If you’re curious about the environment and the science behind its workings, an online environmental science program could be a great fit. These programs go beyond the basics taught in school, covering topics like climate systems, marine ecosystems, and renewable energy.
You’ll also develop valuable skills such as data analysis, research methodologies, and scientific communication which can be applied to advanced studies or real-world environmental challenges.
We’ve made your search easier by compiling a list of 10 online environmental science programs for high school students!
8 Online Environmental Science Programs for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP) – Environmental Science Track
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as environmental science, data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in quantitative or qualitative research.
In the Environmental Science Track, you’ll explore pressing sustainability issues, including climate change, resource use, agricultural practices, and more. As part of the program, you’ll select a research topic from a pre-approved list or develop your own. Topics cover a wide range of subjects such as organic farming, urban resilience to climate change, renewable energy, and the impact of sea level rise.
Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who mentors you throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
Location: Virtual
Application Deadlines: Spring 2025: February 16, 2025; Summer 2025: February 16 (early), March 23 (priority), April 20 (regular-I), May 18 (regular-II)!
Program Dates: Spring 2025: March 3, 2025; Summer 2025: June 16, 2025! Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply 4 weeks in advance.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Environmental Science Track
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler.
Lumiere’s approach to environmental studies looks at global warming and the Earth’s environmental history. You also have the scope to work on a niche topic that interests you. One of the previous students’ final projects was “Rethinking Urban Disaster Management: A Case Study of Mumbai’s Inclusion of Informal Workers”.
The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can find more details about the application here.
Location: Remote – You can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 unweighted GPA; no prior knowledge in the field required.
3. From Sea to Changing Sea: Marine Life and Ocean Conservation
If you are interested in marine life and ocean conservation, the From Sea to Changing Sea: Marine Life and Ocean Conservation course by the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University is a great fit. This free online course covers how disturbances impact marine biodiversity and looks at how ocean changes affect global climate systems.
You will learn how climate change influences marine life and how shifts in the oceans affect Earth’s atmosphere. The course is perfect for students interested in marine science, environmental policy, or sustainability. It provides valuable scientific insights and practical knowledge to help tackle marine conservation issues.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Open to all students
Application Deadline: Flexible
Dates: Flexible
4. Terp Young Scholars Program
The Terp Young Scholars program at the University of Maryland gives you the chance to earn three university credits while engaging in an online course, Introduction to Environmental Politics. The course focuses on modern environmental philosophy, politics, and policy, with a particular emphasis on U.S. environmental politics and comparisons to other countries.
You will cover topics such as green political thought, federal environmental policy, the relationship between the environment and conflict, and the role of citizen movements. By the end of the program, you will have developed skills in environmental policy analysis, critical thinking, and academic writing.
Location: Online
Cost: $1,365
Application deadline: June 1, 2025
Program dates: July 14 – August 1, 2025
Eligibility: Grades 10-12
5. Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment
Cornell University’s Introductory Biology: Ecology and the Environment course introduces you to the key concepts in ecology. The course covers interactions between organisms and their environments at the population, community, and ecosystem levels. Topics include population dynamics, disease ecology, biodiversity, invasive species, and global environmental changes.
You will explore how ecological principles influence community structures and ecosystems, focusing on climate change and biodiversity loss. The course also uses both experimental and synthetic approaches to analyze ecological patterns, equipping you with tools to better understand and address global environmental challenges.
Location: Online
Cost: $5,520
Application deadline: Usually in December
Program dates: January 2-18
Eligibility: High school students
6. Sustainable Development and Design Course @AU’s High School Summer Scholars Program
The Sustainable Development and Design Course at AU’s High School Summer Scholars Program introduces you to the complexities of sustainable development. You’ll learn how development professionals, engineers, and city planners design projects that impact the environment, human populations, and economies.
Throughout the course, you’ll study the key factors that influence sustainable design and explore leading theories in the field. You’ll also collaborate with others to apply these concepts to real-world scenarios, examining both the benefits and challenges of development decisions.
Location: Online
Cost: $1,004
Application deadline: May 18
Program dates: June 16-July 11; June 30-July 18
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a GPA of 3.0
7. Excel High School Environmental Science Course
The Excel High School Environmental Science Course allows you to explore Earth’s ecosystems, from forests to the atmosphere, while connecting science to real-world environmental challenges. You’ll learn about the interconnections between natural systems and energy flow, and how human actions impact the environment.
Throughout the course, you’ll model real-world scenarios to understand how specific human behaviors affect ecosystems. You’ll also study trends in human demographics and their environmental consequences. By the end of the course, you’ll refine skills such as data analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
Location: Remote
Cost: $325
Application deadline: No deadline
Program dates: Self-paced
Eligibility: Open to all high school students
8. SEAQuest: Critters, Coral and Conservation
SEAQuest is a three-week seminar that focuses on coral reefs and climate change. The program uses the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) in Kiribati as a case study. Led by oceanographer Dr. Heather Page, you’ll work with reef data from the Caribbean and South Pacific. You’ll identify species and examine the impacts of global warming, coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and atmospheric carbon on coral reefs.
You’ll participate in data collection and analysis, contributing to a long-term research project with over 50 years of data. This program will help you understand marine ecosystems and the importance of conservation. By the end of SEAQuest, you’ll gain skills in marine research, data analysis, and environmental science.
Location: Remote
Cost: $1,075
Application deadline: January 15; February 28; March 30
Program dates: July 7-25
Eligibility: High school students
