Duke Neuroscience Experience

Duke University Neuroscience Experience (DUNE)

June 16 – August 8, 2025

 

Dive into the world of brain science this summer! Duke University Neuroscience Experience (DUNE) is a full-time, 8-week, paid summer research internship program for Durham high school students. Participants perform hands-on experiments in neuroscience labs at Duke, engage in professional development and college prep activities, and receive a stipend and free lunch. We welcome students from diverse backgrounds to apply, including those without prior research experience! We are looking for students who are interested in exploring the mysteries of the brain, curious about a career in science or medicine, and eager to learn and grow.

 

Apply online from December 16, 2024 – February 9, 2025! You will need to fill out our application and request two (2) letters of recommendation from non-relatives.

 

Eligibility:

To apply for 2025, students must:

• Be a current high school sophomore or junior (grades 10-11 for the 2024-2025 school year), or a senior (grade 12) who does *not* plan to attend college in fall 2025;
• Attend a public or charter high school in Durham, NC (C.E. Jordan High School, City of Medicine Academy, Durham School of Technology, Durham School of the Arts, Excelsior Classical Academy, Hillside High School, Ignite! Online Academy, J.D. Clement Early College High School, Middle College High School, NC Cyber Academy, NC Virtual Academy, Northern High School, Research Triangle High School, Riverside High School, Southern School of Energy and Sustainability, or Voyager Academy High School);
• Have reliable transportation for daily commuting to Duke University;
• Be at least sixteen (16) years old by June 16, 2025; and
• Be a U.S. citizen, national, permanent resident, or legal resident.

 

What to Expect:

• Join a Lab: Get matched with a cutting-edge brain science lab at Duke University based on your research interests.
• Hands-on Research: Perform hands-on neuroscience experiments and gain technical research skills.
• Mentorship: Receive individualized mentorship from professional scientists who will guide you through your research project.
• Professional Development: Participate in a series of professional development workshops with local experts.

• Develop your neuroscience understanding
• Receive guidance for applying to college
• Develop scientific communication and presentation skills
• Explore career options in academia, industry, and medicine

• Networking: Develop a network of peers and mentors.
• Present Your Work: Present your research at an end-of-summer poster session for your peers, family, and Duke scientists.
• Stipend: Receive a stipend and daily lunch.
• Laptop: Borrow a laptop with specialized software for your lab work.

To hear from previous students who have participated in DUNE, please visit Scholar Stories and DUNE in the News.

 

Important Dates:

• December 16, 2024: Application opens
• February 9, 2025: Application and two (2) letters of recommendation from non-relatives due by 11:59pm EST
• March 2025: Admissions decisions announced
• June 16 – August 8, 2025: Program runs for 8 weeks (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)

 

Questions?

Please check the FAQs on our website. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please email duneprogram@duke.edu.

 

UNC Chapel Hill STAR Ventures Program

 The STAR Ventures Summer Program is designed to give rising high school juniors, seniors, and incoming college freshmen an immersive experience in the exploration of careers in a research institute - including finance, project management, operations, and communications - as well as many professional development opportunities such as resume building and networking. Over the course of three weeks, participants will learn about the world of data science and computer science research through engaging presentations and projects, exploring how various departments at RENCI contribute to cutting-edge research.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information on program dates, please refer to the website. Should you have any questions or need further details, feel free to reach out to: 

Fion Lin

fion@renci.org

Research Operations Intern

Renaissance Computing Institute

UNCSA High School Visual Arts Applications Available for 2025-26 Academic Year

UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA) Visual Arts Program is a residential program designed for high school juniors and seniors who have an artistic interest, dedication and enthusiasm they wish to pursue in a structured course of study. Learn more about the program.

Tuition is provided free of charge for in-state high school students, and the majority of their other educational costs (e.g., textbooks, health and wellness services, room and meal plan, activities, etc.) are covered by the North Carolina High School Artists Grant. Learn more about tuition and financial aid.

Rising high school juniors or seniors are encouraged to apply here.

AI for Business - Weekend Program for High School Students - SKEMA Business School - Centennial Campus NCSU

 SKEMA Business School is offering an AI for Business Weekend Program for high school students Nov 23^rd-24^th.

 

SKEMA partners with the NCSU Poole School of Management for a joint undergraduate degree in Business and is located on the Centennial Campus in Raleigh NC.

 

This weekend program at SKEMA Business School is currently recruiting high schools students for the AI for Business program. Please pass on and share!

