13 Free Online Biology Programs for High School Students
If you're curious about biology but don't want the cost of travel to stand in the way, a free online biology program can be the perfect starting point. Given that the programs are free or offer full financial aid, you can focus exclusively on learning and building your profile. In these programs, you will be exposed to topics such as genetics, biotechnology, cancer biology, and bioinformatics while learning from researchers, biologists, and industry professionals. And even though the programs are online, they are far from passive: expect virtual labs, research projects, and collaborative work with peers.
What are the benefits of a biology program?
During structured biology programs, you will build practical skills such as data analysis, reading research papers, and understanding experimental design, and learn how to interpret lab results, work with biological datasets, and communicate scientific findings clearly. Over time, this type of focused training can help you decide whether you are more interested in research, healthcare, biotechnology, environmental science, or another branch of biology, while also strengthening your preparation for advanced high school and college-level coursework.
To help with your search, here are 13 free online biology programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for online STEM programs, check out our blog here.
1. Summer Healthcare Experience in Oncology
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: No cost / $500 taxable stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 20 students/site
Dates: July 13 – 25
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Full-time high school students who reside in Cook, Lake, Will, or DuPage counties (IL) or Lake County (IN)
Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology introduces high school students to both cancer research and patient care through an engaging mix of hands-on projects and daily learning sessions. You will collaborate with students from other universities, while contributing to a genetics-based research project and analyzing a real-world patient case study. This approach allows you to understand how cancer forms at the molecular level and how treatment decisions are made in clinical settings. Your daily schedule will include faculty lectures, expert panel discussions, and workshops designed to enhance your success in the biomedical field. At the end of the program, you'll receive a home laboratory kit for conducting cancer-related experiments, bringing key concepts to life.
2. Veritas AI: AI + Medicine Deep Dive
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program; 100% financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: High school students
If you are looking to build a project or research paper related to artificial intelligence or machine learning, Veritas AI offers multiple programs, including the Veritas AI: AI + Medicine Deep Dive. This program focuses on the various applications of AI in healthcare and the medical industry. You work on projects where you use AI and ML tools to tackle real-world medical challenges such as diagnosing diseases, improving the quality of medical imaging, and interpreting results in ways that are useful for both doctors and patients. A standout feature of the program is its personalized mentorship model. You'll work 1-on-1 with mentors affiliated with top universities, including Harvard, Stanford, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
3. American Psychological Association Remote Internships
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Participants either earn credits or a stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by the position
Dates: Varies by the position
Application Deadline: Positions are posted all year round; Students can apply for up to three internship positions
Eligibility: Open to high school students who are from a state where the APA is a registered employer and are eligible for remote work as defined in APA’s Flexible Work policy; students from select states are ineligible to apply; see the list here
The American Psychological Association offers a range of internship opportunities that combine hands-on experience with structured educational programming. These internships are designed to deepen your understanding of psychology while showing you how the field shapes policy, research, and education. Regardless of which department you apply to, your role will focus on applying psychological principles to benefit individuals and society. A key benefit of this internship is the opportunity to build a strong network with psychology professionals and be introduced to the various non-traditional career paths within the field.
4. Immerse Education’s Online Research Program
Location: Remotely from anywhere in the world
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program type
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Flexible; multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; multiple dates throughout the year
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 (accredited options require age 14+)
The Online Research Program offers high school students the opportunity to conduct rigorous research under the guidance of tutors from Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities. You will work with your tutor to explore a subject of your choice in depth and write an academic research paper. The program is offered in 1:1 and small group formats, and you can choose to earn college credit from universities in the US and the UK. The virtual research program is offered in over 20 subjects, including artificial intelligence, chemistry, psychology, economics, computer science, creative writing, philosophy, and more. At the end of the program, you’ll receive a written evaluation from your tutor, an opportunity to publish your research, and an invitation to present at the Immerse Online Symposium. You can find examples of papers Immerse students have worked on here. You can find more details about the application here.
5. Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Remote options available
Cost/Stipend: Tuition and application fees can be waived for students who are eligible for free/reduced lunch assistance or eligible for Pell Grant financial aid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 12
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Open to high school students who are at least 15 years old by June 18
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP), offered by George Mason University, allows high school and college undergraduates to conduct scientific research alongside university professors. In this eight-week program, you will get to do research in bioengineering, biochemistry, and other STEM fields. With a mentor to assist you, you will learn and gain experience in using some of the advanced tools and laboratory techniques commonly used in professional scientific settings. Beyond technical skills, the program will help you to become well-versed in scientific writing and communication. Plus, you earn three college credits, making this program an academically enriching and credential-building exercise.
