Programs for Students
Inspire the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) innovators by bringing NREL's free educational programs to your classroom, applying for NREL and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) programs, or registering to visit the laboratory.
NREL-SLAC Pathway Summer School
NREL and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory host this 6-week program, designed to empower current high school students and recent high school graduates from communities in the Denver and San Francisco Bay areas and Puerto Rico. The program is funded by DOE's Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) initiative, which allows students around the country to learn, network, and conduct scientific research at DOE national laboratories.
Interested students can complete the NREL-SLAC RENEW Pathway Summer School Student application form by April 15, 2025.
Field Trips, Tours and Classroom Visits
NREL offers the following programs online and in person—either at its South Table Mountain (STM) campus in Golden, Colorado, or by traveling to locations within a 25-mile distance of STM. Schools may also take advantage of limited busing to STM. Email the NREL Education Center team for details and to check availability. See additional NREL Education Resources for Students.
Stories and STEM With NREL for Grades K–3
Reserve a 45-minute Stories and STEM With NREL session for a STEM-themed story and art activity.
Grade K–6 Classroom Experiments
Invite NREL to join your class for a 60-minute experiment related to solar, wind, and energy transformation.
See Grade 4–8 programs for more opportunities for students in the upper range of this age group.
Grade 4–8 In-Person Field Trips
Register for a 2-hour interactive experience at NREL for students in grades 4–8. NREL staff will lead students through hands-on experiments to better understand the challenges of incorporating renewable energy into our aging electrical grid infrastructure and what NREL is doing to guide the clean energy future.
Grade 4–8 Virtual Tours
Register for a 1-hour virtual "walking" tour to learn more about NREL's sustainable campus. Students will visit buildings across the three NREL campuses and learn about the evolution of green architecture and cutting-edge research that has helped us build our living laboratory.
Exploring STEM With NREL for Grades 4–8
Register to bring an NREL researcher to your class for 1 hour to share educational and career paths that can lead to different jobs at NREL. This can be fully virtual, hybrid, or fully in-person, depending on school needs.
High School In-Person Field Trips
Register for this high school field trip in which students will dive into the chemistry and physics that make solar panels work while exploring how these sciences are helping researchers develop cutting-edge technology to push solar even further as an energy source.
High School Virtual Tours
Register for this 1-hour virtual "walking" tour for high school students , who will visit buildings and lab spaces across NREL's three campuses, learn about the evolution of green architecture, and dive into the cutting-edge research that drives NREL to be a living laboratory.
High School In-Person Tours
Register for a 2-hour high school tour of one or two NREL facilities, along with an activity or presentation by an NREL researcher. Students will learn about green building design and how it supports NREL's vision for the future.
Exploring STEM With NREL for High School Students
Register to bring an NREL researcher to your high school for 1 hour to discuss educational journeys and career paths that lead to work at NREL. This can be fully virtual, hybrid, or fully in-person, depending on school needs.
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Last Updated March 7, 2025