Programs & scholarships
Research, shadowing, mentorship, scholarships, and summer programs — chosen with first-generation students in mind. Search or filter to find the ones that fit you.
Most of these run on a yearly cycle, so a deadline that has passed will usually open again next year — use the listed dates to plan ahead, and always confirm the current deadline on the official page. Programs marked Rolling admissions accept applications anytime.
Showing all 68 opportunities
Massachusetts General Hospital
Hands-on experience and mentorship in neurology and neuroscience, with a deep dive into medical research and clinical practice — ideal for students considering a career in neurology.
Harvard Medical School
Paid, mentored summer research internships at HMS and its affiliated institutions for Boston and Cambridge students underrepresented in medicine — augmented by seminars, site visits, and career guidance.
Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
A full-time, hands-on summer experience in a cancer research environment, with scientific and professional development seminars and journal clubs alongside working researchers.
National Institutes of Health
A paid summer internship placing students with a variety of research groups conducting biomedical research.
Boston University
A semester and summer program preparing first-generation, low-income students for STEM careers through hands-on work in research labs; a small stipend is available.
Lumiere Education
A 10-week program offering low-income students research opportunities with post-doctoral–level scientists.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
An eight-week, full-time biomedical or computational lab research internship where high school students complete a self-directed project under a mentor and receive a stipend.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
A mentored, original biomedical research experience for Long Island high school seniors at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, concluding with oral research presentations. Admission is need-blind.
Garcia Center, Stony Brook University
An intensive seven-week summer program combining formal instruction with independent, mentored research in polymer and materials science; students design original projects and may continue year-round.
Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute
An eight-week summer program pairing high school students with research faculty to contribute to biomedical/STEM research and prepare a poster, with need-based stipends to remove financial barriers.
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.
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland
For over 40 years this program has paired high school and college students from diverse backgrounds one-on-one with researchers and clinicians on active biomedical research projects, culminating in a research symposium.
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
A six-week internship pairing 10–12 high school seniors one-on-one with physician or lab-based cancer researchers, with faculty lectures, field trips, and a final research symposium.
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.
Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
A statewide program that funds paid life-sciences internships for underrepresented and low-income Massachusetts high school students by subsidizing intern wages at research institutions and small life-sciences companies.
Boston University — Summer Term
A six-week summer program where rising seniors conduct university laboratory research with BU faculty mentors (Internship track) or structured group research in computational neurobiology or data science (Practicum), ending in a poster symposium.
Boston University School of Medicine
SummerLab: week-long summer programs in which students design and carry out their own investigations in biotechnology.
UMass Chan Medical School
A high school health careers program for Massachusetts students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Summer Health Professions Education Program
A free summer program to explore medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and more across 12 partner institutions — building applicant competencies, clinical exposure, and professional networks.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Five rigorous math, science, and humanities courses paired with lab tours, social events, and college admissions counseling — firsthand insight into the value of STEM degrees and careers.
Stanford University School of Medicine, Office of Diversity in Medical Education
A tuition-free, five-week residential summer enrichment program in science and medicine where low-income, underrepresented high school juniors are mentored by medical professionals, faculty, and college students.
Rush University Medical Center (REACH)
A six-week paid summer pre-internship where rising high school sophomores and juniors explore STEM and healthcare careers, develop academic and workplace skills, and research community health issues.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science
A four-week summer program with hands-on classroom experiences and exploratory activities showcasing healthcare careers and building leadership skills.
University of Washington School of Nursing
A free week-long day camp broadening access to nursing for diverse Washington high school students, with nurse shadowing, CPR/clinical training, simulation labs, and mentorship from nursing students.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
A six-week paid summer internship for under-resourced Boston Public School students, placing interns in hospital departments to build real-world skills, with weekly group meetings and department tours.
Northeastern University — College of Science
A free, paid summer math-and-STEM program for Boston Public Schools students who may lack access to AP math, offering precalculus/AP Calculus prep plus a STEM enrichment elective (biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, or AI).
Tufts University School of Medicine
A one-month paid summer program for first-generation and low-income Boston-area students combining a two-week residential Pre-College experience (Mini-Med School or Lab Science Investigations) with multi-tiered mentoring.
Boston University — LERNet
A short residential summer program for young women from greater Boston high schools to explore STEM careers through lab visits, hands-on activities, a biotech/pharma company visit, a career panel, and college-admissions guidance.
Pre-Health Shadowing (501(c)(3) nonprofit)
Free virtual shadowing sessions connecting students with healthcare professionals across specialties, with real-time Q&A and verified hours and certificates.
Hearts for Health
Free, livestreamed virtual shadowing sessions across specialties such as trauma surgery, OB/GYN, and dermatology; attendees can earn documented hours by passing a short quiz.
UCLA Health
A one-week summer internship introducing high school students and recent graduates to entry-level allied health professions through shadowing in clinical, administrative, and entry-level roles such as radiology and respiratory therapy.
Boston Children's Hospital
A six-week summer internship for high school students interested in pediatric nursing and the health professions, embedding interns in clinical units alongside nurses and multidisciplinary teams.
Boston Medical Center
An eight-week summer volunteer program giving high school students firsthand exposure to hospital life through weekly outpatient volunteering plus a lecture series led by BMC physicians, nurses, surgeons, and social workers.
Tour for Diversity in Medicine (501(c)(3) nonprofit)
Free mentorship, advising, and educational programming — including campus conferences and monthly online seminars — for underrepresented students pursuing medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.
