Elite Passion Ranking · Editorial 2026-27
Elite Science & Research 58, 2026-27
Best Public Evidence Edition · International Access
The Elite Science & Research 58, 2026-27 identifies the world's strongest secondary-age institutions for systematic original scientific research, ranked from the best public evidence available today. Every entry carries a confidence grade — an honest signal of how much positional movement to expect if a school were to publish deeper cohort-conversion data. The Top 10 is convincing. The Top 20 is strong. From roughly #25 onward positional precision declines, but the confidence grade tells readers exactly that.
- 01
South Korea
Formal research training, mentored R&E, individual graduation research and thesis with visible student publication output
- 02
Singapore
One-to-three years of research or innovation with universities and research institutes; 2025 ISEF awards and deep Olympiad achievement
- 03
United States
Major senior research project as a graduation requirement — universal cohort penetration
- 04
United States
One of the most mature school research systems anywhere; ~75% cohort research participation
- 05
Thailand
Boarding gifted-science school with dedicated research programme and industry partnership
- 06
Thailand
Thai national gifted-science school; strong Olympiad pipeline and university-linked projects
- 07
South Korea
2026 R&E programme places second-year pupils in five months of supervised research with professors/PhD researchers
- 08
United States
State residential specialist school with research immersion, Summer Research and mentored projects
- 09🇺🇸South Carolina Governor's School for Science & MathematicsA-No Access
United States
Two-year residential state programme with research assistantships in Clemson and MUSC laboratories
Reference only - 10🇵🇭Philippine Science High School – Main CampusB+No Access
Philippines
Flagship gifted-science campus of the PSHS system; senior research is a graduation requirement
Reference only - 11🇰🇷Daejeon Science High School for the GiftedB+No Access
South Korea
R&E architecture comparable to Seoul Science with KAIST-region university partnerships
Reference only - 12
South Korea
R&E architecture comparable to Seoul Science with strong university/research-institute integration
- 13
United States
Specialised research classes across biology, chemistry and physics with long Regeneron/Intel STS record
- 14
United States
Specialist academy with mentored senior research and dedicated Academy of Science and Technology
- 15
Singapore
Science and Mathematics Talent Development Programme with structured research training
- 16🇺🇸Montgomery Blair High School – Science, Mathematics & Computer Science MagnetB+No Access
United States
Selective county-level magnet with year-long research seminar and strong STS placement
Reference only - 17
China
Grade 10-12 research progression from assignments to self-selected mentored research and refinement
- 18
Singapore
Science Research Programme and multiple talent-development tracks with university mentors
- 19
Singapore
Raffles Science Institute (RSI) research programme with A*STAR and NUS placements
- 20
United States
Long-running Harker Research Program with cohort-scale Regeneron/Siemens output
- 21🇺🇸Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the ArtsB+No Access
United States
State residential specialist school with senior research thesis and university lab access
Reference only - 22🇯🇵Ritsumeikan Junior & Senior High SchoolB+Conditional Access
Japan
Two decades of continuous Super Science High School status; international collaborative research and own science fair
Reference only - 23🇦🇺John Monash Science SchoolB+Conditional Access
Australia
Purpose-built partnership with Monash University with embedded research units and industry projects
Reference only - 24🇮🇱Israel Arts and Science Academy – SciencesB+Conditional Access
Israel
National gifted-science boarding pathway with Weizmann and Technion research placements
Reference only - 25🇻🇳High School for Gifted Students, VNU University of ScienceBNo Access
Vietnam
Vietnam's flagship gifted-science school with strong Olympiad conversion and university-embedded research
Reference only - 26🇨🇳Tsinghua University High SchoolBNo Access*
China
Tsinghua-affiliated feeder with elite Olympiad output and university-linked research modules
Reference only - 27🇷🇺AESC MSU – Kolmogorov Boarding SchoolBNo Access
Russia
Moscow State University's advanced boarding school with a long mathematical-physics research tradition
Reference only - 28🇦🇺Australian Science and Mathematics SchoolB+International Access
Australia
Flinders-partnered specialist school with cross-disciplinary inquiry and university-linked research
Reference only - 29🇦🇺Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and TechnologyB+International Access
