Welcome to the Aspire Fellowship.

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Congratulations!

You’re joining a selective cohort chosen from over 1000+ applicants .

Our running acceptance rate is lower than 20%.

Admission into the Aspire Fellowship is intentionally selective. Each student is chosen not just for technical ability, but for intellectual curiosity, independence, and the capacity to pursue original research at a high level. It doesn’t matter where you are in your research journey; we saw something promising in your application, and that’s why you’re here.

Over the next 12 weeks, you’ll work 1-on-1 with your mentor to design, execute, and present a competition- or publication-ready research project in a domain you’ve expressed interest in. The Fellowship is structured to mirror the way real research is done, from problem formulation and literature review to methodology, iteration, and final presentation.

This is not a course, and it is not a camp. The Aspire Fellowship is designed for students who want to treat research as a serious intellectual pursuit.

By accepting your spot, you’re joining a small cohort of students who will be held to high standards, and given the mentorship and structure to meet them.

Welcome to the Fellowship.
- The Aspire Team

Join Others

Ready to join 50+ successful fellows?

The Aspire fellowship really is an incredible program. I didn't think much of it at first, but when I had my first meeting with my mentor, I was absolutely blown away and was super excited to start my research project. From then, my mentor and I grew and built upon my past work, and I was able to present it at the AAS 248th conference! Since I joined the Fellowship, I have been able to submit three abstracts from my previous and current research, and my dream of having my work published online has been fulfilled.

Noelani Castellon

Grade 11, Spring Cohort

The Aspire fellowship really is an incredible program. I didn't think much of it at first, but when I had my first meeting with my mentor, I was absolutely blown away and was super excited to start my research project. From then, my mentor and I grew and built upon my past work, and I was able to present it at the AAS 248th conference! Since I joined the Fellowship, I have been able to submit three abstracts from my previous and current research, and my dream of having my work published online has been fulfilled.

Noelani Castellon

Grade 11, Spring Cohort

Aspire Student Spotlight

Where have fellows accomplished?

  • ISEF 2026

    Rithvik Puppala

    ISEF 2026 Grand Award Winner · Biomedical Engineering

    Grade 10

    Research focus: Ovarian Cancer Research

  • ISEF 2026

    Meetushi Goel

    ISEF 2026 Finalist · Software Design

    Grade 11

    Research focus: AI-powered drones and accessibility-focused education work.

  • ISEF 2026

    Nina Shaye

    ISEF 2026 Finalist · Translational Medical Science

    Grade 11

    Research focus: Hybrid AI for early-stage pancreatic cancer detection.

  • National Fair Winner

    Adiya Yessen

    Gold Medalist · Republican Competition of Scientific Projects

    Grade 10

    Research focus: Kazakh-language speech dataset for text-to-speech AI.

  • 1st Place

    Harry Bai

    1st Place · Fairfax County Regional Science & Engineering Fair

    Grade 10

    Research focus: Plasma-treated water for food crops in lunar soil.

  • Neurips & icml

    Aarav Sinha

    Published Researcher · NeurIPS 2025 & ICML 2026

    Grade 11

    Research focus: AI and reinforcement learning for sensory processing and navigation.

  • Science Olympiad

    Mrinal Yalageri

    Texas State Science Olympiad Medalist

    Grade 11

    Research focus: AI and software for 3D bioprinting and regenerative medicine.

  • Published

    Rajarshi Mandal

    Published Researcher · 8 Papers, including IEEE CIBCB

    Grade not listed

    Research focus: Multi-omics research on oxidative stress and cellular aging.

Meet the mentors

Top PhDs from every field.

Expectations

Here's the gameplan.

Week 0 - Onboarding

Meet your mentor, understand the structure of the program

Weeks 1-2 - Ideating

Work with your mentor to develop an ISEF-worthy project idea + plan.

Weeks 3-9 - Execution

Conduct your research, iterate, fail, learn, get better, and produce results!

Weeks 10-12 - Deliverables

Turn your project into a paper for publication, or an ISEF presentation.

Week 0 - Onboarding

Meet your mentor, understand the structure of the program

Weeks 1-2 - Ideating

Work with your mentor to develop an ISEF-worthy project idea + plan.

Weeks 3-9 - Execution

Conduct your research, iterate, fail, learn, get better, and produce results!

Weeks 10-12 - Deliverables

Turn your project into a paper for publication, or an ISEF presentation.

Week 0 - Onboarding

Meet your mentor, understand the structure of the program

Weeks 1-2 - Ideating

Work with your mentor to develop an ISEF-worthy project idea + plan.

Weeks 3-9 - Execution

Conduct your research, iterate, fail, learn, get better, and produce results!

Weeks 10-12 - Deliverables

Turn your project into a paper for publication, or an ISEF presentation.

Roles

Here's how it works.

Your Mentors

Work with people who have actually done it before. Your PhD mentor helps you refine the science, and your ISEF finalist gets you competition-ready.

