If you’re looking to go beyond your school curriculum, online college courses for high school students can give you direct exposure to university-level academics. These courses are designed to mirror real college classes: structured, content-heavy, and assessment-driven, without requiring full enrollment in a degree program.
Unlike summer programs or internships, online college courses for high school students focus purely on academic learning. You engage with lectures, assignments, and exams, often using the same tools and frameworks as enrolled undergraduates. This makes them a practical way to test your interest in a subject before committing to it in college. Another advantage of online college courses for high school students is the flexibility they offer. Many are asynchronous or modular, allowing you to manage coursework alongside school commitments. At the same time, the rigor remains comparable to introductory college courses, especially in credit-bearing tracks.
Below is a curated list of 15 online college courses for high school students. If you’re evaluating different options, you can also check out our guide on the 15 best online pre-college STEM programs for high school students here.
What do online college courses for high schoolers include?
Online college courses for high school students are structured around actual academic workflows rather than exploratory activities. Here’s what you typically engage with:
- Core academic material: Recorded or live lectures, assigned readings, and structured modules in fields like computer science, economics, psychology, and engineering
- Hands-on academic work: Problem sets, coding assignments, lab simulations, research essays, or case analyses, depending on the subject
- Digital tools: Learning management systems (Canvas, Blackboard), coding environments (Python notebooks, IDEs), or data tools (Excel, R)
- Assessments: Quizzes, graded assignments, peer reviews, and sometimes proctored exams
- Collaboration formats: Discussion boards, group projects, and instructor feedback loops
- Skill development: Technical reasoning, academic writing, quantitative analysis, and discipline-specific methodologies
These courses are designed to replicate how knowledge is built and evaluated in college settings.
15 Online College Courses for High School Students
1. Secondary School Program – Harvard Summer School
Location: Online
Cost: $3,980–$7,960 (varied by course) + $200 program fee + $75 application fee | Financial aid available
Program Dates: 7-week: June 20–August 8 | 4-week: July 12–August 8
Application Deadline: January 7 (early application and priority financial aid) | February 11 (regular application and financial aid) | April 1 (late application)
Eligibility: Students aged 16–19 who will graduate from high school in the current or following two years
In the Secondary School Program, you’ll enroll in actual Harvard Summer School courses, working through college-level material with the same grading and credit structure as enrolled students. The program lets you take 4- or 8-credit courses across disciplines (e.g., biology, economics, psychology), with expectations around independent reading, problem sets, and written analysis. Depending on your format, you may balance synchronous lectures with self-directed coursework and assignments. Academic work is the core, and you’re expected to manage pacing, deadlines, and workload like a college student. The structure also exposes you to how different fields approach knowledge, from quantitative modeling to argumentative writing.
2. Biomedical Engineering Innovation (BMEI) – Johns Hopkins Engineering Innovation
Location: Online (asynchronous with scheduled components)
Cost: $3,900 tuition + ~$300 lab kit + $60 application fee (est. ~$4,260)
Program Dates: June 22–July 31 (summer) | August 31–December 11 (fall) | Late January–Late April (spring)
Application Deadline: May 27 (summer) | August 7 (fall)
Eligibility: Current high school student or recent high school graduate with a strong math/science background | Must have completed Algebra II, trigonometry, and a full year of physics
At the Biomedical Engineering Innovation program, you’ll approach biology as an engineering system, using quantitative models and physical prototypes to analyze physiological processes. The course involves building and testing systems such as Arduino-based biomedical sensors, modeling biomechanics (e.g., joint forces), and simulating cardiovascular dynamics using analog circuits. You’ll work with tools like Arduino and apply concepts from mechanics, circuits, and systems modeling. Assignments emphasize experimental design, data interpretation, and iterative prototyping rather than passive learning. The structure mirrors a compressed college BME course, with weekly deliverables, design reviews, and lab reports driving most of the workload.
3. Entrepreneurial Finance and New Venture Management (Columbia Pre-College Online)
Location: Online
Cost: $2,867 (1-week)/$4,018 (2-week) + $80 application fee + ~$50 materials
Program Dates: Session AA: June 22–26 | Session A: July 6–17 | Session B: July 20–31
Application Deadline: Session AA: May 4 | Session A: May 18 | Session B: June 1
Eligibility: High school students
Here, you’ll break down how startups are built and funded using quantitative and strategic frameworks rather than high-level case discussions. The course covers the venture lifecycle, the lean startup methodology, and market validation techniques, along with financial tools such as valuation models, term sheets, and SAFE notes. You’ll analyze key startup metrics (e.g., CAC, LTV, burn rate) and use them to evaluate business viability. Team-based work centers on building a mini venture, where you apply these concepts to design a business model and justify funding decisions. The final deliverable is an investor-style pitch, requiring you to translate financial and strategic analysis into a structured argument.