Brigham and Women's Hospital — Center for Community Health and Health Equity
A year-round paid internship matching Boston high school students from underserved neighborhoods with hands-on roles across 60+ hospital departments, plus free tutoring, monthly seminars, and college-application support.
Mass General Brigham
A multi-year program for students from Boston, Revere, and Chelsea offering paid academic-year and summer internships across MGB hospitals, plus mentorship, college/career advising, and alumni support through college.
Harvard Medical School
Ten sessions from October through November exposing students to the components of healthcare and topics in global health — a low-commitment introduction during the school year.
Harvard Medical School
Simulated medical emergencies for an immersive learning experience — from summer to semester programs — teaching valuable skills such as suturing, IV placement, and intubation.
David J. Sencer CDC Museum
A web-based course with live and self-paced components teaching high school students about CDC's public health work — epidemiology, infectious and chronic disease, data analysis, and emergency preparedness.
University of Michigan Medical School, Office for Health Equity & Inclusion
A free hybrid academic-enrichment academy for motivated 10th and 11th graders interested in health careers — SAT prep, professional development and writing workshops, exposure to Michigan Medicine, and mentorship.
Gates Scholarship (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
A highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding minority high school seniors from low-income households, covering the full cost of attendance not met by other aid at a four-year U.S. college.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
A last-dollar undergraduate scholarship for high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who want to attend top four-year colleges, paired with advising and transition support.
QuestBridge
A college admission and scholarship process matching high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to QuestBridge's college partners.
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
An achievement-based scholarship recognizing high school seniors for leadership, academics, and service — one of the largest corporate scholarship programs in the U.S.
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
A scholarship plus wraparound support for low-income, motivated high school seniors who have shown grit, combining flexible funding with mentoring, a laptop, and emergency resources to help students finish college.
Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans
A need-based scholarship for high school seniors who have faced and overcome significant adversity and have critical financial need, with the determination to pursue a college degree.
Burger King Foundation
A widely accessible scholarship for high school seniors based on GPA, work experience, activities, financial need, and community service, including larger James W. McLamore WHOPPER awards.
National Medical Fellowships, Inc.
A long-standing program of need- and merit-based scholarships for students underrepresented in medicine and the health professions. Mostly for medical/graduate health students — a pipeline resource students grow into.
HOSA – Future Health Professionals
Scholarships for HOSA student members pursuing health and medical careers, offered by the national program and many state chapters for students studying a health-related field.
Foundation of the National Student Nurses' Association
Need- and merit-based scholarships for students enrolled in undergraduate nursing programs, including pre-nursing students taking prerequisites; a dedicated diversity award also exists.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Need-based scholarships and Scholar support services for students of Hispanic heritage pursuing higher education, including healthcare and STEM fields.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
A selective five-year, pre-college scholarship and advising program for high-achieving 7th-graders with financial need, funding academic and extracurricular opportunities through high school.
Elks National Foundation
Need- and merit-based four-year scholarships for graduating high school seniors, judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial need. No Elks affiliation required.
Davidson Institute
Scholarships for students who complete a significant piece of work in STEM (including medical and science research), literature, or music — open to younger students, not just seniors.
An annual art contest for K–12 students to design a Google homepage doodle on a yearly theme — low-barrier, requiring artwork and a short written statement, with no academic or test requirements.
DoSomething.org
Scholarships earned by completing volunteer, social-change, or civic-action campaigns — no essay, GPA, or recommendations required, making them highly accessible to younger students.
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
A merit-based tuition credit for high-scoring Massachusetts public high school students attending an in-state public college, covering resident undergraduate tuition for up to eight semesters.
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
A need-based grant for low-income Massachusetts residents enrolled full-time as undergraduates at a MA college; the companion MASSGrant Plus expands aid to families earning up to $100,000.
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
A scholarship for MA residents pursuing degrees in high-need fields — including Health Professions and STEM — at a Massachusetts college, worth up to $10,000 per year.
Massachusetts Department of Higher Education
A last-dollar scholarship covering tuition, fees, books, and supplies for students in nursing programs at Massachusetts public community colleges — built to expand access to the nursing workforce.
One Family, Inc.
Scholarships plus academic and career coaching for low-income single parents pursuing a first associate or bachelor's degree at a Massachusetts college.
The Boston Foundation
Emergency completion grants (up to $3,000) for Massachusetts college students near graduation who face non-academic financial hardship and have exhausted other aid.
New England Regional Black Nurses Association
A Boston-based organization offering multiple nursing scholarships across New England, including a Mary Eliza Mahoney award for high school seniors entering a baccalaureate nursing program.
Massachusetts Nurses Foundation
Scholarships for MA residents in accredited in-state nursing programs; the Kate Maker Memorial Scholarship awards $2,500 to an associate- or bachelor's-level nursing student.
Foundation for Nursing Advancement in Massachusetts
A scholarship for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged nursing students in Massachusetts (LPN through undergraduate), aimed at diversifying the nursing workforce.
Fidelity Investments / UNCF
A need-based scholarship with wraparound coaching for historically underserved students in eligible states (including Massachusetts) pursuing a first bachelor's degree — aimed at first-generation students with financial need.
Boston Public Health Commission
A variety of programs teaching students about health careers, health disparities, and more — with stipends and internships available.
The Perry Initiative
A free, day-long, hands-on program where high school students perform mock orthopaedic surgeries and biomechanical engineering experiments and hear from practicing surgeons and engineers.
Don't see your program?
If you run or know of a program that fits our mission, tell us about it — we love adding more to the list.
