MIT Launches Summer Program for Homeschooled STEM Students

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Massachusetts Institute of Technology has established a new summer internship program specifically designed for homeschooled high school students with interests in science and technology.

The MIT Homeschool Internship Program for Science and Technology (HIP-SAT) offers an eight-week paid research experience on the university’s Cambridge campus. The program allows homeschooled teenagers from across the United States to participate in cutting-edge research at MIT laboratories.

Professor Matt Shoulders, who spearheaded the initiative, drew inspiration from his own background as a homeschooled student in Virginia.

“My unconventional education fostered my passion for STEM,” said Shoulders, now a tenured chemistry professor at MIT. “I wanted to create opportunities that I wish I’d had access to as a homeschooled student.”

Shoulders collaborated with fellow MIT professor Michael Strano, who currently homeschools his children, to develop the program. They recognized a need to provide specialized research opportunities for this demographic of students.

The initiative represents a growing recognition of alternative educational pathways into scientific careers. MIT officials noted that homeschooled students often demonstrate strong independent research skills but may lack access to advanced laboratory facilities.

For more information about application requirements and deadlines, students can visit the MIT HIP-SAT program website.