For Counselors & Teachers
Give your students a real path to research
When students ask about research experience, you no longer have to choose between “Google it” and “here's a $5,000 program.” On Helix AI bridges that gap with tools students can use on their own.
Age-aware filtering
Students only see programs they actually qualify for — no more wasted applications to programs with hidden age floors or college-only requirements.
Professional outreach skills
Students learn to write professional cold emails to university professors — a life skill that extends far beyond research and into college, careers, and networking.
Independent & self-directed
Students drive their own search. You guide and support, but they do the work — building exactly the kind of initiative that admissions committees look for.
Affordable for all families
At $19.99/month, research opportunities aren't limited to students who can afford $5,000+ mentorship programs. Every motivated student gets access.
COPPA-compliant and safe
Built with student safety as a foundation. Students under 16 trigger a parental notification on sign-up. We never contact professors on behalf of students and never share student data.
What students do on On Helix AI
Browse 500+ research programs and filter by age, grade, location, and interest area
Explore our directory of 200+ professors and their research focus areas
Generate personalized cold emails that reference the professor's specific work
Track every outreach attempt, follow-up, and application in one dashboard
Land a real research position through their own initiative
“This is what I tell every student to do — reach out directly to professors. Now there's finally a tool that makes it structured and manageable.”
— College Counselor
How we compare to alternatives you might recommend
| Option | Cost |
|---|---|
| Polygence | $4,500 - $7,000 |
| Lumiere Education | $3,500 - $6,500 |
| Pioneer Academics | $5,000+ |
| Private admissions consultant | $200-500/hr |
| On Helix AI | $19.99/month |
Built with student safety in mind
COPPA-compliant. Students under 16 trigger a parental consent notification on sign-up
Students compose and send emails from their own inbox — we never contact professors on their behalf
No student data is shared with universities, professors, or third parties
All personal data encrypted. Privacy policy written in plain English
Cancel anytime. No contracts. No school-wide licenses required
Students can use it alongside any existing college counseling workflow
Common questions from counselors
Can I recommend this to students under 16?
Yes. Students under 16 can create an account. We automatically send a consent notification to the parent or guardian email they provide at sign-up, so parents are always informed.
Is this a replacement for college counseling?
Not at all. On Helix AI does one thing: help students find and pursue real research opportunities. It complements your existing workflow by giving students a structured, self-directed tool for the research-experience piece of their application profile.
How is this different from Polygence or Lumiere?
Those programs provide mentorship — a person guiding a student through a research project. On Helix AI provides infrastructure — the tools to find, contact, and track real research opportunities independently. Think of it as giving students the map and compass to navigate on their own. They are complementary, but ours costs a fraction of the price.
What if a student sends emails and gets no responses?
That's part of the process, and an important learning experience. Most students who land a research position reached out to 10-15 professors. The platform tracks every contact so students know exactly where they stand, and sends follow-up reminders — most responses come after a polite follow-up, not the first email.
Does it cost the school anything?
No. Students sign up individually. There's no site license, no admin overhead, and no procurement process. Students can start exploring for free and upgrade to premium on their own if they want unlimited access.
Share On Helix AI with your students
Free to start. Students can explore research programs without a credit card.