Maybe you searched “research programs for high school students in Philadelphia” expecting a short, clear list — and instead found a mix of hospital internships, museum fellowships, and dual-enrollment courses, with little indication of which ones actually involve original research.
Philadelphia holds one of the densest concentrations of research institutions in the country — teaching hospitals, independent scientific institutes, and major research universities all within a few square miles — which means real opportunities exist.
The challenge is telling a genuine research experience apart from a structured internship or an enrichment course, since the differences matter more than most program websites let on. This guide sorts through thirteen current, high-quality options, verified directly against each program’s own site, so a student can see exactly what a program asks of them — and what it gives back — before applying.
Original research asks something coursework rarely does: sustained, independent engagement with a question that doesn’t have an answer key. When students engage with a real research problem for several weeks or a full year, they develop habits of mind that a single AP exam cannot replicate: reading scientific literature, forming a hypothesis, tolerating a failed experiment, and revising an argument in response to new evidence. Research experience can complement academic achievement by showing that a student can pursue challenging questions independently.
For high school students interested in research and scientific careers, Philadelphia’s ecosystem is accessible for a major city. Between its university-affiliated laboratories, biomedical science institutes, and hospital-based training programs, high schoolers here have a genuine shot at working alongside practicing scientists rather than simply observing them.
For a broader look at how to evaluate research opportunities beyond this list, our general guide to choosing a summer research program walks through additional considerations.
The highest quality research programs for high school students fall into two categories:
The strongest programs tend to share two qualities: a high degree of student agency in shaping the research direction, and meaningful institutional oversight that ensures academic rigor. Programs run by universities, government bodies, and established non-profits typically possess these qualities, giving students the closest approximation to what college-level research actually looks like, making the experience valuable college preparation.
To read more about the different types of research programs available, and how they differ from popular “independent mentor-matching” services, read our comprehensive guide on choosing the best research opportunities.
The programs below were selected based on:
Pennsylvania students at The Wistar Institute engage directly in active biomedical research projects, gaining experience in laboratory research inside a dedicated training laboratory, rather than working on a simulated or standalone exercise.
The Wistar Institute is an independent nonprofit research center, with a depth of lab access it offers rivals many university-affiliated programs. Selected participants in this four week program may also apply for an additional, individually mentored cancer-research extension later in the summer.
Pioneer Research Institute allows high school students to work students one-on-one with a university professor to design and complete an original research paper, working within a research area of their choosing rather than a fixed curriculum.
Because the program is fully virtual, it is open to Philadelphia students regardless of which part of the city or surrounding suburbs they live in, with no daily commute required. Students design their own research question; the faculty mentor mentors the researcher, empowering the student to complete research.
For a full breakdown of admissions, cost, and whether the program is worth it, see our comprehensive guide to Pioneer Academics.
MIT PRIMES-USA pairs students with graduate students and faculty from MIT and other universities for a full year of original mathematics research, conducted remotely and rigorous oversight. Applicants are expected to arrive with a strong proof-based math background; juniors work on individual or group projects, while sophomores work in groups.
For a closer look at eligibility and the application timeline, read our MIT PRIMES-USA participation guide.
CHOP-RISES is structured as a multi-summer progression for select Philadelphia students rather than a single-summer program. The first summer emphasizes laboratory training, skill-building and professional development at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Students who continue into the eight-week second summer complete an independent research project, culminating in a poster presentation alongside undergraduate students.
An optional third summer allows graduates to continue hands-on research and, depending on the length of their placement. Priority is given to students from West Philadelphia and schools with a historical partnership with CHOP-RISES.
Each PREHSS participant is assigned to a specific Penn laboratory and mentor, working within disciplines that have included biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and psychology, before presenting findings at a closing symposium.
Penn’s School of Arts & Sciences has paused open applications for 2026 due to changes in research-grant funding, continuing the program on a limited basis while it plans to reopen full admissions in 2027. Make sure to confirm program status directly before planning around it.
ESAP places students in one of seven intensive, credit-bearing engineering courses — among them artificial intelligence, biotechnology, robotics, and nanotechnology — combining classroom theory with lab-based practical work at Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.
It is structured as coursework rather than an open-ended research project, so students looking specifically for an independent research experience should weigh it against Penn’s own PREHSS program above. For a closer look at courses, cost, and admissions odds, read our ESAP participation guide.
This apprenticeship, recently renamed in honor of physician-scientist Dr. Charis Eng, places students directly into a working lab at the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit institute focused on taste and smell research. This program is specifically positioned to provide those from historically underrepresented backgrounds access to research experience and cutting-edge STEM concepts.
Over a single, intensive week, students shadow pediatric orthopedic surgeries, attend clinical roundtables, and develop a research-idea proposal under the guidance of Shriners Children’s Philadelphia clinicians. It is a shorter and less research-intensive commitment than most programs on this list, better suited to students interested in medical research and clinical medicine than one seeking a sustained independent project.
