01 | Define your
research goals
What's your research dream? Winning ISEF? Publishing your work? Presenting at conferences? Or are you still exploring what's possible?
Whether you have a clear vision or need help defining your path, our research programs for high school students work with you to set ambitious, achievable goals tailored to your interests. Your goals could include learning how to publish a research paper as a high school student, presenting at academic conferences, competing in ISEF, or pursuing other scholarly achievements that strengthen your university applications.
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02 | Choose your learning mode
We offer flexible research opportunities for high school students so you can choose the format that best fits your personality, goals, and schedule.
03 | Choose
your subject
Choose any research topic, work on your own schedule, and define your desired outcome. Our online research programs for high school students support you exploring virtually any subject area that sparks your curiosity – including STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences, and AI – with the flexibility to pursue independent research projects tailored to your academic interests and goals.
03| Choose your subject and season
Choose to join either the summer or winter IRIS cohort and select your preferred subject from ten research topics for high school students across STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences. You'll attend online classes twice a week for three hours each, learning how to do research in high school in a collaborative, structured environment.
03 | Complete your academic orientation
Get confident with an online bootcamp on reading and academic expectations before arriving in Oxbridge.
03 | Complete your academic orientation
Complete an academic orientation and bootcamp, choose your research question, learn research methodology foundations, and prepare for the in-person lab experience.
04 | Meet your
Indigo mentor
You'll be matched with a PhD teaching fellow or faculty mentor through a personalized profile assessment. Share your research interests, and we'll send you mentor recommendations – usually a couple of options, though sometimes the fit is obvious and we match you directly. Review our recommendations and either accept or request an alternative. We work with you to ensure the best fit for your research project for high school students.
04 | Meet your
Indigo mentor
Based on your subject choice, you'll be assigned a research mentor – a faculty member from a top UK or US university – who will guide you through your research project and help you learn how to publish a research paper as a high school student.
04 | Meet your
Indigo mentor
Learn from top academics, including university instructors and elite graduate students.
04 | Meet your
Indigo mentor
Learn from top academics, including university instructors and elite graduate students.

Timur I.
Chemistry at Northwestern University, Assistant Professor

Siddharth K.
Computer Science at UNC Charlotte, Assistant Professor

Mathilde B.
History of Art and Architecture at Harvard University, PhD Candidate

Kif L.
Genetics at Stanford University, Researcher, Instructor and DEI Leader

Patrick S.
Professor of Sociology & Public Affairs at Princeton University, former Dept. Chair at NYU

Michellana J.
Global Economics and Management Group, MIT Sloan School of Business, Lecturer

Dr. Ryan F.
Purdue University, Adjunct Professor

Dr. Ida D.
London School of Economics, PhD University of. Sussex, Lecturer

Dr. Debbie H.
Oxford University, Associate Professor

Dr. Devin C.
University of Pennsylvania, Lecturer

Dr. Andrea G.
Cambridge University, Bye-Fellow Imperial University, Associate Professor

Dr. Kimberly C.
Dartmouth University, Lecturer

Dr. Jorge A.
UCLA, Asst. Director of Undergraduate Research Center

Dr. Hamidreza S.
Stanford University, PostDoc

Dr. Eric S.
Cornell University, PhD Morgan State, Associate Professor

Dr. Georgios A.
University of Leeds, Associate Professor

Dr. Ceyhun E.
University of Pennsylvania, Researcher Bogazici University, Professor

Dr. Iva B.
Lecturer in Business, University of Leeds

Siddharth K.
Computer Science at UNC Charlotte, Assistant Professor

Dr. Edoardo G.
Associate Professor, University of Cambridge

Patrick H.
DPhil Candidate at Oxford & Former UK Admissions Officer

Dr. Iva B.
Lecturer in Business, University of Leeds

Bre C.
PhD Candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Dr. Yi H.
Researcher at Stanford University

Dr. Xavier P.
Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School

Dr. Jorge A.
UCLA, Asst. Director of Undergraduate Research Center
05 | Develop
your research
Our research mentorship program walks you through every step – from developing a research question to learning how to publish a research paper as a high school student. We offer the most rigorous curriculum of any high school research program, ensuring you build the skills and credentials that strengthen your university applications.
05 | Develop
your research
We'll walk you through every step – from developing your research question to learning how to publish a research paper in high school. Our curriculum is the most rigorous of any online research program for high school students, preparing you to produce publication-ready work.
05 | Develop
your research
This two-week intensive program offers discipline-specific lectures that let you dive deep into your chosen subject area; research methods classes to help you develop your academic skills and toolkit; and tutorials and keynotes that allow you to engage in small-group discussions and hear from guest speakers.
05 | Develop
your research
Your experience begins with a virtual academic orientation and bootcamp where you'll develop research methodology foundations. You'll then conduct hands-on research in a high-tech wet lab in Pasadena, New York, or Singapore, participating in lectures, data analysis, and cultural exploration. The program concludes with virtual publication support to help you refine and prepare your research paper for submission to academic journals – learning how to publish a research paper as a high school student with expert guidance.


Week 1
Preliminary Work
Using our MLA-featured curriculum, you’ll define project goals, decide your research question, and learn the basics of conducting research.
01
Week 2-3
Reading & Analysis
With guidance from your mentor, you’ll find, read, annotate, and analyze a wide variety of scholarly sources, building your bibliography and preparing to begin writing.
02
Week 4-6
Research Prospectus
As you read, you’ll refine your research question, begin outlining your paper, and develop a prospectus, which explains the research and shows how you’ll conduct it.
03
Week 7-8
Literature Review
The first chapter or section of your paper will be a literature review, in which you survey the existing writings on your subject and identify trends and gaps in the literature.
04
Week 9-11
Research & Write
With input and feedback from your mentor, you’ll conduct your research and assemble the heart of your paper, along with methods & discussion sections.
05
Week 12
Revise & Prepare
As you near completion, your mentor will provide revisions and prepare you to submit to a journal, competition, or conference.
06
Week 13-15
Submit Paper
Submit your paper to an academic journal. Journals may return it to you for revisions – not a problem. Your mentor will assist you in finalizing it.
07
Week 15+
Present at Conference
All Indigo Research programs offer credit from the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) Extension School. Present your research at our virtual Indigo Academic Conference & earn two credits.
08
Week 15+
Prepare for Science Competitions
Our team will help you refine your completed research paper into polished, competition-ready projects for both regional & international science fairs, including prestigious events like Regeneron ISEF.
09
Pre-IRIS
Registration & Orientation
Study your Welcome Pack and explore our platform to understand the structure of your course. Join the IRIS Orientation to meet your professor.
01
Week 0
Prep Reading
Work through carefully selected introductory papers with support from a Harvard PhD Teaching Fellow during office hours.
02
Week 1
Subject Dive Deep
Meet your instructor and receive a crash course on your subject, reviewing readings, and discussing key terms and topics for your research.
03
Week 2
Research Foundations
Learn strategies for time management, note-taking, and citation. Explore research paper genres and select a research question.
04
Week 3
Abstract & Bibliography
Take the time to develop your abstract and annotated bibliography. Organize sources before diving into writing.
05
Week 4
Begin Writing
Work on your paper’s intro and outline. Meet one-on-one with your instructor for a guided deeper dive into your research and writing.
06
Week 5
Workshop Drafts
Participate in writing workshops, prepare your first full draft, engage in peer reviewing exercises and incorporate feedback.
07
Week 6
Submit & Present
Discuss your full draft in a one-on-one meeting with the instructor, present your work to peers and deliver the final version of your paper.
08

