The Final Summer Research Deadline is July 24, 2025. Apply | FAQ | Premiere Research Ac
Our Research Academy
PREMIERE Research Academy: Where Tomorrow’s Thinkers Begin Today.
PREMIERE is a pioneering global research academy designed for ambitious high school students eager to go beyond traditional learning. We offer elite, one-on-one mentorship and the opportunity to conduct credible, publishable research under the guidance of world-class faculty and industry leaders.
We are intentionally selective—accepting fewer than 5% of applicants—not to exclude, but to honor the time and expertise of our mentors, many of whom are busy faculty at Ivy League universities or industry professionals at leading firms whose time we must respect. Our mentors are in high demand, and we connect them only with students who demonstrate exceptional motivation, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to pushing boundaries.
If you are that kind of student—driven to excel, curious, and ready to lead with knowledge—your application will stand out. If admitted, you will be matched with a mentor who will help you explore a topic you're passionate about and support you in producing a research paper that is credible, rigorous, and ready for peer-reviewed publication.
This isn’t just about gaining a research credential, although we will help you get that, it’s about joining a global pipeline of future innovators and thought leaders and distinguishing yourself in a world of hyper-competitive college admissions and selective internships and higher research opportunities in the future.
Our Mentors
At PREMIERE Research Academy, our mentors are the cornerstone of our elite research experience.
We are proud to offer motivated students access to an unparalleled network of mentors drawn from the world’s most prestigious academic and professional institutions. Our mentor pool includes business school faculty, economics professors, quantitative researchers, and industry professionals, all of whom are deeply committed to developing the next generation of scholars and innovators as their main motivation.
These mentors hail from top-tier universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, MIT, Columbia, Cornell, Berkeley, Chicago, Michigan, UPenn Wharton, Johns Hopkins, and Imperial College London, among a few others, bringing with them not just academic prestige, but also cutting-edge research experience and intellectual depth. Many hold PhDs and are established researchers.
Equally impressive is our network of industry mentors, many of whom have built distinguished careers at Wall Street firms like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, and leading private equity firms, hedge funds, and fintech startups. Others have served at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Federal Reserves, and Fortune 500 companies, working at the intersection of economic policy, financial innovation, and global business and markets.
What makes our mentorship model truly distinctive is our commitment to rigor, results, and relevance. Our mentors don’t simply advise—they coach students one-on-one through every stage of the research process: from ideation and literature review, to advanced methodological training, to final paper submission and, in many cases, successful publication in peer-reviewed journals.
This fusion of Ivy League academic insight and real-world business experience equips our students with the tools, standards, and mindset required to produce professional-grade research. It also provides a competitive edge in college admissions, internship applications, and future academic and career pursuits.
At PREMIERE, we don’t just talk about excellence—we deliver it. Our mentors are deeply invested in student success and bring the high expectations and standards of top-tier institutions into every research conversation. The result? Transformative outcomes that speak for themselves.
Our Students
PREMIERE students come from across the globe—from the United States to Europe, Asia, Africa, and beyond—united by one thing: a relentless drive to ask bold questions and make meaningful contributions to the world of business and social science.
We don’t select students based on where they live. We select them based on who they are. Location is never a barrier. What matters to us is intellectual curiosity, commitment to growth, and a genuine passion for discovery.
Our selection process is intentionally rigorous. We look beyond grades—we forensically review your academic history, resume, personal statement, and essay to understand your journey, potential, and the authenticity of your goals. We aim to admit students who will not only thrive in our program but make the most of the life-changing mentorship we provide.
By the end of the program, PREMIERE scholars have built and executed a research portfolio, produced work that is often publishable, and strengthened their profiles for elite university admissions. But more than that, they join a growing community of ambitious, globally minded young leaders who are ready to innovate, influence, and shape the future with confidence.
Our Mission
Where tomorrow’s thinkers begin today.....
PREMIERE Research Academy cultivates world-class research talent in high school students, empowering them to publish, present, and lead through rigorous, mentor-driven inquiry. We redefine what high school students can achieve by fostering a global community of young scholars equipped to innovate, lead, and shape the future through credible, publishable research in Business, Social Science, Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Quantitative Finance, and Econometrics.
Our Vision
To build a global pipeline of visionary scholars—where high school students don’t just prepare for the future, they help create it through transformative, mentor-guided research.
At PREMIERE, we envision a world where students move beyond absorbing well-established knowledge. They take bold steps to generate new insights, shaping what the world will know next. Through rigorous inquiry and original research, they begin creating knowledge—not just consuming it.
At PREMIERE Research Academy, we are dedicated to empowering high school students worldwide through exceptional research opportunities by matching them with research who are experts in their fields of research interest. We provide a structured, student-centered platform that enables bright minds to engage in publishable research across diverse subjects, from Business to Data Science. Our goal is to ignite curiosity and foster academic excellence among young scholars.
