Genetics Programs for High School Students
EC Finder currently lists 61 genetics programs for high school students. Of these, 38 are free to participate in and 9 offer virtual participation. Examples include Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair (ACSEF), ASDRP (Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program), and ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest.
- 61
- listed
- 38
- free
- 9
- virtual
- 54
- with a listed deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are genetics programs for high school students?
- Genetics Programs for High School Students are curated extracurricular listings for high school students interested in genetics. Each listing includes eligibility, cost, and deadline details where known, so you can compare options and find the right fit for your college application profile.
- When are the application deadlines?
- 54 of the 61 programs listed here have a specific deadline month noted. Deadlines vary by program, so check each listing for exact dates.
- Are any of these programs free?
- Yes — 38 of the 61 programs listed here are free to participate in.
- Can I participate virtually?
- Yes — 9 of the 61 programs listed here offer virtual or online participation.
- Are genetics programs good for a college application?
- Yes — genetics programs are a common way for high schoolers to show sustained interest and initiative in genetics on college applications.
Related Categories
61 activities found·Browse by category
Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair (ACSEF)
If you live in Alameda county, this is your regional fair. Essential for qualifying for state/national genetics competitions.
ASDRP (Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program)
A non-profit research institute in Fremont. You join a research group for a semester or summer. Look for the "Genetics & Genomics" department projects.
ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest
Annual essay contest by the American Society of Human Genetics. 2025 Question asks about the challenges of genetic privacy.
Bay Area BioGENEius Challenge
The most rigorous biotechnology project competition. You must have original research (e.g., from a science fair project) to enter.
Baylor College of Medicine SMS Summer Research Program
An eight-week Houston-based lab internship for students who completed Baylor's Saturday Morning Science program, giving them full-time mentored research experience in an active BCM laboratory plus weekly professional-development sessions.
BioBuilder Summer Research Program
Two-week immersive synthetic biology lab program in Boston where rising 10th-12th graders design and engineer bacteria-based systems to solve real-world problems.
Biotech Partners (East Bay)
A vocational program for Berkeley/Oakland students that places you in paid internships at companies like Bayer or Grifols.
Broad Summer Scholars Program
A highly selective, tuition-free six-week Broad Institute program pairing Boston-area rising seniors with genomics scientists to conduct original research in areas like cancer biology, computational biology, and infectious disease.
Buck Institute for Research on Aging (Summer Scholars)
Located in Novato. Research focuses on molecular biology of aging. Projects involve significant genetics work (CRISPR, gene expression).
CIRM SPARK Program
Statewide, paid six-week California stem cell and regenerative medicine research internship for high schoolers, run at eleven partner institutions across CA.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Partners for the Future
A prestigious Long Island program that pairs students, nominated during junior year, with CSHL scientist mentors for original biomedical research from September through March, sometimes leading to co-authorship on published papers.
Coriell Institute Summer Experience for High School Students
A paid four-week internship in Camden, NJ where high schoolers rotate through Coriell Institute's biobanking, stem cell, and molecular biology labs, learning techniques like karyotyping and DNA extraction before presenting their work.
CSHL DNA Learning Center STARS STEM Program
Full-scholarship, two-week summer molecular biology and bioinformatics research experience for grades 10-12 at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's DNA Learning Center.
CU Anschutz Department of Pediatrics Summer Research
Summer research opportunity for high school seniors (must be 18+ at start of program) at Children's Hospital Colorado and the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, working in faculty labs on developmental biology and pediatric medicine projects. Application typically due February 1.
Delaware BioGENEius Challenge
A state-affiliate biotechnology research competition run by the Delaware Biotechnology Institute at the University of Delaware, feeding into the International BioGENEius Challenge with original biotech/genetics research.
Duke Cell Biology Academy (CeBA)
Paid 6-week summer research program for Research Triangle-area high schoolers to conduct mentored cell and molecular biology research in Duke University labs.
Fox Chase Cancer Center Immersion Science Program
Free Philadelphia-based laboratory training program for high schoolers 16+, including a hands-on molecular biology training lab and an advanced Summer Fellows research track.
