ASPIRE (Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory)
Research & internship · Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)ASPIRE places high school juniors and seniors on-site at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD, working roughly 30 to 40 hours a week alongside an APL staff mentor on a real project spanning areas like aerospace engineering, cybersecurity, or biological research. It's unpaid and runs full-time over the summer, with some projects extending into the school year. Fewer than one in ten applicants is admitted, and APL says it looks for persistence and creativity rather than the strongest GPA alone. The 2026 application cycle has closed; accepted students are notified by May 15.
Who can apply
FieldsEngineering · Computer Science · Science
SelectivityUnder 10% acceptance rate
Logistics
Applying
You submitOnline application; decisions sent by May 15. APL weighs persistence and creativity alongside academics.