Research programs in Arizona.
12 local programs run in Arizona, 6 of them free or paid, and 1 explicitly prioritize under-resourced or first-generation students. Plus 46 nationwide programs open to anyone in the US.
Local to Arizona
- SelectiveTranslational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)Academic Year Internships
Students contribute directly to TGen research in areas such as laboratory bioscience, computational biology, bioinformatics, statistics, communications, regulatory affairs, and research administration. High-school placements are explicitly possible but described by TGen as extremely rare because they require roughly 10–20 hours per week.
🎓 Grades 10–12 - ModerateArizona Academic Decathlon AssociationArizona Academic Decathlon
High-school teams compete across ten academic events spanning subjects such as literature, economics, mathematics, science, social science, art, and music.
🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveArizona Community FoundationArizona Community Foundation Scholarship Program
One general application matches students with more than 160 scholarships covering universities, community colleges, technical schools, and vocational programs.
🎓 Grade 12 - SelectiveArizona Science CenterArizona Science and Engineering Fair (AzSEF)
Students advancing from qualifying fairs present original science or engineering research at Arizona's statewide fair. Senior Division Grand Award winners advance to Regeneron ISEF.
🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveArizona Science CenterArizona Science Center Teen Volunteer Program
Teens support exhibitions, STEM demonstrations, guests, and educational programming while earning community-service or service-learning hours.
🎓 Grades 9–12 - Highly SelectiveUniversity of Arizona Sky SchoolAstrobiology Summer Camp
Students spend five days at Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter studying extreme-life environments, planetary habitability, exoplanets, the search for extraterrestrial life, and ethical questions surrounding deep-space exploration with university scientists.
🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateArizona State UniversityASU Popular Music High School Summer Camp
Teens write, perform, record, produce, and engineer music in professional studios while learning music entrepreneurship and preparing for college-level music study.
🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveArizona State UniversityASU SCENE
Free science club + research opportunities for AZ high schoolers, with focus on first-gen students.
⏱ Year-round📅 March🎓 Grades 10–12 - ModerateArizona State University Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass CommunicationCamp Cronkite
Students learn interviewing, news and feature writing, visual storytelling, videography, podcasting, producing, weather reporting, social media, and personal branding.
🎓 Grades 9–11 - ModerateArizona State University School of ArtComics and Storyboards Camp
Students create original comics, anime, manga, characters, storyboards, figures, poses, and visual narratives while learning illustration techniques.
🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveNorthern Arizona University ¡MIRA!Cultural and Academic Research Experience (CARE)
High-school students conduct hands-on STEMM research with mentors while receiving college-preparation training. In-person participants can receive housing, meals, and a stipend up to $4,500; a virtual research track is also offered.
🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateArizona State UniversityDigital Culture Summer Institute
Project-based workshops combine digital media, arts, music, computing, engineering, technology, and design under ASU faculty and graduate-student instruction.
🎓 Grades 9–12
Nationwide programs open to Arizona students
- SelectiveArmy Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)AEOP High School Apprenticeship Program
Students work alongside Army scientists and engineers on cutting-edge research projects in world-class laboratories.
⏱ 8 weeks📅 Early March🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveAmerican Foreign Service Association (AFSA)AFSA National High School Essay Contest
An essay contest designed to engage students in thinking about peace and conflict resolution.
📅 February 15🎓 Grades 11–12 - SelectiveCarnegie Mellon UniversityAI Scholars at CMU
Free AI-focused summer program for rising seniors underrepresented in computing.
⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 February🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveAI4ALLAI4ALL Open Learning
Girls in grades 6-12 learn AI and Python through interactive virtual classes.
⏱ 2 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveMathematical Association of AmericaAIME
Invitational round for top AMC scorers. 15-question, 3-hour exam that gates the USAMO. No fee for invited students.
⏱ 3 hours📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveFreedom ForumAl Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference
An all-expenses-paid journalism conference for one student from every US state and DC.
⏱ 1 week📅 February 15🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveAmazonAmazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Scholarship for high school seniors planning to study computer science in college.
⏱ 4 years scholarship📅 December 1🎓 Grade 12 - ModerateMathematical Association of AmericaAMC 10/12
The entry-level American Mathematics Competition. Top scorers qualify for AIME and the path to the USAMO. Open to all US high schoolers; school registration required.
⏱ 75 minutes📅 November🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateACSLAmerican Computer Science League (ACSL)
A multi-division computer science competition covering both theory and programming.
⏱ School year📅 November 30🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveAmgen FoundationAmgen Scholars Future Track
Free online biotech simulations and pipeline programs preparing high schoolers for biomedical research.
⏱ Self-paced📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveApple Inc.Apple Swift Student Challenge
Swift coding competition hosted by Apple to showcase creativity and app development skills.
⏱ 1 month📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateBerklee College of MusicAspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive
The world's premier summer performance program for contemporary music, including jazz, rock, and pop.
⏱ 5 weeks📅 March 1🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveNCWITAward for Aspirations in Computing (AiC)
Award for girls and non-binary students in computing, providing recognition and a cash prize.
⏱ One-time📅 April 15🎓 Grades 9–12 - ModerateBard College at Simon's RockBard College at Simon's Rock Young Writers Workshop
A 3-week residential program where students engage in creative and analytical thinking through literature and history.
⏱ 3 weeks📅 April 1🎓 Grades 10–12 - SelectiveMIT Lincoln LabBeaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI)
Free MIT-led project-based courses in AI, robotics, cybersecurity.
⏱ 4 weeks (summer)📅 Early February🎓 Grade 11 - SelectiveELASH / Bebras USBebras Computing Challenge (US)
An international computational thinking and informatics competition. Students can take the test remotely or through a local school coordinator.
⏱ 45 minutes📅 Early February🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveBennington CollegeBennington Young Writers Awards
A prestigious creative writing competition for students to win cash prizes and publication.
📅 January 12🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveBlack Girls CODEBlack Girls CODE Workshops
Program that provides coding workshops and tech exposure to young girls of color.
⏱ Varies📅 Rolling🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveBlue Ocean Strategy / variousBlue Ocean Student Entrepreneurship Competition
Free global pitch competition with cash prizes. Teams pitch a novel business idea via video; finalists present live.
⏱ 3 months📅 February🎓 Grades 9–12 - SelectiveBreakthroughBreakthrough Collaborative
Free summer and school-year academic program for first-generation, low-income middle schoolers; high schoolers can serve as teaching fellows.
⏱ Multi-year📅 Spring🎓 Grades 6–12
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