If you’re a high school student interested in understanding how the universe works beyond textbook astronomy, astrophysics courses can be a strong starting point. Astrophysics combines physics, mathematics, astronomy, and computational science to study stars, galaxies, black holes, exoplanets, cosmology, and the large-scale structure of space-time. Instead of focusing solely on observation, these courses emphasize how scientists utilize equations, models, simulations, and data to study physical systems in the universe.
Why take astrophysics courses in high school?
For students considering STEM majors or research-focused academic paths, astrophysics courses for high school students offer early exposure to advanced scientific thinking. You’ll develop skills such as mathematical modeling, data analysis, and scientific programming, while learning how theoretical physics connects to data and computational tools. Many courses are designed to mirror undergraduate coursework, making them useful for exploring interests in physics, astrophysics, aerospace engineering, or applied mathematics.
If you’re interested in expanding beyond coursework, you can also explore astrophysics summer programs for high school students here.
15 Astrophysics Courses for High School Students
1. ASTR P–17240 Introduction to Doing Astrophysics — Harvard University’s Pre-College Summer School Program
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 + $75 application fee
Dates: June 21–July 2 | July 5–17 | July 19–31
Application Deadline: January 7 (early deadline) | February 11 (regular deadline) | April 1 (late deadline)
Eligibility: High school students graduating and entering college within the next few years who are at least 16 years old by June 20 and under 19 years before July 31 | Applicants should be comfortable with algebra, trigonometry, and introductory physics, including forces, energy, and Newton’s laws, and have math skills at the Algebra II or pre-calculus level | Average class size of 15 students
In this course, you’ll explore how scientists study and understand the universe through a wide range of topics, including exoplanet habitability, gravity, light, stars, and special relativity. You will understand these ideas through the lens of math and physics, while examining the historical context behind major scientific discoveries. You will work together to derive key astrophysics concepts and practice solving physics problems in a clear and structured way. You’ll also gain hands-on experience with the Harvard University undergraduate lab telescope, as well as opportunities to investigate personal interests through collaborative final group presentations.
2. ASTO0102 Astronomy and Astrophysics — Columbia University’s NYC Residential Summer Program
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $12,764 per session + $80 application fee + at least $50 for course materials + course-specific fees
Dates: June 29–July 17 | July 21–August 7
Application Deadline: February 2 (early deadline) | March 2 (general deadline)
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th-grade students, including current seniors who are 15 years or older | One year of high school chemistry and physics is strongly recommended but not required, and familiarity with calculus can be helpful
In this course, you’ll learn how our understanding of the universe has grown, from the early roots of astronomy to modern topics like cosmology, extrasolar planetary systems, and black holes. You’ll study concepts such as Kepler’s laws, Newton’s laws of motion and universal gravitation, orbital dynamics, and the principles of space travel. You’ll also explore the nature of matter, the nature of light, and nuclear physics. Using these ideas, you’ll examine the solar system, the sun, distant galaxies, the formation of chemical elements, and the expansion of the universe. Since the course is quantitative, you should be comfortable using math to solve problems. By the end of the course, you’ll be prepared to study dark energy and think about the future of the universe as we understand it.
3. PHYS P–17230 Introduction to Relativity: From Cosmic Rays to Black Holes — Harvard University’s Pre-College Summer School Program
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 + $75 application fee
Dates: June 21–July 2 | July 5–17 | July 19–31
Application Deadline: January 7 (early deadline) | February 11 (regular deadline) | April 1 (late deadline)
Eligibility: High school students graduating and entering college within the next few years who are at least 16 years old by June 20 and under 19 years before July 31 | Applicants must have experience with single variable calculus, vectors, and matrices | Average class size of 15 students
This is a fast-paced course that covers the basics of special and general relativity. You’ll learn about Galilean relativity from Newtonian mechanics. You’ll also learn about the Lorentz transformations, and what they lead to, including length contraction, time dilation, simultaneity, and causality. The course will introduce you to Einstein’s general relativity, focusing on the equivalence principle and the description of space-time using a metric. You’ll study Einstein’s field equations and see how they are used in areas like gravitational wave interferometry and black hole research. It will also help you build a strong foundation in astrophysics by illustrating how relativity is connected to black holes, gravitational waves, and the expansion of the universe, as well as how these concepts are applied to real astronomical observations.
