About

The Laboratory Learning Program (LLP) is Princeton University’s flagship high-school research internship, offering 5–6 weeks of immersive, faculty-guided STEM research on campus. Unlike summer classes or academic enrichment programs, LLP places students directly into Princeton laboratories—biology, molecular genetics, chemistry, physics, materials science, engineering, machine learning, and environmental science—where they contribute to ongoing research under the mentorship of faculty, postdocs, and graduate students. The program is fully free, but it does not provide housing. Although in past years LLP has accepted out of state students with housing, participants must now be local in order to be eligible.

Princeton does not release formal acceptance rates, but LLP is widely regarded as one of the most selective commuter research programs in the country. In strong years, the applicant pool reaches well into the thousands, with roughly 30–40 openings available. Selection is multi-step: applicants submit essays, short responses, and lab preferences; if initially selected, they must provide transcripts, recommendations, and clearance documents. Final placement depends on lab fit—a second, stringent filter that eliminates many otherwise strong candidates.

LLP interns work full-time in the lab, mirroring the rhythms of a real research group. Students learn technical protocols, analyze data, attend lab meetings, and contribute to active projects in fields ranging from computational modeling and environmental engineering to organic synthesis or neurobiology. At the end of the program, each student produces a written research summary. There are no structured social events or weekend programming—the experience is designed to replicate an authentic scientific internship rather than a pre-college residential environment.

Although LLP’s commuter format limits who can attend, the academic rigor, Princeton affiliation, and faculty-embedded structure make it a standout regional opportunity. The program is particularly valuable for local students who seek genuine lab immersion at a top research university. LLP alumni often continue long-term mentorships beyond the summer, develop research portfolios, or pursue advanced coursework aligned with their lab experience.
A highly selective, deeply immersive faculty research placement program. LLP offers serious scientific training and Princeton-level laboratory exposure—one of the strongest regional research internships available to high school students.