Research Lab: International Format

Research Lab: International Format is one of the delivery formats for our Princeton Labs program. Same labs, same lab director, same methodology. This format pairs weekly Zoom mentorship with three weeks in Princeton each year: concentrated in-person time at the start and end of the year, with weekly contact across the middle.

It runs for a full year. You meet weekly over Zoom, come to Princeton for two weeks at the start, do your research through the year with mentorship, and return to Princeton for one closing week the following summer.

Programs are taught in English. Students must be comfortable doing research, writing, and presenting in English. For background on how our labs work and what we expect from students, see the Princeton Labs page.

The program begins with two weeks in Princeton. Students meet their research group and lab director in person, choose a research question, and build the foundation for their project.

During these two weeks, students complete the full Microscopy and Spectroscopy courses. They also begin Statistics, Machine Learning, and Mathematica, which continue online during the year.

By the end of the opening session, each student leaves with a clear research plan and the technical skills needed to begin.

During the school year, students meet weekly on Zoom. Meetings are 1 to 1.5 hours with the group and lab director. Sessions follow a standard academic calendar, with breaks for major holidays and exam periods.

These meetings focus on research progress and project guidance. The three remaining Research Skills Courses (Statistics, Machine Learning, and Mathematica) are also completed during the year.

The program ends with one week in Princeton the following summer. Students return in July or August, depending on their cohort. The week is used for presentations, discussions, and project defenses; work on publishing and sharing results; and identifying potential collaborations and future directions. Interaction with the next year's incoming cohort may also be included.

• Year-round weekly Zoom meetings with your group and lab director
• Three weeks in person at Princeton (two-week opening + one-week closing)
• All five Research Skills Courses:
  • Practical Microscopy (during opening, in person)
  • Practical Spectroscopy (during opening, in person)
  • Applied Statistics with R (kickoff during opening, completion online during the year)
  • Applied Machine Learning with Python (kickoff during opening, completion online during the year)
  • Modeling and Simulations with Wolfram Mathematica (kickoff during opening, completion online during the year)
• Personal AI Research Mentor access
• SoTS membership for the duration
• Eligibility to publish in our peer-reviewed journal and magazine
• Eligibility to present at the SoTS Science Conference for Teenagers
• Certificate of Research Training upon successful completion

Travel, lodging, and meals during in-person weeks are not included. Families arrange these independently.

For 2026, the International Format runs with our Open Direction lab, the SoTS lab where the research topic is up to you. Welcome whether you arrive with a research question in mind or are still figuring out what you want to study.

A delivery format built around a year-long, bundled commitment with concentrated in-person time at the start and end of the year. Common situations:

• Students outside the United States.
• US families far from Princeton.
• Families anywhere who prefer a single annual decision over semester-by-semester.
• Families who want research mentorship and the Research Skills Courses bundled in one program.

Two cohorts each year. Pick the one that fits your calendar:

• Cohort A.
  Opening 2026: July (exact dates set with each cohort once it fills), central Princeton, NJ.
  Closing 2027: July, central Princeton, NJ.
• Cohort B.
  Opening 2026: August (exact dates set with each cohort once it fills), central Princeton, NJ.
  Closing 2027: August, central Princeton, NJ.

Weekly Zoom begins the week after each cohort's opening and runs through the following summer.

To join this format, you need:

• An active SoTS membership. Fit evaluation required for entry.
• A short interview with the lab director.
• Ability to come to Princeton for two weeks at the start and one week at the end of the year.
• Comfort doing research, writing, and presenting in English.

The in-person weeks are short-term, part-time, and non-credit, which is generally compatible with B-2 visitor visa requirements. We do not sponsor visas.

After acceptance, we provide a program description letter to support your visa application. Visa issuance is at the discretion of US consular officers.

If your visa is denied and you can document the denial, we provide a full refund.

Same criteria as other formats. Students who complete the year in good standing, attend at least 75% of scheduled Zoom sessions, attend both in-person weeks in full, and demonstrate satisfactory progress are eligible to receive a Certificate of Research Training.

Harvard's admissions reading procedures name “original scholarship” among the characteristics of their highest-rated applicants. See public records details →

• Not accepted to the lab (no space, prerequisites not met): full refund.
• Visa denied (with documentation): full refund.
• Voluntary withdrawal: prorated refund based on date of withdrawal.
• Disenrolled for lack of commitment or conduct issues: no refund. Parents will be contacted before any disenrollment action.