4. ASTR S–80 Planets, Moons, and Their Stars: The Search for Life in the Cosmos — Harvard University’s Secondary School Program (SSP)
Location: Virtual or in person at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $4,180–$15,735 + $75 application fee | Financial aid is available
Dates: July 12–August 7 (4-week session) | June 20–August 8 (7-week session)
Application Deadline: January 7 (early deadline) | February 11 (regular deadline) | April 1 (late deadline)
Eligibility: High school students aged 16–19 who plan to attend college in the coming years | Applicants should have experience with high school algebra, and some background in chemistry and physics is helpful
In this course, you’ll explore recent advances in planetary exploration, geochemistry, astronomy, and biochemistry that are changing how scientists think about the origin of life on Earth and the chances of finding life beyond it. You’ll learn about current and upcoming space telescope missions designed to find and study exoplanets, as well as robotic missions such as the Mars rovers. You’ll also examine how stars and their evolution affect planet habitability and the chemical makeup of galaxies. The course introduces key astrophysics concepts and demonstrates how physics, chemistry, and astronomy converge to explain star and planet formation, habitability, and the search for life, thereby connecting exoplanet research with astrobiology. You’ll earn four credits upon completing the course.
5. 10134 Exploring the Universe: An Introduction to Relativity and Cosmology — Summer@Brown Pre-College Program
Location: Online or in person at Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: $3,096–$10,858 | Some courses may have extra fees | Scholarships are available
Dates: Courses run between June 15 and July 25 and last 1–3 weeks on campus or 5 weeks in a hybrid format
Application Deadline: May 8
Eligibility: Students finishing grades 9–12 who are 14 to 18 years old by June 14 | Some background in physics is helpful, and knowledge of Algebra I, Algebra II, and basic geometry is strongly recommended
In this course, you’ll explore both well-known ideas and open questions about the universe. You’ll develop an understanding of special and general relativity and learn mathematical tools used to describe space-time. You’ll study objects like black holes and neutron stars, as well as the gravitational waves they create. You’ll also look at unanswered questions about how the universe works. You’ll learn about inflation and how the universe has evolved. You’ll study different types of black holes, how they form, and how they behave. You’ll explore dark matter and dark energy and examine the tools and methods physicists use to make discoveries. You’ll also learn the physics behind the largest structures in the universe, connecting fundamental physics with what we can observe through astronomy.
6. ASTR 11901 30: Physics of Stars: An Introduction — UChicago’s Pre-College Summer Immersion Program
Location: University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $9,300 (Residential) + $50 application fee | Need-based financial aid is available
Dates: June 15–July 2 | July 7–23
Application Deadline: February 11 (priority deadline) | March 12 (regular deadline)
Eligibility: Current high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors aged 14 or older | No prior coding experience is necessary | Around 25 students per class
The University of Chicago’s Pre-College Summer Immersion Program enables students to enroll in an undergraduate-level course, graded and worth 100 units of credit, equivalent to a full quarter course at the University of Chicago. In this course, you’ll study how stars are built and how their interiors function, even though we mainly observe the light from their outer layers. You’ll learn how stars form, age, create heavier elements, and change over time, eventually becoming white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes. You will collect data on star properties, such as temperature and brightness, using online robotic telescopes and analyze images and astronomical datasets with Python through guided coding assignments. You’ll also learn about concepts such as gravity, pressure, radiation, and radiation matter interactions, and apply them to real questions in stellar structure. The course includes a field trip to the historic Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin.
7. ASTR P–17221 Introduction to Machine Learning for Astronomy — Harvard University’s Pre-College Summer School Program
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 + $75 application fee
Dates: June 21–July 2 | July 5–17 | July 19–31
Application Deadline: January 7 (early deadline) | February 11 (regular deadline) | April 1 (late deadline)
Eligibility: High school students graduating and entering college within the next few years who are at least 16 years old by June 20 and under 19 years before July 31 | Average class size of 15 students
In this course, you’ll use machine learning to study current problems in astronomy, with astronomy serving as a broad term that also includes astrophysics and cosmology. You’ll participate in daily lectures that will introduce you to topics such as galaxy classification and the expansion of the universe, as well as lessons on supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms. You’ll work together to apply machine learning methods to astronomy-related problems through daily in-class activities and homework assignments. The course wraps up with collaborative mini-project presentations, giving you a chance to show what you have learned and apply your new skills.
