If you’re a high school student interested in chemistry and want to go beyond your regular science classes, fall programs can be a smart way to keep building skills during the academic year. While most enrichment happens over the summer, there are also several chemistry opportunities in the fall that offer hands-on labs, research experiences, and exposure to college-level content.
Many of these programs are hosted by universities, research institutes, or STEM nonprofits, and focus on topics like organic chemistry, analytical techniques, and materials science. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your academic profile, explore a future career path, or just dive deeper into the subject, fall programs offer a structured, skill-focused environment to do that.
Below, we’ve curated 13 fall chemistry programs for high school students that combine academic rigor with real-world relevance.
1. ACS High School ChemClubs – American Chemical Society
Location: ACS/AACT, Nationwide in U.S. high schools
Cost/Stipend: Free for students; requires teacher advisor to have a paid AACT membership
Application Deadline: November 1 (annual registration window is May 1 – November 1)
Dates: Extracurricular club running through the school year (September–December and beyond)
Eligibility: High school or middle school students; must recruit a science or chemistry teacher advisor who is an active AACT member
The ACS ChemClub program allows high school and middle school students to organize extracurricular clubs focused on chemistry enrichment and career exploration. Clubs must be sponsored by a science teacher who joins as an AACT member, and registration is annual. Registered ChemClubs receive monthly newsletters, quarterly resource packets (including labs, activities, and demos), access to grants, scholarships for graduating seniors, and exclusive online content. The clubs are designed to encourage hands-on learning, offer career insights, and build a science community at school while letting students take leadership in running events, community building, and outreach. Activities typically occur after school or during free periods, and club themes can be customized based on local interests.
2. MITES Semester
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Free; all program costs covered except transportation to the in-person conference
Application Deadline: February 1
Dates: June – December (spanning summer and fall; fall sessions September–December)
Eligibility: High school juniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents; strong academic record required; students underrepresented or underserved in STEM are especially encouraged
MITES Semester is a selective national pre-college program offering project-based and core STEM courses to high school juniors. The program begins in the summer and extends into the fall, when students continue participating in weekly online webinars, college guidance sessions, and cluster meetings. While project courses vary each cycle, chemistry-related subjects such as Thermodynamics and Climate Change or materials science are frequently included among the offerings. The curriculum also includes core instruction in other foundational areas and comprehensive college preparation, including essay workshops and mentor meetings. The fall semester requires about 3–5 hours each week, with all synchronous activities scheduled on evenings and weekends to support students’ school commitments.
3. Syracuse University — Accelerated Semester Online Courses
Location: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Cost / Stipend: Courses cost $750 per credit; A 3-credit course is $2,250, while a 4-credit course is $3,000
Application Deadline: Rolling
Dates: Fall: August 25 – October 16
Eligibility: High school students (juniors, seniors, or recent grads)
High school students can take these online, credit‑bearing accelerated semester courses during the fall. Among the available courses is CHE 103 — Science in the Modern World (4 credits), which introduces basic chemistry concepts and their applications in modern contexts. The course does not satisfy prerequisites for advanced chemistry sequences, but gives exposure to fundamental chemistry ideas. Classes are remote, meeting weekly in scheduled evening sessions. This is designed for students who want college credit / academic challenge during the fall term rather than a summer program.
4. General Chemistry 1 — Open & Free (OLI by Carnegie Mellon University)
Location: Online, self-paced
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced, learn at your convenience
Eligibility: Open to all learners, including high school students
This course covers first-semester general chemistry topics, including atomic theory, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, gas laws, thermochemistry, periodic properties, and chemical reactions. It features interactive practice problems with detailed feedback, instructor videos, and simulations to provide a comprehensive learning experience. It does not offer college credit but is designed for independent study to build solid foundational knowledge for college-level chemistry.
5. Purdue University – Hands‑on Purdue Science (HOPS) LabExperiences
Location: Purdue University College of Science, West Lafayette, IN
Cost / Stipend: Free for participating high school classes; schools register teachers and classes
Application Deadline: Teachers/classes must register in advance- usually several weeks before the lab date
Dates: Typically lab sessions in fall (September, October, November) during normal school days
Eligibility: High school or middle school classes (i.e., groups coordinated by teachers), not individual student internships
In this program, classes come to the Purdue campus and perform lab experiments led by K‑12 Outreach staff. Labs are hands-on; topics include chemistry and environmental science. Students gain experience doing experiments, following lab safety rules, using lab equipment, and observing chemical phenomena. There is no academic credit likely, but the experience helps connect classroom chemistry with real lab work. Because space is limited, registration is on a first‑come basis.
6. Brown University – Brown Advocate Program (Science Fair / Mentoring‑based)
Location: Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost / Stipend: Free to participate; no stipend mentioned
Application Deadline: Not always clearly stated in advance for fall; mentoring through September‑December until school science fairs
Dates: Mentoring from September‑May for science fair projects (so fall period included)
Eligibility: High school students, especially from schools with science fairs. Mentors are graduate students & faculty
Brown University offers a program that guides high school students through the entire science fair process, from selecting a project and forming a hypothesis to deciding on methodology, collecting and analyzing data, communicating results, and participating in mock judging. While not exclusively focused on chemistry, the program allows for many projects to be chemistry-related or to incorporate chemical analysis, particularly in laboratory settings. This program can help you develop skills in experimental design, scientific reasoning, lab methodology, writing, and presentation.