Join us as we transform the research landscape for high school students, bridging the gap between secondary education and the academic world.
Apply Now
Our selection process is designed to make it easy for talented students to join us. Take the first step toward an enriching academic journey.
Ready to APPLY?
Next Steps
Eligible
Requirements
Complete the online application to demonstrate your interest in our research programs. Ensure you provide all requested documents and information for a smooth admission process.
To APPLY, please send your application to info.apply@premiereresearchacademy.com
Your application should include the following details:
-
Resume showing all your accomplishments
-
Unofficial transcripts
-
A 250-word essay explaining your passion for research
-
SAT or ACT scores if you have them
Deadlines
The Summer Cohort application deadline is July 24, 2025
The Fall Cohort application deadline is September 20, 2025
The Spring Cohort application deadline is January 29, 2026
Students should be high schoolers with a strong academic track record and a passion for research in their selected field. We seek individuals eager to explore innovative ideas and create impactful results.
Eligible students must have a passion for research in:
-
Business (Business Management, Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Management, Business & Corporate Law, International Business, and Data & Business Analytics)
-
Social Sciences (Economics, Political Science, Sociology, International Development, Government, Public Admin, Anthropology, Psychology, Geography)
-
STEM (Artificial Intelligence, Mathematics, Statistics, Econometrics, Physics, Machine Learning, Data Science, Financial Engineering, Quantitative Finance)
Inspire
Process
Once we receive your application, our admissions team will evaluate it carefully. Selected candidates will be invited for an interview as part of the final selection process. In the interview, candidates will be asked to discuss their passion for research and explain why our mentors should work with them - and not the many other applicants - to develop publishable research papers.
Join
Get Started
Don't wait any longer! Begin your unique research journey by applying today. Embrace the opportunity to learn and grow alongside like-minded peers and esteemed mentors.
Curriculum
Our Programs
Our research programs are designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of various research disciplines within our coverage that resonate with students' ambitions. With a focus on real-world creation and application of research in our core areas of focus, students will explore innovative topics and methodologies and enjoy the privilege of working with and being mentored by leaders in their fields of research interests.
Our research sessions are designed to be rigorous and enriching to ensure students achieve their main research goals and produce publishable research papers as evidence of their commitment to research. Research sessions are led by experienced faculty members and industry experts who guide students through the challenging world of research, ensuring a supportive and enriching learning experience for a proper research development. Our classes and research sessions can be 1-1 between a student and a mentor or can be several small groups (a group comprises 3 to 5 students), all centered around the research passions of like-minded students.
Featured Mentors
Kathy Wei - Mentor
My first serious exposure to research came as a student at Johns Hopkins, just a few months before I started a PhD. Looking back, I wish that exposure had come much earlier, even before high school. It would have helped me better understand how markets and business truly work, and it would have shaped my thinking far earlier. That’s why I mentor at PREMIERE Research Academy: it gives me the chance to ignite that spark in young, motivated students just beginning their research journey. Many students have heard of the stock market, the bond market, or real estate, but few realize that asset prices in these markets aren’t simply ‘decided’ by powerful people in suits or, as some amusingly believe, by the president. These prices are shaped by investor sentiment, interest rate expectations, inflation dynamics, geopolitical risks, and rigorous academic and market research.
As mentors, we help students begin peeling back those layers. We teach them how to read research papers and economic data. We show them how to analyze stock return patterns, model the impact of macroeconomic news, and understand how financial markets process information. More importantly, we guide them in asking meaningful, original research questions. Questions like: What drives investor panic? Why do asset bubbles form? How do central bank announcements ripple through financial markets? These are real-world problems and yet, our students are learning how to approach and solve them. Watching a student go from saying, ‘I’ve never done research before,’ to confidently presenting a model on the correlation between inflation and tech stocks is beyond rewarding. It’s transformational. At PREMIERE, we don’t dilute standards. We elevate students to reach professional levels of rigor and insight, often producing work that’s publishable. All they need is the right guide.
K.M Agu - Mentor
Although I hold a PhD and have worked at leading financial institutions, including Morgan Stanley, one of the most highly valued banks on Wall Street, I sometimes wish I had been exposed to the world of business and finance research much earlier in life. I only began conducting research and writing papers in business—particularly in finance and economics—during and after graduate school. In retrospect, I would have given anything to return to my high school days and have a mentor who showed me that rigorous business research was not only possible, but incredibly rewarding, even at that stage.
While we can’t turn back the hands of time, I now do everything I can to offer that opportunity to the next generation. I encourage high school—and even middle school—students who are curious about business, economics, finance, or technical fields to seek mentorship and engage in research early. Business research is absolutely possible at the high school level, and it becomes even more powerful when combined with analytical thinking, quantitative methods, and real-world application.
At PREMIERE Research Academy, I make it my mission to give students the head start I wish I’d had. Together, we explore how academic research connects with markets, economics, and strategy, preparing them for success at the highest levels. This is a level of preparation that traditional school learning rarely offers.