6. LAPS Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program
Location: Remote options available
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 80-100 for the online program
Dates: 2-week virtual sessions from June-August
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who reside in Los Angeles County or its adjacent counties
Run by the Los Angeles Pediatric Society, this program connects you directly with healthcare professionals who introduce you to various career options within medicine, especially pediatrics. The two-week program will consist of presentations and engaging discussions with general pediatricians, specialists, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, radiologists, infectious disease experts, and various therapists. More importantly, this program is structured as a medical mentorship experience that gives you insights into child and adolescent healthcare. You are required to deliver a final presentation to obtain a certificate of completion.
7. NASA’s GeneLab for High Schools (GL4HS) Program
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1,000 students
Dates: June 1 – August 28
Application Deadline: February 15 – March 15, or until 1,000 applications are received, whichever occurs first
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders, or graduating seniors who are US citizens or permanent residents, have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0, and have been enrolled in at least one high school biology course
This 12-week free online biology program for high school students offers an in-depth look at NASA’s space biology research, with a particular focus on how biological systems impact spaceflight conditions. You will become familiar with omics-based research and gain a better understanding of complex biological data such as genetic sequences and protein interactions. Moreover, the program lays the foundation in bioinformatics and computational biology, equipping you with the tools to analyze large-scale datasets.
8. Biology Mentorship Program
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 23 – August 8
Application Deadline: Typically, mid-May
Eligibility: Open to high school students
This mentorship program is focused on helping high school students explore neuroscience in a serious, research-oriented manner, while guiding them to identify and develop their own research questions. Over the course of six weeks, you will be introduced to various resources used in scientific research, including open-source software, open-access papers, and curated academic resources. You are expected to work 10-20 hours per week throughout the program. By the end of the experience, you'll produce a formal academic paper and present your findings.
9. Fred Hutch Cancer Center Explorers Virtual Internship Program
Location: Internship is 100% virtual; the final presentation alone will be at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 11 students/session
Dates: Annually, November – May
Application Deadline: September – October
Eligibility: Applications are shared directly via email with eligible Coding for Cancer and Pathways Research Explorers alumni
Designed for high school students who have previously completed Fred Hutch Cancer Center’s Coding for Cancer and Pathways Research Explorers program, this 32-week virtual research internship offers a deep dive into real-world scientific inquiry. Running throughout the academic year, the program centers on computational biology, data analysis, and/or health inequities. As a participant, you will be paired with a mentor and spend about 4 to 5 hours per week developing your research project and gaining hands-on experience. At the end of the internship, you'll present your work as a scientific poster or an oral presentation on Fred Hutch’s campus in Seattle, Washington.
10. LINC camp
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 5
Eligibility: High school students who have completed the Algebra I course
Hosted by NIH BRAIN, this camp is designed to spark high school students’ interest in brain imaging and neuroscience research. During the seven-week program, you will attend expert-led seminars and participate in hands-on projects that introduce you to core concepts in neuroscience, neuroimaging, and coding. The first six weeks are dedicated to building a strong coding foundation. Beyond subject knowledge, the program prepares you for success in college and STEM-related careers.
11. Inspiring Careers in Mental Health
Location: Online via Zoom
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 1 – 5 and June 8 – 12
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: 9th to 12th graders who live in the United States or on a U.S. armed forces base or diplomatic post
This free online biology program, organized by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, is intended to help high school and incoming college students explore the rapidly evolving field of mental health. The program introduces you to career options such as psychotherapy, neuropsychological testing, neuroscience, interventional psychiatry, and community psychiatry. Beyond learning about these roles in theory, you will also have the opportunity to interact with mental health professionals, including licensed clinical social workers, neuropsychologists, physician assistants, and psychiatrists. To help you make the most of these sessions, you will be assigned some reading work beforehand, ensuring that discussions are engaging and interactive from the very start.
12. The Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp
Location: Online via Zoom
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: All registered participants
Dates: August 4 – 15 (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays)
Application Deadline: July 28
Eligibility: Open to high school students
The Diabetes Virtual Summer Camp, run by the American Diabetes Association, welcomes a wide range of audiences, including high school students curious about medicine and biomedical research. The program consists of 13 sessions that introduce you to cutting-edge topics in diabetes research. Following each session, the program encourages you to ask questions, helping you to better understand both the science and its real-world impact. Along the way, you will also explore career options in medicine and science, ranging from clinical practice to laboratory research and public health.
13. Duke University’s Introduction to Genetics and Evolution
Location: Online (via Coursera)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No limitations
Dates: 3 weeks
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Open to high school students
This self-paced program is aimed at high school students who wish to pursue careers in biology, biostatistics, biotechnology, molecular biology, and other related fields. This is your chance to engage with college-level concepts taught at Duke University, all while learning on a flexible schedule spanning an average of 10 hours per week. The course is structured into 12 modules that cover foundational and advanced topics such as genetics, evolution, molecular evolution, adaptive behaviors, sexual selection, speciation, and phylogenetics.