7. SCI310: Chemistry for High School Students — The American Academy
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $179 tuition
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Dates: Flexible start, self-paced completion
Eligibility: High school students seeking foundational chemistry knowledge
SCI310 is an online chemistry course designed for high school students to explore fundamental chemistry concepts at an introductory level. The course covers essential topics such as atomic structure, chemical bonding, the periodic table, stoichiometry, gases, liquids, solids, solutions, acids and bases, and reaction kinetics. The curriculum balances conceptual instruction with practical application through interactive exercises, quizzes, and virtual labs.
8. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) Internship Programs
Location: Available remotely or on-site at one of NASA’s 10 field centers across the U.S., depending on the project
Cost/Stipend: Free to participate; paid stipends awarded based on academic level and internship length
Application Deadline: Fall: May 22
Dates: Fall cohort runs approximately 16 weeks from September to December
Eligibility: U.S. citizens, high school students age 16 or older with a minimum 3.0 GPA
NASA OSTEM internships provide high school students the opportunity to engage in real scientific research and technology development projects related to space exploration. Students participating in chemistry-related projects may work on experimental design, data analysis, materials testing, chemical formulation, or contribute to research in areas such as propulsion chemistry, spacecraft materials, environmental chemistry in closed systems, and chemical sensors for planetary exploration. Interns may collaborate with NASA scientists and engineers, gaining hands-on experience in lab techniques, analytical instrumentation, and problem-solving within cutting-edge aerospace applications. The program also offers virtual seminars and mentoring sessions with professionals, including chemists and astronauts.
9. Ecampus at Oregon State University
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies. Calculate here
Application Deadline: Varies. More info here
Dates: Fall courses start from September 24
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.0 GPA
Oregon State University’s Ecampus offers high school students the opportunity to take online college-level chemistry courses and earn transferable university credit. By applying as a nondegree-seeking student, learners can enroll in individual courses without being in a full degree program. The Chemistry curriculum includes foundational and advanced courses designed to build core competencies in chemical principles, lab techniques, and engineering applications. With OSU Ecampus, students can choose from a variety of chemistry classes, including general chemistry sequences and chemistry courses tailored for engineering majors.
10. Cornell University Fall & Spring Study Program
Location: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Cost/Stipend: Tuition is $1,940 per credit hour
Application Deadline: Varies by course; check specific deadlines per semester
Dates: August 25 – December 20
Eligibility: High school and college students; prerequisites vary by course
The Cornell Fall & Spring Study program allows high school students to take college-level courses during the academic year. You’ll enroll in regular Cornell University classes alongside undergraduate and graduate students, choosing from a wide range of subjects, including chemistry and chemical engineering. Courses are taught by Cornell faculty and carry full academic credit, which will be recorded on an official Cornell transcript. Each class has its own prerequisites, schedules, and deadlines, so reviewing course information in advance is important. As a participant, you’ll be responsible for meeting the same academic standards as degree-seeking students.
11. Marine Biology: Mammalian (dolphins and sea lions) Chemistry and Genomics — UC San Diego
Location: Hybrid (Online + In-person labs at UCSD, San Diego, CA)
Cost/Stipend: $3,000 tuition
Application Deadline: September 24
Dates: September 29 – December 6
Eligibility: 10th–12th grade high school students
This hybrid research course explores how environmental exposures influence the health and physiology of marine mammals such as dolphins and sea lions, focusing particularly on ecosystems like San Diego Bay. Students will explore the exposome, which encompasses all environmental factors impacting organisms. These factors include diet, pathogens, and pollutants such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which can be mutagenic or carcinogenic. The course involves assessing water quality at various locations, deploying advanced Chemical Integrative Passive Samplers (CIPS) to capture diverse chemical compounds, and measuring standard water parameters (pH, salinity, temperature, oxygen). Depending on chemical and microbiological results, archived marine mammal specimens (blood, brain, blubber) are analyzed to study pollutant impact on these animals’ health.
12. College Edge: Academic Year | Columbia University — General Chemistry
Location: Columbia University Morningside Campus, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Tuition $2,574 per credit point (typically $7,722 for a 3-point course); additional fees include $80 application, course-specific, activity, health services, and technology fees
Application Deadline: Varies depending on session
Dates: September 2 – December 19
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (grades 11–12)
College Edge offers high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to take university courses alongside Columbia undergraduates for college credit, earning about 1 course (3 credit points) over the fall semester. The program combines rigorous academic coursework, including general chemistry, with workshops on college prep, leadership, and professional skills to prepare students for college success. Students engage in a real college experience but without on-campus housing; those living away from their primary residence must reside with a responsible adult. The program emphasizes not only academic learning but also student life development through various workshops and peer connections.
13. Introductory Chemistry (CHM 101) — Arizona State University Universal Learner Courses
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $25 registration fee + $400 tuition
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Dates: Flexible start dates (self-paced over 16 weeks)
Eligibility: High school students seeking college credit
This online introductory chemistry course explains fundamental concepts starting with the atomic level, describing how atoms compose all matter. It emphasizes understanding molecules important to life and materials, linking molecular behavior to practical applications in biochemistry, health, alternative energy, and materials science. The course balances foundational knowledge with real-world relevance, covering how blood pH is maintained and why materials behave as they do.
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