D Salakhova - Mentor
Being a business professor myself, teaching sustainable finance at a global business school and mentoring students is incredibly rewarding, but imagine introducing those ideas even earlier. That’s exactly what PREMIERE Research Academy makes possible: giving bright, motivated students early exposure to how finance can be used to drive meaningful, planet-positive change.
I currently work on sustainable finance research projects focused on scaling up green investment, financing the transition, addressing greenwashing risks, and tackling broader environmental challenges. My research spans the fields of sustainable finance, climate-related risks, financial sector interconnections, systemic risk, macroprudential regulation, and financial stability. Having held senior roles at the European Central Bank and Banque de France, I’ve seen firsthand how financial systems can be leveraged to support sustainability goals. I also stepped outside my comfort zone to launch a podcast on climate change because finance isn’t just about numbers; it’s a powerful tool for shaping a better world. Whether through funding biodiversity initiatives or holding institutions accountable, sustainable finance gives our work lasting meaning.
Personal choices matter just as much as professional ones. Embracing a zero-waste lifestyle, for example, is one way to align daily actions with long-term values.
PREMIERE provides a rare opportunity for early mentorship where research in the broad fields of business converge, helping students ask bold questions, care about impact, and develop courage to pursue meaningful future careers that start with research.
Sevg Coskun - Mentor
As a professor and researcher in business cycles and macroeconomic fluctuations, my work doesn’t just live in academic journals; it has implications for the real world. Understanding where we are in the economic cycle helps businesses make sound decisions, and it informs policymakers trying to stabilize employment and output. But the inquiry doesn’t need to wait until graduate school. Nor should it be limited to economics departments and think tanks. High school students, too, can begin this journey of discovery early—and PREMIERE Research Academy is making that possible.
My research explores business cycles, informal employment, and productivity. I've published on topics such as real business cycles, fiscal and technology shocks, and how health and education spending shape labor outcomes. At the heart of this work is a passion for guiding students through ideas and helping them see how economics connects to real-world business outcomes. I’ve supervised many students at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and I value the mentorship process. Being a mentor at PREMIERE Research Academy expands that mission, giving me the opportunity to help younger, motivated students experience research early, when curiosity is fresh and ideas are bold.
PREMIERE’s approach is something I fully support: challenging students to ask their own questions, build models, and engage with data in ways that stretch their minds and inspire confidence. Whether they go on to study business or economics or take their research skills into other fields, they gain something transformative: the power of disciplined thinking, the courage to question, and the thrill of discovering something new.
OW. Ibhagui - Mentor
In addition to teaching at Johns Hopkins, mentorship has always been a core part of my academic and professional life. I’ve worked with students from around the world, and there is something interestingly rewarding about watching a student grow, think independently, and produce excellent work that inspires. I'm grateful that my mentoring track record has been an outstanding one. Students I’ve mentored, whether in the U.S. or internationally, have gone on to earn offers from world-class institutions including Stanford, MIT, Berkeley, Yale, Cornell, Columbia, the University of Chicago, UCLA, Oxford, Michigan, Northwestern, Toronto, Brown, Rice, Boston, and many, many others. This includes high school students.
What makes PREMIERE unique is that it brings this level of rigorous research experience to high school students in a specialized way—exposing them to unconventional ideas that give them a leg up in the real world, long after they get into their dream schools. These are ambitious, motivated, and intellectually curious students who're ready to start early. Just like in sports, training the mind to think critically from a young age leads to long-term strength and mastery. PREMIERE provides the kind of structured, high-quality environment and exposure that makes that possible.
My background spans both academia and the private sector. I have worked at leading financial institutions, and my professional and research interests sit at the intersection of business, economics, and the quantitative sciences. In business, I specialize in finance, international business, and strategy; in economics, I focus on macroeconomics and international finance, both in theory and practice.
In addition to mentoring, I coordinate volunteer teams that prepare high-achieving, low-income students for college admissions, providing teaching and even fundraising efforts to support academic causes too numerous to mention. Whether in the university classroom, online programs, or through PREMIERE, my mission remains the same: to help young minds engage creatively with ideas, discover the joy of inquiry, and prepare for lives full of purpose and impact.
I can be reached here Oyakhi Ibhagui | Johns Hopkins AAP Faculty
Experience
Beyond Classes
At PREMIERE Research Academy, student life extends beyond traditional classroom academic pursuits. We offer a vibrant community where students can learn to create and share ideas, collaborate on publishable research and other stimulating projects, and develop lasting connections with peers.
We encourage participation in targeted workshops, seminars, and other academic events that enhance research skills and provide networking opportunities, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience.
Students complete their projects with high-quality research papers that our mentors further guide them to publish in good, non-predatory peer-reviewed journals that make a difference in college admissions and well beyond.