4. eSCIP – UCLA Summer College Immersion Program (Online)
Location: Online
Cost: ~$2,800–$3,500+ depending on units (base fees + $385/unit; minimum ~$1,540/course)
Program Dates: June 22–July 31
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–11 with a GPA of> 3.8
This program lets you simulate a UCLA undergraduate schedule, combining credit-bearing courses with structured academic skill-building modules. Coursework depends on your selected class, but typically involves lectures, assignments, and exams at the level of an introductory college course. Alongside this, you’ll attend mandatory co-curricular activities covering topics such as college applications, academic planning, and research exposure. The program also includes a group project that requires you to analyze a UCLA initiative and present your findings in a recorded presentation. Expect regular synchronous commitments (e.g., Zoom workshops) and independent coursework, with an emphasis on time management and academic self-direction.
5. Artificial Intelligence: Navigating the AI-Powered Future (Northwestern Pre-College Online)
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895
Program Dates: June 7–21 (2 weeks) | June 7–July 5 (4 weeks) | June 14–21 (1 week)
Application Deadline: May 31 (for June 7 sessions) | June 7 (for June 14 session)
Eligibility: Students aged 13+
In this program, you’ll study how modern AI systems function at a conceptual level, with emphasis on model behavior rather than coding implementation. The course introduces neural networks, training vs. testing workflows, and probabilistic prediction, as well as how large language models generate text via tokens and context windows. You’ll experiment with no-code AI tools to build simple prototypes (e.g., image generators, prediction systems) and evaluate their outputs. Topics such as bias, hallucination, and model limitations are analyzed, with a focus on responsible system design. The final capstone requires designing an AI-driven product and documenting its technical assumptions, trade-offs, and ethical implications.
6. Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) – Online
Location: Online (live, synchronous)
Cost: $3,750 (+ ≤$100 materials)
Program Dates: Program I – Session 1: June 15–July 3; Session 2: July 6–24 | Program II – Sessions I: June 15–July 3
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Grades 10–11 | Limited to 64 participants
Built around proof-based mathematics, with emphasis on abstraction rather than computation. You’ll work through topics like group theory, number theory, or algebraic topology, focusing on constructing and critiquing formal proofs. Daily structure includes live lectures, problem-solving sessions with TAs, and independent work on non-routine problem sets. You’ll engage with concepts like symmetry, modular arithmetic, and topological invariants through guided exploration and research-style questions. A final project requires synthesizing theory into a structured presentation, mirroring how mathematicians communicate results.
7. Pre-College Online Program (Georgetown University)
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895 (enrichment) | $3,995 (college credit)
Program Dates: Flexible (1–12 weeks depending on course)
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: High school students aged 13+
At the Georgetown University Pre-College Online Program, you’ll work through subject-specific modules using pre-recorded lectures, structured assignments, and a final capstone project. Courses span AI, finance, law, and medicine, with content designed around applied concepts (e.g., cybersecurity frameworks, market analysis, and legal reasoning). The college credit track requires significantly more hours (~128) and graded work, while enrichment tracks focus on shorter, skill-based exposure. You’ll interact with mentors or TAs for feedback and guidance, especially during project development. The asynchronous format means you control pacing, but assignments and milestones still structure progress.
8. PSY 101: Introduction to Psychology – ASU Universal Learner Courses
Location: Online
Cost: $25 upfront + $400 (only if you pass)
Program Dates: On-demand or June 16–August 11 (8-week option)
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: Open enrollment | Recommended for students with English proficiency and basic computer literacy
You’ll survey psychology through five structured pillars, treating behavior as a system that can be analyzed across biological, cognitive, and social dimensions. The course covers topics including neural mechanisms, conditioning models, memory systems, and personality theory, as well as applied areas such as stress and abnormal behavior. You’ll work through modular content with embedded assessments (assignments, discussions, quizzes) that weigh conceptual understanding and application. Research methods and experimental thinking are introduced early, so you can interpret how psychological claims are validated. The course ends with a milestone project that applies psychological frameworks to real-world contexts (e.g., decision-making or behavior change).
9. Understanding Your Money – Wharton Global Youth Program
Location: Online
Cost: $329
Program Dates: Flexible (self-paced)
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment (no formal deadline)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 | International students can apply
You’ll work through core economic and financial concepts using structured modules and short lecture-based units. The curriculum covers supply and demand, utility, opportunity cost, and compound interest before moving on to banking systems, budgeting mechanics, and investment principles such as risk–return trade-offs and asset allocation. You’ll engage with ~55 video lectures alongside quizzes that require at least 60% mastery to progress. The program emphasizes applied financial reasoning (e.g., modeling personal budgeting decisions or evaluating investment strategies). Everything runs on Wharton’s online platform, with no live instruction, so pacing and completion depend entirely on how you schedule the ~13–15 hours of content.
