BRAINYAC

Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC) is a summer neuroscience research internship run by Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute for New York City high school students in 10th and 11th grade. Interns spend the summer doing hands-on research in a Columbia laboratory. Each intern is matched with a Columbia neuroscientist who serves as a mentor and guides them through a research project. Each cycle begins with a spring training phase that covers neuroscience concepts and lab skills such as microscopy, pipetting, coding and reading scientific papers. The summer research is a full-time, nine-to-five job, and interns are paid. Interns prepare research posters and present them at an August symposium at the Zuckerman Institute. The program has run every year since 2013.

Open to 10th and 11th graders who live in New York City and are currently enrolled in a BRAINYAC partner program (S-PREP, BioBus, Lang Youth Medical, Columbia Secondary School or Double Discovery Center). Preference goes to students from upper Manhattan and the South Bronx. Applications are sent to the partner programs each fall, so students should ask their partner program for one. Applications for BRAINYAC 2027 close October 28, 2026 at 11:59 pm.