Comparison
Polygence vs Lumiere vs Horizon vs Aldevere
The leading research mentorship programmes for high school students, compared side by side, format, mentors, admission, pricing, and who each is built for.
The Comparison at a Glance
| Polygence | Lumiere | Horizon | Aldevere | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Core is one-to-one; Pods offer small-group courses | One-to-one across several programme lengths | Choice of small-group Seminars or one-to-one Labs | One-to-one with a doctoral or postdoctoral researcher in the student's field |
| Mentors | Expert academic and practitioner mentors | "PhD fellow and post-doc" mentors; professors on its professor programme | Professors or lecturers in Seminars; PhD/postdoctoral scholars in Labs | Doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, matched to the student's question; recruited if no one in the network fits |
| Length | Core: 10 sessions over roughly 3–6 months | Individual Research Program: roughly 12 weeks | Seminars: 10 weeks, 20 professor and TA sessions plus 4 writing-coach sessions; Labs: 16 weeks, 15 one-to-one sessions plus 4 publication and 4 writing-coach sessions (checked 28 September 2026) | 60-minute one-to-one sessions over 8 weeks or longer, spaced further apart in a longer programme; the offer states the number of sessions in writing |
| Getting in | Application, consultation, and mentor acceptance | Application-based | Selective; Horizon states about 26% of applicants are admitted (checked 28 September 2026) | By interview and readiness |
| Pricing | Programs start at about $3,000; Pods at $495 | Varies by programme; confirm directly | $6,950 for Seminars or Labs, per its programmes page (checked 28 September 2026) | $6,500 Research Scholar, $4,500 Field Seminar, Academic Essentials from $2,000 (custom plan); all-inclusive, confirmed in writing before payment |
| Applications | Global, with college-application showcasing options | Global; Lumiere says most students are based in the US | Global online programme | Common App and UCAS alike |
| Designed before the first session | Not stated as included: the first Core session defines the research question; topic scoping (Launchpad) is an add-on (checked 28 September 2026) | Not stated (checked 28 September 2026) | Not stated (checked 28 September 2026) | A reading path and project plan for Research Scholar; a syllabus, assessment brief and reading bank for a Field Seminar, all written before the first session |
| Who is responsible besides the mentor | A program team: writing reviews, milestone check-ins; no named role stated | Program oversight from a Lumiere program manager; writing-coach sessions | TA sessions, writing-coach sessions and publication specialists; roles not described | An academic adviser, separate from the mentor, for progress and wellbeing from start to finish |
| What parents receive | Not stated (checked 28 September 2026) | Not stated (checked 28 September 2026) | Not stated (checked 28 September 2026) | The schedule before the first session, updates at set points and on request, a debrief at the end |
| If the match is not working | Rematch, or a full refund minus a 3.25% processing fee, if not satisfied after the first session | Not stated (checked 28 September 2026) | Not stated (checked 28 September 2026) | We change the mentor |
| What the student holds at the end | A written project; showcasing database and Symposium. Evaluation or certificate not stated | A college-level paper; 3 UCSD Extended Studies credits and a transcript. Evaluation or certificate not stated | A college-level research paper of about 5,000 words, a certificate of completion and a grade report on a university rubric; letters of recommendation may be requested by students earning A or A- | A student-authored paper of typically 3,000 to 5,000 words, a presentation, a written report, a recommendation for what comes next, and a numbered certificate that says Completion only when every session was attended and the work submitted |
Rows from "Designed before the first session" down, Horizon's length and price, and Lumiere's mentor line were read from each provider's own pages on 28 September 2026; where a cell says not stated, those pages did not state it on that date. Other rows reviewed 21 June 2026. Aldevere cells are what every student receives. Confirm current details directly with each provider.
A Closer Look at Each
Polygence
A well-established platform whose Core programme pairs students one-to-one with an expert mentor for ten sessions. Optional Launchpad and showcasing support extend the model, while Pods offer shorter small-group courses.
Aldevere vs Polygence, in fullLumiere Education
A global one-to-one programme offering several timelines. Its Individual Research Program is roughly twelve weeks; longer options add publication support, and successful completion may provide eligibility for UC San Diego Extended Studies credit.
Aldevere vs Lumiere, in fullHorizon Inspires
A selective global programme with two distinct formats: professor-led small-group Seminars and one-to-one Labs with PhD or postdoctoral scholars. Both lead to a substantial paper and currently list the same tuition.
