Research, shadowing, mentorship, scholarships, and summer programs, chosen with first-generation students in mind. Every deadline below is measured against today, so the ones you can still act on come first.
Almost everything here runs on a yearly cycle, so a deadline that has passed will open again next year. We show you the next time each one comes around. Always confirm the exact date on the official page before you apply.
92 opportunities, soonest deadline first
25 of these 92 opportunities are open right now or close within 75 days. The rest run annually and will come around again.
Apply anytime
15
No deadline to miss. These accept applications on a rolling basis.
A $2,000 scholarship awarded every month with no essay and no account sign-up required. The form takes about two minutes and you can enter again each month.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grades 11–12 · college
A last-dollar scholarship covering tuition, fees, books, and supplies for students in nursing programs at Massachusetts public community colleges, built to expand access to the nursing workforce.
Scholarships earned by completing volunteer, social-change, or civic-action campaigns, no essay, GPA, or recommendations required, making them highly accessible to younger students.
Emergency completion grants (up to $3,000) for Massachusetts college students near graduation who face non-academic financial hardship and have exhausted other aid.
Free, livestreamed virtual shadowing sessions across specialties such as trauma surgery, OB/GYN, and dermatology; attendees can earn documented hours by passing a short quiz.
A statewide program that funds paid life-sciences internships for underrepresented and low-income Massachusetts high school students by subsidizing intern wages at research institutions and small life-sciences companies.
A merit-based tuition credit for high-scoring Massachusetts public high school students attending an in-state public college, covering resident undergraduate tuition for up to eight semesters.
A long-standing program of need- and merit-based scholarships for students underrepresented in medicine and the health professions. Mostly for medical/graduate health students, a pipeline resource students grow into.
A free, day-long, hands-on program where high school students perform mock orthopaedic surgeries and biomechanical engineering experiments and hear from practicing surgeons and engineers.
A full-tuition leadership scholarship to one of Posse's partner colleges and universities. Students are sent to college in a supportive team of ten, called a posse, instead of going alone.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grades 11–12
Free virtual shadowing sessions connecting students with healthcare professionals across specialties, with real-time Q&A and verified hours and certificates.
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Center for Community Health and Health Equity
A year-round paid internship matching Boston high school students from underserved neighborhoods with hands-on roles across 60+ hospital departments, plus free tutoring, monthly seminars, and college-application support.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 9–12
Tour for Diversity in Medicine (501(c)(3) nonprofit)
Free mentorship, advising, and educational programming, including campus conferences and monthly online seminars, for underrepresented students pursuing medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grades 9–12
FreeNational (events in 27+ states + virtual)
Closing soon
10
Deadlines within the next few months. Start these first.
A free, paid summer math-and-STEM program for Boston Public Schools students who may lack access to AP math, offering precalculus/AP Calculus prep plus a STEM enrichment elective (biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, or AI).
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 11–12
An achievement-based scholarship recognizing high school seniors for leadership, academics, and service, one of the largest corporate scholarship programs in the U.S.
Need- and merit-based four-year scholarships for graduating high school seniors, judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial need. No Elks affiliation required.
A last-dollar undergraduate scholarship for high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who want to attend top four-year colleges, paired with advising and transition support.
A scholarship for MA residents pursuing degrees in high-need fields, including Health Professions and STEM, at a Massachusetts college, worth up to $10,000 per year.
Ten sessions from October through November exposing students to the components of healthcare and topics in global health, a low-commitment introduction during the school year.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 9–12
A college admission and scholarship process matching high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to QuestBridge's college partners.
A four-year, $40,000 scholarship for Black high school seniors who show strong academics, leadership, community service, and financial need. Scholars also join a lifelong mentoring and alumni network.
A need-based scholarship with wraparound coaching for historically underserved students in eligible states (including Massachusetts) pursuing a first bachelor's degree, aimed at first-generation students with financial need.
Who can apply: Massachusetts · grade 12
ScholarshipMassachusetts (and other eligible states)
A 10-week total-immersion laboratory research internship in Sioux Falls for rising high school seniors. Scholars work as part of a research team, earn college credit, and present a poster at the Sanford Research Symposium.
Who can apply: South Dakota (local only) · grades 11–12
PaidSioux Falls, SD
Later in the year
62
Annual cycles further out. Worth noting the month now so it does not sneak up.
A widely accessible scholarship for high school seniors based on GPA, work experience, activities, financial need, and community service, including larger James W. McLamore WHOPPER awards.
An annual art contest for K–12 students to design a Google homepage doodle on a yearly theme, low-barrier, requiring artwork and a short written statement, with no academic or test requirements.
A Boston-based organization offering multiple nursing scholarships across New England, including a Mary Eliza Mahoney award for high school seniors entering a baccalaureate nursing program.
Who can apply: Massachusetts / Connecticut / Rhode Island / Vermont / New Hampshire / Maine · grade 12 · college
A six-week internship pairing 10–12 high school seniors one-on-one with physician or lab-based cancer researchers, with faculty lectures, field trips, and a final research symposium.
