TERP Young Scholars Program | RISE Research

TL;DR: The TERP Young Scholars Program is a selective residential research program at the University of Maryland for high-achieving high school students. It offers hands-on STEM research experience over several weeks on campus. Acceptance is highly competitive and spots are extremely limited. If you want a guaranteed published research outcome regardless of whether you are accepted to TERP, RISE Research is the strongest alternative available right now. Our deadline is closing soon.

Introduction

The University of Maryland is home to one of the most active research ecosystems in the United States, with over $1 billion in annual research expenditures and faculty publishing across every major STEM discipline. The TERP Young Scholars Program gives a small group of high school students direct access to that environment each year. For students who want to experience university-level research before college, it is one of the most credible options in the country.

The challenge is access. The TERP Young Scholars Program accepts a very small cohort each year. Most students who apply do not get in, and many find out about the program too late to build a competitive application. Even students who are accepted often discover that the program produces an experience rather than a verifiable, publishable research output they can list on their college applications.

RISE Research solves that problem directly. RISE is a selective 1-on-1 mentorship program where high school students produce peer-reviewed published research under PhD mentors, regardless of which residential programs they are accepted into. If you are targeting top universities and want a real research outcome on your application, RISE gives you that path.

What Is the TERP Young Scholars Program and Who Is It For?

The TERP Young Scholars Program is a selective residential research program at the University of Maryland, College Park. It is designed for high school students who want to conduct authentic STEM research alongside university faculty and graduate student mentors. The program targets students in Grades 9 through 12 with strong academic records and a demonstrated interest in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

The program is run through the University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering and related STEM departments. Students live on campus, work in active research labs, and are assigned to faculty-led projects in areas such as engineering, computer science, biology, chemistry, and physics.

The program is designed for students who are serious about STEM and want to experience what university research actually looks like before they apply to college. It is not a general enrichment program. Students are expected to engage with real research questions, use laboratory equipment, and contribute meaningfully to ongoing faculty projects.

For more information about the program directly, visit the official University of Maryland page at ter.ps/youngscholars.

How Competitive Is the TERP Young Scholars Program?

The TERP Young Scholars Program is highly selective. The program accepts a small cohort each year, and the number of available spots is limited by the number of faculty research labs that can accommodate high school students. Acceptance rates are not publicly published, but the combination of limited spots and a national applicant pool makes this one of the more competitive pre-college research programs in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Successful applicants typically have strong GPAs, demonstrated interest in STEM through coursework or extracurricular activities, and teacher or counselor recommendations that speak specifically to their research potential. Students who have already engaged with independent projects, science fairs, or academic competitions tend to have stronger applications.

The application requires a personal statement, academic transcripts, and letters of recommendation. Students are evaluated on academic achievement, intellectual curiosity, and their ability to contribute to a research environment.

RISE Research takes a different approach to selection. RISE accepts students based on research readiness and genuine intellectual curiosity, not prior prestige or geography. With a 90% publication success rate, RISE gives qualified students a reliable path to a verifiable research outcome regardless of their residential program results.

What Does the TERP Young Scholars Program Actually Involve?

Students accepted into the TERP Young Scholars Program spend several weeks living on the University of Maryland campus in College Park. Each student is placed in an active research lab and works under the supervision of a faculty member and graduate student mentor. The research projects are real, ongoing university investigations, not simplified demonstrations designed for high schoolers.

A typical week includes time in the lab conducting experiments or data analysis, group seminars where students present their progress, and structured academic sessions that build foundational research skills. Students also participate in campus tours, faculty talks, and peer collaboration activities.

At the end of the program, students typically present their research findings in a symposium format. This presentation experience is valuable. However, the program does not guarantee a peer-reviewed published paper as an output. Most students leave with a research experience, a certificate of participation, and a presentation they completed on campus.

For college applications, a certificate and a presentation are meaningful but not externally verified in the same way that a published paper is. Admissions officers at top universities can confirm a publication independently. A program certificate requires them to take your word for it. This distinction matters at the most selective institutions.

How Does the TERP Young Scholars Program Compare to Doing Research with RISE?

These are two different paths to the same goal: a meaningful research outcome for a college application. Both are legitimate. They suit different students.

The TERP Young Scholars Program offers an immersive residential experience at a major research university. Students gain access to real labs, work alongside graduate researchers, and experience campus life before college. The program is fixed in location and format, accepts a small cohort, and produces an experience-based outcome: a presentation and a certificate.

RISE Research is fully online and open to any qualified student, regardless of location. Students work 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor from an Ivy League or Oxbridge institution across a 10-week program. The outcome is a peer-reviewed published paper in one of 40+ academic journals. That paper appears directly in the Common App Activities section and can be verified independently by any admissions reader.

