Comparison · Checked 29 July 2026
RISE alternative, and which RISE you actually mean
Three unrelated programmes use this name. One of them is free and awards four-year university scholarships. Before comparing anything, work out which one you are looking at.
Three different things called RISE
This confusion is common and it matters, because the free one is easy to miss and hard to replace. We are a paid provider pointing you at a free programme first, which should tell you how strongly we mean it.
Rise, by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust
Free to enterrisefortheworld.org
A global talent programme for students aged roughly 15 to 17. Free to enter. Fellows may receive a four-year post-secondary scholarship, a funded residential summit, funding for their own social ventures, and starter technology such as a laptop.
If you can only look at one thing on this page, look at this one. It costs nothing and the benefits are substantial.
RISE Research, also trading as Rise Global Education
riseresearch.com, which redirects to riseglobaleducation.com
A paid one-to-one mentorship programme. Ten weeks, structured in five stages from research question through to publication submission, with PhD mentors it associates with Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Chicago.
This is the company this page compares against. It does not publish a price.
BU RISE, at Boston University
bu.edu
Research in Science and Engineering. A selective residential summer programme at Boston University for students entering their final year of high school, working in labs with faculty and graduate students.
A university programme, not a mentorship company. Different application, different calendar.
RISE Research compared
Everything below refers to the paid mentorship company, not the Schmidt and Rhodes programme.
| RISE Research | ScholarBridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Published price | Not published on its site | Scoped at consultation and confirmed in writing before payment |
| Length and shape | 10 weeks in five stages, ending in submission for publication | 8 to 12 weeks, shaped around the student and the question |
| Mentors | PhD mentors associated with Cambridge, Harvard, Columbia and Chicago | Doctoral-level or equivalent researchers, matched by field |
| Stated goal | Publish original research, win awards, earn recognition | A student-authored project the student can explain and defend |
| Admissions claims | States students with substantial research are "up to eight times more likely" to gain admission | We make no admissions-outcome claims, and explain below why |
Where we differ
The eight times claim deserves scrutiny
RISE states that students demonstrating substantial academic scholarship or research are up to eight times more likely to gain admission to leading universities, attributed to Harvard in 2018. We would want to see the study before repeating that. Students who complete serious independent research are also, on average, students with more time, more support and stronger grades, so a raw ratio of that kind cannot separate the research from everything else those students have. Treat any provider quoting an admissions multiplier as making a marketing claim rather than reporting a finding.
Publication as the stated destination
RISE structures its ten weeks toward submission for publication. That is a clear, motivating goal. It is also worth knowing that the journals which readily accept school-age work vary enormously in standing, and that an admissions tutor who recognises a low-bar venue may read it as less impressive rather than more. Ask any provider which venues its students actually publish in.
We will tell you not to enrol
The consultation exists to test fit, and it ends in a recommendation against enrolling when that is the honest answer, including when a free route would serve the student better. The first section of this page is an example of that in practice.
Both systems, not one
A publication-focused programme is shaped around US-style applications. UCAS assesses predicted grades, the personal statement, admissions tests and interviews, where being able to discuss the work matters more than where it appeared. Our consultation covers both contexts rather than assuming one.
Sources and methodology
Last reviewed 29 July 2026. 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
Which RISE am I actually looking at?
There are at least three. Rise by Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust is a free global talent programme for roughly ages 15 to 17 whose fellows may receive four-year university scholarships. RISE Research, also trading as Rise Global Education, is a paid one-to-one mentorship company. BU RISE is a selective summer research programme at Boston University. They are unrelated, and the free one is the one most often missed.
How much does RISE Research cost?
It does not publish a price on its site, so we will not quote one. Ask directly, and ask what happens if publication is not achieved within the ten weeks. Checked 29 July 2026.
Are students really eight times more likely to be admitted with research?
We would not state that, and we would want to see the underlying study before anyone did. Students who complete substantial independent research tend to differ from those who do not in many ways at once, including time, support and prior attainment, so a simple ratio cannot isolate the effect of the research itself. Research is worth doing because of what it teaches and what it gives a student to discuss, not because of a multiplier.
Is getting published worth aiming for?
It can be, provided you look closely at the venue. Some journals publish school-age work with minimal review, and a tutor who recognises one may treat it as a weaker signal than an unpublished project the student can defend in depth. Ask any programme where its students have actually been published before treating publication as the goal.
Does ScholarBridge help students publish?
We support students who want to pursue it and we are candid about which venues are credible, but we do not promise publication and we do not structure programmes around it. The project is the point. Publication is one possible outcome of a good one.
Now placing students for the August start. Places in each field are limited by mentor availability. We review applications on a rolling basis.
ScholarBridge matches students with doctoral-level or equivalent research mentors across six academic fields. Every project is student-led and completed to a standard the student can stand behind in any university interview.
Explore all programmes