The Garcia Summer Research Program is an intensive seven-week experience run by the Garcia Center for Polymers at Engineered Interfaces at Stony Brook University. High school participants receive formal instruction and conduct independent, original research with guidance from center faculty, students, and staff.
Projects may draw on materials science, engineering, medicine, energy, mathematical modeling, and computation. The 2026 program is closed and runs in person in Stony Brook, New York, from June 24 through August 7.
Benefits & funding
- Formal instruction combined with laboratory research and faculty-guided development of an original project.
- Opportunity to continue research during the academic year through the Mentor Program.
- Laboratory usage fee: $4,000.
- Non-refundable application fee: $50.
- Room and board are not included; optional 2026 campus housing costs $2,599 for double occupancy, plus a mandatory $66 student health fee, with meals paid separately.
- The program does not offer financial aid or scholarships.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be high school students and must be at least 16 years old on or before July 4, 2026.
- Applicants must have an unweighted GPA of at least 95/100 or 3.8/4.0.
- Applicants must have standardized test results at or above the 60th percentile from an accepted examination.
- Applicants must have completed at least three of English, chemistry, mathematics or calculus, physics, and biology; honors, AP, or IB study is advantageous but not required.
- Applicants of any nationality may apply, but international applicants must already hold documents permitting legal presence in the United States for the full program because the program does not support visa applications.
- Leadership, special talents, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and other non-academic qualities receive special consideration.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Education required
High School
Age requirement
≥ 16 yrs
Circlebreaker is a free database of global fellowships, scholarships and programs — every one decoded like this.
We only check the criteria we have data for. Always confirm full eligibility on the official page before applying.
Application process
- 1Complete both parts of the online application during the application window.
- 2Arrange for the school to send an academic transcript.
- 3Arrange three recommendation letters, including at least one from a science teacher; recommenders must submit their own letters.
- 4Pay the non-refundable $50 application fee by check or wire transfer.
- 5Ensure the transcript and recommendation letters arrive by the supporting-document deadline.
Program timeline
Extended application deadline
February 25, 2026
Recommendation letters and transcript due
March 4, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Decisions typically released
Early April 2026
Program starts
June 24, 2026
Program ends
August 7, 2026