Boston University’s Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) program is a structured opportunity where rising high school seniors complete university laboratory research. For over 40 years, this program has given high school students the chance to explore more deeply STEM topics of interest – from psychology and computer science to engineering and biology.
BU RISE operates in two tracks: internship and practicum. The internship allows for students to work alongside Boston University researchers, advancing faculty’s current research. The practicum track allows students to join a computational research project in defined subject areas.
For students evaluating summer research programs for high school students, this guide serves as a resource to learn more about this featured program. In this guide, we will walk through the application process, important deadlines, and this program’s prestige so motivated high school students can make the most informed decision about BU RISE.
Through its selectivity and university-driven nature, BU Rise could very well be considered a prestigious program. Programs that are highly selective could signal a willingness to prioritize academic ability and quality mentorship. Internship and practicum students work alongside Boston University researchers, meaning that the program’s academic quality is overseen by university faculty.
University-driven programs are preferable because they can signal a rigorous academic experience in its oversight. You can read more about the importance of university-driven programs – and a list of similar programs – in our comprehensive guide to research opportunities for high school students.
More impressive than the prestige of the program, however, is the impact of a program on a student. Activities that result in substantial personal growth will carry more weight than simply amassing a number of good-sounding programs that lack any depth.
Because this program is highly selective and competitive, it is difficult to get in BU RISE’s internship and practicum tracks. In 2025, around 190 students attended the program.
In order to apply to BU RISE, applicants must meet the following requirements:
To be considered, prospective applicants must complete an application on Boston University’s website. The BU RISE application includes the following components:
The tuition for the BU RISE program is $5,930, with an additional $75 application fee. There are additional costs, especially if a student chooses the residential track over the commuter track. You can find the full breakdown of costs below:
Should a residential student need to use the on-campus student-health services, each visit will incur a $25 charge.
The BU RISE Internship/Practicum does offer financial aid. However, aid is only need-based and incredibly limited. Prospective applicants interested in obtaining need-based aid are encouraged to check BU RISE’s tuition page on the program website.
The BU RISE program does not require a minimum GPA. However, the program does mention that the most competitive applicants tend to have a GPA in the A- to A range when unweighted.
International students can not apply to the BU RISE program, as it is only open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
The BU RISE program contains two research tracks: internship and practicum.
In the internship, program participants will work alongside Boston University faculty and graduate students to complete research projects. The scope of the research project is determined by the faculty, and students will present their findings at a program-concluding poster symposium, where participants present independent research findings.
RISE students can choose research in a variety of subject areas, including astronomy, biomedical engineering, mathematics, nutrition, physics, and public health.
In the practicum, students will start off their academic days with directed, two hour lectures on a topic within the subject area. Afterwards, they will transition into the research lab, working on projects with Boston University researchers.
In opposition to the internship, there are a limited number of subject areas in the practicum track. In 2026, for reference, the subject areas were Computational Neurobiology and Data Science.
Both the practicum and internship students gather weekly to attend joint professional development workshops, in addition to weekend area excursions. Additionally, both tracks are full-time commitments, totaling around 40 hours a week between research, development workshops, and other professional programming. These workshops, aimed at improving students’ readiness for college, could be a variety of topics, such as research ethics, working on academic and professional skills, or research talks.
While both internship and practicum students complete research, the internship track allows for students to complete more open-ended, individual research topics with a faculty mentor. On the other hand, students in the practicum track conduct group research within a structured, pre-defined research project, working collaboratively to computationally explore a pre-defined area of focus.
For high school students looking to complete research in STEM fields, the BU RISE program provides an amazing opportunity to connect with college-level researchers and pursue a topic of interest. This program would be a good fit for those interested better understanding research methods; potential subject areas of interest would include electrical and computer engineering, medical laboratory research, or physics scientific research.
Whether students work independently in the intern track, or work collaboratively with the practicum team, students will be well-equipped with the research skills needed to succeed in college.
Those looking to learn more about research programs for high school students can check out our article categorizing them here. Some select programs that are similar to BU RISE include the following:
For high school students searching for prestigious summer research programs respected and valued by colleges, Pioneer Academics is a great alternative to this featured program.
Based on a recent survey from Pioneer Academics alumni, 71 percent of Pioneer Research scholars’ college admissions records were to the top 20 US colleges and universities. Six percent of Pioneer’s alumni attended university-affiliated summer programs.
If you’re interested in conducting the highest level of research for high school students, consider joining a Pioneer information session to learn more about the Pioneer Research Institute.
If you are a 9th or 10th grader, you should check out the Global Problem-Solving Institute today. You’ll have the rare opportunity to study current world problems in an interdisciplinary approach and earn college credits from UNC-Chapel Hill at a young age.
Based on previous years, the BU RISE admission decisions are released in mid March to early April.
Although it may help inform the reason for applying or narrowing a research area, prior research experience is not a prerequisite for admission into the BU RISE program.
The BU RISE Internship/Practicum has both residential and commuter tracks, meaning that students can choose to live on campus or off campus, if they have ties to the area around Boston University
Historically, the application deadline for the BU RISR program is in early February. There usually is a one week window for school materials (e.g., official transcripts, recommendation letters) to be accepted after the deadline. However, the application itself (e.g., essays, resumes, etc.) need to be submitted at the earlier deadline.
While the program does not officially release statistics, BU RISE is estimated to receive between 1,000 to 1,500 applications each year. This is based on the program’s reported acceptance rate and number of yearly participants.
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