8. PHYS0105 Special Relativity: Deciphering Einstein — Columbia University’s NYC Residential Summer Program
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $12,764 per session + $80 application fee + at least $50 for course materials + course-specific fees
Dates: June 29–July 17 | July 21–August 7
Application Deadline: February 2 (early deadline) | March 2 (general deadline)
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th-grade students, including current seniors who are 15 years or older | Applicants must have completed one year of high school algebra and one year of high school physics
This course will introduce you to Einstein’s theory of special relativity, starting with concepts such as E = mc² and progressing to ideas like time dilation and length contraction. You will explore how space, time, and energy relate to each other. You’ll gain insight into how these ideas influence our understanding of black holes, interstellar travel, and contemporary science. You’ll also connect these concepts to the Doppler effect and get an early look at general relativity, all without heavy math. Over three weeks, you’ll study topics like Lorentz transformations, spacetime, and the connection between relativity and electromagnetism. Through thought experiments, discussions, and real-world examples, the course provides a clear introduction to college-level physics, laying the essential foundation for modern astrophysics.
9. ASTR P–17251 How to Decipher Light — Harvard University’s Pre-College Summer School Program
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 + $75 application fee
Dates: June 21–July 2 | July 5–17 | July 19–31
Application Deadline: January 7 (early deadline) | February 11 (regular deadline) | April 1 (late deadline)
Eligibility: High school students graduating and entering college within the next few years who are at least 16 years old by June 20 and under 19 years before July 31 | Average class size of 15 students
In this course, you’ll recreate classic experiments to learn how scientists have studied light and understood what it reveals. It covers major moments in optics, from Eratosthenes using sunlight and shadows to measure the Earth, to the Galilean telescope, Alhazen’s camera obscura, Newton’s prism experiments, and Young’s double slit experiment. You’ll learn the basics of spectrometry using tools from the Smithsonian Data Labs Spectrum Lab. You will also explore the dual nature of light, the distinction between refraction and diffraction, and how telescopes constructed with lenses have altered our understanding of the universe. This course will help you build a strong foundation in astrophysics by covering topics in light, atoms, and spectra, which are essential tools and concepts in the field.
10. COMO0101 Geometric Topology: A Tool for Modeling the Universe — Columbia University’s NYC Residential Summer Program
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: $12,764 per session + $80 application fee + at least $50 for course materials + course-specific fees
Dates: June 29–July 17 | July 21–August 7
Application Deadline: February 2 (early deadline) | March 2 (general deadline)
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th-grade students, including current seniors who are 15 years or older | Experience with Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 is recommended but not required
In this course, you’ll explore ideas about whether the universe is finite or infinite, what its overall shape might be, and how its curvature could be measured. You will learn how topological models relate to scientific theories about the structure of the physical universe. You’ll engage in discussions that blend philosophical questions with hands-on work, including simple experiments with everyday materials, pencil-and-paper calculations, and interactive online games and modules. You’ll gain early exposure to modern topics where topology meets cosmology, as well as an appreciation for careful mathematical thinking that focuses on deep questions about the world. The course will help you understand key ideas in physical cosmology, a major area of astrophysics, by examining the universe’s large-scale structure and shape.
11. 10177 Habitable Worlds: Possible Places for Life in the Solar System and Beyond — Summer@Brown Pre-College Program
Location: Online or in person at Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost: $3,096–$10,858 | Some courses may have extra fees | Scholarships are available
Dates: Courses run between June 15 and July 25 and last 1–3 weeks on campus or 5 weeks in a hybrid format
Application Deadline: May 8
Eligibility: Students finishing grades 9–12 who are 14 to 18 years old by June 14 | Applicants must have knowledge of Algebra I and have completed one year of high school science
This course will introduce you to places where life could exist in the solar system and on exoplanets. You’ll learn about habitable zones around stars and the conditions that make a planet or moon able to support life. You’ll explore extreme environments on Earth, possible habitats elsewhere in our solar system, and planets discovered around other stars. You’ll read short introductions, work through guided examples, and complete creative assignments that will help you develop your science communication and research skills. Activities may include drawing skies on other worlds, using simulations to explore orbital motion, connecting astrobiology to science fiction, and comparing scientific papers with news articles. You’ll also participate in class-selected discussions on topics like planet discovery, space policy, space in movies, college paths, and careers in science.