Aldevere vs Horizon, in fullAldevere
Pairs each Research Scholar one-to-one with a doctoral or postdoctoral researcher recruited for the student's question, on a programme written before the first session. An academic adviser looks after progress and wellbeing, parents receive the schedule, updates and a debrief, and every programme ends with a written report and a numbered certificate. $6,500, covering the whole programme; Common App and UCAS alike; a published academic-integrity standard.
Explore the Research Scholar programmeHow to Choose
The question is not which programme is best in the abstract, but which fits the student in front of you. A few things cut through quickly:
- Where is your child applying? If it is purely US, any of these can work. If it is the UK, or both the US and the UK, you want mentors and guidance fluent in both Common App and UCAS, which is where Aldevere is built differently.
- One-to-one, or a cohort? Polygence Core, Lumiere, Horizon Labs, and Aldevere are one-to-one; Horizon Seminars and Polygence Pods are group options. Compare the specific programme, not only the provider name.
- How does your child work best? A fixed-session structure suits some students; an open, tailored engagement suits others.
- What matters most in the result? A publication credit, a taught curriculum, or a piece of work your child fully owns and can defend in an interview, these are real, different priorities.
Whichever you pick, the biggest factor is the student. A curious student ready for serious work will get value from any of these. One who is not ready yet is better off building academic foundations first.
Where Aldevere Fits
Aldevere is built for families who want the programme written before it starts, a doctoral or postdoctoral researcher found for the student's question, someone besides the mentor responsible for the student, updates during the programme, and a written report and numbered certificate at the end, at one published fee.
The difference is not a promise of admission or publication. It is what every student receives, stated on the rows above, and a strict standard that the work remains the student's own, framed for Common App and UCAS alike. The next step is a short interview.
Apply for an interviewSources and methodology
Last reviewed 28 September 2026 for the rows on design, responsibility, parents, the match, the end result, Horizon's length and price and Lumiere's mentors; 21 June 2026 for the rest. We compare current public programme information and avoid inferring admissions outcomes or institutional endorsement. Fees, formats, and availability can change; confirm them directly with each provider before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best research mentorship programme for high school students?
There is no single best programme. Polygence offers a ten-session Core programme and optional showcasing support. Lumiere offers several one-to-one programme lengths. Horizon offers either small-group Seminars or one-to-one Labs. Aldevere runs a one-to-one programme written before the first session, with an academic adviser alongside the mentor, parent updates, a written report at the end, and a published all-inclusive fee, for Common App and UCAS applicants alike. Compare the actual mentor, what is prepared before the first session, who is responsible besides the mentor, what parents hear, what the student holds at the end, and the total fee.
How much do research mentorship programmes cost?
Prices and inclusions vary. Polygence says programmes start at about $3,000 and Pods at $495, with topic scoping and showcasing support as unpriced add-ons and 8% on instalments. Horizon lists $6,950 for either Seminars or Labs (checked 28 September 2026). Aldevere publishes $6,500 for Research Scholar, $4,500 for a Field Seminar and from $2,000 for Academic Essentials (a custom plan), each covering the whole programme. Lumiere publishes no fee. Confirm what mentor time, writing support, publication support and refunds are included before comparing totals.
Do these programmes guarantee university admission?
No reputable research mentorship programme can or should guarantee admission, and none of these do. What a strong research project gives a student is real evidence of how they think and work independently, one meaningful part of a competitive application, not a guarantee of any outcome.
Which programme works for both US and UK applications?
All four accept international students. Aldevere designs its interview and project framing around both Common App and UCAS contexts. Families should ask every provider how its guidance changes between US holistic admissions and UK subject-focused selection rather than assuming a research project works identically in both systems.
Published fees
What would this actually cost for your child?
Aldevere publishes its fees: Research Scholar $6,500, Field Seminars $4,500, Academic Essentials from $2,000 (a custom plan), each covering the whole programme with no paid add-ons. After an interview you receive the programme, the schedule and the fee for your child in writing.
- A fixed, published fee for Research Scholar and Field Seminars, not a "starting at" figure
- All-inclusive: no per-session charges, no paid add-ons to reach the final work
- The programme and project scope confirmed before you are asked for anything
- No obligation and no payment until that figure is in front of you