 

• Weekend Program: AI for BUSINESS– November 23^rd-24th (Saturday and Sunday, 9am-4pm)– PDF Attached.
• Cost: $165 Lunch Included – NCSTATE Dining Hall
• Location: SKEMA Business School at NC State Centennial Campus
• Sign Up Link: HERE

Continuando Mi Camino will take place on October 26 from 12-4 p.m.

 

About | Sobre

Continuando Mi Camino is a bilingual (English/Spanish) postsecondary exploration event for middle and high school students and their families. The event will feature colleges/universities, community-based organizations, employment opportunities, and guest speakers for participants to start planning for their futures and learn about the resources available to them. Continuando Mi Camino is hosted by Game Plan: College in collaboration with LatinxEd & UNC Greensboro.

This event is intended to be fully in Spanish/bilingual. Open to anyone in the community, and completely free!

Partners

LatinxEd is an educational initiative in NC providing targeted, multi-year support to Latinx students and immigrant families striving for higher education and greater opportunity in a state that has the sixth fastest growing Latinx population and the seventh largest Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) population in the nation.

UNC Greensboro is consistently named among the best universities in the U.S. As one of the largest schools in NC, their students are given the resources they need to forge a meaningful path throughout their 4 years on campus. 

This year, Continuando Mi Camino will be hosted during NC Free College Application Week. There will be a College Foundation of NC (CFNC) representative present to assist current seniors interested in applying to participating colleges/universities.

REGISTER HERE

Elon University Emerging Journalism Program

 Any HS student who is interested in a career in Journalism is encouraged to check out the in Elon University Emerging Journalists Program! This is an ideal opportunity for high school students to explore what it means to be a journalist, to report and to produce news that informs communities. Applications are now open, and students may apply for our virtual sessions only or for both the virtual component and the on-campus summer experience, scheduled for June 16-27, 2025, at Elon. This on-campus residential learning workshop is open to students from diverse socio-economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds. And, again, it’s completely free. EJP pays for students’ travel, lodging, meals and instructional materials.

Find out more, and apply HERE

The CSS Profile is open

 

                         

     What is the CSS Profile?

• The CSS Profile is an online application used by colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid. ( For federal aid you must complete the FAFSA.)
• Most students complete the application in their senior year of high school starting on October 1. Schools may have different deadlines - be sure to check with each school you are applying to.
• Check your colleges’ information to determine whether they require the CSS Profile. A list of participating school is available online. Some schools may also require divorced or separated parents to complete separate applications.
• The CSS Profile may only be submitted through the sign on link available at cssprofile.org. Learn more about submitting your application on our CSS Profile Application Page.

VAHS Service Club "Light The Night" Fundraising Page

Please join the VAHS Service Club in bringing light to the darkness of cancer! We are forming a fundraising walk team for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Light The Night. Register today HERE to join our team or make a donation and help fund cancer cures!

By donating today, you can help children like Ben. In 2019, at four years old, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Though there were many difficulties along the way, he finished treatment in June of 2022 and has returned to school. Now that he’s done with treatment, Ben spends more time with friends, and says he’s looking forward to all sorts of adventures out in the world! 

Funds raised through Light The Night allow LLS to fund treatments for patients who are suffering from all forms of blood cancers. LLS has helped fund over 70% of FDA-approved blood cancer treatments since 2016.

Help defeat the darkness of cancer. Please donate today to continue to help patients and their families across the country!

 

HOBY Youth Leadership Program

 

Registration is now OPEN for the 2025 State Seminar Season! 

Since 1958, Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) has provided transformative leadership development training that has positively impacted the lives of over 500,000 high school students around the world. HOBY is looking  forward to providing VAHS students with the transformative experience of the HOBY State Leadership Seminar. 

For more than five decades, HOBY has inspired young people to make a difference and become catalysts for positive change in their home, school, workplace, and community. As America’s foremost youth leadership organization, HOBY has a long history of successfully motivating young people to develop into outstanding leaders.

Check out the HOBY Leadership Video HERE

Contact Jill O'Kane for more information or to be considered for a school nomination.

ECU Free Application Week 9/23-9/27

                                            ECU Free Application Week

Great news for students! During ECU's free application week, September 23-27, students can apply via the ECU application on our website, the Common App, or CFNC without paying the application fee. Using the Common Application is highly encouraged.

If students are considering the Honors College, they should take advantage of this free app week because the Honors College application deadline is October 15. While ECU will also participate in CFNC's Free App Week October 21-27, the CFNC free app week falls after the October 15 Honors College application deadline.

More information can be found by reviewing our Free App Week FAQs.

