Education & Outreach
High School Research Experience
Summer internship program for high school students.
High School Summer Research Internship Experiences
These research experience opportunities, hosted at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI), Cornell University, and the USDA, provide an excellent chance to gain research experience and explore if a scientific career or a biological major is right for you. Currently, we offer positions to students interested in plant science research and computational biology, and require no prior lab experience. Applications are accepted annually from November until the first Friday of March. Accepted students will join an international community of scientists in the pursuit of scientific discovery, learn valuable research skills, and attend seminars and workshops to learn from mentors in these fields.
International Community
Hands-On Experience
Professional Development
Local/regional high school students who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program are eligible to apply for a six-week internship at BTI. Please carefully review the Internship Application page for eligibility requirements and tips on applying.
Selected students will have at least one research mentor, typically consisting of a graduate student or postdoctoral researcher, and one faculty mentor. These individuals will train students as they work alongside their mentors to complete a predetermined project appropriate for the six-week program. Every Wednesday, students will join the Undergraduate Researchers for professional development lectures and discussions. They will also participate in local field trips or training. The program will culminate in a scientific symposium in August, where students will present their accomplishments from the summer via a scientific poster.
Housing and meals are not provided for high school students; they must provide their own transportation to and from BTI each day. The generosity of local donors supports all High School Research Interns.
The 2025 High School Research application will open in the Spring 2025.
Feel free to share your contact information through the linked JotForm to receive a notification when the application is open.
BTI 2025 High School Research Experience will be open to current high school students over the age of 16 by the start of the program and are available to participate in-person full-time from June 30th to August 7th (Monday through Friday). Selected students will receive an educational stipend of approximently $4,200 for the program. Housing and meal stipends are not included in the high school research program.
To be eligible, students must currently reside in the Ithaca region or surrounding counties as year-round residents and live within a reasonable daily commute to Cornell University (see image of NY state map).
Students cannot be graduating seniors and must be 16 years or older by June 30, 2025 to be eligible to apply.
Follow the link below to access our online application and create an account to begin.
Excited to apply and meet the requirements for the program? Read below to learn more about the application process.
For your application to be considered, students must:
- Complete and submit the questions in the application form
- Include a 500 – 700 word essay explaining your interest in the research experience and potential career and educational aspirations
- Include a copy of your current (unofficial) transcript(s)
- Share two recommenders (name, phone, and email) who we can reach out to directly (your recommenders do not need to provide us a letter as part of the application process)
- Optional: Upload a copy of your resume
For your recommenders, consider asking a teacher, community leader, past employer, guidance counselor, program coordinator, etc. to serve as a recommender. Recommenders are typically individuals who can speak to your past academic performance, career or educational interests, work ethic, character, skills, or experience with a job (paid or unpaid). A parent or guardian is not a suitable reference for our program. You will be asked to share up-to-date contact information that we can use to reach out to them directly at a later time.
We recommend creating your login account with an email that you plan to check regularly and writing down your password. It’s also a good idea to review all the questions in the application first and collect the necessary documents: transcripts, contacts for references, and a resume (optional). We also recommend reviewing the labs & projects available and determining which type of lab assignment you will be interested in. You will not be asked to select a specific lab, but the application will ask you to select if you are interested in a bioinformatics lab placement or a wet lab/field work lab placement. You can always save your application before you are ready to submit it and come back the next day to finish a section
For your essay, we do not expect applicants to have any prior experience in a research lab or working in science. Our review team wants to hear why you are applying to this program, why this program is of interest to you, and how this could relate to your educational or career aspirations. This essay is the best way for the review committee to understand your interests and your background. We anticipate this will be the biggest time commitment of the application and recommend writing a draft in google docs, word, etc. and getting another person (friend, teacher, parent/guardian) to review it for you. When you are finished editing the essay, you can copy it into the box on the application.
We recognize that you may not have a resume, or feel you don’t have enough experience to create a resume. While it is not required, if you have time to create one the reviewers will read it. This is a great place to share that you were in the chess club, captain of the basketball team, or employee of the month at your local grocery store if it doesn’t come up in the essay. Google Docs and Microsoft Word both have resume templates that can get you started.
Frequently Asked Questions
To be eligible for the High School Research Experience students must meet all eligibility requirements:
- A current high school student, who is regional to Ithaca, NY year-round. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept students who are not within a reasonable commute of Ithaca, or are not year-round residents of the area. We consider a reasonable commute to be within ~1-hour away from Ithaca, NY.
- 16 years of age before the first day of the program
- Not graduated by the first day of the program, June 25th (graduating seniors not eligible)
High school researchers receive a stipend, paid monthly, totaling $4,200 for the program. We do not provide any meal, housing, or travel stipends.
The High School Research Program is generously funded through local foundations and private donations.
We do not provide meals or meal stipends to high school researchers. Every week, there is a Professional Development seminar for our high school and undergraduate researchers to learn about research taking place at the Boyce Thompson Institute and Cornell University. A meal will be provided during these seminars.
High school researchers are responsible for their daily commute to work. Students who have a vehicle and wish to park on campus will be provided options to purchase a parking pass. Students may also use ParkMobile friendly lots for a daily rate near their building.
You will be notified of your acceptance via email. It is important you create your account with a primary email so you don’t miss important updates from us.
Yes. You may apply again if you have not graduated high school by the start of the program and meet the other eligibility requirements.
Our programming provides a variety of opportunities for you to learn more about the Cornell Undergraduate and Graduate School application process, as well as the experience of current Cornell graduate students. You will be invited to attend a half-day Graduate School Panel discussion lead by the Directors of Graduate Study for a dozen fields across Cornell. You will also have the opportunity to network with faculty following weekly seminars and connect with the Undergraduate and Graduate School admissions officers. Lastly, each student will be in a lab and work directly with current graduate students and postdocs who will be able to share their own experiences and perspectives, as well as opportunities to connect with undergraduate interns.
High school students will have the opportunity to be involved with a variety of programming throughout the summer, including field trips to Cornell labs. Other social opportunities for students may be available for you to connect with your peers, and to create an unforgettable summer.
The selection committee and faculty will do their best to match students with a project that is of interest and is aligned with individual’s background and experience.
On the application form, applicants will be asked to share which type of research interests them the best, and aligns with their current skills. Please reference the “Projects & Faculty” tab above for more information.
Scientists work in different settings depending on their research. Some spend their days out in the field or planting in greenhouses, while others spend their days working in the lab or on the computer. Consider what interests you the most, and what aligns with your interests.
The program offers a variety of projects spanning plant science, plant molecular biology, plant biotic interactions, bioinformatics, and biological engineering of plant systems.
- Attend weekly seminar(s) with scientists from BTI, Cornell, and the USDA
- Attend lab meetings, read, and discuss recent literature related to your project
- Learn about undergraduate and graduate school, scientific careers and work in an international environment
- Write a research proposal, practice peer reviews, and learn the art of scientific communication
- Present your research to the other students, scientists, and mentors at the annual George and Helen Kohut Symposium