Wright Scholar Research Assistant Program  

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Minimum Qualifications
  1. Must be 16 years old by 1 June 2025
  2. Must be a high school junior or senior
  3. Interest in STEM career
  4. U.S. citizen
  5. Must be able to pass background check
  6. GPA of 3.5 or greater confirmed by school officials before application deadline

Additional Program Requirements

Apply Here Starting November 1

Internship Tenure: 9 June - 1 Aug 2025
Application Period: 1 November 2024 - 10 January 2025 at 5:00pm EST

NOTE: GPA Certifications must be included with the application to be considered. Students are encouraged to engage school administrators early, leaving a minimum of 2 weeks response time before the application deadline. Applications are timestamped. Late or incomplete applications are not accepted.

Selection Notification Letter by 30 April 2025

The Wright Scholar Research Assistant Program is an Air Force Research Laboratory initiative designed to expose high school juniors and seniors to various disciplines of engineering and science to further their interest in future STEM careers with the Department of Defense. Wright Scholars are competitively selected to work as full-time, paid research assistants for 8 weeks during the summer as a contractor. A “blind” review system is used to score and rank student applications. Selected students are matched with a mentor to work on a research project for the duration of the summer.

Email Us or call 937-283-4998

 
Program Requirements
  • Must be 16 years old or older by program start 1 June 2025.
  • Must be a high school junior (Class of 2026) or senior (Class of 2025).
  • Must have overall GPA of 3.5 or higher confirmed by school administrators before application deadline. Home-school students are considered if they score in the top 20% on a national standardized test such as the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT or ACT.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen. Program is not open to Permanent Residents or Green Card holders.
  • Must have demonstrated interest in STEM career fields.
  • Interns are responsible for securing your own housing, food, and transportation. Program administration is not responsible nor can assist on a scholar's behalf.
  • Must be able to pass background check.
  • Must commit to mandatory attendance policy without absence, except for emergency/illness, during the first week and a maximum 40 hours absent over 8 weeks. This paid position is a full-time commitment. Excessive absence is grounds for dismissal.
  • Selected students will be hired as an ARCTOS | Aerospace, defense, and digital solutions employee for the summer.
Prior Year Wright Scholars
  • Prior year Scholars DO NOT REAPPLY, if selected to return they will receive a returning scholar selection emailed for the upcoming summer Wright Scholar Research Assistant Program by 30 November.
Additional Information/Links:

Wright Scholar Photos
Former Wright Scholar Feedback
Wright Scholar Career Descriptions
Mentor Feedback
Program Data