The Research Training Program (RTP) is an in-person program with a competitive application process for 10th grade students and is intended for local students who reside within commuting distance of downtown Seattle.

There is no cost to participate. Stipends are available to offset costs for transportation and meals. The program does not provide or arrange housing for students.

This program is for students from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in the biomedical and health sciences as defined by the National Institutes of Health. See below for more information.

Format

Starting in 2025, the Research Training Program (RTP) is expanding into a two-year, in-person program with scaffolded experiences to introduce high school students in grade 10 to laboratory research.

Summer 2025: During the Research Training, students will:
- Learn how to work in a research laboratory environment at Seattle Children's Research Institute.
- Learn about topics including biochemistry, immunotherapy, gene editing and infectious diseases.
- Participate in workshops on college readiness and career exploration.
- Conduct their own independent project utilizing the skills they have learned.
2025-2026 school year: Students will participate in monthly workshops (in-person and virtual) on topics in Science Communication.
Summer 2026: During the Research Experience, the trained students will return to work directly alongside research mentors in laboratories at Seattle Children's Research Institute.

The program provides students with a solid foundation for a future career in biomedical research. Students who participate must commit to participating in all planned activities of the Research Training Program from July 2025 to August 2026.

Students will receive stipends to offset costs for transportation and meals: $2,000 for summer 2025, $200 during the 2025-2026 school year and $2,500 for summer 2026.

Application timeline

Monday, January 6, 2025: Applications for the 2025 Research Training Program open.
Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time: Applications are due. Students must submit an application form before this due date. Late applications will not be considered.
Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time: Letters of Recommendation are due. Letter writers must submit their letters before this due date. It is highly recommended that students give their letter writers at least three weeks’ notice before this due date.
April: Applications are reviewed.
Late April to Early May: Applicants will be notified of their status: accepted, waitlisted, or not selected no later than early May.
Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 4–5:30 p.m.: There is a mandatory in-person Orientation Session at Seattle Children’s Research Institute in downtown Seattle. Students will submit required paperwork at this orientation.
Summer 2025: The Research Training will take place over four weeks from Monday, July 14 to Friday, August 8, 2025, from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. daily.
2025-2026 school year: The Science Communication Curriculum consists of monthly workshops (in-person and virtual) from October 2025 to May 2026, with times and dates to be determined by the group.
Summer 2026: The Research Experience will take place over five weeks from Monday, July 13 to Friday, August 14, 2026, from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. daily.

For more information and where to apply: https://www.seattlechildrens.org/research/centers-programs/science-education-department/high-school-training-programs/