SSP International
Research · Summer Program
Summer Science Program (SSP)
DeadlineClosed
At a glance
Charges a fee
Unpaid
In person · Locations across the US
Juniors, ages 15–18
Summer
About
The Summer Science Program (SSP) is a five-week residential research program for high school juniors, who attend the summer before their senior year. It is run by SSP International, a nonprofit founded in 1959. Students pick one of four tracks: astrophysics (calculating the orbits of near-Earth asteroids), bacterial genomics (studying how antibiotic resistance evolves), biochemistry (designing enzyme inhibitors against fungal crop pathogens) or cell biology (using gene editing in yeast to study cell cycle genes). Students work in teams of three, with about 36 students per site. In summer 2026 the program ran at 13 host campuses, including Purdue University, Indiana University, Lehigh University and Colby College, and admitted about 700 participants.
Requirements
Open to current high school juniors who have completed the relevant coursework by the summer. Students must be at least 15 and not yet 19 during all program dates. Sophomores are not eligible.
