Pre-college programs for high school students do more than just fill up your summer holidays. They offer opportunities to advance your learning, explore new fields, and gain a wide array of skills that aren’t worked on in high school. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your STEM background, explore the arts, get work experience, or dive into real-world research, there’s a program out there for you.
If in-person programs do not fit in with your schedule and commitments, you can opt for an online program for high school students instead. There are several universities, non-profits, and institutions that offer virtual options accessible from any part of the country and still provide an effective blend of classes, assignments, and project work. Some of them are even self-paced, allowing you to cover the curriculum at your own pace.
You can also consider these online pre-college programs and these online research programs.
Here are 15 online programs for high school students to consider.
Key Takeaways
- Online programs for high school students span a wide range of formats, from multi-month commitments like MITES Semester and Horizon’s research program to short, two-week intensives like Stanford AI4ALL and the UCLA Neuroscience program
- Several programs are free, including NASA SEES, Kode With Klossy, UCLA’s Neuroscience program, the NYIT Business Bootcamp, and Girls Who Code’s Pathways program, making STEM and business exposure accessible regardless of cost
- Many programs culminate in a tangible project, such as a research poster, published report, or final presentation, giving you something concrete to reference in future college applications
- Programs designed specifically for underrepresented students in STEM, including Kode With Klossy and Girls Who Code’s Pathways, build technical skills in coding, AI, and data science alongside community and mentorship
- If you want a longer, mentored research experience that results in an independent paper rather than a structured course, Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs offers a path toward producing formal academic work across a wide range of subjects
15 Best Online Programs for High School Students
1. MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science Semester Program
Cost: Free
Program dates: June to December (STEM Immersion Phase from June to early August, College and Career Prep Phase from August to December)
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who are US citizens or permanent residents
The MITES Semester program is a 6-month pre-college program that offers a combination of academic learning and college preparation. The program consists of two distinct phases: the STEM Immersion Phase and the College and Career Prep Phase. The former includes one core course (in areas like physics, calculus, computer science, and more) and one project-based course (previous courses include astrophysics, computational biology, neuroscience, and machine learning).
The second phase of the program focuses on workshops preparing you for college, including mock interviews, essay writing, and community-building events. The program is entirely online and takes place through synchronous classes, events, webinars, counseling sessions, and meetings with your mentor.
2. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Financial aid available.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites, see here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as 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 either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor 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. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects. Apply here!
3. MIT’s BWSI Summer Courses
Cost: $2,400; free for students with a family income of less than $200,000
Program dates: July 6 – August 2
Application deadline: Applications for the online prerequisite course open sometime in December. The deadline to apply to the summer program is March 30
Eligibility: 9th, 10th, and 11th-grade students who live and attend school in the US
The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute gives high school students hands-on experience in STEM topics through advanced, project-based courses. The BWSI summer courses include several virtual options that dive into subjects like machine learning, data science, biomedical informatics, electrical engineering, and quantum computing, among others. You will learn practical skills through activities like designing a semiconductor, using microcontrollers to develop electronics, implementing a quantum algorithm as a software program, and modifying a video game. However, you do need to apply to an online prerequisite course to be able to apply to the summer program.
4. Stanford University’s AIMI Summer Research Internship
Cost: $45 application fee, $2,400 program fee. Need-based financial aid is available.
Program dates: Session A from June 15 – 26, Session B from July 6 – 17
Application deadline: February 20
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 14 years of age and reside and attend school within the US. A strong foundation in computer science, math, or biology is required
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging’s Summer Research Internship is a 2-week virtual internship that gives high school students the chance to explore the role of AI in healthcare. The curriculum focuses on how AI is developed and applied to clinical and research settings, covering topics like machine learning, medical imaging, datasets, and model evaluation. During the program, you will attend lectures, receive mentorship from Stanford faculty, and work on a health AI research project with your peers.
5. Stanford AI4ALL
Cost: $4,120. Need-based financial aid is available
Program dates: June 15 – 26
Application deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Current 9th-grade students
Stanford AI4ALL is a 2-week program that is designed to introduce high school freshmen to the field of AI, exploring how it can be used to make a positive impact in fields like medicine, disaster response, and combatting poverty. As a participant, you will attend live online class discussions, faculty lectures, industry demos, mentoring sessions, and asynchronous assignments. You and your team will then work on a research project in one of four available areas: computer vision, medical AI, natural language processing, and robotics. For example, one of the previous projects involved building a machine learning pipeline that can identify poverty-stricken regions through satellite imagery.
