Michigan State University High School Honors Science, Math and Engineering ProgramHSHSP

HSHSP at a Glance

Host

Department of Teacher Education, Michigan State University, on the East Lansing campus in Michigan; Gail Richmond has directed the program since 1988

Field

All areas of science, engineering and mathematics; the program focused on the life sciences in its early years and has covered all STEM fields since 1989

Grades and age

Under the 2024 rules, applicants must be high school juniors at the time of application, entering 12th grade at the program start; participants are usually 16 to 18 years old

Citizenship and residency

Under the 2024 rules, only US citizens and permanent residents currently in 11th grade are eligible. Applicants should be in the top 20 percent of their class and have taken at least three years of college-preparatory math and two or more years of science.

Cost

Under the 2024 rules, the participant fee was $4,000, covering room, board and some instructional costs; families paid for travel, personal items and non-program activities. Need-based scholarships were available, and the program also encouraged students to seek support from local schools, businesses and service organizations. Fees after the pause have not been announced.

Dates and format

Seven weeks of residential research on the Michigan State campus. The 2024 session ran June 16 to August 3: participants spent weekdays on individual projects in a mentor's lab, attended discussions, seminars and classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and wrote a research proposal and final report.

Application dates

The program did not run in 2025 and will not run in 2026; no decision on 2027 has been announced. The last published cycle was 2024, when applications and materials were due by March 1, 2024 and decisions were sent by May 1.

Application materials

Per the past (2023) application page: an online application; two essays of 400 to 600 words, one on interest in research and the program and one on how a book has affected your thinking; recommendations from at least two teachers, at least one a recent science teacher; an official sealed transcript with standardized test scores; and a financial aid section for those applying for aid.

Size and selectivity

About 24 participants a year, per the 2024 program information; the number of applicants and the admission rate are not published.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-07 · education.msu.edu/hshsp

How to Apply to HSHSP

• HSHSP has now been paused for two years, and no 2027 plan has been announced. Do not count on it for next summer; prepare applications to programs that are still running, such as Clark Scholars and the University of Florida SSTP.
• If the program returns, the past process asked for two essays and at least two teacher recommendations, one from a science teacher. The second essay is about a book that affected you, so it helps to keep notes on what you read outside class.
• HSHSP accepted only US citizens and permanent residents. Students on a student visa can look at the University of Iowa SSTP or the University of Florida SSTP, both of which accept international students.