interest lies in machine learning, there are research opportunities available that incorporate AI, coding, and ML applications. For example, you can explore projects with the laboratories incorporating these fields in their project. You can check out all related opportunities on this link.
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from.
You can find the application link here.
If you’re looking to build a project/research paper in the field of AI & ML, consider applying to Veritas AI!
Veritas AI is founded by Harvard graduate students. Through the programs, you get a chance to 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 AI & ML with us. You can apply here!
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