12 Online Biology Summer Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in biology, online summer programs can be a practical way to explore the subject in more depth while learning from home. These programs introduce you to topics such as genetics, neuroscience, bioinformatics, and healthcare while helping you build skills in data analysis, scientific thinking, and research. You also get the opportunity to learn from instructors, researchers, and peers who share your interest in the life sciences.
What are the benefits of a biology program?
Participating in a biology program allows you to engage with advanced concepts, explore specialized areas of interest, and gain exposure to how biological research and applications are structured. You may analyze datasets, review the scientific literature, and develop your critical thinking skills on topics such as disease, genetics, and human health. Over time, this experience can help you clarify your academic interests and strengthen your preparation for college-level science study.
To help with your search, we've curated a list of 12 online biology summer programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for online STEM programs, check out our blog here.
1. Camp Zon - Zebrafish Research
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free | Stipend provided
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 6 – July 17
Application Deadline: April 24
Eligibility: High school students and rising college freshmen who are Massachusetts residents and at least 16 years old by June 1
Camp Zon is a two-week online program that centers on cancer biology and blood development using zebrafish models. Participants engage with core concepts through interactive lectures and virtual lab observations from the Zon Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital. You’ll analyze data, develop hypotheses, and design experiments, with student-led zebrafish experiments conducted in the lab and results shared afterward. The program includes teamwork on anemia-related projects, enhancing skills in interpreting scientific literature and basic coding for data analysis. Mentorship and Q&A sessions with Dr. Len Zon and lab scientists offer further guidance and insights into potential careers.
2. Veritas AI - AI+Medicine Deep Dive
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: 10 weeks (weekends); multiple rolling cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions - Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: Grades 8-12; completion of AI Scholars or background in coding
Veritas AI's AI+Medicine Deep Dive explores artificial intelligence applications across healthcare and medicine over 10 weeks of weekend instruction. Students learn machine learning fundamentals and apply AI models to real medical challenges, including disease diagnosis and medical image analysis. The program features 25 hours of instruction: 1.5-hour section lectures and 1-hour group sessions (5:1 student-to-mentor ratio). Students work in groups of 3-4 on group projects, presenting findings to mentors and peers. The curriculum covers AI applications in medical image classification, segmentation, regularization, transfer learning, and clinical evaluation.
3. NASA GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Up to 1000 students
Dates: June 1 – August 28
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents attending U.S. high schools; rising juniors and seniors (entering grades 11-12 in the Fall) or college freshmen; minimum unweighted GPA 3.0; completed at least one high school biology course
GeneLab for High Schools is a 12-week asynchronous program that trains students in NASA space biology and basic bioinformatics. Coursework includes self-paced lectures, required modules, and dataset analysis through JupyterLab Notebooks, followed by a digital completion certificate. Students may join an optional Capstone Project, forming teams to analyze datasets from the Open Science Data Repository and present research proposals. The top eight teams advance, and the three strongest earn funded travel to present at the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research conference. No prior computer science or AP Biology background is required.
4. Lumiere Education - Biology Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies based on program type; need-based financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective admissions through a two-stage process (application and interview); specific acceptance rate not publicly disclosed
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year; Summer (June-August), Fall (September-December), Winter (December-February), Spring (March-June); programs range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines by cohort: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November)
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students; minimum unweighted GPA 3.3 recommended; no prior research experience required
Lumiere's Biology Track pairs high school students one-on-one with Ph.D.-level mentors for independent research projects across biology specializations. Students select research topics and develop original research papers under personalized mentorship. Participants learn to develop hypotheses, conduct literature reviews, employ experimental or computational techniques, analyze data, and write academically. Mentors support students throughout the entire research process, from formulating questions to presenting results. The program's selective admissions process identifies dedicated students prepared for rigorous independent work.
5. LINC Camp
Location: Virtual
Stipend/Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified
Dates: June 17 – August 14
Application Deadline: March 29
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 9–12 at the time of application; must complete Algebra I
LINC Camp is an eight-week virtual summer camp that offers high school students the opportunity to explore neuroscience, neuroimaging, and coding through a mix of scientific seminars and hands-on experiences. Participants take an introductory coding course to develop coding skills, which they then apply to a project on brain imaging analysis in the final weeks of the camp. During the camp, participants also attend online seminars on neuroanatomy, scientific communication, and STEM careers, and work in groups with instructor support. This camp offers a long-term exposure to scientific topics and research in neuroscience and related fields, culminating in a certificate for participants.
