Research Opportunities for High School Students

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

Why Polygence?

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

Personalized Program

Online research opportunities
One-on-one mentorship
Flexible scheduling
Leverage your academic interests

Expert Mentorship

Work one-on-one with a researcher in the field
Receive personal feedback and advice from an academic expert
Learn insider tips on research positions

College Credit

Earn college credit from the University of California
Get a headstart in applying research methods
Write a research paper

Passion Projects

Present at a conference
Launch your app
Produce a podcast
Write a novel
Publish a paper

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

Molly

Now at Stanford

"My mentor was super supportive and actually helped me in my college applications...She also gave me some great insight on the engineering industry and what my 4 years in college might look like. Overall, it was a great experience!"

Website and paper on wind power generation

Youssef

Now at Northwestern University

"My mentor made sure to create a safe environment for me to ask questions and make mistakes. He would always direct me to the right resources. It was probably the most productive learning experience that I've been through in my life."

Research paper on mechanical walker for Mars rovers

Yardena

Now at Columbia University

"My Polygence project set me up for a great College application process. My project definitely influenced my intended major choice, as it allowed me to explore my interests deeply."

Research paper on environmental and economic impacts of an invasive species

Explore more projects

Which Polygence Program is right for you?

The Core Program

The Polygence Core Program pairs students with an expert mentor to explore their unique research interest over a structured 10-session project, deepening the student’s research skills and building a student-driven research outcome they can proudly showcase.

The Pathfinders Bundle

The Pathfinders Bundle is a two-part research program that pairs students with expert mentors to explore areas of research and refine a unique project idea. Students then partner with an expert to complete that research over the course of a 13-session project.

Premium Showcasing Bundle

The Premium Showcasing Bundle is a two-part research and publication project experience that pairs students with a set of expert mentors to both support their research and design a structured plan for sharing their research work creatively in a publication or showcasing opportunity.

Learn more about our programs

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.

Learn more about earning college credits

Polygence and University of California partnership

Passion Project Examples

Soni Scholars Tutoring Service

Nayan's Project

with Ian

African Herbal Remedies: The Healing Abilities of Nature's Gift

Nicolette's Project

with Rachel

How can we ensure that AI systems are aligned with human values and ethical principles?

Arushi's Project

with Kimi

See more projects

Mentor Spotlight

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No mentors found for this subject, yet.

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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.