About

University of Massachusetts Amherst Pre-College Research Intensives are competitive, six-week programs that allow academically motivated high school students to conduct original research alongside faculty and graduate mentors. Part of the University Without Walls (UWW) Pre-College Program, these intensives situate students inside real university laboratories to tackle contemporary questions in fields such as Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Microbiology, Psychology, and Food Science. The 2026 session runs from June 28 to August 8.

Offered on the Amherst campus, the program engages rising high school juniors and seniors (including graduating seniors) who typically have grades of B or above in mathematics and science. Applications for the 2026 cycle open by February 1, with a regular deadline of March 15 and an extended deadline of April 15. Because labs have limited capacity, early submission is encouraged. Students apply to specific lab opportunities, such as the Adler Lab for pollinator health or the Karlstrom Lab for developmental neurobiology.

During the six-week session, participants integrate into professional research teams. They apply laboratory methods, engage with scientific literature, and contribute to ongoing investigations under daily mentorship from UMass faculty and graduate researchers. Activities vary by lab and may include wet-lab experiments, computational quantum chemistry, or avian physiological studies.

The Research Intensives are primarily residential, with students living in campus housing and participating in a community that includes evening programming. Unlike many other pre-college offerings, these intensives are credit-bearing; students earn 6 college credits upon successful completion. For 2026, the residential program fee is $12,813 and the commuter fee is $7,133. A $500 non-refundable deposit is due within two weeks of acceptance, with full payment required by May 31, 2026.