Harvard, Princeton, UVA, Wellesley, and Yale Virtual Admissions

Representatives from Harvard, Princeton, UVA, Wellesley, and Yale Virtual Admissions are hosting events for students and families. Interested students, Parents/Guardians are encouraged to register and attend.  hpuwy.com  

Attending a virtual session is a great way to learn more about these schools, but it won't affect students chances of admission if they choose to apply to any of them. 

NC Merit Scholarships Virtual Information Sessions

Five of North Carolina's premier merit scholarships are coming together to provide two virtual information sessions for students, parents, counselors and college advisors. During these sessions, program representatives will give an overview of each scholarship, discuss general scholarship search advice and hold a live Q&A to answer your questions.

The following programs will be represented:

Levine Scholars Program - UNC Charlotte

Park Scholars - NC State University
Cheatham-White Scholarship Program - NC A&T

Brinkley-Lane Scholars - East Carolina University

Cheatham-White Scholarship Program - NC Central University

Dates/Times: 
Thursday, Sept. 26, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 
Wednesday, Oct. 2, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Where: 
Hosted on Zoom

Register Here

Common App launches 2024–2025 direct admissions program

 By Common App September 05, 2024

Arlington, VA – Today, Common App launched its direct admissions program for the 2024–2025 application season with 117 member colleges and universities. Beginning this month, first-generation and low and middle-income students who are college-interested will receive proactive admissions offers. New to the direct admissions program this year is the ability for students to regularly see, learn, and act on their offers directly in the application. Common App Direct Admissions also includes outreach and resources to counselors and families with students receiving direct admissions offers. 

“As we continue to work toward our moonshot goal of increasing the number of low- and middle-income students applying to postsecondary opportunities, it’s imperative that we find ways to change the narrative about college from one of scarcity to one of opportunity,” said Jenny Rickard, President & CEO of Common App. “With today's launch of our 2024–2025 Common App Direct Admissions program, even more students will know they are worthy and welcome on a college campus.”

With today's launch of our 2024–2025 Common App Direct Admissions program, even more students will know they are worthy and welcome on a college campus.

Jenny Rickard, President & CEO of Common App

Common App has piloted a direct admissions program since 2021, extending admission offers to students who created a Common App account and provided enough academic information– but had not yet completed all–of their open applications. The organization launched its full-scale program last year, offering over 400,000 first-generation and low-income students direct admissions from 71 colleges and universities. Results showed that 3 out of 4 students who added a school to their college list upon receiving a direct admission offer applied to that school.

Common App’s direct admissions program is one of the many ways the organization is expanding the students it serves through its Next Chapter, with a moonshot goal to close its equity gap for low- and middle-income students accessing postsecondary opportunities by 2030. 

The participating Direct Admissions members come from 35 states. Participating North Carolina university are: Methodist University, University of North Carolina Asheville and Wingate University.

 

HBCU College Fair

 

Join us at the 9th Annual HBCU College Fair happening at Cary Academy on Sat, Sep 28, 2024 at 10:00 AM for a day filled with college exploration, information, and fun. This FREE event will feature representatives from various Historically Black Colleges and Universities ready to answer all your questions and provide valuable information about their institutions. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about your future academic endeavors and potential career paths. Enter for your chance to win a free laptop!

Pre- Registration is not required for entry to the fair. Registration IS REQUIRED for workshops as they are space limited. On site registration will also be available.

Individual Registration:

Sign up through  Eventbright HERE

Clemson University Lyceum Scholars Program

 

$10,000 Scholarships to Clemson University

The Lyceum Scholars Program is looking for ambitious, high-achieving students interested in attending Clemson and studying liberty, capitalism, the American founding and moral character.   Join a Lyceum professor and current Lyceum Scholar for a virtual information session.   Thursday, September 26 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. The eight-course program offers a curriculum centered on the great books of Western and American moral and political thought. The program is open to incoming freshman of any major and all Scholars are awarded a $10,000 scholarship. Know a student who should consider applying or want to learn more? SIGN UP

NC Next Scholarship

 

The Next NC Scholarship, beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, combines the federal Pell Grant with the state-funded financial aid program to form a simplified and predictable scholarship award that’s easier to understand and makes education more affordable for most North Carolinians.

Students enrolling at one of the 16 institutions of The University of North Carolina with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $80,000 or less and a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 7,500 or less, as reported on the FAFSA, are guaranteed at least $5,000 from combined federal and state aid.

Students enrolling at a North Carolina Community College with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $80,000 or less and a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 7,500 or less, as reported on the FAFSA, are guaranteed at least $3,000 from combined federal and state aid.