6. George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Cost: $25 application fee, $1,299 program fee. Need-based financial waivers are available
Program dates: June 18 – August 12
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students who are at least 15 years old
George Mason University’s Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program gives high school students the chance to work on an independent research project. During the program, you will not only receive one-on-one mentorship from a faculty member but also three college credits to add to your profile. The program offers several virtual internship opportunities in fields like computer science, data science, finance, and geoinformation science, among others. Your work will culminate in a research poster that you will present during the program’s concluding poster session.
7. NASA and UT Austin’s SEES Summer Intern Program
Cost: Free
Program dates: Online learning component from May 19 – July 1, virtual project work from June to July (specific dates will vary), Virtual SEES Science Symposium from July 21-22
Application deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors who are US citizens and at least 16 years of age
The STEM Enhancement in Earth Sciences (SEES) Summer Intern Program is a prestigious opportunity for high school students to work on a NASA project. The program has several virtual internships spanning fields like astronomy, geology, earth sciences, AI, and planetary sciences. You can expect to engage in practical activities like measuring the surface temperature, determining the age of a cluster of stars, detecting the presence of an exoplanet, identifying geological features on different planets, and more. At the end of the program, you will present your findings during a virtual science symposium.
8. Kode With Klossy’s Summer Camps
Cost: Free
Program dates: Session 1 from June 1 – 12, Session 2 from July 6 – 17, Session 3 from July 20 – 31, Session 4 from August 3 – 14
Application deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Women and gender expansive teens between the ages of 13 and 18
Kode With Klossy’s summer program is a two-week coding-intensive camp designed to encourage students from underrepresented genders to pursue STEM fields. As a participant, you can choose from one of three different tracks: artificial intelligence, web development, and data science. Within each track, you will learn the fundamental concepts and skills of the field while working with tools like algorithms, datasets, JavaScript, HTML, SQL, and more. You will also engage in hands-on activities like training a chatbot using Python, creating a website, and using data to build a visualization of a topic.
9. EnergyMag Virtual Internship
Cost: Free. Interns are not paid a stipend
Program dates: 2-8 weeks during the summer for half-time interns who will work 20 hours/week, and 1-9 months for quarter-time interns, who will work 8 hours/week. Half-time internships are available in the summer, while quarter-time internships are available year-round
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have at least one honors science or English class and a minimum 3.25 GPA
EnergyMag offers virtual internships for high school and college students to engage in advanced research while diving into the fields of renewable energy and energy storage. As an intern, you will research and analyze a market, company, or technology, and culminate your work in a draft analysis report. Under the guidance of an EnergyMag mentor, you will conduct research, connect with relevant people, and then synthesize and analyze the data you have collected. The specific topic you work on may fall under science or business. In the end, your report will be published on the website, and you will receive a Letter of Accomplishment.
10. Wharton Global Youth Program
Cost: Ranges from $329 – $4,799. Limited scholarships and financial aid is available
Program dates: Options range from 1-week to 5-week programs available throughout June and July
Application deadline: Priority deadline is January 28, final deadline is March 18
Eligibility: High school students who have a minimum 3.3 GPA (you can go through the age requisites here)
The Wharton Global Youth Program offers several pre-college experiences for high school students to take their first steps in the world of business. These include several online options that dive into topics like financial decision-making, sports business, leadership, economics, and other fundamental business concepts. As a participant, you will learn from Wharton faculty and engage with material that has been specifically adapted for a virtual setting. You can expect a combination of asynchronous work, live lessons, and interactive simulations.
11. American Cancer Society’s High School Program
Cost: Free. Students receive a $500 stipend
Program dates: 2 weeks in July (specific dates vary with each institute)
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 16 years of age
The American Cancer Society offers this 2-week virtual summer program to increase awareness and enthusiasm for cancer research amongst youngsters. To participate in the program, you must apply directly to an institution with an active Cancer Research High School Program funded by the ACS. Under their guidance, you will work on case studies and engage in cancer and biomedical science research. In the process, you will expand your understanding of cancer research as well as your knowledge about career opportunities in the field. Additionally, you will get access to career development events and networking opportunities throughout the year.
12. UCLA Neuroscience High School Virtual Summer Program
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 15 – July 23
Application deadline: February 9
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors
The UCLA Neuroscience High School Virtual Summer Program is designed to give high school students an introduction to the field of neuroscience. This is a 6-week program that explores the brain and the nervous system, while keeping a strong focus on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. You will learn through a combination of live lectures, guest speakers, virtual lab activities, a journal club that analyzes neuroscience literature, and a final research project on a topic of your interest. You will also attend the Neurology Grand Rounds, which consists of presentations from professionals in the field.