6. American Psychological Association Remote Internships
Location: Remote
Stipend/Cost: Paid or academic‑credit (unpaid) options available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified
Dates: Offered year‑round or on a rolling basis
Application Deadline: Varies by position (internships posted throughout the year)
Eligibility: High school students eligible to work in the U.S.; must have a work permit for students under 18 and be located in a state where APA is registered as an employer
The American Psychological Association offers internship opportunities where high school students can work remotely and assist with various functions within the departments. The functions include research, policy, communications, operations, and publishing. Students will be able to work on actual projects and may also have the opportunity to participate in workshops, group discussions, and professional development activities, in addition to the assigned tasks. The internship is designed to give students insight into psychology-related work in a professional environment while developing skills such as communication and analysis.
7. UT
Location: Virtual
Stipend/Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified
Dates: Two weeks in summer
Application Deadline: Early February
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
This two‑week virtual internship offered by the psychiatry department at UT Southwestern Medical Center introduces high school students to the range of careers available in mental health, including clinical and research roles. Before live sessions, students complete readings from prepared packets on relevant topics. During the program, clinicians and mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, social workers, and physician assistants, lead interactive online sessions that explore topics such as psychotherapy, neuropsychological testing, neuroscience, interventional psychiatry, and community psychiatry. The internship is designed to give students an overview of the mental health field and insight into professional practices and career paths within clinical and research environments.
8. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,400 + $45 Application Fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified (limited seats available)
Dates: Session A: June 15 - June 26 | Session B: July 6 - July 17
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12, residing in the United States, and 14+ by program start
The Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship is a two‑week, online summer research experience that introduces high school students to research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare. Participants engage in research activities, attend discussions and lectures led by Stanford faculty and graduate mentors, and collaborate on projects that apply AI methods in medical or biological contexts. The program includes interactive sessions with experts and provides opportunities to develop analytical and research skills in a structured virtual environment. Students who complete the program receive a certificate of completion, recognizing their participation in the internship.
9. Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology
Location: Virtual
Stipend/Cost: $500 taxable stipend upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: High school students residing in Cook, Lake, Will, or DuPage counties in Illinois, or Lake County in Indiana, with a strong interest in science and medicine
The Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology is a virtual summer program for high school students interested in cancer science, clinical care, and biomedical careers, spanning 2 weeks. During the program, students participate in a genetics research project and a case study that requires them to collaborate to learn key aspects of cancer biology and healthcare. Students also have access to daily online lectures with faculty members, panel discussions, and skill-building workshops with professionals from a number of partner organizations that provide insight into research and career opportunities in biomedical science. The program aims to provide students with a high level of exposure to scientific inquiry and professional development in a virtual environment.
10. High School Bioinformatics Summer Camp – The RNA Institute (University at Albany)
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,250 (early application) / $1,450 (regular application)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified (competitive admissions)
Dates: July 6 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students with at least one year of biology credit and a GPA above 3.0; students cannot be enrolled in other courses or programs during the camp
The High School Bioinformatics Summer Camp at The RNA Institute at the University at Albany is a virtual program that introduces high school students to the fundamental concepts of bioinformatics and computational biology. The summer camp includes live online lectures and small-group meetings where high school students learn programming skills, including R programming, command-line computing, and analyzing and interpreting RNA sequencing results. Throughout the summer camp, students work on an independent bioinformatics project using biological datasets related to health and disease, and present their results in a live online session at the end of the week. The summer camp is designed to provide high school students with research-oriented tools and practices that combine biological data analysis and computational skills.
11. ASSIP - Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program
Location: Virtual (remote option available); also in-person and hybrid formats
Cost: $1,299 for 3-credits of undergraduate coursework + $25 application fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Students age 15+ by June 18 (remote and computer lab internships); age 16+ by June 18 (wet-lab internships); must be enrolled in high school or college
This internship offers high school students an eight-week, full-time summer research experience. Participants are placed in scientific research projects under faculty mentorship at George Mason University or with collaborators. Interns work on original, hypothesis-driven research in areas such as biology, chemistry, environmental science, neuroscience, and physics. The program focuses on hands-on research, the development of scientific communication and writing skills, and exposure to STEM career pathways through discussions and mentor interactions. Participants also earn three undergraduate college credits from George Mason University upon successful completion of the internship. The program concludes with a research presentation to peers and the research community.
12. Summer@Brown Online - Biology and Sciences Courses
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by course length; $3,218 – $6,238 for online courses
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Open enrollment
Dates: Varies by course length; multiple one-, two-, three-, four-, and six-week sessions available
Application Deadline: May 22
Eligibility: Grades 9-12; ages 14-18 by program start date; rising freshmen eligible
Summer@Brown Online provides college-level biology and natural sciences courses taught by Brown University instructors. The courses cover various disciplines within the biological and natural sciences, emphasizing discussion-based learning that encourages critical thinking rather than memorization. Students engage in three hours of daily instruction and spend an additional two to three hours on independent work. Students completing two-week or longer courses receive Course Performance Reports documenting engagement and learning outcomes.
Image source - NASA Logo