Polygence and Lumiere are two of the best-known 1:1 research mentorship programs for high school students. This comparison sets out cost, length, mentor model, selectivity, and outputs side by side, using each provider's own published information as of October 24, 2026, so parents can see where the two differ.
Disclosure: Global Research Fellowship (GRF) runs a competing finance research program. Every fact below links to the provider's own page. Confirm current terms with each provider before enrolling.
Polygence vs Lumiere at a glance
Cost
Polygence: its FAQ says programs start at about $3,000, and its Pods group courses start at $495.
Lumiere: it does not publish full tuition. Its 2026 program review says the only public figure is a $200 deposit, so families need to request a quote for a specific track.
Length
Polygence: the Core Program is flexible. Polygence advises against finishing in under ten weeks; school-year projects typically take four to six months, and summer projects 12 to 16 weeks.
Lumiere: the Individual Research Program runs 12 weeks. Its Premium and Professor Premium programs run three to four months of research plus one to four months of publication support, and its Research Fellowship runs six to twelve months.
Mentor model
Polygence: a matching team chooses a mentor from more than 2,000 mentors, usually within one to three weeks of enrolling. Meeting frequency is set by student and mentor, generally at least every two weeks in the school year.
Lumiere: students are paired 1:1 with a PhD fellow or post-doc, or with a professor on the Professor Premium track. Sessions range from 9 on the Individual track to 30 on the Fellowship.
Selectivity
Polygence: says it does not follow a strict acceptance rate and does not ask for GPA or recommendation letters.
Lumiere: calls the program selective but does not publish an acceptance rate.
Subjects and output
Polygence: covers a very wide range of subjects, from neuroscience to fashion history. Students get access to a database of showcasing options such as science fairs, journals, and writing competitions, plus a student symposium.
Lumiere: each track aims at a research paper. Higher tiers add writing coach and publication specialist sessions aimed at journal publication.
Comparing these with a finance-only option? See GRF's six-week Research Desk.
Which is cheaper, Polygence or Lumiere?
It cannot be answered from public information alone. Polygence publishes a starting price of about $3,000 for its core programs. Lumiere publishes only a $200 deposit and asks families to request tuition for a specific track. Ask Lumiere for the price of the exact track you are considering, and ask Polygence which add-ons, such as premium showcasing support, change its starting price.
Which is better for publication?
Lumiere's higher tracks build publication support into the program, with dedicated publication specialist sessions on the Premium track. Polygence offers showcasing resources and add-ons rather than a publication-specific track by default. Neither provider can guarantee acceptance by a journal, and families should treat any publication as an outcome that depends on the quality of the work and the journal chosen. Our guide to screening predatory journals explains what to check.
Which fits a student with a specific subject in mind?
Both programs match students to mentors by interest. Polygence emphasizes the breadth of its mentor pool. Lumiere emphasizes mentor credentials, with professors available on one track. For a narrow field, ask each provider to name the type of mentor they would match before you pay.
Questions to ask both providers
What is the total price for the exact track, including any add-ons?
How many 1:1 sessions are included, and how long is each?
Who would the mentor be, and what is their field?
What happens if the mentor match does not work?
What is the refund policy, including for deposits?
What share of students finish a complete paper?
Common mistakes when comparing research programs
Comparing a starting price with a full-track price.
Treating "publication support" as a promise of publication.
Choosing on mentor prestige without checking the mentor's field.
Ignoring session count, which is often the clearest measure of what the fee buys.
Relying on third-party reviews for prices instead of the provider's own page.
Where GRF fits
GRF is narrower than both. Its Winter Research Desk is a six-week, live, finance-only cohort with five seats. Each Fellow builds a valuation model and writes an individually authored 2,000 to 2,500-word report, with written feedback from Alex Dryden, CFA, a former Senior Economist at J.P. Morgan. Tuition is $1,000 and applications close November 13, 2026. For a longer independent paper, GRF's Private Mentorship is a 1:1 program of about three to four months at $4,999.