Polygence is an online research mentorship platform that pairs high school students one-on-one with PhD-level expert mentors to produce original, publishable research projects. Founded in 2019, Polygence has served over 10,000 alumni, with mentors drawn from top research universities — nearly half from Ivy League institutions.
How it works:
Students apply and are matched with a mentor who has direct expertise in their chosen field. Over 10 hour-long sessions via Zoom, student and mentor move from a rough idea to a finished, polished project — whether that's a research paper, working model, app, podcast, or other tangible output.
What's included in the Core Program:
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Mentor sessions | 10 one-on-one hour-long Zoom sessions with a PhD-level expert |
| Writing support | 2 rounds of feedback from a dedicated Writing Fellow |
| Project workspace | Project management tools and mentor chat platform |
| Showcasing database | Access to competitions, journals, and conferences to publish or present your work |
| Symposium | Option to apply to present at the Symposium of Rising Scholars (Polygence's annual academic conference) |
| Letter of recommendation | Option to request a letter from your mentor |
Subject areas:
Polygence covers 150+ subject areas across all major disciplines — from molecular biology and machine learning to constitutional law, urban design, economics, creative writing, and beyond. Students propose the topic; the mentor is matched to fit.
Time commitment:
Sessions typically span 3-6 months depending on the student's pace and project depth. Students should expect 3-5 hours per week between sessions for independent work and research.
Published approximate pricing:
- Core Program: starts at ~$3,000
- Pods group courses: start at $495
- Need-based aid may be available; family-income documentation is required when applying
Outcomes:
99% of Polygence alumni include their research project in their college application. Past student projects have been accepted to Regeneron Science Talent Search, published in peer-reviewed journals, and presented at international conferences. Polygence reports 5.9x acceptance rates to T25 universities for alumni compared to national averages.
The current priority page explicitly gives November 15, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT for priority matching. The FAQ confirms rolling admission with monthly 15th batching for following-month starts, and allows advance applications for later starts. Matching occurs after admission/enrollment and can take 1–3 weeks. The earlier October 15 date was not reconfirmed as a historical instance and is not the current cutoff.
The FAQ explicitly says there is no age limit, so 14–18 is not a hard eligibility range. Prerequisites depend on the project; advanced computer-science proposals can require programming background. The original ten-session Core remains available alongside larger bundles with additional services and longer timelines. The approximate US$3,000 starting price and separate Pods price are stated in the FAQ; Core/bundle installment plans add 8%. Exact selected-package pricing and aid awards depend on the application. Checked November 4, 2026.