Australia
Selective academic academy with IB Diploma extended-essay research and UQ partnership
Reference only - 30🇺🇸Byram Hills High School – Authentic Science ResearchA-No Access
United States
139 STS scholars and 22 finalists across the programme's history; 99 students at 2026 symposium
Reference only - 31🇺🇸Ossining High School – Science ResearchA-No Access
United States
Three-year research programme with 100+ current students and 103 STS scholars reported
Reference only - 32
United States
Monmouth County magnet with senior research thesis and consistent STS placement
Also on:#39Computing - 33🇷🇺Specialized Educational Scientific Center, Novosibirsk State UniversityB-No Access
Russia
Historic Akademgorodok boarding-school for gifted young scientists with university-embedded research
Reference only - 34🇯🇵Yokohama Science Frontier High SchoolB+No Access
Japan
Purpose-built SSH school with research-immersion curriculum and university-linked projects
Reference only - 35🇯🇵Hiroshima University High SchoolB+No Access
Japan
Long-standing SSH status; embedded university-lab research and inter-school research forums
Reference only - 36
United States
Specialised research classes and long STS record, though at cohort-share level below TJHSST/Bronx Science
- 37🇺🇸Oklahoma School of Science and MathematicsB+No Access
United States
State residential specialist school with mentored research and university lab access
Reference only - 38
China
Extraordinary science/Olympiad talent; less public evidence of systematic original research
- 39🇺🇸Jericho High School – Science ResearchB+No Access
United States
Long-Island research programme with steady STS scholar / finalist output
Reference only - 40🇺🇸Great Neck South High School – Science ResearchB+No Access
United States
Multi-year research programme with strong STS placement record
Reference only - 41🇯🇵Ritsumeikan Moriyama Junior & Senior High SchoolBConditional Access
Japan
SSH school with own science fair and international research exchanges
Reference only - 42🇶🇦Qatar Academy for Science and TechnologyBNo Access
Qatar
Newer specialist STEM academy with research-immersion strand and Qatar-Foundation partnerships
Reference only - 43🇺🇸Alabama School of Mathematics and ScienceBNo Access
United States
State residential magnet with senior thesis and university-lab research
Reference only - 44🇶🇦Qatar Science and Technology Secondary School for BoysBNo Access
Qatar
Specialist Doha school with STEM-focused curriculum and applied-research projects
Reference only - 45
Singapore
Integrated Programme school with strong H3 research pathway and university mentors
- 46
Singapore
Science Research Programme with A*STAR and NUS placements; strong Olympiad output
- 47
United Kingdom
Research-grade scanning electron microscope for pupil research; active student research community
- 48🇺🇸Ward Melville High School – InSTAR/Science ResearchB+No Access
United States
Independent Science and Technology Research (InSTAR) programme with consistent STS record
Reference only - 49🇺🇸Great Neck North High School – Science ResearchB+No Access
United States
Companion research programme to Great Neck South with steady STS placement
Reference only - 50🇸🇬School of Science and Technology, SingaporeBConditional Access
Singapore
Applied-science specialist school with industry attachments and research modules
Reference only - 51🇺🇸Maine School of Science and MathematicsBNo Access
United States
State residential magnet with capstone senior research and university mentorships
Reference only - 52🇺🇸Mississippi School for Mathematics and ScienceBNo Access
United States
State residential specialist school with mentored research and STS participation
Reference only - 53🇻🇳HNUE High School for Gifted StudentsC+No Access
Vietnam
Exceptional 2025-26 national results; public trail dominated by competitions rather than original research
Reference only - 54🇦🇪Applied Technology Schools – Bainoonah Campus, Advanced Science ProgrammeB-No Access
United Arab Emirates
UAE technical-school system with a dedicated advanced-science strand and research modules
Reference only - 55
United Kingdom
Independent research projects embedded in sixth-form science with university-linked mentoring
Also on:#5Entrepreneurship - 56🇺🇸Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and HumanitiesB-No Access
United States
State residential specialist school with senior research thesis and Ball State partnership
Reference only - 57
United Kingdom
Serious STEM projects but evidence supports an enrichment model rather than a school-wide original-research system
Also on:#20Entrepreneurship - 58🇺🇸Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the ArtsBNo Access
United States
State residential specialist school with capstone research and university-mentored projects
Reference only