12. ASTR P-17251 How to Decipher Light — Harvard University’s Pre-College Summer School Program
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $6,100 + $75 application fee
Dates: June 21–July 2 | July 5–17 | July 19–31
Application Deadline: January 7 (early deadline) | February 11 (regular deadline) | April 1 (late deadline)
Eligibility: High school students graduating and entering college within the next few years who are at least 16 years old by June 20 and under 19 years before July 31 | Average class size of 15 students
In this course, you’ll recreate classic experiments to learn how scientists have studied light and understood what it reveals. The course covers major moments in optics, from Eratosthenes using sunlight and shadows to measure the Earth, to the Galilean telescope, Alhazen’s camera obscura, Newton’s prism experiments, and Young’s double slit experiment. You’ll learn the basics of spectrometry using tools from the Smithsonian Data Labs Spectrum Lab. You will also explore the dual nature of light, the difference between refraction and diffraction, and how telescopes built with lenses have changed our view of the universe. This course will help you build a strong foundation in astrophysics by covering topics in light, atoms, and spectra, which are essential tools and concepts in the field.
13. ASTR 12700 10: Stars — UChicago’s Pre-College Summer Online Program
Location: Online
Cost: $4,980 + $50 application fee | Need-based financial aid is available
Dates: June 15–July 2
Application Deadline: February 11 (priority deadline) | March 12 (regular deadline)
Eligibility: Current 9th–12th grade students | Some courses have specific grade requirements, such as the Stars course, which is only open to 11th and 12th graders
This is an astrophysics course where you’ll study the core ideas behind how stars work. You‘ll learn how Ejnar Hertzsprung and Henry Norris Russell used star catalogues to plot brightness against color, leading to the HR diagram and revealing that stars follow clear patterns rather than being randomly distributed. Using the HR diagram as a starting point, you’ll explore what a star is and how it changes over time. You’ll study the physical processes inside stars that explain why they are hot, bright, and able to last for billions of years. You’ll also learn how stars create heavier elements from lighter ones and shape the chemical evolution of the universe. By the end of the course, you’ll understand why some stars slowly fade into white dwarfs, while others end their lives as powerful supernova explosions visible across vast distances.
14. ASTRO 2290 Relativity and Astrophysics — Cornell SCE Fall & Spring Study
Location: Virtual or in person at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Cost: $1,940 per credit hour + non-refundable fees for supplies or course materials
Dates: August 25–December 20 (Fall Session) | January 20–May 16 (Spring Session)
Application Deadline: August 20 (Fall session) | January 20 (Spring Session)
Eligibility: High school students who are 18 years or older | You can check out the additional prerequisites here | No prior knowledge of special relativity or astrophysics is necessary
Cornell’s School of Continuing Education allows students to enrol in commuter or online college credit courses alongside college students. You can choose from over 100 courses across areas like physics, engineering, data science, business, psychology, computer science, and more. You’ll also have access to campus libraries and other resources. After you complete a course, you’ll receive an official Cornell transcript. If you want to explore astrophysics, this course is a strong choice. The course will primarily introduce you to special relativity and demonstrate its applications to astrophysical problems. You’ll also study the structure of spacetime around both non-rotating and rotating black holes and connect these ideas to real astrophysical situations. It also covers topics in gravitational radiation and cosmology.
15. ASTO0101 The Origin and Evolution of the Universe — Columbia University’s Pre-College Online Summer Program
Location: Online
Cost: $2,865–$4,015 per session + $80 application fee + around $50 for textbooks and supplies + course-specific fees
Dates: June 22–26 | July 6–17 | July 20–31
Application Deadline: February 2 (early deadline) | April 2 (general deadline)
Eligibility: Rising 9th–12th-grade domestic and international students, including current seniors | Applicants should have a background in physics and math, but prior experience in astronomy is not required
Columbia University’s Pre-College Online Summer Program allows students to enrol in a one-week program, a two-week program, or both, with more than 40 courses offered across a wide range of subject areas. In this course, you’ll get an introduction to cosmology. You’ll learn about the field, its early development, and its connections to observational astronomy and particle physics. You’ll study the observations that prove the universe is expanding, ideas that explain this expansion, the origin of the universe, and how its components have changed over time, including dark matter and dark energy.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source – Columbia University