Fred Hutch Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
A paid eight-week Seattle-based cancer research internship for 11th-12th graders with little to no prior research experience, opening with two weeks of lab-technique training before mentored work in a Fred Hutch research group.
Genes in Space
Design a DNA experiment (PCR, etc.) to be performed on the International Space Station. Winners get their experiment launched to space.
Genetics Immersion Program (University of Michigan)
A free six-week summer research program in which high schoolers are paired with a Ph.D. or postdoctoral mentor in the University of Michigan Department of Human Genetics to design and run an original genetics research project, with a stipend, free transportation, and daily meals provided.
Genome Science Camp (Cold Spring Harbor DNA Learning Center)
An advanced hands-on genomics camp at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's DNA Learning Center for students entering grades 11-12 with a genetics or AP Biology background, who manufacture Taq DNA polymerase and use it in PCR-based genomic analysis of several organisms.
Genspace Biorocket Youth Research Internship
A community-lab internship teaching genetic-engineering and biology lab skills plus science communication, with scientific mentors, lab tours, and field trips.
Golden Gate STEM Fair (GGSF)
The ISEF-affiliated fair for the SF Bay Area. You must enter the "Biological Sciences" category with a genetics project.
HudsonAlpha Biotech Academy
A four-week summer program for teacher-nominated high schoolers focused on genetics, genomics, and biotechnology.
HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
While based in Alabama, they offer excellent virtual bioinformatics short courses ("Code of Life") for high schoolers.
iGEM High School Division
International synthetic biology competition where high school teams design, build, and test genetically engineered systems using standard biological parts.
International BioGENEius Challenge
The most prestigious high school biotech research competition, entered via 13 state partner competitions or an At-Large virtual track with original research in drug discovery, genetic engineering, or environmental sustainability.
JBEI iCLEM (Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology)
Held at the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville. Focuses on synthetic biology and microbial genetics. Paid stipend provided.
Kaiser Permanente KP LAUNCH
Paid summer internship. You must apply to the "Laboratory" or "Research" tracks to get exposure to medical genetics/pathology.
LLNL Biotech Summer Experience
A 2-week intensive at Lawrence Livermore National Lab. You will sequence gene fragments from Landoltia punctata (duckweed) and publish data to GenBank.
LLNL Biotechnology Summer Experience
A free two-week program engaging students in an authentic molecular-biology/bioinformatics research project isolating, characterizing, and sequencing duckweed genes.
Mayo Clinic HERO (Healthcare Experience and Research in Oncology)
A two-week virtual Mayo Clinic program where Midwest high school students collaborate with peers on a genetics-based cancer research project and a patient case study to explore oncology and clinical care.
MSK HOPP Summer Student Program
A highly selective eight-week paid lab internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for NYC-area high school juniors, where students conduct an independent, mentor-supported cancer research project in a translational oncology lab.
NextGen High School Internship Program (Emory Human Genetics)
A paid summer internship in Emory University's Department of Human Genetics for rising high school juniors and seniors age 16+, combining foundational lectures with lab and clinical rotations to expose students from diverse backgrounds to genetics and biomedical careers.
NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)
A paid summer research internship placing graduating high school seniors and older students directly in NIH labs across the country, working alongside NIH scientists on biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research projects.
NYU Langone High School Bioethics Project Internship
An NYU Langone Medical Ethics internship where high schoolers work with faculty on real bioethics issues like genetic testing, transplant ethics, and clinical consent, producing case studies and lesson materials.
ProjectCSGIRLS (Bioinformatics)
While CS focused, many winning projects use code to solve genetics problems (Bioinformatics). Open to 8th-12th grade (Select tracks).
Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
An ultra-selective, tuition-free seven-week research program where NY/NJ/CT high school juniors and seniors join lab teams at Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell for hands-on biomedical research under scientist mentors.
Rosetta Institute Molecular Medicine Workshops
Held at UC Berkeley. You must apply for the "Molecular Biology of Cancer" or "Bioinformatics" workshops.
Seattle Children's Research Institute Research Training Program
Free, paid four-week lab immersion for Seattle-area 10th/11th graders covering biochemistry, immunotherapy, gene editing, and infectious disease research.