You

You bring the curiosity. We help you turn it into something real. With structure, guidance, and a clear roadmap, you go from a blank page to a project you’re proud to present.

Fellowship Fundementals.

Communication

Meet with your mentor 1h/week via video call. Forgot something? Message them through a private Discord channel.

Guided Milestones

Submit brief weekly updates and reports to hold yourself accountable and get feedback from our team.

Clear Outcomes

Work with your mentor to develop a publish-ready research paper or competition-ready poster + presentation.

Next Steps

Here's what to do next.

1. Confirm Your Seat.

To secure your place in the cohort, complete your enrollment by following the steps in your acceptance email. Mentor seats are limited, and early enrollees are given priority. If you enroll too late, you may not be able to work with your assigned mentor, or a mentor at all.

The enrollment deadline can be found in your acceptance email.

2. Program Kickoff.

After confirming your seat, we’ll begin our Kickoff phase. You’ll be informed about the nitty-gritty details of the program, meet with your PhD mentor, schedule recurring meeting times, and review student expectations before starting research.

3. Begin Research.

Once you’re fully onboarded, the fun begins! You’ll start working directly with your mentor on refining your research question and conducting literature review. From there, you’ll move through structured milestones toward producing a concrete outcome.

If you have any questions about this process, please review the FAQs below before reaching out to us at team@aspireresearch.net

Frequently Asked Questions:

Frequently Asked Questions:

