Frequently Asked Questions

Polygence is a research academy dedicated to driven students looking for one-on-one mentorship from top-tier academics and practitioners.

The Polygence program is made up of ten one hour-long sessions spread out over a period of three to six months. Some projects may exceptionally run beyond six months.

Average tuition for a Polygence program is $2500 USD, payable in four installments of $625. We also offer need-based financial aid to applicants from all over the world. The program includes 10 one-on-one sessions with a mentor, two additional External Project Reviews by another expert, and showcasing support.

Donate today to the Polygence Scholar Fund — a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation — to help us democratize access to research opportunities for all high school students in the US and around the globe.

No, but the more you can tell us about your academic interests in the application, the better the chance of matching you with the right mentor.

You do not need to have an exact project in mind, but it is important that you have some ideas about what you'd like to do. Not to worry, though, most students spend the first three sessions of the program solidifying their project idea.

Yes, but please be prepared to give details in your application about the experiment, including your access to a lab and necessary materials and equipment.

Polygence is able to support a very wide variety of subject disciplines, ranging from fashion history to astrophysics to bioinformatics and more!

However, topics such as finance and business have very limited mentor availability, so if there are other adjacent topics (i.e. economics) that you are excited to explore, we encourage you to pivot to those instead. In addition, topics such as app development and web development also have very limited mentor availability, and require significant background and prior experience doing a similar project.

Please come prepared in your interview to discuss relevant experience so we can accurately match you with a mentor.

It depends on the project and topic you’re interested in. If your project requires programming skills, for example, please include your relevant experience on your application.

Absolutely, from STEM to creative writing to making podcast, our students can do it all!

Check out our blog, project spotlights, and mentor profiles for ideas and inspiration!

You can apply here.

We have rolling admissions, but the sooner you submit your application the sooner you'll be matched with an expert mentor and can start your project.

Yes, in general we accept applications up to three months in advance of your desired start date.

Once you are accepted into the program and have completed enrollment, the Polygence Team reaches out to mentors on your behalf.

Rematches are offered on a case by case basis.

The fastest you can complete the program is in ten weeks; projects undertaken during the school year typically take between four to six months.

Students must meet with their mentor at least every twenty days during the school year and every ten days during the summer.

For a summer project (around 3 months), you can expect to meet with your mentor every 7-10 days. For a project during the school year (around 4-6 months), you can expect to meet with your mentor every 2-3 weeks. Keep in mind the Polygence program is flexible.

Absolutely! You and your mentor will communicate on the Polygence platform to coordinate your meeting times.

Yes! The Polygence Team is always here to support active projects and ensure everything stays on track.

Take a look at our program-at-a-glance page.

If admitted and enrolled in the program, you gain access to our vast database of showcasing opportunities, including science fairs, peer-reviewed journals, and writing competitions. You may also be selected to participate in our Symposium for Rising Scholars!

The Polygence Symposium of Rising Scholars is an academic conference where pre-collegiate students present and share their research with their peers, families, and academics. Click here to find out more!

This is up to your mentor. Our mentors are generally proud of their students and what they’ve accomplished. Assuming you complete your project in a satisfactory manner, your mentor will be happy to provide you with a recommendation letter either for your university applications or future research opportunities.

You will hear back about your admissions decision within 2 weeks following the application deadline. Once you enroll in the program, it can take up to 3 weeks to be matched with a mentor.

For students writing research papers, External Project Reviews entail detailed edits from mentors who are part of our Writing Fellows program. For creative or multimedia projects like creating portfolios or podcasts, mentors with experience in those fields provided feedback and technical suggestions.

Log in to your account and go to your dashboard (dropdown menu under your name), there you will be able to "search" for your student and add them to your account.

Please email students@polygence.org to discuss any billing-related questions or to update your information. Thank you.