13. New York Institute of Technology High School Business Bootcamp
Cost: Free
Program dates: Multiple sessions available from March to December; you can attend any number of sessions
Application deadline: You can sign up any time
Eligibility: All high school students
The New York Institute of Technology’s business bootcamp is a free, workshop-based program that is meant to prepare high school students for college and future careers. The programs consist of 8 workshops that work on developing the skills required at university or in a professional environment. They cover topics like leadership, team building, financial literacy, conflict resolution, and even how to stand out in a job interview. You can attend as many workshops as you like, and at the end of each one, you will receive a certificate of completion.
14. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes
Cost: $3,200. Need-based financial aid is available
Program dates: Session 1 from June 15-26, Session 2 from July 6-17
Application deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-11
Stanford University’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes give high school students the chance to attend advanced courses and to learn from Stanford faculty members. Over 75 courses are offered each summer, ranging across fields like engineering, mathematics, bioscience, and philosophy, among others. These courses are intensive in nature, exploring one topic in depth and covering advanced concepts through hands-on activities. You can expect a combination of live classes, interactive discussions, asynchronous assignments, and social events.
15. Harvard University’s Online Courses
Cost: Varies with each course (there are free options as well)
Program dates: Multiple sessions available for some courses, while others are self-paced
Application deadline: You can sign up any time
Eligibility: Anyone can sign up
Harvard University’s Professional and Lifelong Learning is a platform that allows anyone to access advanced courses in STEM and humanities led by Harvard faculty. There is a wide range of courses available, such as philosophy, medicine, computer science, and business, among others. The program lengths vary as well, going from self-paced courses to those that span 10-weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are online programs for high school students?
Online programs for high school students are virtual academic or research experiences that let you build skills, explore new fields, or conduct independent projects without needing to attend an in-person program. They range from self-paced courses you can complete on your own schedule to live, cohort-based programs with faculty instruction, mentorship, and scheduled assignments.
Do I need prior experience to apply to these online programs?
It depends on the program. Stanford AI4ALL and Kode With Klossy are designed for students without prior background in AI or coding. More advanced programs like Stanford’s AIMI Summer Research Internship explicitly require a strong foundation in computer science, math, or biology. Horizon’s program is open to a wide range of academic backgrounds, though a few research tracks come with specific prerequisites.
Are there free online programs for high school students?
Yes. MITES Semester, NASA and UT Austin’s SEES program, Kode With Klossy, UCLA’s Neuroscience program, the NYIT Business Bootcamp, the American Cancer Society’s High School Program, and Girls Who Code’s Pathways program are all free. The American Cancer Society’s program also provides a $500 stipend to participants.
Which online programs let you conduct independent research?
George Mason’s ASSIP pairs you one-on-one with a faculty mentor on an independent research project and includes three college credits. NASA’s SEES program has you work on a real NASA-affiliated research question, concluding with a virtual science symposium. Horizon’s program pairs you with a professor or PhD scholar to develop a 20-page independent research paper you can submit for publication.
Which online programs are best for students interested in AI or computer science?
Stanford AI4ALL introduces AI fundamentals through team research projects in areas like computer vision and natural language processing. Stanford’s AIMI Summer Research Internship focuses specifically on AI applications in healthcare and medical imaging. MIT’s BWSI Summer Courses cover machine learning, data science, and quantum computing through project-based virtual courses. Kode With Klossy and Girls Who Code’s Pathways both offer dedicated AI and data science tracks for underrepresented students in tech.
Which online programs are best for students interested in business or finance?
The Wharton Global Youth Program offers several online options covering financial decision-making, economics, sports business, and leadership, taught by Wharton faculty. The NYIT Business Bootcamp covers practical workplace skills like financial literacy, leadership, and conflict resolution through a flexible, workshop-based format you can join at any time.
When should I apply to online programs for high school students?
MITES Semester closes February 1, and Stanford AI4ALL closes February 6. NASA SEES closes February 22, and ASSIP closes February 15. Stanford’s AIMI Summer Research Internship closes February 20, and Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes closes March 13. Kode With Klossy closes March 31. Several programs, including the NYIT Business Bootcamp, EnergyMag’s internship, and Harvard’s Online Courses, use rolling admissions or self-paced enrollment, so you can typically join at any point during the year.
Image source: George Mason University