Foundation for Nursing Advancement in Massachusetts
A scholarship for underrepresented and economically disadvantaged nursing students in Massachusetts (LPN through undergraduate), aimed at diversifying the nursing workforce.
Covers up to $33,000 toward an associate or bachelor's degree at a partner college for undocumented immigrant students, with or without DACA or TPS. A separate stipend of up to $6,000 helps with books, supplies, and transportation.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grade 12 · college
APIA Scholars (Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholars)
Need-based scholarships from $2,500 for one year up to $20,000 in multi-year awards for Asian and Pacific Islander American undergraduates. Selection prioritizes students at or below the poverty line and first-generation students.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grade 12 · college
An eight-week paid, non-residential program where North Texas high school juniors work side by side with a faculty host in a biomedical research lab and present their results at the end of the summer.
A 10-week paid summer research program in Houston for Texas high school seniors who are heading to college in the fall. Students run a biomedical research project with a faculty mentor and attend research seminars.
A seven-week paid summer internship at Kaiser Permanente headquarters, hospitals, and medical offices across Northern California. Interns work in administrative and support roles in health care settings and attend weekly skills workshops.
Who can apply: California (local only) · grades 10–12
Prudential Financial, in collaboration with Ashoka
Awards of $5,000 and up to $15,000 for young people ages 14 to 18 who have started a project solving a financial or societal problem in their community. Open to freshmen and sophomores, not just seniors.
The oldest science and math competition for U.S. high school seniors, distributing $3.1 million a year. Every one of the 300 named Scholars receives $2,000, and 40 finalists receive at least $25,000 each.
A 10-week full-time paid summer research program for undergraduates at four Nemours pediatric sites in Delaware and Florida. Students work on clinical, laboratory, or translational research projects.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grade 12
PaidWilmington, DE and Jacksonville, Orlando, and Pensacola, FL
A scholarship plus wraparound support for low-income, motivated high school seniors who have shown grit, combining flexible funding with mentoring, a laptop, and emergency resources to help students finish college.
Federal scholarships for American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduates taking prerequisite or pre-health coursework. They pay tuition and required fees directly to your school and add a monthly stipend, with no service commitment.
A six-week paid summer pre-internship where rising high school sophomores and juniors explore STEM and healthcare careers, develop academic and workplace skills, and research community health issues.
Who can apply: Illinois (local only) · grades 9–11
A full-ride presidential scholarship covering tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years at any accredited U.S. college. It is open only to high school juniors, which makes it one of the few major awards underclassmen can win.
Up to $40,000 over four years plus a paid Amazon internship for high school seniors from low-income households who are heading into computer science. The GPA bar is 2.3, which is unusually low for an award this size.
A web-based course with live and self-paced components teaching high school students about CDC's public health work, epidemiology, infectious and chronic disease, data analysis, and emergency preparedness.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grades 10–11
Foundation of the National Student Nurses' Association
Need- and merit-based scholarships for students enrolled in undergraduate nursing programs, including pre-nursing students taking prerequisites; a dedicated diversity award also exists.
Need-based scholarships and Scholar support services for students of Hispanic heritage pursuing higher education, including healthcare and STEM fields.
An eight-week summer volunteer program giving high school students firsthand exposure to hospital life through weekly outpatient volunteering plus a lecture series led by BMC physicians, nurses, surgeons, and social workers.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 11–12
For over 40 years this program has paired high school and college students from diverse backgrounds one-on-one with researchers and clinicians on active biomedical research projects, culminating in a research symposium.
Who can apply: California (local only) · grades 10–12
The American Indian College Fund's main scholarship for Native students at tribal colleges and other accredited nonprofit institutions. One application each year puts you in the pool for many merit and need-based awards.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grade 12 · college
A full-time, hands-on summer experience in a cancer research environment, with scientific and professional development seminars and journal clubs alongside working researchers.
Paid, mentored summer research internships at HMS and its affiliated institutions for Boston and Cambridge students underrepresented in medicine, augmented by seminars, site visits, and career guidance.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 11–12
A free summer program to explore medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and more across 12 partner institutions, building applicant competencies, clinical exposure, and professional networks.
Scholarships for students who complete a significant piece of work in STEM (including medical and science research), literature, or music, open to younger students, not just seniors.
Scholarships for HOSA student members pursuing health and medical careers, offered by the national program and many state chapters for students studying a health-related field.
A biomedical research internship inspiring underrepresented students toward careers in neurological and behavioral sciences, with an in-person Baltimore track and a national virtual track.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grades 11–12
An eight-week, full-time biomedical or computational lab research internship where high school students complete a self-directed project under a mentor and receive a stipend.
Who can apply: New York / New Jersey / Connecticut (local only) · grade 11
Five rigorous math, science, and humanities courses paired with lab tours, social events, and college admissions counseling, firsthand insight into the value of STEM degrees and careers.
A mentored, original biomedical research experience for Long Island high school seniors at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, concluding with oral research presentations. Admission is need-blind.
A six-week summer program where rising seniors conduct university laboratory research with BU faculty mentors (Internship track) or structured group research in computational neurobiology or data science (Practicum), ending in a poster symposium.
A summer program where academically talented high school students join active science, math, or engineering research teams under faculty mentors and present at a closing poster symposium, receiving a stipend award.
