How do I know if I am eligible?

We are looking for high school seniors from around the world who have shown outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges. We do not have any strict cut-offs for GPA, income, or test scores. Check our application page for more details!

What does the application require?

The first step to becoming a scholar is to fill out the application form. Each cohort has an application deadline, so ensure that you submit your application before that date! You are not required to submit any supporting documents. If your application is shortlisted, you move to the interview round, where you will elaborate on your research interests and ideas!

What is the structure of the program?

Our Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Program at Lumiere Education. During the 12-week program, students meet 1-on-1 with their mentors 9 times. The final product is an independently written research paper by the student. Check our program page for more details!

What is the relationship between Lumiere Education and the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation?

The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation is an extension of the financial aid program at Lumiere Education. Through the Foundation, we hope to expand our reach to talented, low-income students from around the world!

Can I ask my research mentor for a letter of recommendation?

All mentors, at the end of the program, will assign a grade to students’ research paper and write a short evaluation. In addition to this, it is entirely appropriate to ask your mentor for a letter of recommendation. However, just as with any academic mentor, they are not required to do so. They will likely assess your performance during the program when making the decision whether or not to write a letter.

Can we only do research in the areas listed?

We have mentors across every major academic discipline. If there is a community of researchers working on a topic, at least one (and usually many) of them are our mentors. The list of academic topics is meant to be a sample and not an exhaustive list of possible research topics across our programs.

How is a research topic chosen? Do I need to know what my topic is in advance?

We do not expect students to come into Lumiere with a clearly defined research question – though some do. For all students, we expect that your research question will evolve and sharpen as you learn and work with your mentor. Your mentor will act as a guide – not working on your research project for you – but, guiding you in the direction of the most fruitful work. Logistically, we expect that students have aligned on a research question by the end of week 4. This question will then be vetted and refined with your research mentor. From there, over the following four weeks, you will be expected to create a research proposal, a first draft of the research paper, and then a final draft at the end of week 8.

Will my research be published after the program?

Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation does not provide a promise to any student that their work will be published. However, we will provide resources for students to explore if they are motivated and interested in continuing to work on this topic and sharing with potential relevant research journals or conferences. Possible publications include undergraduate science journals, high school science journals, and conferences.