RSI is free, runs for about six weeks, and publishes its own selectivity figures: over 2,500 US and 600 international applications a year, with fewer than 2.5% accepted. From 2027 it runs at Stanford as well as MIT. The rule that eliminates most hopefuls is that only juniors may apply — seniors are ineligible, with no appeal. Applications for 2027 closed on 11 December 2026.
The Research Science Institute is the most selective free summer research programme for school students, and it is unusual in one respect: it publishes its own numbers.
Most selective programmes will not tell you how many people apply. The Center for Excellence in Education, which runs RSI, states in its application FAQ that the programme receives over 2,500 US and 600 international applications each year and accepts fewer than 2.5%. That is around 78 offers against more than 3,100 applications.
What changed for 2027
RSI has run at MIT for decades. From 2027 it also runs at Stanford. CEE's own programme page describes expanding RSI to Stanford for 50 young scholars, alongside the 100 places at MIT.
The two sessions have different dates, per CEE's 2027 announcement:
| Site | 2027 dates | Places |
|---|---|---|
| MIT | 20 June – 31 July 2027 | 100 |
| Stanford | 27 June – 7 August 2027 | 50 |
This matters for two reasons. It raises total places by half, which is the first meaningful increase in a long time. And it means guides written before autumn 2026 describe RSI as a single-site programme — one more example of how quickly material in this field goes out of date.
The eligibility rule that disqualifies most people
Before anything else, check this.
You must be a high school junior — Year 12 in the UK — with one year of school remaining, and you must be 16 by 1 July of the programme year. Seniors are not eligible. Sophomores are not eligible. CEE states this plainly and there is no appeal process.
A large share of students who research RSI are seniors who have just discovered it. If that is you, the programme is closed, and the useful move is to redirect that effort somewhere it can land — the summer before Year 13 has other options, and independent research has no eligibility window at all.
Public, private and home-schooled students may all apply.
What the application consists of
Six components, none of which can be assembled in a weekend:
- The online form.
- Essay responses on your STEM goals.
- Three recommendation letters — one from a maths teacher, one from a science teacher, and one from either a research supervisor or someone who can speak to your leadership.
- An official transcript, uploaded by your registrar or school counsellor through the recommendation form rather than by you.
- Standardised test scores.
- A list of honours and awards.
The three-referee requirement with a specified split is the part worth planning around. You cannot ask two science teachers and call it done, and the third letter — research supervisor or leadership — is a real fork. If you have done any supervised project work, that referee is almost always the stronger choice.
The score benchmarks
CEE publishes recommended benchmarks, which is again unusually transparent:
| Test | Recommended benchmark |
|---|---|
| PSAT Math | 740+ |
| SAT Math | 750+ |
| ACT Math | 33+ |
Review is described as holistic, and CEE says strong essays, references or research experience can offset slightly lower scores. International applicants who cannot sit these tests may submit results from their own country's examinations instead.
Read the benchmark correctly: it is a floor for being taken seriously, not a predictor. A 790 does not get you in. Several thousand applicants clear this bar and fewer than 80 receive offers, so the decision is made elsewhere.
Where the decision is actually made
CEE lists its selection criteria as potential as a future STEM leader, superior achievement in maths and science, genuine passion for research, rigorous coursework, and extracurricular involvement such as competitions or independent research.
The operative line in the FAQ is about evidence. Essays should show curiosity "with concrete examples of self-motivated learning," and CEE's own phrasing is "show do not just tell." Applications that assert enthusiasm lose to applications that describe a thing the student did.
And the detail that should encourage anyone without a lab: about 10% of selected students have no prior research experience. Students without it are told to draw on classes, competitions, independent projects or part-time jobs, and students in what CEE calls a "STEM desert" are invited to say so. What is penalised is purely aspirational interest — wanting to do research, with nothing yet attached.
If you are in that position, the fastest way to generate something concrete is a self-directed project. Our guides to research without a lab and free datasets for student research cover how to produce real work from a school desk, and narrowing a research question covers the part most students get wrong first.
What the six weeks involve
One week of intensive STEM classes taught by professors. Five weeks on an individual research project under a working scientist. Then conference-style oral and written reports — students review the current literature, write and execute a research plan, and present findings.
That last element is why RSI alumni tend to have something durable afterwards. A written report to conference standard is a document you can keep using: for personal statements, for competitions, and in some cases as the basis of a submission to a student journal. Our guide to publishing research in high school covers what that step involves.
Dates, fees and the thing people get wrong
Applications for RSI 2027 closed at 11:59pm ET on 11 December 2026. CEE states that late applications are not considered, and all applicants are notified in March — there is no rolling admission. The deadline typically falls on the Wednesday of the second full week in December.
The application fee is $75, non-refundable, with waivers potentially available on demonstrated financial need if you contact CEE directly. The programme itself is free, including room and board; you pay your travel.
The mistake is almost never the application. It is the calendar. RSI's deadline sits in the December of your junior year, which means the three referees have to be approached in November, which means the decision to apply has to be made in October — eight months before the programme runs.
If you are a Year 11 or Year 12 student reading this in good time, the single most useful thing you can do is put the December deadline in a calendar now and spend the intervening months producing something concrete to write about. That is also the advice that holds if you never apply, which is a reasonable summary of what applying to RSI properly involves.
For how RSI compares with the other selective options, see our list of the best summer programmes and our guide to MIT research programmes for high school students.
Frequently asked questions
What is the RSI acceptance rate?
The Center for Excellence in Education states on its own application FAQ that RSI receives over 2,500 US and 600 international applications each year and accepts fewer than 2.5%. That is roughly 78 places from more than 3,100 applications. Unlike almost every other selective summer programme, this figure comes from the organiser rather than from a third-party estimate.
Can seniors apply to RSI?
No. You must be a high school junior with one year of school remaining, and you must be 16 by 1 July of the programme year. Sophomores cannot apply either. This single rule accounts for a large share of the students who think they are eligible and are not.
Do I need research experience to get into RSI?
It helps but is not required. CEE's FAQ says about 10% of selected students arrive with no prior research experience. What it rules out is purely aspirational interest — the application asks for concrete evidence of self-motivated learning, which can come from competitions, independent projects, classwork or a job.
What test scores does RSI want?
The published benchmarks are PSAT Math 740 or above, SAT Math 750 or above, or ACT Math 33 or above. Review is holistic, so strong essays, references or research experience can offset slightly lower scores. International applicants who cannot sit these tests may submit their own country's examination results.
Can international students apply to RSI?
Yes, if their country is participating. CEE asks international applicants to contact the organisation directly to confirm, and international deadlines normally match the US deadline. Around 600 international applications arrive each year, so the route is real but narrow.
Is RSI really free?
Yes. Attendance costs nothing, including room and board. There is a non-refundable $75 application fee, and waivers may be available on demonstrated financial need if you contact CEE. Students cover their own travel to campus.