High School Summer Program
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
A 10-week paid summer research program in Houston for Texas high school seniors who are heading to college in the fall. Students run a biomedical research project with a faculty mentor and attend research seminars.
Who should apply
Texas seniors with a college acceptance in hand who want a serious paid research summer before freshman year. There is a stated preference for students interested in allied health careers, so this fits future imaging techs, respiratory therapists, lab scientists, and similar paths, not just future doctors.
Eligibility
- Current senior at a Texas public, private, charter, or home high school
- Graduating the spring before the program begins
- At least 18 years old by the first day of the program
- Accepted to a college or university starting the fall right after the program
- US citizen, permanent resident, or holder of a visa allowing US employment
- Preference for students interested in allied health career paths
- No prior research experience required
- Must attend all 10 weeks
What you get
- 10 weeks full time, roughly June 1 to August 7
- $7,200 for the 10 weeks before taxes, or $6,480 for a nine-week schedule
- A biomedical research project guided by full-time MD Anderson faculty
- Instruction in basic lab techniques
- Seminars across many research topics
- A final research presentation, with some student work contributing to publications
What the application involves
- Online application submitted during the mid-November to mid-January window
- Proof of college acceptance for the coming fall
- Documentation of work eligibility
- Contact RATrevino1@mdanderson.edu for the current materials list
Application tips
- Apply during senior fall, not after graduation. The window closes in January, months before you finish high school.
- Look at MD Anderson's School of Health Professions programs before you write. Naming a specific allied health career you are curious about will read as genuine.
- You must secure your own housing, meals, and transportation in Houston. Work that out before you accept, because the stipend arrives over the summer, not up front.
- Only a small number of students are selected each year, so treat every essay answer as your one shot to sound specific rather than general.
- Double check your 18th birthday against the start date. Being 17 on day one is a hard disqualifier.
Good to know
Start dates shift slightly based on your graduation date. Students graduating by May 30 start June 1; students graduating May 31 or later start June 8. Contact RATrevino1@mdanderson.edu.
Not eligible for this one? These are open anywhere in the U.S.
Being in the wrong state rules out a lot of programs and almost none of the good ones. Here are three you can apply to from anywhere, soonest deadline first.
Due December 1 · ~4 months
Research
Nemours Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Nemours Children's Health
A 10-week full-time paid summer research program for undergraduates at four Nemours pediatric sites in Delaware and Florida. Students work on clinical, laboratory, or translational research projects.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grade 12
Due in February · ~7 months
Research
Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
A biomedical research internship inspiring underrepresented students toward careers in neurological and behavioral sciences, with an in-person Baltimore track and a national virtual track.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grades 11–12
Due in February · ~7 months
Research
Simons Summer Research Program
Stony Brook University
A summer program where academically talented high school students join active science, math, or engineering research teams under faculty mentors and present at a closing poster symposium, receiving a stipend award.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grade 11