Psychology is the 5th most popular undergraduate major, according to Coursera. Psychology research programs for high school students provide a great way to explore questions and topics intriguing to the researcher, like neuroscience or cognition.
Psychology is a widely applicable field, as an interest in psychology can translate to a variety of career opportunities after college. One could become a psychologist or clinical researcher, or they can pivot easily into private industry, specializing in management, sales, or market research.
In this guide, we have compiled a list of the most well-known and competitive psychology research programs and competitions for high school students. This article will include the information for various high-quality programs, compare them against one another, and mention the opportunities that await those who complete a psychology research program.
There are a multitude of research programs for high school students across all academic disciplines. Despite this, they tend to fall into three broad categories: university-driven, non-profit-driven, and independent mentor matching:
While this is a brief introduction to the different types of research programs, we encourage you to look at our in-depth analysis on these program types, which includes the “pros and cons” of each, as well as a list of programs that fall within them.
The best psychology research programs are university-driven because these programs apply collegiate standards to their research programs. As such, admissions officers can trust that these programs are academically rigorous experiences. There are also select non-profit opportunities provide analogous experiences.
In-person university-driven programs sometimes provide a student with laboratory experience. However, one should ensure that such lab internships allow for close familiarity with the research process.
Research programs can be broken out further into full research programs and research internships. Full research entails that the student researcher has full license over the research process (e.g., question-forming, data collection, paper writing, etc.), whereas internships usually restrict student involvement to one aspect of the research process. While one is not necessarily better than the other, such a difference should be recognize to best inform your choice of a program.
We evaluated these programs for the following criteria:
The following 16 programs are the best psychology research opportunities for high school students because they are all university-driven or quality non-profit opportunities – they are highly selective programs with a known reputation for stellar academic rigor. All programs on this list belong to the upper echelon of psychology research programs.
The Simons Summer Research program is a well-respected university-driven research opportunity for high school students. Students in the Simons program work to support the research of Stony Brook professors. This program is not specific to psychology – rather, there are a number of faculty mentors in all STEM fields, and, historically, there are a number of behavior-based mentors (whether it be psychology or neuroscience).
For a more in-depth look at the Simons program, including what students do within the program and its value for college admission, we recommend you read our full guide to the Simons Summer Research Program.
The Pioneer Research Institute is best suited for exceptionally-talented high school students looking to perform original research under the mentorship of a university professor. The Pioneer Research Institute is fully virtual and open to students of all high school ages, and students interested in psychology should apply specifically to the psychology research area.
The Pioneer Research Institute is akin to an upperclassmen college seminar or independent research studies in junior or senior year. Pioneer Academics is internationally known for its rigorous academic standards and undergraduate-level rigor.
To learn more about the Pioneer Research Institute, including information about if it is worth it, acceptance rate, and application requirements, you can read our comprehensive guide to Pioneer.
The NIH Summer Internship Program is best suited for those who wish to complete laboratory-based psychology research with researchers at the cutting edge of their field. In 2026, the former NIH high school program (NIH HS-SIP) was combined into NIH’s undergraduate research program; SIP is open for applications to high school seniors who graduate prior to/during the summer program.
This program is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is the US’ national agency devoted to biomedical and public health research. In 2013, ~6300 applications were filtered down to ~1000 interns, making the acceptance rate ~15%.
The program is broadly open to STEM students, but each year will have some mentee positions available specifically within psychology-focused research labs.
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is a highly selective summer research opportunity best suited for those with ties to the Stanford University area. This is a university-driven laboratory research experience.
In this program, participants will gain first-hand scientific research experience in biological sciences and medicine by practicing with Stanford assistant professors, postdoctoral scholars, researchers and graduate students.
For more specific information about SIMR, including information about cost, what students within the program do, and value for college admission, we recommend you read our guide to the Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research program.
This program is best suited for high school students looking to be involved within a team-based research group. Each year, only 32 students are selected to participate in the program.
This is a full research experience, with the student-researchers coming up with a research question and collecting data for it within the seven-week program. Student-researchers are mentored by Rockefeller University graduate students and faculty.
The program does not help with housing/accommodations, so those interested in the program are encouraged to have ties to the New York City area.
Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC) lets students connect with professional scientists to explore academic research opportunities and core neuroscience principles in depth. The BRAINYAC program provides great insights for students interested in lab-based psychology research.
The program is designed to provide an immersive, hands-on research experience to its participants. This program is best suited for high school students living around New York City who want to complete a laboratory research experience.
This program is perfect for high school students looking to gain hands-on experience with cutting edge technology. This volunteer program would be a great way to learn about psychology mentorship and learn from expert research mentors.
At the end of the term, students will present some of their findings in a high school symposium, bolstering presentation and public speaking skills, in addition to laboratory sciences this program teaches.
This program works best for anyone looking to gain exposure to research and are intrigued by taking an interdisciplinary approach to their area of interest. For psychology, this may mean working in psychology along with linguistics, neuroscience, or biology, among other subject areas.
SHTEM allows high schoolers to work alongside faculty on real research problems in science, technology, engineering, humanities and mathematics.
This program is not restricted to students from a certain geographic area, but students and families are responsible for obtaining their own housing; SHTEM will not provide on-campus housing.
The Boston University RISE internship/practicum is best suited for those who would be interested in conducting research under the mentorship of a Boston University professor.
In the internship track, students will be contributing to the research projects of their mentors, allowing the student to gain valuable insights into the research process. For the practicum track, students will conduct research in conjunction with group lectures on the chosen topic.
BU RISE is a highly competitive and selective program that has been in operation for 45 years. This program is intended to bolster students’ general understanding of the research process.
George Mason University ASSIP is best suited for high school students who would be interested in contributing to the research of a George Mason University professor.
This program allows students to contribute to the research of George Mason research groups. While this is not a psychology-specific program, each year, there are historically psychology mentors that offer internships.
This internship opportunity is unique, as there are some virtual and some in-person opportunities. Virtual internships are not geographically limited. For in-person opportunities, students are expected to secure their own transportation to George Mason’s campuses.
This program is best suited for graduated high school seniors interested in collaborating with respected scientists in an internship setting. Program participants will gain laboratory research experience and, at the end of the program, present their research to friends and family.
The Jackson Laboratory particularly looks at how genetics and genomics interplay with biological systems, so those interested in psychology would be best advised to look at the list of research mentors to see who best aligns with their interest.
While the Jackson Laboratory SSP operates on two campuses, only the Bar Harbor location is eligible for non-college undergraduates to apply.
This program is best suited for high school students who wish to undergo research internship-like experience mentored by graduate students and/or faculty at UC Santa Barbara.
Students will choose research projects that align with their own interests, learn more about those research projects in virtual sessions with those involved with the research, and support them through data collection, analysis, or surveying existing literature.
Students will earn college credit for successfully completing the research techniques and presentation aspects of the program.
CNI-X is best suited for those looking for an overview of the research methods across neuroscience and psychology, as opposed to a deep dive into a specific neuroscience project.
Students will be introduced to the basic concepts that govern how clinical neuroscientists and psychologists think, being introduced to topics like Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience, psychological disorders, and Forensic Psychiatry. Students will practice their problem solving abilities through hands on activities and thoughtful discussions.
CNI-X is taught by Stanford faculty. Housing is not provided for this program, so students/families are responsible for securing their own housing and travel arrangements.
The following entries are for a high school student to submit their original, eligible, already-completed research. Nevertheless, these are well-respected non-profit-sponsored opportunities to showcase psychology research.
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship is an award for high school students who have completed significant contributions to scholarship in their youth. Through this application, students have the ability to win a $25,000, $50,000, or $100,000 scholarship.
This scholarship is offered through the Davidson Institute, a world-renowned and highly-respected not-for-profit organization supporting the development of gifted-and-talented youth to reach their potential.
Students interested in psychology could apply to the Davidson Fellows Scholarship through either the “Science” or “Outside the Box” tracks.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) is a research competition where students submit their original research for potential awards.
Regeneron STS is not necessarily a vehicle to complete research, but it is a well-known non-profit-led competition for recognizing the exceptional, original research of high school students.
The Regeneron ISEF is a national high school science fair meant to showcase leading science research.