10. Introduction to Business Management (Cornell Precollege Online)
Location: Online
Cost: $5,820 (3 credits)
Program Dates: Session 1: June 1–18 | | Session 2: June 22–July 10 | Session 3: July 13–31
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the program
Eligibility: Students aged 15–19 who have completed grade 10 and meet Cornell Pre-College academic requirements
This course breaks business into its core systems and has you analyze how each function operates and interacts. You’ll study HR, marketing, finance, and strategy through structured frameworks, with attention to variables like globalization and technological change. Expect to work with basic strategic models, evaluate operational decisions, and think through trade-offs across departments. The coursework emphasizes independent analysis over live discussion, with asynchronous lectures and assignments. A final group project requires integrating multiple business functions into a coherent plan, testing how well you can synthesize concepts across domains.
11. Engineering Innovation Research Program
Location: Online, hybrid commuter, or hybrid residential
Cost: $3,900 tuition + $2,500 research fee + $60 application fee (est. $6,460)
Program Dates: June 22–July 31
Application Deadline: May 13
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors with a strong math/science background | Must have completed Algebra II, trigonometry, and physics/chemistry
You’ll operate inside an actual research workflow, contributing to ongoing engineering projects rather than completing predefined lab exercises. The program involves reading scientific literature, designing experiments or computational studies, and working with real datasets under guidance from PhD mentors. You’ll use tools like simulation environments, data analysis workflows, and collaborative platforms (e.g., Canvas, MS Teams) to document and iterate on your work. Daily sessions focus on problem formulation, debugging methods, and interpreting results, not just executing instructions. The final output typically includes a research paper or presentation, requiring you to formalize your methodology and findings.
12. Foundations of FinTech (Columbia Pre-College Online)
Location: Online (live, synchronous)
Cost: $4,017 + $80 application fee + ~$50 materials
Program Dates: July 6–17
Application Deadline: May 18
Eligibility: High school students
You’ll examine how financial systems are being restructured through software, data, and algorithmic decision-making. The course covers areas like digital payments infrastructure, algorithmic trading, blockchain systems, and robo-advisory models, with attention to how these tools change traditional banking workflows. You’ll analyze case studies and run simulations to understand how financial products are designed and evaluated. Concepts such as market efficiency, automation, and risk modeling are introduced through applied examples rather than in theory-heavy lectures. Assignments focus on critiquing existing FinTech products and proposing improvements using both technical and economic reasoning.
13. High School Summer Session (UC Santa Cruz)
Location: Online
Cost: ~$1,810 (1 course, 5 credits) or ~$3,265 (2 courses)
Program Dates: Session 1: June 22–July 24 | Session 2: July 27–August 18 | 8-week: June 22–August 14 | 10-week: June 22–August 28
Application Deadline: Varying deadline depending on the course taken
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors | Minimum GPA of 3.0 | Must be at least 14 years old
You’ll enroll directly in UC Santa Cruz undergraduate classes, working through full college syllabi rather than modified high school versions. Courses typically involve ~35 hours of instruction over 5 weeks, with additional workload (2–3 hours per class hour) in readings, problem sets, and projects. Depending on the course, you may use tools such as Canvas, discussion forums, or domain-specific software (e.g., coding environments and statistical tools). The structure varies between synchronous lectures and asynchronous modules, but all formats maintain strict deadlines and graded assessments. Expect midterms/finals or major projects, with evaluation standards aligned with UC undergraduate grading standards.
14. Online AP® Courses (CTD – Northwestern Center for Talent Development)
Location: Online (asynchronous)
Cost: $865 (1 credit) | $1,445 (2 credits) | Financial aid available for qualified students
Program Dates: Fall (1 credit): September 10–January 14 | Fall (2 credit): September 10–May 20 | Winter (1 credit): January 21–May 20 | Winter (2 credit): January 21–August 14
Application Deadline: Fall: October 1 | Winter: January 28
Eligibility: Grades 9–12 | Must meet subject-specific prerequisites and qualification criteria | Check here
Structured as independent, instructor-guided AP coursework with emphasis on pacing, rigor, and exam-aligned content. You’ll work through College Board-aligned material using platforms like Schoology, completing problem sets, written responses, and periodic assessments. Time commitment is ~6–8 hours/week per course, with flexibility in scheduling but strict progress expectations. Courses prioritize analytical reasoning, structured writing, and subject-specific problem-solving (e.g., proofs in math, document analysis in history). Instructor feedback is continuous, with grading aligned to AP exam standards and college-level expectations.
15. INR 194 – Introduction to Global Affairs (ASU Universal Learner Courses)
Location: Online
Cost: $25 upfront + $400 (only if you pass)
Program Dates: 16 weeks (starting August 18)
Application Deadline: Rolling enrollment
Eligibility: Open enrollment | Recommended for students with English proficiency and basic computer literacy
In this course, you’ll analyze global systems using frameworks from political science and international relations rather than just tracking current events. It covers globalization, governance structures, and international organizations, with attention to how sovereignty and policy interact across borders. You’ll evaluate trade systems, development models, and security issues using case studies and CFR-developed materials (articles, podcasts, multimedia). Concepts such as human rights, conflict, and international law are analyzed, often through comparative scenarios. Assignments focus on applying theoretical models to real-world global problems rather than descriptive summaries.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking beyond online college courses for high school students, 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 – UC Santa Cruz