Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging

Academic Year Research Internship

Applications for the AIMI Academic Year Research Internship are currently closed. The 2025–2026 cohort has been selected and is actively participating in the program. Please revisit this page in summer 2026 for information on the 2026–2027 application cycle.

At Stanford AIMI, our mission is to harness interdisciplinary expertise in medicine, computer science, and related fields to advance AI for better health worldwide. In that spirit, we are launching our first-ever virtual Academic Year Research Internship program for high school students. This program offers a rare opportunity for high school students to gain hands-on research experience in health AI — working on meaningful projects with real-world data, learning directly from Stanford mentors and researchers, collaborating with peers, and practicing the responsible, ethical use of AI to improve healthcare for the public good.

Program Overview

Dates

September 29, 2025 – June 5, 2026. Runs for ~30 weeks with breaks built in for major school and university holidays (no meetings during Thanksgiving week, Stanford’s Winter Closure, or Stanford’s Spring Break).

Format

Fully virtual; students work in small groups (4–5 peers) on original health AI projects with real data, guided and supported by Stanford student mentors.

Time Commitment

Students will meet for a weekly 1-hour mentorship session, generally held in the evenings (Pacific Time). Groups will meet at different days/times based on mentor availability and student schedules, and applicants will provide their availability during the application process. In addition to these sessions, students should plan to dedicate 2–4 hours each week to independent and group project work. This 3–5 hour weekly commitment is essential for making steady progress on their research projects.

Office Hours

In addition to weekly mentorship sessions, students can join optional weekly office hours for extra help, feedback, or check-ins with the teaching team.

Enrichment Opportunities

Interns gain broader exposure through quarterly “Meet the Experts” sessions with leaders in AI for health and medicine, designed to encourage open Q&A and career exploration.

Final Presentations

Each project will conclude with an oral presentation and a written summary. Depending on their progress, some groups may also prepare and submit an abstract to a scientific conference or journal in collaboration with their Stanford mentors. All projects will be featured in a Student Showcase during Stanford Health AI Week (first week of June 2026). Students will present virtually, with the option to share their findings in person if they are able to travel. In-person attendance is optional and self-funded.

Eligibility

The first round of invitations will go to alumni of the AIMI Summer Research Internship and Summer Health AI Bootcamp programs. These students do not need to submit a new application — they simply register using the link in the email sent to former students and pay the registration fee to secure their spot. Please email us at aimi-hs-programs@stanford.edu if you are a former student and did not receive an email invitation.

If space is available, invitations will then be extended to previous applicants from these summer programs over several rounds until spots are filled. Finally, if spots remain, we will open applications more broadly to other interested students.

All participants must be enrolled in high school during the 2025–2026 academic year.

Projects

Interns will take part in small-group projects designed to reflect the wide range of opportunities and challenges in health AI. Students may work on technical projects such as literature reviews, exploratory data analysis, building and testing AI models, or preparing scientific writing. Others may focus on non-technical projects that explore the ethical, legal, social, and policy dimensions of AI in healthcare — including responsible use, bias, and implementation challenges in clinical practice.

Project assignments are made based on each student’s skills, background, and mentor availability. Once assignments are confirmed, project requests or switches are not permitted, ensuring groups can build momentum and work effectively as a team. Success in this program depends on steady effort outside the mentorship sessions, as independent and group work is where most progress is made.

Benefits

This program is designed to extend the learning journey for students who want to go deeper after participating in AIMI’s summer programs. Beyond technical skills, students will gain experiences that support their college preparation, career exploration, and personal growth. Program benefits include:

  • Hands-on research exposure in AI applied to health and medicine, with opportunities to contribute to original projects guided by Stanford mentors.
  • Weekly mentorship sessions with Stanford student mentors, providing technical guidance, project feedback, and insights into academic and career pathways.
  • Significant independent and group research experience, with students expected to take ownership of their projects outside of mentorship sessions. This builds persistence, project management, and collaboration skills while reinforcing the habits of self-directed learning that are critical for college and research success.
  • Broader perspectives through quarterly “Meet-the-Experts” sessions and informal faculty chats with Stanford researchers.
  • Community and collaboration, working alongside motivated peers who share an interest in health AI.
  • Professional development in skills valued for college and beyond — including scientific writing, oral presentations, collaboration, and in some cases, contributions to abstracts submitted to conferences or journals.
  • Visibility and recognition, with work presented in the Student Showcase during Stanford Health AI Week.
  • Complimentary registration to the 2025 AI+HEALTH virtual conference (Stanford AIMI × Stanford HAI), providing exposure to cutting-edge developments and thought leaders in the field.

Together, these experiences represent a unique opportunity rarely available to high school students — preparing them to stand out in future academic and career pursuits.

Program Fees & Scholarships

The program fee is $4,800 per participant for the full academic year program.

Standard Registration (Full Tuition)

  • Registration is first-come, first-served.
  • A student’s spot is confirmed once payment is received.
  • If the program is full, a waitlist will be available. If a seat opens, applicants will be contacted and must submit payment within 24 hours to secure their place.

Scholarship Registration (Need-Based)

We are committed to making this program accessible to students from a wide range of backgrounds. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available, and in some cases, the full program fee may be waived. Scholarship applications are reviewed carefully, and awards are based on availability, demonstrated financial need and the strength of the application materials.

Scholarship Guidelines

To qualify, applicants must meet at least one of the following:

  • Gross family income below $80,000 per year (submit 2024 tax return)
  • Enrollment in a federal, state, or local program supporting low-income families (submit official documentation)
  • Demonstrated financial need or extenuating circumstances (submit a signed letter on official letterhead from a principal, counselor, financial aid officer, or community leader)

If an applicant is not approved, they will still have the option to confirm participation by paying full tuition before the reserved seat is released.

Application Requirements

All scholarship applicants must submit documentation supporting their eligibility, as outlined above, along with a 500-word essay explaining their financial need or extenuating circumstances. The essay helps the selection committee understand each applicant’s situation and assess eligibility for aid.

In the essay, applicants should briefly introduce themselves and their background, describe their family’s financial situation and why financial aid is necessary, and note any extenuating circumstances that have impacted their ability to pay for the internship (such as job loss, medical expenses, caregiving responsibilities, foster care, or immigration status). Finally, applicants should explain how receiving financial aid would make it possible for them to participate in the AIMI Academic Year Internship and how it would support their educational goals.

Scholarship application deadline: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT

Contact

For questions or more information, please email us at aimi-hs-programs@stanford.edu