SSP places small teams of students on a university campus to conduct original, faculty-mentored research in one of three research tracks, working with real astronomical or biochemical data, including through data analysis, rather than a pre-packaged lab exercise. Philadelphia itself does not host a campus, but Lehigh University’s site in Bethlehem is within day-trip distance.
For more on how SSP compares to other options, see our full guide to the Summer Science Program.
Students at the Blumberg Institute design and run experimental molecular biology projects connected to the Institute’s hepatitis B and liver-disease research, alongside professional seminars from working scientists. It sits just outside Philadelphia proper in Doylestown, so students without their own transportation should confirm commuting logistics before applying.
TRIP combines career exploration, hands-on experimentation, and one-on-one mentoring at Fox Chase Cancer Center, a Temple Health-affiliated research institute. The current cycle runs during the school year rather than over the summer, meeting weekly from early fall through early November, which makes it a distinct option for a student who wants a research experience without giving up an entire summer, while supporting their future careers as a researcher.
Run by The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, home to the Mütter Museum, this fellowship pairs students with an instructor to develop an independent research project over a full academic year, culminating in a poster presentation. Current program tracks include “Girls One Diaspora” and “Out4STEM.” Its year-round, once-weekly structure makes it a realistic option for students who cannot commit to a full summer elsewhere.
This paid role blends museum education with light citizen-science work, including water-quality testing of the Delaware River. It is best understood as a public-facing internship rather than a research program in the strict sense, but the citizen-science component gives students genuine, if limited, exposure to environmental data collection.
The right program depends less on prestige and more on fit. A student drawn to mathematics and comfortable with proof-based work will get far more out of MIT PRIMES-USA than out of a hospital shadowing week; a student who wants to explore clinical medicine before committing to a full research project might prefer the shorter, lower-stakes format of the Shriners immersion program.
Timing matters as much as subject area. Several strong Philadelphia options — PREHSS, and to some extent TRIP — have shifted their schedules or paused open applications in recent cycles, so confirming a program’s current-year status directly with the program is a necessary step. Programs with a fully virtual format, like Pioneer Research Institute and MIT PRIMES-USA, sidestep this problem somewhat, since they do not depend on a single summer commuting window and remain open to students regardless of where in the Philadelphia area they live.
For a student weighing a virtual, individually mentored research year against a shorter in-person lab placement, the trade-off is worth thinking through directly. In-person programs offer proximity to working scientists and, often, a stipend. Pioneer Research Institute offers sustained one-on-one mentorship and a completed research paper in a subject of the student’s choosing, without depending on a single summer or a specific commute.
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.
Based on a recent survey, 71 percent of Pioneer Research scholars’ acceptances were to the top 20 US colleges and universities. Additionally, our alumni report acceptances to highly-selective institutions at a rate five times higher than the school’s published acceptance rate.
If you are a 9th or 10th grader, we encourage you to also check out the Global Problem-Solving Institute. You’ll have the rare opportunity to take an interdisciplinary approach to complex world programs, while earning college credits from UNC-Chapel Hill.
There is no single “best” program — the strongest options depend on a student’s subject interest, grade level, and how much time they can commit. Among Philadelphia-area programs, The Wistar Institute and CHOP-RISES stand out for their depth of laboratory access in biomedical and health sciences research, while Pioneer Research Institute and MIT PRIMES-USA offer the most sustained, individually mentored research experiences, delivered virtually rather than through a single summer commute. Each is covered in detail above, including eligibility and cost.
Cost varies widely. Several Philadelphia hospital- and nonprofit-based programs — including Wistar, CHOP-RISES, Shriners, and TRIP — are free and pay students a stipend for participation. University-affiliated and virtual programs tend to charge tuition, though both the Pioneer Research Institute and Summer Science Program commit to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need.
Most of Philadelphia’s hospital- and nonprofit-affiliated research programs — including The Wistar Institute, CHOP-RISES, Shriners Children’s Philadelphia, and the Teen Research Internship Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center — are free to attend and provide a completion stipend, since they are funded through the sponsoring institution rather than participant tuition. The Pioneer Research Institute will offer full financial aid to those who demonstrate need, making the program free for cost-conscious households.
The distinction comes down to ownership of the work. In a research program, students typically develop their own questions and work on their own research projects under faculty or scientist mentorship. In an internship, a student more often supports an existing project — through data entry, lab assistance, or shadowing — without driving its direction. Several programs on this list, like CHOP-RISES and the Wohlreich Junior Fellows Program, blend both models across a multi-summer or multi-year structure.
Most Philadelphia research programs for high schoolers, including PRI, Wistar, and CHOP-RISES, are designed for students with no prior research background at all, and instead evaluate applicants on academic preparation and motivation. A smaller number, like MIT PRIMES-USA, additionally look for demonstrated aptitude in the relevant subject area, such as a strong proof-based math background.
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