To be eligible, students must earn an invite to the national fair through their achievement in a local affiliated competition. Similar to Regeneron STS, this is not a way of completing research, but a way of showcasing already-completed original research.
Top research at ISEF is eligible to be commended with cash prizes.
The research programs above can be compared using this strategic table, placing their eligibility requirements, acceptance rates, and program types next to each other. For this table, only psychology research opportunities are included; research competitions have been omitted:
In sum, the majority of programs on this list are internship-based. For students looking to complete independent research projects with faculty mentors, Pioneer Academics, Rockefeller Summer Science Program, and Columbia BRAINYAC stand out as the best programs to achieve that goal.
When comparing all the factors, prestige, college credit, and research ownership, Pioneer Academics stands out as a top psychology research program for high school students.
The Pioneer Research Institute is open to students from all high school ages, is institutionally backed through its collaboration with Oberlin College, and allows for the student researcher to have the greatest amount of autonomy over driving all facets of the research process (e.g., coming up with the research question, data collection, data analysis, etc.).
Based on a recent survey from Pioneer Academics alumni, 71 percent of Pioneer Research scholars’ acceptances were to the top 20 US colleges and universities.
For high school students interested in completing high-level psychology research, many high-quality research programs exist to obtain a deeper understanding into one’s academic interests and connecting scientific insights with intellectual curiosity.
When evaluating programs, one should consider the organization offering the program, as university-driven and non-profit driven opportunities tend to provide the most rigorous, and thus impactful, research experiences.
Psychology research opportunities for high school students offer engaging avenues to find specific areas of interest within the research field and can serve as a springboard for future academic or professional pursuits. Students interested in psychology could be interested in such topics as clinical psychology and mental health, and how emotional development will affect human behavior and human nature.
Depending on the quality of the organization, psychology research programs can be worthwhile experiences for high school students.
When a research program is offered by a university or non-profit organization, usually these programs are backed by oversight to ensure a rigorous experience for all who complete the program. This rigor will allow participants to get the most realistic feel to a collegiate or professional experience, informing them on if research is something they truly enjoy.
Moreover, the more rigorous and trusted an entity is, the better it will reflect on places where it is cited, like a college application.
For the high-quality university-driven and non-profit research programs mentioned on this list, acceptance tends to be highly competitive and selective. Prospective applicants are encouraged to strengthen their application through as much as they can by diligently revising application essays and selecting recommenders (if the application allows for recommenders) who are in the best position to assess a student’s academic ability and potential.
Because of the rigorous nature of the research undertaken, these programs have to ensure that the students accepted can handle its rigor.
What students within psychology research programs do depends on the specific program. For laboratory internships, students often work alongside faculty mentors, contributing to a single or limited aspect of an already established research question.
For full research opportunities, students have more autonomy over the direction of their research, coming up with the research question, driving the methodology, and completing their own independent data analysis. Students practice analytical thinking skills to decipher complex data into easily-understandable outcomes.
One is not necessarily better than the other – students should decide the extent to which driving the research process is important to them.
There is some overlap between psychology and neuroscience subjects, but they are slightly different: neuroscience focuses on the scientific processes that underpin brain activity, which psychology focuses on human behavior changes influenced by the brain.
It depends on the psychology program, as Pioneer Academics, George Mason ASSIP, and UC Santa Barbara RMP all offer college credit, while the others within this list do not. In lieu of college credit, some programs offer stipends, while others are strictly volunteer opportunities intended solely to bolster one’s research skills.
From undertaking psychological science research, students advance their critical thinking and scientific thinking skills. Students practice their decision making and analytical skills, intangibles that many universities value on college applications, are necessary for catalyzing personal growth, and essential for everyday life.
Students receive exposure to basic topics in cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and behavioral science. Students learn scientific literature to investigate major branches within psychology, like social psychology and brain science.
As a social science, psychology research can also allow for a better understanding of real world issues pertaining to the nature of groups and individuals. Through research, students explore topics, from group dynamics and social interactions, to the human nervous system and coping mechanisms.
Psychology research need not be restricted to a laboratory study of brain science, it can also study mental illness and cognitive biases.
Doing research is commonplace. How do you choose the research opportunity that makes a difference?
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