RISE scholars see measurably stronger admissions outcomes. RISE scholars are accepted to Stanford at an 18% rate compared to the 8.7% standard rate. UPenn accepts RISE scholars at 32% compared to 3.8% for the general applicant pool. These are outcomes driven by the credibility of published, externally verified research. You can explore the full admissions outcomes for RISE scholars on the results page.

Many students apply to both. RISE gives you a guaranteed research output. TERP gives you a residential experience. They are not mutually exclusive.

Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out if RISE is the right fit for your goals.

Many students use RISE Research as their primary research program, whether or not they also apply to the TERP Young Scholars Program. Our deadline is closing soon. Book a free Research Assessment to find out what is achievable in your timeline.

What to Do If You Do Not Get Into the TERP Young Scholars Program

Rejection from the TERP Young Scholars Program is common and is not a reflection of your potential as a researcher. The program has a fixed number of lab placements each year, and many strong applicants are turned away simply because there are not enough spots.

RISE Research is the strongest next step. RISE accepts students based on research readiness and intellectual curiosity, not residential program results. The 10-week 1-on-1 mentorship model means your progress is not limited by lab capacity or campus logistics. You work directly with a PhD mentor in your subject area and produce a peer-reviewed published paper. Explore the RISE mentor network to see the depth of expertise available across STEM and beyond.

Other verified alternatives worth considering include:

• Research Science Institute (RSI) at MIT: A highly selective residential research program for rising seniors. Acceptance is extremely competitive. Official site: cee.org/programs/research-science-institute.

• Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University: A residential program placing high school students in faculty research labs for seven weeks. Official site: stonybrook.edu/simons.

RISE remains the first and most reliable option because it is not contingent on residential availability, geography, or a single acceptance decision. You can also review the most prestigious scholarships for high school researchers to understand how published research opens additional recognition pathways beyond admissions.

Frequently Asked Questions About the TERP Young Scholars Program

How do I apply to the TERP Young Scholars Program?

Applications are submitted through the University of Maryland's official program portal. You will need academic transcripts, a personal statement describing your research interests, and letters of recommendation from teachers or counselors. Visit ter.ps/youngscholars for the current application requirements and timeline.

Prepare your application materials well in advance. Your personal statement should be specific about the type of research you want to conduct and why the University of Maryland's labs are a strong fit for your interests. Generic statements are unlikely to be competitive.

Is the TERP Young Scholars Program free or paid?

The TERP Young Scholars Program charges a program fee that covers housing, meals, and program activities during the residential period. The exact fee for the current cycle is listed on the official program page. Some need-based financial assistance may be available. Check the official site for current pricing and aid information.

Students should factor in travel costs to College Park, Maryland, in addition to the program fee. For students outside the Mid-Atlantic region, total costs can be significant. RISE Research is a fully online alternative that removes travel and housing costs entirely.

Does the TERP Young Scholars Program help with college admissions?

Yes. Participation in a selective residential research program at a major research university is a meaningful signal in a college application. It demonstrates initiative, academic seriousness, and the ability to work in a professional research environment. It belongs in your Common App Activities section.

That said, the program produces a certificate and a presentation rather than a peer-reviewed published paper. A published paper is independently verifiable by admissions readers and carries a stronger signal at the most selective universities. Combining TERP participation with a RISE publication gives you both the experience and the externally verified output.

What do I do if I do not get into the TERP Young Scholars Program?

RISE Research is the strongest immediate alternative. RISE gives you 1-on-1 mentorship with a PhD researcher, a 10-week structured program, and a 90% publication success rate. A published paper in a peer-reviewed journal is a stronger admissions signal than most residential program certificates. Book a free Research Assessment to get started. Other verified alternatives include RSI at MIT and the Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook.

Can international students apply to the TERP Young Scholars Program?

The TERP Young Scholars Program is primarily designed for students who can attend in person at the University of Maryland campus in College Park, Maryland. International students face additional considerations including visa requirements and travel logistics. The official program page should be consulted for current eligibility details for non-US students.

International students who want a research outcome without residential requirements should consider RISE Research, which is fully online and open to students in any country. RISE scholars represent dozens of nationalities and publish in internationally recognised journals. Review the RISE publications record to see the range of journals and research areas available.

Conclusion

The TERP Young Scholars Program is one of the most credible pre-college research experiences available for high school students in the United States. It offers real lab access, faculty mentorship, and an immersive residential environment at a major research university. For students who are accepted, it is a genuinely valuable experience.

RISE Research is the right choice for students who want a guaranteed, externally verified research outcome on their college application, whether or not they are accepted to TERP. With a 90% publication success rate, 500+ PhD mentors, and admissions outcomes that include an 18% Stanford acceptance rate for RISE scholars, the program delivers results that are directly measurable. You can see the full range of student research projects and awards earned by RISE scholars on the website.

Our deadline is closing soon. If you are a student targeting top universities and want a real research outcome on your application, schedule a free Research Assessment and we will tell you exactly what is achievable in your timeline.