The Aspire Fellowship is designed for ambitious students who want structured, high-level support in turning an idea into a serious research project. Students receive 1:1 mentorship from a PhD-level mentor, step-by-step project guidance, support with research papers and science fair materials, and access to Aspire’s templates, resources, and research community. Instead of trying to figure out research alone, students get a clear roadmap, expert feedback, and accountability from start to finish.
Aspire mentors are PhDs, researchers, and advanced academic professionals with experience working with high schoolers. We source talent from top universities and organizations, such as Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Apple, Google, NVIDIA, and many more top technical institutions across a wide range of fields. Mentor backgrounds vary by cohort, but students are matched based on research interests, mentor expertise, and project fit.
The Aspire Fellowship is selective because mentor capacity is limited and every student is matched individually. We review each student’s interests, motivation, background, and potential to complete a serious research project. Acceptance rates hover around 20-30% per cohort.
Several Aspire Fellows have qualified for ISEF, published in peer-reviewed journals, and pursued external opportunities such as competitions, showcases, and publication pathways through their mentor or Aspire itself. Outcomes vary depending on the student’s effort, timeline, project type, and external review processes. Aspire provides mentorship, structure, and support, but does not guarantee awards, publications, or admissions results.
Students are matched based on their research interests, project goals, experience level, and the expertise of available mentors. We look for the strongest practical fit: someone who can guide the student’s topic, help refine the project, and provide meaningful feedback throughout the Fellowship. When needed, we may also help students narrow or adjust their topic so it fits the mentor’s expertise and the 12-week timeline.
After enrollment, students are introduced to their assigned mentor and given more information about their background, research experience, and relevant areas of expertise. This information can be found in your acceptance email. The mentor will serve as the student’s primary research guide throughout the Fellowship, helping with ideation, feasibility, methodology, analysis, writing, and presentation preparation.
Yes. Aspire mentors are selected for their academic and research backgrounds. Many are PhD students, researchers, or advanced scholars who are actively involved in research or have significant experience in their field. Mentors are chosen not only for their credentials, but also for their ability to explain complex ideas, guide younger students, and support a structured research process. It is important to note that mentors do NOT conduct research on the student’s behalf, rather they encourage and guide them to solve problems on their own.
Aspire mentors cover a wide range of fields, including biology, medicine, neuroscience, psychology, computer science, artificial intelligence, engineering, environmental science, physics, data science, public health, and more.
Yes. Aspire supports a broad range of research interests, but the exact project must be feasible within the student’s timeline, resources, experience level, and mentor match. If a student’s initial idea is too broad, too advanced, or dependent on inaccessible lab equipment, the mentor and Aspire team will help refine it into a realistic project that still aligns with the student’s interests.
If a student feels their mentor match is not working, they should contact the Aspire team as early as possible. We will review the situation, understand the concern, and work towards matching you with a new mentor. Assigning a new mentor takes anywhere from 12-72 hours.
Yes! Many mentors choose to write recommendation letters if they feel they have worked closely enough with the student to write a strong and honest letter. This is not guaranteed, since letters depend on the mentor’s individual judgment, the quality of the student’s work, and the depth of the relationship developed during the Fellowship. Aspire can support the process, but mentors are never required to write letters.
The Aspire Fellowship is conducted online. Students meet with their mentors virtually and communicate through Aspire’s online systems throughout the program. This allows students to work with mentors across different universities, locations, and fields without needing to relocate or commute.
After enrollment, students receive onboarding instructions, access to Aspire’s communication platforms, and information about their mentor match. They will be guided through the next steps, including joining the Fellowship community, accessing resources, and preparing for their first mentor meeting. The early stage of the program focuses on alignment: making sure the student understands the expectations, timeline, tools, and project direction.
Students typically meet with their mentor once to twice per week for a live 1:1 session. These meetings are used to review progress, answer questions, refine the project, and set clear goals for the following week. Students are expected to make progress between meetings and come prepared with updates, questions, and work to review.
Between weekly meetings, students can communicate with their mentor through Aspire’s online communication channels (Discord). This is meant for asynchronous guidance, quick questions, progress updates, and feedback. Mentors are not expected to be available on-demand at all times, but students will have a structured way to ask questions and receive support between meetings.
Most students should expect to spend 5-10 hours per week outside of mentor meetings working on their project. The exact time commitment depends on the project type, the student’s goals, and the stage of the program. Students pursuing more competitive outcomes, such as science fair submissions or publication opportunities, should expect to commit more time.
Aspire uses Discord for communication, Google Classroom for submitting reports, and Google Meet or Zoom for mentor meetings. Students may also use tools like Google Docs, Overleaf, spreadsheets, coding environments, or research databases depending on their project. All required tools and expectations are explained during onboarding.
Outside of mentor meetings, Aspire provides resources such as paper and poster templates and access to our network of ISEF finalists. The Aspire team also helps monitor progress and step in if there are issues with communication, project direction, or mentor-student alignment. The goal is to make sure students are not just receiving mentorship, but moving through a clear research process.
By the end of the Fellowship, students are expected to produce a polished research project and EITHER a publication-ready research paper OR a competition-ready poster and presentation. Students have limited time, so we encourage students to focus on one major deliverable based on their goals. However, if a student wants to pursue both, they may.
Yes, students receive guidance on writing a research paper. This includes support with structure, clarity, citations, methodology, results, discussion, and overall presentation of the work. Aspire’s mentors also assist with finding suitable journals to publish the student’s work. The student is responsible for writing their own paper, while mentors and Aspire provide feedback, direction, and revision support.
Yes. Students can receive guidance on creating science fair materials such as a poster, oral presentation, project summary, research plan, and other competition-related materials. Aspire also provides resources and templates to help students understand how strong research projects are presented at competitive science fairs.
Yes. Aspire helps students understand and prepare for research competitions such as ISEF and Regeneron STS, as well as other relevant opportunities. The program is built with a focus on ISEF, the largest pre-college science fair. Support may include project strategy, paperwork (more important than you may think!), presentation preparation, poster feedback, research paper guidance, and competition planning. Eligibility, deadlines, rules, and submission requirements vary by competition and location, so families should always review the official rules for each venue.
Publication guidance means Aspire helps students understand how to prepare their work for potential external submission. This may include improving the research paper, identifying appropriate journals or venues, understanding submission expectations, and revising the work for clarity and rigor. Aspire does not guarantee publication. Final decisions are made by external journals, conferences, reviewers, or competition organizers. That being said, all of our mentors have experience publishing in peer-reviewed journals.
No. Aspire does not guarantee publication, science fair awards, competition results, or college admissions outcomes. What Aspire does provide is mentorship, structure, research guidance, feedback, and support designed to help students produce stronger work. The final outcome depends on the student’s effort, project quality, timeline, external reviewers, and competition or publication standards.
Students can complete many types of research projects, including computational research, data analysis, literature-based research, engineering design, machine learning projects, environmental analysis, public health research, psychology research, and more. We help students to create a project with ISEF-caliber scope and quality.
Aspire does not generally provide guaranteed access to university labs, physical lab facilities, or institutional research equipment. Students can still complete strong projects using computational methods, public datasets, literature review, modeling, simulations, engineering design, surveys where appropriate, or other feasible approaches. Over 60% of ISEF projects in 2025 did not require lab access. If a project requires special equipment, lab access, IRB approval, or institutional support, Aspire will help assess whether it is realistic and suggest alternatives when needed.
The Aspire Fellowship tuition is $2,597 for the full 12-week program, unless a scholarship, discount, or payment plan has been separately approved (check your acceptance email!) Tuition includes weekly 1:1 mentorship, program resources, paper guidance, science fair guidance, templates, communication infrastructure, and Aspire’s support throughout the Fellowship.
After acceptance, families receive access to the enrollment portal (check your email!). Payment can be completed through the portal using the available checkout options. Once enrollment is completed, the student’s spot and mentor match can be finalized. More details will be provided to you post-enrollment.
Yes, payment plans are available. Please review your enrollment page for details.
Partial scholarships are available on a mixture of need and merit. If you received a scholarship, you would have been notified in your acceptance email.
Yes. Families should receive a payment confirmation or receipt after completing enrollment. If you do not receive one, please contact Aspire and we can help verify the payment and resend confirmation if needed.
Please view the refund policy at aspireresearch.net/tos.
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