A six-week summer internship for high school students interested in pediatric nursing and the health professions, embedding interns in clinical units alongside nurses and multidisciplinary teams.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 10–12
An eight-week paid summer research internship at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute for Oregon high school students from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Interns work in a faculty lab and attend seminars.
A free week-long day camp broadening access to nursing for diverse Washington high school students, with nurse shadowing, CPR/clinical training, simulation labs, and mentorship from nursing students.
Hands-on experience and mentorship in neurology and neuroscience, with a deep dive into medical research and clinical practice, ideal for students considering a career in neurology.
Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute
An eight-week summer program pairing high school students with research faculty to contribute to biomedical/STEM research and prepare a poster, with need-based stipends to remove financial barriers.
A one-month paid summer program for first-generation and low-income Boston-area students combining a two-week residential Pre-College experience (Mini-Med School or Lab Science Investigations) with multi-tiered mentoring.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 10–11
Simulated medical emergencies for an immersive learning experience, from summer to semester programs, teaching valuable skills such as suturing, IV placement, and intubation.
Scholarships for Black nursing students at every level from LPN and associate degree through doctorate. Awards start at $1,000 and the association has given out more than $250,000 in a single year.
Stanford University School of Medicine, Office of Diversity in Medical Education
A tuition-free, five-week residential summer enrichment program in science and medicine where low-income, underrepresented high school juniors are mentored by medical professionals, faculty, and college students.
An eight-week paid summer internship in Seattle. Interns spend two weeks learning lab techniques and safety, then six weeks working in a Fred Hutch faculty member's research lab.
Who can apply: Washington (local only) · grades 11–12
A six-week paid summer internship for under-resourced Boston Public School students, placing interns in hospital departments to build real-world skills, with weekly group meetings and department tours.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 9–12
A semester and summer program preparing first-generation, low-income students for STEM careers through hands-on work in research labs; a small stipend is available.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 9–12
A selective five-year, pre-college scholarship and advising program for high-achieving 7th-graders with financial need, funding academic and extracurricular opportunities through high school.
An intensive seven-week summer program combining formal instruction with independent, mentored research in polymer and materials science; students design original projects and may continue year-round.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grades 11–12
A multi-year program for students from Boston, Revere, and Chelsea offering paid academic-year and summer internships across MGB hospitals, plus mentorship, college/career advising, and alumni support through college.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 10–12
University of Michigan Medical School, Office for Health Equity & Inclusion
A free hybrid academic-enrichment academy for motivated 10th and 11th graders interested in health careers, SAT prep, professional development and writing workshops, exposure to Michigan Medicine, and mentorship.
Who can apply: Michigan (local only) · grades 10–11
Scholarships plus academic and career coaching for low-income single parents pursuing a first associate or bachelor's degree at a Massachusetts college.
A four-week summer program with hands-on classroom experiences and exploratory activities showcasing healthcare careers and building leadership skills.
Who can apply: Minnesota (local only) · grades 11–12
A one-week summer internship introducing high school students and recent graduates to entry-level allied health professions through shadowing in clinical, administrative, and entry-level roles such as radiology and respiratory therapy.
A need-based grant for low-income Massachusetts residents enrolled full-time as undergraduates at a MA college; the companion MASSGrant Plus expands aid to families earning up to $100,000.
A 10-week full-time paid summer internship placing undergraduates and recent graduates at hospitals, health departments, community clinics, and health plans across 13 regions of the country. Interns also get career workshops, mentorship, and health professions school prep.
Scholarships for MA residents in accredited in-state nursing programs; the Kate Maker Memorial Scholarship awards $2,500 to an associate- or bachelor's-level nursing student.
A short residential summer program for young women from greater Boston high schools to explore STEM careers through lab visits, hands-on activities, a biotech/pharma company visit, a career panel, and college-admissions guidance.
Who can apply: Massachusetts (local only) · grades 11–12
A highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding minority high school seniors from low-income households, covering the full cost of attendance not met by other aid at a four-year U.S. college.
Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans
A need-based scholarship for high school seniors who have faced and overcome significant adversity and have critical financial need, with the determination to pursue a college degree.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grade 12
ScholarshipNational
No fixed date yet
1
The organizer runs these but has not published a cycle. Their page or an email is the fastest way to find out.
A paid summer research fellowship for high school students from low-income households, placing them in academic and industry chemistry labs across the country for 8 to 10 weeks with a $4,000 award.
Who can apply: Anywhere in the U.S. · grades 10–12
A five-day residential program in Rochester where Minnesota high school students explore allied health careers like sonography, respiratory therapy, and phlebotomy through hands-on sessions in college classrooms and labs.
A free five-day camp where Puget Sound high school students shadow pediatric nurses in clinical observation sessions and practice nursing skills on models in hands-on labs.
Who can apply: Washington (local only) · grades 10–12
An eight-week funded summer research internship in biomedical labs at Washington University for St. Louis area students who have finished 11th grade. Scholars also take courses in scientific writing and college prep.
Who can apply: Missouri / Illinois (local only) · grades 11–12
PaidSt. Louis, MO
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