Research opportunities for high school students

Turn Passions Into Projects

Work with an expert mentor to explore your interests and unleash your passion through a personalized research project.

92%

of Polygence students accepted at R1 research universities

2,000+

Completed projects, and counting!

1,500+

Expert Mentors from top US universities

40+

Countries represented by Polygence students

Polygence is an online research program founded by Harvard, MIT and Stanford researchers dedicated to democratizing access to research opportunities for high school students.

Why Polygence?

Projects that help you get into your dream college

92%

of Polygence students accepted at R1 research universities

88%

of students said things they learned in their Polygence projects will help or have already helped them succeed in college

80%

of students said Polygence had influenced what they’d like to study in college or do for their career

Help your child stand out

Research projects can help your child shine as they navigate high school and prepare for college admissions.

Polygence and UCI x Gifted and Talented Institute (GATI) college credit program

We are proud to partner with the pre-collegiate Gifted and Talented Institute at University of California Irvine, one of the top US research universities, to award college credits for research papers written in our mentorships.

Polygence and University of California partnership

Learn more about the Polygence research program experience

Join the next cohort of Polygencers!

Passion Project Examples

When to start Polygence

Mentor Spotlight

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Expert mentors from top universities and industries

Polygence mentors are selected based on their exceptional academic background, teaching experience, and unique ability to inspire the next generation of innovative thinkers.

Our expert mentors come from the top universities in the world. Once you embark on your Polygence project, we take into account your background and passion to match you with the best mentor for you. Polygence has a pool of 2000+ mentors with over 40 subjects represented, so we can find the right expert to guide you throughout your research. Your mentor will coach you through your project and expose you to academic research beyond the high school level.

Universities and Industries

Interested in becoming a mentor?

Our Innovation Partners

Stanford University and Polygence research partnership

Polygence has partnered with Stanford University to provide state-of-the-art pedagogical training for our mentors.

MIT and Polygence partners through the Sandbox Innovation Program

Polygence was incubated at MIT as part of its Sandbox Innovation Program.

Learn more

Counselors, connect your students with a research project

Ensure your student has no holes in their application. We’ll work with you and your student to identify a topic of interest.

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Our students say it best

Thousands of students have completed life-changing projects with Polygence.
Don’t just take our word for it!

high school research student1

Adrian R.

Scripps Ranch High School

My mentor was very flexible throughout the project, giving me the freedom to find an interesting project to research and model. He provided the support to allow me to complete a successful project. His balance of flexibility with structure allowed me to become experienced modelling a random walk pattern, learning to write by telling a story, and analyzing data.
high school research Luke

Luke J.

San Marino High School

My mentor expertly mixed in-depth topic knowledge with friendliness and openness to make the Polygence experience simultaneously exciting and manageable.
High School Research Student4

Miranda D.

Episcopal School of Jacksonville

My mentor was not just an incredible scientist but also an incredible person! I was coming off of a canceled hospital internship due to COVID-19, but research led me to Polygence. My mentor insisted on making sure that my project was something I would be proud of. I could rely on her for more than just project advice. Her guidance was amazing, I would not trade it for anything.
High School Research Student 3

Sia S.

Albany Academy for Girls

Not only did my mentor encourage me to read challenging research papers and reflect on them, but helped me to understand information that I found confusing by talking through it with me during sessions. I would like to thank her for guiding me through writing my first formal review paper on machine learning in cancer treatment, she has been a great mentor!
high school research student1

Adrian R.

Scripps Ranch High School

My mentor was very flexible throughout the project, giving me the freedom to find an interesting project to research and model. He provided the support to allow me to complete a successful project. His balance of flexibility with structure allowed me to become experienced modelling a random walk pattern, learning to write by telling a story, and analyzing data.
high school research Luke

Luke J.

San Marino High School

My mentor expertly mixed in-depth topic knowledge with friendliness and openness to make the Polygence experience simultaneously exciting and manageable.

Greetings from the founders

Polygence is an online research academy dedicated to democratizing access to research opportunities for high school students. Whether you are interested in quantitative biology, fashion history, or privacy law, Polygence mentors will help you explore your area of interest.

Forbes recently recognized Jin’s far-reaching impact on education with a place on its 30 Under 30 List for 2023

Polygence co-founder Jin Yun Chow