Read More Here

New pilot program – NC College Connect –launches to increase college access for North Carolina students

NC College Connect is a new program that provides a simpler way to apply to college. The best part? If you’re a high school senior at a public high school with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above, you are eligible. Look out for a letter that will be mailed to you in October with details on how you can secure your spot at participating colleges and universities.

 NC College Connect

• NC College Connect is a program that offers qualified students the opportunity for a simplified application process at select UNC System universities and their local North Carolina community college. Participating institutions include:
  • Elizabeth City State University
  • Fayetteville State University
  • University of North Carolina Asheville
  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  • University of North Carolina at Pembroke
  • Winston-Salem State University
  • North Carolina community colleges (all 58 colleges)
    • Students will be offered a simplified admissions process for their local community college.

Who is eligible for NC College Connect?

• Public high school students, including charter school students, with a weighted GPA of 2.8 and above are offered a simplified application process at select UNC System universities and all North Carolina community colleges.
• A student’s qualification for NC College Connect is determined based on their weighted GPA at the close of their junior year. Qualifying students must maintain a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above throughout their senior year, in addition to meeting the state’s basic graduation requirements as set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and meeting the UNC System minimum requirements.

BigFuture Ambassadors

 

BigFuture is inviting students entering 10th, 11th, and 12th grades to apply to become BigFuture® Ambassadors. The application deadline is Friday, August 30! Ambassadors help their classmates plan for career and college while in high school. That includes helping their classmates use the BigFuture® School mobile app to access their PSAT/NMSQT® scores, connect with nonprofit colleges and scholarship providers, and get career and college insights. Ambassadors also empower their classmates to use BigFuture.org to find careers, colleges, scholarships, and more.

Ambassadors are part of a national community of hundreds of students who connect with each other through Zoom meetings and support each other via Discord.

Golden Door Scholarship Fall 2025 Application Now Open

 Golden Door Scholars.  provides large college scholarships to undocumented students pursuing bachelor’s degrees. 

Scholarship Benefits:

• Tuition, and room & board for up to 4 years at our partner colleges
• Career readiness support
• Mentor and fellowship opportunities
• Annual community building summit

Who is the scholarship for?

• Applicants must have one of the following documentation or immigration statuses: 
• Undocumented, foreign-born people who do not possess a valid visa or other recognized immigration documentation in the United States
• Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
• U-1 visa
• Pending Asylum case open with USCIS
• Pending Refugee status
• DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)
• Applicants must have high financial need.
• Applicants can be high school seniors, recent high school graduates, current college/community college students, or obtained a GED (General Education Development) certificate from a United States Program.
• Applicants must live in the United States for at least four (4) years before applying for the Golden Door Scholarship.
• For high school seniors, applicants must have an unweighted high school GPA of 3.2.
• Please note that US citizens and permanent residents are NOT eligible for the Golden Door Scholarship.

Link to our application: https://www.goldendoorscholars.org/apply

The Gates Scholarship

 

About The Gates Scholarship

 

The Gates Scholarship (TGS) is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to exceptional student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential.
 
Selected Scholars will receive funding for the full cost of attendance to earn a bachelor’s degree, that is not already covered by other financial aid and the Student Aid Index, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the methodology used by a Scholar’s college or university. Costs covered include tuition, fees, books, and food and housing, and may include additional personal costs.
 
TGS also provides Scholars with various online support services designed to help them excel in their degree programs, graduate, and make a successful transition to their chosen careers. These include career services, mentoring, leadership development, wellness, and knowledge building.

Eligibility requirements:

• A high school senior
• From at least one of the following ethnicities: African American, American Indian/Alaska Native*, Asian/Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American
• Pell-eligible
• A US citizen, national, or permanent resident
• In a good academic standing with a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent)

Additionally, a student must plan to enroll full-time, in a four-year degree program, at a US accredited, not-for-profit, private or public college or university.

For American Indian/Alaska Native, proof of tribal enrollment will be required.
 
An ideal candidate will also have:

• An outstanding academic record in high school (in the top 10% of his/her graduating class)
• Demonstrated leadership ability (e.g., as shown through participation in community service, extracurricular, or other activities)
• Exceptional personal success skills (e.g., emotional maturity, motivation, perseverance, etc.)

Application deadline: Phase I of the application opened July 15, with a submission deadline of Sunday, September 15, 2024, 2:00 PM PT.

 

For additional information, please visit our website and watch the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P34Fo6OxiWQ