St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program
A paid eight-week summer research program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for Memphis-area rising seniors, who pair with a mentor on a lab, epidemiology, clinical, or data-science project related to childhood cancer.
Stanford GRIPS (Genomics Research Internship Program)
The "Gold Standard" for high school genetics. You work in a lab for 8 weeks on computational genetics and genomics projects.
Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
3-week intensive courses. Specific course titles to look for: "Bioscience" or "Investigations in Genetics".
Stanford SIMR - Genetics & Genomics Track
A selective eight-week paid internship where juniors/seniors do full-time lab research under Stanford mentors, with a dedicated Genetics & Genomics track alongside Bioinformatics, Stem Cell, and Cancer Biology.
The Jackson Laboratory (JAX)
Famous for mouse genetics. They occasionally offer virtual high school programs or remote bioinformatics internships.
UC Berkeley ATDP (Academic Talent Development Program)
Highly accelerated courses. Look for "AP Biology" or "Genetics" in the Secondary Division course catalog.
UC Davis COSMOS (Cluster 8: Biotechnology)
A 4-week residential program. Apply specifically for Cluster 8 (Biotechnology) at UC Davis, which focuses on genetics and agricultural genomics.
UC Davis Young Scholars Program (YSP)
A 6-week residential research program. You must request the Biology/Genetics projects, which often involve plant genomics or molecular biology.
UCSC Science Internship Program (SIP)
A 9-week internship at UC Santa Cruz. You are matched with a faculty mentor. You must specifically apply for the Biomolecular Engineering or Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology tracks.
UCSF Summer Student Research Program
Formerly CHORI, this is a rigorous 9-week program in Oakland. It focuses heavily on biomedical research, including genetic diseases (e.g., sickle cell, thalassemia).
University at Albany RNA Institute High School Bioinformatics Summer Camp
A competitive virtual camp training students to analyze RNA-sequencing data through live lectures and mentorship, with an independent bioinformatics project based in neurodegenerative-disease research.
University of Michigan Genetics Immersion Program (GIP)
A six-week paid in-person experience working in active genetics/genomics labs with graduate-student mentors, with training in DNA analysis, genetic screening, and molecular biology.
University of Toledo Summer Biomedical Science Program in Bioinformatics
A summer bioinformatics program for high schoolers entering grades 10-12.
Urban Barcode Research Program (UBRP)
A Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center mentorship program where NYC-area high schoolers use DNA barcoding lab techniques to study local biodiversity over the school year, presenting their findings at a research symposium.
USA Biology Olympiad (USABO)
A pure exam competition. 25% of the exam is Genetics & Evolution. Requires registration through your school.
USA Biolympiad (USABO)
The premier US high school biology olympiad, genetics-heavy, run by the Center for Excellence in Education, progressing from an online Open Exam through a semifinal to 20 finalists at a residential national finals, selecting the US team for IBO.
USC Bridge Institute BUGS Jr. Program
Paid summer research program pairing high schoolers with USC faculty labs across biological disciplines, culminating in a poster symposium.
Van Andel Institute High School Graduate Research Program
8-week paid research experience for recent Grand Rapids-area high school graduates working in Van Andel Institute labs spanning genetics, epigenetics, and molecular biology.
Vanderbilt Aspirnaut Summer Research Internship
A six-week residential biomedical research internship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for high schoolers nationwide, who work full-time in a lab on projects ranging from kidney disease to cancer alongside paid room, board, and stipend.
Waksman Student Scholars Program (Rutgers)
A year-long program at Rutgers University in which high school students and their teachers conduct authentic genomic sequence analysis research on the duckweed species Landoltia punctata, beginning with a summer institute and continuing as a class or club project through the school year.
WPI Bioinformatics & Computational Biology (BCB) Summer Research Experience
A program where high schoolers apply math and CS to biological/medical problems through lectures, journal clubs, and lab work.
ECFinder provides links to outside extracurricular opportunities for informational purposes only. Students and families should research each program before applying. ECFinder does not operate or control the listed organizations and is not responsible for their actions or policies.